Ahhh… spring in the primary classroom. The sunshine is calling, the energy is HIGH, and suddenly your students can’t seem to sit still for more than five minutes. Sound familiar? We have ALL been there! But what if, instead of fighting all that energy, you used it to your advantage?
Do you ever feel like there’s just not enough time in the day to fit in the meaningful phonemic awareness practice your kids need? Between morning routines, reading groups, and transitions, it can feel impossible to squeeze in the consistent practice daily. That’s where my favorite phonemic awareness practice transition
Ever feel like math time is a whirlwind? Students are all over the place, papers are scattered, and you’re not sure if anyone is really learning anything. You’re not alone. Teaching math in kindergarten and first grade can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to cover concepts, check for understanding, and
Have you ever noticed how some students can read a word like block with ease, while others stumble over ship or chop? That’s the tricky world of blends and digraphs. Knowing which to teach first and how to practice them can make all the difference in your students’ phonics success.
When students master CVC words, it feels like a victory, but it also brings one of the trickiest decisions you might face in early reading instruction. Maybe this has been you: your students are reading CVC words like cat, dog, and map. They easily blend and segment multiple sounds. You’re
You’ve been working hard on phonological awareness skills like rhyming, blending, segmenting, and more. Your kids are getting it. Yes! But then comes the big question: when, and how, do we move into phonics? If you’ve ever paused mid-lesson and wondered this, you’re not alone. This transition can feel big
If you’ve ever asked a student to say a word without one of its sounds and been met with a blank stare, you’re not alone. Phoneme deletion can feel tricky for young learners, even when they’re doing well with blending and segmenting. But don’t worry, friend, I’ve got your back
If you’ve ever introduced addition and thought, “Why does this feel harder than it should?” you’re not alone. For so many of our K-2 students, addition clicks best when they can move, touch, count, and see the math in action. Sitting with a worksheet just doesn’t cut it for little
Ahhh… January in the primary classroom. Between the cabin fever, the post-holiday wiggles, and the wandering attention spans, it’s rough out there! But what if we stopped fighting these hurdles and actually worked with them instead? Wait, what?! Yes, teacher-friend! Let’s talk about how my Winter Color by Code and
Have you ever watched your students enthusiastically hop, skip, or wiggle their way through the room only to then immediately melt into “I’m too tired…” when asked to complete a worksheet? Yep, been there! As primary teachers, we already know that early readers need both movement AND paper-pencil practice to