It was the first day of Autumn yesterday! As a teacher in the primary grades, I just wanted to read a good book with my class, bring in apples and make applesauce with them, which can of course, lead to a slew of writing activities after.  However, sneaking in a Fall-related activity can induce high levels of anxiety despite the positive effect it may have on a child.

The classroom has lost much of its pizzazz due to the overwhelming amounts of protocol teachers have to follow.  A teacher needs to be resourceful and manage his or her time wisely, which is a difficult feat when adhering to strict time schedules.  I have discovered that intervention blocks allow for some creativity and some lost pizzazz.  How?  One way to bridge learning gaps in reading is using Reader’s Theater, a research-based technique, in which students can act out parts.  It can become a truly fun activity that invites one’s creativity, in addition to honing on reading comprehension, fluency, and specifically prosody.  I particularly like using this strategy with children who have emotional and or behavioral disorders because it allows them to also focus on their socialization skills while improving their reading.

So, we might not all be able to make applesauce, but we can take out the puppets and create our own classroom theater!