When it comes to teaching reading and writing, there is no substitute for a good teacher, a good teaching method (e.g., Stevenson), good books, some paper and pencils. However, this is the computer age, and as frustrating as it can be when a machine decides to freeze up, computers can help teachers a great deal. Stevenson Learning Skills and QUESST Consulting are taking advantage of new, affordable technology to develop some new teaching tools.

Stevenson Learning Skills is developing a set of animated computer-based activities that will bring peanut butter and jelly words to life for students. These activities will also reinforce teachers’ efforts and simplify their classroom management. We are currently exploring whether to produce this material as a CD/ROM, or as a web-based product, or both. We are interested in your opinion on this matter, so if you would prefer to have a disk-based program instead of an on-line program, or vice-versa, please let us know. You can e-mail your opinion to info@StevensonLearning.com. There is not likely to be a completed product before mid-winter, but we will have a preview on the web site before then, probably around Thanksgiving.

Speaking of the Stevenson web site, if you log on now, you will notice it has a different look than it did last spring. The main changes have come on the home page and a few other places, but almost all the pages will change somewhat during the course of the fall. By October we will be updating the “What’s New?” and “Latest News” sections on a monthly basis. Those will be the best places to track the progress of the new computer-based material, as well as to find out about the new book we are publishing soon. (See “New Letter Clue Workbook” on opposite page.)

If you have not visited Nancy Ziehme’s web site recently, you are in for a treat. Nancy is a senior trainer for Stevenson Learning Skills and many of you have seen her in action. Many of you also own the PAL materials she produces to supplement the Stevenson Program. Now Nancy has put a brief Stevenson lesson on YouTube. She demonstrates the first part of the first lesson of the Beginning Green Level, the letter o. It’s only a few minutes long, but it gives you a clear idea of how an experienced Stevenson teacher presents the information. You can show it to your own students. Nancy will be doing more YouTube lessons as the school year progresses. You can access them either from YouTube or from Nancy’s Quesst Consulting web site.

If you are not familiar with Nancy’s web site, you really should see what she offers. She has classroom activities and organizational strategies that are free, as well as excellent products from PAL. PAL recently produced two new items you will see on the order form. And, if you like to see children’s drawings visit the Showcase. The name of the new site is www.quesstconsulting.com. (Note that Quesst has two s’s. It stands for Quality and Unlimited Excellence with Stevenson Special Techniques.) Checking out both the Stevenson and Quesst web sites at least once a month should enrich your teaching this coming year.