Wanda Humphrey

Wanda Humphrey has been an educator for 30 years. During her career, she has taught grades K-8, been a reading interventionist, school literacy coach and served as a district literacy coordinator. She is dedicated to cultivating literacy for all students and works with administrators, instructional coaches, and teachers to intentionally utilize high-impact strategies during instruction.

Intermediate Novel Analysis: Pink and Say

By Wanda Humphrey

Grades 2-5 Book Review Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco is a powerful children’s book that explores themes of friendship, bravery, and the devastating effects of the Civil War. It tells the story of two young Union soldiers, Pinkus “Pink” Aylee, an African American boy, and Sheldon “Say” Curtis, a white boy, who meet after…

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Teaching with Context Clues – Definition and Examples that Enhance Student Ability

By Wanda Humphrey

For years, classrooms have displayed colorful anchor charts listing various types of context clues – definitions, antonyms, synonyms, and more. But ask yourself: when was the last time you consciously identified a “context clue type” while reading? The reality is that proficient readers use context clues naturally and seamlessly without mentally categorizing them. Research has…

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a butterfly is patient teacher analysis

Intermediate Novel Analysis: A Butterfly Is Patient

By Wanda Humphrey

Grades 2-5 Elementary Book Review “A Butterfly Is Patient” by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long, is a beautifully crafted children’s book that combines poetic prose with stunning illustrations to explore the enchanting world of butterflies. This book is part of the acclaimed series by Aston and Long, which includes other titles such as…

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Intermediate Novel Analysis: The Lotus Seed

By Wanda Humphrey

Review “The Lotus Seed” by Sherry Garland is a beautifully illustrated children’s book that tells the story of a young Vietnamese girl’s journey from her homeland to America. This story is a tale of migration but also one of heritage, memory, and hope. Plot Summary The story is narrated by a young girl who recounts…

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Middle Grade Novel Analysis: 90 Miles to Havana

By Wanda Humphrey

Review “90 Miles to Havana” by Enrique Flores-Galbis is a heartfelt historical novel that portrays the experiences of Cuban children during Operation Pedro Pan. This significant yet often overlooked historical event saw over 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban minors sent to the United States between 1960 and 1962. Through the eyes of 12-year-old Julian, Flores-Galbis brings to…

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reading comprehension skills - retell recount summarize framework

Retell, Recount, and Summarize:
3 Essential Reading Comprehension Skills

By Wanda Humphrey

As a literacy coach, I typically get asked by 4th and 5th-grade teachers how to teach students to summarize. When this happens, I refer teachers to the ELA Standard 2 spiral progression. We discuss the verbs used in grades K-3 and the student’s ability to retell and recount. Our discussion concludes that retelling and recounting…

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