The beginning of the school year always feels full of possibilities.
Fresh notebooks. New class lists. Color-coded lesson plans. The excitement of meeting a new group of students and helping them grow into confident readers.
But if you’re anything like I was for many years, that excitement can quickly turn into overwhelm once the reality of small groups sets in.
You know small groups are important.
You know your students need differentiated instruction.
You know you should be meeting with groups regularly.
But somehow finding the time to plan meaningful lessons for multiple groups every week can feel impossible.
After teaching first grade for over 16 years, I’ve learned that the difference between a stressful year and a successful year often comes down to one thing:
Having a simple system in place before school starts.
Today, I want to share the exact approach that has helped me simplify my reading instruction, reduce planning time, and create more consistent small group routines throughout the year.
The Problem Most Teachers Face
Many teachers start the year with good intentions.
They gather decodable readers.
They organize their reading groups.
They print activities and create centers.
Then school starts.
The emails begin.
The meetings pile up.
Assessments need to be completed.
Behavior concerns pop up.
Suddenly it’s October and you’re spending hours every weekend trying to figure out what each group should do next.
Sound familiar?
The truth is that small groups aren’t difficult because teaching reading is difficult.
Small groups become difficult when teachers have to create everything from scratch week after week.
The planning becomes the problem.
What Successful Small Groups Really Need
Over the years, I’ve discovered that effective reading groups don’t require dozens of complicated activities.
They simply need consistency.
The most successful small groups typically include four essential components:
1. Explicit Phonics Instruction
Students need direct instruction on the skill they’re learning.
Whether you’re teaching short vowels, digraphs, blends, silent letters, or vowel teams, students need opportunities to practice the target skill in a focused way.
2. Word Work Practice
Students need opportunities to manipulate words, build words, sort words, and interact with phonics patterns.
This is where students begin connecting phonics skills to real reading and spelling.
3. Decodable Reading
Students need to apply their new learning in connected text.
Decodable readers give students an opportunity to practice reading words that match the skills they’ve been taught.
This is where confidence begins to grow.
4. Fluency Practice
Students become stronger readers when they repeatedly practice reading connected text with accuracy and expression.
Fluency practice helps build automaticity so students can focus on understanding what they’re read.
When these four pieces work together, small groups become much more effective—and much easier to plan.
The System That Changed Everything for Me
For years, I spent countless hours searching for activities that matched each phonics skill.
I had one resource for fluency.
Another for word work.
Something different for decodable reading.
Everything lived in separate folders, separate binders, and separate places.
It worked… but it wasn’t sustainable.
Eventually, I realized what I really needed wasn’t more activities.
I needed a system.
I needed everything organized by skill so that when I taught short a, digraphs, silent letters, or vowel teams, all of my materials were already planned and ready to go.
No searching.
No piecing things together.
No last-minute scrambling.
Just open, teach, and move on with my day.
And honestly?
That simple shift changed everything.
Why Planning Ahead Matters
One of the best gifts you can give your future self is preparing your small group materials before the school year begins.
Imagine starting August knowing:
✔ Your phonics lessons are mapped out
✔ Your decodable readers are ready
✔ Your fluency practice is prepared
✔ Your word work activities are organized
✔ Your intervention materials are already created
Instead of spending your evenings searching Pinterest and Teachers Pay Teachers for activities, you can spend that time doing the things that matter most.
Being with your family.
Enjoying your hobbies.
Resting.
Actually leaving school at a reasonable hour.
Teaching is hard enough.
Your planning system shouldn’t make it harder.
The Small Groups Made Easy Approach
That’s exactly why I created the Small Groups Made Easy system.
As a classroom teacher, I wanted a resource that combined all of the essential pieces of effective reading instruction into one organized system.
Each skill includes:
- Targeted phonics instruction
- Word work activities
- Decodable readers
- Fluency practice
- Hands-on extension activities
Everything is organized by skill so you can simply grab what you need and teach.
No searching through multiple resources.
No wondering what comes next.
No reinventing your small groups every week.
Just simple, effective instruction that helps students become stronger readers.
Start Next Year Differently
If you’ve ever found yourself staying late to plan small groups…
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to keep up with reading instruction…
If you’ve ever wished someone would simply hand you the lessons and materials you need…
This is your reminder that next year can feel different.
You don’t have to spend every weekend planning.
You don’t have to create everything from scratch.
You don’t have to carry the entire workload alone.
A simple system can make a huge difference.
And the best time to build that system is before the school year begins.
Your future teacher self will thank you.
Ready to Simplify Your Small Groups?
If you’re looking for a complete, done-for-you system that combines phonics instruction, word work, decodable readers, fluency practice, and hands-on learning activities, check out the Small Groups Made Easy Ultimate Bundle.
It’s designed to save you time, reduce planning stress, and help you start the school year with confidence.
Because teaching reading is important.
But spending every evening planning for it shouldn’t be.
My goal has always been simple: to help teachers spend less time planning and more time making an impact.
If this post encouraged you, inspired you, or helped you see a simpler path forward, I’d love for you to explore the resources and systems I’ve created for K-2 teachers just like you.
Until next time, remember:
You don’t need more hours in the day.
You just need simpler systems.
Bringing peace and purpose back to teaching—one small group at a time.
Happy teaching,
Founder, Small Groups Made Easy
About the Author
Hi, I’m Leslie! I’m a first-grade teacher with 16 years of classroom experience and the creator of Small Groups Made Easy. I’m passionate about helping K–2 teachers simplify literacy instruction, save planning time, and build confident readers through practical, Science of Reading-aligned resources and systems.
You can find more teaching tips, literacy resources, and classroom inspiration here at Small Groups Made Easy.
Small Groups Made Easy 