21st Century Kindergarten

Start saving student work at the beginning of the year for an end of the year keepsake! Listen to learn how I use art and writing in the Kindergarten classroom to provide meaningful activities, create thematic hall displays, and curate a keepsake book for families that covers the entire year! Check out my Art and Handwriting for each month of the year HERE on TpT!

Starting off school with positive student and family interactions is the key to a successful year!

Call it a curriculum map, pacing guide, scope-and-sequence, or year-long plan, but every teacher needs one. Whether you are a new or seasoned teacher, a curriculum map will help you streamline your planning so that you can easily access resources and ensure you are meeting all your standards each year. It's never too late to create a curriculum map and with THIS FREE GUIDE you can begin your K...

Teaching during the pandemic was tough and left many teachers in need of a professional change. Find out what I did when I realized my teacher-candle was burnt to the wick.

Teaching online in 2020 has helped me learn that daily emails and weekly newsletters are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to good parent/family communication.

How can you plan when you don’t even know what the future holds? Lesson planning just isn’t what it used to be! If you’re looking to ease the lesson plan burden and bring your plans into the 21st Century, then sign up for 21st Century K’s new email series and workbook- https://mailchi.mp/21stcenturyk/cxip1npl3n

Are you struggling in the online teaching world? You’re not alone! However, I’m here to point out that all those gray clouds have silver linings. Be sure to sign up for the new email series from 21st Century K all about Planning in the 21st Century. https://mailchi.mp/21stcenturyk/cxip1npl3n

In this episode we will talk about how this school year (more than ever!) we need to make sure our classroom libraries are ready for the back to school season this fall. Sign up HERE for weekly newsletters from 21st Century K and Join the "Guided Reading Made Easy" course wait list HERE!

Time does not have to be a limiting factor in successful guided reading instruction! Instead of not having enough time, one may even argue that we are wasting the time we have. When you spending daily guided reading time doing the most important things to push the reading process forward, you may just find that you have time on your hands! Download my FREE workbook, The Top 3 Must Do’s for Everyon...

For many families, reading at home is a struggle. Now, more than ever, we need to define the reading-at-home experience and show parents the best ways to support beginning readers.

Your literacy mindset is the way you think about literacy, the way you approach literacy instruction, and the way you view your students as readers. Has your literacy mindset evolved over the years? Mine certainly has!

When we know better, we do better. We can learn so much about reading groups from our teachers because the need for small group instruction hasn’t changed over the years. But, with so many various approaches to guided reading “out there.” It can be hard to know exactly what to do in a small group lesson. Grab my free workbook about the top 3 must do’s for every guided reading lesson here: https://...

Do your students have the opportunity to play in your classroom everyday or is play in your school taboo? It’s time to bring playtime back, but with a 21st Century twist! (And no naked baby dolls and Barbies, please!) Check our my blog series on play here and grab your free play pacing guide template! https://21stcenturyky.blogspot.com/p/play.html?m=1

Do you teach calendar in your classroom today? Well, I do and it’s still my favorite time after all these years! But, I’ve had to learn how to “bring it out of the dark ages” in order to maintain student engagement and learning. If you’re ready to get the MOST out of hour calendar time then download my FREE workbook HERE: https://mailchi.mp/8a4a284f83c3/5stepguidetocalendartime21stcenturyk

How can we integrate old school math and thinking ideas with the rigor of today’s standards? Through problem solving!

In this episode I’ll share about my first experience as a kindergarten teacher and learned that I needed to find the sweet spot between the old ways and the new ways... it’s all about intention.