Kindergarten Cafe Podcast: Simple Tips for Teaching Kindergarten

Strong family partnerships are not built by answering emails at night or going above and beyond until you burn out. They are built because families trust you, and that trust comes from consistent, thoughtful communication that does not require you to reinvent anything from scratch. This episode is about real systems used to make family communication work without adding extra weight to your day.

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Almost every family wants to help their child learn at home, but teachers can accidentally make that help feel overwhelming, unrealistic, or unclear. If you have ever sent home a homework packet and wondered whether it was really helping anyone, this episode will help you rethink what supporting learning at home can look like in a way that works for real families with real schedules.

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Strong family partnerships do not fall apart because of one bad conversation. They fall apart because expectations were never clearly set in the first place, and by the time there is a problem, everyone is already caught off guard. This episode breaks down the most common reasons family communication breaks down and exactly what to do to prevent those situations before they start.

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Kindergarten has changed, and if you’ve ever wondered whether the expectations we’re placing on our youngest learners are actually developmentally appropriate, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, I’m joined by Kate, also known as @EvidenceBasedKate on TikTok, who has spent 20 years in education as a classroom teacher and curriculum writer and now helps bridge the gap between educational research and what’s happening in classrooms.

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If a student has come to you with little to no letter or number knowledge and your first instinct is to panic, this episode is here to help you take a breath and make a plan instead. Kids arrive in kindergarten from different places, and not knowing letters or numbers is not a crisis, it is a starting point.

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If you have been wondering what small group instruction actually looks like in a real kindergarten classroom, not the idealized version, but the practical, flexible, works-for-actual-five-year-olds version, this episode is for you. I walk through exactly how I approach literacy and math instruction, including when to pull small groups, what happens in them, and how to work smarter instead of reinventing lessons every single week.

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Sometimes students are not struggling because something is wrong. Sometimes it’s how the material is being taught, or because a curriculum is moving too fast for where they actually are. This episode is an honest look at the most common mistakes teachers make when teaching letters and numbers, and how to fix them before they create bigger gaps down the road.

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Kindergarten teachers know that kids arrive with wildly different backgrounds and levels of readiness, and it can be hard to know what to do when a student is already struggling in the fall. This episode is a practical guide to understanding which foundational skills matter at the start of the year, how to spot gaps early, and what to do about them before they grow.

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If you are a few weeks into school and your classroom already feels chaotic, or if routines you taught at the start of the year have slowly fallen apart, this episode is your reset plan. It is never too late to start over, and knowing exactly how to do it makes all the difference.

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Independent centers do not just happen because you set out the materials and hope for the best. They happen because you took the time to launch them the right way, one step at a time. If you have ever felt like your centers were chaotic or kids just could not handle them, this episode walks you through exactly how to introduce math and literacy centers so students can actually be successful.

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Classroom chaos rarely comes out of nowhere. Most of the time it can be traced back to specific mistakes made in the first weeks of school when routines were being introduced. If your classroom has felt harder to manage than it should, this episode breaks down the five most common routine mistakes and exactly how to avoid them.

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If you have taught a routine, practiced it, and still feel like it is just not sticking, there are a few things that could be happening. Routines in kindergarten take weeks and sometimes months to build, and understanding why they break down is the first step to actually fixing them. This episode gets into the reasons routines fall apart and exactly what to do about it.

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If you have one week left before school starts and you are not sure whether to spend it laminating, decorating, or just trying to breathe, this episode wraps up our July miniseries with exactly what to prioritize in that final stretch. The short answer is that mental readiness matters just as much as the physical kind, and you do not need everything done to walk in ready.

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If you have ever heard the old advice "don't smile until November or December" and wondered if that is what good classroom management looks like, let me just say….I disagree. Fear-based classrooms do not build respect or learning, and you do not have to choose between being warm and being in control of your room.

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If your summer has been spent working nonstop, prepping every center, and printing decorations right up until the last hour before school starts, and you still end up feeling exhausted instead of ready, this episode is for you. Overpreparing your classroom feels productive, but it is often not the thing that actually sets you up for a successful first day.

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If you have spent your summer feeling pressure to make your classroom Pinterest perfect, this episode is here to take that weight off your shoulders. A beautiful classroom is not the same as a kindergarten ready classroom, and what your students actually need before day one has nothing to do with matching bins or a coordinated theme.

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If summer break has you staring at a long list of things to fix, buy, or change in your classroom, and you are not sure where to even start, this episode will help you slow down before you dive in. Whether you are a brand new kindergarten teacher or a returning one, the most useful thing you can do this July is ask yourself the right questions first, so the time and energy you do put in actually moves the needle for next year.

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If you find yourself constantly reminding your students to sit down, stop talking, or refocus and it feels like you are saying the same things on repeat all day, this episode is for you. What looks like a behavior problem is often a skill gap, and mindfulness gives you a practical, low-prep way to actually teach kids how to calm their bodies and reset so they are ready to learn.

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If you have been wanting to bring more creativity into your kindergarten classroom but are not sure where to start (or you love the idea of a creation station but the thought of managing the mess stops you every time) this episode is for you. Creativity in kindergarten is not about cute crafts where everyone's project looks the same. It is about giving kids space to think, invent, and surprise you, and this episode will show you how to make that actually work in a real classroom.

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Moving into a new classroom, whether you are changing schools, switching grades, or just getting a different room, can feel like a lot all at once. There is new furniture, new materials, and no roadmap for how any of it fits together yet. If you are standing in the middle of it all wondering where to even begin, this episode will walk you through exactly what to do first.

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If you will be brand new to teaching kindergarten next year, or switching to kindergarten from another grade, the excitement is probably mixed with a whole lot of "where do I even start?" Kindergarten is its own world, and no matter how many years you have in the classroom, nothing fully prepares you for it until someone who's been there walks you through it. This episode is that walk-through.

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If this school year felt harder than expected, more exhausting than rewarding, or like you were constantly trying to keep up, this episode is an honest and encouraging conversation for kindergarten teachers.

I talk directly to teachers who are ending the year drained and wondering why teaching kindergarten felt so hard. Whether it was your first year or your twentieth, I want you to know that struggling does not mean you are failing, it often means the systems around you are not working.

From unrealistic expectations to academic pressure, behavior challenges, and trying to do...

The end of the school year can bring excitement, celebration, and fun, but it also brings a lot of feelings. In this episode, I talk about how to support students socially and emotionally as the school year comes to a close.

Many children are processing more than adults realize. They may be excited for summer while also feeling sad about leaving their teacher, nervous about a new classroom, worried about losing routines, or unsure what summer will look like at home. Those mixed emotions often show up through behavior.

I want to share practical ways...

The move from kindergarten to first grade is exciting, but for many students, it can also feel like a really big change. In this episode, I share how to support children emotionally, socially, and academically as they prepare for the transition to first grade.

Some students are thrilled and ready. Others may feel nervous, anxious, or overwhelmed about leaving a classroom that has become their safe place all year. Teachers and parents may also have worries about whether a child is truly ready for what comes next.

I break down practical ways to ease the...

The end of the year brings a very real energy shift in kindergarten. Kids are tired, routines start to feel old, and the big transition to summer or first grade can bring excitement for some students and a lot of anxiety for others. In this episode, I share how to keep the classroom fun and engaging at the end of the year without throwing out the structure that kids still need.

I explain why end-of-year routines matter more than ever, especially for students who feel worried about change, and why adding novelty in thoughtful ways can help...

A worksheet gets crumpled and thrown away. Tears start over one small error. A student refuses to even begin because they’re afraid of getting it wrong.

I’m sure you’ve seen this in your classroom.

In this episode, I explain what’s really going on when students struggle to handle mistakes, and how to support them in a way that helps them move forward.

You’ll hear how these reactions often stem from anxiety, perfectionism, or a lack of growth mindset, and why simply telling students “it’s okay” isn’t enough in the mome...

Self-confidence plays a huge role in how students learn, take risks, and see themselves in the classroom and kindergarten is a critical time to begin shaping that identity. This episode shares practical, everyday strategies teachers can use to help students build confidence and develop a positive sense of themselves as learners.

You’ll hear why confidence isn’t just about feeling good, it directly impacts whether students are willing to try, make mistakes, and keep going when things get hard.

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Dramatic play is one of the most powerful learning areas in an early childhood classroom, but many classrooms are losing it or aren’t sure how to set it up effectively. In this episode, I break down what every strong dramatic play center should include and how to keep the area engaging for students throughout the year.

You’ll hear how dramatic play supports language development, social skills, imagination, and academic learning, all while students think they’re just playing.

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If you are applying for a new teaching job, hoping to switch schools, changing grade levels, or trying to land your very first classroom position, this episode is packed with the kind of advice you usually only hear behind closed doors.

I am joined by not one, but two elementary principals, Jake and Rob, for an honest conversation about what really matters in the hiring process. From getting the interview to standing out once you’re in the room.

They talk through what principals notice right away, what makes a candidate memorable, and how teachers ca...

In kindergarten writing, the main goal is helping students write a strong, clear sentence. But once some students are ready to go further, the next step is learning how to add meaningful details that bring their stories to life.

In this episode, I share simple strategies for teaching young writers how to expand their stories without overwhelming them. I explain how to break the skill into manageable steps and introduce one type of detail at a time through small groups, conferences, and modeling.

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Planning a field trip can feel exciting… and slightly terrifying at the same time. In this episode, I share all the practical tips I’ve learned over the years to make field trips smoother, safer, and far less stressful for teachers. Everything from choosing the right location to organizing groups and managing the day-of logistics. If you’ve ever worried about keeping track of 20+ kids in a crowded public place, this episode is for you.

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Phonics can feel… well, stressful. For teachers and parents. I invited Melanie Jeffrey, host of the Phonics Rules for Kids podcast and former K–3 classroom teacher turned phonics coach to talk about what actually helps early readers become confident decoders (and what looks like reading but is really just guessing).

Melanie shares how her instruction shifted from leveled texts and “cueing” strategies to more systematic phonics, and why it made such a noticeable difference for kids.

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This episode tackles two opposite classroom math challenges: students who don’t get addition, and students who’ve already mastered it. Whether you're trying to build understanding from the ground up or keep your addition knowers engaged, I shares real, classroom-tested strategies that go beyond just “more worksheets.”

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Your students are finally decoding with confidence, so what’s next? In this episode, I share what comprehension-focused small groups can look like once your students are fluent readers. Spoiler: it’s about more than just “did they understand the story?”

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Feeling torn between leveled readers and decodables? There are strong opinions out there, but in this episode, I share the difference between the two and what I use in my classroom (and why). I also share my favorite decodable resources and how I use them during small groups and independent reading time.

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Grade-level teams can make your year feel supportive… or completely draining. In this episode,I’m joined by Jenna Everetts (aka @ThatStrongTeacher) to talk honestly about navigating team dynamics, communication challenges, and collaboration struggles teachers face at every stage of their career.

We unpack what to do when you feel unheard, left out, or pressured to teach in a way that doesn’t align with you, especially as a new teacher or someone new to a grade level. Jenna shares real experiences from her own teaching career and introduces her F.A.N.S. framework for building strong...

If you feel like you're spending all day listening to “he said/she said” drama, this episode is for you. I share my favorite strategies for reducing tattling and teaching students to manage problems on their own. Plus, learn why teaching kids to “take care of themselves” is a life skill that goes way beyond kindergarten.

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Midyear assessments are in and if you're feeling overwhelmed, or just plain frustrated, this episode is here to help. I’m answering three real teacher questions about assessment results, struggling students, and managing all that data.

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Have students who know their letters and sounds… but freeze when it’s time to blend them into a word? This episode is for you. I’m walking you through exactly how I support early readers in small groups who need extra help with blending and decoding and it’s simpler than you think.

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If your students are constantly hugging, poking, piling on the rug, or just way too close for comfort…well, it’s not just your classroom. In this episode, I’m answering two teacher questions about handling personal space.

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