Sarah Knutson

I never expected to raise my children without my mom. I adored my mom, and it still rocks me to my core that I lost her when my two oldest children were four and one. My mom never even met my youngest child.
Sometimes it feels like too much. How do I even attempt to be a mother when my own mother is no longer a phone call, a text, a quick drive away?
And then, I see the sheer delight in my children’s faces when they see me first thing in the morning. My toddler giggles and bounc...

Having a third child bonded our entire family in unexpected ways.
My two oldest children are almost exactly three years apart. We were very lucky, and our plan worked as we had hoped. They arrived on a schedule that fit our careers.
Nearly four years after the arrival of my second child, we were on the cusp of the parents’ dream: a single drop-off. We would be done paying high childcare bills, and both of our kids would be at the same school.
And then, we learned about our littl...

My children frequently take my breath away, whether with their beauty (because, oh, my, these children are beautiful, aren’t they?) or their view of the world. Or, more and more, with the speed at which they are growing—I’ve got whiplash.
My oldest just turned nine, and I can see the teenager in him, not just in his attempts to refer to me as “brah,” but also in the ease with which he runs across the soccer field, or the way he tosses his hair. The colorful days of his childhood are passing a...

When novels burst onto the literary scene in the 18th century with Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe, they presented something truly new: the idea that a common person and his pursuits could matter. This concept shattered the notion that books needed to focus on high-minded ideals and individuals of high social value. Nearly a quarter of the way into the 21st century, teachers and students find themselves in a familiar place with a new type of book, the graphic novel. Teachers and students alike...

Acrostic poems present the chance for a writer to demonstrate understanding of a topic in a very simple format. While a basic acrostic poem explains a single topic, dueling acrostic poems allow writers to contrast two subjects, such as mother and father, winter and summer, or protagonist and antagonist in a novel. Dueling acrostic poems invite poets to show their creativity and demonstrate their understanding of the content.
Acrostic Poetry, but With a Twist
Acrostic poems demonstrate underst...

Early intervention for students who are struggling academically improves their chances of making it through high school and beyond. Elementary teachers can use strategies to address specific needs, reducing students' chances of falling helplessly behind and becoming discouraged with education. Dropouts, as a rule, end up with lower earnings potential and higher risks of unemployment. According to a 2012 PBS report, more than 1 million kids drop out of high school every year. That’s more than ...

Being bilingual has many benefits in the long run (cultural awareness, linguistic abilities, job prospects), but English language learners (ELLs) are sometimes stuck between two worlds. In order to best serve these students, schools should seriously consider addressing their needs from a whole-school perspective. To make this approach simpler for teachers like you, here are some resources geared toward specific content areas.
Math and English language learners
Strategies to engage ELLs in mat...