Teachers new to our Excellence in Kindergarten and Early Literacy website (and the literacy leaders who support them) often ask, “Where do I begin?”
Let us walk you through our best recommendations and online resources:
- Visit exemplary kindergarten programs online. Start with our Excellence in Kindergarten Literacy Award sites and other favorite kindergarten literacy sites. They are annotated with direct links to some of the most inspiring content on each site. (You could spend hours here!)
- Join the free mentor kindergarten teacher chat board at www.teachersnet.com and follow the dialog on topics of interest. You will discover wise National Board Certified kindergarten voices here! We make it a point to read everything posted by Jacque Verrell, KinderJane and Julie Lay (a.k.a. Hedgie Haven).
- Read The Daily 5: Fostering Literacy Independence in The Elementary Grades by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser and join The Daily Café website. This high-quality professional site provides inspiring video clips, weekly news tips, and helpful articles. The Daily 5™ Kindergarten seminar with accompanying DVD is a “must-attend” event.
- Develop a repertoire of joyful songs, poems, rhymes, and chants. Listen to quality children’s CDs and DVDs (See: Recommended Children’s CDs). Download free poems and rhymes to learn. Develop an “I Can Read Poetry” notebook strategy. (See: photo essay.)
- Join our online community by subscribing to our monthly newsletter to take advantage of our joyful, accelerated literacy resources—IT’S FREE! Find
video clips, photo essays, e-Books, and Read and Sing Little Books. Look for upcoming Webinars on “Best Practices in Joyful Accelerated Kindergarten Literacy.:” Meeting the Challenge of High Common Core State Standards
- Join your state kindergarten association, local kindergarten support groups, and/or local and state branches of NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children). Visit www.nkateach.org, www.naeyc.org, and www.oeayc.com (in Oregon). Attend their conferences!
- Find out about the exemplary kindergarten programs in your community. Observe kindergarten in action and begin dialoging with mentor teachers about their philosophies and practices. Most accomplished kindergarten teachers are happy to support and encourage new teachers.
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Become familiar with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for kindergarten. Go to our CCSS Tab and scroll down to study kindergarten writing samples.
- Attend early childhood and kindergarten literacy conferences and seminars. Network with other kindergarten teachers who are excited about teaching and learning. Ongoing dialog and camaraderie help us grow.
- Attend state and local IRA (International Reading Association) Conferences. See ORA in Oregon and IRA.
- Learn to sign songs and fingerspell the ABCs. (See:
American Sign Language (ASL) Instructional Videos and ABC Phonics tab.) Research strongly supports multisensory teaching. Attend the Magic of Signing Songs Seminar with Diane Larson and Nellie Edge (July 31, 2012 in Salem, OR) or study the Distance Learning Program.
- Learn everything you can about “kid writing” and “writing-to-read” strategies. Visit www.kidwriting.com and read the book Kid Writing: A Systematic Approach to Phonics, Journals and Writing Workshopby Eileen Feldgus, Ed.D. and Isabelle Cardonick, M.Ed. Study with Julie Lay and read the practical book Writing to Read in Kindergarten: Growing Engaged and Purposeful Writers through the Lens of Common Core State Standards by Julie Lay and Nellie Edge. See complimentary “Kid Writing”
video lessons, photo essays, e-Book, and articles on our website.
- Learn how to create authentic and independent Writing Center activities. See Writing-to-Read Accelerates Literacy articles. Attend writing-to-read workshops.
- Enjoy our seminar “Begin the Year With Best Practices in Joyful Accelerated Kindergarten Literacy” and literacy manual, Celebrate Language and Accelerate Literacy: High Expectations Joyful Learning Proven Strategies, which represents the culmination of twenty years of kindergarten literacy research and “best practices” from exemplary northwest kindergartens. The literacy manual contains over sixty full-color photos of strategies and beautiful classrooms. Download the complimentary e-Book featuring samples from the literacy manual.
- Get to know a collection of quality fiction and nonfiction for young learners. See lists of favorite children’s literature: Children's Books. We carefully select new books that are “worthy of children.”
- Read professional books and newsletters about early literacy, positive discipline, and how to build a joyful learning community. (See: Resource Books for Excellence in Kindergarten Literacy.) Subscribe to our free monthly Excellence in Kindergarten and Early Literacy e-newsletter. See Essential Kindergarten Resource Book list from our Salem Kindergarten Cadre, 2011/2012.
- Ask if your school district, Department of Education, or local teachers’ college has a mentoring program for new teachers. Again, ask where the outstanding joyful kindergarten programs are—classrooms that accelerate literacy, meet high CCSS, and honor childhood. (Enjoy this essay: Defining Excellence in Kindergarten and Early Literacy.)
- As you apply for teaching positions, seek to understand the philosophy and culture of the school. Beware of schools or districts that present you with a rigid, scripted literacy program that must be followed “with fidelity.” Look for schools where principals are strong curriculum leaders with a vision of creating a rigorous and joyful learning community. Ask about the school’s commitment to meaningful parent involvement and to developing professional learning communities for teachers.
- Bring your most caring self into the classroom. Make your health a priority both inside and out by keeping fit and doing what brings you the deepest joy, for this will carry over in your teaching.
- Nurture your passions so you can bring them into the classroom. Your love of literature, nature, art, music, travel, or ethnic foods can enrich the lives of your students as you weave your enthusiasm for learning into the life of your classroom.
- Enjoy the free weekly newsletter from Choice Literacy. Just in case you haven't discovered this concise and thoughtful e-newsletter (The Big Fresh) for K-12 literacy leaders from the Choice Literacy site, you are in for a treat. Brenda Powers, editor, provides weekly literacy support and personal insights that make one smile and ponder. She simply has a wondrous way with words and the heart of a kindergarten teacher. Subscribe today and enjoy this Saturday morning read—with coffee of course!
- Download our growing collection of complimentary articles and e-Books featuring the work of master kindergarten teachers.
- Participate in a local kindergarten support group. This is a great opportunity to visit other classrooms and share your successes and challenges. If there isn’t one available in your district, consider working with your district’s early literacy leaders to establish a professional learning community to meet the unique needs of kindergarten. (See: schedule for the Salem Kindergarten Cadre, and How to Start a Kindergarten Professional Learning Community.)
At the end of my seminar presentations, I often encourage teachers to go slowly and choose one or two new learning goals. I believe this is especially important for enthusiastic new teachers who want to do it all—and by Monday morning! Bond with your children and families. Keep the joy alive and create a language-rich environment first. I often remember a teacher who wrote to me and said, “Nellie, you say ‘go slow’ but I go back to my school and look at the children… and they don’t have years for us to get our act together!” Another teacher wrote, “Okay, Nellie, I’ll go slowly, but just as fast as I can!” And that is the teaching dilemma that wise, committed educators face—finding balance that keeps us personally challenged and vibrant and our classrooms alive with the best, authentic learning practices.
As passionate, caring teachers we welcome you into the world of joyful and rigorous kindergarten teaching and learning. (
See video clips of Master Kindergarten teachers under our Video Tab.) There are few rewards dearer than a class of loving five-year-olds.
Good luck and enjoy your teaching journey.
With Smiles!
Nellie Edge
