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Boosting Every Child’s Academic Start

30-year Seattle Public School K-3 teacher shares how to ‘build’ a successful student by ensuring a strong start in the three disciplines that underpin academic success: reading, math/logic, and language development. The K-3 Reading and Math curriculums are handmade, classroom proven and 100% FREE. The language development curricula is covered in the reading video, part two.

Two children sit back-to-back on the grass, each reading a book. The girl wears a red dress with yellow dots; the boy wears a blue striped shirt and brown shorts. Their quiet focus shows how books can teach anyone to read, opening up worlds of imagination and discovery.

“As the twig is bent, so grows the tree”   Virgil

Illustration of an open book with colorful pages, a green bookmark, and an apple on one page—designed to inspire and teach anyone to read. Decorative stars and dots surround the book.

If a Child Can Speak, They Can Learn to Read – No Excuse

Learn how to teach anyone to read

Remediate reading difficulties

FREE: Video Training

FREE: Complete Curriculum

Board game pieces, a colored spinner, playing cards, two dice, puzzle pieces, and math symbols arranged together on a white background create an inviting scene perfect for math puzzles for kids.

Logico-Mathematical Fun

Learn K-3 games; number sense

Teaching concepts and computation through problem solving/puzzles

FREE: Summer Math Books

FREE: Math Games, Directions

Smiling older man with curly gray hair and beard, wearing a blue blazer and patterned shirt, stands outside in front of green foliage—his warm demeanor reflecting the patience and wisdom that help him teach anyone to read.

Robert Femiano

It worked for me and it will work for you!

My typical classroom had about 25 students, with around 75% low-income families and maybe 25% where English was not the primary language at home, as well as several students receiving special education services.  Multiage classrooms were especially helpful for high-needs students and others requiring more time to catch up. For many years, I ran a 1/2/3 grade classroom, where they stayed all years if the family agreed. (Montessori argued similarly for 3-year groupings.)  Other years, it was traditional first or second grades.

About Me:

  • Math minor, elementary education major, MA in child development
  • Adjunct Faculty, Seattle Pacific University (Primary Reading Methods)
  • Author: classroom workbooks and Fun-Time Phonics
  • Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching

The intent of this website is to freely give away the essential curricula for teaching primary grade math and reading to teachers, parents, tutors, and volunteers.  However, sometimes pre-made lessons are helpful so included are links to commercially-produced teaching materials I authored and used in my classroom (despite the grade level on the cover).  Each link contain a 20% off code for entire purchase at The Critical Thinking Co.™