Kindergarten Cafe Podcast: Simple Tips for Teaching Kindergarten

Zeba McGibbon
  • 4.9 (55)
  • Education
  • Updated Weekly

Are you an overworked or overwhelmed kindergarten teacher? Or maybe you're just a kindergarten teacher looking for fresh, new ideas. You are in the right place. The Kindergarten Cafe podcast will share weekly tips and tricks to help you save time, work smarter (not harder) and support students with engaging and purposeful lessons. I'm here to help you with everything you need from arrival to dismissal. Let's get started!

  1. 1d ago

    145. Your One Week Before School Starts Plan

    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. In this episode, I share: why your first week or two of lessons need to be fully finalized so you are not planning after an exhausting first dayhow to make sure family communication, arrival, dismissal, and bathroom routines are ready to go from day onewhich materials, like home school folders and labels, are worth prepping ahead versus what can wait, like introducing every supply at oncewhy decorations, extra laminating, and over-organizing can be skipped in that final week without anything sufferinghow spending this last week resting, reconnecting with PD reading, or revisiting favorite podcast episodes prepares you better than more physical prepwhy the mindset that "life is over once school starts" is worth recognizing and pushing back against before the year begins You do not need every single thing finished to walk into the first day ready. Use this last week to rest, get mentally excited, and trust that the rest will come together as you get to know your students and your classroom. Work with Zeba 1:1 Coaching Send Zeba a voice message Resources:First Month of Kindergarten Success Kit | Back to School Activities Mega Bundle Connect with Zeba:Instagram - @kindergartencafeFacebook - @kindergartencafeWebsite - www.kindergartencafe.orgTik Tok - @kindergartencafe Mentioned in this episode: First Month of Kindergarten Success Kit Grab your First Month of Kindergarten Success Kit today on TPT or on my website! First Month Survival Kit TPT - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/First-Month-of-Kindergarten-Success-Kit-9834168?st=5099a0e1f8b3c99dfd410a4162bb0d0c Website - https://kindergartencafe.org/first-month-survival-kit/

    145. Your One Week Before School Starts Plan

  2. Jul 23

    144. How Nice Should You Be in Kindergarten?

    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. In this episode, I share: why fear-based classrooms fail and how building genuine, warm relationships with students is the real foundation for a successful yearhow being "warm but firm" works in practice, including how to stay consistent and follow through without yelling or becoming someone's friend instead of their teacherwhy calm, close, and direct redirection is more effective and more respectful than correcting students from across the roomhow to make sure any consequence you give is related, respectful, and realistic so students learn from it instead of learning what they can get away withwhy picking your battles on small things lets you focus your energy on what actually matters, like safety and respect between students You do not have to be strict to be taken seriously, and you do not have to be cold to be respected. Be warm, be consistent, and trust that your kids can feel the difference between a teacher who cares and one who is just trying to control them. Work with Zeba 1:1 Coaching Send Zeba a voice message Related Episodes:Building Strong Classroom Management ~ Ep. 43 Connect with Zeba:Instagram - @kindergartencafeFacebook - @kindergartencafeWebsite - www.kindergartencafe.orgTik Tok - @kindergartencafe Mentioned in this episode: First Month of Kindergarten Success Kit Grab your First Month of Kindergarten Success Kit today on TPT or on my website! First Month Survival Kit TPT - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/First-Month-of-Kindergarten-Success-Kit-9834168?st=5099a0e1f8b3c99dfd410a4162bb0d0c Website - https://kindergartencafe.org/first-month-survival-kit/

    144. How Nice Should You Be in Kindergarten?

  3. Jul 16

    143. Stop Over-Preparing Your Classroom

    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. In this episode, I share: why overpreparing your classroom can feel like control and confidence even when it is not actually preparing you to teachhow the pressure of seeing "perfect" classrooms on social media can push you to prepare the wrong things over the summerwhy having your first week of lessons planned matters far more than decorations, and what to focus on insteadwhat student materials need to be ready for day one versus what can wait, like folders you will not use right awaywhy closing off certain classroom areas until you can properly teach how to use them is a smart, intentional choicewhy bulletin boards, monthly copies, and intervention materials do not need to be finished before the first dayhow leaving room in your plans and your classroom lets you adjust based on what your students need once you get to know themwhy "prepared" does not mean "perfect," and how aiming for a good enough classroom takes real pressure off your summer You do not have to have everything finished before the first day of school, and honestly, you should not. The classroom that works best is the one that grows with the kids in front of you, not the one that was perfectly ready before they ever walked in. Work with Zeba 1:1 Coaching Send Zeba a voice message Related Episodes:What To Do If You Can’t Get Into Your Classroom Yet ~ Ep. 91 Resources:First Month of Kindergarten Success Kit | Back to School Activities Mega Bundle Connect with Zeba:Instagram - @kindergartencafeFacebook - @kindergartencafeWebsite - www.kindergartencafe.orgTik Tok - @kindergartencafe Mentioned in this episode: PD By the Pool Swim on over to pdbythepool.com and secure your spot today!!

    143. Stop Over-Preparing Your Classroom

  4. Jul 9

    142. What Actually Matters Before the First Day of School

    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. In this episode, I share: why students notice feeling safe, knowing what to expect, and having strong routines far more than they notice decorhow to think through classroom flow so kids can move between areas without traffic jams and you can keep an eye on every part of the roomwhy organizing materials for student independence should take priority over decorating, and how labels with visuals support thatwhy over-communicating with families matters more in kindergarten than in other grades, since school may be brand new for both kids and parentshow to break down key transitions like arrival, rug time, bathroom routines, centers, and dismissal so you can teach them step by stepwhy simple color schemes and bare walls actually help young children learn better than fully themed, decorated classroomswhy some of the "perfect" classrooms you see online are not designed with real kindergartners in mind, and why that is worth remembering Work with Zeba 1:1 Coaching Send Zeba a voice message Related Episodes:What I’d Do First If I Were Moving Classrooms ~ Ep. 138 Resources:PD By the PoolClassroom LabelsFirst Month of Kindergarten Success Kit | Back to School Activities Mega Bundle Connect with Zeba:Instagram - @kindergartencafeFacebook - @kindergartencafeWebsite - www.kindergartencafe.orgTik Tok - @kindergartencafe Mentioned in this episode: PD By the Pool Swim on over to pdbythepool.com and secure your spot today!!

    142. What Actually Matters Before the First Day of School

  5. Jul 2

    141. Questions to Ask and Answer Before the School Year Starts

    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. In this episode, I share: why new teachers should start by picturing what their classroom and routines should look like in the spring before planning how the year beginshow looking ahead to your curriculum and school-wide routines helps you set up your classroom and teach beginning-of-year routines that actually workwhy returning teachers should reflect on what worked, what didn't, and what kept causing problems before making any summer changeshow to identify the one or two areas worth improving this summer instead of trying to overhaul everything at oncewhy asking yourself whether something was "worth the squeeze" helps you simplify what is not sustainablewhat information about your students is important to gather before the year startswhy summer is also a time to rest and fill your own cup, not just plan for school Work with Zeba 1:1 Coaching Send Zeba a voice message Related Episodes:What I’d Do If I Were New to Kindergarten ~ Ep. 137 Resources:PD By the Pool Connect with Zeba:Instagram - @kindergartencafeFacebook - @kindergartencafeWebsite - www.kindergartencafe.orgTik Tok - @kindergartencafe Mentioned in this episode: PD By the Pool Swim on over to pdbythepool.com and secure your spot today!!

    141. Questions to Ask and Answer Before the School Year Starts

  6. Jun 25

    140. Creating A Calm And Focused Classroom With Mindfulness

    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. In this episode, I share: why mindfulness in kindergarten has nothing to do with long meditations and everything to do with short, repeatable moments that teach kids body awareness and self-regulationhow five-finger breathing works, why it is one of the most effective tools for helping kids reset after transitions, and how to teach it so students can eventually use it on their ownwhat a calm down corner can look like in a kindergarten classroom and how to use it as a teaching moment rather than a punishmentsimple mindfulness activities you can use during morning meeting, before and after lessons, and in transitions…including GoNoodle, Cosmic Kids Yoga, and sound awareness exerciseswhat to expect when you start using mindfulness consistently, and why starting with just one routine is exactly the right move Your students are not trying to make your day harder. They just do not know yet how to manage big feelings, busy bodies, and tough transitions and you are exactly the right person to teach them. Work with Zeba 1:1 Coaching Send Zeba a voice message Related Episodes:Setting Up A Calm Down Corner For Your Classroom ~ Ep. 100 Resources:Social Emotional Year Long Bundle Connect with Zeba:Instagram - @kindergartencafeFacebook - @kindergartencafeWebsite - www.kindergartencafe.orgTik Tok - @kindergartencafe Mentioned in this episode: PD By the Pool Swim on over to pdbythepool.com and secure your spot today!!

    140. Creating A Calm And Focused Classroom With Mindfulness

  7. Jun 18

    139. Fostering Creativity in Kindergarten

    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. In this episode, I share: why true creativity looks different from step-by-step crafts, and why that distinction matters for how you plan and set up your classroomhow open-ended materials like loose parts, blocks, and art centers build problem-solving, language, confidence, and independence in kindergarten studentswhat a “Beautiful Stuff” creation station is, how to set one up using recycled materials, and why it is one of the most engaging centers you can offerhow to introduce and manage a creation station so students can use it independently, clean it up responsibly, and keep coming back to it all yearwhy the fear of mess is one of the biggest things holding teachers back from creativity, and how to let go of just enough of it to make these centers thrive You do not have to overhaul your whole classroom to bring more creativity in. Start with one area, make one shift, and watch what your students do with a little more space to try things their own way. Work with Zeba 1:1 Coaching Send Zeba a voice message Related Episodes:Loose Parts 101: Creative Play and Learning for Young Children ~ Ep. 79 Resources:Purposeful Play Bundle Connect with Zeba:Instagram - @kindergartencafeFacebook - @kindergartencafeWebsite - www.kindergartencafe.orgTik Tok - @kindergartencafe Mentioned in this episode: Kindergarten Kick Start Summer Challenge  Sign up now at kindergartencafe.org/summer-challenge.

    139. Fostering Creativity in Kindergarten

  8. Jun 11

    138. What I’d Do First If I Were Moving Classrooms

    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. In this episode, I share: why systems matter far more than aesthetics when you are setting up a new classroom, and why the decorating can waithow to think through your classroom layout by planning for traffic flow, independence, and transitions before you move a single piece of furniturehow to sort and evaluate inherited materials without getting rid of something you might need laterwhy your first year in a new room is not the time to buy a lot of new supplies, and how to identify what you really need once you are in the spacehow to set up storage so that kids can access what they need, you can find what you are looking for, and the room can keep evolving as you get to know your students Your classroom does not need to be perfect before the first day of school, and it is not supposed to be. The layout and the systems are your foundation…everything else can grow from there. Work with Zeba 1:1 Coaching Send Zeba a voice message Resources:PD BY THE POOLDone For You Classroom Decorations Connect with Zeba:Instagram - @kindergartencafeFacebook - @kindergartencafeWebsite - www.kindergartencafe.orgTik Tok - @kindergartencafe Mentioned in this episode: Kindergarten Kick Start Summer Challenge  Sign up now at kindergartencafe.org/summer-challenge.

    138. What I’d Do First If I Were Moving Classrooms
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Are you an overworked or overwhelmed kindergarten teacher? Or maybe you're just a kindergarten teacher looking for fresh, new ideas. You are in the right place. The Kindergarten Cafe podcast will share weekly tips and tricks to help you save time, work smarter (not harder) and support students with engaging and purposeful lessons. I'm here to help you with everything you need from arrival to dismissal. Let's get started!

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