Teaching phonics. If you’re an elementary school teacher, you are likely working hard to incorporate more phonics and structured literacy into your classroom. However, there’s a good chance that you didn’t actually learn this stuff in college. How are teachers supposed to use a structured, phonics based approach with their students if they don’t understand the rules themselves? The answer…
Most teachers love reading and learning. It’s a big reason why teachers become teachers. While students loving reading is awesome, it’s important to understand that reading is about a whole lot more than doing so for enjoyment. Here is why your students don’t have to love reading, but they do need to be able to read proficiently. Why do students…
Many students in the primary grades struggle with writing stories and reading with fluency. When I noticed that my first graders had mastered writing a good, basic sentence, but couldn’t string a few together, I knew a needed to find a solution. They also needed to work on their reading fluency, so I decided to solve both problems at once:…
If your kindergarten or first grade students are learning about community helpers, these hands on, immersive centers are the perfect activity to add to your inquiry into community jobs. Students will love the opportunity to work at a vet clinic, mail a letter, fix a car, or try their hand at baking the perfect pizza. At the same time, they…
Back to school time is hectic, and there’s a lot to think about. However, these 5 first grade resources for back to school make those first few weeks of school so much easier. Here are my top 5 favorite back to school resources and how I use them in my classroom. 1. Letter Sound, Name, and Formation Review and Student…