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Reading: Worth the Fight

We’re just over a week into the new school year, and one of my kids has already pushed back over required reading time. For the past several years, his teachers have set a required time for reading every night, ranging from 20-30 minutes. As an avid reader and former teacher, I’ve obviously been on board with these daily reading requirements. It’s a no-brainer for me. 

This year, however, his teacher won’t be assigning a specific amount of time or number of pages to read each night. Instead, students have a chart on their school computers where they can log any minutes they read, though it’s not a requirement or an assignment. Naturally, my son took that to mean, “I can read for even just one minute and put that in my log!” Fourth graders, right?! You can imagine his dismay when I told him that even though his teacher wasn’t going to assign reading time, my husband and I were. Despite his nightly protests, we have held strong to this boundary, and most nights, after his 30 minutes are up, he asks if he can read just a little bit more— and who am I to say no to that?!

You might wonder why I choose to pick this battle. After all, it would be much easier to give up the fight and not have to listen to the whining and protesting every night. I’d probably even gain “cool mom” status with my son if I didn’t have him read. But honestly, I am not out to win “cool mom” status, and pushing through the whining is 100% worth it to me. 

You see, I’ve encountered so many teenagers who struggle to read. Kids who really are very smart and capable, but just are not where they “should” be in regards to reading. Kids who are terrified to read out loud in front of their peers because they are not confident in their reading abilities. One way to combat this is to have kids read regularly— even a short 15 minutes a day can make a world of a difference in reading ability. 

Reading goes so far beyond opening a book and following along. It opens doorways to many other skills! Reading increases vocabulary, improves writing skills, boosts confidence, encourages imagination, and increases knowledge, among other benefits. Reading is a life long skill. I know not everyone will continue to pick up a novel and read as adults, but the foundational skills gained through reading in the younger years are vital. Even on days I don’t pick up a book to read for fun, I am still reading things all day long— a menu at a restaurant, a recipe as I cook dinner, the labels on food at the store, road signs, texts, social media posts, and so on. The ability to read is one that cannot be put on the back burner. 

In order for young kids to become better readers, they must keep reading. If someone wanted to be a better football player, they would continue to play football. The same goes for reading. It is simply a skill that must not be ignored. I might even go as far as to say that reading is one of the most important skills that can be learned. It is, after all, something that is used in every other subject they will learn. It is a skill that they will use no matter what career path they use. 

So the next time your child or one of your students complains about reading time, remind them that you are actually helping them— Helping them become better readers, writers, thinkers, and doers, because reading is the key to opening doors to the future.

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Goals Aren’t Just for the New Year

3….2….1, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there. It’s August, not January. 

You know the routine: a new year comes, and you excitedly set some goals or resolutions for yourself, only to have that excitement and motivation die out by February. I know I can’t be the only one who is guilty of this pattern. 

Now, I know that it’s August, and most people aren’t even thinking about their goals for next year quite yet, but hear me out. What if, as teachers, we encouraged our students to set a goal for this new school year? A _______ Grade Resolution, if you will (you fill in the blank with whatever grade you teach). What if we take the time to teach our students how to set a goal, plan an appropriate attack strategy, and execute said plan so that they can see how powerful goal setting can be? What if our students gained more confidence in themselves and reached goals they didn’t think they could? What if? 

I don’t know about you, but I don’t see a lot to lose here. Even if the goal isn’t reached, think about all that would be gained by trying! Confidence? Determination? Planning skills? I know I wouldn’t be mad if I made improvements in all of those areas! 

Before you go forward with this, let’s remind ourselves about effective goal setting. It isn’t super beneficial to simply say you want to achieve something; you need a plan of action on how you are going to achieve that something. The goal needs to be realistic, progress needs to be measurable, and there need to be some parameters established. Essentially, the intended end result should be planned out in SMART goal style, with the goal being specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. If students can plan a goal with these five areas in mind, their overall success will be much greater. 

Most of us teachers know what a SMART goal might look like in relation to our jobs, but what might a SMART goal look like for a fourth grader? Let’s look at an example and see what each step might involve.

SMART Goal: I will improve my reading level by two levels by the end of the school year.

Now, let’s break this goal apart by looking at each of the five areas:

S: Specific. This means that the goal is detailed, the parameters are clear, and there isn’t any confusion about what is to be achieved. In this example, this student wants to improve their reading level by a certain amount by a specific date.

M: Measurable. A solid goal is one that can be tracked or measured. You can create data of some kind to see where you started and where you end up. In this case, the goal is to increase reading level by two levels. This is an easily measured goal, as progress can be monitored, recorded, and charted. 

A: Attainable. When setting a goal, you need to be realistic. It would not be beneficial to set a goal that is so far out of reach, there is no possible way it can be achieved within the time frame you set. Using our example, if this student had said that they wanted to be reading on a college level by the end of fourth grade, it might not be super attainable. However, setting a goal to improve by two reading levels is going to be reached much easier. 

R: Relevant. A goal needs to be relevant to the person or situation. If setting a goal to exercise more, you wouldn’t want to include anything about increasing your reading level. The goal needs to make sense for the time, place, and person. In our example, it makes sense that fourth grade student would be setting a reading goal to improve their reading skills, because that is something that would be worked on in that area and at that time. 

T: Time-bound. Good goals need to have time limits. Obviously, it behooves all people to continually improve, but if a goal is to be measured and tracked, setting time limitations is helpful. In the example above, the student sets a time by which they want to have their goal achieved— the end of the school year. Having a clear end date can help the goal setter to plan accordingly. If they achieve the goal before the end date, great! If they need the full time they have decided upon, great! Setting a schedule can help motivate the person to continue working toward their goal, and to take steps along the way to push them toward their end goal. 

Having students create and plan their own SMART goals is a great way to start the new school year. It will give the students something to work toward and look forward to. Goals give a sense of purpose and direction. You might consider creating an outline of some kind for students to follow as they create their goals. Have them do regular check-ins regarding the progress they are making. Track that progress so that they can see that their work is paying off and really is moving them toward their desired end result. 

When they reach the end of their set time frame, have them evaluate themselves— did they achieve their goal? What kind of, if any, set backs did they encounter? If they didn’t make it to their goal, why? What kind of progress did they make? What did they learn along the way? 

Celebrate their efforts, and encourage them to continue setting and working toward goals. Perhaps you might even consider setting a class-wide SMART goal that you can all work toward together, fostering class unity and purpose. However you do it, consider incorporating SMART goal setting in your curriculum! Goal setting is a great life skill to have, and knowing how to properly set and achieve a goal will give students an advantage as they get older.

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2025 Scholarship Winner Spotlight: Fowwaz Moeen

One of our incredible recipients of our 2025 Build A Better Future Scholarship was Fowwaz Moeen, a graduating senior in Texas. His project, Food for Friends, aimed to provide fresh nutritious foods to individuals who are experiencing food insecurity in his area.

First, a little about Fowwaz: This fall, he will be attending UT Austin where he will begin his studies to double major in Computer Science and Physics. In addition to this incredible feat, he is also working toward logging enough flight hours to get his private pilot’s license! He says that dried mangoes are his favorite treat because “they’re sweet enough for late‑night coding sprints, light enough for the cockpit.”

Fowwaz first became aware of the problem of food insecurity in 2022 when Pakistan was hit with monsoon floods, which ultimately led to 1/3 of children facing malnutrition. His research during that time led him to realize that people in his own area were also facing the same problem. He writes, “That overlap of global catastrophe and local need inspired me to found Food for Friends: a student‑run greenhouse and garden that grows nutritious food and donates it to partner food banks serving Houston’s hardest‑hit neighborhoods.”

He began by conducting a needs assessment and figuring out the who, when, where, and what of the project. His high school already had a greenhouse they could use– it needed some major repairs, but they had something to start with. He led a grant application that brought in over $6,500 that was used to cover the greenhouse rebuild and their first 20 raised garden beds.

During this process, Fowwaz had to overcome hurdles and learn how to manage those set backs. The greenhouse repair was nearly finished when Hurricane Beryl ripped through their area, tearing off panels and twisting the structure. Discouraged, but not defeated, they were forced to start over. Thankfully, they had support from their school, which allowed them to purchase a new greenhouse so their work could continue.

Fowwaz teamed up with local gardening experts to learn gardening techniques and plan a proper garden to ensure the most successful harvest. Wanting to make sure that this initiative continued long after he had graduated, he established a leadership team of underclassmen to oversee the weekly operations. The school has also integrated Food for Friends into the middle and high school curriculum– each semester, new classes of students get the chance to take care of the garden beds and harvest the crops. This ongoing project will ensure that many people will benefit from the healthy food that is grown, harvested, and distributed.

Fowwaz also plans to advise remotely and return during college breaks to check in and monitor the project. He also hopes to create a sister garden project at UT Austin and partner with local food banks there.

He has great plans for his project, and for his future! He summed it up best when he wrote, “Whether flying above the clouds or planting seedlings, my aim is the same: to use science and tech to make our shared universe, starting with Earth, more understandable and equitable for everyone.”

Incredible work, Fowwaz! I’m certain this project has been an incredible asset and blessing to the lives of everyone who has been involved in any way, especially to those who have benefited from the harvests. Thank you for sharing your talents and ideas with your community. We are proud to include you on our list of scholarship recipients for our 2025 Build A Better Future Scholarship!

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What I Wish I’d Known: College Edition

Remember when you were younger and you used to think about what life would look like after you graduated high school? You’d dream about setting up your college dorm, hanging out with your roommates, and living your best college life. You could hardly wait for the day to come! It seemed like you’d be stuck in high school for ever, but looking back now, it went by in the blink of an eye. And that day you so anxiously anticipated? It’s almost here. In fact, reality might be starting to set in as you get closer to your first day of college. It’s new and exciting, but also maybe a little bit scary. And that’s okay. You’ve never done this before, so of course there are going to be some hesitations and uncertainties.

But you know what? You can do this! You’ve got lots of people cheering you on and wanting you to succeed. Everyone’s college experience will be different and unique to them, but somewhere along the way, everyone needs help figuring out this new stage of life. Here are a few tips I wish I would have known before starting college!

1- It’s okay if you don’t know what you want to major in!

Start with your generals, and maybe take a class or two that focus on a couple of areas of study you are leaning toward. It’s also okay to switch your major part way through your schooling. I went into college thinking I wanted to be an elementary or early childhood educator, then switched to nursing, and then, ultimately, I decided secondary education was the best fit for me. Did it take me a tad longer to get through my degree because of that? Yep. But I don’t regret it one bit; I graduated knowing that I was getting a degree in what I wanted. I had explored other options, realized they weren’t for me, and found what was. 

2- Learn how to manage your time.

You’re an adult now— you’ve got to figure out a time management system that works for you. If you need to get a planner to organize assignments, study times, and social events, then get a planner. If you know you study best in the morning, make sure to set aside time for that. If you get going along and discover that something isn’t working for you, make adjustments as needed. Make sure you are getting enough sleep so that your mind is clear and ready to learn and focus. Balancing school, work, social, and other life responsibilities can be tricky. Be sure to prioritize what you need to and fill in the remainder of your time with the rest. But one thing is sure— don’t forget to schedule time for some self care and fun. You’ll burn yourself out if you hide away and only do school work. Your studies are important, but so are you— take time to take care of yourself!

3- Create a support system.

This is especially important if you have moved away from home to attend college. Find yourself a group of people who can support you and help you. You might have different groups for different needs— perhaps you will find one group of friends from within your major, and you all study together and help each other learn the content. Maybe you will find friends who are your go-tos during down time and fun times. Whatever the case may be, make sure you have people to lean on, and equally as important, make sure that you are that person for someone else! 

4- Have fun!

College is such a fun time of life. You have the chance to meet so many new and interesting people. Invest in relationships that will last a lifetime. Set boundaries for yourself and make sure you are safe in all the ways. Take time to slow down and relax when you can. Don’t be so focused on school that you forget how beautiful life is. Maintain your hobbies the best you can, and cultivate friendships with people you can do those hobbies with. Figure out who you are and where you stand with important political, social, and ethical issues. Get out and explore the area around you. Remember that your experience is what you make it— so make it a good one!

This is an exciting time of life for so many reasons. Take the chance, make the memories, and do your best— life is so much richer if you do!

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Making Friends Can Be Tricky

Think back to your childhood and the friends you had. Maybe you’re still friends with those same people. Perhaps you just check in on them occasionally via social media, or maybe you’ve lost contact completely. Regardless of your friendship status with them now, one thing is certain— those early friendships made a lasting impression on you and helped shaped you into the person you are today. Childhood friendships helped you to understand what friendship means and what it looks like. They taught you what it means to be a good friend, and sometimes, unfortunately, what it means to be a not-so-good friend. 

Childhood is such a crucial time for molding and shaping young minds. Learning how to be a friend is a skill that is taught at an early age. As this new school year begins, it’s a good time to remind kids what good friendships look like, and to encourage them to make new friends too. Picture books are such an excellent teaching tool, so I headed to my library and found a few books that teach really good lessons on friendship.

In no particular order, these were my favorites that I found:

Friends Stick Together by Hannah E. Harrison

Rupert is a rhino who is quite proper and reserved. He doesn’t enjoy attention, loud things, or annoying friends. Levi is a tick bird who is the complete opposite of Rupert— he is loud, annoying, and likes lame jokes. Levi won’t leave Rupert alone and makes a scene everywhere they go. Rupert tries everything he can think of to get Levi to go away, but nothing works until he finally just tells him he wants to be alone. Levi does go away, but soon, Rupert starts to notice that life isn’t quite the same without his friend. After he realizes he misses Levi, Rupert apologizes and is happy to have Levi back.

This story beautifully illustrates that two different personalities can still be friends. It also touches a little bit on symbiosis— an excellent little tie into science!

When A Friend Needs A Friend by Roozeboos

Aya and Oskar are friends. Oskar can build almost anything, and is quite good at it. Together, they create stories about the things he builds, and love to visit a construction site where all the workers know them. Oskar can get very loud when he gets very excited, but also can get very quiet when he is sad. Sometimes he just wants to be left alone for a long period of time. At first, Aya didn’t know why and thought she had done something wrong or had hurt his feelings somehow. After visiting the construction site by herself, she learns that sometimes Oskar just has big emotions and needs some time to process them. She patiently waits for Oskar to be ready to play again, and remains his friend through it all.

I loved that this book teaches kids that it’s okay to feel what you feel, and that it’s ok to need your space. I also really liked that it showed that friendships can still remain strong, even when one person needs a little bit of a break. Having friends who are there for you through the good and the bad is so important.

Best Friends in the Universe by Hector and Louie Written by Stephanie Watson and Illustrated by Le Uyen Pham

Hector and Louie are the very best friends. They like to tell jokes, dance, and make up new foods together. They tell each other secrets and have all kinds of fun together. One day, Hector accidentally slips and tells Louie’s biggest secret. This begins a fight between the two of them. They stop playing together, and soon notice that their lives just aren’t the same without each other. Soon they have made up and are back to their regular silly antics.

Friendships aren’t always easy, and disagreements and disappointments can happen. This book did a great job of showing that, and also showing how people can apologize and still be friends. The illustrations in this book are darling and make it even more fun.

Buddy’s New Buddy Written by Christina Geist and Illustrated by Tim Bowers

Buddy is so sad when his best friend moves away. He begins a new school year without any friends, and is feeling quite sad about it. His big sister teaches him how to make new friends. Soon a new student moves into his class, and he starts to notice that they have lots of things in common. The become friends quickly and have all kinds of fun together.

As someone who moved often during my childhood, I appreciated this book. Making friends can be tricky, especially when you’re new or when someone you love moves away. This book shows kids to keep trying and to not give up when trying to make a new friend. Sometimes you just have to be patient, but there is always a friend out there for everyone.

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As the new school year gets going, take a few minutes to encourage your students to be a good friend and to be friends with the kids who don’t have friends. They’ll never know just how much of an impact they might have on someone!

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Back to School Word Scramble

Middle grade teachers– this one’s for you! If you’re needing a quick self-starter for your students to do sometime during the first week of school, I’ve got you covered! Below you will find a free downloadable Back to School Word Scramble worksheet.

Download, print, and make some copies for your class, and just like that, you’ve got yourself a quick activity for your students to do while you take attendance. To extend the activity, you could also have them write a short story using all of the words!

**Please do not re-sell, re-post, or claim printable as your own.**

Back to School Word ScrambleDownload
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Dear Teacher: An Introductory Assignment

My last post was full of ice breaker and getting to know you ideas that involved the entire class. Today I wanted to share another idea for getting to know your students, but this one is done individually, and as a homework assignment.

Because I was an English teacher, this assignment worked particularly well for my class, but it can work just as well for any other content area. The assignment was called “Dear Teacher” and was a chance for students to write a letter to me. I gave them suggestions about what they could tell me, but also left it open for them to choose the content of their letter. 

Some of the suggested topics included:

  • Favorite food
  • Favorite subject
  • Favorite music, movie, book, actor/actress, show
  • Family— how many siblings, things they like to do, etc.
  • Friends— who their friends are, what they like to do together, etc.
  • Favorite vacations they’ve been on
  • Things they did over the summer
  • What they’re looking forward to about this new school year
  • Goals they may have
  • Their feelings about reading & writing (or whatever your content area may be)
  • Anything else they felt like telling me

I also required the assignment to be hand written (this gave me a glimpse into their grammar and spelling skills since they weren’t using a computer with spell/grammar check), and required the length to be about 1- 1.5 pages long. I wanted it long enough for them to tell me about themselves, but not so long that I was reading these letters for the rest of my days!

This assignment was always so fun to get back from students. I loved learning about them! Beyond the “getting to know you” objective of the assignment, these letters also gave me insight into their writing style, grammar/spelling skills, handwriting, and personalities. Another thing I really liked about this assignment was that, because I had assured them I wasn’t going to be sharing their letters with other students, it allowed students to be completely honest and open. I had students open up and tell me about difficulties at home, friend struggles, learning struggles, and so on. It let them know right off the bat that I was a safe person who had their best interests in mind. 

The “Dear Teacher” letter was always just a participation grade, which was a great way to start off the year. It was a low-stakes, no pressure assignment to ease them into graded writing that would come later. 

So while this assignment was really quite simple, it accomplished much more than surface level formalities. 

What kind of assignments do you give your students to start the year?