Structure vs. Choice?  Urgency vs. Joy?

Structure vs. Choice? Urgency vs. Joy?

We’ve been thinking lately about the opposing tensions in our lives and the ways these tensions often leave us longing for a perfect balance. The idea that our lives will be in perfect balance is,  of course, absurd. Nevertheless, balance as an imprecise descriptor of...
Hold the Vision. Trust the Process.

Hold the Vision. Trust the Process.

You may already know how much we LOVE the New Year with its fresh start and promise.But, even by the time calendar turns over to February, we can sometimes find ourselves fatiguing and starting to lose sight of our vision.It’s often easier for us to set big...
If You Take a Speech-to-Print Approach

If You Take a Speech-to-Print Approach

If you approach learning to read and write as a speech-to-print -rather than as a print-to-speech – process, . . . . . . then you will want to start by making sure children have strong oral language. And if you are going to build children’s oral language, . . .....
The Power of Re-Work

The Power of Re-Work

Ahh, the little prefix RE- ! Small but mighty!   We’re believers in fresh starts and REvised approaches. We’re advocates of taking stock and REevaluating. And in both our personal and professional lives, January has been a time of RE- for us. REflecting on how we have...
Six Suggestions for Seamless Oral Language Development

Six Suggestions for Seamless Oral Language Development

What’s oral language development got to do with reading, anyway? Well, it turns out . . . a whole lot.  As we explain in Chapter 1 of Shifting the Balance, reading comprehension doesn’t begin with reading; it begins with comprehension of spoken language. And as luck...
3 Things That Can Make Interpreting Research Tricky

3 Things That Can Make Interpreting Research Tricky

Perhaps you are thinking about that second (or third or fourth) cup of coffee you have in the morning. Maybe you are wondering if coffee is really good for you after all. So, you decide to get on the internet and do a bit of reading to find out what the research...
What is the science of reading anyway?

What is the science of reading anyway?

It’s in the news.It’s in the title of our book.It’s in the name of countless Facebook groups.It’s the topic of conversation at school board meetings and in state legislatures across the country. So, what is “the science of reading” anyway?  First, check out our video...
Learning on the the Go – Six Shifts Podcast Series

Learning on the the Go – Six Shifts Podcast Series

In a fast-paced and over-scheduled life, finding any margin between the activities that begin when your alarm goes off in the morning and end when you lay your head back down on the pillow at night can feel almost impossible!If you’re like us, you probably wish you...