Midyear assessments are in and if you're feeling overwhelmed, or just plain frustrated, this episode is here to help. I’m answering three real teacher questions about assessment results, struggling students, and managing all that data.

1. What to do when students aren’t showing the progress you expected
2. How to turn midyear data into small group plans that actually move the needle
3. Why consistent, repeated practice (even if it’s boring) works
4. Tips for talking to families without just giving the problem to them
5. What to try if students still don’t know letters or sounds
6. The system I use to organize assessment data (that won’t make your binder explode)

1. Easy Small Group Ideas for Blending and Decoding Success ~ Ep. 119
2. Kindergarten Small Groups for Teaching Letter Sounds ~ Ep. 106
3. Kindergarten Case Study: Supporting Kindergarteners With No Letter Knowledge ~ Ep. 105

1. Decodable Readers
2. CVC Words: Beginning, Middle, End Sounds Phonemic Awareness Games and Centers
3. PD By the Pool Private Podcast
4. Book a Coaching Session

1. Instagram - @kindergartencafe
2. Facebook - @kindergartencafe
3. Website - www.kindergartencafe.org
4. Tik Tok - @kindergartencafe

Mentioned in this episode:

Free Math Guide

Download the free Math Guide: www.kindergartencafe.org/math-guide

Have students who know their letters and sounds… but freeze when it’s time to blend them into a word? This episode is for you. I’m walking you through exactly how I support early readers in small groups who need extra help with blending and decoding and it’s simpler than you think.

1. My go-to small group structure for decoding support
2. Why a quick sound review still matters
3. How nonsense words help build real skills
4. A simple trick using decodable books for more independence
5. Why Elkonin boxes are game changers
6. Easy, hands-on activities to make blending stick

1. Kindergarten Small Groups for Teaching Letter Sounds ~ Ep. 106
2. Kindergarten Case Study: Supporting Kindergarteners With No Letter Knowledge ~ Ep. 105

1. Decodable Readers - and general recommendations
2. CVC Words: Beginning, Middle, End Sounds Phonemic Awareness Games and Centers

1. Instagram - @kindergartencafe
2. Facebook - @kindergartencafe
3. Website - www.kindergartencafe.org
4. Tik Tok - @kindergartencafe

Mentioned in this episode:

Kindergarten Essentials

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

If your students are constantly hugging, poking, piling on the rug, or just way too close for comfort…well, it’s not just your classroom. In this episode, I’m answering two teacher questions about handling personal space.

1. My favorite read-aloud and activity for teaching personal space
2. Easy rug-time fixes to cut down on chaos
3. How to teach kids to ask before hugging or holding hands
4. Visuals that reinforce calm bodies and boundaries
5. Creative ways to support sensory seekers without constant touching
6. How to respond when kids push back on “fairness” around fidgets
7. The real talk on consistency: why it works (and why it feels like it’s not)

1. The Power of Positive Reinforcement in Kindergarten ~ Ep. 73
2. Building Strong Classroom Management ~ Ep. 43

1. Personal Space Camp by Julia Cook (amazon affiliate link)
2. Join the FREE 5-Day Social Emotional Learning Challenge
3. Social Emotional Learning Year-Long Kindergarten Curriculum Bundle
4. Trixie the Thoughtful Turtle

1. Instagram - @kindergartencafe
2. Facebook - @kindergartencafe
3. Website - www.kindergartencafe.org
4. Tik Tok - @kindergartencafe

Mentioned in this episode:

SEL Bundle

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Social-Emotional-Learning-Year-Long-Kindergarten-Curriculum-Bundle-11-SEL-Units-3904167

One of the most common questions I get from teachers is: "How do I keep the rest of the class under control while I’m teaching small groups?" If you’re trying to pour into a handful of kids at your table, but out of the corner of your eye, you see three students arguing over a marker, two more asking for help, and someone else who’s supposed to be reading… I’m walking you through what actually works to maintain classroom management while you're leading small groups in kindergarten.

1. Don’t start small groups until routines are solid
2. Teach “Ask 3 before me” early
3. Plan predictable, engaging independent work
4. Avoid pairing off-task kids together
5. Make it clear you’re not available during groups
6. Keep groups short - 10 minutes max
7. Do room checks between groups
8. Talk about issues afterward, not during

1. How to Effectively Manage Kindergarten Math Centers ~ Ep. 71
2. Building Effective Literacy Centers with the Science of Reading ~ Ep. 78
3. Teaching Problem-Solving Skills with Young Students ~ Ep. 57

1. Workshop: Literacy, Math, and Centers… Oh My!

1. Kindergarten Writing Support for Beginning Writers | Small Groups
2. Kindergarten Math for the WHOLE YEAR
3. Teaching Kids to Be Independent: A Social Emotional Learning Unit

1. Instagram - @kindergartencafe
2. Facebook - @kindergartencafe
3. Website - www.kindergartencafe.org
4. Tik Tok - @kindergartencafe

Mentioned in this episode:

Kindergarten Essentials

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

Are your students stuck at labeling their pictures and freezing when it’s time to write sentences? Today we’re tackling this super common writing hurdle with strategies that actually work in a real kindergarten classroom. With simple, supportive ideas to help students go from oral storytelling to complete sentences.

1. How to move from ideas to full thoughts on paper
2. Why oral storytelling and drawing are key first steps
3. The power of underlining and sentence mapping
4. The one thing to focus on before adding more sentences
5. A logical order for teaching spaces, punctuation, and capitals
6. Easy sentence starters that build confidence and independence
7. How to support students in small groups without doing the writing for them

1. Writing Warm Up Slides
2. Monthly Journal Writing in Kindergarten
3. Teaching Kindergarten Writing Sentences: Writing Small Group on Conventions

1. Instagram - @kindergartencafe
2. Facebook - @kindergartencafe
3. Website - www.kindergartencafe.org
4. Tik Tok - @kindergartencafe

Mentioned in this episode:

Kindergarten Essentials

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

New year, new mindset! In this episode, we're talking all about growth mindset. What it actually looks like in a kindergarten classroom and how you can start teaching it in simple, meaningful ways. Whether you’re heading back after winter break or saving this for later, you’ll walk away with clear ideas you can use right away.

• How to explain “persistence” to young learners
• A super relatable way to teach the “Goldilocks zone” of challenge
• Why praising effort (not just outcomes) builds real resilience
• The magic of the word “yet” and how to help kids use it
• Favorite books, videos, and activities that reinforce growth mindset
• Why your modeling of mistakes might be the most powerful lesson of all

• Teaching Students to Persevere ~ Ep. 20

• Social Emotional Learning

• Free 5-day social-emotional challenge
• New Year's Classroom Pack
• Growth Mindset: Social Emotional Read Alouds
• Sesame Street: Power of Yet
• Class Dojo Growth Mindset Video Series

• Instagram - @kindergartencafe
• Facebook - @kindergartencafe
• Website - www.kindergartencafe.org
• Tik Tok - @kindergartencafe

Mentioned in this episode:

Caring Critters Books

Felipe the Feeling Frog: https://www.kindergartencafe.org/felipe/

Let’s talk about the real kind of kindergarten writing, where every student is on their own unique journey.

In this episode, I’m joined by literacy consultant and podcast host Melissa Morrison (of Getting Students to Write) to unpack what it looks like to teach writing in a developmentally appropriate way. We talk about why some students are still scribbling while others are crafting full stories and how to meet all of them where they are.

Plus, Melissa shares how teachers can slowly shift their practice to better support young writers, even if your current curriculum doesn’t match developmentally appropriate expectations.

Whether you're new to kindergarten or just want to make writing more manageable, this episode will help you see your students (and yourself!) in a whole new light.

• What “writing” really means in kindergarten (hint: it’s not all about sentences)
• Why oral language is the foundation of early writing
• How to support kids at every stage - from scribbles to sentences
• The role of labeling, drawing, and invented spelling in writing development
• How to make writing time more engaging and meaningful (without ditching your curriculum)

• Language Composition Framework
• Matt Glover and Kathy Collins

• LinkedIn - @melissa-morrison
• Website - teaching-to-transform.com
• Podcast - Getting Students to Write 

• Instagram - @kindergartencafe
• Facebook - @kindergartencafe
• Website - www.kindergartencafe.org
• Tik Tok - @kindergartencafe

Mentioned in this episode:

Caring Critters Books

Felipe the Feeling Frog: https://www.kindergartencafe.org/felipe/

This week, I’m answering two real questions from teachers like you, all about math in kindergarten.

If you've been wondering how to organize counting collections without drowning in buttons and cubes… or what students should realistically be able to count and write by December… you're in the right place.

• How I organize and rotate counting collections (without spending a fortune)
• Why I group collections into 0–10, 10–20, and 20–100
• Tips for choosing the right containers and labeling systems 
• What realistic number writing and counting should look like in December vs. February
• When to worry about number skills and what’s totally developmentally normal
• Simple strategies to boost number sense + help kids count and organize objects 

• What are the Key Components to Teaching Math in Kindergarten?

• Instagram - @kindergartencafe
• Facebook - @kindergartencafe
• Website - www.kindergartencafe.org
• Tik Tok - @kindergartencafe

Mentioned in this episode:

Caring Critters Books

Felipe the Feeling Frog: https://www.kindergartencafe.org/felipe/

What should kindergarten social studies actually look like across the school year?

In this episode, I’m giving you a big-picture breakdown of how I teach social studies in kindergarten, how the family unit fits in, and how I structure my curriculum to help students explore their classroom, local, and global communities.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make your social studies lessons more meaningful, inclusive, and connected to the real world … this one’s for you.

• How I structure the year around different types of communities (classroom, neighborhood, global)
• Where identity, belonging, and rules fit into the kindergarten social studies standards
• My favorite way to introduce maps and geography (plus the perfect book to support it)
• Why I tie lessons to real-time holidays and celebrations  even if no one in class celebrates them
• My go-to books and videos for teaching traditions, culture, and inclusion
• How I help students understand their role in a global community

• The Magic of Teaching in December with Gingerbread and Winter Holidays – Episode 12

• Kindergarten Holiday Activities Year-Long Bundle | Seasonal Literacy and Math
• Social Studies Mentor Texts
• Community Helpers Bundle: A Social Studies Unit with Literacy Connections
• Me on a Map - Social Studies Geography Mapping and Community for Kindergarten
• Seasonal and Holiday Favorite Books
• Social Studies for Kindergarten: Mapping Standards

• Instagram - @kindergartencafe
• Facebook - @kindergartencafe
• Website - www.kindergartencafe.org
• Tik Tok - @kindergartencafe

Mentioned in this episode:

Caring Critters Books

Felipe the Feeling Frog: https://www.kindergartencafe.org/felipe/

Teaching about families in kindergarten is about so much more than who lives at home. It’s an opportunity to build empathy, celebrate diversity, and create an inclusive classroom community.

In this episode, I’m sharing how I approach a social studies unit on families with care, intention, and developmentally appropriate strategies that honor all types of family structures.

Whether you're teaching this unit in November, December, or any time of year, this approach will help your students feel seen, respected, and connected  while learning about the diversity that makes each classroom beautiful.

• Why I start with students’ real-life experiences as a gateway to empathy and understanding
• My favorite picture books about families that reflect both windows and mirrors
• How to adapt lessons to be mindful of diverse home situations (e.g., two homes, loss, homelessness)
• The email I send families before we begin this unit to foster partnership and awareness
• Activity ideas that combine literacy, math, and SEL from graphing family sizes to sharing traditions
• How I use inclusive language like “who lives with me” instead of “who lives in your house”
• Ways to transition into discussions on culture, food, religion, and traditions

• Kindergarten Family Unit | Social Studies, Literacy, & Math Activities Worksheet
• Social Studies Mentor Texts
• Family Traditions Poster

• Instagram - @kindergartencafe
• Facebook - @kindergartencafe
• Website - www.kindergartencafe.org
• Tik Tok - @kindergartencafe

Mentioned in this episode:

Caring Critters Books

Felipe the Feeling Frog: https://www.kindergartencafe.org/felipe/