Going through my first year of teaching math using a small group (guided math) format has been a great and rewarding experience! Clicking on the guided math tab on my blog, it is obvious that it hijacked much of my thoughts, planning and creations! Here are some organizational posts of those ideas for those who are also giving it a go this ...

Reading about organizing all of the incredible things we find online has become a hot topic! Lots of the discussion that is happening here on Shelley's TBA post, TBA's facebook page and on other blog spaces is inspiring! Teachers sharing how they organize their personal files is a great peek into the C: drive of our fellow ...

We love using playdough in our classroom to practice some foundational skills. Oh yes, you heard that right. Playdough can indeed be a tool, just as simply as magnetic letters, to practice beginning, medial and ending sounds, building CVC words, and more! Did I mention you can practice sight words? I've been using playdough in my literacy ...

It has been almost forever since I've shared about our literacy centers in kindergarten. But, I'll be the first one to admit... there is one center that can distract my attention away from my guided reading groups. I almost strain from halfway across the room to hear the book language my kinders are using and to listen to the third little pig say, ...

Ever have the feeling that your classroom layout doesn't fit your style of teaching anymore? This year... my classroom layout wasn't bad - it was just the same one I had used for three years. However, this year I began teaching math in small groups and I really found myself spending a lot of energy being *creative* in the placement of my ...

In my kindergarten classroom, I have come to learn that much of having great classroom management comes when you give kinders... And I say it that way because it.is.a.proc.ess! You can't give it all day one, but you can (and should) start laying the ground work and expectations. Expectations is how I describe my overall ...

Are you even ready to think about next year? Whether you are, or aren't... that's okay! If you're not, be sure to pin or bookmark this post and come back to see me in August! If you're ready to bring on the planning, then join me as I share my planning binder calendar template for next year. This free download ...

I've created Three Little Pig characters for fun and for you to have for free! I often expect my kinders to use favorite stories as inspiration when doing writer's workshop. In fact, we even do a unit to stretch the pure amount of writing they can do by modeling a different version of our favorite stories!  Some of my favorite ...

Thanks to fellow online collaborators, I’ve got materials ready to go for my math zones (centers)! But, I have to admit, not only do I have to figure out how to keep all of my favorite downloads organized on my computer... With so many materials, I need to really capitalize on getting my kinders to focus on the challenge at hand and not to get ...