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Reading Fluency in a Flash

by Emily

Over the last year and a half we’ve talked to countless teachers about fluency instruction in the classroom. When we help students recognize words effortlessly and teach them to read with appropriate expression and phrasing, we’re allowing them to access texts in a more meaningful way. Reading fluency is the key to unlocking the magic of…

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Filed Under: 1st Grade, 2nd grade, fluency

BTS Success: A Free Back-To-School E-mail Course

by Emily

Back-to-school is the worst of times. It’s so stressful and exhausting (seriously it’s so, so tiring!). It’s also the best of times! The feeling of a new beginning is absolutely exhilarating. I love that fresh start, where everything is possible and I haven’t screwed up…yet! After 17+ first days of school as a teacher, I…

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Filed Under: 1st Grade, 2nd grade, 3rd Grade, Back to School, Kindergarten

My 2nd Grade Morning Routine

by Emily

The way we begin each day in our classroom sets the tone for learning and speaks volumes about what and whom we value, about our expectations for the way we will treat each other, and about the way we believe learning occurs. –Roxann Kriete How do you start your school day? It’s a question every…

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Filed Under: 1st Grade, 2nd grade, 3rd Grade, Back to School

Establishing Classroom Procedures : A Plan for Back-to-School Success

by Emily

Before you can really plan out the first days and weeks of your school year, you need a plan in place for how you intend to handle the routines and procedures in your classroom. Effective procedures are a hallmark of every well run class. They’re an indispensable part of a successful school year. If your room…

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Filed Under: 1st Grade, 2nd grade, 3rd Grade, Back to School, Kindergarten

20 Awesome Books for the First Week of School

by Emily

When I’m creating my first week of school plans, I always make time for several read aloud books every day. Reading aloud picture books is a great way to: take a break from procedures and routines introduce ideas of friendship, community, rules, and more model fluent reading bond as a class over the shared experience…

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Filed Under: 1st Grade, 2nd grade, 3rd Grade, Back to School, Books

Why I Don’t Use Words Their Way for Spelling

by Emily

Why don’t I use Words Their Way for my sole phonics and spelling curriculum? And why don’t I use Words Their Way for my weekly spelling lists and spelling test? I get this question often. You know that I love Words Their Way. (We now use our own comprehensive phonics and spelling curriculum Word Play…

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Filed Under: 1st Grade, 2nd grade, Phonics, spelling, Word Play Phonics

5 Teacher Books I Read Every Year

by Emily

There are a few professional development books that I pull out to reference (and sometimes reread) every single year. The First Six Weeks of School by Paula Denton, Roxann Kriete, Responsive Classroom – Tools for Teaching by Fred Jones The First Days of School by Harry Wong The Joyful Classroom by Responsive Classroom The Daily…

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Filed Under: 1st Grade, 2nd grade, 3rd Grade, Back to School

The Secret to End of Year Survival

by Heidi

Want to know my tried-and-true secret to surviving the last few weeks of school? THEME DAYS! I love theme days for two reasons. They keep the kids engaged. They make planning easier. We call these our D.L.I.T.E Days. D.L.I.T.E stands for Differentiated Learning and Integrated Theme Experience. You can call them Theme Days or whatever…

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

More Halloween Books We Love

by Emily

Try as we may, we just can’t get enough of seasonal books. Do you have the same seasonal-book-buying affliction? One of the ways I love using seasonal books is in a daily countdown to the holiday. Here’s how we count down to Halloween with a spooky read every day! We already have a post about…

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Filed Under: 1st Grade, 2nd grade, 3rd Grade, book review, Books, Halloween

Morning Routines: Setting the Stage for a Successful Day

by Heidi

How you start your day is often how you live your life. –Louise Hay Beginnings matter. What happens before the first bell even rings has a huge impact on the outcome of the entire day. The tone of the day is established in the first 20 minutes of the day. The effectiveness of the entire…

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Filed Under: 1st Grade, 2nd grade, 3rd Grade, Back to School, management

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We are Heidi and Emily. Sisters. Heidi & Emily are both former 2nd grade teachers and current preschool teachers with a combined 17 years experience.

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