It was a new school year.  I was teaching first grade for the first time.  And, there I was on the floor with six little firsties, eagerly staring back at me as we began our guided reading lesson.  They had little mini-readers in front of them and my basal shouted loudly from its throne, Thou shall follow me implicitly and never stray from my ways! and I decided I would obey because I was clueless about what else I should be doing.  

Fast forward five years and experience, knowledge, and conversations with my best teacher friends have changed my mind about what small group time should look like in the primary classroom.  In fact, it was several months ago that texts between me and my friend, Rebecca, led me to believe I wasn’t alone in the What can/should I do during small group time?!  

We began brainstorming, and the idea for Small Group Staples was born.  We wanted to make a resource that was detailed, comprehensive, all-inclusive, and perfect for small group gatherings (like Guided Reading and RTI).  And, we *hope* we’ve accomplished just that with our first resource in this series!