When I began teaching with new math materials, like ten frames, my goal was to improve the number sense of my students. Here is a six step tutorial on how I created another math material to use with my students in small groups. This math material is called a math bead rack or a rekenrek….
Organization in kindergarten makes a teacher’s life easier and helps set {and keep} consistent expectations for students. Here are my top categories for being organized as a teacher. Click to check out some of my favorite ideas on how to organize in each category.
What’s a teacher to do when her to-do list is outrageous? Here’s how I try to streamline super-busy weeks as a teacher using this free teacher planning to-do list. If you’re a reader of mine then you know how much of a sanity-saver my teacher planning binder has been for me! And I hope that…
Teaching kindergarten is so unique and well, pretty awesome – if you ask me. But, don’t just take my word for it. Check out this slew of creative, fun and helpful teaching kindergarten ideas and activities from other kindergarten teachers that were shared with me from our online show n’ tells. You’ll find teacher tools, end of the year activities,…
![Composing and Decomposing Numbers: What This Looks Like in Kindergarten [3-Part Series]](https://www.kindergartenworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Composing-and-Decomposing-Numbers-in-Kindergarten-I-love-the-ideas-in-this-series.jpg)
Building kinders with great number sense has really helped us grow in all areas of math this year. Recently, I wrote a three-part series to illustrate some of how we’ve worked on it especially in relation to composing and decomposing numbers using groups of tens and ones. Decomposing Numbers In part one, I explain the value and…
Preparing for a substitute long before you need one is a great way to make life easier on yourself. For when you really need one, and are in a pinch – you can feel better knowing that you’ve left behind explanations for all of the major things and can just leave some details and a set of…
Teaching teen numbers in kindergarten using a composing and decomposing numbers approach. Students learn the meaning behind place value and catch onto numbers 11-19 quickly. Here’s a math lesson I taught and the beauty behind letting kinders explore concepts over and over. Learning teen numbers in kindergarten without just “learning” by rote visualization! In math,…
Guided math looks a little bit different in every kindergarten classroom. Here are some of the details from our classroom based on your frequently asked questions. Are you new to guided math? Check out: How to start guided math in kindergarten What are your rules for guided math time? We actually use the same rules…
What are the thought processes that go on in a teacher’s mind when creating her own standards-based math curriculum? This might be a scary trip, but I invite you into my planning process. I hope to reveal how I learned to plan my guided math curriculum this past year. This isn’t meant to tell you…
A major shift happened in my teaching organization life since I digitized my teacher files. Here are 4 different ways to organize your digital teacher files to keep the sanity at find what you want without spending more than few clicks to get it. Not only did I have a lot of printable resources from…
Two weeks ago, I was fussily taking some photos from our math journals to share and it hit me. I was teaching my kinders wrong! Okay, not wrong, but I could be teaching them better! Why, when I am working with them in groups or during our whole group calendar time, am I modeling subtraction by doing…
Literacy centers are a huge portion of our day. They allow me to teach guided reading to small groups of students and keep students learning and on task. Here is how I use a literacy center workboard, routine and transitions to make this portion of our day work smoothly. Literacy centers makes a big impression…
Create your own Fat Cat retelling activity with this free idea for kindergarten. This is how I created a Fat Cat retell activity to go in our retell center as a storytelling option for my kindergarten students. Let me show you what’s in our set and give you the materials to make it happen in your classroom too. It’s…
When I wrote a favorite post Binder Basics, I asked you my favorite readers to share your tips on making your own teacher planning binder. Here are your fantastic ideas and responses. Binder Basics – How to Make a Teacher Planning Binder These tips are taken from the readers of KindergartenWorks in response to how…
Teach students how to organize their daily folders in kindergarten using a bulletin board. It can be tricky to give keep on top of those gosh-darn flyers from the office, parent notes and daily papers. Plus, we know daily communication is important between parents and their child about the day’s events, and between parents and…