Kindergarten teachers are never done. That’s because our kids remain “our kids” long after they move on. We are totally invested in their success, as if they are our “school sons” and “school daughters.” We want them to do well even after they leave us—especially after they leave us! So,
The more I see, the more I realize the importance of transitions. For students — and of course for their parents and teachers — the transition to Kindergarten is one of the iconic moments in life. In the world of K-to-12, it all begins with K! Now is the time
Let me guess? Your district wants you to come up with ideas to integrate technology into your classroom. You received a cart full of Ipads or Chromebooks for your kindergarten class but other than a couple of free web sites you have no idea what to do with them.
Teaching handwriting to kindergarten students can be challenging. Beginning writers need to not only identify letters, they need to be able to write letters automatically and with fluency. Teaching handwriting is so important in kindergarten because it’s a strong predictor of quality writing in the upper grades. There is extensive research that
I have been making Gingerbread houses with my kids for years. I would spend $50 on frosting, graham crackers, gumdrops, licorice, peppermint candy, ugh the list went on and on. I saved milk cartons from luch and splashed myself as I spent an entire planning period washing those cartons. Then
Trust me, I’ve been there. You’re so excited to get started on Google Classroom, you have amazing resources you want to share, your admin wants you to use it……… but the kids take FOREVER to log in. #thestruggleisreal!!! I have good news for you! I have also struggled with this
What’s the one activity that always brings a smile…….Play doh! Who doesn’t love play dough? I’ve never been able to resist grabbing some and giving it a squish. Kids are no different. They just love play doh and who could blame them? Play dough is my “go to” activity the
Have you heard about Boom Learning? It. Is. So. Cool. No more printing, cutting, or laminating. I love bright and shiny new laminated centers just as much as the next guy, but let���s face it, it can be a lot of work. Boom Learning is awesome. You can use it
Let’s talk about Google Classroom. Going digital in kindergarten and first grade can be a powerful tool for differentiatng your kid’s learning. Big myth buster- you don’t need to be a 1:1 school to do it. Most teachers in the upper grades have been using Google classroom for ages, but
Glue sticks. Those 2 simple words bring me both joy and aggravation. I have a love hate relationship with glue sticks. On the one hand I love the ease of glue stick, no more puddles of glue, no clogged tops. It seemed like the perfect answer. But they let me
Using Flipped Lessons in Kindergarten Have you heard about flipped lessons? I’ve been reading about flipping your classroom for a while, but I just didn’t see how it could work in kindergarten. It seemed to be an upper-grade level tool. In case you’re new to the party, flipped lessons are
Knowing your students’ level of phonemic awareness helps you to easily determine the next step in learning to read.
