Preventing the summer slide: Part 2 (Freebies!!!)

Last year I wrote a post about Preventing the Summer Slide for TeachHub and included a calendar to give to your students for the summer. I have updated the calendar for 2017. (I think it looks much better!) I have also added a sheet for parents about ways to practice sight words at home.   You can find if for FREE at my Teacher's Pay Teachers store.

This year I am adding a few new things to my packet to send home to parents for the summer.  In addition to the calendar, stamped postcards, and list of websites that I have sent home in the past I am also going to send home sight word and number flashcards.  I made a new game called SPLASH!! So far I just have number recognition completed.  You can pick it up for FREE over at my TPT or Teacher's notebook store.  I am hoping to make a sight word version, but in case I do not get that done, I will be sending home a copy of my game Shipwrecked!

If you are looking for more ideas to help prevent the summer slide, I have started a pinterest board to collect  different items I have found. You can find that by clicking here.  While you are there follow some of my other boards so that you never miss anything new.  Also check out this blog post I wrote last year for the VA loves teachers blog!


I really hope that all of these added activities help my students retain the information they have worked so hard on learning this year.   I would love to hear about what you send home for the summer to help your students.  Please leave me a comment!

My parent wish list

I have had some really great parents this year and I have been thinking about things I wish parents of my students did all the time. Being a parent myself I think it is important that parents are active members of the IEP team. So here is my wish list....

 1. Make suggestions: As a parent, you are your child's first teacher. You know your child best. If you have an idea or suggestion, please share it.

2. Communicate: I love open lines of communication. Please call me, email me, write me a note, stop in and visit. I want to hear from you. Your child's life at home impacts his/her life at school.

3. At the IEP meeting (or anytime), question me or any team member: If something is not correct, if you don't understand, or you think it is a horrible idea, speak up! We all look at things differently and I want to know how you see it.

4.  Be involved:  Please know what is going on at school.  If you can come in and eat lunch with your child, they will love it.  Come on field trips, read a story to the class, send in pictures of your child's weekend activities etc.

If you are a teacher, is there something you wish your parents did/knew?  If you are a parent, is there something you wish your child's teacher did/knew?   I would love to hear what others think on this topic as I feel we all always have room to grow.