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There are people who achieve incredible success, and then there are people who use that success to open doors for others. Dolly Parton is one of those people. The world knows Dolly for her music, songwriting, unmistakable personality, and the trail she blazed for women in country music and beyond. She built an extraordinary career on her own terms, helped bring jobs and opportunity to her beloved East Tennessee through Dollywood, and continually invested in the community that raised her. But as an educator, one part of Dolly's legacy touches my heart most: her commitment to children, education, and literacy. Dolly's passion for literacy is personal. Her father, Robert Lee Parton, could not read or write, although Dolly has often described him as one of the smartest people she knew. In 1995, she created Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in his honor. What began as a program for children in her home county in Tennessee has grown into an international literacy movement. The idea is beautifully simple: give children books. Every month, enrolled children from birth to age five receive an age-appropriate book mailed directly to their homes at no cost to their families. A child enrolled from birth can receive as many as 60 books before kindergarten. Today, hundreds of millions of books have been gifted to children through the program. Think about what those books represent. They are opportunities to sit together and read. To hear new words. To ask questions. To laugh over a silly story. To build vocabulary, background knowledge, imagination, and a love of books. Most importantly, they help children begin to see themselves as readers. And Dolly's commitment to education extends beyond books. Through the Dollywood Foundation, she has supported scholarships and programs designed to encourage young people to stay in school and pursue their dreams. Again and again, she has taken what she earned and built opportunities for others. I love that. Because a book is an opportunity. Education is an opportunity. And having someone believe in you can be an opportunity that changes everything. Dolly also reminds us of something I hope every child at My Learning Farm eventually discovers: your gifts don't have to look like anyone else's. Dolly certainly didn't build her life by trying to blend in. She dreamed big, worked incredibly hard, stayed connected to where she came from, and paved her own way. In doing so, she helped make the road wider for women and generations coming behind her. That is the kind of success I want our children to understand. Success isn't only about what you accomplish. It is also about what you do with what you have been given. So, Dolly, thank you. Thank you for understanding that literacy can change the trajectory of a child's life. Thank you for putting books into millions of little hands. Thank you for investing in education and your community. Thank you for showing women that we can work hard, build something meaningful, lead with strength and kindness, and keep our hearts firmly planted in the communities we love. Your mission feels especially close to my heart because, in my own little corner of the world at My Learning Farm, that is what I hope to do too: help children read, help them learn, help them discover their gifts, build their confidence, and remind them that they are capable of so much. So I'll happily keep working 9 to 5—and probably a few hours on either side of that—to further the cause. ❤️📚 One reader at a time. One child at a time. One family at a time. Helping children find their gifts, believe in themselves, and read their way into a world of possibilities. Thank you, Dolly. 🌻📚❤️

The backpacks are still new. The pencils are still sharp. The school year has barely begun—and yet, you can already see it. Your child is exhausted after school. Homework is taking far longer than it should. Reading is becoming a battle again. Writing assignments bring frustration. Math feels overwhelming. Maybe your child received intervention last year, and you had hoped a summer of growing and maturing would make this year different. Instead, you are beginning to see those familiar signs of struggle. You do not have to wait until things get worse to start asking questions. Start With Your Child’s Teacher Your child's teacher is a wonderful first place to begin because you need to understand what the school day looks like when you aren't there. Approach the conversation as a partnership rather than going in looking for a particular answer. You might simply say, “I'm noticing that school already seems really difficult for my child at home. What are you seeing in the classroom?” Ask questions. Is your child completing work within the allotted time? How does their reading compare with classroom expectations? What does writing look like independently? Are they struggling to get started or stay focused? Are math concepts sticking? Does the teacher notice avoidance, frustration, fatigue, or a lack of confidence? Sometimes what we see at home is very different from what teachers see at school—and both pieces of information matter. Look for Patterns, Not Just One Hard Day Every child has difficult days. What we are looking for is a pattern of struggle. Maybe homework regularly takes hours. Perhaps your child cannot complete classwork in the expected amount of time. Reading progress has stalled despite intervention. Spelling and written expression remain significantly difficult. Math concepts don't seem to stick. Your child may be working incredibly hard but making very little meaningful progress. And sometimes the biggest clue isn't on a worksheet at all. It is the child who says, “I'm stupid.” “I hate reading.” “I'm just bad at math.” A drop in confidence matters, too. When You Have Enough Information, You Can Ask for More Help If concerns continue, parents have options. For a child enrolled in a public school, a parent can make a written request for an evaluation for special education eligibility. You do not have to know whether your child has dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, ADHD, or another disability before asking the school to consider an evaluation. You can describe the concerns you and the teacher are seeing and request a comprehensive evaluation in all areas of suspected disability. An evaluation does not automatically mean your child will qualify for special education, and it does not commit you to accepting services. It provides information that can help the team better understand your child's strengths, needs, and whether they meet eligibility requirements. And if the special education route isn't right for your family, you still have choices. You might pursue a private evaluation, seek specialized academic instruction outside of school, explore accommodations or other school-based supports, make changes to your homeschool curriculum, or consider whether homeschooling would provide a better learning environment. The important thing is not choosing one particular path. It is choosing to act when your child is telling you—through words, behavior, schoolwork, or lack of progress—that something isn't working. Early Intervention Matters 🌱 We know that early, effective intervention is incredibly important, particularly in the elementary years. Kindergarten through second grade is a powerful window for building foundational reading, writing, and math skills. But I also want parents of older children to hear this clearly: it is never too late to provide better instruction. Older students can absolutely make meaningful progress with appropriate, explicit, targeted teaching. The earlier we identify a struggle, though, the sooner we can begin giving a child the instruction they need instead of allowing skill gaps and frustration to continue growing. Please Choose Evidence-Based Support When your child is struggling, it is easy to become desperate for something—anything—that promises to help. Be thoughtful about where you invest your child's time, energy, and your family's hard-earned money. Ask questions. What exactly will you be teaching? What evidence supports this approach? How will you determine where my child should begin? How will progress be measured? What will we do if my child isn't progressing? A program may be colorful, expensive, popular, or described as “brain-based” and still not be the right intervention for your child. Look for instruction supported by evidence and delivered by someone who understands your child's specific area of need. Your child's time matters. You Have Options—and You Don't Have to Figure Them Out Alone ❤️ One of the hardest parts of parenting a child who learns differently is wondering what to do next. Do I wait? Do I request an evaluation? Do we need outside academic support? Should we change curriculum? Would homeschooling be better? What should I even be asking the teacher? There may not be one perfect answer, but gathering information and starting the conversation is a powerful first step. If the school year has barely begun and your gut is already telling you that your child is struggling, listen, observe, ask questions, and begin the conversation. And if you're feeling lost about what comes next, reach out to My Learning Farm. Whether you need help understanding your child's academic struggles, exploring homeschool options, finding evidence-based academic support, or navigating the special education process, I am here to help you sort through the information and find a path forward. Sometimes the most important thing we can do for a struggling learner is simply notice early, ask the hard questions, and keep looking until we understand what they need. 🌻

There is something so exciting about the beginning of a new school year at My Learning Farm. Fresh notebooks, sharpened pencils, lessons ready to go, animals waiting for extra attention, and a whole new year of learning ahead of us! After a summer of planning and preparing, Stella and I are SO excited to welcome our students back to the farm! 🐾💛 Stella and I have worked so hard to get our classroom, the farm, the greenhouse ready for all of our friends and today is the DAY! 🌱 Ready to Grow One of my favorite things about a new school year is knowing that every student is beginning exactly where they are—and that is the perfect place to start. Some students will walk through the door ready to tackle reading. Others will be working on spelling, writing, or math. Some will be joining friends for READS!, spending their Fridays learning alongside the animals in Farm Class, or coming to the farm for individualized academic instruction. No matter why they are here, my goal is always the same: meet each child where they are, build skills step by step, celebrate progress, and help them discover just how capable they truly are. 📚 Skills, Confidence & JOY! Of course, I want to see reading become stronger. I want math concepts to click. I want spelling patterns to make sense and writing to become easier. Those academic skills matter tremendously. But there is something else I am watching for, too. I am watching for the child who begins to raise their hand without worrying about being wrong. The student who reads something that once felt impossible and suddenly realizes, “I can do this!” The child who stops dreading math because it finally makes sense. The student who starts taking risks, asking questions, laughing at mistakes, and feeling proud of how far they have come. That growth in confidence is every bit as exciting to me as the academic growth. Because learning should not just be about what a child can do on paper. I want our students to experience success, belonging, confidence, curiosity, and JOY along the way. 🌈 🐾 Stella Is Ready, Too! And, of course, I am not the only one getting ready for students! Stella is ready for another school year of very important work. 🐶💕 She will be waiting for belly rubs, sitting beside students during challenging lessons, providing a little encouragement when someone needs it, and probably hoping a snack accidentally finds its way to the floor. There is something pretty wonderful about learning with a sweet little dog nearby—and Stella takes her role at My Learning Farm very seriously. Well...mostly seriously. 😂 🌻 Here We Grow! Every school year brings new challenges, new accomplishments, new friendships, and so many opportunities to grow. Some growth happens quickly. Some takes time. And some of the most meaningful changes are the tiny ones that happen little by little until one day we look back and realize just how far a student has come. That is what I am most excited about this year. I cannot wait to cheer for the breakthroughs, celebrate the baby steps, work through the hard moments, laugh together, learn together, and watch our students grow—not only in their academic skills, but in their belief in themselves. The farm is ready. The books are ready. The pencils are sharpened. The animals are waiting. Stella and I are ready! 🐾📚🌻. Here’s to another beautiful year of learning, growing, confidence, and JOY at My Learning Farm! Welcome back, families. I am so incredibly happy you are here. 💛 🌻 Ms. Sara & Stella 🐾My Learning Farm

If you have followed My Learning Farm for any length of time, you probably know that I can talk about Orton-Gillingham structured literacy all day long (why-because it WORKS!). 📚💛 I have advocated for explicit, systematic reading instruction for years because I have seen firsthand what happens when children receive instruction that actually teaches them how our written language works. I have also seen the other side—the frustration, guessing, loss of confidence, and widening skill gaps that can happen when children aren't given the foundational instruction they need. This is me-Just like this beautiful hawk was made to soar, our kids can soar too when they are given the right tools to become confident readers. And yes, sometimes advocating for structured literacy can feel a little like talking to a wall. 😂 So when I see meaningful movement in the right direction, I want to celebrate it! I am genuinely excited to see our local school district bringing UFLI Foundations into K–2 classrooms across all the district k-8 schools as part of whole-class foundational literacy instruction. This is a BIG step in the right direction for our youngest readers, and I want to commend the teachers, administrators, literacy specialists, and district leaders who are helping make it happen. 🌻 What Is Structured Literacy? Structured literacy isn't simply another reading trend or a new educational buzzword. At its heart, structured literacy teaches children to read through instruction that is explicit, systematic, cumulative, and carefully sequenced. Rather than expecting children to figure out unfamiliar words from pictures, context, or guessing, we explicitly teach them the skills they need to become independent readers. Children learn that spoken words are made of individual sounds and how those sounds connect to letters and letter combinations. They learn how to blend sounds together to read words and segment words into sounds for spelling. Skills are intentionally built upon previously taught skills so children aren't continually being asked to make leaps without having the foundation underneath them. Structured literacy includes important areas such as phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, encoding and spelling, syllable patterns, morphology, vocabulary, fluency, and language comprehension. It is organized, intentional, and cumulative. Most importantly, it gives children tools they can actually use when they encounter a word they don't know. While UFLI is NOT Orton-Gillingham structured literacy-it IS a step in the right direction-a BIG step and I'll take it and THANK THEM!!!!! 🤠📚 My hat is OFF to LUSD for taking a GIANT leap in the right direction for literacy instruction with UFLI Foundations—our young readers deserve strong foundations! 💛👏 📚 So, What Is UFLI Foundations? UFLI Foundations comes from the University of Florida Literacy Institute, or UFLI (pronounced “you fly”). UFLI describes Foundations as an explicit and systematic program designed to teach the foundational skills necessary for proficient reading. It was created primarily for core instruction in the primary grades and can also be used as intervention for students who need additional reading support. One of the things I particularly appreciate about UFLI is how it was developed. The UFLI team spent more than two years developing and pilot testing components of the program, observing instruction, gathering feedback from teachers, refining lessons, and assessing student progress. UFLI describes Foundations as a program developed for teachers, by teachers, with teachers. That matters. Teachers need instructional tools that are grounded in reading research while also being realistic to implement with an actual classroom full of children. 🧠 What Does UFLI Look Like in the Classroom? UFLI uses a consistent lesson routine that incorporates phonemic awareness, review of previously learned letter-sound relationships, blending, explicit instruction of new concepts, word work, irregular words, and connected text. Students aren't simply memorizing isolated words or completing random phonics activities. They are learning skills, practicing them, reviewing them, and then applying those skills to actual reading and spelling. That progression is incredibly important because effective reading instruction shouldn't be a collection of disconnected activities. Children need opportunities to learn a skill, practice it, revisit it, and apply it until it becomes increasingly automatic. UFLI specifically targets skills such as phoneme blending and segmentation, sound-symbol relationships, decoding, encoding, irregular words, and applying those skills while reading connected text. 🌱 Building Reading Skills Brick by Brick One of my favorite ways to think about structured literacy is like building a house—or, since we're My Learning Farm, maybe building a really good barn. 😉🚜 You wouldn't put the roof on before building the walls, and you certainly wouldn't build those walls without a strong foundation. Reading works much the same way. When children have gaps in phonemic awareness, sound-symbol knowledge, blending, decoding, or spelling, those gaps can eventually make fluent reading and comprehension much harder. A systematic scope and sequence allows children to build their reading skills gradually and intentionally, with each new skill supported by what they have already learned. And ultimately, this isn't just about reading scores. It's about confidence. It's about the child who begins raising their hand to read. It's about the child who tries an unfamiliar word instead of immediately saying, “I don't know.” It's about the child who discovers that words aren't mysterious—they have patterns and structures that can be learned and understood. 💛 A Win for Teachers, Too I'm also excited about what this can mean for our teachers. UFLI provides a detailed scope and sequence along with lesson plans and supporting materials. Its online Toolbox includes lesson slides, decodable passages, homework sheets, games, printable materials, and additional practice activities. Having a shared program can also provide teachers across kindergarten, first grade, and second grade with a common instructional framework and language. When foundational literacy skills are being taught systematically across grade levels, students have an opportunity to move from year to year with greater instructional continuity. Of course, this doesn't mean every child will learn at exactly the same pace. They won't. It doesn't mean some children won't need additional intervention. They will. And it certainly doesn't replace responsive teaching, assessment, differentiation, or specialized intervention for students with dyslexia and other learning differences. But providing strong whole-class foundational literacy instruction gives more children the opportunity to develop solid reading skills from the very beginning—and that is absolutely worth celebrating. 🌻 From My Learning Farm: THANK YOU I spend a lot of time advocating for kids who learn differently and talking about what we can do better in education. But advocacy shouldn't only mean pointing out problems. It should also mean recognizing progress. So today, I want to say thank you to our local educators and district leaders for taking this step. Thank you to the teachers learning and implementing a new instructional routine. Thank you to the literacy specialists supporting them. Thank you to the administrators investing in stronger foundational reading instruction. And thank you to every educator who is willing to continue learning and evolving as our understanding of effective reading instruction grows. Implementing UFLI across Loomis schools in K–2 classrooms isn't the end of the literacy conversation. There will always be more to learn, more children to support, and more ways we can improve. But it is movement. And it is movement in the right direction. 🌱📚 At My Learning Farm, I will continue doing what I love—supporting individual students, filling skill gaps, building confidence, working alongside families, and helping children discover that they CAN become readers. And it makes my heart happy knowing that more of our youngest learners are also receiving systematic foundational literacy instruction in their classrooms. Here's to strong foundations, confident readers, supported teachers, and communities willing to keep growing. Because when we know more, we can do better. And our kids are worth it. 💛🌻📚 🔗 Learn More About UFLI Foundations Parents and educators can explore the official University of Florida Literacy Institute UFLI Foundations Toolbox for lesson resources, decodable texts, printable materials, digital tools, and additional resources. UFLI Foundations Toolbox:https://ufli.education.ufl.edu/foundations/toolbox/

My heart is still so full after My Learning Farm’s Open Farm Day! Yesterday, we welcomed more than 50 families onto the farm for a day filled with kids, animals, laughter, learning, crafts, community, and so much fun. Stella and I LOVED talking with kids about animals, agriculture and nature! There is something incredibly special about seeing the farm come alive with families. Kids had the opportunity to meet and interact with so many of our My Learning Farm animal friends, explore the farm and learning spaces, enjoy activities, and simply spend time outside in the fresh country air. Watching children light up around the animals is one of my very favorite things—and there were certainly plenty of smiles yesterday! 🌻 Kids Supporting Kids One of the highlights of the day was having several of our amazing student vendors join us. These young entrepreneurs brought their handmade crafts and creations to sell to visiting families. I LOVE giving kids opportunities to share something they have worked hard to create, practice real-world skills, build confidence, and experience the excitement of running their own little business. Seeing our community stop, talk with them, encourage them, and purchase their creations made the day even more special. Filling the greenhouse with kids and sharing a love of literature was beautiful 📚 A Little Peek Into READS! We also had the chance to share a live demonstration of My Learning Farm READS!, and it was SO much fun! READS! is about helping kids experience literature in a different way. We bring stories to life through read-alouds, discussion, vocabulary, written expression, hands-on activities, games, crafts, guest speakers, and plenty of laughter. My hope is always to create a place where reluctant readers, emerging writers, and kids who may have decided they “hate reading” can discover that books really can be joyful. Sharing a little piece of READS! with families yesterday made me even more excited for the year ahead. I couldn't have done this event without a whole team of the bEST volunteers on the planet-thank you!!!!! 💚 It Takes a Village An event like Open Farm Day definitely does not happen because of one person. It took an incredible team of 20 volunteers to make the day possible. To every person who helped prepare the farm, welcomed families, assisted with animals and activities, answered questions, supported our student vendors, cleaned up, carried things, organized things, and jumped in wherever you were needed—THANK YOU. I am so incredibly grateful for each and every one of you. Giving your time to help create a joyful experience for children and families means more to me than I can say. It was a beautiful day on the farm meeting new families 🐓 More Than an Open Farm Day For me, one of the very best parts of the day was simply getting to talk with families. I loved meeting new families, hearing about your children and your homeschool journeys, answering questions, and sharing more about the different ways My Learning Farm supports students. And I absolutely loved seeing familiar faces—former and current students, parents, siblings, and friends who have become part of this little farm community over the years. My Learning Farm has always been about so much more than academics. Yes, we work hard on reading, writing, spelling, and math. We provide individualized academic instruction, READS!, farm classes, homeschool consultations, and other opportunities for children and families. But underneath all of it is something I care deeply about: creating a place where children feel safe, capable, encouraged, known, and excited to learn. Yesterday felt like such a beautiful reminder of that. As I looked around the farm and saw kids visiting animals, families talking under the trees, student vendors proudly sharing their creations, volunteers helping everywhere I turned, and children participating in READS!, I couldn't help but feel incredibly grateful. Peanut and Black Pearl loved meeting new friends. What a blast. What a day. And what a wonderful community. 🌻 Thank you to every family who came out and spent part of your day with us. Thank you for sharing your children with me, asking questions, exploring the farm, supporting our student vendors, loving on our animals, and learning a little more about what we do here. The animals enjoyed some loves from new friends. I am SO excited to welcome students and families back to My Learning Farm for the 2026–2027 school year. Here’s to another year of growing skills, growing confidence, growing friendships—and maybe getting a little farm dirt on our boots along the way. 🌱🐴📚💚

One of the wonderful things about homeschooling is the freedom to teach your child in ways that work for their brain. Learning doesn't have to mean sitting at the kitchen table with a workbook and pencil for hours. In fact, some of the most meaningful learning happens when children can see it, say it, touch it, build it, and move with it. Multisensory teaching intentionally engages more than one sense or mode of action during learning. It can be especially helpful when teaching foundational skills in reading, spelling, writing, and math—and it doesn't require expensive materials or a complicated homeschool setup. Using multisensory spelling and reading supports is fun for students to build. Here are my top three ways parents can bring more multisensory learning into their homeschool day. ✋ 1. Get It Off the Worksheet My first suggestion is simple: take learning off the paper whenever you can. If your child is learning spelling words, let them build the words with magnetic letters, letter tiles, or blocks. Have them say each sound as they move the letters into place. Practice handwriting on a whiteboard, chalkboard, or even with a paintbrush and water outside. Math is perfect for hands-on learning. Use LEGO bricks, buttons, coins, beans, measuring cups, dice, playing cards, or small toys to physically represent numbers and operations. Instead of only solving 8 + 5 on paper, let your child build 8, add 5 more, and physically see what happens. You don't need fancy homeschool supplies. Look around your house—you probably already have dozens of things that can become learning tools! 🗣️ 2. Have Your Child Say and Explain the Learning One of my favorite questions to ask a student is: “Tell me how you knew that.” Talking about learning is powerful. When your child is reading or spelling, have them say sounds aloud, blend sounds together, identify syllables, or explain a spelling pattern they notice. When working on math, ask them to talk you through how they solved the problem rather than simply giving you the answer. Try questions like: “What do you notice?” “Can you show me?” “Why do you think that worked?” “Can you teach it back to me?” You may be surprised by how much you learn about your child's thinking when you give them the opportunity to explain it. And remember—you don't always have to immediately correct an incorrect answer. Sometimes asking, “Can you show me how you got there?” helps a child discover the mistake independently. Adding place value magnet mats where kids can place Skittles, gum, beans, counting bears and use wipe-off markers to build the numbers. 🏃 3. Add Movement to Your Homeschool Day Kids were made to move—and homeschooling gives us a wonderful opportunity to let them! Put spelling words on cards around the room and have your child walk to each one. Practice math facts while tossing a ball back and forth. Write vocabulary words with sidewalk chalk. Make a number line on the floor and physically jump forward and backward for addition and subtraction. Take learning outside whenever you can. Measure the garden. Count chickens. Sort leaves. Estimate distances. Read under a tree. Write vocabulary words in chalk. Search for shapes, patterns, fractions, or examples of science in the world around you. Movement doesn't have to be something children earn after finishing schoolwork. Sometimes movement can actually become part of the learning. using wipe-boards to explain complex topics while talking through the concept-helps support learning 🌱 Keep It Simple Multisensory instruction doesn't mean you need to turn every homeschool lesson into an elaborate Pinterest project. Start small. See it. Say it. Hear it. Touch it. Build it. Move it. Choose one lesson tomorrow and ask yourself, “How could my child interact with this idea in one more way?” That little shift can make learning feel completely different. And while multisensory activities can be wonderful, especially for children who learn differently, they work best alongside explicit, systematic instruction and a strong curriculum. Hands-on activities should support good teaching—not replace it. At My Learning Farm, this is something I love helping homeschool families discover: learning can be structured and evidence-based while still being joyful, creative, hands-on, and individualized. Sometimes the smallest change in how we teach can make a tremendous difference in how a child experiences learning. 🌻

The learning doesn't have to end when you leave the farm. One of my greatest joys is watching children build connections with animals while asking questions, discovering new facts, and falling in love with the world around them. I wanted to create a way for families to continue that experience at home, which is why I created the My Learning Farm Coloring Books! These aren't just coloring books. They're a chance to bring the farm home with you. Inside, you'll meet many of the beloved animals that children know from visiting My Learning Farm—from our donkeys and alpacas to sheep, goats, chickens, horses, and more. Each page includes fun facts and educational information so children can learn while they color. It's the perfect combination of creativity, science, literacy, and hands-on learning. Whether your child loves animals, enjoys art, or simply needs a quiet afternoon activity, these coloring books encourage learning in a relaxed and meaningful way. They're wonderful for: Homeschool families Classroom enrichment Road trips Rainy days Gifts for animal-loving children Farm Day memories At just $10 each, they're an affordable way to continue the My Learning Farm experience at home. Porch Pick-Up Available Ready to bring the farm home? Coloring Books: $10 each 📍 Porch pick-up available 📱 Text me to reserve your copy: 916-215-1232 💚 Venmo: @Sara-Mattia Please include your name in the memo so I know who your coloring books belong to! Thank you for supporting My Learning Farm. Every coloring book helps spread a love of animals, learning, and the joy that happens when education comes alive.

Laying the Lonliness of Learning Difference Bare There is a side to raising children who learn differently that people don’t always see. It can be incredibly lonely. It is sitting through evaluations and hearing about skill gaps, scores, deficits, and areas of concern while knowing that none of those numbers come close to describing the incredible child sitting beside you. It is knowing something is wrong long before you have the language to explain exactly what it is. I remember telling teachers that something wasn’t right. I knew my children were capable. I knew they were bright. But I also knew that learning was harder for them than it should have been. So we tried more intervention. We practiced more. We waited. We evaluated. We tried something else. And sometimes, while the adults were busy trying to figure out what was happening, my children were the ones paying the emotional price. Raising my kids has been the BEST experience of my life and they have shaped everything I do in my life-I am eternally grateful for all they have taught me! There were tears. There were skills that simply weren’t developing despite tremendous effort. There was damage to self-esteem and growing anxiety. There was counseling, private evaluations, school assessments, accommodations, and yearly IEP meetings, absence to due anxiety, homeschooling and more support from professionals and caring adults. There were also plenty of tears from me. Sometimes you hold it together through the meetings, ask your questions, advocate for what your child needs, walk to the car—and then finally fall apart. Back-to-school nights and teacher meetings were different, too. While other parents were introducing themselves and looking around the classroom, I was finding a quiet moment to pull a teacher aside and talk about an IEP. Before school even started, I was often sending emails explaining my child, their learning differences, what had worked, what had not worked, and what they might need. I wasn’t doing those things because my children couldn’t learn. They absolutely could. They simply learned differently. I wanted the people teaching them to understand that difference and recognize the capable, creative, funny, wonderful human being behind the paperwork. For a long time, I was searching. Searching for the right intervention. Searching for better instruction. Searching for answers. Searching for someone who understood what I was experiencing as a parent. More than anything, I wanted someone to look at my children and say, “I see what you see. They can do this. We just need to find the way that works for them.” It has been a long road. At times, it has been an incredibly hard and lonely road. But there have also been parts of the journey that have been so beautiful. I have watched my children grow into themselves. I have watched them discover their strengths, develop confidence, learn to advocate for themselves, and find the things they love. I have watched them begin to understand that learning differently never meant they were less capable. My "kids" are young adults now-but they will always be my "babies" and I will always support them in every way I can. Those experiences are at the heart of why I created My Learning Farm. Everything I do here is shaped by what I needed as a parent during those years. My hope is that compassion, understanding, patience, love, and joy come through in every part of My Learning Farm—from specialized academic instruction and homeschool consultations to our classes, summer programs, and support for families navigating special education. Of course, I want children to make academic progress. I want them to become stronger readers, writers, spellers, mathematicians, and learners. But I also want to protect something equally important along the way: their confidence. I want children to know that struggling with a skill does not mean they aren't smart. Needing explicit instruction does not mean they have failed. Taking a different path does not make that path less valuable. I want My Learning Farm to be a place where a child can struggle without feeling ashamed. A place where we can say, “That didn’t work. Let’s try another way.” A place where effort is noticed, small victories are celebrated, and children have room to discover what they are capable of doing. I want parents to feel that same sense of safety and understanding. When a parent tells me that homework takes hours, their child cries over reading, spelling never seems to stick, or they are worried about an upcoming IEP meeting, I understand that there is usually much more behind those words. There may be years of worry, frustration, appointments, emails, meetings, evaluations, and sleepless nights behind that one conversation. Because I have been that mom. And I am still that mom. My children's journeys have shaped everything I do—the difficult chapters and the beautiful ones, the evaluations and the victories, the tears and the celebrations. They are why I kept learning, asking questions, seeking training, and searching for better ways to teach children who learn differently. Ava and Ryker are the heart of My Learning Farm. In so many ways, My Learning Farm is my love letter to them. It grew from everything their journeys taught me about perseverance, compassion, advocacy, confidence, and the importance of truly seeing a child for who they are—not simply for what they can or cannot do on a particular assessment. And now that love extends to every child who walks onto the farm and every parent who arrives carrying questions, worries, hopes, and dreams for their child. If you are walking this road right now, I hope you find people who see the whole child; I am eternally grateful to the village of people who have wrapped around my children and I. I hope you find instruction that meets your child where they are while still believing deeply in where they can go. And I hope your child discovers that learning differently is simply that—different. At My Learning Farm, we will keep growing skills. We will keep building confidence. We will keep finding different ways when the first way doesn't work. And we will keep making room for understanding, heart, love, and a whole lot of joy. 🌱💛

One of the most common questions I hear from families is, “Does my child need academic support, or do they need an IEP?” This is such an important question because while individualized academic support and special education services can both help students, they serve different purposes. As parents, we often know when something feels harder than it should. Maybe homework takes hours, reading ends in tears, math facts never seem to stick, spelling feels impossible, or your child is working harder than their classmates but not making the same progress. These struggles are signs that your child may need additional support—but understanding what type of support can feel overwhelming. At My Learning Farm, I believe the first step is understanding how your child learns best and what support will help them grow with confidence. What Is Academic Support? Academic support is more than helping a child complete homework or practice skills they are already learning in school. True academic support looks at the why behind the struggle and provides instruction designed around the individual learner. At My Learning Farm, academic support means: Understanding your child's strengths and challenges Identifying skill gaps and areas of need Providing explicit, evidence-based instruction Building foundational reading, writing, spelling, and math skills Teaching students strategies that help them become more independent learners Supporting executive functioning, organization, and confidence Many students who come to My Learning Farm are bright, capable, and hardworking. They simply need instruction delivered in a way that matches how their brain learns. When Might Academic Support Be the Right Choice? Individualized academic support may benefit students who: Need to strengthen foundational reading, writing, spelling, or math skills Have gaps in learning due to previous struggles or inconsistent instruction Need a more explicit, structured, multisensory approach Are struggling to make progress with traditional classroom instruction Need support building confidence and independence Need help developing executive functioning skills such as planning, organization, and task completion Need instruction at their own pace instead of keeping up with a classroom timeline At My Learning Farm, we do not simply provide more worksheets or more practice. We focus on skill development, understanding, and growth. A child struggling to read may not need to “just read more.” They may need structured literacy instruction that explicitly teaches the building blocks of reading. A child struggling with math facts may not need endless flashcards. They may need a multisensory approach that builds number sense, understanding, and automaticity. Sometimes the question is not “How can we make my child work harder?” but rather “How can we teach my child in a way that works better for them?” What Is an IEP? An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legal document created through the public school system for students who qualify for special education services. An IEP is designed for students who have a disability that impacts their ability to access education and who require specialized instruction, accommodations, related services, or other supports. An IEP may be appropriate when a child: Has a diagnosed learning disability such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, or another area of need Continues to struggle despite classroom interventions and support Requires specialized instruction through the school system Needs accommodations such as extended time, assistive technology, or classroom supports Has difficulty accessing grade-level learning without additional services An IEP is not a label that limits a child. When developed thoughtfully, it is a roadmap that helps a team understand a student's learning needs and provide appropriate support. Academic Support and an IEP Can Work Together Families sometimes wonder, “Do we choose academic support or pursue an IEP?” The answer is often: both may be beneficial. Many students benefit from a combination of: School-based special education services through an IEP Individualized academic instruction outside of school Targeted intervention in areas of need Support building confidence and independence At My Learning Farm, I also support families navigating the educational journey through assessments, homeschool consultations, and educational advocacy. I help parents better understand learning profiles, review educational information, prepare questions, and make informed decisions about next steps. The Biggest Question: Is My Child Making Progress? One of the most important things to consider is progress. Ask yourself: Is my child making steady progress with their current support? Are they learning new skills, or are they continuing to struggle with the same challenges? Does my child need a different approach, not just more practice? Is the gap between my child and their peers growing? Is school affecting their confidence, motivation, or emotional well-being? Parents are often the first to notice when something is not clicking. You know your child's personality, effort, frustration level, and strengths better than anyone. If your child is creative, curious, and capable—but school feels unusually difficult—it may be time to look deeper. Learning differences do not define a child's future. With the right instruction, the right support, and a team of people who believe in them, children can make incredible progress. Helping Children Bloom at My Learning Farm At My Learning Farm, my goal is to help families understand how their child learns best and create a path where students can grow academically and emotionally. Through individualized academic support, evidence-based reading, writing, spelling, and math instruction, assessments, homeschool consultations, and educational advocacy, I help families find the tools their children need to succeed. Every child has their own learning journey. Some children need targeted skill support.Some children need specialized instruction.Some children need advocacy and a team working together. The first step is understanding what your child needs to bloom. 🌱 My Learning FarmIndividualized academic support for reading, writing, spelling, math, homeschool consultations, assessments, and educational advocacy. www.mylearningfarm.com

This weekend, I had the opportunity to attend The Run For A Million and watch some incredible athletes compete in the Reining Challenge, Cutting Horse Challenge, Youth Reining Challenge, Youth Cow Horse Challenge, and Breakaway Roping Showcase. The horses were beautiful, the horsemanship was incredible, and the competition was exciting—but what stayed with me most wasn't who won. It was the grit, determination, and hard work behind every ride. Behind every competitor are countless hours that no one sees. Early mornings, long days, mistakes, disappointments, practice after practice, and probably plenty of moments when things simply didn't go as planned. Yet they keep showing up, keep learning, keep practicing, and keep reaching toward their goals. Watching these competitors reminded me so much of the students I work with at My Learning Farm. For a child who struggles with reading, writing, spelling, or math, learning can sometimes feel like training for a big competition. They may watch another student do something easily while they have to work twice as hard. They may practice a skill over and over and still struggle to remember it. They may become frustrated or discouraged—and then they try again. That is grit. 🌱 Grit Doesn't Mean "Just Try Harder" I think sometimes we misunderstand grit. Grit isn't about telling a child who is struggling to simply "try harder." Children need the right instruction, meaningful support, achievable goals, and people who believe in them. When we give children the tools they need to experience success, we help them develop the confidence to keep going when something is difficult. We can also help children understand that mistakes are part of learning. Progress isn't always a giant leap forward. More often, it's one small step followed by another and another. Learning to recognize those little victories helps children see that their hard work is making a difference. ❤️ Keep Reaching One of the greatest gifts we can give children is the understanding that struggling with something today does not determine what they will be capable of tomorrow. At My Learning Farm, I get to watch those moments happen—the word a student finally decodes, the paragraph they didn't think they could write, the multiplication fact that finally sticks, or that wonderful moment when a child realizes, "I can do hard things." Whether you're sitting in a classroom, working at the kitchen table, practicing in an arena, or learning here on the farm, growth takes time. Keep practicing. Keep learning. Keep showing up. Keep reaching toward the things you love. Because sometimes the most important victory isn't the ribbon, the buckle, the grade, or the finish line. It's becoming the kind of person who keeps going when the road gets hard. 🌱🐴❤️

My Learning Farm Is Proud to Sponsor High School Rodeo One of my absolute favorite parts of My Learning Farm is getting to watch students grow—not just while they are sitting at my learning table, but long after they leave it. This year, My Learning Farm is incredibly proud to sponsor High School Rodeo and support a former My Learning Farm student as they pursue something they LOVE. 🐴🤠. And truly, this is what it is all about for me. 🌱 Success Looks Different for Every Child At My Learning Farm, we spend a lot of time building reading, writing, spelling, and math skills. But underneath all of that academic instruction, we are building something even bigger: confidence. I want students to discover that they are capable. I want them to recognize their strengths, work through challenges, and eventually find the places where they absolutely shine. Sometimes that happens with a book. Sometimes it happens while solving a math problem. And sometimes…it happens on the back of a horse in a rodeo arena. 🐴❤️ 🤠 From My Learning Farm to High School Rodeo There is something incredibly special about seeing a former student grow up and pursue a passion with determination. High School Rodeo requires commitment, responsibility, courage, perseverance, time management, and a tremendous amount of hard work. Those are skills that reach far beyond academics—and they are exactly the kinds of qualities I hope My Learning Farm students carry with them into the world. Being able to sponsor a former student feels a little like watching a seed we once helped nurture continue growing somewhere new. 🌱 ❤️ This Is Why I Do What I Do I LOVE hearing from former students. I love seeing their graduation pictures, hearing about their accomplishments, learning about their jobs and college plans, and discovering the activities that have captured their hearts. Most of all, I love seeing them THRIVE. A child's story is so much bigger than a reading level, spelling test, math score, diagnosis, IEP, or report card. Our kids are artists, athletes, animal lovers, builders, entrepreneurs, helpers, dreamers, problem-solvers—and yes, sometimes rodeo competitors! At My Learning Farm, my hope has always been to help children build the skills and confidence they need to discover what they are capable of. So when I get the opportunity to cheer on a former student doing something they truly love, you can bet I will be cheering loudly from the sidelines. My Learning Farm is proud to support High School Rodeo—and even prouder to watch one of our former students ride into their next adventure. 🐴🌱❤️ Keep learning. Keep growing. And keep doing what you love.

I’m excited to share that the My Learning Farm website has a fresh new look! 🌱🐴📚 As My Learning Farm continues to grow, I wanted the website to grow right along with it. My goal was simple: make it easier for parents and families to quickly understand how My Learning Farm can support their child and find the programs and resources they need. Whether your child is struggling with reading, writing, spelling, or math, you’re navigating homeschooling, or you’re simply looking for a place where your child can learn, build confidence, and feel successful, I hope the new website makes finding that support a little easier. You can now explore information about: 📚 1:1 Specialized Academic Instruction in reading, writing, spelling, and math 🌻 My Learning Farm READS! 🐴 Farm Classes & Hands-On Learning ✖️➗ Multiply & Divide 🌱 Growing Futures 🏡 Homeschool Consultations 🎓 Educational Consultations & Coaching 📝 Academic Assessments ☀️ Summer Programs 📅 Upcoming classes, events, registration opportunities, and more! Most importantly, I wanted the website to reflect the heart of My Learning Farm—a place where we meet children where they are, celebrate their strengths, provide explicit and individualized instruction, and help them grow in both skills and confidence. I’d love for you to take a little stroll around the new site and tell me what you think! Is it easier to find what you’re looking for? Is there something you’d love to see added? Parent and community feedback helps My Learning Farm continue to grow. 🌻 👉 Check out the new look to My Learning Farm website:www.mylearningfarm.com Thank you to all of the families who continue to trust me with their kiddos. I’m so grateful for this growing little farm community and excited for everything ahead! ❤️🐴📚🌱 Ms. Sara & all the farm friends