Joyful Pathways to Accelerated Literacy

Nellie Edge Blog

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Kindness and Good Behavior Can and Must be Taught

August 22, 2023

Developing Social Emotional skills, a growth mindset, and love of learning underlie everything we do! Create joyful pathways to accelerated literacy and honor the whole child.

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Begin Your Kindergarten Year with 10 Memorable Traditions

August 7, 2023

We begin the year with Mother Goose Rhymes to effortlessly give children the rhythm and sounds of the English language and to introduce them to “Just Right: I Can Read!” Little Books which they can use during “Read to Self” Time. Marie Clay’s research reminds us that “Rhymers are readers.” Using classic Mother Goose little books is a research-based approach to simultaneously build phonemic awareness, oral language fluency, reading skills, and delight!

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back to school in kindergarten classroom

How to Have the Best Kindergarten Back-to-School Night Ever: Family Scavenger Hunt Step-by-Step

August 1, 2023

Families’ first visit to kindergarten is organized, purposeful, and inviting “Sunflower Children” and warm-hearted Katie Nelson welcome each family as they arrive. The environment is carefully prepared to introduce literacy routines and involve Parents as Partners. Children sign in on their first “Name Ticket” with guided help from Mom or Dad. They put their finished […]

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teaching pencil grip

7 Kindergarten Name Writing Tips with Family Practice Book

July 18, 2023

Helping you involve parents with learning Updated July 2023 I am remembering again how challenging and important it is to teach good name writing from the first days of school. Why not ask “parents to be partners” at spring registration? Our FREE resources may help you! Kindergarten-age students, in classrooms or at home, represent a […]

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teaching pencil grip

Weekly Focus: Ten Tips for Teaching Handwriting Grip

July 5, 2023

Updated July 2023 Two of the foundation skills for kindergarten teachers to introduce during the first busy weeks of school are good handwriting grip and efficient name writing. 1. Determine a child’s handedness. Ask parents. Watch the child with manipulative toys. Notice which hand the child uses to pick up crayons or small pencils. Help […]

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Did You Miss Any of These Nellie Edge End-of-School Year Blogs?

June 12, 2023

 We love to search Pinterest for the best kindergarten writing and early learning resources we can find to share with you our Nellie Edge seminar participants and online friends.

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heart words in kindergarten teacher resources

10 Reasons to Teach Fingerspelling in Kindergarten

June 6, 2023

Fingerspelling helps the brain remember letters and sounds: It becomes the memory hook to ABC/Phonics mastery. Fingerspelling will enhance the effectiveness of any ABC/Phonics program.

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Connect With Families to Multiply Your Teaching Effectiveness: Begin with Spring Registration! with Nellie Edge

Build Family Connections That Multiply Your Teaching Effectiveness All Year Long

April 4, 2023

The Kindergarten Giving Tree: Let Families Know what is on Your Kindergarten Wish List. Scroll down for premade gift tags and/or create an Amazon.com wish list

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Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in Kindergarten

March 27, 2023

Part 1 features miniature 8 MONTHLY collections PLUS Literacy and
Sciencing poems, songs, and rhymes!

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Social Emotional Skills and Language are the Foundation for Quality Schools

Social Emotional Skills and Language Are the Foundation for Quality Schools

February 28, 2023

Part 1 features miniature 8 MONTHLY collections PLUS Literacy and
Sciencing poems, songs, and rhymes!

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Where Can I Get the Best Drawing, Writing, and Word Work Resources?

December 19, 2022

Great Drawing, Writing, and Word Work Resources – Where to Get Them.
As referenced on Nellie Edge Kindergarten Writing Seminars; Updated June 2017.

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Introducing Nellie’s Thursday-Friday FREEBIE for YOU!

December 15, 2022

Greetings, faithful blog followers. Here is a special Thank You Gift! On Thursday and Friday we will take one of our favorite TPT products and slash the price to NOTHING, compliments of Nellie Edge Kindergarten.   Many of you know we spent a whole year developing our Poetry “I Can Read” Notebook BUNDLE The final […]

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Teach Your Students to Sign the Pledge of Allegiance: 
Then Make a Class Book!

Enlarge the Print of Favorite Songs, Poems, and Rhymes

October 31, 2022

Teaching children to sing and sign the Pledge is among the most POWERFUL strategies we share! Take photos of your students signing the words of the Pledge. Children AND parents will love this class book featuring the lives of each classmate.

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Kids and Parents LOVE Heart Word Celebrations

Kindergartners and Their Parents LOVE Heart Words

October 25, 2022

What Are Nellie Edge Writing-to-Read Heart Words? Sentence Writing Mastery • Motivated Writers • Memory Space for Encoding! Build the first circle of writing mastery! Early in the year, the first 16 pink “heart words” allow kindergartners to write the heart-connecting sentence “I love you.” With this power, students perceive themselves as writers and bring […]

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How Authentic Family Involvement Can Support Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

September 18, 2022

Discover Poems, Songs, and Rhymes with QR Codes that Support SEL Goals: Emotional Intelligence, Friendship, and “I can do it!” Growth Mindset, and a Love of Language (K-2)

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