Today we are diving into the whimsical world of Berticus, a fifth grader whose life is a whirlwind of imagination, impulsive actions, and the awkwardness that comes with growing up. Berticus is not just any ordinary kid; he embodies the struggles of childhood, caught between the innocent fantasies of youth and the complex realities of…
Read MoreBerticus, the lead character in Brian Silbert’s book, Berticus: How I Survived School! And Bullies! And Farley Finnigan! , seems to have many symptoms that coincide with the diagnoses of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In fact, they found it to be a good fit for the CHADD National Resource Center (NRC) Library collection. It is listed…
Read MoreBerticus: How I Survived School! And Bullies! And Farley Finnigan, by Brian Silbert “A kid’s rough school days make for a rollicking and often endearing story…Silbert’s tale is endlessly amusing, thanks to the charm of its titular hero. Berticus’ narration makes his typically zany plans seem perfectly reasonable.” Kirkus Review Berticus embodies the quintessential fifth…
Read MoreWhy Can’t Our Children Read? It is reported that reading achievement has declined since 2019 and continues to decline. Why is this happening after teachers have worked so hard to improve reading scores? First, it’s essential to understand that reading is based on early language development. Evidence has shown that COVID-19 brought changes that affected…
Read MoreThe goal of teaching your students to write is to insure that your students develop strong writing skills so they will better be able to express ideas, opinions, and thoughts in a creative and mature way. In addition, when an individual is able to write well, they develop a more positive self-image, grow intellectually, develop…
Read MoreDear Dr. Linda, I’m in my second year of teaching, and I teach the second grade. Teaching vowels is one of the most challenging parts of my job. I’ve had many courses on the history of education and educational theories, but I never had a course simply on how to teach vowels. My Master’s degree…
Read MoreDear Dr. Linda, I was working with my son Colin on his homework. I became upset when I realized he had no idea what had been going on in class. I don’t know if it’s because he’s not listening or because the teacher is not explaining things well. Colin, a 7th grader had to fill…
Read MoreDear Dr. Linda, I’m not one to criticize—at least I try not to—so how do I tell my son and daughter-in-law and my granddaughter, a freshman in high school, that she needs to learn grammar? Her writing is atrocious! She speaks well but when I read her papers, I’m in shock. I’m not a retired…
Read MoreDear Dr. Linda, Our son Guy is in second grade and is still not reading. It’s the second half of the year and I’m really concerned. His teacher told me that he needs a good phonics program that follows Orton-Gillingham. Then I talked to my friend whose daughter has trouble with reading because she has…
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Dear Dr. Linda, My Mother, my next-door neighbor and I have been having an ongoing conversation about the merits of reading to toddlers every night before bed. Every evening, my mother read to me and my brother when we were little, and I have to say that we both enjoyed it. It was just part…
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