BLOG #14
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Spelling is an important skill for children to learn as it helps them communicate effectively in written and oral form. In this blog I will discuss the advantages of giving weekly spelling words and activities.

Guided reading is an essential component of any classroom's reading instruction. It provides students with the opportunity to practice their reading skills with the support of a teacher or a tutor. However, tracking students' progress during guided reading sessions can be a challenging task for educators. That's why I created the Guided Reading Assessment and Anecdotal Notes product, now available on TPT.

​Language can feel very overwhelming to plan because there is so much to cover in the year. However, good long range planning and a daily plan helps your year go smoother.

​This blog focuses on guided reading which involves a teacher working with a small group of students who have similar reading abilities.

I feel this is an important subject for a blog because there are many different approaches used by teachers and questions about which approaches work.

The following details how I approach guided reading in my Grade 2 and 3 classes.

​There is no magic behavior management system that works for every student or teacher.

Behavior Management has to be something the teacher is comfortable with or it will never work. You have to be committed to the system.

​There are a number of ways to do Daily 5. This blog provides you with a structured approach to running your Daily 5 program.

As I mentioned in my My Guide to Guided Reading blog, I divide my class into five groups according to their guided reading level. Each of the five groups attend a different center each day of the week.

In my approach, each center remains the same, with the same behavior expectations, throughout year. For example, during silent reading, the tasks are either silent reading or writing a letter to the teacher about what they have read. The only changes are the books the students are reading and the content of the letter.

Should I give homework?

This is a difficult decision for most primary grade teachers.

How would you like a supply teacher telling you that they didn’t really need to be there first thing in the morning since your students knew exactly what to do? There’s no better time to start these classroom routines than the first day back to school.