Big News

A few months ago something exciting happened in our family. My husband had an opportunity to take a job in Seattle. Seattle is where we have wanted to settle permanently for a long time, but in our plan it wasn't something we were going to try to make happen for a few more years. Everything happened so quickly. I was still on maternity leave and we did our usual trip to Seattle for New Years and when the baby and I returned to Texas my husband stayed in Seattle and started his new job.

Note the broken heart...
I'm very excited for this next step in our lives, but sad to leave my family here and the community where I have worked for the last 8 years. I work with amazing teachers and it will be strange not working with my school family next year. 

I'm staying here in Texas until the school year is over then I'll we'll officially move mid-June.

If you're a teacher in Seattle I'd love to hear from you! I would love to meet up with some Seattle teachers once we are living there.

Have a great weekend!



Making Fluency Practice Fun

This time in the year I like to focus on fluency a bit more, but I like to try and be sneaky about it. I want my kiddos to practice reading but handing students a sand timer just isn't my style. Over the past couple of weeks we've been using the ChatterPix Kids app! Now that we've started we just can't stop!


This app is SO EASY TO USE! Students can take a picture of themselves, objects, or drawings. After choosing a picture you use the drawing tool to pick a spot for a mouth. Next you can record yourself speaking for up to 30 seconds. If you mess up on a recording you just record over it. There are borders and funny stickers to add to your recording too. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

(And now a little message from Cody the Cat)


My students recorded themselves reading a poem on ChatterPix Kids. Here's one example of a student reading a Jack Prelutsky poem. This one is just a drawing and a recording without stickers added.


The possibilities are endless with this app. We just completed Dr. Seuss character drawings and my kids are recording facts about Dr. Seuss. We are planning on doing book reviews with this app too. Students will draw their favorite character in the setting of the story then record their thoughts on the book. I showed my sister and she and my niece had a great time taking pictures of Barbie dolls and made them say all kinds of funny things!