Kindergarten teacher Cassie Thompson at Argillite Elementary in Greenup County faced a unique challenge this year: Implementing two new high-quality instructional resources (HQIRs), Magnetic Reading Foundations and Wit and Wisdom, for the first time. With eight years of teaching experience and a strong dedication to student success, Thompson approached this year with a growth mindset and a clear goal: To deeply understand and internalize both programs to better support her students.

Cassie fully embraced the unit internalization process, participating in regular grade-level PLCs and individual coaching cycles to unpack each unit, lesson and learning objective. She shared, “I can tell it has helped me grow so much as a teacher! This has been one of the best years of my teaching career. I can see it in myself and my kiddos.” This level of preparation has not only increased her confidence but has also led to more targeted and responsive teaching practices.

The impact on her students is clear. Engagement has significantly increased, with students responding well to the structured routines and consistent expectations that emerged from Cassie’s thoughtful lesson preparation. She has seen growth in foundational reading skills and, notably, in comprehension. Her young learners are beginning to write about texts, using evidence to support their thinking and even participate in Socratic Seminars, a practice that encourages students to build on each other’s ideas through respectful, text-based discussion.

Cassie’s work demonstrates the power of strong instructional materials paired with intentional unit internalization work. Her classroom is now a place where kindergarteners are building knowledge, engaging in rich conversations, and growing as readers, writers and thinkers.