Literacy Lessons That Build Connection

Finding time for meaningful classroom conversations can be a challenge when teachers are already juggling packed schedules and academic requirements. That’s one reason 3rd grade teacher Jenna Montgomery was excited to try the Genius & Joy curriculum kit from Lerner Publishing Group.

Built on Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s Five Pursuits Framework (Identity, Skills, Intellect, Criticality, and Joy), the Genius & Joy curriculum is research-based and combines literacy instruction with opportunities for students to explore identity, engage in thoughtful discussions, and connect learning to their lives. After using the 3rd grade materials in her Bay Area classroom, Jenna was especially impressed by the program’s ready-to-use lessons, diverse read alouds, and emphasis on helping students better understand themselves and one another.

Here’s what Jenna had to say about her experience using Genius & Joy.

How did you use Genius & Joy in your classroom?

The “Looking Like Me” Unit on identity was great for back-to-school season. Students were able to reflect their own identities and how they make them unique. This helped everyone in the room get to know one another. Student answers varied from “I am a basketball player” to “I am Japanese.”

We also completed the art extension where students made collage posters to represent their various identities.

How did your students react to the curriculum?

Students loved having their own workbooks to answer questions and keep at their desk. Having their responses organized in one place was really helpful!

What were your favorite features of Genius & Joy?

I believe read alouds are an important part of an elementary classroom. They can spark thoughtful conversations and deepen student thinking. The six anchor texts included diverse characters and topics.

I also enjoyed the weekly quotes included in the student workbooks. In 3rd grade, we work a lot on critical thinking and breaking down the meaning of different quotations. We had great discussions about the vocabulary included and what we thought the quotes meant.

What makes Genius & Joy unique compared to other curricula you’ve used?

I have never seen a program focus on student joy before. As teachers, it is our job to uplift and inspire our students. I love that this curriculum strives to create a space where all students can feel free to be themselves and dream big.

How easy was the curriculum to implement?

Implementation was seamless! The unit plans were clear and consistent, and I could easily pick up the teacher’s guide and teach the lesson without spending much time preparing.

I even left a lesson for a substitute teacher to complete, and it saved me so much time because detailed plans were already written in the manual!

Any teacher can pick up the teacher manual and begin implementing the lessons.

How will Genius & Joy make teaching easier?

I do not need to search outside sources to implement these important lessons. My district requires that we have 30 minutes of social and emotional learning and connection each week.

How would you sum up your experience with Genius & Joy?

The Genius & Joy curriculum is very thoughtful and intentional. It is just what teachers have been missing from their curriculum. Instead of having to create and research all these lessons to meet students’ social and emotional needs themselves, teachers can use Genius & Joy!

I love that this curriculum focuses on making students prepared for all aspects of life, not just college, careers, and standardized tests.

Check out Jenna’s video review of Genius & Joy.

Ready to bring meaningful literacy learning and classroom connection together?

See how Genius & Joy helps teachers create engaging, discussion-rich learning experiences with ready-to-use lessons, diverse texts, and student-centered activities.

Teacher Picks is a sponsored program available from We Are Teachers. All opinions shared in the review are honest and based on the teacher’s direct experience. To learn more about our guidelines and review process, click here.