Weekly Focus Articles

Nellie Edge Blog

How Do Kindergarten Teachers Create a Culture of Writers?

November 21, 2022

It’s early October and kindergarten children are learning the joys of writing for real world purposes. Writing and reading fluency with a growing collection of high-frequency “heart word” sentences is our next important learning target.

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The Best Ways to Talk to Kindergartners About Their Writing

November 13, 2022

Our language helps build the positive emotional climate where children grow as writers and illustrators and take pride in doing quality work. Our words help build a “growth mindset” so that young children learn they can teach their brains any new skills! To build emotional resilience, research says, praise children’s efforts towards their goals, perseverance, […]

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Kindergarten Kindness and Good Behavior Can and Must be Taught: Some Resources for Your PD

November 7, 2022

(updated from 10/26/2020) Developing Social-Emotional skills, a growth mindset, and love of learning underlie everything we do at Nellie Edge Kindergarten Seminars. We create joyful pathways to accelerated literacy, and teach life skills while honoring the whole child. Glimpses of Julia Barto’s classroom: Build a joyful community of kindergarten friends… Give unconditional positive regard… Believe […]

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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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K-1 News Stories: Writing Tips and FREE Resources

October 18, 2022

How News Stories Build Writing Independence, Motivation, and Stamina All Year Long News stories give students choice of writing topics. They find their voice and create stories about what is most important in their lives. There are few things more satisfying for a young writer than creating something that reflects their feelings and experiences. What […]

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heart words in kindergarten teacher resources

10 Reasons to Teach Fingerspelling in Kindergarten

October 6, 2022

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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How to keep joy alive in the Kindergarten classroom all year long!

Keep Joy Alive in Kindergarten

September 26, 2022

Our job as teachers is to create a feeling of belonging in the kindergarten classroom all year long so children will love coming to school and thrive.

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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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Nellie Edge Freebies on TpT

10 Most Popular Nellie Edge FREEBIES on TpT

September 13, 2022

Click a thumbnail to access the freebie on TpT.

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