Episodes

How do you teach retelling in first grade without students telling every tiny detail—or barely telling you anything at all? In this episode of The Education Connection, we're wrapping up Part One of the Writing About Reading series with a simple approach to teaching students how to retell a story using the most important details. I'll share how I use a four-square graphic organizer to help first graders plan their thinking before they begin writing. We'll talk about what to include on the grap...

What’s the difference between main idea, central message, and moral of the story—and how do we teach those differences to first graders without making it complicated? In this episode of The Education Connection, we’re breaking down all three skills and looking at simple, developmentally appropriate ways to teach each one. Using The Tortoise and the Hare as a familiar example, we’ll look at: • Main Idea: What is the story mostly about? • Central Message: What does the author want us to unders...

How to Teach Problem and Solution in First Grade In this episode of The Education Connection, we're continuing our Writing About Reading series by looking at how to introduce problem and solution to our youngest readers and writers. First graders are expected to understand plot, retell stories, and identify important events. Learning to recognize a story's problem and how it is solved can help build that understanding. And first grade doesn't always have to be about mastery. Sometimes we're pl...

How to Teach Beginning, Middle, and End | Writing About Reading Teaching beginning, middle, and end may sound a lot like teaching sequencing, but there is an important difference. When students sequence events, they learn to put what happened in the correct order. When students identify the beginning, middle, and end, they take that thinking one step further by deciding which events matter most. In this episode of The Education Connection, we continue our Writing About Reading series by lookin...

What does it really mean when we ask first graders to write about the events in a story? Before students can write about what happened, they need to understand plot, identify important events, and put those events in sequence. In this episode of The Education Connection, we continue the Writing About Reading series with Story Events, Part 1: Understanding Plot and Sequencing. We’ll talk about the difference between plot and sequencing and how to scaffold instruction from sequencing pictures to ...

Do you ever feel like you're spending more time correcting behavior than actually teaching? I've been there. In this episode of The Education Connection, I'm taking a short break from my Writing About Reading series to talk about something that's on every teacher's mind this time of year...classroom procedures. After 20 years in the classroom, I've learned that classroom management doesn't begin with consequences. It begins with intentionally teaching procedures. I'll share the simple three-ste...

How do you teach setting in a way that is simple, meaningful, and easy for young learners to understand? In this episode of The Education Connection, I'm sharing exactly how I teach setting through my Writing About Reading framework. You'll learn my step-by-step routine for introducing the skill with a mentor text, engaging students in meaningful discussions, modeling the writing process, and gradually releasing responsibility so students can complete the activity independently. I'll also expla...

How do you teach first graders to write about reading without overwhelming them? In this first episode of my Writing About Reading Series, I'm sharing one of my classroom routines for teaching students to identify the main characters in a story. This simple strategy naturally blends reading and writing together, helping students strengthen comprehension while building confidence as young writers. You'll hear how I introduce the routine, why I don't ask students to write too much too soon, and ...

Have you ever finished a read aloud and thought, "Now what should my students write?" For many first graders, simply saying "Write about the story" is too broad. Young learners need a clear purpose for writing. In this first episode of the Writing About Reading series, we'll explore two different types of writing after reading: understanding the story and thinking about the story. You'll discover why both are essential, how they work together to strengthen comprehension, and how giving students...

Do your students read the words but struggle to understand what they read? In this episode of The Education Connection, we're wrapping up our Science of Reading series by focusing on the ultimate goal of reading: comprehension. I'll share the seven comprehension strategies that have shaped my instruction over the years and explain how I teach them in my first-grade classroom. While my approach has been influenced by the professional book 7 Keys to Comprehension by Susan Zimmermann and Chryse H...

How do you effectively teach vocabulary in the primary classroom? In this episode of The Education Connection, we're exploring one of the essential components of the Science of Reading: vocabulary. You'll learn why vocabulary instruction is critical for reading comprehension, how it differs from sight word practice, and simple classroom activities you can begin using immediately. Robin shares practical, teacher-friendly ideas including preteaching vocabulary before a read aloud, vocabulary scav...

In this episode of The Education Connection, we're continuing our Science of Reading series by exploring one of the most important building blocks of reading success: phonics. What is phonics, and why has it become such a major focus in reading instruction? Join me as we discuss how phonics helps students connect letters and sounds, decode unfamiliar words, and become confident readers. You'll learn: • What phonics is and how it fits into the Science of Reading • Why phonics instruction is re...

In this episode of The Education Connection, we continue our Science of Reading series by exploring fluency and why it is such an important bridge between phonics and comprehension. Learn the three components of fluency: accuracy, rate, and prosody, and discover simple classroom strategies that help students become confident, expressive readers. Whether you teach kindergarten, first grade, or beyond, you'll walk away with practical ideas you can use right away to support reading success. • The ...

What is phonemic awareness, and why is it so important for beginning readers? In this first episode of our Science of Reading series, I break down what phonemic awareness is, why it matters, and how you can teach it in your classroom, tutoring sessions, or homeschool lessons. We'll discuss: • What phonemic awareness is (and what it is not) • Examples of blending, segmenting, deleting, and manipulating sounds • Simple phonemic awareness activities you can use right away • How phonemic aware...

Have you been hearing the term Science of Reading and wondering what it actually means? In this episode of The Education Connection, I share my perspective and explore what the Science of Reading is and how it connects to the five essential components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. As I learned more about the Science of Reading, I realized that many of these components have been part of reading instruction for years. At the same time, the conve...

Summer break is finally here… so why do so many teachers still feel mentally exhausted? In this episode of The Education Connection, Robin Wilson talks honestly about the emotional and mental shift that happens during the first week after school ends. From overstimulation and teacher exhaustion to guilt over resting and struggling to “shut your brain off,” this episode is a real conversation for teachers who are trying to slow down after a long school year. Robin shares encouragement for educat...

In this episode of The Education Connection, I’m sharing how I survive the last week of school in first grade while still keeping students engaged, calm, and learning. If you are looking for last week of school tips for elementary teachers, simple end of year classroom ideas, or ways to keep structure during the final week of school, this episode is for you. I talk about why I keep our classroom schedule as normal as possible during the last week of school, how I use gentle spiral review in rea...

Need simple end of year ideas that won’t leave you exhausted? In this episode of The Education Connection, Robin Wilson shares an easy 10 day balloon countdown filled with low prep, low cost activities that elementary students absolutely love. From Sit Anywhere Day and Read Outside Day to Popcorn and Movie Day, Sidewalk Chalk Day, and Movie and Memory Day, these simple end of year classroom ideas help teachers create meaningful memories without adding more stress during the busiest time of the ...

In this episode of The Education Connection, Robin Wilson shares simple and effective ways to teach prefixes and suffixes in first grade without overcomplicating the skill. If teaching prefix and suffix feels tricky with young learners, this episode breaks it down into clear, manageable steps that help students understand how words change. Robin explains what prefixes and suffixes are in a first grade-friendly way and walks through how to introduce them so students can actually apply the skill....

In this episode, I share a classroom system inspired by Robert J. Marzano that focuses on one goal: making sure every student truly learns—not just receives instruction. I walk through how I introduce new concepts using “I do, we do, you do,” and how I intentionally listen, track understanding, and respond in real time. Instead of moving on when some students don’t get it, I build in time to reteach, revisit, and provide targeted support throughout the week. From small group reteaching to peer...

In this episode of The Education Connection, I’m sharing exactly how I teach contractions in my first grade classroom in a way that actually sticks. If you’ve ever introduced contractions and realized your students aren’t quite getting it yet, this episode walks you through a simple, step-by-step approach you can use right away. I’ll show you how I scaffold the skill so students move from seeing two separate words to confidently building contractions with understanding. I’m also sharing three ...

When a teacher recommends retention, it can feel overwhelming for everyone involved. Parents may feel worried or unsure, and teachers know this is one of the most important decisions they make all year. In this episode, we walk through retention from both perspectives. This is not about holding a child back. It is about asking the right question: what will help this child be successful long term? You will hear: • What teachers are really looking at before recommending retention • How age and...

In this episode, I’m sharing a simple routine I added to my math block that is making a big difference in what my students actually remember. I’m still teaching my regular lessons and following my curriculum, but I added just 8 to 10 minutes of review at the beginning of math. I call it “Skittle Review,” and while the Skittles definitely help with engagement, that’s not what’s really making the impact. Inside this episode, I walk you through exactly what this looks like in my classroom using e...

Are your students able to read sight words… but struggle to spell them in their writing? Or maybe they can pass a quick sight word check, but don’t recognize those same words in a sentence? In this episode, we’re talking all about how to teach sight words (or trick words) so students can both read and write them with confidence. As we head into the final 6 to 8 weeks of the school year, this is not the time to add complicated routines. Instead, I’m sharing a simple, repeatable weekly system t...