Kindergarten Cafe Podcast: Simple Tips for Teaching Kindergarten

Strong family partnerships do not fall apart because of one bad conversation. They fall apart because expectations were never clearly set in the first place, and by the time there is a problem, everyone is already caught off guard. This episode breaks down the most common reasons family communication breaks down and exactly what to do to prevent those situations before they start.

In this episode, I share:

• why most difficult parent situations are preventable, and why setting expectations early is the most important thing you can do
• how to clearly communicate with families about how and when you will respond, so no one feels ignored or blindsided
• why waiting until parent-teacher conferences to bring up a concern is one of the biggest communication mistakes teachers make
• how misaligned expectations about what kindergarten looks like lead to misunderstandings, and how to address them directly
• why telling families their child is struggling is not enough without also telling them how to help
• how to find the right balance between over-communicating and under-communicating for the families in your specific class
• what consistent, low-effort communication systems look like in practice, including weekly newsletters, Seesaw, and template emails that save you time

Families feel less anxious and more supportive when they feel like part of the team. Building simple, consistent communication systems now saves you from much harder conversations later.

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• Using Seesaw for Improving Family Communication ~ Ep. 39
• Creating Meaningful Parent-Teacher Partnerships ~ Ep. 107

• Family Communication Bundle

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Parent Teacher Communication Bundle

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Parent-Teacher-Communication-Resource-Kinder-Homework-Family-Support-Bundle-9922449

Kindergarten has changed, and if you’ve ever wondered whether the expectations we’re placing on our youngest learners are actually developmentally appropriate, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, I’m joined by Kate, also known as @EvidenceBasedKate on TikTok, who has spent 20 years in education as a classroom teacher and curriculum writer and now helps bridge the gap between educational research and what’s happening in classrooms.

• What research tells us about how kindergarten has become increasingly academic and why developmental expectations for five-year-olds haven’t changed along with it
• How standardized testing, education policy, and academic standards have contributed to pushing higher expectations into the early grades
• Why play, recess, social-emotional development, and other foundational skills create important conditions for learning
• What the research says about kindergarten redshirting and why the answer isn’t as straightforward as it may seem
• How to look more critically at claims that a curriculum or teaching practice is “research-based,” including resources teachers can use to find trustworthy education research
• Practical ways to work within a required curriculum while still honoring child development, foundational skills, joyful reading experiences, and what you know about the students in front of you

One of my biggest takeaways from this conversation is that you don’t have to overhaul everything at once. If something in your classroom doesn’t feel right, start by getting curious, look at the evidence, and choose one manageable change you can make. Small, intentional shifts can help us create kindergarten classrooms that meet academic expectations while still honoring how young children actually learn.

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• TikTik - @evidencebasedkate
• Linktree - Evidence Based Kate

What Works Clearinghouse

EducationWeek

Chalkbeat

The Hechinger Report

Edutopia

The 74

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Mentioned in this episode:

Kindergarten Essentials

Grab the year-long, mega-bundle kindergarten activities here:

If a student has come to you with little to no letter or number knowledge and your first instinct is to panic, this episode is here to help you take a breath and make a plan instead. Kids arrive in kindergarten from different places, and not knowing letters or numbers is not a crisis, it is a starting point.

In this episode, I share:

• why a child arriving with no letter or number knowledge is not something to panic about, and what your job is when that happens
• how to figure out what a student does know so you can meet them exactly where they are instead of focusing only on the gaps
• where to start with literacy when a student has no letter knowledge, from name recognition to fine motor to the most foundational phonological skills
• how to back up and build number sense step by step for students who are not yet tracking count, number order, or one-to-one correspondence
• why strong social-emotional skills in a child with no academic knowledge is actually a really good sign, and what that tells you about their ability to learn
• how to talk to families early without panicking them, and why that conversation is one of the most important things you can do
• why celebrating even small growth with the student matters as much as the extra practice itself

Not knowing the letters or numbers when they walk in the door is not the problem. The question is how they progress once you start teaching them, and this episode helps you stay focused on exactly that.

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• Math Bundle
• Literacy Bundle
• Kindergarten Essentials Bundle

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Mentioned in this episode:

Kindergarten Essentials

Grab the year-long, mega-bundle kindergarten activities here:

If you have been wondering what small group instruction actually looks like in a real kindergarten classroom, not the idealized version, but the practical, flexible, works-for-actual-five-year-olds version, this episode is for you. I walk through exactly how I approach literacy and math instruction, including when to pull small groups, what happens in them, and how to work smarter instead of reinventing lessons every single week.

In this episode, I share:

• why small groups do not need to look like traditional guided reading, and how staying flexible with the format serves kids better
• when it makes sense to start pulling small groups, and why waiting until kids are truly independent first is the right call
• what a literacy small group looks like, from warm-up to hands-on letter practice to games that keep kids engaged
• why repeating the same activities over and over is not boring - it is actually one of the most effective things you can do for kids who need extra support
• how to target the exact missing skill in math by meeting kids just above where they currently are, using concrete materials and observation to guide the work
• why flexible grouping matters and how to adjust who is in a group based on progress rather than locking kids in for the whole year

You do not need a new lesson every day or a perfectly structured table group to make small group time count. Meet kids where they are, repeat what works, and trust that consistent targeted practice is what moves the needle.

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• Why Students Fall Behind Early ~ Ep. 150
• Mistakes in Teaching Letters and Numbers ~ Ep. 151
• Differentiating Instruction in Kindergarten for Diverse Learners ~ Ep. 75
• Minimizing Disruptions During Kindergarten Small Groups ~ Ep. 117
• How I Launch Math and Literacy Centers ~ Ep. 148

• Math Bundle
• Literacy Bundle
• Kindergarten Essentials Bundle
• Simple, yet Effective, Small Group Instruction in Kindergarten

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Mentioned in this episode:

Alphabet Worksheet Bundle

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Alphabet-Worksheets-Bundle-Alphabet-Literacy-Centers-Letter-writing-sound-sort-11657590

Sometimes students are not struggling because something is wrong. Sometimes it’s how the material is being taught, or because a curriculum is moving too fast for where they actually are. This episode is an honest look at the most common mistakes teachers make when teaching letters and numbers, and how to fix them before they create bigger gaps down the road.

In this episode, I share:

• why moving to reading words and books before letters and sounds are solid is one of the fastest ways to make kids look like they are falling behind when they are really right on track
• how teaching letters too quickly or expecting mastery after one round of instruction sets kids up to struggle
• why hands-on learning matters more than worksheets, especially for students who are not picking up letters and sounds at the same pace as their peers
• why daily review, even just one to four minutes, is critical for helping all students hold onto what they have learned
• how focusing on math procedures and facts before kids understand what numbers actually mean creates gaps that follow them for years
• why concrete manipulatives need to come before visual or abstract math, and what it looks like to slow down for the kids who need it
• why coverage does not equal mastery, and why it is always okay to stay with a skill longer than the curriculum says to

Strong foundational skills save everyone time in the long run. Slowing down now is not falling behind, it is exactly what kindergartners need to move forward with confidence.

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• Kindergarten Small Groups for Teaching Letter Sounds ~ Ep. 106
• Essential Math Skills Every Kindergartener Needs ~ Ep. 66
• Exploring Counting Math Centers in Kindergarten Classrooms ~ Ep. 8
• Why Students Fall Behind Early ~ Ep. 150

• Math Bundle
• Literacy Bundle
• Kindergarten Essentials Bundle

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Mentioned in this episode:

Alphabet Worksheet Bundle

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Alphabet-Worksheets-Bundle-Alphabet-Literacy-Centers-Letter-writing-sound-sort-11657590

Kindergarten teachers know that kids arrive with wildly different backgrounds and levels of readiness, and it can be hard to know what to do when a student is already struggling in the fall. This episode is a practical guide to understanding which foundational skills matter at the start of the year, how to spot gaps early, and what to do about them before they grow.

In this episode, I share:

• why kids not having foundational skills when they arrive is not a failure on anyone, and what your job is when that happens
• which literacy skills matter most in kindergarten, including letter names and sounds, phonological awareness, fine motor, and oral language
• which math skills to prioritize early, like counting, one-to-one correspondence, subitizing, and cardinality
• why observing students as they work tells you more than a formal assessment, and what to look for
• how to give extra support and differentiation early without needing formal small groups in place yet
• when lack of progress after good instruction is the real signal to be concerned, not where a child started

Kids do not fall behind overnight, and you do not have to wait for report cards to respond to what you are seeing. Observe early, support consistently, and trust that meeting kids where they are is exactly the right place to start.

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• Essential Math Skills Every Kindergartener Needs ~ Ep. 66
• Kindergarten Case Study: Supporting Kindergarteners With No Letter Knowledge ~ Ep. 105

• Tracking student progress easily
• Math Bundle
• Literacy Bundle

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Mentioned in this episode:

Kindergarten Essentials

Grab the year-long, mega-bundle kindergarten activities here:

If you are a few weeks into school and your classroom already feels chaotic, or if routines you taught at the start of the year have slowly fallen apart, this episode is your reset plan. It is never too late to start over, and knowing exactly how to do it makes all the difference.

In this episode, I share:

• how to figure out what went wrong with a routine so you can fix the problem instead of just getting more frustrated
• why stopping the class and starting a routine over from scratch is good teaching
• the exact step-by-step process for resetting a routine, from explaining why it matters to modeling, practicing, and verbalizing what you want to see
• how to use quick resets throughout the year to maintain routines before they fully fall apart
• when a routine that keeps breaking down is a sign that something needs to change, and how to figure out what that is

A successful kindergarten classroom is not built before school starts or even on day one. It is built one intentional routine and one relationship at a time, and the work you are putting in right now will absolutely pay off by spring.

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• Why Your Routines Aren’t Working Yet ~ Ep. 146
• 5 Routine Mistakes That Cause Year-Long Chaos ~ Ep. 147
• How I Launch Math and Literacy Centers ~ Ep. 148

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Mentioned in this episode:

Morning Meeting Classroom Community Bundle

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Morning-Meeting-Circle-Time-Activities-for-SEL-Classroom-Community-and-Routines-9429952

Independent centers do not just happen because you set out the materials and hope for the best. They happen because you took the time to launch them the right way, one step at a time. If you have ever felt like your centers were chaotic or kids just could not handle them, this episode walks you through exactly how to introduce math and literacy centers so students can actually be successful.

In this episode, I share:

• why keeping academic tasks low demand during center launch lets students focus on routines instead of the activity itself
• how introducing one center at a time, whole class, builds the confidence kids need before working independently
• why letting students freely explore materials before giving them specific tasks prevents a lot of behavior problems before they start
• how to gradually move from whole class practice to choosing between centers so the shift to independence feels smooth
• what additional lessons need to happen alongside center launch, like voice levels, asking for help, cleaning up, and partner skills

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• How to Effectively Manage Kindergarten Math Centers ~ Ep. 71
• Building Effective Literacy Centers with the Science of Reading ~ Ep. 78
• Best Storage Solutions for Centers in Kindergarten ~ Ep. 103

• “Introducing Math Manipulatives” pack
• First Month of School Bundle
• Math Bundle
• Literacy Bundle
• Social Emotional Lesson Bundle
• Learning Partners Lessons
• Recess Curriculum Pack

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Mentioned in this episode:

Kindergarten Essentials

Grab the year-long, mega-bundle kindergarten activities here:

Classroom chaos rarely comes out of nowhere. Most of the time it can be traced back to specific mistakes made in the first weeks of school when routines were being introduced. If your classroom has felt harder to manage than it should, this episode breaks down the five most common routine mistakes and exactly how to avoid them.

In this episode, I share:

• why "assume nothing, teach everything" and "go slow to go fast" are the two philosophies that should guide every routine decision you make at the start of the year
• how not modeling enough leaves students without a clear picture of what you expect, and how to fix that through intentional student modeling
• why moving too fast through routines sets kids up to struggle, and what it looks like to give a routine the time it needs to stick
• how assuming independence too early undermines the work you have already put in, and why one good day does not mean they are ready to move on
• why not revisiting routines is one of the most common reasons they fall apart, and how narrating what you see keeps expectations fresh without starting from scratch every time
• why inconsistency is the biggest routine mistake of all, and how kids learn what they can get away with the moment you do not follow through

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• Back to School Pack & First Week Lesson Plans
• First Month of School Bundle
• Classroom Community Bundle

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Mentioned in this episode:

First Month of Kindergarten Success Kit

Grab your First Month of Kindergarten Success Kit today on TPT or on my website!

If you have taught a routine, practiced it, and still feel like it is just not sticking, there are a few things that could be happening. Routines in kindergarten take weeks and sometimes months to build, and understanding why they break down is the first step to actually fixing them. This episode gets into the reasons routines fall apart and exactly what to do about it.

In this episode, I share:

• why routines take so much longer to stick in kindergarten than in any other grade, and why that is completely normal
• how not breaking a routine into small enough steps is one of the most common reasons kids struggle, and what to do instead
• why consistency matters more than creativity when it comes to routines, and how changing things up too soon works against you
• how to set kids up for success before they even attempt a routine, including simple reminders and student modeling that make a real difference
• why narrating what students are doing correctly as they practice is one of the most powerful tools for cementing a routine
• how to know when a routine is not working because of how it was taught versus when the routine itself needs to change
• what to do when you have tried everything and a routine still is not clicking, including how to start over the right way

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• Back to School Pack & First Week Lesson Plans
• First Month of School Bundle
• Classroom Community Bundle
• Favorite Professional Development Books

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• Website - www.kindergartencafe.org
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Mentioned in this episode:

First Month of Kindergarten Success Kit

Grab your First Month of Kindergarten Success Kit today on TPT or on my website!