Enlarging Classroom Posters Made Easy
This is a blog post created out of necessity. I updated my sound chart over the summer and the kindergarten teachers in our school were going to use them. In the past I made black and white posters, taking the…
Silly Sally Goes to School And Students are Loving It
Silly Sally is one of my favorite stories for back to school. Not only is written by the Audrey Wood, but it's a simple book with lots of layers. Silly Sally is so silly, it speaks to kindergartners in a…
Said is Dead: Why We Should Stop Saying This NOW
Said is dead. A simple phrase to encourage writing. So, here's the thing: I had a great family and a great childhood. Things that I thought were crises, we just teen angst with girlfriends and boyfriends and school dances. I…
5 Tips for Using Names to Start the Year off Right!
Names are a great place to start. Creating a love of reading can begin with student names. Student names can be as unique as each student. Connecting literacy activities with names can make a lasting impression on students. Beginning the…
Best 10 Plant Books to Keep Emergent Readers Growing
Plant Books keep them growing. (wink) Who doesn't love the Plant Unit? There are so many activities to do with students to truly engage their learning. Students should be touching and planting and sorting and experiencing plants. From growing seeds…
Books Introductions in Small Group: Using Vowels for 4 Steps to a Powerful Start
I've talked about book introductions in another blog post. Check out my post 4 Book Introductions You Don't Want to Miss gave 4 ideas for introducing a book. Too often we skip the introduction and jump into vocabulary and reading, but…
Kindergarten Literacy: 6 Myths about Kindergarten from the Best
Kindergarten literacy is dear to my heart. Last weekend I was going through my Twitter feed waiting for a session to start at the Virginia State Reading Association Conference, when I noticed an article tweeted by a friend, Laurie Elish-Piper.…
Raising the Expectations – Mid-Year Changes for Continued Success
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…
Coding and Decoding ~ I don’t know this word…Now What?
Coding and decoding are tools in a students tool belt...and I needed them. I talk a lot about students becoming decoders and readers. A LOT. I know I do, but I am so passionate about giving students the tools to…
Using Magnetic Letters: 6 Ideas for Building Foundation Success
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…
Integrating Writing into Math Adds Up to Success
Math isn't really my thing. If you have ever met me, heard me speak, or read a blog you will know I believe in integrating. If it is all connected, it is easier to understand. You may, or may not…
Small Group Instruction: What will your students need for success?
Small Group Instruction time is precious and should be guarded at all costs. At our school, daily small group instruction is a non-negotiable. In order to get to 3 groups daily, you can't waste any time. SOOOOO, what will you…