Focus Areas

#3: Untangling Data-Based Decision Making by Harlacher & Potter & Collins If you’re looking for something engaging to add to your reading list this Fall, we have you covered. All month long, our Friday 5s have been spotlighting MTSS-focused titles from our ODU T-TAC Lending Library. This week, we highlight Untangling Data-Based Decision Making by…

#2: The Art of Coaching Teams by Elena Aguilar For our second book in this month’s Friday 5, we highlight The Art of Coaching Teams by Elena Aguilar, which can be checked out free of charge from our ODU T-TAC Lending Library.  Simply sign up for a free account and have it delivered on your…

#1: Integrated Multi-Tiered Systems of Support: Blending RtI and PBIS by McIntosh & Goodman This month our Friday 5s will highlight books on MTSS implementation that can be checked out free of charge from our ODU T-TAC Lending Library.  Simply sign up for a free account and have Integrated Multi-Tiered Systems of Support: Blending RtI…

October  2025 EC T.R.I.O Welcome to our T.R.I.O (Training, Resources, Information, and Offerings) Newsletter! Our goal is to keep practitioners updated on the latest happenings in early childhood care and education.    Like what you see? Share it with your colleagues and sign up to receive updates from T-TAC ODU. Trainings Resources Information Offerings Danielle Campbell, Lisa Gehring, &…

Establishing consistent routines and procedures is one of the most powerful ways educators can create safe, supportive, and engaging early learning environments. Effective routines are taught, not just expected. Children thrive when routines are modeled, practiced, and reinforced. Classroom routines provide a clear process for planning and teaching that sets children up for success throughout the…

The first few weeks of school give an opportunity to observe students. It gives insight to where students may need extra supports for their learning. In addition to academic learning, students may need to learn access skills. Access skills refer to skills a student needs to access the curriculum but are not explicitly represented by…

What Are Executive Function (EF) Skills?  What Are Executive Functioning (EF) Skills?  Executive functioning (EF) skills are like the brain’s management system. They’re the set of mental processes that help students: These higher-level skills are what allow students to focus, problem-solve, and reach their goals. Research shows that EF skills are foundational for success in…

As we approach Dyslexia Awareness Month, TTAC ODU would like to recognize and celebrate the tremendous efforts made across the Commonwealth in support of all striving readers, including those with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. This fall marks one full year since the implementation of the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA)—a landmark moment in our state’s…

In today’s classrooms, math instruction is evolving to meet the diverse needs of all students. One powerful, research-based approach gaining traction is the Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) strategy, a framework that supports deep mathematical understanding by moving students through three stages of learning: concrete, representational, and abstract. At the concrete stage, students use hands-on materials like counters,…