Podcasts about donalyn miller

Send us a textDonalyn Miller talks to us about access to reading and books, reader identity and reader communities, and joy in reading and learning. Donalyn is known for her work sharing the importance of self-selected independent reading and provides suggestions and resources that foster children's love of reading and the development of positive reading identities. She is known as The Book Whisperer, the title of her first book, published in 2009. Donalyn has also written Reading in the Wild, and co-authored Game Changer! Book Access for All Kids and The Commonsense Guide to Your Classroom Library with Colby Sharp, and The Joy of Reading with Teri Lesesne. With Colby Sharp, Donalyn co-founded The Nerdy Book Club blog, which provides daily inspiration, book recommendations, resources, and advice about raising and teaching young readers. Donalyn Miller is an award-winning Texas teacher, author and reading advocate. She lives in San Antonio.  To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2024, Oct. 8). A conversation with Donalyn Miller (Season 5, No. 3) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/517B-1356-013D-C672-F136-M Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

In this episode, we explore the pitfalls of reading incentives and how they can undermine intrinsic motivation and create a culture of winners and losers. Instead, discover how to build a supportive and equitable reading community that truly values the joy of reading. Tune in for this thought-provoking audiobook sample from The Joy of Reading by Donalyn Miller and Terry Lesesne.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

According to Beverly Cleary (yes, that Beverly Cleary), “Children should learn that reading is pleasure, not just something that teachers make you do in school.” Jenn and I couldn't agree more, and that's why in this episode we talk about the book The Joy of Reading by Donalyn Miller and Teri S. Lesesne (Heinemann, 2022). Here's more of what we know: Decades of over-testing and standardized learning has crowded out students' joy in reading. When it comes to reading, students report they are bored and uninterested. Research tells us that this undermines reading achievement. Fortunately, educators at every level can cultivate reading joy by supporting students' reading independence and reading community. And it can be done without abandoning evidence-based instruction. Enjoy the second part of this lively conversation about this critically important topic. As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

In this episode, author Dashka Slater takes us behind the scenes of her book, ACCOUNTABLE: THE TRUE STORY OF A RACIST SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT AND THE TEENAGERS WHOSE LIVES IT CHANGED.This episode is sponsored by THE JOY OF READING, written by Terri Lesesne and Donalyn Miller.

In this episode, Travis takes us behind the scenes of his author/illustrator debut, JUST ONE FLAKE.This episode is sponsored by THE JOY OF READING, written by Terri Lesesne and Donalyn Miller.

Students who read more become stronger readers, so how do we get our students to read more? Today, we'll hear from teacher, author, and consultant, Donalyn Miller, advising us that the only way to support the volume of reading that we all want for students is to support their joy in reading. In this excerpt from the book, aptly titled, The Joy of Reading, which Donalyn co-authored with the late Teri Lesesne, Donalyn describes reading joy and explains why it matters to readers.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, author/illustrator Peter Brown takes us behind the scenes of his bestselling WILD ROBOT series, including the latest book, THE WILD ROBOT PROTECTS.This episode is sponsored by THE JOY OF READING, written by Terri Lesesne and Donalyn Miller.

You can listen this episode in it's entirety right now on Patreon, by supporting the show directly. Click here to become a Patron of Teach Me, Teacher.  Welcome back to the podcast as we kick off another exciting season! We're thrilled to have Jennifer Serravallo back with us, following her incredible debut in season 5. She's among the esteemed guests like Donalyn Miller, Penny Kittle, and Kelley Gallagher who have set the tone for our school year. In this episode, Jennifer dives into her latest masterpiece, the Reading Strategies Book 2.0. But it's not just about the book; we explore the complex world of educational research and the challenges it presents in gaining valuable insights. We also take a deep dive into the reading wars, discussing how they have both aided and hindered the pursuit of high-quality literacy instruction in the United States. Jennifer shares her evolving journey and how her work has transformed over the years, offering valuable insights for teachers. Tune in as we unravel the intricacies of education, literacy, and the passion that drives Jennifer's invaluable contributions to the field. It's a conversation you won't want to miss! If you are not a Patron and do not want to support the show (link above), part two will release as usual, next Monday. 

In this episode, award-winning author/illustrator Lane Smith takes us behind the scenes of his latest book, STICKLER LOVES THE WORLD.This episode is sponsored by THE JOY OF READING, written by Terri Lesesne and Donalyn Miller.

Welcome to Teach Me, Teacher – the premier podcast for educators! We're thrilled to be an award-winning show that's dedicated to bringing you insightful conversations with some of the brightest minds in the world of education. Our roster of distinguished guests includes luminaries such as Eric Weinstein, Kelly Gallagher, Donalyn Miller, Secretary Miguel Cardona, and Alfie Kohn. At Teach Me, Teacher, we're passionate about preserving the integrity of education. We believe that it should be shaped by educators and learners, not corporate interests. That's why we've launched our Patreon page – to empower our dedicated listeners and supporters to help sustain the show without resorting to advertising deals with companies that don't belong in the education space. By becoming a patron, you'll not only support our mission but also gain exclusive benefits. You'll enjoy early access to full episodes before anyone else, access to video interviews, and a host of exciting perks we have in store for you. Join us in our journey to celebrate and enhance the world of education. Together, we can keep the conversation focused on what truly matters – quality learning experiences for all. Thank you for being a part of the Teach Me, Teacher community! Click here to support the show and get early and exclusive access to our Season 8 opener with Jennifer Serravallo on Reading Strategies 2.0 and Educational Research. 

Rapid-fire Q&A with Laurel Snyder, Lauren Castillo, Brad & Kristi Montague, and M.T. AndersonThis episode is sponsored by THE JOY OF READING, written by Terri Lesesne and Donalyn Miller.

In this episode author Aubrey Hartman takes us behind the scenes of her debut middle grade novel, THE LION OF LARK-HAYES MANOR.This episode is sponsored by THE JOY OF READING, written by Terri Lesesne and Donalyn Miller.

Guest Name:  Jillian HeiseGuest work information/location: Elementary Library Media Specialist in Southeastern WisconsinJillian Heise, NBCT & MLIS, has been an elementary Library Media Specialist in southeastern Wisconsin since 2017. She previously taught 7th & 8th grade ELA in the Milwaukee area for eleven years. As founder of #ClassroomBookADay (inspired by Donalyn Miller's #bookaday), Jillian is a passionate advocate for the power of shared stories and is dedicated to supporting all students by honoring their identities and lived experiences through access to inclusive literature to build classroom community and engagement. She presents at conferences and provides workshops at the local, state, regional, national, and international level to share her literacy expertise and knowledge to inspire other educators. Guest social media: Twitter: @heisereadsInstagram: @heisereadsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/heisereads & https://www.facebook.com/groups/classroombookadayBlog: www.heisereads.com & www.classroombookaday.comFuture Ready Schools Website: https://all4ed.org/future-ready-schools/Twitter: @FutureReady, @ShannonMMillerInstagram: @FutureReadySchools, @ShannonMMillerFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/FutureReadySchoolsFuture Ready Schools is a registered trademark of All4Ed, located in Washington, D.C. #FutureReady

In my latest podcast episode, I interview Donalyn Miller on what it means to take a student-centered approach in English Language Arts. Donalyn is one of my education heroes, so I totally nerded out in getting to interview her on my podcast. Listen to the... The post Donalyn Miller Shares How to Readers with Voice and Choice appeared first on John Spencer.

In this special extended episode, Colby and Travis discuss the year that was in children's literature.This episode is sponsored by THE JOY OF READING, written by Terri Lesesne and Donalyn Miller.

In this episode, picture book maker Michaela Goade takes us behind the scenes of her author/illustrator debut, BERRY SONG, and talks about her experience winning the 2021 Caldecott Medal for WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS (written by Carole Lindstrom).This episode is sponsored by THE JOY OF READING, written by Terri Lesesne and Donalyn Miller.

Colby Sharp and Donalyn Miller (co-authors of THE COMMONSENSE GUIDE TO YOUR CLASSROOM LIBRARY) discuss reading plans and how they can encourage students become more independent readers.This episode is sponsored by READING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, written by Lester L. Laminack and Katie Kelly.

Danny Brassell is America's leading reading ambassador. He is helping parents and educators inspire kids to love reading and achieve more. Danny has a number of programs to support you across all age groups and he has a FREE gift for you below.Danny has taught students ranging from preschoolers to rocket scientists, and he has worked with some of the world's leading literacy experts, including: Stephen Krashen, Jim Trelease, Tim Rasinski, Lori Oczkus, Ruth Culham, Richard Gentry, Diane Lapp, Doug Fisher, Nancy Frey, Jim Flood, Alan Sitomer, MaryEllen Vogt, Steve Layne, Valerie Ellery, Kelly Gallagher, Smokey Daniels, Frank Serafini and Donalyn Miller.During his time as a classroom teacher, reading tutor, non-profit leader, professor and educational administrator, Danny has incorporated his “reading secret” philosophy to great avail, including:• Training over 10,000 parents, volunteers and community leaders in a one-on-one approach to assist struggling and reluctant readers.• Consulting with top school districts on ways to boost student achievement and community morale.• Delivering presentations to promote reading to audiences, companies and business professionals from all over the world.Today, Danny is "America's Leading Reading Ambassador" and shares his incredible 20+ years of education experiences and success model to empower leaders, teams and audiences to achieve extraordinary results. Danny's keynotes and presentations have earned a reputation for being high energy, (sometimes theatrical) enthusiastic, creative, applicable and highly motivating. A highly-sought after speaker, trainer and coach known as “Jim Carrey with a Ph.D.,” Dr. Danny Brassell has spoken to over 3,500 audiences worldwide and authored 16 books, including his latest, Leadership Begins with Motivation. He helps entrepreneurs, executives and small business owners boost their business and impact by improving their communication skills.Websitewww.dannybrassell.comSocial Media InformationYouTube.com/DannyBrasselltwitter.com/DannyBrassellFaceBook.com/DannyBrassellLinkedIn.com/in/DannyBrassellinstagram.com/realdannybrassellResources Mentionedwww.freegiftfromdanny.comShow SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal

Shannon and Mary chat with Donalyn Miller & Colby Sharp about their recently published Common Sense Guide to Your Classroom Library.    The reading teachers discuss how to set up and use the library to maximize its impact with kids.   This conversation provides the WHY behind decision making and instructional use of the classroom library.Episode Resources:The Commonsense Guide to Your Classroom Library: Building a Collection that Inspires, Engages, and Challenges Readers by Donalyn Miller & Colby Sharp * Amazon affiliate link*Colby Sharp's BlogNerdy Book Club (joint blog)Donalyn Miller's website The Book Whisperer.comGame Changer!  Book Access for All Kids by Donalyn Miller & Colby Sharp *Amazon affiliate link*Reading Rockets: Creating a Classroom LibraryScholastic:  6 Tips to Help Set Up a Classroom LibraryEducation to the Core:   Setting Up Your Classroom Libraryour episode about Books as Windows, Doors, and MirrorsBuilding an Effective Classroom Library by Susan Catapano, Jane Fleming, and Martille Elias (Journal of Language and Literacy Education 2009)Choice Literacy:    Creating a  Student-Organized Classroom LibraryASCD:  Creating a Classroom Library Together  BookSource to Organize your CollectionRegie Routman:  Organize an Outstanding Classroom Library Booksourcebanter:    Resources for Building a Classroom Library  Follett Classroom Library Manager  The Yarn (Children's Literature Podcast by Colby Sharp and Travis Jonker)Colby's Youtube  description of a Book Pass Twitter:  https://twitter.com/colbysharphttps://twitter.com/donalynbooksIG:    https://www.instagram.com/donalynm/https://www.instagram.com/colbysharp/*We earn a small commission from the sales when you purchase the texts through our Amazon affiliate links. Thank you for taking the action to support the work of our show.*COME JOIN THE CONVERSATION!Our Website   Support the show

On this episode of Leading Literacy, Leslie and Mara welcome award-winning author, teacher, and professional development leader, Donalyn Miller.  As if that were not impressive enough, Donalyn is also a wonderful, down-to-earth literacy advocate that exudes a passion for learning and helping teachers find ways to engage students in finding a love for reading books.  Settle in for a fun conversation where Donalyn shares her thoughts about being known as “the book whisperer” and using classroom libraries as a co-teacher in the classroom.

Part two of a special LIVE episode. Meg Medina (2019 Newbery Medalist) and Christina Soontornvat (2021 Newbery Honoree x2) talk about their writing process and answer speed round questions.This episode is sponsored by THE JOY OF READING, written by Terri Lesesne and Donalyn Miller.

Hello everyone and welcome to part 2 of our season finale episode!If you missed part 1, check it out here. If you have been a fan of this show for any amount of time, you know that I am a mega fan of Donalyn Miller. Not just because she is an amazing person and educator, but because her work changed how I taught. In this episode we discuss: The legacy of Teri Lesesne The importance of having diverse books in schools Fighting against programs and initiatives that are bad for readers Reclaiming book joy for students and ourselves You DO NOT want to mis the season finale to season 6 of Teach Me, Teacher. This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The First Five: A Love Letter to TeachersBy Patrick Harris II. We all have stories. We all have experiences to share. A memoir with a call-to-action, The First Five affirms the humanity of all teachers. Patrick inspires you to dream big about what you want for yourself, our students, our schools, and our educational system. In The First Five, Patrick brings to light the realities of teaching, especially in the first five years. He immerses you in his world with personal stories that lead to lessons, questions, and exercises to help you reflect on your own journey. Each chapter includes interviews with a diverse group of educators. Creating change in our education system is a process. It will happen from the ground up and the inside out. If we want to make a long-lasting impact we need to know more than just what to do; we need to start sharing our stories, not just our strategies. The work we do together throughout this book and beyond will leave you feeling hopeful, empowered, and challenged. No matter where you start, know that this work is ongoing. Give yourself grace. We are in this together, for the long haul. Here's to the next five years.

Hello everyone and welcome to part 1 of our season finale episode! If you have been a fan of this show for any amount of time, you know that I am a mega fan of Donalyn Miller. Not just because she is an amazing person and educator, but because her work changed how I taught. FULL STOP. So, it was an absolute pleasure to invite her back to the show to talk about all of her latest work and the soft censorship happening in schools right now that is getting in the way of book joy. If you have never heard Donalyn Miller speak before, you are in for a treat. If you have, then you are still in for a treat because this episode is all about book love, choice, voice, and the problem with censorship today in schools. This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The First Five: A Love Letter to TeachersBy Patrick Harris II. We all have stories. We all have experiences to share. A memoir with a call-to-action, The First Five affirms the humanity of all teachers. Patrick inspires you to dream big about what you want for yourself, our students, our schools, and our educational system. In The First Five, Patrick brings to light the realities of teaching, especially in the first five years. He immerses you in his world with personal stories that lead to lessons, questions, and exercises to help you reflect on your own journey. Each chapter includes interviews with a diverse group of educators. Creating change in our education system is a process. It will happen from the ground up and the inside out. If we want to make a long-lasting impact we need to know more than just what to do; we need to start sharing our stories, not just our strategies. The work we do together throughout this book and beyond will leave you feeling hopeful, empowered, and challenged. No matter where you start, know that this work is ongoing. Give yourself grace. We are in this together, for the long haul. Here's to the next five years.

In this episode, Colby talks with writer, speaker, Nerdy Book Club co-founder, Book Whisperer, and former teacher Donalyn Miller about her book THE JOY OF READING, co-written with the late Teri Lesesne.This episode is sponsored by READING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, written by Lester L. Laminack and Katie Kelly and published by Heinemann.Heinemann Publisher of professional resources and a provider of educational services for teachers.

Hello everyone! Between the constant attacks on education, toxic echo chambers on the internet, and the quiet majority, many people believe that schools are doing very little good. Of course, we know this isn't true. We see the greatness happening everyday in the halls, our classrooms, and around school grounds. Yet we have struggled to share the good news about education in many places. We have let the loud and negative minority win the discussion about what schools are and what they are accomplishing. This, in turn, has made many move away from their purpose. Their why for being in the classroom. In this episode, we are hoping to shift the focus back to what truly matters... THE KIDS.  Hal Bowman, speaker, podcaster, and author of the latest book Dear Teacher, is back for part two to talk about the power of educators and why we should move forward with a reinvigorated focus on our purpose for being teachers.     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The Joy of Reading by Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne. What reading experiences have entertained you, provoked you, taught you, inspired you, helped you to see your own life more clearly, or connected you with others?  As teachers, librarians, school administrators, and caregivers who love reading, we know what it feels like to fall into a book and let the world fall away. We have joyous reading memories, and we know how reading can sustain and inspire us. Now consider: When talking with children about their reading lives at school, are you likely to hear about this transformative reading joy? Or are you more likely to hear about reading logs, book reports, and standardized tests? For too many young readers, reading is joyless. It is something that is required of them, but not something that they choose to do. Here's the truth: It is possible to teach children how to read well without killing their love for reading in the process. The Joy of Reading is a guide for teachers, librarians, administrators, and families to create the conditions for joyful reading. Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne draw from their decades of work with students, teachers, and librarians, providing practices that nurture joy while identifying factors that destroy joy, all with a clear understanding of the realities of today's classrooms and libraries. There's more to life than school and work. There's more to reading than school-based value systems for it. We can aim higher than short-sighted measurements and, instead, become reading encouragers, supporters, and role models for lifelong, joyful reading.

In this episode, author/illustrator Ben Zhu takes us behind the scenes of his picture book debut, DESSERT ISLAND. Ben also talks about the creation of Gallery Nucleus.This episode is sponsored by THE JOY OF READING, written by Terri Lesesne and Donalyn Miller and published by Heinemann.Heinemann Publisher of professional resources and a provider of educational services for teachers.

Hello everyone! Between the constant attacks on education, toxic echo chambers on the internet, and the quiet majority, many people believe that schools are doing very little good. Of course, we know this isn't true. We see the greatness happening everyday in the halls, our classrooms, and around school grounds. Yet we have struggled to share the good news about education in many places. We have let the loud and negative minority win the discussion about what schools are and what they are accomplishing. Hal Bowman, speaker, podcaster, and author of the latest book Dear Teacher, is back on the podcast to discuss the greatness happening in schools, why we should be sharing our stories, and so much more. It doesn't feel like it, but it has been roughly 4 years since Hal Bowman came on the show last. Regardless, I loved having this talk with him and I think you all will as well.     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The Joy of Reading by Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne. What reading experiences have entertained you, provoked you, taught you, inspired you, helped you to see your own life more clearly, or connected you with others?  As teachers, librarians, school administrators, and caregivers who love reading, we know what it feels like to fall into a book and let the world fall away. We have joyous reading memories, and we know how reading can sustain and inspire us. Now consider: When talking with children about their reading lives at school, are you likely to hear about this transformative reading joy? Or are you more likely to hear about reading logs, book reports, and standardized tests? For too many young readers, reading is joyless. It is something that is required of them, but not something that they choose to do. Here's the truth: It is possible to teach children how to read well without killing their love for reading in the process. The Joy of Reading is a guide for teachers, librarians, administrators, and families to create the conditions for joyful reading. Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne draw from their decades of work with students, teachers, and librarians, providing practices that nurture joy while identifying factors that destroy joy, all with a clear understanding of the realities of today's classrooms and libraries. There's more to life than school and work. There's more to reading than school-based value systems for it. We can aim higher than short-sighted measurements and, instead, become reading encouragers, supporters, and role models for lifelong, joyful reading.

In this episode, author/illustrator Rebekah Lowell takes us behind the scenes of her novel-in-verse, THE ROAD TO AFTER.This episode is sponsored by THE JOY OF READING, written by Terri Lesesne and Donalyn Miller and published by Heinemann.Heinemann Publisher of professional resources and a provider of educational services for teachers.

Hello everyone! I LOVE WRITING. It's such powerful tool to learn through and teach with. Because of this, understanding writing is key to employing it well in the classroom. While I talk about secondary focused writing often, I wanted to bring on someone who could give voice to the elementary perspective. Today we are returning to my chat with Melanie Meehan, author of The Responsive Writing Teacher and her latest, Answers to your Biggest Questions About Teaching Elementary Writing.If you missed part 1, check it out here.  In part 2 of our talk, we discuss: The importance of writer identities and how they are shaped Deadlines in school—the good and the bad Creativity and using student writing in lessons Celebrating students to encourage their writing lives …and so much more! Can't wait for you to hear this one!     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The Joy of Reading by Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne. What reading experiences have entertained you, provoked you, taught you, inspired you, helped you to see your own life more clearly, or connected you with others?  As teachers, librarians, school administrators, and caregivers who love reading, we know what it feels like to fall into a book and let the world fall away. We have joyous reading memories, and we know how reading can sustain and inspire us. Now consider: When talking with children about their reading lives at school, are you likely to hear about this transformative reading joy? Or are you more likely to hear about reading logs, book reports, and standardized tests? For too many young readers, reading is joyless. It is something that is required of them, but not something that they choose to do. Here's the truth: It is possible to teach children how to read well without killing their love for reading in the process. The Joy of Reading is a guide for teachers, librarians, administrators, and families to create the conditions for joyful reading. Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne draw from their decades of work with students, teachers, and librarians, providing practices that nurture joy while identifying factors that destroy joy, all with a clear understanding of the realities of today's classrooms and libraries. There's more to life than school and work. There's more to reading than school-based value systems for it. We can aim higher than short-sighted measurements and, instead, become reading encouragers, supporters, and role models for lifelong, joyful reading.

Hello everyone! I LOVE WRITING. It's such powerful tool to learn through and teach with. Because of this, understanding writing is key to employing it well in the classroom. For some educators, this comes naturally. For many others, we have to dedicate ourselves to understanding the craft to be able to teach it to young people. It also pays to know what the grades before you taught and how writing develops of years in individual students. While I talk about secondary focused writing often, I wanted to bring on someone who could give voice to the elementary perspective. Today we are chatting with Melanie Meehan, author of The Responsive Writing Teacher and her latest, Answers to your Biggest Questions About Teaching Elementary Writing. In this episode we dive into: The importance of writer identities and how they are shaped The core aspects of a writing workshop and her latest book The nuance with deadlines ...and so much more! Can't wait for you to hear this one!     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The Joy of Reading by Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne. What reading experiences have entertained you, provoked you, taught you, inspired you, helped you to see your own life more clearly, or connected you with others?  As teachers, librarians, school administrators, and caregivers who love reading, we know what it feels like to fall into a book and let the world fall away. We have joyous reading memories, and we know how reading can sustain and inspire us. Now consider: When talking with children about their reading lives at school, are you likely to hear about this transformative reading joy? Or are you more likely to hear about reading logs, book reports, and standardized tests? For too many young readers, reading is joyless. It is something that is required of them, but not something that they choose to do. Here's the truth: It is possible to teach children how to read well without killing their love for reading in the process. The Joy of Reading is a guide for teachers, librarians, administrators, and families to create the conditions for joyful reading. Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne draw from their decades of work with students, teachers, and librarians, providing practices that nurture joy while identifying factors that destroy joy, all with a clear understanding of the realities of today's classrooms and libraries. There's more to life than school and work. There's more to reading than school-based value systems for it. We can aim higher than short-sighted measurements and, instead, become reading encouragers, supporters, and role models for lifelong, joyful reading.

Hello everyone! Summer is on the way and that means many of you are eyeing new ways to serve as a leader in your district (and beyond.) But what does it mean to be a leader today? So much has changed over the past few years…is there even a guide anymore? YES! Matt Renwick, author of the fantastic Leading Like a C.O.A.C.H, is on the show today to talk about his lessons in leadership and his view of principalship today. In part one we looked at literacy through a LITERACY lens. In part two, we discuss: Working with teachers from a "coach" mentality Leading with the people in mind What it takes to lead in today's educational climate …and much much more!     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The Joy of Reading by Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne. What reading experiences have entertained you, provoked you, taught you, inspired you, helped you to see your own life more clearly, or connected you with others?  As teachers, librarians, school administrators, and caregivers who love reading, we know what it feels like to fall into a book and let the world fall away. We have joyous reading memories, and we know how reading can sustain and inspire us. Now consider: When talking with children about their reading lives at school, are you likely to hear about this transformative reading joy? Or are you more likely to hear about reading logs, book reports, and standardized tests? For too many young readers, reading is joyless. It is something that is required of them, but not something that they choose to do. Here's the truth: It is possible to teach children how to read well without killing their love for reading in the process. The Joy of Reading is a guide for teachers, librarians, administrators, and families to create the conditions for joyful reading. Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne draw from their decades of work with students, teachers, and librarians, providing practices that nurture joy while identifying factors that destroy joy, all with a clear understanding of the realities of today's classrooms and libraries. There's more to life than school and work. There's more to reading than school-based value systems for it. We can aim higher than short-sighted measurements and, instead, become reading encouragers, supporters, and role models for lifelong, joyful reading.

What reading experiences have inspired you, helped you to see your own life more clearly, or connected you with others? How do we teach to those experiences?Today on the Podcast we're joined by Donalyn Miller to tell us more about her newest book The Joy of Reading.The Joy of Reading is a guide for teachers, librarians, administrators, and families to create the conditions for joyful reading. Co-authors Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne draw from their decades of work to provide practices that nurture joy while identifying factors that dissuade joy, all with a clear understanding of the realities of today's classrooms and libraries.A full transcript of this episode is available at blog.heinemann.comBookWhisperer.com@DonalynBooks© Heinemann Publishing 2022See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Colby talks with writer, speaker, Nerdy Book Club co-founder, Book Whisperer, and former teacher Donalyn Miller about #bookaday, the personal challenge she created to encourage reading over the summer.This episode is sponsored by Leading Literate Lives by Stephanie Affinito, published by Heinemann.

When I started Teach Me, Teacher in 2016, I did so with the goal to talk to great educators in my building. Season 1 of the podcast was entirely made up of the teachers I knew, and a cheap USB mic I plugged into my Mac. Today, we have featured some of the top minds in education, such as Donalyn Miller, Kelly Gallagher, Hamish Brewer, Todd Whitaker, and Kim Bearden (among others.) To add to this list in a major way, and to celebrate 200 episodes, I had the privilege of sitting down with Eric Weinstein—one of the major voices in the intellectual spaces of the internet. Eric Weinstein is an American commentator, the managing director of Thiel Capital, and host of The Portal podcast. His story, and his son's story, about being constantly overlooked, punished, and mentally abused by a system that is supposed to educate everyone, is powerful. It is a story we can all learn from, use to inform our own practices, and advocate for a better tomorrow in our schools. Drawing on the parallel between iatrogenic harm (the harm caused inadvertently by the process of treatment), and what happens when educators make wrong decisions that hurt students, Eric makes his case for looking at educational malpractice through a lens of edugenics (harm caused inadvertently in the process of teaching.) At the heart of this talk, is an honest look at what the brightest kids suffer through in school, and how many schools do not serve the neurodiverse in meaningful ways. This 2 hour discussion goes into both our histories, how they look similar and different, and how the many problems in education today may be the driving force for meaningful change from those who care the most... TEACHERS.     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Risk. Fail. Rise. A Teacher’s Guide to Learning From Mistakes by Colleen Cruz. You’ve likely heard the adage, ‘Everyone makes mistakes.’ But knowing why we make mistakes can help us learn from them and improve situations once we’ve made them. In Risk. Fail. Rise. teachers will learn how to address their own teaching mistakes, model with their own mistake-making, and improve their responses to others’ mistakes. Colleen Cruz shares what research says on mistakes as part of learning and what that means for teaching. If we can create school cultures where we talk honestly about mistakes, then we can grow and create opportunities for children to grow in all the ways they deserve. And we deserve those opportunities too. Risk. Fail. Rise. is available as a book and ebook. Look for the audiobook in early 2021. To learn more visit Heinemann.com.   

Today I'm chatting with my good friend and mentor, Michelle Ott. Michelle shares about her struggles with false guilt. She found victory in learning to discern God's voice. She is a wife, homeschooling Mom and has a lot of wisdom to share. Enjoy! Links of things we talked about today: Letter Boards (you might be able to get them cheaper somewhere else, but here is the amazon link) https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=letter+board&ref=nb_sb_noss Get Organized with The Home Edit on Netflix https://www.netflix.com/title/81094723 The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller https://www.amazon.ca/Book-Whisperer-Awakening-Inner-Reader/dp/0470372273/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Book+whisperer&qid=1601516983&s=books&sr=1-1 Hairspray https://www.amazon.ca/Hairspray-Blu-ray-DVD-Digital-Copy/dp/B004I1K2JQ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Hairspray&qid=1601516915&s=dvd&sr=1-1

In Episode 8, Denise interviewed Ramona Dawn about her implementing "The Book Whisperer" by Donlyn Miller in her 8th grade English classroom. This episode, they finish up the discussion by walking through the daily life of a Book Whisperer teacher. Finally, they consider ways speech therapists can inspire reading in their clients. Don't miss this second half of their discussion. Links:The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child by Donalyn Miller

Ko darīt, ja jaunieši nevēlas mīlēt Raini? Kā iedrošināt jauniešus lasīt grāmatas un kāpēc tas ir svarīgi? Pieredzē dalās Aija Bremšmite – podkāsta “Piedzīvot skolu” un “Piedzīvot lappuses” autore, latviešu valodas un literatūras skolotāja, pedagogu “advokāte” un lasīšanas vēstnese. Raidījumā runājam arī par to, kā sastapt, iepazīt un iemīlēt grāmatas, kā lasīšana var uzlabot valodas prasmes, kāpēc ir jāiet uz bibliotēku, vai skolotāja profesija ir darbs vai misija, un daudz ko citu. Raidījuma vadītāja Aiga Veckalne ir valodas eksperte, aizrautīga tulkotāja un filoloģe, kā arī uzņēmējdarbības profesionāle un lektore. Grāmatas latviešu valodā: Leons Briedis. Vilcene un atraitnis. Rīga: Dienas Grāmata, 2019. 216 lpp. Inese Zandere. Bērns, kas neiekrita. Rīga: Liels un mazs, 2019. 48 lpp. Daniels Penaks. Kā romāns. Rīga: Omnia mea, 1999. 153 lpp.Daniels Penaks. Skolas sāpes. Rīga: Omnia mea, 2012. 263 lpp. Grāmatas angļu valodā: Donalyn Miller. The Book Whisperer. Jossey-Bass, 2009. 240 lpp. Donalyn Miller. Reading in the Wild. Jossey-Bass, 2013. 304 lpp. Pernille Ripp. Passionate Readers. Routledge, 2017. 198 lpp. Kylene Beers, Robert E. Probst. Disrupting Thinking. Scholastic Teaching Resources, 2017. 176 lpp. Noderīgas saites: https://spoti.fi/31EVZZk – podkāsts “Piedzīvot” https://spoti.fi/3jofWZY – podkāsts “Pa kluso” https://spoti.fi/2YQeKqn – podkāsts “Viena frekvence” https://spoti.fi/3lzGucI – podkāsts “Kino kults” https://bit.ly/2GeDoe3 – “Tava valoda” Instagram profils https://bit.ly/3iSF3DW – “Pieturzīmju” Facebook lapa https://bit.ly/2FvAMI9 – “Pieturzīmju” Instagram profils https://bit.ly/2BYS672 – atbalsti “Pieturzīmes” vietnē “Patreon” https://bit.ly/2DFLTxa – atbalsti “Pieturzīmes” vietnē “Buy me coffee” Seko līdzi jaunumiem “Pieturzīmju” Instagram profilā, uzdod jautājumu nākamajam podraides viesim un saņem atbildi raidījumā! “Pieturzīmes” piedāvā ne tikai aizraujošu podraidi par valodu, bet arī praktiskas un noderīgas lekcijas un konsultācijas par valodas lietojumu semināros, vebināros, konferencēs un individuālās mācībās. Raidījuma piezīmes: [01:50] Kā tapa podkāsts “Piedzīvot”? [08:14] Podkāstu kultūra Latvijā. [09:36] Kurus podkāstus latviešu valodā klausās Aija? [12:35] Kas, Aijasprāt, podkāstu veidošanā ir visgrūtākais? [16:16] Kā lasīšana, rakstīšana un klausīšanās var palīdzēt uzlabot valodas prasmes? [19:00] Ko lasīt tiem, kuri vēlas izkopt valodu? [22:25] Kā iedrošināt skolēnus lasīt? [32:57] Vai jālasa arī obligātā literatūra? [34:58] Izvēlēto grāmatu ideju sasaiste ar obligāto literatūru. [36:04] Vai jauniešu latviešu valodas zināšanas ir pasliktinājušās? [41:52] Prasme nepārtraukti mācīties un tās aktualitāte mūsdienās. [43:40] Kā Aija nolēma kļūt par skolotāju? [49:50] Kā vecāki par palīdzēt bērniem iemīlēt lasīšanu? [54:54] Kāpēc ir vērts apmeklēt bibliotēku? [1:00:28] Kā Aija pagūst izlasīt tik daudz grāmatu? [1:03:18] Aijas nākotnes ieceres. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/pieturzimes/message

Hello everyone! Welcome to season 5 and part 2 of my talk with Jennifer Serravallo! If you missed part one, check it out here. I love starting every season off with a massive literacy focused episode. Season 2 began with my talk with Donalyn Miller. Season 3 started with my talk with Penny Kittle. Season 4 started with my talk with Kelly Gallagher. And for season 5, I have brought on yet another one of my teaching idols, Jennifer Serravallo, to discuss powerful literacy practices to focus on during covid era teaching! Jennifer Serravallo is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Reading Strategies Book as well as other popular Heinemann professional books: The Writing Strategies Book, Teaching Reading in Small Groups, and The Literacy Teacher’s Playbook, Grades K–2 & Grades 3–6. Her new book, Connecting with Students Online: Strategies for Remote Teaching & Learning is due out very soon! In this talk, we cover: Why the testing obsession in schools needs to end now Why programs that tout "predictability" in student performance needs to be questioned Why poetry writing is a skill we should foster in out classes Why we need to be focused on the kids are their individual needs All of that and MORE part one of this powerful conversation with Jennifer Serravallo. Enjoy!   Want more workshop talk? I started a new podcast! It's called Craft & Draft, and I'd love for you to check it out!    This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, No More Teaching Without Positive Relationships by Jaleel Howard, Tanya Milner-McCall, and Tyrone Howard. Getting to know our students during the year has always been important. But this year is definitely going to throw us all some curveballs. We’ll also get some new opportunities for building connections with our classes. No More Teaching Without Positive Relationships looks at the importance of knowing all our students, being culturally responsive, and protecting kids’ self-esteem. And you also get useful strategies for teaching through those positive relationships as you develop them. So, if you’re looking for support for making your student relationships even stronger, visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from No More Teaching Without Positive Relationships or order your copy.  

How do you turn a reluctant reader into an avid bookworm? The solution is surprisingly simple. Today, Denise talks with English teacher Ramona Daun, who used techniques laid out in Donalyn Miller's book “The Book Whisperer”. In part one of this two part conversation, Denise and Ramona talk about the key concepts and the successes her students experienced.

Hello everyone! Welcome to season 5! I love starting every season off with a massive literacy focused episode. Season 2 began with my talk with Donalyn Miller. Season 3 started with my talk with Penny Kittle. Season 4 started with my talk with Kelly Gallagher. And for season 5, I have brought on yet another one of my teaching idols, Jennifer Serravallo, to discuss powerful literacy practices to focus on during covid era teaching! Jennifer Serravallo is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Reading Strategies Book as well as other popular Heinemann professional books: The Writing Strategies Book, Teaching Reading in Small Groups, and The Literacy Teacher's Playbook, Grades K–2 & Grades 3–6. Her new book, Connecting with Students Online: Strategies for Remote Teaching & Learning is due out very soon! In this talk, we cover: Why Jennifer believes workshop teaching is the best format for a literacy classroom Why digital teaching is tiring Why we should reexamine where our focus is when creating digital lessons Why one on one conferring is THE KEY to a successful and empowering class All of that and MORE part one of this powerful conversation with Jennifer Serravallo. Enjoy!   Want more from Teach Me, Teacher? Consider supporting the show on Patreon to get bonus content and other great perks.    This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, No More Teaching Without Positive Relationships by Jaleel Howard, Tanya Milner-McCall, and Tyrone Howard. Getting to know our students during the year has always been important. But this year is definitely going to throw us all some curveballs. We’ll also get some new opportunities for building connections with our classes. No More Teaching Without Positive Relationships looks at the importance of knowing all our students, being culturally responsive, and protecting kids’ self-esteem. And you also get useful strategies for teaching through those positive relationships as you develop them. So, if you’re looking for support for making your student relationships even stronger, visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from No More Teaching Without Positive Relationships or order your copy.  

We need a drumroll today, because on the podcast we’re revealing all of our autumn picks for RAR Premium. I'm also answering podcast listener Corrie's question about how to preserve her son's love of reading. It's easy to slip into schooly habits that kill our kids' love of reading-- so how can we help preserve our children's love of reading even after the school year starts? Here's a quick video preview (scroll down for the full podcast episode): https://vimeo.com/446615212 Listen in to the podcast episode: RAR Premium is where we help your kids fall in love with books, and we help you fall in love with homeschooling. Scroll down to find out how. Looking for the printable calendar? Click the image below for the instant download: MONTHLY FAMILY BOOK CLUBS Our family book clubs are created specifically for families to use together-- regardless of your kids’ ages. Members receive monthly: Downloadable Family Book Club Guides“Looking Closely” videos from me (where I invite your kids to look for specific things as they read)Exclusive live video interviews with the author/illustrator of that month’s book pick. There’s nothing else like it! Upcoming Family Book Clubs: WOW WORKSHOPS Our wildly popular workshop series, WOW: Writers on Writing, is here to stay! We heard you loud and clear-- you want us to keep offering your kids these short, inspiring, and incredibly useful workshops that focus on one writing skill at a time. The best part? They’re taught by some of today’s best children’s book authors. Each Workshop will come with a WOW Guide so that you can use the workshops either as a once-a-month quick dip, or as a once-a-week deep dive to really master the skill being taught. Upcoming WOW Workshops: Best for ages: 9-12 Best for ages: 7-16 Best for ages: 8+ GET RAR PREMIUM ➝ HOMESCHOOL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Monthly classes with me (we call them Circle with Sarah) that help you take the small, simple, important steps toward falling more in love with your homeschool. These live monthly classes have been called “alone the price of Premium”, “the best thing I’ve ever done for my homeschool” and “my favorite day all month” by our members… … so if you’d like to enjoy your homeschool this coming year, I suggest you join us! Upcoming topics: And of course, as soon as you join Premium, you have access to all of our previous classes in our “For Mamas” library. (See what’s in the library here➝) MAMA BOOK CLUB This season, we’re reading Donalyn Miller’s The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child. We’ll be translating her classroom-based ideas into our homeschools, and I can’t wait. I love this book and have it all marked up and ready for another read! Everything in Premium is recorded (and all replays contain closed captions) so your family can participate at a time that’s best for your schedule. RAR Premium does what we think all the best curriculum does-- it helps you connect with your kids, and it makes your job easier, not harder. Ready to join us? I hope so. GET RAR PREMIUM ➝ This school year, let us help your kids fall in love with books, and help you fall in love with homeschooling.

We know that we want our kids to love to read. And it's important (really important!) to give them the best chance fall in love with books. That's why so many of us get worried when we have a child who doesn't love reading. It's a valid worry. What can be done about it? On today's episode of the podcast, I share ideas for what to do when your child doesn't love reading. We can't exactly make our kids into readers, but we can give them the best chance possible that they'll become readers for life. And it's a lot of fun to do so! In this episode of the podcast, I'm sharing simple tips to help your kids become voracious readers, and why the single most important part of your child's school day is free, voluntary reading. In this episode, you'll hear: Why free, voluntary reading is the power player in your child's reading lifeThoughts from experts in the field on building lifelong readersHow to help our kids choose books they'll love I also answer a listener question about what to do if your child is intimidated by lots of words on the page. Click the play button below to start listening: Listener Guide: 1:13Simple steps to raise voracious readers3:01Q&A: When kids are intimidated by text-heavy books6:11Reading with the ear9:16Why we want our kids to love reading12:17 Some books are ... boring14:09Finding the right jelly bean15:46When one child loves to read and their sibling doesn't18:07Not just for school21:17Free, voluntary reading 24:11Schedule time, not titles27:04Reading below reading level28:46The Book Whisperer's advice33:16Let the Kids Speak Quotes to remember: "No single literacy activity has a more positive effect on comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, writing ability, or overall academic achievement than free voluntary reading." Stephen D. Krashen, The Power of Reading "My credibility with students and the reason they trust me when I recommend books to them stems from the fact that I read every day of my life and that I talk about reading constantly. I am not mandating an activity for them to do that I'm not doing myself. I do not promote reading to my students because it is good for them or because it is required for school success. I advocate reading because it is enjoyable and enriching." Donalyn Miller, The Book Whisperer Links from this episode: RAR PremiumWOW - Writers on WritingMiranda PaulMaryrose WoodRAR #59: Books to Make the Whole Family Howl, Maryrose WoodRAR #137: Why Your Kids Love Graphic Novels (and which we like best)Kindle PaperwhiteRAR #43: Raising Kids Who Read, Daniel WillinghamFor the QUIZ, next QUIZ to 33777RAR #64: Helping Resistant Readers Fall in Love with Books, Laura MartinRAR #141: Why Re-Reading is Possibly the Best ReadingRAR #145: The Importance of Reading at Whim and Developing Your Own Taste, Alan Jacobs Books from this episode: The Power of Reading Nothing Found You'll also enjoy: Finishing the school year doesn't need to be a slogHow to choose books for your kidsIf you want your kids to love reading, try this

In this episode, host Colby Sharp talks with Donalyn Miller (The Book Whisperer) about a topic close to both of their hearts - book access for kids.This episode is sponsored by Heinemann and their professional book A TEACHER'S GUIDE TO READING CONFERENCES by Jennifer Serravallo

Hello everyone! Literacy Essentials by Regie Routman (Stenhouse 2018) is by far one of the most influential books I’ve read in my teaching career. It’s a book I turn to weekly for advice, insight, and encouragement in my work to bring authentic literacy to my students.  So when I was given a chance to talk to Regie herself, I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. In part 1 of the podcast, we dove deep into the increasingly alarming practice of talking about students as if they are data points and not children. We discussed why we need to humanize our classrooms, and how to think about our school culture in a way that fosters equitable practices. In part 2, we took a look at some practices we are letting happen in our classes and schools that are hurting students, and what to do about them. And now in part 3, we are wrapping it all together in a discussion about why learning should be joyful—for teachers and students—and should drive us into the beauty and gift that is TEACHING. Do not miss it!  Enjoy! To listen to my talks with other literacy giants, such as Kelly Gallagher, Donalyn Miller, Penny Kittle, Mary Howard and Laura Robb, click here.    About Regie: REGIE ROUTMAN has more than forty-five years of experience working in diverse, under-performing schools across the U.S. and Canada as an educational leader, mentor teacher, literacy coach, classroom teacher, and teacher of students with learning differences. Her current work involves on-site demonstrations of highly effective literacy and leadership practices and side-by-side mentoring and coaching of principals, administrators, and lead teachers in order to improve reading and writing engagement, achievement, and enjoyment—across the curriculum–for all learners. Her many research-based books and resources have supported hundreds of thousands of teachers, principals, and educators at all levels to create and sustain trusting, intellectual school cultures where hearing all the voices and ongoing, professional learning are priorities. Regie’s most recent book is Literacy Essentials: Engagement, Excellence, and Equity for All Learners. (Stenhouse, 2018) To listen to “Literacy Essentials: The Stories”–personal and professional Stories integrated into the book—go to https://voiced.ca/project/literacy-essentials-the-stories-2/ or wherever you get your podcasts. For full information on Regie’s publications including her Transforming Our Teaching video-based, online literacy series, her PD offerings, and blogs, see www. regieroutman.org   A special thank you to Viewsonic for sponsoring this episode of the podcast! Please check out their amazing resources for teachers here.

Karina and Matthew talk about the Youth Media Awards, educators doing mock book awards with their students, and we look back on some of our favorite Kidlit These Days episodes of the year. Joining is special guest Colby Sharp, 5th grade teacher, co-host of The Yarn podcast, editor of The Creativity Project, An Awesometastic Story Collection, and the co-author with Donalyn Miller of Game Changer: Book Access for All Kids. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot's Read Harder Journal and by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more kidlit news and recommendations, sign up for our The Kids Are All Right newsletter! RELEVANT LINKS: The Youth Media Awards HarperCollins Children’s Books Launches Heartdrum, A New Native-Focused Imprint Episode 13: An Indigenous Peoples' History Episode 1: The Wall in the Middle of This Podcast Matthew's Mock Coretta Scott King Award with Students in Grades K-5 Colby Sharp BOOKS DISCUSSED ON THE SHOW: Drawn Together by Minh Le, illustrated by Dan Santat (2019 Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature Picture Book winner) Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina (2019 Newbery Medal winner) Dr. Debbie Reese (2019 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award) Hurricane Child by Kheryn Callender/Kacen Callender (2019 Stonewall Book Award winner) Dreamers by Yuyi Morales (2019 Pura Belpre Illustrator Award winner) Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal (2019 Caldecott honor) Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan by Ashley Bryan (2017 Coretta Scott King Illustrator honor & 2017 Newbery honor) The Remember Balloons by Jessie Oliveros; illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte (2019 Schneider Family Book Award Young Children's Book honor) The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill (2017 Newbery award winner) Jerome By Heart by Thomas Scotto, illustrated by Olivier Tallec and translated from the French by Claudia ZoeBedrick and Karin Snelson (2019 Mildred L. Batchelder Award honor) Let us know what books or topics you've been sharing this week, or if you have a suggestion or book recommendation for an upcoming episode. Find us on email (kidlitthesedays@bookriot.com), Twitter (@KarinaYanGlaser and @MatthewWinner), or Instagram (@KarinaIsReadingAndWriting and @MatthewCWinner).

Donalyn Miller is a reader, a teacher, an author, a Book Whisperer, a #nerdybookclub co-founder, and the #bookaday founder. You can find her on Twitter at @donalynbooks and on her website at https://bookwhisperer.com/.

Hello everyone! Literacy Essentials by Regie Routman (Stenhouse 2018) is by far one of the most influential books I’ve read in my teaching career. It’s a book I turn to weekly for advice, insight, and encouragement in my work to bring authentic literacy to my students.  So when I was given a chance to talk to Regie herself, I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. In part 1 of the podcast, we dove deep into the increasingly alarming practice of talking about students as if they are data points and not children. We discussed why we need to humanize our classrooms, and how to think about our school culture in a way that fosters equitable practices. Today, we take a look at some practices we are letting happen in our classes and schools that are hurting students, and what to do about them. Among other topics, we hit on: Why breaking everything into parts makes learning harder for students Why "training" is not professional learning How modeling can elevate your lessons What it takes to begin innovating as a teacher, and as a student Do not miss it!  Enjoy! To listen to my talks with other literacy giants, such as Kelly Gallagher, Donalyn Miller, Penny Kittle, Mary Howard and Laura Robb, click here.    About Regie: REGIE ROUTMAN has more than forty-five years of experience working in diverse, under-performing schools across the U.S. and Canada as an educational leader, mentor teacher, literacy coach, classroom teacher, and teacher of students with learning differences. Her current work involves on-site demonstrations of highly effective literacy and leadership practices and side-by-side mentoring and coaching of principals, administrators, and lead teachers in order to improve reading and writing engagement, achievement, and enjoyment—across the curriculum–for all learners. Her many research-based books and resources have supported hundreds of thousands of teachers, principals, and educators at all levels to create and sustain trusting, intellectual school cultures where hearing all the voices and ongoing, professional learning are priorities. Regie’s most recent book is Literacy Essentials: Engagement, Excellence, and Equity for All Learners. (Stenhouse, 2018) To listen to “Literacy Essentials: The Stories”--personal and professional Stories integrated into the book—go to https://voiced.ca/project/literacy-essentials-the-stories-2/ or wherever you get your podcasts. For full information on Regie’s publications including her Transforming Our Teaching video-based, online literacy series, her PD offerings, and blogs, see www. regieroutman.org   A special thank you to Viewsonic for sponsoring this episode of the podcast! Please check out their amazing resources for teachers here.          

Hello everyone! Literacy Essentials by Regie Routman is by far one of the most influential books I've read in my teaching career. It's a book I turn to weekly for advice, insight, and encouragement in my work to bring authentic literacy to my students.  So when I was given a chance to talk to Regie herself, I knew I couldn't pass up the opportunity. To my delight, Regie is just as honest and passionate in person as she is in her many books. She doesn't waste time in our talk getting to the heart of the matter, which is that if we want to make an impact on kids in a positive way, we can't see them as numbers, or data points, or problems. If we want true equity in our schools and classrooms, we have to see them as PEOPLE first. We have to be energetic if we want them to care about the class.  We have to get them to feel loved and comfortable in our spaces.  We have to allow them to be themselves, in their writing, and in their reading.  We have to humanize school, and use research supported practices to move them in meaningful ways.  Together, we address these topics and many more in this 3 part discussion, so do not miss a minute of it! Enjoy! To listen to my talks with other literacy giants, such as Kelly Gallagher, Donalyn Miller, Penny Kittle, Mary Howard and Laura Robb, click here.    About Regie: REGIE ROUTMAN has more than forty-five years of experience working in diverse, under-performing schools across the U.S. and Canada as an educational leader, mentor teacher, literacy coach, classroom teacher, and teacher of students with learning differences. Her current work involves on-site demonstrations of highly effective literacy and leadership practices and side-by-side mentoring and coaching of principals, administrators, and lead teachers in order to improve reading and writing engagement, achievement, and enjoyment—across the curriculum--for all learners. Her many research-based books and resources have supported hundreds of thousands of teachers, principals, and educators at all levels to create and sustain trusting, intellectual school cultures where hearing all the voices and ongoing, professional learning are priorities. Regie’s most recent book is Literacy Essentials: Engagement, Excellence, and Equity for All Learners. (Stenhouse, 2018) For full information on Regie’s publications including her Transforming Our Teaching video-based, online literacy series, her PD offerings, and blogs, see www. regieroutman.org   A special thank you to Viewsonic for sponsoring this episode of the podcast! Please check out their amazing resources for teachers here.

This week we are joined by Sarah Wood, the teacher that every parent hopes that their child will get each year. She has taught various grades of elementary (primary) school for the past twelve years (she is on lucky year 13 of teaching!) and in her spare time you can find her in the dance studio and hanging out with her awesome two-year-old son. Sarah is passionate about books and uses them in all sorts of ways in her classroom and with her own son. She was gracious enough to spend some of her precious non-teaching time to chat with us about what she sees from our kids in her classroom and how reading plays a role in that! In this episode we talk about: 1. Teachers can, in general, tell which kids read and are being read to at home. They look forward to going to the school library, can talk about their favorite book or use character names or titles in conversations and often read at a slightly higher reading level. On the flip side, it is harder to find books for kids who do not read at home that they like to read or listen to and are easily distracted during reading times at school. Sarah noted that she only applies these observations to typically developing children, taking out, for instance, children who are still learning English, etc. 2. We asked Sarah what she wished she could sit down and tell the parents of all her students and she told us that, no matter their age, all children want to be read to! The minute she picks up a book in her class, who basically never stop talking, you can hear a pin drop. 3. Sarah uses different kinds of books all the time in her classroom. When teaching math in first and second grade, for example, she would find a picture book with examples of symmetry and use the examples to visually show that example. With her current class of fifth-graders one of the reading rotations that she does is reading with a buddy- reading out loud to each other- and they love it! 4. We chatted about some great ideas of how to use those same principles at home with our kids! There is an instagram account that Sarah loves and uses called The Book Report, which is run by a former teacher, now stay at home mom, who uses books all the time at home with her kids. She also loves a website called Reading Rockets, which has resources and videos with suggestions on all sorts of things, like, how do you read non-fiction books at home (links to both of these are below). Her best suggestion, however, is to simply find something that your child is interested in, gather books about that subject and then go out in the world and connect those things. Read books about fire trucks and then go to a fire station and see read fire trucks. Find books about rocks and minerals and then go dig around your backyard and see what kinds of rocks you can find! She did share the tip to find the book first and then plan the activity, because it does not always come together when you try and do it the other way around. 5. Sarah herself has a two-year-old son and she has been exploring the world of reading as a parent as opposed to a teacher. It is just as important to her at home, however, as it is in her classroom. She even used one of her son’s favorite books, Vroom Vroom Garbage Truck, in her fifth-grade class when teaching about onomatopoeia!  We are so grateful to Sarah for taking the time to talk with us! More information about what we chatted about today can be found in the following places: Instagram references: @the.reading.report Websites mentioned: Reading Rockets https://www.readingrockets.org Books we mentioned: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate Vroom Vroom Garbage Truck by Asia Citro My Truck is Stuck by Kevin Lewis Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle Reading in the Wild by Donalyn Miller (follow-up to her book, The Book Whisperer)

Literacy leaders Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp talk about the power of book ownership.

Colby Sharp author of Game Changer! Books for All shares some ways to improve your classroom library without spending any money at all. There are some ideas for all of us here. www.coolcatteacher.com/e565 Colby Sharp - Bio As Submitted Colby Sharp is a husband and father of five. He teaches fifth grade in Parma, Michigan. Colby is the co-founder of Nerdy Book Club, and he serves on the Nerd Camp Michigan team. He co-hosts The Yarn podcast with Travis Jonker. Colby currently serves as the president-elect of the Michigan Reading Association. He co-authored Game Changer! Book Access for All Kid with Donalyn Miller, and he is the editor of The Creativity Project: An Awesometastic Story Collection. Blog: http://www.mrcolbysharp.com Twitter: @colbysharp Book: Game Changer! Books for All Disclosure of Material Connection: This episode includes some affiliate links. This means that if you choose to buy I will be paid a commission on the affiliate program. However, this is at no additional cost to you.  Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” This company has no impact on the editorial content of the show.

Hello everyone! Welcome to season 4 of the Teach Me, Teacher Podcast! If you're new to the podcast, welcome! If you're returning, then you know how I like to start things off every season...WITH LITERACY. Season 2 started with the wonderful Donalyn Miller. Season 3 started with none other than the amazing Penny Kittle. And now season 4 is starting with Kelly Gallagher himself! Since 1985, Kelly Gallagher has devoted himself to the teaching of reading, writing, listening and speaking—first and foremost, as a high school ELA teacher in Anaheim, California, and also as an author/consultant who works with educators around the world. Today, he is considered one of the leading voices in literacy education. He is the author of 180 Days, Readicide, and In the Best Interest of Students.  In this episode we talk about how to create authentic experiences both in reading and writing, and how not to kill the love for reading and writing. Books, equity, clubs, representation, and more, all in this episode. I could not be any more excited than to bring this talk to you today. Enjoy! Support Teach Me, Teacher by checking my memoir for educators here.  Check out Teach Me, Teacher Presents: Reading - Writing Workshop here.  Like our the show's music? Check out our theme music creator, Bryan Pascarella, here.  A special thank you to Viewsonic for sponsoring this episode of the podcast! Please check out their amazing resources for teachers here.

The Classical Academies is launching a new English Language Arts program this fall, known as Reader's Choice. Inspired by Donalyn Miller's book, The Book Whisperer, the new curriculum will invite and challenge students to read 40 self-selected books each school year. Curriculum Specialists, Corie Shields and Lisa Ivans, explain the new curriculum and how it is better "caught than taught". Be sure to attend a Reader's Choice workshop at this year's JumpStart Parent Education Conference.The Book Whisperer:https://bookwhisperer.com/books/the-book-whisperer/

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy a good book! And, call me crazy, but I love reading teacher professional development books. They help me to feel excited and refreshed.   In this episode, I am sharing about five of my very favorite teacher books and why I enjoyed each one of them.   The Essential 55 By Ron Clark https://amzn.to/2Xd30Lb   The Wild Card by Hope and Wade King https://amzn.to/2FKtOfP   Learn Like a Pirate by Paul Solarz https://amzn.to/2Xd6dud   The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller https://amzn.to/2J3aRXS   Word Nerds by Brenda Overturf https://amzn.to/2XiTuGt

Intro Hello and welcome to Books Between -  a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - 5th grade teacher, a mom of two girls (10 and 12), and muddling through some allergies. So if you are wondering why I sound “off” - we can blame all those plants trying to have babies!  A quick reminder before we get started that you can find transcripts and interview outlines of every episode - along with lots of other great middle great content over at MGBookVillage.org. This is episode #73 and today’s show starts off with a discussion about strong endings to the school year and then I share with you a conversation with Tina Athaide- author of Orange for the Sunsets. Main Topic - Finishing the Year Strong Our main topic today is ending the school year with your students with strength and purpose. And wrapping up those final weeks together in a way that allows for both reflection on their reading lives and a way to step forward into a summer that builds on the successes of the previous year. It’s like the school year is the runway and the summer is the solo flight after take-off! If you haven’t been building those reading habits all year long, then… well that lift off is going to fall flat.  But - there are some things that we can do to plan for a strong transition from that supportive classroom reading community to a strong independent reading life. For me, my school year up here in New York doesn’t end for another five weeks but lots of my friends are already wrapping up their school year so I thought it would be a good time to discuss this topic. And whether you are a parent, or a librarian, or a teacher there will be something in today’s show that you will find useful. First, we’ll talk building in time for reflection and what that can look like. Then, I’ll discuss some ways for students to celebrate and share the reading they’ve enjoyed during the past school year. And finally, I’ll chat about how to usher them into summer with a solid reading plan and hopefully some books in their hands. Reflection One of the most effective ways to cap off your school year is with some time for reflection and feedback. And there are a few options for you to consider. A student survey for YOU to grow as a teacher. So this would involve asking your students questions to help get feedback to help you improve. These  questions might be - What was your favorite read aloud this year?  What strategies helped you grow the most as a reader? Did you prefer partner reading or book clubs and why? What types of reading responses helped you get the most of your reading?  Should we read more nonfiction? What books should we get for our classroom library? Pernille Ripp uses these types of surveys exceptionally well, and I’ll link to her website to get some ideas for you to try and to tweak. It’s also really important that students get the opportunity to write about and discuss their own reading habits and growth - for their own self-reflection. In that case, since the purposes are very different, the questions you ask your students will be different. And if you’ve helped them build that habit of keeping good track of their reading, this will be a thousand times easier. These questions might be along the lines of - How many books did you read this year? How does that compare to last year?  Of the books you’ve read, how many were non-fiction? How many were graphic novels? Written by a person of color? Written by a man? Were historical fiction? What was your favorite book you’ve read? How many books did you abandon and why? Those questions that dig a bit deeper are so powerful - especially when given the opportunity to share those thoughts with others. Another way that you can have your students doing some powerful thinking and reflection about the books they are offered is by guiding them through a diversity audit of your classroom collection or library. If you want details about this, I’ve discussed it in more depth in episode 28 (which I will link to in the show notes), but I highly recommend you try this at least one time with your class. And it doesn’t have to be an analysis of all the books in your library. Maybe it’s just a 15 minute check of the biographies together with two or three guiding questions.  At the end of the year -it’s all about using the time you have flexibly and well. A great self-reflection method I just bumped into again recently was Pernille Ripp’s post (called “On Reading Rewards”) about having students create an award for themselves to celebrate their own achievement - whether that’s reading 35 books, or discovering a new genre, or just finding one book they really liked. I’ll link to her post with the full description and to the site where you can get those free Reading Certificate templates for students.   Celebration & Sharing Along with opportunities for self-reflection and thinking about their own reading accomplishments during the previous year, I think it’s also so important to give students a chance to show off those accomplishments! One educator that I follow on Twitter (Cassie Thomas - @mrs_cmt1489), had her students gather a stack of every book they’ve read during the year and took a picture of them with that book stack! What  powerful way to see how what a year’s worth of reading looks like! Another popular (and powerful) way to have students both reflect on their reading and share it, is to have them create a top ten (or so) list. I’ve absolutely modified that to a Top 5 or Top 3 list for those kiddos who were rather daunted by coming up with ten titles.  It could be something as simple as the Top 10 Books I’ve Read This Year. Or maybe Top 5 Sports Books, 7 Books To Make You Laugh, Top 8 Books That Made Me Cry, Top 10 Books If You Like History - really the options are endless! And lend themselves well to having those quick finishers make a couple of them. In a recent video by Colby Sharp, he mentioned that he has his class share the lists with him in a Google doc where he complies them, prints out all the lists, and then sends the lists home with the kids for the summer!  So if they are ever looking for a book suggestion, they have a ton of options from their classmates right on hand. I’m definitely doing that this year! (I’ll link to Colby’s video so you can check out his other ideas.) A third way to celebrate and share their reading? One-pagers! If you have not tried these yet - the end of the year is the perfect time!  Essentially, students go into greater depth with one of their favorite books by creating a one-page presentation. Typically they are very colorful and include strong visual elements to illuminate aspects of the book like drawings of symbols, characters, or representations of the book cover.  And the sections depend on your goals - often things like a character analysis, favorite quote, rating, or summary. My students really loved doing these and even had the idea of hanging some in our local public library. And I recently came across a great episode of The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast with guest Betsy Potash that offers some great tips and templates to use. I’ll also include a link directly to Betsy’s site if you want to see those great examples and snag those templates. One other idea to help students celebrate and share their reading is to harness the technology skills they’ve already practiced during the year for that purpose. For example, if your students are already using Flipgrid, have them use that tool to do a book talk for a favorite book, share their top ten list, or discuss patterns they noticed about their reading during the past year. If the kids are more comfortable with SeeSaw, they could do similar things with the video tool or do some annotating of their favorite books and make booksnaps about favorite books or characters.  Powerpoint or Google Slides has some cool features - especially to make charts and graphs. One piece of advice here - use technology that they are already familiar with and can work independently on. That way, while they are working, you can take care of those important, time-consuming end-of-the-year tasks like conducting final running records on each student or wrapping up some final scoring on assignments.   A Plan & Books in Their Hands The final - and maybe most important thing that you can do to better your odds at a successful launch from the supported reading life you’ve provided to your students to  taking their reading life into their own hands is to actually have them leave you with something in their hands. Namely - a plan and at least one book. A summer reading plan: Let’s talk about the plan first. This could be a formal, written plan - but honestly, at the end of the year that might be just a little too structured for summer. Instead, I like to share various ideas and options for kids to boost their reading life over the summer. And then have us all share with each other how to overcome some common obstacles. So here’s what that will look like for our class over the next couple of weeks before school ends: Creating their summer TBR list. Maybe this is based on the Top 10 Lists your class presented or maybe they build a TBR list during a trip to the library, but having that piece of paper is really helpful. Invite our wonderful children’s librarian from our local public library to come in and share with our class the awesome summer programs they have planned.  If the timing doesn’t work out for them to travel, a virtual Google Hangout visit or Skype could work, too. Our local library also used to allow for off-site library card sign-ups so check into that as well. Give the kids a list of any summer reading programs or activities you can find in your community.  Does your local bookstore have any cool book signings or summer events planned? Is there a Children’s Book Festival happening?  Does your community have a traveling library? Is there a summer book club offered at your school? Where are the locations of the Little Free Libraries in your  area? Will the local library have a booth at the Pride Festival this June? (Mine will!!!!) Introduce them to some virtual spaces where they can get reading ideas and share their reading life.  If they are old enough for social media (13 years old) - perhaps share some accounts to follow. Or encourage them to sign up for a Goodreads account. But honestly - they are most likely going to be on YouTube. So a list of great YouTubers to follow would probably be the most appreciated and actually used by your students. And if you think your students would use it, you could set up a summer reading Fligrid or SeeSaw or other digical space to them to share. I tried this last year and it was a bit of a bust, but maybe I’ll give it another go.   Alright, so…. Ideally, I’ll have those resources and ideas compiled into one document for students to take home at the end of the year. And then we’ll have a quick discussion together about which ones they want to participate in, and what are going to be obstacles.   Perhaps they can share a brief and flexible plan in their reading journal or on SeeSaw or Flipgrid. Getting books in their hands: And finally - the all important getting books in their hands before they leave for the summer! There are a few ways to do this. Have your end-of-the-year gift be a book. Right now I am in a self-contained class and have 21 students. So I can swing this by saving up Scholastic points and entering a lot of giveaways on Twitter and Goodreads.  Next year I’ll be teaching all the 5th graders, so this option might be less doable. One idea I’ve considered instead of selecting a new book for each child based on what I know of their reading life, is to let them pick out one book from our classroom library to take home to keep. Another option is to suggest your PTO/PTA give the graduating class a book as they leave the school. My PTO has done this for the last few years. And it sends a powerful message about what is important and what is valued in our school. Last year is was 365 Days of Wonder and this year will either be New Kid or a picture book like Rock What Ya Got. Another idea that I have seen be very successful is to have a book swap by encouraging families to bring in gently used books for kids to exchange. Our middle school kept them all in a brightly colored kiddie pool with a beach chair next to it. More and more libraries are doing summer check out - which I LOVE!!  So if your school is not yet one of those, maybe arm yourself with some great research and start putting a bug in the ear of the powers-that-be to make that change. Allow kids to check out books from your classroom library is another way to get books in their hands for the summer. My 5th graders are leaving to a new school. So instead, at the end of the year we had an opportunity to meet our incoming 4th grade class. And after some quick introductions, I let each child pick 2-3 books they wanted to take home and read over the summer.  Before they left, I just took a quick picture of them with their stack so I knew which books were out. But other than that, there was no check-out procedure. I like this for a few reasons. One, it shows them right away that our classroom library is the heart of our class and that I want to get to know them as people and as readers. And that whatever book they picked was fine by me. It’s all reading. Also - we’re starting from a place of trust. I trust them to take those books home and return them.  And sure, some didn’t come back. But as Donalyn Miller has so often said, “I’d rather lose a book than lose a reader.” I hope that no matter if you are a teacher, a librarian, or parent that you have found something useful in today’s discussion that will help you foster more independent readers. And no matter what time of year you may stumble across this episode, building in time for reflection, celebrating and sharing our reading lives, and making plans to read more on our own is always a great idea.   And as always, we are learning together so please share with us your ideas and successes for ending the year strong. You can connect with me on Twitter or Instagram - our handle is @books_between or email me at booksbetween@gmail.com and I’d love to share your ideas. Tina Athaide - Interview Outline This week I am thrilled to bring you an interview with debut author Tina Athaide! We chat about her research process, the novels that influenced her as a child, writing tips to pass along to the young authors in your life, and of course - her debut historical novel set in 1970s Uganda -  Orange for the Sunsets. Take a listen. Orange for the Sunsets Welcome! I’d like to start by giving you an opportunity to introduce yourself to our listeners…   I’m an educator by day and writer by night. When I started teaching in Southern CA, I was amazed how little information my students had about other cultures and ethnic groups and always thought they could learn so much from books. Thankfully these days we are seeing an increase in books written about marginalized groups by marginalized writers.   What is Orange for the Sunsets about? It set in 1972 and tells the story of Asha-an Asian Indian girl and her best friend Yesofu a Ugandan boy and how their lives are turned upside down when President Idi Amin announces that Indians have ninety days to leave the country.  Asha comes from a life of privilege, but even then it isn’t as privileged as the Europeans. Yesofu’s family works for Asha’s parents. They are servants in their own country. Idi’ Amin’s expulsion means different things for these two characters, which creates a conflict that threatens to tear apart their friendship.  This was a period in history that very few people knew about, especially here in North America and I felt it was important to share this story.   What was your research process like to make sure you were getting not only the history correct, but the 1970’s details accurate?   Without dating myself, I have to confess that I have personal connections to this story. I was born in Entebbe, but my family left just before the expulsion.. Growing up I heard many stories about life in Uganda and subsequently the horrors of the expulsion. Early drafts were solely from Asha’s point of view. Yesofu had a role in the book, but I never delved into what the expulsion meant for him. An editor that was interested in the story actually recommended that I write the book from both Asha and Yesofu’s POV.   BACK TO THE DRAWING board and revisions. Actually...rewriting the entire book!   I was Asian, writing about the Asian Indian experience. I had some knowledge about the Uganda experiences, but not enough to really give Yesofu an authentic and honesty voice. That involved research.   I spoke to Indians and Ugandans about their experiences during that period of history, beyond just family and friends. I wanted to know their opinions about Idi Amin’s expulsion, how their lives were affected.  I travelled to Kenya and spoke to Kenyan and Ugandan Africans about this time period.   What was also very helpful wasI read articles written during those ninety days from newspapers around the world. When Idi Amin originally expelled Asians, he kicked out those Indians holding British passports and citizenship.  But when he ordered all Asian Indians out of the country, the UN asked countries to open their borders and accept refugees....That included the United States. Although your story is set over 40 years ago and in a country across the globe, it has so many parallels to what’s happening in America now with the rise of populist anti-immigrant sentiment that veers in violence. Did you intentionally want to capture some of those similar sentiments?   It saddens me that in this day and age there are such close parallels between the story in Orange For the Sunset and the strong rise of anti-immigrant sentiment across the globe.  It wasn’t intentional on my part to capture those similarities, but that period of history with Idi Amin and the brutality toward Indians unfortunately mirrors current sentiments. **BONUS SPOILER SECTION: We discuss the ending of the novel, and if you’d like to hear that conversation, I moved that part of the recording to after the end credits of today’s episode at the 38:12 mark.   How has this book changed from your earlier drafts to this final version?   Were there parts that you loved but you had to edit out? Your Writing Life   What are you working on now? I have a picture book coming out in 2020 about a young child, Sita and her grandfather, Gandhi. She is spirited and full of vigor and he teaches her to give how slowing down opens you up to see and appreciate so much more in life.   I am working on a MG fantasy book about a young boy who is destined to be keeper of the Pancha Maha-Bhoota–the five great elements of nature. It weaves in elements of Hindu mythology with flying garuda and naga cobras. What is most exciting is the character travels through time to real places in India so readers will get to visit these spectacular sites.   My students and kids are always eager to hear writing advice from authors.  What’s a tip or trick that you’ve picked along the way that has helped your writing? When I finish writing the rough draft, I go through the manuscript and use different colors to highlight emotional points, plot points, dialogue.  Then I will read through the story focusing on each color and it give me a narrow and wide lens as I revise.   Your Reading Life   What are some books or authors that influenced you as a child? Growing up, there were no books in the local library or school library with people of color, so l went on adventures with Trixie Belden, Anne of Green Gables, and Anastacia Krupnik. Each in their own way those writers influenced me, even if it was to show me how books took you places different from your own world.  I loved the Narnia series by CS Lewis and Harriet the Spy and the Outsiders.   What are some books that you’ve read lately that you’d recommend to our listeners? Book Uncle and Me by Uma Krisnaswami The Bridge Home by PadmaVenkatraman The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani Drama by Raina Telgemeier   Thank you!   Links:   Tina on Twitter - @tathaide Mae on Instagram - @tinaathaide Closing   Alright - that’s it for our show this week. If you have a question about how to connect middle grade readers to books they will love or an idea about a guest we should have or a topic we should cover, I would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between.   Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can find an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show at MGBookVillage.org.  And, if you are liking the show, please help others find us too by telling a friend, sharing on social media, or leaving a rating on iTunes or Stitcher.   Talk with you soon!  Bye!  

Happy Teacher Appreciation week! I hope you’re sharing a whole lot of love for those individuals who work with our young minds each and every day. Schools are magical places and for many they are the source of countless formative memories in our journey of growing up and into the world. So… I recently started a new podcast with Karina Yan Glaser, New York Times bestselling author of the VANDERBEEKERS series. It’s called KIDLIT THESE DAYS, it’s produced by Book Riot, and on the show Karina and I examine the intersection between current events and children’s literature. We’re sort of your kidlit connoisseurs, shining a light on what’s going on in the world and the books that can help us navigate through it. On our most recent episode we celebrated teachers both in the classroom and in our favorite books. The episode also features an interview with Corrina Allen, host of the Books Between Podcast and a 5th grade classroom teacher in New York. I’d love for you all to go check that episode out and you can find a link in the show notes below just by scrolling down on your podcast listening device. As a sort of bonus, it brings me great pleasure to share this interview with you today. Donalyn Miller (@donalynbooks) is renowned in education for her work in literacy and as an unflinching, unparalleled advocate for readers. Donalyn and I discuss the important role of teachers in raising readers, and she shares a moving story about a teacher who inspired her while she was in high school. Never have I felt closer to Donalyn than after this conversation. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast.

Karina and Matthew talk about the amazing and vibrant education community online, authors who started out as teachers teachers, and teachers we saw and loved in our favorite books. Joining is special guest Donalyn Miller, author of The Book Whisperer and Reading in the Wild. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders and TBR. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. To get even more kidlit news and recommendations, sign up for our The Kids Are All Right newsletter!   RELEVANT LINKS: Liberty Hardy's Instagram Account (@franzencomesalive) Jillian Heise's #ClassroomBookADay Nerdy Book Club NerdCamp MI Donalyn Miller (aka The Book Whisperer) Books Between Podcast    BOOKS DISCUSSED ON THE SHOW: Picture Books: Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard and James Marshall Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco Chapter Books: Dory Fantasmagory (series) by Abby Hanlon Middle Grade: Ghost by Jason Reynolds Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai (TBR May 14, 2019) The Best Man by Richard Peck Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt   Let us know what books or topics you've been sharing this week, or if you have a suggestion or book recommendation for an upcoming episode. Find us on email (kidlitthesedays@bookriot.com), Twitter (@KarinaYanGlaser and @MatthewWinner), or Instagram (@KarinaIsReadingAndWriting and @MatthewCWinner).

Hey podcast. This episode is Part II of a 2 part series with Donalyn Miller. Author of the Book Whisperer & Game Changer (With Colby Sharp I hope you are able to gain something from this podcast. I know it is a little on the long side, but it was hard to cut anything out when Donalyn Miller speaks so many truths about education, laughter, and life overall. Let me know what you think @GaryRGrayJR on twitter. I'd love your feedback. You can also find me @GaryRGrayJR on instagram.

I remember eating the perfect Blue Box Mac & Cheese. My mom use to make it. She would add hot dogs once in a while to spice it up! On this episode I talk closely with Donalyn Miller. The reading guru and literature expert. Author of books such as the Book Whisper, Reading in the Wild and Game Changer. NOTE: This is ONE of a two part series with Donalyn. Let's go!

Hello everyone! Is there a reading war? Teri Lesesne, a former middle school teacher and Professor in the Department of Library Science at Sam Houston State University, is here to help us answer and face this question head on! In our discussion, we hit on popular disagreements between what educators and other commentators think quality reading instruction is, why there is a battle at all, and what the best research in the field is inviting teachers all over to implement into their classrooms. If you're interested at all in the "reading war" happening across educational circles, this is a must listen to episode. Enjoy! Don’t forget to subscribe and review the show on iTunes!  For more on reading instruction, check out my episode with Donalyn Miller!  

Hello everyone! Guided reading has been somewhat of a hot button issue for me over the past two years. When guided reading was brought to my middle school last year, I was...reluctant to try it. I mean, I'm a middle school teacher, why should I be doing something that is CLEARLY only for elementary. Right? Wrong. Not only have I had a change of heart about practicing guided reading at the middle school level, but now I'm actively seeking ways to get good at it. If you're in the same boat, or just want to re-engage with the practice, then you're in the right place! To help us, I've brought on one of my favorite educators and people in the world, Kelli Sanders, also known as @sandersinsecond on Instagram. She's such a wonderful person and teacher, and her passion for kids is infectious. She brings her experience and honesty to our talk, and I just love that I get to bring episodes like this to you all. Enjoy! Don’t forget to subscribe and review the show on iTunes!  PS: Want more book love? Check out my episode with Donalyn Miller! 

I share a couple thoughts from Donalyn Miller’s book, The Book Whisperer. How we can limit the amount of test prep while helping our students do well on a standardized test.

There are many ways to create a book desert — an area where a child has little or no access to books. Maybe a school's budget cuts lead to closure of the library. Maybe a neighborhood bookstore closes. Maybe the closest public library is too far away to reach by public transportation. Whatever the cause, the problem is clear: Too many children in the U.S. lack access to books. This week, we're talking with literacy advocates Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp about how crucial access is. It's a topic they address in their new book for K-8 educators, Game Changer! Donalyn and Colby discuss how access to a wide variety of texts, choice in what to read, and time to read are “game changers” for the lives of all children, enhancing academic achievement while shaping kids' understanding of themselves and their world. They also offer practical ways that educators and families can make small changes that can enrich their readers' lives in major ways. Additional resources: Learn more about Game Changer!  Learn more about The Nerdy Book Club Learn more about Nerd Camp Learn more about Donalyn Miller Learn more about Colby Sharp Guests: Donalyn Miller is a leading expert on independent reading, children's literature, and the author of two bestsellers, The Book Whisperer and Reading in the Wild. She is founder of the annual #bookaday event, co-founder with Colby Sharp of The Nerdy Book Club, and co-host of the monthly Twitter chat, #titletalk. Her articles have appeared in Education Week Teacher, The Reading Teacher, Educational Leadership, The Washington Post, and other prominent periodicals. Colby Sharp, a fifth-grade teacher at Parma Elementary School in Parma, Michigan, is co-founder of Nerd Camp and The Nerdy Book Club. He co-hosts the monthly twitter chats #sharpschu (with John Schumacher) and #titletalk (with Donalyn Miller), and, with Travis Jonker, The Yarn Podcast. He is the editor of The Creativity Project: An Awesometastic Story Collection. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan Produced by Emily Morrow

There are many ways to create a book desert — an area where a child has little or no access to books. Maybe a school's budget cuts lead to closure of the library. Maybe a neighborhood bookstore closes. Maybe the closest public library is too far away to reach by public transportation. Whatever the cause, the problem is clear: Too many children in the U.S. lack access to books. This week, we're talking with literacy advocates Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp about how crucial access is. It's a topic they address in their new book for K-8 educators, Game Changer! Donalyn and Colby discuss how access to a wide variety of texts, choice in what to read, and time to read are “game changers” for the lives of all children, enhancing academic achievement while shaping kids’ understanding of themselves and their world. They also offer practical ways that educators and families can make small changes that can enrich their readers' lives in major ways. Additional resources: Learn more about Game Changer!  Learn more about The Nerdy Book Club Learn more about Nerd Camp Learn more about Donalyn Miller Learn more about Colby Sharp Guests: Donalyn Miller is a leading expert on independent reading, children’s literature, and the author of two bestsellers, The Book Whisperer and Reading in the Wild. She is founder of the annual #bookaday event, co-founder with Colby Sharp of The Nerdy Book Club, and co-host of the monthly Twitter chat, #titletalk. Her articles have appeared in Education Week Teacher, The Reading Teacher, Educational Leadership, The Washington Post, and other prominent periodicals. Colby Sharp, a fifth-grade teacher at Parma Elementary School in Parma, Michigan, is co-founder of Nerd Camp and The Nerdy Book Club. He co-hosts the monthly twitter chats #sharpschu (with John Schumacher) and #titletalk (with Donalyn Miller), and, with Travis Jonker, The Yarn Podcast. He is the editor of The Creativity Project: An Awesometastic Story Collection. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan Produced by Emily Morrow

Writers Read by LiTracey - getting THAT book in children's hands.  This is the next in our series of professional development podcasts, sharing insights from global reading experts. On this episode Tracey chats with USA based speaker and literacy game changer, Donalyn Miller - The Book Whisperer.  Donalyn talks about the importance of independent reading, collaboration between classroom teachers and librarians, access to books and her life as a reader.

Intro Hi everyone and welcome to the Books Between Podcast! I believe in empowering children by helping them discover who they are as readers.  My goal is to help you connect kids between 8-12 with fabulous reading experiences and share inspiring conversations with the authors and educators who make that magic happen. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a mom of two, a 5th grade teacher, and thinking about how much I LOVE our public libraries and how much they are needed. My daughters and I just launched our summer Library Crawl where we try to hit as many public libraries in the area as can and explore their unique services and collections and just get to know them. Libraries are the heart of our communities. Please support them. This is Episode #55 and oday I want to chat with you about being a book witch, and then I’ll share a conversation with Melissa Sarno, author of Just Under the Clouds!   I have three super quick announcements for you! First is a Middle Grade at Heart Book Club update. The August pick is Where the Watermelons Grow, the September pick is The House That Lou Built and in October we will be reading Three Rules of Everyday Magic. And all of those authors are scheduled to come on the show - so stay tuned for that! And announcement #2 - don’t forget that Monday nights are the #MGBookChat Twitter chats with upcoming topics like #ownvoices, the importance of refugee stories, and books that battle mental health stigmas. So set a reminder for Mondays at 9pm EST and check out #MGBookChat on Twitter for conversations and collaboration between educators, librarians, and authors. And - finally, announcement #3. This is something that has been semi-secretly in the works for a few months now, but I am so happy to make it official. NerdCamp Central New York is ON for next summer - August 6, 2019! So - if you want to experience some of that NerdCamp magic and you’re able to make it to Syracuse, NY - save the date! And you can follow @NerdCampCNY on Twitter for more updates. Main Topic - Being a Book Witch And you can go ahead and replace that W with a B if you’d like.  So - I had a topic planned for today. I had an outline, things were coming together, and then I saw a post. And then some tweets. From several people, including Donalyn Miller, who were attending a recent Scholastic Reading Summit.  It was it from a presentation by Annie Ward - or at least referencing her work From Striving to Thriving: How to Grow Capable, Confident Readers.   And it was one slide showing ways that educators and parents can be what she called “Book Wardens”. And well, it struck me so forcefully. And made me think of all those times as a teacher and as a parent, I have been that Book Witch. I am recovering - but yeah…. that was me. So I scrapped my other topic and that’s what I want to talk to you about today. First - ways we might not even realize that we’re being book snobs and inadvertently turning kids off to reading - both from Annie’s presentation and from my own mistakes. And then some thoughts on ways we can do better. Although to be up front with you - my understanding of this is evolving. Starting with the first bullet on that slide. 1. Confining kids to “just right” books - gulp. That is a phrase I have used ever since... I don’t know when! A have a big lesson on choosing “just right” or “good fit” books complete with a whole array of shoes I bring in to demonstrate! But now I am wondering… who SETS the criteria for “right”? Is it.. Level?  Genre? Format? Perceived complexity? Something I’ve started doing is turning these questions back on myself. Okay Corrina, what’s a “just right” book for you? Well -it depends! What am I in the mood for? What do I want to learn? What are my friends all reading that looks amazing and I want IN on THAT conversation!  When I think about it that way, it’s not really about picking a book off the shelf and reading the first page and counting the errors on my fingers. Adults don’t do that! And - we are definitely NOT picking from the bin labeled Level Z or only reading within our lexile level.  So why are we asking kids to do that? What DO we do? We weigh all those factors, gather some options, and try them out. If it’s too hard, well…. then…. I’m just going to put The Iliad off to the side for now. I think we need to trust kids more. And be more open about how you actually go about choosing books. And maybe I don’t totally drop the phrase “just right” but shift it to be child-centered and NOT mean “just right” from MY point of view.   2. Express book snobbery. So, you might be a book snob, if you’ve said one these things (and I’ve said a few of them in the past…):   “Graphic novels are not real reading.” “Don’t just listen to that audio book - make sure you are following along in your book.” “I only really like literary books - you know award-winners.” “Well, I’ve never heard of that book!” “NEVER watch the movie before reading the book!” “I get all my book recommendations from NPR.” “They’re reading THAT? I guess it’s better than reading nothing!” “I don’t watch TV. Never.  I just read.”   “I only read books for adults.” (Credit to Sarah Threlkeld for suggesting that one.)   “Yeah, we’re only reading CLASSICS in this class.”   “Romance novels are all the same.” (And you can replace romance with mysteries, westerns, fantasy.)   “Are you reading a picture book? Maybe you should choose something more your age.” “You dog-ear your pages? You beast!” “Fan Fiction doesn’t count toward your reading minutes.”     So - that last one? About the fan fiction? Was me - a few years ago. But then, I discovered that Angie Thomas (you know - author of New York Times Bestselling, multiple award-winning The Hate U Give) got her start writing fanfiction for her favorite soap opera. And suddenly I thought, maybe I’m being kind of a witch about this. And then, I discovered Star Wars fan fiction and I was hooked. I think I spent about a week just immersed in alternative Star Wars universes. So go ahead - come at me about the fan fiction! 3. Look askance at funny, edgy, or “forbidden” topics. So, confession time.  Way back when I was just getting starting as a teacher and starting to build my classroom library, I would ONLY purchase what I, the book witch, deemed as high quality literature. Captain Underpants? Comics? Joke books? Diary of a Wimpy Kid? Uh...no. And oh do I owe those kids an apology. I was flat out wrong. And clearly not remembering all the Garfield and Calvin & Hobbes books that I devoured as a young kid. I’m happy to say our class is filled with Dav Pilkey books and all kids of funny, light-hearted books. Because, wow - don’t we need that now? And as far as edgy or “forbidden” topics - that has always rubbed me the wrong way. Edgy according to who? I’ve seen adults roll their eyes when a 10 year old picked a book about the WWE.  I’ve seen adults try to ban books with characters who are dealing with substance abuse. And I’ve seen adults pluck books with gay characters out of their kids hands. Who are we to tell kids that their family, their life, their experiences are “too edgy” and not allowed. 4. Frowning upon rereading. Yup - this is another one I have done regularly. And I think it comes from a well-intentioned place. When you know how many amazing books are out there, you want kids to experience that. And I think for me, I have the bias that I am not typically a HUGE rereader. Aside from a few books that I might reread for school or book club (like Home of the Brave, or Wonder), I find it so hard to resist the siren call of my TBR pile.  But last year, instead of giving side-eye to those kids rereading Dork Diaries or Smile for the 3rd or 4th (or 12th!) time - instead, I tried to act excited and say, “Wow - what do you love so much about that book? What are you noticing now that you never noticed the first time you read it?” And the reframing has helped me recognize more value in rereading. And those conversations help me understand my readers better and offer them similar titles they might enjoy to expand their reading palate. 5. Imposing Accountability Measures for Reading. I’ll admit - I had to think about this one for a minute. But I think what this is getting at is when ‘points programs” like AR (Accelerated Reader) are used to confine student reading in an attempt to make sure there is tangible proof of reading. Accountability measures might include parent sign-offs on a reading log or requiring a summary each night. That imposition on reading.  Instead - the best “accountability” is a culture of reading where kids want to talk about what they are reading. And your tangible proof are conferences and conversations and observations. 6. Treating some books like “dessert”. And only allowing kids to read them after they’ve read something more suitable. Usually when I see this - those “dessert” books are graphic novels, or Minecraft books. Now - there are times when I will say, “Let’s take some some time to read our Book Club novels. And if you finish your section for the day, read whatever you want.” But always treating SOME TYPES of books like just fluff - is being a book witch. So those were the main points from Annie Ward. But I’ll add one more. 7. Not letting kids take the books home. I used to treat MY books like they were GOLD. And I would let kids read them in class but then not let them out of my sight. I lost fewer books - but I also lost readers. Now - they go home with them. Usually they come back, but if not - I just hope that book meant so much to that child that they couldn’t bare to part with it.   So, I am a recovering Book Witch! And I mentioned some things we can do instead, but to quickly sum up, here they are: Let kids take the lead in what “just right” reading means for them - including their mood and what they are interested in, the format, the social connections they want to form around that reading - and not just a level. Don’t be a book snob! Openly embrace and book talk all genres and formats and expand your horizons. Watch your words and your body language to make sure you are not looking down on kids’ reading choices or making them feel ashamed for reading a text some might consider “edgy.” If a child is rereading a book - ask them about it! Or ask them to book talk it to the class! Instead of cumbersome attempts at reading accountability, instead - watch your kids, have conversations about the books, confer with them and have them read to you. Let kids take books home. And be gracious when they get lost or damaged. And finally - trust the kids and trust the books. If you want to know more about Annie Ward’s work with co-author Stephanie Harvey, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of From Striving to Thriving: How to Grow Capable, Confident Readers.  And as always, we are learning together and helping each other out, so please share your thoughts about overcoming being a book witch.  You can tag me on Twitter, Instagram, and now Facebook - our handle is @books_between or email me at booksbetween@gmail.com and I’d love to share your ideas.   Melissa Sarno - Interview Outline Joining me this month for our Middle Grade at Heart interview with Melissa Sarno is author Julie Artz. We got a chance to sit down together last month to chat about Just Under the Clouds. Take a listen… Just Under the Clouds CA: For our listeners who haven’t yet read Just Under the Clouds what is this story about? CA: One of my favorite parts of the book is when Cora goes to her remedial math class and her new teacher gives her some advice about solving algebra problems. She says: “I’ll give you a hint. It’s always easiest to start from the end. Start backward.”  I’m wondering - when if your own life have you found it easier to start at the end? JA: I loved the friendship between Cora and Sabina. They both have experienced intense loneliness due to an unconventional lifestyle, but the moment when they commit to their friendship--even though they may end up apart--was really touching. How did you come up with the idea for this complex and lovely friendship? JA: Adare is such a vivid character despite being mostly non-verbal. What research went into creating her character? **BONUS SPOILER SECTION: Melissa and Julie and I discuss the ending of the novel, and if you’d like to hear that conversation, I moved that part of the recording to after the end credits of today’s episode at the 37:50 mark. Your Writing Life JA: I loved the tree book and all that it represented for Cora. How much time did you spend researching trees for the story, or has that always been an interest of yours? CA: What are you working on now? Your Reading Life CA: One of the goals of this podcast is to help educators and librarians inspire kids to read more and connect them with amazing books.  Did you have a special teacher or librarian in your life who helped you grow into a reader? JA: What types of books did you love when you were Cora’s age? CA: What are you reading now? Links: Melissa’s website - https://www.melissasarno.com Melissa on Twitter and Instagram Julie’s website - http://julieartz.com Julie on Twitter New York City Tree Census - https://www.nycgovparks.org/trees/treescount/about   Books & Authors We Chatted About: Swiss Family Robinson (Johann D. Wyss) The Tillerman Series (Cynthia Voight) Lizard Music (Daniel Pinkwater) Her Body and Other Parties (Carmen Maria Machado) The Cardboard Kingdom (Chad Sell) Bob (Wendy Mass & Rebecca Stead) Hurricane Child (Kheryn Callender)   Closing Alright, that wraps up our show this week! If you have a question about how to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love or a suggestion about a topic we should cover, I would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between. Books Between is a proud member of the Education Podcast Network. This network features podcasts for educators, created by educators. For more great content visit edupodcastnetwork.com Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can get an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show at MGBookVillage.org. And, if you are liking the show, please leave us some love on iTunes or Stitcher so others can discover us as well. Thanks and see you soon!  Bye!  

Hello everyone! As more and more news outlets decide to condemn schools, more and more politicians find it to their liking to tell their version of what public education is (and is not,) it's becoming extremely important for teachers and administrators to step outside of their bubbles and share their stories. I'd argue that educators don't control their narrative right now. Everyone outside of us, the people who want to have a say in our pay, our funding, and how we are held "accountable," control it. I think it's time to take that control back, and I brought Colby Sharp to the podcast to help tell us why. Colby is a fifth grade teacher in Parma, Michigan. He's been a classroom teacher since 2006. In 2011, he started the Nerdy Book Club blog with friend of the show Donalyn Miller. He co-hosts The Yarn podcast with Teacher Librarian Travis Jonker. He also serves on the Nerd Camp, a free literacy event that takes place in Parma, Michigan each summer. His first book, The Creativity Project, hits shelves April 10, 2018. In this episode, Colby says, "We need to share our stories, because if we aren't sharing our stories, other people will," and continues by sharing why he creates the many projects he does, and how it all goes back to helping the kids.  I couldn't recommend this episode more. I believe in the message of this episode, and I believe in the power of sharing what we do as educators...Someone will either way, wouldn't you want it to be us? As an added bonus to the conversation, we also briefly discuss his work in his classroom, his philosophy with teaching ELA, and all about his desire to give kids the love of reading. Enjoy!

Hello everyone! Teach Me, Teacher has been around for about a year and half, and I'm amazed at how many great educators I have had the pleasure to speak with. Local gems, like the fantastic Alan Small and Andrew Simmons, to names such as Donalyn Miller and Mary Howard (by the way, limiting that list to just a few names was extremely difficult.) In any case, today, I get to add to the list of AWESOME educators I've got to discuss teaching with. Jeff Anderson, also known as The Write Guy, is a phenom of writing education. His method of "Inviting" writers to notice patterns, and then use those patterns in their own writing, is a powerful force in the classroom. I've seen it in my own classroom, and thousands of educators around the world are finding success with his techniques. I brought him on the show to discuss his newest book, The Patterns of Power, but we also hit on his philosophy with teaching writing, what teachers should do (and stop doing,) and how we should embrace the messiness of writing education. He also corrects me on the proper way to say "aaawwubbis," which was WIN all to itself. Teachers, enjoy and SHARE this one. It's one of the best of the podcast, and you'll get something from Jeff's deep insight into how to teach writing in your classrooms. Enjoy!

Intro   Hello and welcome to Books Between - a podcast all about celebrating children’s literature! If you are a teacher, parent, or librarian who wants to help connect kids between 8-12 to books they will love - then you are in the right spot!  I am your host, Corrina Allen - a 5th grade teacher, a mum of an 8 and 10 year old, and baking brownies and bundt cakes and obviously binge-watching a little bit too much of the Great British Baking Show lately. And I will apologise to my British listeners for this atrocious accent. On the other hand, I do rather blame your show for my potentially not fitting into any of my school clothes since I have been craving nothing but carbs… So, if you hear me slip into a weird Britishesque accent today - I’m sorry. Too much Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry in my head!   This is Episode #31 and Today is all about exceptional anthologies and collections that your middle grade readers are going to love.   Main Topic - Exceptional Anthologies and Short Story Collections Today we are talking all about anthologies and short story collections. First off, we’ll begin with definitions. I used to think those were interchangeable terms but I have come to realize they are not. Then, I’ll share with you some fabulous titles you might want to check out, including some really, really exceptional new releases. Then we’ll chat about some reasons why you should consider including more anthologies and short story collections in your school or classroom library. Definitions   According to my favorite dictionary (Merriam-Webster - mainly because they have a hilarious Twitter account!) an anthology is “a collection of selected literary pieces or passages or works of art or music” and then it goes on to say “a published collection of writings (such as poems or short stories) by different authors”   And that’s the key - anthologies include stories by different authors! The Guys Read Series is a good example of this.   On the other hand, a collection is a book of selected writings (maybe poems, maybe short stories, maybe essays…) all by the same author. Cynthia Rylant’s Every Living Thing is an example you might know.   But….I will say, I see those terms used as synonyms A LOT.   Fantastic Anthologies and Collections To Add to Your Library   And now - a selection - a sampling - a smorgasbord of anthologies and collections to add to your library or introduce to your children. And before we begin, I just want to give a huge thank you to everyone who offered ideas for this list when I put out a call on Twitter and Facebook for suggestions. In particular, you will not be surprised to know that Donalyn Miller was on it with a fabulous list of suggestions.   Let’s start with some classics and older releases.   Best Shorts: Favorite Short Stories to Share This anthology was but together by Avi and includes stories by Natalie Babbitt, Rafe Martin, Lloyd Alexander, and lots more.  And it includes a great mix of time travel, and animal stories, and legends and a touch of the supernatural. In particular, “The Woman in White” by Patricia McKissack is one to check out.   Every Living Thing by Cynthia Rylant This is a collection of 12 stories - each one about how people’s lives are changed by an animal. This is a classic collection - and if you have kids who are animal lovers, this is definitely one they might enjoy.   Gary Soto has a number of incredible collections - Baseball in April and Local News are among the ones that would be good for middle grade readers.   My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen Up until last year, Hatchet was on our 5th grade required reading list and for those kids that really connected with that book, this collection was a great next book for them. Each story centers around Paulsen’s relationship with a special dog in his life. So this are also great examples of smaller memoirs.   Another great dog anthology is Because of Shoe edited by Ann M. Martin who also contributes a piece. This one features nine fictional stories that appeal to a variety of age ranges.   The People Could Fly  by Virginia Hamilton Oh how I loved this book when it first came out! This is a collection of 24 retellings of black American folk tales - everything from animal stories to supernatural tales to stories of enslaved men and women seeking freedom.   In a similar vein, Patricia McKissack has two collections worth checking out -  Dark Thirty and it’s companion, which she wrote later, Porch Lies. Dark Thirty includes ten horror-themed stories with a Southern Historical flavor. And Porch Lies still has that eerie quality but also more humor.  If you have a child that likes the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Series, these would be a couple books to put in their hands next.   Then there is Red Ridin’ in the Hood by Patricia Santos Marcantonio. This one was strongly recommend by Matthew Winner and with one quick glance at the description online, I can see why. This is a collection of eleven classic fairy tales retold with a twist of Latino culture. Let me read you the description of the title story: "Red Ridin' in the Hood," moves the setting to the barrio, where Red decides to brave dangerous Forest Street in order to reach her abuelita and encounters the menacing wolf in a thumping Chevy lowrider.” I have GOT to get my hands on that!   If your students or children are into graphic novels, there are several really great collections.   The Comic Squad Series have been favorites with my 5th graders. Right now there are three of them - Recess, Lunch, and Detention which just came out last month so I need to pick that one up before heading back to school.   Also - definitely check out Fairy Tale Comics! This is a very cool collection with some awesomely weird stories in it. If your kids like that one, there is also Fable Comics and Nursery Rhyme Comics.   So - if your students and children are like mine, they LOVE the Amulet Series by Kazu Kibuishi. And I recently discovered - again thanks to Matthew Winner - that he has edited a series of graphic novel anthologies called the Explorer Series. (Why have I not heard of these before? They look incredible!) Each of the three books has a different theme. So the first is “Mystery Boxes”, the second is “Lost Islands” and the third one is “Hidden Doors”. The list of comic contributors is outstanding -  like Raina Telgemeier, Faith Erin Hicks, Dave Roman, Jen Wang…. I gotta go get these! Been There, Done That - is a really special anthology which has fictional stories by award-winning and best-selling authors and also includes the real-life story that inspired those narratives.  I LOVE how this could show kids how you can mine your own life for stories. This is one of those books that I’m like - how did this get by me? This is GREAT!   The Guys Read Series - This group of seven anthologies is edited by Jon Scieszka and each one has a different theme like Terrifying Tales, The Sports Pages, Other Worlds, Funny Business, and the most recent one Heroes & Villains. And, despite their name, they include stories by both men and women. For example, Dan Gutman, Kelly Barnhill, Matt de la Peña, Neal Shusterman, Shannon Hale, and so so many more!   And now onto some really fabulous new collections and anthologies that your kids are going to love.   The Time We Ran Away  - This anthology is put out by Scholastic and I think is offered as the free book for Book Club orders over $50 this September.  It includes eleven short stories by best-selling authors like Angela Cervantes, Sarah Weeks, and Dan Gemeinhart.  I can’t seem to find it anywhere else (yet) so I think you’re going to have to get this one through Scholastic for now. https://clubs.scholastic.com/the-time-we-ran-away-10-book-pack/9781338253467-rco-us.html   Flying Lessons   This anthology edited by Ellen Oh includes new stories by Kwame Alexander, Kelly Baptist, Tim Tingle, Grace Lin among so many others. It was released last January.  And I got it the day it came out and had wonderful intentions of reading it right away. And then - how can you say no to a line of kids reading over your shoulder and wanting to borrow it? So - all I can say is that what I read was good and it was passed from kid to kid to kid until school let out. Clearly - it’s a winner.   Another new anthology that I LOVED this summer was Our Story Begins: Your Favorite Authors and Illustrators Share Fun, Inspiring, and Occasionally Ridiculous Things They Wrote and Drew As Kids . Well - that pretty much says it all! This book is edited by Elissa Brent Weissman and I especially loved the images of the author’s hand written stories and diary entries and sketches from when they were young. And also hearing about the inspiration of a new typewriter or a teacher’s supportive comment on a report card or the chance to enter a writing contest. It’s fascinating to see the beginnings of these 25 writers’ journeys.     If you have students who like something a little dark, a little twisted - then Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods by Hal Johnson is one they are going to love being scared by. This collection is “20 Chilling Tales from the Wilderness”  told from the perspective of a cryptozoologist - a person who studies legendary beasts like Big Foot or the chupacabras. One reviewer called these “faux-lore” which is perfect.  My ten-year old and I really love listening to the podcast Lore together and I think this will really be up her alley. It comes out August 22nd so be on the lookout for that next week.   And finally - Funny Girl - edited by Betsy Bird. In fact, in our very next episode, I have the great pleasure of sharing with you a conversation with Betsy Bird about this book and LOTS of other things.  We talk a fair amount about it  in our interview so I think I’ll just say here that you should definitely go get it. It is truly laugh out loud funny. And oh do we need some humor in our lives. So definitely get this one and I’m...I’m hoping for a Volume 2! 7 Reasons Why You Should Include More Anthologies and Collections   I am going to say up front that I don’t have a ton of these in my classroom. But - I loved them as a child and I’ve noticed lately that my own daughters have been picking more and more of them up. I thought - I need to really expand that part of our library. So here are 7 reasons why you might want to consider including more anthologies and collections.   Anthologies are gateways to discovering other amazing authors. So a child might pick up Guys Read: Funny Business and be drawn to the Jeff Kinney story,  “Unaccompanied Minors” but then get introduced to the amazing Christopher Paul Curtis or David Lubar and suddenly discover their new favorite author. On the other hand, a collection of writing pieces all by one author is great when you want to go more in depth and dig into everything they have to offer. Often authors who are known for, say, novels or a certain genre - will play around in short pieces and try something new. Like poetry or a personal essay. I feel like a collection gives you a good sense of who an author is and more of a window into their life. Anyone who loves Gary Paulsen should read My Life in Dog Years. Anthologies and collections can help kids gain some reading traction if their stamina hasn’t been so great. They can get that satisfaction of finishing a story or an essay in a short amount of time and start to build up to longer texts. Especially at the beginning of the year or after a break, starting with something shorter can be a great idea. When I’ve had reading lulls in my ownlife, short stories can really kick-start me again. They are great for trying out new genres and new formats without the investment in a longer novel. My youngest daughter wouldn’t necessarily pick up a biography but she LOVED Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls. And although most of my students really love graphic novels, I’ve had more than few turn up their noses at that format. So I’ve handed them books like Comic Squad or Fairy Tale Comics and ask them to just try one story. Anthologies and collections introduce a greater variety of stories and perspectives into your life. On the last episode when I was chatting with Jillian Heise about #ClassroomBookADay, I was thinking about how reading a picture book each day can bring more so much more diversity into a classroom. And collections can do the same thing. In fact I was talking with my husband about this last night and he said it perfectly, “Would you rather get a box of all the same chocolates or would you rather get sampler with a dozen different flavors?” Yeah - I’m going for the flavors! And I might leave the cashew cluster for someone else, but that’s okay. Coming at this from a teacher’s point of view, reading the short stories and essays found in anthologies and collections are wonderful to offer as models for students’ own writing. With my 5th graders, we use the TCWRP Units of Study and our first writing unit is Narratives. And of course, I want to give them lots of examples and mentor texts. So I’ll take the first couple of weeks to read to them lots and lots of short narratives to really imprint in their mind what a good narrative sounds like and feels like. What the pacing and plotting is like in all kinds of narratives - from funny to serious. And finally - anthologies and collections are perfect for when you don’t want to jump into a long book yet or you only have little snippets of time to read.  I think they are great for traveling. If you’re on the bus or a plane, you can finish a full a story and don’t have to worry about rereading to pick back up the threads of a plot. In a classroom, if students are in book clubs and a couple members of the group have fallen behind in their reading and need to catch up, you don’t want the other students to start a new novel. So offering them a book like Flying Solo or Funny Girl is a great option. Closing   Okay - that wraps up our show this week. We have some great interviews and book talks coming up. Next week is the amazing Betsy Bird. And after that you can look forward to a conversations with Celia Perez about The First Rule of Punk and Danielle Davis - author of Zinnia and the Bees. I’ll also be chatting about Jason Reynold’s Patina and some really great new graphic novels. So be on the lookout for those.   And, if you have a question or an idea about a topic we should cover, I would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or connect on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between.   Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can find an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show along with all of our previous episodes at AlltheWonders.com.     And, if you like what you hear and value the podcast, please leave a quick review or rating on iTunes or Stitcher.   Thanks again and see you soon!  Bye!

Hello everyone! It has been a complete joy to release this two-part episode with Donalyn Miller. Donalyn is one of my biggest inspirations as a teacher. She changed the way I teach my students, and she is one of the "real deals" in education. I hope you have enjoyed this opener of season 2 as much as I have making it. In this episode, we dive even deeper in the weeds of an independent reading classroom, touching on conferencing, limiting reading selections, research supporting independent reading...and much...MUCH MORE (including one of the best rants I have ever heard in support of letting children read.) I can't stress enough how much you need to hear, and share, this episode. Donalyn Miller has taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grade language arts and social studies in the Fort Worth, TX area and was a finalist for 2010 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. In her popular book, The Book Whisperer , Donalyn reflects on her journey to become a reading teacher and describes how she inspires and motivates her middle school students to read 40 or more books a year. In her latest book, Reading in the Wild , Donalyn collects responses from 900 adult readers and uses this information to teach lifelong reading habits to her students. Donalyn is the founder of the annual #bookaday event and co-host the monthly Twitter chat, #titletalk. Her articles about teaching and reading have appeared in publications such as Education Week Teacher, The Reading Teacher, Educational Leadershipand The Washington Post. Enjoy. I have. Thank you for listening and supporting this podcast!

Hello everyone! It's finally here, episode 29, the first episode of season 2 of Teach Me, Teacher, and it is my biggest privilege to bring you Donalyn Miller for the two-part opener of the season. I mention Donalyn Miller more times than I can count on the show, and it was just amazing to sit down and talk with her for an hour and half about creating readers, the research behind independent reading, and everything in-between. If you are an ELAR teacher, you need this episode in your life. If you're not, you need to hear what she has to say about literacy and its role in the classroom. It's that simple. Donalyn Miller has taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grade language arts and social studies in the Fort Worth, TX area and was a finalist for 2010 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. In her popular book, The Book Whisperer , Donalyn reflects on her journey to become a reading teacher and describes how she inspires and motivates her middle school students to read 40 or more books a year. In her latest book, Reading in the Wild , Donalyn collects responses from 900 adult readers and uses this information to teach lifelong reading habits to her students. Donalyn is the founder of the annual #bookaday event and co-host the monthly Twitter chat, #titletalk. Her articles about teaching and reading have appeared in publications such as Education Week Teacher, The Reading Teacher, Educational Leadershipand The Washington Post. Enjoy!

Intro Hi and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect middle grade kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love.  I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a mom of an 8 and 10 year old, a teacher to eighteen 11 year olds, and we are all in the home stretch for summer vacation. It’s almost here. And - if any of you of are headed to the ALA Conference in Chicago this summer, I will be be there on Saturday and Sunday to interview author Mira Bartok about her new middle grade book The Wonderling. So - if you will be there, look for that and I hope we can meet in person. This is Episode #26 and Today I am welcoming author Caroline Starr Rose to the show and then in honor of Father’s Day coming up, chatting about some of our favorite fictional dads and two fabulous new books featuring awesome fathers. But first I am excited to tell you that today’s episode is supported by OwlCrate Jr. - a book subscription box just for kids 8-12. My daughters and I have been loving it! Every month has a different theme and it is such a treat to have a package waiting on your doorstep with a box full of - not only an awesome newly released book but fun little items all connected to the theme of that middle grade book.  If you head over to owlcrate.com you can see some samples of past boxes, and if you use the code BOOKSBETWEEN, you can save 15%. I hope you check them out - I really think you’re going to love it!   This week I am welcoming to the show Caroline Starr Rose - author of the recently released middle grade historical adventure Jasper and the Riddle of Riley’s Mine. We chat about the inspirations behind her latest novel, encouraging kids to read more, and we reminisce about Little House on the Prairie. Caroline Starr Rose - Interview Outline  Your latest middle grade novel, Jasper and The Riddle of Riley’s Mine, was just released this past February. Is this your first novel that is not written in verse? Tell us about this new historical adventure - what is Jasper & the Riddle of Riley’s Mine about?   One of the things I really loved about this book was they way the boys speak - using “ain’t” and “them” instead of “those”, “it’s his own dern fault”... How did you capture the voices of Jasper and Melvin? I just noticed that you have a new picture book on the Pony Express coming out this fall, yes?  I saw that you taught Social Studies and English.   A lot of our listeners who are teachers and librarians and homeschooling parents are always trying to find ways to connect subjects to really maximize the limited time we all have. When you were teaching full time, how were you connecting social studies and English? Is there anything that you used to do as a teacher that now, looking back - you regret?   Anything you would go back and change? Even though you aren’t in the classroom anymore, your passion for connecting readers and educators with the right book is clear. I especially love the “Classroom Connections” section on your website where you interview authors about their books and include a specific section on how that book would be a good fit in a classroom. How do you think that we as parents and teachers can raise kids who love reading? How is having a teenager reader different than having a middle grade reader at home? As someone who has gone through those years and is now out the other side, what can we expect?   You recently posted on your website a quote from Donalyn Miller (one of my inspirations as well!). It said, “I am as much a composite of all the book characters I have loved as of the people I have met.” Which book characters are you a composite of?  What have you been reading lately that you’ve liked?   Book Talk - Two Novels Featuring Fantastic Fathers In this section of the show, I share with you a few books centered around a theme and discuss three things to love about each book. This week, with Father’s Day coming up, I thought I would focus on books with great dads. I know it’s such a trope with kids books that the parents get killed off or are otherwise out of the picture so that the main characters can go off on adventures unimpeded, but we’re breaking away from those books today. First, I’ll go into some detail about two newer releases that I have been loving - Amina’s Voice and Beyond the Bright Sea. And then chat about other favorite dads from both modern and classic books. Amina’s Voice This week I am starting with Amina’s Voice by an author who is new to middle grade - Hena Khan. This is a lovely and heartfelt story about a Pakistani-American Muslim girl, Amina, who is trying to navigate the complicated tides of middle school friendship where old friends are changing and old adversaries might be changing, too. Amina also has to deal with her rather traditional and more strict uncle visiting their family and figuring out for herself how to express her beliefs and culture. Here are three things to love about Amina’s Voice: Amina’s family! Her father - who is rather strict, does NOT care if he embarasses his kids by asking a million questions at Open House, but stands up for his daughter at a moment when she needs it. At first I wasn’t sure about him, but oh he grew on me! Her mom, who spends days preparing tons of traditional Pakistani food for their visiting uncle. That doesn’t quite go as planned. And Amina’s older brother, Mustafa, whose interest in trying out for the basketball team instead of joining something like Chess Club causes some friction at home. There was so much to relate to in those family moments in Amina’s Voice. That ending! I don’t want to give away too much but something bad happens in Amina’s Muslim community and the way things come together in the end makes me wish that every kid could read this story as a template of what to do in that kind of situation. It  didn’t shy away from difficult realities or make problems seem easy to solve yet it was uplifting and perfect. That this novel offers Muslim students and students from the Middle East with a main character whose background and customs might be a reflection of their own, or have pieces they can relate to. I so wish that I had this book six years ago to offer to my own Amina. She was a student of mine when I taught 6th grade and Muslim. And may have connected to this Amina’s story but she was from Bosnia so although the religious details about the Imam and Sunday school and learning passages from the Quran may have been a connection, the food and other cultural details might not have been. So while this book is absolutely a great addition to any library, I just hope that people don’t stop there and think they’ve covered a niche. It’s one girl’s story and I just can’t wait to see what else this new imprint of Simon & Schuster, Salaam Reads, will bring to the kidlit community so we have more and more stories to offer kids.     Beyond the Bright Sea Our second book this week is Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk whose novel Wolf Hollow won a Newbery Honor last year. And this book is, I think, another contender. It reminded me a little bit of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society with a touch of Orphan Island in there. This book about a 12 year old girl called Crow who as an infant washed ashore in an old boat on one of the Elizabeth Islands off the coast of Massachusetts. She is now 12 and being raised by a reclusive fisherman and painter who she calls Osh. And the other people on this tiny close-knit island essentially shun her and will not touch her or touch anything she has touched because they think she came from Penikese Island - the nearby leper colony. And this chain of events suddenly takes off when Crow sees a fire on that nearby island and starts to get curious about where she came from. It’s so good! Here are three things to love about Beyond the Bright Sea.   The timeless quality of the setting. It reminded me of Pax in that way because there are very few clues at first in the way the islanders dress or how technology is described. Eventually, you do discover precisely when everything is happening but the journey of figuring that out is part of what I liked about the book. It brought to light some real history.  It took me until half-way through to realize that the leper hospital described in the novel actually existed. And they did really dynamite it and burn it down and transform it into a bird sanctuary for awhile. But the small cemetery does remain. I love a book that brings to light a forgotten story from history. Crow’s adoptive father who she calls Osh. He has his own secrets, his own complicated backstory, but his quiet, earnest protection of her makes you love him immediately. He’s from another land, speaks in a native language that no one on this New England island knows and we really feel for him as he is so deeply afraid of losing Crow - the one thing that has keep him anchored and steady. And as she ventures out to attempt to find her parents, it’s hard for him at first. And - I don’t want to spoil anything for you but oh when you find out what his name means…. Love him!   Both Amina’s Voice and Beyond the Bright Sea are outstanding reads. If you have a kid who enjoyed Finding Perfect or Like Magic or Sticks & Stones - Amina’s Voice would be great next book to introduce them to. And if you have a child who enjoyed Midnight Without a Moon or Wolf Hollow - Beyond the Bright Sea might be the perfect next book.   Q & A Our third and final segment this week is Question & Answer time.  Question: This question stems from a conversation I had with some students who have started to notice that in lots of books they are reading the parents are missing, dead, or otherwise out of the picture. So that had me thinking about counter examples and I came up with some but wanted other opinions, too. So I put the question out there on social media and asked: “Which middle grade books have you read that had great dads?”   Answer: And actually - there were a ton! Let’s start with some classics: Obviously one of the first mentioned was Ramona and Her Father. Loved him! I still remember that scene when he’s trying to draw his foot… Pa Ingalls from the Little House series Mr. Weasley from Harry Potter - such an honorable man who took on so much risk to protect Harry And some more modern novels with dads we love: Papa (Hans Hubermann) from The Book Thief is one of my all-time favorite fathers And one new book that came up over and over again and one that has been a classroom favorite with my 5ths is The Crossover - what a great relationship he had with his twin boys. Another book that was mentioned a lot was The Family Fletcher series and the two awesome dads heading up that family. I haven’t read it yet but that title is moving up my TBR list. Melanie Conklin’s Counting Thyme and the newly released Moon Shadow by Erin Downing are both books that I’ve been dying to read that so many mentioned as having a great fathers. The dad from Gertie’s Leap to Greatness and the dad in The Penderwicks and Mr. Pullman from Wonder and the dad from Ida B and Wolf Hollow!   I know there are tons and tons more - so I hope you jump on social media share your favorite middle grade dads. Closing Alright - that wraps up our show this week. If you have a question or an idea about a topic we should cover, I would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between. Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can find an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show along with all of our previous episodes at AlltheWonders.com. And thanks again to OwlCrateJr for supporting the podcast this month - don’t forget to head over to owlcrate.com and use code BOOKSBETWEEN to get 15% percent off your subscription! And, if you are liking the show, please help others find us too by telling a friend, sharing on social media, or leaving a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks again and see you soon!  Bye!   Episode Links: Caroline's Official Website: https://carolinestarrrose.com Jasper and the Riddle of Riley's Mine Teaching Guide Where in the World Are We Reading? Activity Stone Mirrors: The Sculpture and Silence of Edmond Lewis (Jeannine Atkins) Wonder: A novel (Emma Donoghue) Insight (Tasha Eurich) Three Pennies (Melanie Crowder)  

Intro   Hi and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who loves middle grade books.  I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a mom of two daughters and a 5th grade teacher in Central New York. My goal is to help you find fabulous books for your kids and help create a community where we all can support each other as we build those readers.   This is Episode #19 and today we are discussing ways to get away from reading logs and featuring three incredible science fiction/fantasy graphic novels.   Main Topic - Rethinking Reading Logs   Our main topic today is rethinking reading logs. This topic has been on my mind for a couple of years but I recently got fired up about it again when I came across a great article by Shaelynn Farnsworth called “6 Alternatives to Reading Logs”. (As always, I’ll link to that in the show notes.)   First, we’ll define what a reading log is, chat about why they are popular and sometimes valuable, we’ll discuss some potential problems with traditional reading logs, and then I’ll share eleven great alternatives that you can start using tomorrow.   What is a Reading Log? Traditionally, reading logs are a worksheet where students record the titles of books they’ve read, including a daily tally of minutes or pages. Usually, teachers ask parents to sign them. For example, my 2nd grade daughter has a weekly sheet where she colors in a box for every ten minutes she’s read at home. She writes a reflection on the bottom and we’re supposed to sign it every week. Lately this kind of reading log has gotten some pushback - from both teachers and parents. You probably have an opinion about them.   Why are Reading Logs popular? What’s the purpose and the benefit? Some of it may have to do with teachers just going on autopilot and using practices they are familiar with from colleagues or their own schooling. That’s why I used them for so long. I think also we teachers are looking for tangible evidence that kids are reading and reading outside of school. Also, reading logs are a way to communicate the importance of reading to students and parents and an attempt to get families involved in nightly reading routines. Because many strong readers do record at least some aspects of their reading, and we have this instinct to track habits we want to encourage in ourselves - your eating habits or steps on a Fitbit. Also - sometimes Reading Logs are used to try to motivate kids to read more and to award prizes. I think that can work for short periods of time - we recently had a two week reading challenge at my school where everyone - kids and staff - were challenged to read 100,000  minutes in two weeks. It was quick and fun but not for the whole year. Tracking reading can be a powerful tool when kids know the purpose and it’s for their own reflections and not a “gotcha”. If you want to learn more about some authentic ways to track reading, we covered that in Episode 8. I’ll drop a link to that in the show notes or you can just scroll back down in your app after you’re done with this episode.   What are some downsides to Reading Logs? Reading Logs - especially the year long parent signed minute tracking type can be problematic. You and I know that lots of them are faked. Heck - I’ve even “fudged” my own children’s! Now - to be clear - I didn’t lie about how many minutes she read or faked a signature or added on more time. But sometimes it got to be Sunday night and we’d forgotten to jot down the minutes and so we’d estimate how much she read each night and use different colored pens so it’s not obvious we filled it all in the night before. If I am doing that, you know for darn sure that most families are doing something similar at least some of the time. And if there’s a penalty for not turning them in, it creates a situation where kids are punished for home environments that make it difficult for them to get daily signatures. And it can create contention at home. And I never want reading time to be a battle. Also - when the numbers of minutes or books read are publically displayed with a child’s name attached  - that can be embarrassing for kids. I have a FitBit and I am trying to get in more steps daily. I recognize that my health is important, but I’m not doing great with that yet. Do I want my stats posted all over the walls of the school for everyone to see? No - I do not. So please don’t do that to kids.   What can we do instead? Because responding to reading, signaling the value of reading, and getting students, families, and communities involved in building reading habits are worthy goals. I’m coming at this from a place of wanting to do better myself and specifically to use more technology.  So here are 11 ideas you can start using tomorrow instead of reading logs: Reading Journals Have children keep a journal of their reading instead. Keep it simple and have them record a quick thought about their reading a few times a week and then share. That’s even more powerful if you keep a reading journal, too! Status Updates Do a daily “Status of the Class” where each kid (and yourself) does a quick share of the title, page number and what’s happening in the book they are currently reading. For my class, that’s our daily routine after lunch as kids are getting resettled. Quotes Have students share thought-provoking quotes from their novels or powerful facts from their nonfiction reading on a “Graffiti wall”. Basically you dedicate a white board or put up some black bulletin board paper and get some fun markers and have your class (and you!) mark down your thoughts.  Status of the Class and the Graffiti wall, I think were both originally mentioned in Donalyn Miller’s The Book Whisperer.  If you have not read that book yet, please please go do that before anything else. Books Talks Invite students to give brief book talks sharing and promoting books they’ve recently read. Often, kids are going to listen to their peers more than you. I like this idea because it helps them practice showing excitement about books, and I hope they’ll carry that enthusiasm out into the world and feel more comfortable talking up books with their family and friends because they’ve practiced doing that in the classroom. Blogging Get students blogging about their books and reading lives. There are so many possibilities here: book reviews, top ten lists - or top 3 lists (keep it simple!), drawings, you know those BuzzFeed quizzes that ask you which Harry Potter character are you most like? Students could make their own! There are so many cool things kids could do that if you just put it out into the world with a real audience, their engagement and incentive to actually do deep reading and quality work will go up. For me, this is my main goal the rest of this school year. And I am inspired by fellow teachers who have spoken about the powerful things that happen when outside people and authors comment on those blog posts and engage with their students. Seesaw - I have fallen in love with this app. It’s awesome. Essentially it’s a digital portfolio that students all ages can use. It’s free and kids can get to it on tablets, phones, computers, or Chromebooks. The feed can stay private to your class or be published on a blog. There are SO many ways kids can respond to reading with Seesaw - I’ll just name a few.  They could take a picture of themselves holding their current read and then add an audio clip of them reading aloud a favorite scene. They could snap a picture of a page and annotate it with drawing tools - maybe circling some powerful language or a favorite quote. They could record a video of themselves doing a booktalk. It’s an incredible tool. Social Media Have students share their thoughts about their personal reading on Social Media - whether that’s a class Twitter account, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat - and whatever else is the next new thing! You could have kids snap a pic of the cover of their book and write a 140 character review. Or share a powerful quote. If they have photo editing software or are using Seesaw, they could mark it up and annotate it. In Shaelynn Farnsworth’s article “6 Alternatives to Reading Logs”, she mentions the hashtag #BookSnaps to connect with other readers and for you adults listening - check it out to get some really game-changing ideas. I want to make sure to mention #BookSnap founder Tara Martin - she’s my exciting new Twitter Professional Development find this week so absolutely go follow her and get inspired. Interviews - Students can interview a classmate (or sibling or parent) about a favorite book or a current read. Come up with a couple questions, record the interview in a journal, or record a video, and share. This one takes more time and you probably won’t be to do it everyday but it’s a fun way - maybe every month or every quarter -  to change it up and have kids practice having conversations with each other about books and reading. Online Trackers - Instead of a traditional reading log, have students track their reading on a site like Biblionasium or if their older, Goodreads. These are sites where kids can make recommendations, write reviews, participate in challenges, and really take something boring and dry and turn it into a practice that can last beyond the school year. Book Trailers - This is a huge favorite. Have kids create a video promoting a book they love. If they can share it with a wider audience than just your classroom, even better. Pictures from Parents & Family - A couple weeks ago we had a week long Winter Break at my school. And the day before, I sent an email home asking families to send me a funny or interesting or cozy picture of their kid reading over winter break. I just did it on whim, and honestly - I wasn’t expecting too much. BUT - over break, my email box was flooded with pictures of kids reading in snow forts, reading to their little sister or their puppy - one boy was reading on the ferry with the Statue of Liberty in the background. I was crying over these pictures - I was so moved by how many families embraced this and were joyful about sharing those images with me. Now we are going to take those photos and make a video to promote reading in our school.   I hope that you were also inspired by these ideas and now have a seed of something exciting you want to try in your school or with your kids. Some of these ideas I’ve been doing, but I’m starting to see that any one of them will eventually lose its appeal and it’s good to have a variety so kids can see all different ways that reading can be important in their lives and maybe they’ll carry on one of these ideas on their own. And as always, we are learning together and helping each other out, so please share with us your ideas for alternatives to traditional reading logs.  You can tag me on Twitter, Instagram, and now Facebook - our handle is @books_between or email me at booksbetween@gmail.com and I’d love to share your fabulous ideas. Book Talk - Three Amazing Science Fiction / Fantasy Graphic Novels   In this section of the show, I share with you three books centered around a theme and discuss three things to love about each book. This week is all about the graphic novel - specifically science fiction / fantasy graphic novels. And I can attest - these books are going to be winners in your classroom, library, or home. They are Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi, Hilo by Judd Winick, and the newly released One Trick Pony by Nathan Hale.   Amulet   I am starting with Amulet. I am going to admit that I was slow to the Amulet series and didn’t even have a set in my classroom until this year. I know, I know - how I could have overlooked this series is, in hindsight, beyond me. But at some point last summer a friend chided me saying, “Really, you teach 5th grade and don’t have Amulet in your room?” She was right!  Alright - some background about the plot. The story revolves around a young girl named Emily.  After a horrific family tragedy in which her father dies, she and her younger brother Navin and their mom move to a mysterious house once owned by Emily’s eccentric - and missing - great-grandfather. While cleaning up and investigating the house, Emily and her brother find a powerful amulet, end up trapped in another dimension, and have to save their mother from a gruesome tentacled monster - all while fighting their own monsters along the way. With some help from some unexpected, umm….  creatures. Here are three things to love about Amulet:   The color palette. This is just a gorgeous book to immerse yourself in! There are cool shades of blues and grays, touches of teals mixed with warm ambers and browns and pinks. Like the colors of a hazy sunset over a blue-gray ocean. Just vibrant, rich warm and cool colors playing off each other. The creatures and plants in the Amulet world are COOL. Giant pink parachuting mushrooms, a skulking silver eyed elvish villain, adorable rose colored slugs, a menagerie of weird robots, and an unexpected pink bunny(?) named Miskit. I think he’s a bunny - my students thought he was a robot maybe I’m wrong there.     How completely Amulet sucks kids in. When I was basically TOLD to get this series for my students, I had planned to read book one first. Uh - no. They immediately snagged it from me and from there every book in the series was passed from kid to kid to kid - this web of children all connecting around this one incredible story. At one point in my class, over half my students were reading an Amulet book. It’s one of those moments in your class when you see them forming a community of readers and it just makes your heart sing. So - finally, last week, most of my class was far enough into the series that book one, which is called The Stonekeeper by the way, was finally available. I took it home before anyone could snag it again. And my 9 year old swiped it from the coffee table. And my 7 year old snatched it after that. Honestly, it’s a miracle I’ve gotten to finish the thing!   Amulet is clearly a must-have graphic novel for any classroom library grades 3-8. It’s kind of like a mix between Journey to the Center of the Earth and Zita the Space Girl. And - a bit of advice. Don’t even bother just getting book one - get the whole series because you and your kids won’t be able to stop.   Hilo   Our next science fiction graphic novel is Judd Winick’s Hilo. This is a fun, fast-paced, sometimes wonderfully silly series of three books (so far!) about a young kid named DJ who discovers a robot boy, called Hilo, who fell to earth. And DJ and his friend, Gina, have to help this kid figure out who he is and what he’s doing on Earth. And of course - have awesome adventures fighting off menacing robots. My kids and my students really enjoy these graphic novels. Here are three reasons why we all love Hilo:   The diverse cast of human characters. Our main guy is DJ Lim - an Asian-American kid surrounded by high-achieving siblings and just discovering his own confidence. The story is told from his point of view. The scenes at DJ’s home with his family are some of my favorite parts. His best friend is an African American girl named Gina. It’s nice for middle grade kids to see a strong friendship between a boy and girl. And Gina has some similar struggles going on with her family. She also feels a bit in the shadow of her driven cheerleading twin sisters. DJ and Gina make a great duo. The “fish out of water” details in the story. Hilo is a robot from another dimension who looks and sorta acts like a boy, but he doesn’t really know his powers and certainly doesn’t know how to behave in the human world. Or at school. He is very, uh enthusiastic about eating weird combinations of food like rice and milk - and he’s enthusiastic and loud about everything really! He takes apart DJ’s dad’s car and paints his house polka dots. The humor and hilarious catch-phrases. Hilo shows up wearing silver underwear  - at one point his head flies off his body. There are fart and burp jokes galore and Hilo loves the words Outstanding and Hazzah! Really  you’ll be smiling through this whole book.   Judd Winick’s Hilo series is cheerful, positive, laugh-out-loud funny and great for kids who love books like Big Nate and Bone. It’s kind of like a cross between Calvin & Hobbes and Mork and Mindy. One Trick Pony   Our final featured sci fi / fantasy graphic novel is one that I have been waiting and waiting to read. It is called One Trick Pony - by Nathan Hale. You might know Mr. Hale from his awesome Hazardous Tales historical graphic novel series. If you don’t - you’re gonna love those too! This novel is set in a post-apocalyptic near future where alien invaders are devouring every last trace of human-made metals and electronic devices. All that’s left of humanity are small bands of survivors trying to outwit and outrun the aliens.  The main character is a girl named Strata who finds  a beautiful and rare robot pony when she’s out scavenging with her brother and her friend. Strata insists on keeping the horse even though the presence of something technical makes them a target of the aliens who are soon chasing after them. Here are three things to love about One Trick Pony: Kleidi, the robot pony. She is gorgeously golden and pops out in Nathan Hale’s distinctive two tone yellow/gray coloring for this novel. She adds comic relief when she only listens to Strata and no one else. And plays a surprising role at the end of the book. I gotta say, the ending shocked me - in a good way. It took a twist I was not expecting at all. The aliens. These are seriously scary multi-limbed, disjointed, frightening giant blobbing aliens called Pipers that release bubbles to capture electronics they scavenge from the earth. And if you’re holding to that technology - you could lose your limb. They are like a cross between the creature from the Alien movie and an Hieronymous Bosch painting. It’s creepy good! The concept of the caravan. The main character, Strata, lives with this traveling band of “digital rescuers” who save data and technological devices before the aliens can get to it in the hopes that one day civilization can be rekindled. That idea is so, so powerful and timely when you think of efforts to suppress scientific data now. Our own digital rescuers are heroes. I know all you teachers and librarians and book lovers listening can relate when I say that the burning of the library at Alexandria stills shatters a part of my soul to think of all that knowledge lost. And I love how Nathan Hale captured that concept in this graphic novel.   In One Trick Pony, Nathan Hale has masterfully combined two seemingly disparate elements - a girl and her pony story and a fierce science fiction battle book. And it is wonderful! It releases tomorrow - Tuesday, March 14th so go treat your kid, your class, yourself with this fabulous book. Closing   Alright - that’s it for our show this week. If you have a question about how to connect middle grade readers to books they will love or an idea about a guest we should have or a topic we should cover, I really love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between.   Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can get find a transcript of this show and all of our previous episodes at AlltheWonders.com. While you are there, check out the recent post featuring 20 Books About Refugee & Immigrant Experiences. And, if you are liking the show, please help others find us too by telling a friend, sharing on social media, or leaving a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks again and see you in two weeks!  Bye!     http://alicekeeler.com/2017/01/30/6-alternatives-reading-logs-shfarnsworth/   http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780470372272   http://www.tarammartin.com/resources/booksnaps-how-to-videos/   http://www.allthewonders.com/books/books-for-better-stories-of-immigrants-and-refugees/  

In the sixth edition of our Kids & Family Reading Report, we asked U.S. parents and children about their attitudes and behaviors around reading books for fun, and now the results are in! Key findings reveal what kids and parents look for in children's books, the increase in reading aloud to children from an early age, the inequities around access to books in the home, and more. View all our findings and learn more about the methodology behind the survey at scholastic.com/readingreport. Be sure to keep an eye out for forthcoming episodes diving more deeply into the topics of reading aloud and summer reading! Guests:  Kristen Harmeling is a senior vice president at YouGov, a third-party, international market research firm, and the manager of the Kids & Family Reading Report national project.  Donalyn Miller has taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grade language arts and social studies in the Fort Worth, TX, area and was a finalist for 2010 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. She is a reading advocate, the author of two professional books, The Book Whisperer and Reading in the Wild, and a reading ambassador for Scholastic Book Fairs. Deimosa Webber-Bey is the Library Manager at Scholastic and responsible for the corporate archive, readers advisory, cataloging, and the employee book club. She also taught for several years in public schools in Queens, Brooklyn, Albuquerque, and the Pueblo of Jemez. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan  Produced by Emily Morrow    

In the sixth edition of our Kids & Family Reading Report, we asked U.S. parents and children about their attitudes and behaviors around reading books for fun, and now the results are in! Key findings reveal what kids and parents look for in children's books, the increase in reading aloud to children from an early age, the inequities around access to books in the home, and more. View all our findings and learn more about the methodology behind the survey at scholastic.com/readingreport. Be sure to keep an eye out for forthcoming episodes diving more deeply into the topics of reading aloud and summer reading! Guests:  Kristen Harmeling is a senior vice president at YouGov, a third-party, international market research firm, and the manager of the Kids & Family Reading Report national project.  Donalyn Miller has taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grade language arts and social studies in the Fort Worth, TX, area and was a finalist for 2010 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. She is a reading advocate, the author of two professional books, The Book Whisperer and Reading in the Wild, and a reading ambassador for Scholastic Book Fairs. Deimosa Webber-Bey is the Library Manager at Scholastic and responsible for the corporate archive, readers advisory, cataloging, and the employee book club. She also taught for several years in public schools in Queens, Brooklyn, Albuquerque, and the Pueblo of Jemez. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan  Produced by Emily Morrow    

Welcome to Episode 11 of the Nerdy Bookcast–the final episode of Season 1! Today on the show, Colby Sharp and Kevin Carlson debrief Season 1 and preview Season 2, a post from book-loving teacher Ann DiBella, book talks from Donalyn Miller of some books she would seek out in a bookstore. Today s episode:   Season 1 is a Wrap! Thank you for very much for listening! The Post Ann Byler DiBella tweets at @ann_dibella and @cwe_library. “Eleanor and Park Came to Our Wedding” appeared on the Nerdy Bookclub on March 5, 2015. The posts you hear on The Nerdy Bookcast originally appeared on The Nerdy Bookclub. The Book Talks In this episode, Donalyn book talks three titles that are the kinds of books she would seek out in a book store… The Nameless City, by Faith Erin Hicks.  Color by Jordie Bellaire Scythe, by Neil Shusterman The Plot to Kill Hitler: Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Unlikely Hero, by Patricia McCormick If you enjoy the Nerdy Bookcast, please share it with you friends.  And, as Colby says, “Thanks for being Nerdy.” Thank you for listening to Season 1 of the Nerdy Bookcast! We will be back with Season 2 in March!   The post Season 1 is a Wrap – The Nerdy Bookcast appeared first on Teacher Learning Sessions.

Reading Specialist, Donalyn Miller shares ways to help our children become lifelong readers. And BYU Humanities Professor, Kerry Soper, discusses how Comics can help us better understand the world.

This week on Mom Talk Radio, Alma Gottlieb, co-author of A World of Babies: Imagined Childcare Guides for Eight Societies, shares what American parents can learn from reading about parenting in other parts of the world. Spotlight on Moms features Tiffani Greenaway of MyMommyVents.com. Donalyn Miller, national ambassador for independent reading at Scholastic, offers tips for encouraging reading at home. Dr. Anette Edens, author of From Monsters to Miracles, shares tips about how to avoid raising entitled kids. Pediatric psychologist, Dr. Brittany Garcia, shares the consequences of cell phone addiction.

Welcome to Episode 9 of the Nerdy Bookcast! Today on the show, a post from writer, blogger, and educator Jen Vincent, book talks from Donalyn Miller of some short books to help build students' reading stamina and confidence, and a bonus podcast episode from the Teacher Learning Sessions. Today s episode:   All Books Count. Thank you for very much for listening! The Post All Books Count is by writer, blogger, and educator Jen Vincent, who lets her kids pick out any books they want at bedtime, even SpongeBob Squarepants, as long as they let her pick a book to read aloud, too. She is a Technology Integration specialist in a small, diverse, K-8 district in a northern suburb of Chicago.  She tweets at @mentortexts and blogs at http://www.teachmentortexts.com. “All Books Count” appeared on the Nerdy Bookclub on April 21, 2014. The posts you hear on The Nerdy Bookcast originally appeared on The Nerdy Bookclub. The book talks Some short books! Full of Beans, by Jennifer L. Holm. You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen, by Carole Boston Weatherford. Just My Luck (Zack Delacruz, Book 2), by Jeff Anderson. Garvey's Choice, by Nikki Grimes. The bonus Another podcast produced by The Teacher Learning Sessions is Teachers Ask Jen Serravallo.  In it, Jen answers real questions from real teachers to help them in their classrooms and in their work with kids.  We wanted to share an episode of Teachers Ask Jen Serravallo that is related to the theme of this week's Nerdy Bookcast in which Jen answers a question about increasing students' reading stamina.  We hope the show is helpful for you and, if you like it, that you will check out other episodes and subscribe to it in iTunes.  Thank you for checking it out! If you enjoy the Nerdy Bookcast, please share it with you friends.  And, as Colby says, “Thanks for being Nerdy.” The post All Books Count – The Nerdy Bookcast appeared first on Teacher Learning Sessions.

Welcome to Episode 8 of the Nerdy Bookcast! Today on the show, you will get to hear a the Nerd Talk that Pernille Ripp shared the this year s nErDcampMI.  And, the serendipity of Donalyn Miller s book shelf in this week s book talks. Today s episode:   Helping Engage Disengaged Readers. Thank you for very much for listening! The Post Actually it s a Nerd Talk from Pernille Ripp, shared at nErDcampMI in July, 2016. Pernille Ripp is a teacher, speaker, author, blogger, and passionate advocate for education.  She is a proud member of the Educator Collaborative, a global think tank and professional development organization, working to innovate the ways educators learn together. In 2010, Pernille founded The Global Read Aloud, a global literacy initiative that began with a simple goal in mind: one book to connect the world. The GRA has grown to connect more than 1,000,000 students in 60 different countries. She is the author of Passionate Learners How to Engage and Empower Your Students, now in its second edition, and Empowered Schools, Empowered Students, both focusing on creating learning spaces and communities where students thrive and all stakeholders are empowered and passionate about learning. Her work has also been featured by many print and online journals including Edutopia, School Library Journal, The Guardian, and MiddleWeb. Pernille s newest book is Reimagining Literacy Through Global Collaboration is out for pre-order with a birthdate of January 20th, 2017. You can learn more on Pernille s blog: Blogging Through The Fourth Dimension The posts you hear on The Nerdy Bookcast originally appeared on The Nerdy Bookclub. The book talks Where the Sea Turned to Silver, by Grace Lin Irena's Children: Young Readers Edition; A True Story of Courage, by Tilar J. Mazzeo Rise of the Lioness: Restoring a Habitat and its Pride on the Liuwa Plains, by Bradley Hague Sam the Man and the Chicken Plan, by Frances O Roark Dowell The post Helping Engage Disengaged Readers – The Nerdy BookCast appeared first on Teacher Learning Sessions.

Welcome to Episode 6 of the Nerdy Bookcast! Today on the show, a post from Indiana librarian and educator Kathy Burnett, and Book Talks from Donalyn Miller of some titles about death and loss. Today s episode:   Solace and Joy. Thank you for very much for listening! The Post “Solace and Joy,” by Kathy Burnette Kathy Burnette, self-described “Reader. Librarian. YA/MG Reviewer. Coffee Drinker. Mom,” can be found and connected with her through her blog, The Brain Lair. Solace and Joy appeared on the Nerdy Bookclub on December 8, 2011. The posts you hear on The Nerdy Bookcast originally appeared on The Nerdy Bookclub. The book talks The Boy in the Black Suit, by Jason Reynolds. Applesauce Weather, by Helen Frost. How to Avoid Extinction, by Paul Acampora.   If you enjoy the Nerdy Bookcast, please share it with you friends.  And as Colby says, “Thanks for being Nerdy.” The post Solace and Joy. The Nerdy Bookcast appeared first on Teacher Learning Sessions.

Welcome to Episode 4 of the Nerdy Bookcast! Today on the show, you will get to hear a post from Michigan principal Jim Bailey, eavesdrop on conversation between Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp that was recorded last spring when Donalyn visited Colby s school and his students were at special, and Book Talks of the titles in this year s Global Read Aloud from the creator of the Global Read Aloud herself, Pernille Ripp. Today s episode:   Changing the World One Book and One Reader at a Time. Thank you for very much for listening! The Post “Curing the Reading GERM, by Jim Bailey Jim Bailey is the principal at Hemmeter Elementary in Saginaw, Michigan.  He has a passion for helping all students become lifelong readers.  Jim spends his time reading, cheering on the Detroit Tigers, and enjoying time with his family (wife, Laura, and two sons, Evan and Griffin).  He is an all-around nerd who probably spends too much time obsessing over Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Clash of Clans, and comic books.  You can follow him on Twitter as @jcbailey3. Curing the Reading GERM appeared on the Nerdy Bookclub on February 8, 2015. The posts you hear on The Nerdy Bookcast originally appeared on The Nerdy Bookclub.   The book talks The Titles for the 2016 Global Read Aloud: Works of Lauren Castillo Nana in the City The Troublemaker The Reader Twenty Yawns Yard Sale The BDG, by Roald Dahl Pax, by Sara Pennypacker Orbiting Jupiter, by Gary Schmidt All American Boys, by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely Thank you to Global Read Aloud creator Pernille Ripp for this week's book talks. Pernille's blog is Blogging Through the Fourth Dimension. Learn more about the Global Read Aloud. The post Changing the World One Book and One Reader at a Time – The Nerdy Bookcast appeared first on Teacher Learning Sessions.

Welcome to Episode 8 of The Book Love Foundation Podcast! And thank you for joining us in this celebration of teaching and the joy of learning. Subscribe in iTunes Donate to the Book Love Foundation Episode 8 Show notes This episode is Part 1 of a two-part conversation Penny had recently with Donalyn Miller. Thank you for listening to this episode of the Book Love Foundation podcast. The Book Love Foundation is a non-profit 501 3(c) dedicated to putting books in the hands of teachers dedicated to nurturing the individual reading lives of their middle and high school students. We have given away $100,000 in three years and are currently reviewing 140 applications for 2016. We wish we had money to give to every one of these deserving teachers. If you can help us in that mission, visit booklovefoundation.org and make a donation. 100% of what you give goes to books. – Penny RESOURCES REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE Books: The Book Whisperer, by Donalyn Miller Reading in the Wild, by Donalyn Miller On Twitter: @donalynbooks co-host of #titletalk with Colby Sharp co-host of Best Practices Roots (#bproots) with Teri Lesesne founder of #bookaday Donalyn is also the co-founder of the Nerdy Book Club. Other: Scholastic Book Fairs, where Donalyn is Manager of Independent Reading Outreach Little Free Libraries Book Buzz Book Riot BOOK TALK Here are the books from this episode s book talk, courtesy of Donalyn Miller: Reading without nonsense, by Frank Smith Unidentified Suburban Object, by Mike Jung The We Need Diverse Books Movement. Dumplin', by Julie Murphy Side Effects Vary, by Julie Murphy Rad American Women A to Z, by Kate Schatz Drowned City, by Don Brown The Great American Dust Bowl, by Don Brown (Yes, this same book talk appeared in Episode #3.) Thank you for listening to the The Book Love Foundation Podcast. If you enjoyed listening, please share it with a colleague or two. The post A Conversation with Donalyn Miller, Part 2. Ep. 8 of the Book Love Foundation Podcast appeared first on Teacher Learning Sessions. ★ Support this podcast ★

Welcome to Episode 7 of The Book Love Foundation Podcast! And thank you for joining us in this celebration of teaching and the joy of learning. Subscribe in iTunes Donate to the Book Love Foundation Episode 7 Show notes This episode is Part 1 of a two-part conversation Penny had recently with Donalyn Miller. Thank you for listening to this episode of the Book Love Foundation podcast. The Book Love Foundation is a non-profit 501 3(c) dedicated to putting books in the hands of teachers dedicated to nurturing the individual reading lives of their middle and high school students. We have given away $100,000 in three years and are currently reviewing 140 applications for 2016. We wish we had money to give to every one of these deserving teachers. If you can help us in that mission, visit booklovefoundation.org and make a donation. 100% of what you give goes to books. – Penny RESOURCES REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE Books: The Book Whisperer, by Donalyn Miller Reading in the Wild, by Donalyn Miller Slasher Girls and Monster Boys, by April Genevieve Tucholke On Twitter: @donalynbooks co-host of #titletalk with Colby Sharp co-host of Best Practices Roots (#bproots) with Teri Lesesne founder of #bookaday Donalyn is also the co-founder of the Nerdy Book Club. Other: Scholastic Book Fairs, where Donalyn is Manager of Independent Reading Outreach Thank you for listening to the The Book Love Foundation Podcast. If you enjoyed listening, please share it with a colleague or two. require(["mojo/signup-forms/Loader"], function(L) { L.start({"baseUrl":"mc.us11.list-manage.com","uuid":"758e0031c7a7661f62a20a558","lid":"27df9614a1"}) }) The post A Conversation with Donalyn Miller, Part 1. Ep. 7 of the Book Love Foundation Podcast appeared first on Teacher Learning Sessions. ★ Support this podcast ★

Donalyn Miller talks about being sent to the principal's office for reading.

Donalyn Miller currently works for scholastic as a Manager of independent reading and Outreach. In addition to her work in the classroom Donalyn is also the author of the books “The Book Whisperer” and “Reading in the Wild”.

Megan Allen Mt. Holyoke College Her passion in education is focused on one major tenet: the successful transformation of our education system, led by professional educators. Megan's current areas of research are around teacher leadership, cultivating teacher leadership capacity in pre-service teachers, career continuums in education, education policy and its impacts on the classroom, and working with high-needs populations. http://www.teachingquality.org/blogs/MeganAllen @redhdteacher       In this episode you will learn: Why she never considered being a teacher in high school or college How Ally McBeal and Boston Public changed her life path What Megan is doing to developing a graduate program in teacher leadership When collaboration with colleagues can make a difference How failure can help teachers grow The epic fight that broke out in her classroom and what she learned from it Why summers are essential to teacher growth What blogs you should follow like Jose Vilson, Donalyn Miller, and  Bill Ferriter What reflection means and how to do it properly How to build relationships on social media   Megan's book recommendations:   Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us   This Is Not A Test: A New Narrative on Race, Class, and Education             Mindset: The New Psychology of Success The post #46: Law School to Master Teacher: Megan Allen shares her teaching journey appeared first on Talks with Teachers.

Laura Robb  Author, teacher, coach, and 43-year veteran of teaching  (Virgina)            Resource of the Week: New York Times most emailed articles   (email me your favorite resource talkswithteachers@gmail.com)    Segment I – Background and Inspiration Tell your story. Where are you from and how long have you been teaching? What classes have you taught?  – Laura taught for 43 years, yet she still teaches about three months a year and does consulting and workshops because she loves being in the classroom. She loves seeing kids as they begin school (kindergarden or 1st grade) and loves seeing them at the end, before they embark to high school (8th grade). She had worked in advertising in New York City after graduating Queens College with a Bachelor's in English and French. When her husband took a music job in Virginia, she moved with him and she obtained a teaching job in a rural school in Virginia. Laura was the only faculty member not related to the principal.  Who has helped you in your journey to become a master teacher? – Laura has all of Donald Graves' books. In her opinion, Donald trusts the children. It defies the concept of the sage on the stage. Graves shows the true collaboration of teaching that exists between teacher and student. She recommends to read his work. He has such respect for teachers and children and in today's climate we have lost a lot of that.  In Testing Is Not Teaching: What Should Count in Education, he argues that learning is not about a test but about creativity and encouragement.    It is important for other teachers to know that we all have had setbacks in the classroom. Identify an instance in which you struggled as a teacher and explain what you learned from that experience. – Laura had a string of lessons that didn't go as planned. It happened when she transitioned from being a 5th grade teacher to a middle school teacher. She lost a lot of reading time in the transition. She had to manage ways to get students to read during class and resulted in a  book, Differentiated Reading Instruction.  What do you love about the Language Arts? – Literacy is about communication and it is about learning and Laura can't imagine life without either one. These are essential qualities to get a good job, be a productive citizen. The Language Arts holds our stories and we are a species that is all about stories.  We think in terms of story, we a re programmed in terms of stories. It is what helps us learns about others. What is one thing that you love about the classroom?  – She loves the energy in the room, especially when kids are doing different things and they come together to share what they've been working on.  Segment II — Digging into the Teacher Bag of Goodies    What book do you recommend to a developing teacher? -- Ralph Fletcher's book on writing workshop, Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide is outstanding.  The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child by Donalyn Miller is a great book about choice in reading. You should read that before reading her new book, Reading in the Wild: The Book Whisperer's Keys to Cultivating Lifelong Reading Habits. Laura believes it is all about choice.  What is one thing a teacher can do outside the classroom that can pay off inside the classroom? –She read children's literature, discovering authors that she loved. It allowed her to brings books into the classroom. She also saw the importance of taking care of herself. She has always enjoyed hiking and being active. Laura emphasizes nurturing your own soul.  Is there an internet resource that you can recommend which will help teachers grow professionally? – Laura uses the web more for students than for herself. She had her students create blogs and develop podcasts. She reads Edutopia, Middle Web,

In this segment we look at the various types of reading and seek answers to the questions what are the habits of lifelong reading and how do we develop these habits in our students? Donalyn Miller has worked with a variety of upper elementary and middle school students and currently teaches fifth grade in Forth Worth, Texas. She is the author of The Book Whisperer and Reading in the Wild. Her advice has appeared in publications such as Education Week and The Washington Post. @donalynbooks

In this episode of NWP Radio, hear from the staff of National Novel Writing Month, who will talk about how to write a novel "by the seat of your pants in 30 days"—this November. Also, NWP teacher-consultant Donalyn Miller will discuss how her students wrote a novel last year and how her class is gearing up for more novel writing this year.