Andrea Knight

Teacher · Learner · Author

After the Fall: Learning to Persevere

I love this book. It picks up where the original tale ends ... after Humpty has been put back together again. But now he's scared. The fall broke not only his shell, but his courage and confidence too. His fears hold him back and they keep him from enjoying the things he used to ... until one day, one step at a time, he decides to conquer his greatest fear. INSTRUCTIONAL IDEAS This story is a … [Read more...]

Inspiring Stories Written by Athletes

I realize "Athlete Authors" isn't an actual genre, but it's quickly becoming one of my favorite groups of books for children. LeBron James is more than a basketball player. And Malcolm Mitchell is more than a football player. Each have a story to share. Each are real-life, kid-approved examples of what perseverance and effort can do for us when we're faced with challenges. And, now, each are also … [Read more...]

10 Ways to Build Reading Stamina

Reading stamina is important, no question. The more time we spend reading, the more we learn about ourselves and the world around us. Knowing how to engage with books for sustained periods of time begins with our youngest readers and grows over the years. For some kids, this is easy and natural. For others, not so much. When you teach a primary grade filled with six and seven-year-olds, most of … [Read more...]

Famous Inventions Kids Love – Bubble Gum

Thank goodness for inventors and all their famous inventions. There are the basics like cars, light bulbs, and (one of my personal favorites) hot water heaters. Then there are some less obvious ones like thumbtacks and zippers. There are even a few I resisted at first, like backup cameras in cars. I mean who needs those? (Apparently, me.) If you can believe it, I didn't even want an iPhone when … [Read more...]

Women’s History Month

I love Women's History Month. It's a time of year when we collectively seek out stories of determined, courageous women ... women who looked obstacles right in the face and said, "Pardon me while I go around you." It's so common for curriculum calendars to suggest, or mandate, certain topics for certain times of the year. I remember when I was a new teacher and my mentor said something like, … [Read more...]