This year will be my 37th year teaching!!! I began my teaching career at Hemingway Elementary in 1981 teaching 4th, 6th and then 3rd grade.  I taught here for 11 years, then moved away for 17 years; the stars aligned and I was able to come back full circle!  I have worked in 4 different schools, 3 different states and with 12 different principals.  Over the course of time I have taught every grade K-6 at least one year or more!  The majority of my teaching career has been in the regular classroom in the primary grades K and 1.  I became Reading Recovery certified in Portland, Oregon which gave me a keen understanding in teaching struggling students how to read by "untangling" their confusions. I LOVE being with children and spending time with them every day. In my free time I enjoy being with my family, skiing, swimming with a Masters group, biking, READING!, drawing, writing and playing my new puppy named Ally.

This link gives parents some key pointers of how to read with their child at home. 

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/reading-homework-tips-for-parents/  

The only part I would like to edit is that when your child works at a "tricky/new" word, and then wonders if it is correct - YOU give the prompt: "YOU decide*."  This way, the child is learning and confirming all by themself. 

*"You Decide" by cross checking:

1) Does the word MAKE SENSE?  [i.e. is it horse or is it pony?]

2) Does it SOUND RIGHT?  [Could the book read: "The cowboy rode the horse?"  Do we TALK THAT WAY?]

3) Do ~most of the letters match?  ...even the letters in the middle of the word?...?

Then you know if you are correct or not!  If you are incorrect, re-read and try again!