Learning to read is an incredibly important and rewarding task for young learners. One of the foundational skills we can use to support young learners is word building. Starting with a strong foundation of phonics and systematic manipulation of words can…
I know it's hard. This time of the year is so hard to keep them engaged, so sometimes we have to do something different. Have you ever tried mystery words? They are fun and can quite possibly keep their attention…
20 Ideas for mini-foam cut-outs...and guess where I found them. I LOVE a thrift store! There is something about reusing someone else's discard that makes me feel good about the future, but I also like a bargain. Here's my latest…
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn is such a classic. If you asked 100 kindergarten teachers what books are on their Back to School list, I'm betting 99 would include this amazing book. I have used it for years because…
Expectations are the key to student success. If you believe it, they will do it. It's time to up the game. BUT, that doesn't mean changing the game. You know I'm a "process/product center" girl. I believe in centers where…
Magnetic Letters are a bit of an obsession for me. It's one of the things on my list when I visit thrift stores. I am always gathering upper and lower case letters. One summer I even sorted all my letters…
Independent Centers are ready Week 4. I promise. We are starting centers this week in my school. We don't start until after Labor Day, so we are only in Week 4. Our kindergarten teachers have worked hard this week…
Paint Chips. I can't help it. There is something about those multi-hues that is so appealing. I used them when I taught a scrapbook class on colors. AND I love the commercials from Sherman-Williams using animated paint chips. Here…
I love a sound chart I have used a sound chart for years as an integral part of my kindergarten classroom. Originally, I used the sound chart provided by Fountas and Pinnell, but eventually I made my own. It is…
DSA. BAS. PALS. Like it or not, this is an assessment time of year. The teachers in my school are expected to complete the PALS Test (Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening), Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark, and the DSA (Developmental Spelling Assessment)...and…
Happy New Year 2015 shows a lot of promise...and it's only 2 days in. Let's see...what can happen? New Year: My Baby Graduates Yes, my baby is about to graduate from high school. I tease that Austin is the king…
Ending Sounds to End the Year Ending sounds can be tricky for early readers and writers. When students learn to track sounds in a word, sometimes they track them out of order. Practice with hearing, sorting, and recording ending sounds…
