Where creativity & learning collide.
Teaching reading with a balanced literacy approach is the perfect combination between whole language and phonics. In a balanced literacy program, students see reading modeled, share in the reading with the teacher, are coached in reading, practice independently, and are actively engaged in word study. These blog posts are here to help you navigate your way through implementing a balanced literacy program in your classroom.
Do you know what some of the big differences are between guided reading levels in kindergarten and early first grade guided reading levels like level F? Hint: If you have my FREE Guided Reading Resource Cards, you might already know! Here are some of the big differences when students are moving to level f: increasedMore
Grab this new book and FREEBIE to share as you are teaching kindness in the classroom. You are on the other side of your classroom. “STOP!”, you hear someone yell. “Don’t do that!”, they continue. You look to see one child bothering another and while you now have a very upset child, you scramble toMore
“How do I keep my kindergarten students in independent reading center for the whole time?” is one question I get asked often about literacy centers. Trust me when I tell you that you aren’t alone if you feel like this center is equivalent to herding wild cats. Keeping five and six-year-olds in an independent readingMore
What do you say when your kindergarten parents ask for reading tips? Do you struggle to offer them concrete, practical activities to do at home? I sure did! Until I got my little secret weapon ready, I found myself digging through files and grabbing charts and flashcards to send home with students who needed aMore
Let’s chat about teaching sight words – how many do you have to teach this year? Most primary grade teachers have to teach 40-100 words per year. That can be overwhelming. Not only do we have to introduce the words, but students need to practice frequently and read them regularly while teachers need to trackMore
You guys asked for it, and its finally here – Guided Reading Level K. Just like the kindergarten and first grade guided reading kits, this one has everything you need to successfully implement guided reading to advance the readers in your classroom. What I love about these kits is that no matter how experienced youMore
We spend a lot of time at the guided reading table coaching our students through growing their reading skills. Many times we get to the end, check for comprehension, and it seems like the little reader has no idea what they read. They are struggling with comprehension. Where am I going wrong? What am IMore
We all have been there. We get to the end of a guided reading lesson, check for comprehension, and then it’s time to do a quick write. We realize we didn’t quite plan ahead because, goodness, we rarely get this far in the lesson without the timer going off. But not today! Today we madeMore
Do you have students who struggle with reading comprehension? We know our young readers need a toolbox of reading strategies to help them comprehend texts, but it’s hard to not get lost in the seemingly complicated lessons to teach them. One great strategy to help students become better readers is questioning. But, there are soMore
With only 20 minutes to implement a guided reading lesson, how can we make it the best and most successful for students on level e? How can we make the most of the time we have? We create and follow a strong lesson plan for guided reading level e that provides our readers opportunities toMore
What do meatballs, butterflies, and cowboys have in common? Not much unless you are teaching compound words to your students this week. This topic can be so fun to teach because of the many different ways you can approach it. Whenever possible, I try to make sure all types of learners’ needs can be metMore
I remember during my first year of teaching, I worked so hard to get all of my students on grade level for reading. In guided reading, we did phonics practice, sight word work, hands-on word work, and running records. All of the right things. When I got to the testing, I realized I had someMore
You have crafted the perfect guided reading lesson plan. You gather all of the materials and lay them out neatly. But, the next thing you know, the first group’s time is already up and you barely made it halfway through. Fitting it all in can be tough! There are multiple components of a guided readingMore
Motivating students to master sight words plays a large part in helping them learn the words, but how can we do that without reinventing the wheel? Before I figured out a simple and easy way to practice words and make fun sight word games, I constantly searched for the latest and greatest to practice. ScouringMore
Kindergarten teachers know that the beginning of the year brings in a variety of students with different skill levels. Some know their letters and sounds, some can read, and some can barely identify the letters in their own names. One thing all of these students can benefit from is practicing name activities. Why Should StudentsMore
I sat at my guided reading table with a student who couldn’t comprehend the text he just read. He had a high correct words per minute score and a high accuracy percentage – what was I missing? Focusing on fluency in guided reading. He read too fast to even understand what happened in the book.More
Setting up a listening station is made simple with these steps! Literacy stations are a BIG part of the day for kindergarten and first grade classrooms. Time and time again, I had kids who loved this part of our day. Some people walked in our classroom and may have felt like it was a zoo,More
Have you been there, at the table- staring at a blank lesson plan template for level C guided reading, frantically searching for how to write a lesson, or flipping through the same book over and over again, hoping a teaching point will jump out at you? I sure have! Since then, I’ve spent time researching,More
