Kindergarten Kept Simple Mariah

Do you ever feel like a meeting should have just been an email? You're not alone! On this episode of Kindergarten Kept Simple, we're joined by Katie Crichton, a team lead and kindergarten teacher in Guelph, Ontario. Whether you're a team lead or not, Katie's tips will help you communicate more effectively with your direct teaching team and become a leader in your school community. Katie shares her top tips on how to run an effective team meeting, from having a plan and knowing your audience to being mindful of time and staying on track.
Katie's Tips on How to Run an Effective Team Meeting:
Have a plan and co-create the meeting's agenda with your team.Know your audience and focus on mentorship or streamlining tasks accordingly.Be mindful of time and offer to talk to team members one-on-one after the meeting.
Tune in to this episode to learn more about running an effective team meeting with Katie!
Want to learn more from Katie? Join her at Camp Kinder this summer to learn how to rock your teacher performance appraisal! Her session will cover how to achieve each competency, what to do with your next steps identified, and how to pre-teach and prepare your students for your evaluation.
Learn more about Camp Kinder and get on the waitlist for early bird pricing here: campkinder.ca
Connect with Katie here: 
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/kt_in_kinder/

Effective communication with parents and guardians can be a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be! Jasmine from First Grade Frenchies joins us on this episode of Kindergarten Kept Simple to debunk some of the myths and misconceptions about effective communication with parents and guardians. Jasmine is an Ontario educator who takes pride in establishing strong and respectful relationships with the guardians of her students.
Jasmine's Three Myths About Effective Guardian Communication:
Myth 1: Guardian communication needs to be constant and highly involvedOversharing every detail of the day-to-day activities can be overwhelming and difficult to sustain over time. Instead, share important updates and highlight standout activities in your classroom. As the professional, trust your own judgment and don't feel the need to seek validation or feedback from parents and guardians constantly.
Myth 2: No news is good newsDon't limit your communication with parents and guardians to only moments of crisis or concern. Sharing positive updates, such as a little note to let parents know their child is working hard and succeeding at school, can go a long way in establishing positive and open relationships. This also helps ensure that the lines of communication are already open if any concerns do arise in the future.
Myth 3: Guardians are constantly criticizing our methodsIt's natural to feel insecure about one's teaching methods, but it's important to remember that guardians are ultimately on your team. Most parents simply want to know that their child is safe, learning, and well-cared for.
Join Jasmine at Camp Kinder this summer to learn more about creating strong relationships with the guardians of your students. Her session will cover:
Feasible ways to establish strong relationshipsSteps to achieve strong and open relationships with parents and guardiansHow to address concerns with guardians and avoid conflictCommon FAQs related to guardian relationships
Learn more about Camp Kinder and get on the waitlist for early bird pricing here: campkinder.ca
Connect with Jasmine here: 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstgradefrenchies/
Blog: https://www.firstgradefrenchies.com/
TpT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/First-Grade-Frenchies-8532 

As educators, we know how important it is to create dynamic and engaging learning opportunities for our students. And when it comes to outdoor learning, using a wonder wagon can be a game-changer! In this episode of Kindergarten Kept Simple, we talk with Kat from Je Me Demande about her experience using a wonder wagon in her outdoor learning program and why it's so important to keep things simple.
Kat, one of the first educators to truly embrace outdoor learning and the use of a wonder wagon, shares her number one tip based on years of experience. Whether you go out daily or once a week, using a wonder wagon can make your life so much easier! It's perfect for last-minute inspiration, keeping track of materials, and helping students become more independent in their learning.
So, what's the most important thing to remember for your wonder wagon? According to Kat, it's all about simplicity. By removing hurdles and obstacles to our planning, we're significantly more likely to actually follow through. Kat's must-have staple wonder wagon items include clipboards, writing utensils, bug catches, magnifying glasses, and math measurement materials.
Listen in on this episode of Kindergarten Kept Simple to hear more about how to effortlessly incorporate outdoor learning with a wonder wagon.
Learn more about Camp Kinder and get on the waitlist for early bird pricing here: campkinder.ca
Connect with Kat here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/je_me_demande/
TpT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Je-Me-Demande 

As educators, we all want to create an inclusive and welcoming classroom environment for our students. But what does it mean to truly embrace inclusion and cultural responsiveness? In this episode of Kindergarten Kept Simple, we talk with Zara, a kindergarten teacher in York region, about her experience growing up Muslim in the Canadian school system and how this has shaped her approach to teaching.
Zara remembers feeling like she never quite fit in or felt comfortable sharing her own experiences and preferences with her peers and teachers. She was often embarrassed and wanted to hide aspects of her life, such as her music taste, diet, and clothing. Zara also faced blatant racism from some teachers, who put her on the spot and asked her to explain why 9/11 happened in front of the class.
Now, as an educator, Zara is committed to creating a safe and inclusive space for her students, where they can feel affirmed and celebrated for who they are. She consciously plans her program in kindergarten with this goal in mind and uses her experiences as a guide to inform her teaching.
Catch Zara at Camp Kinder this summer, where she'll be leading a session on culturally responsive pedagogy in kindergarten. She'll share her insights on how to deconstruct the Eurocentric curriculum, affirm the identities of students in your class, and implement strategies and anecdotes that work from her own classroom.
Catch Zara at Camp Kinder this summer for her session about culturally responsive pedagogy in kindergarten. Her session can’t be missed! Tune in to her workshop to learn about: 
>> Deconstructing the Eurocentric curriculum 
>> Affirming the identities of students in your class
>> Strategies and anecdotes that work from her own classroom

Learn more about Camp Kinder and get on the waitlist for early bird pricing here: campkinder.ca
Connect with Zara on instagram here

Teaching dance and movement can be intimidating for many educators, but it doesn't have to be! In fact, incorporating rhythm, dance, and movement into your daily routine can be fun, engaging, and extremely beneficial for your students. In this episode of Kindergarten Kept Simple, we talk with Nicole, an Ottawa kindergarten teacher and founder of Harmony Dance Company, about her top tips for bringing movement and dance into your classroom.
Nicole's philosophy is all about creating a safe and inclusive space for students to explore their bodies and express themselves through movement. From freeze dance to teaching socio-emotional skills through movement, Nicole shares her insights on how to make dance a fun and accessible part of your classroom routine.
Nicole's Top Tips to Incorporate More Movement into the Classroom:
Play freeze dance to teach body awareness and safety, and introduce new vocabulary.Use dance to teach socio-emotional skills and promote self-expression.Model dance and movement yourself, and encourage your students to follow along.By incorporating movement and dance into your classroom, you can build confidence, promote self-expression, and create a positive and energizing environment for your students. Nicole recommends adding movement to your schedule every single day in kindergarten, and even starting your day with a few minutes of dance to wake everyone up and create a strong, positive start to the day.
Want to learn more about incorporating movement and dance into your classroom? Join Nicole at Camp Kinder this summer, where she'll share even more ideas and strategies for bringing rhythm, movement, and dance to your students.
Learn more about Camp Kinder and get on the waitlist for early bird pricing here: campkinder.ca
Connect with Nicole: 
Dance with Harmony Dance Company here
Harmony Dance Company on IG

The classroom environment is one of the most important, but often overlooked, factors that can drastically change the way your classroom runs. But this doesn’t mean that we need to be spending 100s of dollars on baskets and mood lighting and picture perfect centres to establish a more effective classroom environment. It’s all about figuring out what works for your students, your routine and YOU as an educator. 
Today we are joined by Amanda from Creative Kindergarten who is sharing her top 3 ways to create a more effective classroom environment! With just a few small changes to how you see your role and your priorities, you can change up how you use the vertical and horizontal spaces in your room to truly create a more effective classroom environment easily and quickly! 
Amanda’s Tips for a More Effective Classroom Environment:
>> Use your bulletin boards to display student work. Students love to see themselves represented in their own space! Hang up their art or photos of their creations and watch how they actively engage with and refer to the space rather than having the display fade into the background and be ignored. 
>> Display photos of your students at work. They will be drawn in and use the opportunity to reflect, consolidate and re-engage with the topics and work shown in the photos! This is a rich opportunity to increase their sense of belonging and investment in their own learning. 
>> Have as many materials accessible to students as possible. Scissors, markers, pencils, math manipulatives, loose parts- everything your students need can be at their fingertips to encourage them to be autonomous and independent! Start small with this and be very explicit in your instruction and in your expectations. 


Learn more in this episode of Kindergarten Kept Simple with special guest Amanda! 
Want to learn more about creating an effective classroom environment? You’re in luck! Amanda will be joining us for the second time at Camp Kinder in July 2023. Her session will focus on: 
> What resources to have available to students
> How to re-think the classroom environment so it truly works for you and your students
> Creating an environment that is accessible and welcoming
Learn more about Camp Kinder and get on the waitlist for early bird pricing here: campkinder.ca


Connect with Amanda here:
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/creativekindergartenblogontpt/
TpT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Creative-Kindergarten
Blog: https://creativekindergartenblog.com/
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/creativekindergarten