When it comes to guided reading groups, the number one question most teachers have is, “What about the other kids?” As the classroom has changed drastically recently, teaching a guided reading lesson has become even trickier because oftentimes the other kids just log off and have no reading practice happening. As I reflected back on my own journey of reading centers (or literacy stations), I remembered how difficult it was just to begin kindergarten reading centers in my classroom.
Friends, they don’t have to be exhausting to prep and you don’t have to pull your hair out trying to manage them. I learned a simple trick along the way that REALLY helped minimize this for me!
Teacher friends, I remember my first year of teaching as I was learning all the things about centers (or stations) and how I would spend HOURS creating stations, and then I would waste so much valuable instructional time teaching the station, to only find myself in a classroom management and time-loss hamster wheel!
I knew something had to change.
I needed CONSISTENT kindergarten reading centers.
As I set out to create some stations for kindergarten teachers like me and you, I knew that the key to not getting exhausted was to have stations where the expectations were not having to be taught and re-taught over and over!
I settled on these 7:
The key here is that you are ONLY changing the materials. Yep, that’s all! Here is a look at the January kindergarten reading centers!
You may find yourself saying, “But Amanda, I am teaching online this year. I have these sweet kinder babies all day virtually. How are these meaningful activities even possible?”
Answer: I made them digital for you!! Not only can you assign them through Google Classroom, but you also can show them on your screen and do them together as a whole group!
Keeping kids engaged for a full 20 minutes during your guided reading lessons can be tricky, but if you keep the routines the same and simply add new materials with similar activities each time, no complicated steps and explanations will be needed! Remember, revisiting old activities is NEVER a bad idea!
Grab these 7 literacy centers that are perfect for Kindergarten and be set for in person or virtual teaching!
The skills covered are:
Wherever you are in your teaching journey this year, don’t let kindergarten reading centers be something that overwhelms you. If you are just looking for a guide on how to launch stations, you may want to check out this blog post HERE.
Want to use the latest research to boost your readers during small groups? This FREE guide is packed with engaging ideas to help them grow!
I’m a K-1 teacher who is passionate about making lessons your students love and that are easy to implement for teachers. Helping teachers like you navigate their way through their literacy block brings me great joy. I am a lifelong learner who loves staying on top of current literacy learning and practices. Here, you’ll find the tools you need to move your K-2 students forward!
