Honorary Kindergarten Literacy Awards: We Love These Sites!

We value these next sites so much we have created this honorary Excellence in Kindergarten Literacy Award just for them.

Becky A. Bailey, Ph.D.
Becky A. Bailey, an award-winning author and renowned teacher, is internationally recognized expert in childhood education and developmental psychology. Her workshops touch thousands of lives each year. To understand the power of her work, start with the PBS video, “Shifting from Fear to Love” and the webinar series, “Becoming the Best You Can Be”…

California Kindergarten Association
The California Kindergarten Association continues to provide high-caliber professional development and valuable resources for preK-1 educators in California and across the country. Check out their art resources Annual Art Exhibit. Their annual conference in January is worth a trip across the country.

Choice Literacy and The Big Fresh
Just in case you haven't discovered this concise and thoughtful free weekly 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!

Deedee Wills
Deedee Wills maintains a superb blog with links to other excellent kindergarten blogs. If you’re interested in blogging yourself, be sure to spend some time exploring her site. We especially love her “About Me” section.

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
Adele Diamond’s Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience is a state-of-the art site for brain research. She is the world’s foremost expert on the child’s prefrontal cortex and executive function.

Diane Bonica
Award-winning retired kindergarten teacher extraordinaire, Diane Bonica has generously shared her whole year of poetic and delightful weekly parent letters. This represents a treasure trove of science/literacy curriculum through songs, poetry, and the arts, a glimpse of a lifetime of her masterful teaching.

Dr. Jean's website
Dr. Jean's website and weekly informative blogs are filled with music and playfulness for young children. Her many YouTube videos clips emphasize developmentally-appropriate practices. We enjoy seeing her variations on cheers to acknowledge children.

Edutopia.org
Edutopia is dedicated to transforming the teaching and learning process by helping educators implement strategies that empower students for deeper learning. See the videos: Ken Robinson on the Power of the Imaginative Mind,Music and Dance Drive Academic Achievement and Howard Gardner on Multiple Intelligences.

Fairy Dust Teaching
Sally Haughey describes her Fairy Dust Teaching blog as “sprinkled with the arts, storytelling, and lots of love.” We agree and appreciate seeing the Regio Emelia approach with beautiful and magical environments for children.

Isabell Cardonick at Kid Writing
Peek inside Isabell's awesome kindergarten! This is just what you'd expect from the co-author of the book “Kid Writing: A Systematic Approach to Phonics, Journals, and Writing Workshops.” See art and writing displays and don't miss the "Kid Writing Wall of Fame."

Kinder by Kim
Kim is a master teacher with an awesome and easy-to-use site, great photos, and detailed monthly photo essays documenting art, playfulness, authentic literacy, and meaningful thematic studies! With Jazzy Journals, Crafty Quilts, and Teaching Tips, this “writing-to-read” and literature-rich classroom is a must see.

Kindergarten Crayons
Kindergarten Crayons with Fran Kramer is another “must-read” blog. We value her rich, authentic curriculum connections and links to the Common Core. See her extensive Pinterest boards and resources on Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT).

Kindergarten with Susie
Kindergarten with Susie reflects Susie’s passion and quest is to help all teachers create classrooms where literacy learning is engaging and exciting. We value Susie Haas Kane and credit her for giving us the “Name Ticket” strategy.

Mrs. Jump’s Class
Deanna Jump has broken records with her sales on Teachers Pay Teachers. She also maintains a spectacular website and blog. She has created organizational tips for posting Common Core Standards (so helpful!) and provides lots of classroom pictures.

Mr. Kindergarten, Dan Gurney
Mr. Kindergarten, teacher Dan Gurney from California, understands how to build a community of learners and nurture emotional intelligence. We enjoy reading his interesting blogs. Meet his puppet Popular Guy and check out his children’s Important Book.

Mrs. Pohlmeyer’s Kindergarten
We absolutely love Traci Pohlmeyer’s engaging kindergarten site. Take a look at the learning centers. Scroll down for great photos of actual art/science/literacy connections: penguin themes and bat projects. Traci is no longer keeping this site active so we are grateful for the archived links. You'll be automatically redirected...it's well worth the short wait!

Michigan State University ASL (American Sign Language) Browser
To continue learning American Sign Language, what would we do without this awesome site that features live video clips and descriptions of ASL words from A-Z? Use it in the classroom and learn right along with your children. Research strongly supports integrating American Sign Language into the early literacy curriculum. To practice management signs, start with our favorite “Lineup!” and “Focus.”

Mowillems.com
We love everything Mo Willems—especially the Elephant and Piggie books which have become a part of our kindergarten reading curriculum. See Mo Willems Stuff-Elephant and Piggie for delightful posters, bookmarks, and invitations to read this well-loved collection of books.

Readingandwritingproject.com
The Reading and Writing Project, founded and directed by Lucy Calkins at The Teachers College at Columbia University, continues their mission to help young people become avid and skilled readers, writers, and inquirers.

Readwritethink.org
At ReadWriteThink, their mission is to provide educators, parents, and afterschool professionals with access to the highest quality practices in reading and language arts instruction by offering the very best in free materials.

Regieroutman.org
Regie Routman’s inspirational and practical work in exemplary writing and reading instruction has informed my vision of excellence in kindergarten literacy for over three decades. Her voice continues to be a transforming force in education. We wish all educators could read and reflect on her latest book, “Literacy and Learning Lessons From a Longtime Teacher” and participate in “Regie Routman in Residence” professional development."

The Responsive Classroom approach
The Responsive Classroom approach is a widely used, research- and evidence-based approach to elementary education that increases academic achievement, decreases problem behaviors, improves social skills, and leads to more high-quality instruction. See video: What is Responsive Classroom approach.

SmarterBalanced.org
Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium is a state-led consortium developing assessments aligned to the Common Core State Standards in English language arts/literacy and mathematics that are designed to help prepare all students to graduate high school college- and career-ready.

Teachers Pay Teachers
This open marketplace for teachers continues to grow in popularity. Lessons and resources abound, written by teachers for other teachers. Many items are free. Sign up for the teachers’ newsletter and receive frequent links to top sellers and top-ranking free items. Teachers Pay Teachers has opened up the world for those educators who love to share their ideas.

Teachingchannel.org
The Teaching Channel has great teaching, inspiring classrooms, support for the Common Core Standards, and outstanding videos. We think you will especially enjoy Animal Patterns: Integrating Science, Math & Art and Silent Signals in the Math Classroom.

Nellie Edge Excellence in Kindergarten and Early Literacy
This arts-rich site provides an inspiring look at “excellence” with beautiful photos of children engaged in joyful accelerated literacy. You’ll find a wealth of free resources!