Episodes

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 eleme...

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 studen...

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 you...

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...

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 qu...

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 wa...

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...

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 ...

In this episode of The Education Connection , I’m sharing how I teach one, two, and three syllable words in first grade. You’ll hear a simple explanation of syllables and three easy, hands-on activities that help students hea...

In this episode of The Education Connection , Robin shares an important update about the podcast schedule and a simple classroom strategy for supporting students who are close to reaching grade level. Beginning next week, new...

In this episode of The Education Connection , Robin Wilson explores one of the most powerful phonics patterns for early readers: Silent E . Some teachers call it Magic E , and in Secret Stories it’s known as Mommy E . No matt...

Are you teaching suffix -ing in your classroom? In this episode, we break down what -ing really means, how it strengthens decoding and fluency, and three simple activities you can use right away. Plus, we connect -ing to glue...

This week on The Education Connection, we are breaking down one tiny suffix that can cause big confusion in the classroom… -ed . Did you know -ed makes three different sounds? It can say /t/, /d/, or /ed/. If your students ar...

This week, we are tackling three consonant blends like string, spring, strong, and shrimp — words that look simple but require serious brain work for young readers. In this episode of The Education Connection , I break down: ...

In this episode, Robin Wilson breaks down a common phonics mystery: why some students know their letter sounds but still struggle to blend words. Blending is not just one skill. There are different reasons a child might get s...

In this episode of The Education Connection, we’re talking about a simple phonics pattern first graders are learning to notice — two vowels together. I share how to teach EA, EE, OA, AI, UE, and UI using easy, no-prep classro...

Why 20 Minutes of Daily Reading Matters More Than We Think In this episode of The Education Connection with Robin Wilson , we talk about why protecting daily reading time matters so much, even when teaching feels messy and un...

Blends can be a tricky step in early reading, especially for young learners who know their letter sounds but struggle to put them together smoothly. In this episode of The Education Connection , first grade teacher Robin Wils...

Heading back to school after a break can feel overwhelming. A new year brings fresh expectations, new energy, and sometimes the pressure to change everything at once. In this episode of The Education Connection , I encourage ...