One of my favorite things about using Word Study in the classroom  is how well it lends itself to a schedule.

I love schedules for so many reasons, but as a teacher, they are a Life-Saver. Having a schedule cuts planning time in half and gives students structure and predictability, which so many of them need!

I’ve created many different variations of word sort schedules in my time as a classroom teacher but my most recent is my favorite. It works perfectly at home with my 6 year old. It would also be great in a classroom as a small group block of time and perfect for tutoring.

If you haven’t had a chance, please take some time to check out my previous post  Word Study instruction for Beginning Readers about why word sorts are so essential to an effective reading program. They are literally the secret ingredient in my special recipe for strong beginning readers!

If you’ve already read it, then I’m assuming you’re ready to dive right in. Lucky for you, I’ve made the process super simple!

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As a teacher, I had colleagues often ask how I pulled out such good reading scores year after year, no matter the group of kids I had.

I’d like to say it’s because an amazing teacher for whom students always behave and strive to preform for. But if you’ve taught school you’ll know that’s a joke!

The real answer is that there is a science to teaching Reading.

There is a magic formula where you take a pinch of this, and add a dash of that and give it time to bake and grow.

The formula I use is also pretty one size fits all. In fact, many of the instructional strategies I use are frequently prescribed interventions for struggling students. Even my students that struggled, or my babies that started K super young, were able to get where they needed to be by the end of the year because of the secret sauce I sprinkled them with all year long.

There’s one big, often overlooked ingredient to this formula. It is in fact perhaps the magic ingredient that makes the whole thing work.

What is it?

Word Study instruction.

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With the onset of COVID-19 and the cancellation of schools, our kids have lost so much.

My oldest is a kindergartener and missed out on so many  firsts.  She didn’t get to go on her first field trip, she’ll miss kindergarten graduation, and worst of all, she didn’t get to experience her first field day!

As a Mom, I’m really sad for her.  As a former teacher, I’m brokenhearted.  Those experiences mean so much to so many kids and this year they’re cancelled.

Luckily for her, I’ve sat through a decade+ of field days and have a little experience in helping plan them.  So I got together with my Mom and sister (also teachers) and we planned a day of field day fun!

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