At My Learning Farm, I believe every student’s academic journey holds incredible value. When a child completes programs in reading, writing, math, or spelling, it’s a moment filled with emotion. It’s not only about the skills they've gained; it's about the milestones they've achieved and the confidence they've built along the way. I celebrate this special occasion with a gift: Dr. Seuss's timeless classic, "Oh, the Places You’ll Go!" This perfectly captures my sentiments—honoring their commitment to education and encouraging them to embrace the adventures ahead. The Bittersweet Moment of Farewell Saying goodbye can be tough, especially when I’ve watched a student grow and thrive. Each program completion is a celebration of hard work, resilience, and learning. It also marks the end of a chapter. This bittersweet moment is one I cherish deeply at My Learning Farm. I take pride in knowing I’ve been lucky enough to part of this pivotal stage, helping nurture a love for learning and self-confidence. Oh, the Places You'll Go-Congratulations!!!!!! Fostering Growth Beyond Academics At My Learning Farm, I recognize that academic skills are just one pillar of a successful education. The focus extends beyond teaching reading, writing, and math; it's my aim to instill confidence, resilience, and a love of learning. An Invitation for Those in Need If your child is struggling, know that you're not alone. I invite you to reach out to My Learning Farm. Visit www.mylearningfarm.com , a place where learning grows to nuture your child's educational journey. Here’s to every student who has mosied onto the "farm"- let’s cultivate the learning journey ahead and harvest a love of learning. Happy trails!

My own children are the catalyst that lead me down this path and I will be forever grateful to them for teaching me, how to teach others.  Speciality-designed curriculums, delivered by a trained practitioner who has a heart for kiddos are always at the center of what I do. I work with families to help support them, provide resources and educate the whole family on ways to support and build skills for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ASD, ADHD and anxiety. I would be remiss not to include the JOY of farm classes As I reflect on five years at My Learning Farm, where I have worked with over 100 students in a 1:1 setting and had the privilege to graduate students from reading, writing, math, spelling programs and watch them soar-I feel eternally thankful for allowing me to be part of your journey. I would be remiss not to include the JOY of farm classes where over 300 kiddos have learned through hands-on projects, activities, guest speakers, animal friends the AMAZING world of agriculture. My fridge in my classroom is my LOVE fridge-with notes, cards, pictures, letters and I CHERISH each one. If My Learning Farm has touched your life, please comment below and share to families who may be in the midst of struggle, www.mylearningfarm.com . Thank you everyday for allowing me to do the work I LOVE.

Please send opposition letter to Assembly Appropriations Committee and Your Assembly Member today! To contact the Assembly Appropriations Committee: https://apro.assembly.ca.gov To find your Assembly Member: https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov Here is a sample opposition letter, please tailor it to your impacts: Dear Assembly Appropriations Committee Members, My name is Sara Mattia, the owner and founder of My Learning Farm a small education business that partners with 9 CA independent study charter schools and offers evidence-based academic support for students struggling and/or those with learning disabilities, neurodiversity in reading, writing, math and spelling as well as teaches farm education classes in Penryn, CA. I am writing to urge you to oppose Assembly Bill 84 by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi. This bill would impose severe financial harm on all of California's neighborhood charter public schools and negatively impact their ability to serve students effectively, especially low-income students, students of color, those with learning disabilities and those who are neurodiverse. It also unfairly burdens those students and families who no longer have access to CA public school because of vaccine mandates and personal/religious beliefs-denying access to education is terrible for our state's future! Ab 84 would require partners, like me, to hold a California teaching credential. I am committed to education and have taken 1,000s of hours of continuing education, certifications, coursework within my field including at the Center for Dyslexia and Creativity at Yale University, San Diego University's Dyslexia Training Institute, and many others. I hold a bachelor's degree, a master's degree and have taken the RICA, CBEST, CSETS-all of which are part of the teacher training programs in CA. I have had the opportunity to work with more than 350 students at My Learning Farm www.mylearningfarm.com  an AB 84 would cause me to shut my doors and STUDENTS would lack the opportunity to learn to read, write, spell and learn math with specialized curriculums designed for students with learning difficulties. In a time where California students are lacking basic proficiency in reading-state testing shows 70% of third and seventh grades are reading below grade levels-this bill would see score dip further because charter school families would not have access to quality educational support through community partnerships with vendors committed to best-practices in learning like My Learning Farm. AB 84 will significantly cut funding for all charter public schools by more than $210,000,000. It would divert precious resources away from students and teachers toward more school district administration and bureaucracy. The bill will also impose additional funding cuts for nonclassroom-based charter public schools by reducing their funding by up to 30 percent. These funding cuts would be devastating for these public schools and harmful to students, many of whom have sought these alternative high-quality educational options because their traditional schools have not served their needs. I urge you to stand with charter public school students, parents, and teachers by opposing AB 84 and its devastating cuts for our students.

As the school year draws to a close, I advise parents to reflect on their child’s year by looking, listening and acting…the end of the year is a great time to take stalk and make a plan. Look: at your child’s school work samples-is it legible, how was the spelling, what scores is he/she consistently achieving, how are his/her grades-any areas where the grades/score dipped? How did my child do last year, compare teacher comments-are there any echoing themes?  How does the arc of learning look for your child-are their reading scores consistently building, dipping? How is their reading comprehension-read with them-can they restate the main points of a text? Are they fumbling over sight words? Are math foundational skills building in addition, subtraction, multiplication, division? Do they need assistance to complete homework? Is this an area of frustration?   How is your child feeling about him/herself, how is his/her self-esteem? If so, then… Listen:  Talk to your child-ask him/her how she felt about the year-what things were fun, what things felt challenging; what things does he/she need to work on; what are their general feelings about school; are they struggling with attendance; anxiety around school performance; in what areas; how can this be supported at home and at school; how can things be different next year?  Read with them, engage in math activities with them, bring history alive with them and gauge academic, engagement skills.  Are they overwhelmed; are there areas of need? If so, then… Act: Schedule an end of the year teacher meeting or an SST (student study team meeting) to develop a plan of action for the summer; for the upcoming school year and if need be, find outside support utilizing evidence-based curriculums and methodologies. My Learning Farm www.mylearningfarm.com  offers academic support utilizing evidence-based curriculums and methodologies in reading, writing, spelling, math in a space where students feel nurtured, valued, safe.

This bill threatens the flexibility and diversity of educational services we can provide, potentially eliminating many high quality enrichment programs. Please support opposing AB 84 on Wednesday, April 30 at noon at the state capitol Education Committee hearing. To review the full Assembly Bill, visit this website: https://ct35.capitoltrack.com/public/25/report/bill?id=ng4obT3E86AItaK1sZP+DEmudZhdGy46mxyF65SS+BQepfzWXTNqQ1jg3hj9eOkQoNnPXlxiSUSBgGNxPib9R4SRlD5BK091jnV+OZ1f8m8=

I often hear   parents   talk   about  sight words , rainbow words , Dolch list words   and   how   their   child is really  working through   them…but  let’s talk about what they are and why they are  important for  readers.  I like to call   them  high-frequency words ; these are   words that often do not  fit into  typical English spelling and  syllabication patterns and often  must be  memorized or  recognized by sight .  These words  account for up to  75% of the words  written on a  page of  text; these words occur with   high  frequency!  See the words that have been highlighted. If students do not know these words with automaticity, they will struggle to read fluently, accurately comprehend written passages and struggle with writing and spelling these words.  At My Learning Farm we use several techniques, methodologies and curriculums to BOOST high-frequency word knowledge, retention, spelling and understanding.  The High Frequency Word Project is stellar as well as Structured Word Inquiry both approach high-frequency words with purpose, intentionality and provide students with practice, practical application and understanding from an etymological foundation.  For more information about the importance of high-frequency words, please visit www.mylearningfarm.com  and schedule a consultation today!

If I could go back in time and sit with myself as the first grade mom who KNEW my child was struggling; this is my advice.  It is the SAME advice I give to all of the families I advocate for and the families who I work with in reading, writing, spelling, math—EDUCATE yourself!!!!! But where do I start? READ, LEARN, KNOW YOUR RIGHTS and LOVE & SUPPORT your child! READ Overcoming Dyslexia by Dr. Sally Shaywitz, Center of Creativity and Dyslexia, Yale University. The Gillingham Manual by Anna Gillingham and Bessie Stillman Dyslexia and Spelling by Dr. Kelli Sandman-Hurley Special Education Law by Peter & Pamela Wright All About IEPs by Peter & Pamela Wright All About Tests and Assessments by Peter & Pamela Wright From Emotions to Advocacy by Peter & Pamela Wright LEARN Join the International Dyslexia Association Join NorCal Dyslexia Association International Dyslexia Association’s Structured Literacy: An Introductory Guide Dyslexia Training Institute Course: Introduction to Structured Literacy and the Orton-Gillingham Approach Dyslexia Training Institute Course: Defining Dyslexia KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Parent Education Training Center Courses on Special Education, Learning Disabilities, IEPs/504 plans, Advocacy LOVE/SUPPORT YOUR CHILD By educating yourself your child will THRIVE, by supporting your child and understanding what dyslexia is and how to remediate it your child will THRIVE, by advocating for your child, your child will THRIVE! Please reach out to My Learning Farm for SUPPORT www.mylearningfarm.com

Today’s farm class visitor was Jack, whom I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for 8 years and supporting him through 4-H, who now runs his own hay business.  He shared his knowledge of hay and entrepreneurship with the kids today-thank you Jack! Find out more about My Learning Farm www.mylearningfarm.com

Love is in the air this month and really every month for me through my work at My Learning Farm. Helping kids and families succeed academically, emotionally and thrive are why I created My Learning Farm. Offering support in reading, writing, math, spelling, assessments, special education advocacy, homeschool consultations and farm classes feed my passion to build community and help kids and families. I wanted to build a spce where students felt valued, safe, supported and had fun! I called it My Learning Farm because I wanted kids to have a sense of ownership, belonging and joy and I see it everyday, especailly when students bring family and friends for a visit and show and tell them all about "their" farm. It warms my heart to see my vision take shape and with every new student and with every student who graduates (as bittersweet as it is) and moves through their world with success. If your kiddo needs support, please reach out to My Learning Farm today www.mylearningfarm.com

Thinking about starting a homeschool journey for your family or feeling lost along the way?  New! My Learning is offering homeschool consultations to help inform families of the MANY options, understand the rules of homeschooling, choosing the right homeschool charter for your family, understanding enrichment options, provide examples of what a typical day looks like, support in choosing curriculum, creating customized curriculums and much more. Schedule a consultation Today! At My Learning Farm www.mylearningfarm.com  916.215.1232

This article appeared on MSN today and it BREAKS my heart-it’s a 12 min read, but worth it, sad as it is, parents please urge state and federal education leaders to use evidence-based reading strategies to bolster reading levels in kids, to help kids find success in reading!  Generation Alpha is today’s 2-12 year olds, they have the LOWEST reading scores our nation has experienced.  Houston-we have a problem.  This problem can be solved-the government it touting their newest buzz word “the science of reading” this article goes along with my Nov blog .  We already HAVE “the science of reading”-we’ve had it for over 150 years thanks to the work of Anna Gillingham and Samuel Orton who pioneered the Orton-Gillingham method of teaching reading in a systematic, phonics-based, foundational, multi-sensory approach-this METHOD WORKS!!!!!!!! I can’t tell you the number of phone calls I get from concerned parents each week, I wish I could clone myself to be able to help every kiddo who needs Orton-Gillingham structured literacy to become proficient, enthusiastic readers!  I LOVE what I do to help kiddos in reading, writing, spelling, math and farm classes, but the kiddos are the real HEROS-they come to me twice weekly for 90-120 minutes and they work HARD for 2-3 years to master reading. My students know more about the 374+ phonics rules of the English language, digraphs, diphthongs, vowel teams, syllable patterning, SCHWA than most adults-they are my heroes and they are why I do what I do. Please contact me today if your kiddo is a struggling reader at www.mylearningfarm.com

I FIRMLY believe parents are their child’s best advocate and “mama gut” instinct  is real and should be listened to especially about when to seek private academic support for a struggling learner.  These are some signs your kiddo may need additional support to thrive: -not making progress in academic subjects; -falling assessment, test scores-though I don’t love assessments if scores and avoidance of testing sit uations occurs-this may be a sign of learning challenges; -reluctance and avoidance of academic work; -comprehension problems; -when reading aloud will substitute words; -negative talk relating to school (of course many students do this-but keep track of frequency); -negative self-talk relating to academic performance (“I’m stupid, I can’t read, I can’t do math”…) If your child is experiencing symptoms, it may mean there is an underlying issue needing to be addressed, trust your mama gut and seek support. What we know from decades of educational research is that EARLY, CONSISTENT, EVIDENCE-BASED (evidence-based means applying strategies that are proven through research and measurement to WORK) supports is KEY to improving academic skills. Please reach out to My Learning Farm for evidence-based support in reading, writing, math, spelling, assessments and farm classes (not evidence-based-just fun!) at www.mylearningfarm.com