Tip Tap Toby: the Tap Dancing T-Rex

EVEN THE KING OF DINOSAURS HAS WEAKNESSES, BUT FOCUSING ON HIS STRENGTHS IS WHAT MAKES TOBY, THE TAP DANCING T-REX, A STAR!This "Draw in Your Book®" poem is part of a series developed by the author, a master literacy teacher. She says, "Illustrating what they visualize while listening to the story helps children improve comprehension skills. Good readers use their imaginations and background information to picture what they read, and that helps them remember facts. In addition to teaching great morals, this series is meant to encourage students to use fun books as tools for literacy."

Timbre Lynn,MA Ed, is a former competitive tap dancer and language arts instructor.  She has a teaching credential and BA in English,literacy, and language development.
 
Shecurrently owns a dance studio where she teaches performing arts to adults and severaldifferent species of children, including horses, kitty cats, and whatever otheranimals her youngest dancers sometimes choose to be on any given day.
 
"Reading,like dancing, should always be fun," she says."Both tasks are essential to proper development and future healthy function,but their serious positive consequences shouldn't preclude the use of sillinessto gain and maintain interest."
 
Timbre wrotethis story poem in order to help her own students focus on what they CAN doinstead of what they CAN'T do.
 
"Of coursewe should challenge ourselves and work to strengthen areas that need growth.  But children are often afraid to tryactivities if they know they cannot match their friends' talents. 
 
It's easy tobecome stagnant or apathetic if we don't keep stretching ourselves.  However, it's equally important that we findwhatever we personally do well, and then hone those skills until we each developgreatness in at least one area of ability. "