Elementary School

What Teachers Study

April 23, 2019 By Nancy Casey

Years ago when I was teaching reading and writing to elementary school children, I often incorporated songs into our lessons. It was fun and helped many of the children a lot. Most small children haven’t internalized ideas like “can’t carry a tune in a bucket,” so singing comes easily to them. Some children learn melodies more readily than sentences. I found that children … [Read more...] about What Teachers Study

Teaching to the Top

March 8, 2018 By Nancy Casey

A Daily Discussion An elementary school teacher, Ms. K, said this about the discussion she leads first thing each morning: “In this time period, I teach to the top. It sets the standard for what I want. They know what they are striving for. Some people say that you should teach to the middle.” She shrugs. “I think it is very frustrating for them when you start in the middle … [Read more...] about Teaching to the Top

In Room 103

February 28, 2018 By Nancy Casey

Throughout my teaching career, I alternated between periods of teaching and periods of learning about teaching. That’s how I found myself in Room 103, an elementary school classroom, observing. Each day, for the first hour of the day, for the first months of the school year, I parked myself in a corner and took notes. It was the teacher, Ms. K,* who suggested that I come at … [Read more...] about In Room 103

Nancy blogs weekly for the Latah Recovery Community Center, sharing writing ideas that support self-awareness and self-esteem.

Writing classes and workshops

In-person Write-For-You workshops at the Latah Recovery Center have been suspended for a bit, but you can still do the writing prompts on your own. For more information, about the Write for You program, or if you are in recovery and interested in writing coaching, contact Nancy

Let’s Talk About It

This is a program that supports reading and discussion in libraries throughout the state of Idaho. It was suspended (and sorely missed!) during the pandemic. Happily, these lively discussions will be returning to Idaho libraries in the fall.

I’ve been a scholar for this program for I-don’t-know-how-many years. I have found every book, every library, every group of people to be interesting and stimulating. Every discussion brings new ideas and surprises.

In the spring I served on the Program Committee, a group of teachers, writers, and librarians tasked with refreshing the LTAI themes and selecting new books. Too bad there’s not a billion dollar budget! We could have spent it all. There are just so many wonderful books that people could read and discuss together. I was tasked with updating the Science and Technology selections. It’s all coming soon.

Let’s talk about it! Because literature brings people together.

What Teachers Study

Teaching to the Top

In Room 103

Nancy Casey's Books

All the Way to Second Street