It’s about to be a brand new year! 2021, I am MORE than ready for you to be here! Though 2020 was…interesting, to say the least, there were some things about 2020 for which I am grateful. 

Even though we are starting a new year in 2021, it’s not really a new school year. I will still have the same students, and we will pick up where we left off before winter break. However, something about a new year feels like a fresh start to me. I LOVE to get myself organized to start off a new semester, and ring in the new year with my students! 

Planning reading small groups can feel messy, but I love to use a few specific tools to organize myself so that I can provide the BEST differentiated instruction to my students. Here are FIVE ways I like to organize my small groups:

**Disclaimer: I discuss different resources and products I personally enjoy. I am NOT an affiliate of any of these brands, unless I made it. Links are embedded in the photos. I just like their stuff! 

1. Use FORMS and Planning Templates!

I love to use forms as I plan for my small group reading instruction. I prefer to print and fill out in pencil, but it is SO easy to type on the forms in Google Slides, and then print if you need to. I created my own forms to use, which you can see here…

But you absolutely create what works for you! I just love a good checklist! 

2. Use your RESOURCES!

Some of my FAVORITE resources to pull from for reading and/or writing small groups and interventions are…

**Uncovering the Logic of English, by Denise Eide (SO helpful for understanding phonics rules and being able to explain them!)

**Reading Strategies and Writing Strategies, both by Jennifer Serravallo (Good for comprehension tools, and tangible resources and ways to teach reading strategies. Her writing strategies book is good too.)

**Equipped for Reading Success, by David Kilpatrick (One of my go-to resources. Good for all things phonemic awareness, orthographic mapping, and word study.)

**Patterns of Power, by Jeff Anderson (Great for understanding language conventions and parts of speech by using mentor sentences. The lessons are well laid out, and fun for kids!)

This is by no means a comprehensive list! I have LOTS of things that I use. These are just a few that may help you in getting started.

I know that professional development-type books are expensive. I am grateful that my school pays for so many of these for our teachers to use. However, I have paid out of pocket for some of my own resources as well, because I just love to read! I have never regretted a purchase of a professional development book/teaching resource.

3. Use Plastic Bags!

This one sounds weird, but I promise they work well! I use plastic zipper file holders from Walmart in different colors. I can usually stock up during those back-to-school days for them to last throughout the year. You can use them to put your materials in for each group that you will use for the week, or longer. They are also big enough to put in a group set of books, if you are doing a shared reading of a specific text! 

4. Get a binder, or my favorite, a HYBRID NOTEBOOK!

Just make sure you get something to keep all your materials organized, that will work for YOU. I love my 5 Star Hybrid Notebook. In it, I put printed copies of all my plans, as well as any teaching tools I frequently use. Mine is specific to literacy plans/tools. This thing saves my life! I also like to put student work from small groups in the front pocket of my notebook as well, so that I can take the whole notebook home to grade and plan for next steps! (And use my favorite…checklists!)

5. Make your system sustainable!

However you choose to organize your reading small groups, make sure you keep it consistent and sustainable. It is not feasible or sustainable for you to take hours and hours out of your week for small group planning. If you stay organized and consistently use a system, however, it can make your planning process more streamlined and efficient. Whatever you do, make sure it works for you and your students! Don’t be afraid to try something for a while, no strings attached. If it doesn’t work, change it or make tweaks!

I hope you found this post helpful! These are just some ways that I stay organized so that I can keep up with my students’ ever-changing needs. If you have other ideas, I would love to hear them too! I am always “editing” my systems and instruction!

Love,

The Classroom Edit