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This winter, inspired by cool bookish tournament projects by Melissa Alter Smith of Teach Living Poets and Jared Amato of Project Lit, I decided to launch my own English teacher-y tournament. I wanted to know - of the hundreds of amazing books out there - which were working BEST in the classroom for the teachers in our community? After polling over 2000 teachers over in Creative High School English for their favorites in 9th/10th grade (11th and 12th grade coming soon!), I landed on 16 great titles and we've been voting ever since. Today on the pod, I'll be sharing the top titles and some of the comments and rationales teachers have shared along with their votes. If you're looking for a new book for your curriculum, or you're curious what other teachers are focusing on in theirs, today's show will help! See the links below for comments and voting from teachers throughout the tournament (additional voting happened live through Instagram stories which I can't as easily share): The initial poll calling for titles for the tournament The Round of Sixteen: Long Way Down vs. The Book Thief Animal Farm vs. Romeo and Juliet Night vs. Macbeth Fahrenheit vs. Of Mice and Men The Odyssey vs. The Lord of the Flies Speak vs. The House on Mango Street Dear Martin vs. Born a Crime The Firekeeper's Daughter vs. The Poet X The Quarterfinals: Long Way Down vs. Lord of the Flies Night vs. House on Mango Street F451 vs. Born a Crime Romeo and Juliet vs. The Poet X The Semifinals: Night vs. Long Way Down Poet X vs. Born a Crime The Finals: Night vs. Born a Crime. If your podcast player doesn't support links in the show notes, you can find the full show notes with graphics and links at nowsparkcreativity.com. Thank you to everyone who participated in the voting and shared your thoughts and experiences! Go Further: Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast. Launch your choice reading program with all my favorite tools and recs, and grab the free toolkit. Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram. Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!
Do you have old books lying around taking up space in your classroom? Books no one is ever going to read again? Recently in our Facebook group, Creative High School English, a fun visual thread erupted all about bookish page displays. So in today's one minute idea-isode, I want to suggest you try one. You'll clear space on your shelves, help the earth with your reuse/recycle mentality, and end up with a stunning display. Here's how… Start by pulling the pages out of some old books. It will feel weird, I know. Save a few for the next time you're going to do a blackout poetry project, but stack up the rest and head to your bulletin board or wall. Ideally you'll now work on a solid color, so paper the back of your bulletin board or choose an area of your wall with nothing on it. Next it's time to staple or tape your pages up in the design of your choice. You might create a river of pages coming across your bulletin board, paper the bulletin board entirely in pages so it's filled in entirely, or form the pages into a shape, like a tree, a bird, or a spiral. Last but not least, it's time to overlay a bookish quotation on top. Choose from the dozens of wonderful ones out there from the last few centuries of authors. You can cut out letters to make a big and bold statement, or hand letter your quotation onto a big piece of paper you can overlay on the pages. OK, that's a wrap on today's episode. If you'd like more display ideas for your ELA classroom, head to the blog version linked below where you'll see 10 fun visuals to inspire your next display. Visit the Full ELA Bulletin Board / Display Ideas Post: https://nowsparkcreativity.com/2024/09/10-creative-ela-bulletin-boards-for-middle-and-high-school.html Go Further: Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast. Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram. Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!
It makes sense that giving students lots of time at school to read independently, right? This podcast explores that idea and reveals why it isn't the way to go.
Back-to-School season is the perfect time to set up your reading program for success throughout the year. Heading into the school year with a well-organized library, a plan for routines like First Chapter Friday and Book Trailer Tuesday, a kickoff book tasting, an appealing book display, and a regular time to read will help so much in inspiring your students to read for joy throughout the year, and hopefully for the rest of their lives. Lately I've been thinking about a well-run reading program like a reading escalator. Go Further: Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast. Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram. Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you! Helpful Links: Grab the Free Bookface Challenge Kit: https://sparkcreativity.kartra.com/page/bookface How to Make Digital Bookshelves: https://nowsparkcreativity.com/2023/08/the-step-by-step-guide-to-creating-digital-bookshelves.html The Ultimate Guide to First Chapter Friday: https://nowsparkcreativity.com/2022/09/the-ultimate-guide-to-first-chapter-friday.html
Welcome to "Teaching Reading in the First Year of School," a podcast dedicated to guiding educators through the essential components of a comprehensive reading curriculum for beginning readers. Join host Phil and literacy expert Diane Snowball as they delve into the critical aspects of teaching reading to young learners.In this episode, Diane Snowball, a renowned literacy specialist, provides invaluable insights into constructing a well-rounded reading curriculum for early readers. Diane discusses all the key elements, including concepts of print, phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, phonics, morphemic awareness, high-frequency words, the reading process, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and the significance of fostering motivation and enjoyment in reading.Diane emphasises the importance of varied instructional methods such as Read Aloud, Shared Reading, Independent Reading, Interactive Writing, and Language Experience Work. She shares her recent experiences working with the dedicated staff at Elsternwick Primary School, where collaboration and continuous learning among teachers have significantly enhanced the reading curriculum for foundation and grade one students.Understanding the diverse reading abilities children bring to their first year of school is crucial. Diane highlights the necessity of individualised instruction based on students' unique experiences and knowledge. Through regular reading conferences, teachers at Elsternwick Primary School learn about their students' reading capabilities, enabling them to tailor instruction to meet each child's needs effectively.Diane also discusses the foundational role of concepts of print and the one-to-one correspondence between spoken and written words. She explains how repetitive books with predictable patterns can aid children in developing these essential skills. Additionally, Diane stresses the significance of teaching phonological and phonemic awareness, helping children recognise sounds in language and their corresponding letters.To support educators, Diane offers practical strategies for teaching letters, sounds, and word recognition. She advocates for using a variety of texts and creating custom decodable books based on students' experiences and classroom learning. This approach not only reinforces phonics skills but also enhances students' motivation and engagement by involving them in the creation of their own reading materials.Throughout the episode, Diane provides thoughtful advice on classroom management, ensuring that teaching practices are adaptable to the diverse needs of young learners. By building a strong foundation in reading, fostering a love for books, and addressing individual learning needs, educators can set their students on a path to successful and enjoyable reading experiences from the very beginning of their school journey.READ THE BLOG here.TEACHIFIC RESOURCESThe (Comprehensive) Reading Curriculum: What to Teach and What to Assess by Diane SnowballNursery Rhymes and SongsThe Usefulness of Onsets and Rimes When Reading and Writingby Diane SnowballJOIN TEACHIFIC NOW AND SAVE!Join Teachific today. Access thousands of resources and a growing number of 'anytime' courses within your membership.FURTHER INFORMATIONTune in to "Teacher's Tool Kit For Literacy," a free podcast where accomplished literacy educator Sharon Callen and her team share valuable insights and tips. With over 30 years of experience, they provide strategic learning solutions to empower teachers and leaders worldwide. Subscribe on your favourite platform for exclusive literacy learning content. Apple, Spotify, Google, YouTubeRead our insightful blogs, which make valuable connections between resources, podcasts and courses.Visit our Cue Learning website and sign up for the Teacher's Toolkit Weekly newsletter to stay updated on resources, events and discover how Cue can support you and your school.Explore Teachific, our vast collection of PDF resources, to enhance your teaching toolkit. And get even more support from our growing number of 'anytime' online courses.Connect with the latest news and other educators by joining our Teacher's Toolkit Facebook groupExplore upcoming live or online webinar eventsHave questions or feedback? Reach out to us directly at admin@cuelearning.com.au.
In this episode: I talk about the what, why and how using independent reading time as part of your test prep strategy. We talk about: 1.What a test prep framework is. 2. Why independent reading should be a part of your test prep strategy. 3.How to incorporate independent reading into your test prep strategy using 4 simple steps. Quotables: -We said that test prep should be incorporated into your already established reading block and that it should be used to review already taught skills in a different format. -When paired with an appropriate text, independent reading time helps students to build reading stamina as well as reduce stress and anxiety. -Both standardized and anecdotal data should help you plan for what skills students need help reviewing during their independent reading time. Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development Next Steps: If this episode resonated with you, take a screenshot of the episode and tag me on instagram @msevamireles. This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other upper elementary teachers get ideas they can use in their class today. The Reading Teacher's Playbook Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher. Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.' Under ‘Customer Reviews,' click on “Write a Review.” Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best) Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast Click ‘Send' Leave a Rating and Review: --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/eva-mireles/message
Welcome to the second episode of the author spotlight series here at Spark Creativity! In this series, you'll hear from authors sharing their work directly into your classroom. Today we're hearing from Matt de la Peña reading his short story "How to Transform an Everyday, Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place of Higher Learning and You at the Podium," from the collection, Flying Lessons. Stay tuned throughout the year to hear from many more wonderful authors, including Victor Pineiro, Payal Doshi, and Nancy Tandon. You can also check out the first episode in the collection, featuring Megan E. Freeman reading from her novel-in-verse, Alone. Today we're hearing from Matt de la Pena, reading from his short story “How to Transform an Everyday Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place of Higher Learning and You at the Podium,” from the collection Flying Lessons and other Stories. Matt de la Peña is the New York Times-bestselling, Newberry Medal-winning author of seven young adult novels (including Mexican WhiteBoy, We Were Here and Superman: Dawnbreaker) and five picture books (including Last Stop on Market Street and Love). Matt received his MFA in creative writing from San Diego State University and his BA from the University of the Pacific, where he attended school on a full athletic scholarship for basketball. My hope is that you'll play this episode to your students on an upcoming Friday, sharing the guiding sketchnotes handout below with them so they can jot down their key takeaways as they listen. This short story is utterly fantastic, one of my favorites of all time to share with students! ⭐ Grab the Sketchnotes to go with this episode: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1mxNfVE710zqUkfb8iGBjZGIA9A2aldz71E3VwNkf4do/copy ⭐ Project the Youtube version for your students in class: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iajc4RH28Pg ⭐ Learn more about Matt de la Peña and his work: https://mattdelapena.com/
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Subscriber-only episodeCheers! Find all your Brave New Teaching Happy Hour member info HERE:https://www.bravenewteaching.com/hhmembers Come backwards plan with us! bravenewteaching.com/backwardsGet your Audible FREE trial: audibletrial.com/bnt
Welcome to the first episode of the author spotlight series here at Spark Creativity! In this series, you'll hear from authors sharing their work directly into your classroom. Today we're hearing from Megan E. Freeman, reading from her book, Alone. Stay tuned throughout the year to hear from many more wonderful authors, including Matt de la Peña, Payal Doshi, and Nancy Tandon. Megan E. Freeman attended an elementary school where poets visited her classroom every week to teach poetry, and she has been a writer ever since. Her bestselling novel in verse, ALONE, won the Colorado Book Award, the Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont children's book awards, is an NCTE Notable Verse Novel, and is included on over two dozen "best of" and state reading lists. Megan is also a Pushcart Prize-nominated poet. My hope is that you'll play this episode to your students on an upcoming Friday, sharing the guiding sketchnotes handout featured below with them so they can jot down their key takeaways as they listen. Grab the sketchnotes handout here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ox4NNN9SZOG2oR1AQsHxyf0txLrrcR81gFP1sLbsIo0/copy You can find the text of the first 60 pages of the book available free on Overdrive. If you'd like to project this episode on Youtube with an image of Megan and her book to give kids a visual as they listen, you can find it here. Learn more about Megan E. Freeman Megan E. Freeman attended an elementary school where poets visited her classroom every week to teach poetry, and she has been a writer ever since. Her bestselling novel in verse, ALONE, won the Colorado Book Award, the Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont Children's Book Awards, is an NCTE Notable Verse Novel, and is included on over two dozen "best of" and state reading lists. Megan is also a Pushcart Prize-nominated poet, and her poetry chapbook, Lessons on Sleeping Alone, was published by Liquid Light Press. An award-winning teacher with decades of classroom experience, Megan taught multiple subjects across the arts and humanities to students K-16, and she is nationally recognized for presenting workshops and speaking to audiences across the country. She studied theater and dramatic literature for many years, earning degrees from Occidental College and the Ohio State University. Megan is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Northern Colorado Writers, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Columbine Poets of Colorado, and Lighthouse Writers Workshop. She is an Impact on Education Award winner, a National Writing Project fellow , a Fund for Teachers fellow, and a member of the Colorado Poets Center. She used to live in northeast Los Angeles, central Ohio, northern Norway, and on Caribbean cruise ships. Now she divides her time between northern Colorado and the Texas Gulf Coast. Visit her website here.
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Today on the podcast, we're sitting down with Abby Gross from Write on with Miss G, who has become known for her thriving reading program and the wonderful tools she has developed to support other teachers with their own reading programs. After spending the first part of her career teaching high school English, Abby unexpectedly fell in love with teaching middle school ELA. With her switch to the middle came a new goal of creating a community of readers and helping all of her students find books they enjoy. For the last four years, she has built a classroom library and independent reading program from the ground up, watching her readers flourish with choice, time, The co-author of a guidebook for teachers, Keeping the Wonder, and a picture book for young readers, The Magic of Wonder, Abby is committed to fostering joy in learning and literacy. In addition to being an advocate for independent reading, Abby is a big believer in the power of curiosity and student-centered learning. support, and good books. I enjoyed our conversation so much - this is truly a value-packed episode. I think you'll love Abby's practical, doable (and fun) advice for building more reading and book PR into your weekly routine. Get ready for quickly actionable tips on building strong Book Trailer and First Chapter programs, creating book posters and brochures, selecting and organizing your classroom library, and rolling out fun hybrid book tastings on the regular. Connect with Abby When she's not teaching, you can find Abby creating resources, blogging on writeonwithmissg.com, hanging out on Instagram, presenting workshops for Keeping the Wonder, and reading. Check out her blog posts on Why You Should Try a Book Tasting, 10 Ways to Use Book Recommendation Posters, and Book Trailer Tuesday: How to Hook Students on Books in 3 Minutes to go even deeper on this subject. And be SURE to grab her FREE Book Trailer Tuesday Links for the Entire Year. Go Further: Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast. Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram. Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!
This week I want to talk about the literary food truck project and why it's time to try it if you haven't yet! Since I designed this project many years ago, I've heard from sooo many teachers about how well it worked for them as an engaging AND analytical way to wrap up their choice reading or book club unit. I got three lovely notes from teachers this very week, and each one had me grinning from ear to ear. I know it can be hard to find a project that doesn't make you feel like the book police, but this one checks all the boxes. Here's the basic premise. Students in groups or partnerships imagine they are creating a food truck based on the book they've just read. The menu, social media accounts, playlist, apparel, etc. will all flow directly from their understanding of the text. They'll create the props and make the food items that will make their final display pop for their classmates, and then explain them in a more analytical paper. On the day of the festival, students have a chance to wander from booth to booth, seeing the visuals for each truck, tasting menu items, exploring how the different books have inspired different themes, and getting ideas for their TBR lists. Because of the fun format, students don't feel like they're being quizzed on their books so much as being invited to share them. The final festival becomes a buzzworthy school event, and something that easily rolls over into an anticipated tradition. So this week, I want to highly recommend you try a literary food truck project of your own. You can grab the free curriculum for this project right here. Go Further: Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast. Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram. Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!
Subscriber-only episodeCheers! Find all your Brave New Teaching Happy Hour member info HERE:https://www.bravenewteaching.com/hhmembers Meet Abby:After springing the first part of her career teaching high school English, Abby has fallen in love with teaching middle school reading the last few years. The co-author of a guidebook for teachers, Keeping the Wonder, and a picture book for young readers, The Magic of Wonder, Abby is committed to fostering joy in learning and reading. She is a big believer in the power of curiosity, independent reading, and student-centered learning. When is is not teaching, or eating ice cream, you can find Abby creating resources, blogging on writeonwithmissg.com, and presenting for Keeping the Wonder workshops.You can find Abby on:TPT: Write on With Miss GHer blog: writeonwithmissg.com, where you can find a free resource of Book Trailer Tuesday Links for the year! https://mailchi.mp/0fd76c66faac/book-trailer-tuesday-freebieInstagram: @writeonwithmissg
Today on the podcast, I'm so excited to bring you the first writer ever to win three very important prizes in literature - the Newberry Award, The Kirkus Prize, and the Coretta Scott King Award - for a single book. Would it surprise you to know the first person to win all of these for one amazing book is a graphic novelist? That's right, today we're talking to the creator of the new Kid Series, which now includes New Kid, Class Act, and School Trip. This is a special episode designed to be played right to this special author's favorite audience - students. My hope is that you'll play this episode - or a part of it - in class. I've designed a sketchnotes sheet for you that students can use while they listen (make your copy here). Check out all three of Jerry's popular graphic novels for middle schoolers here. Explore Jerry Craft's website here. Go Further: Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast. Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram. Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!
This week I want to share a super simple strategy for building more book recommendations into your classes in just two or three minute installments, book trailers. I first heard the idea of “Book Trailer Tuesdays” from Abby Gross, over at Write On with Miss G. I loved the idea right away, as a companion to First Chapter Friday or as its own unique program. But even if you're not doing Book Trailer Tuesdays, book trailers are an amazing thing to build into your class. Maybe you have a bookmarked list of trailers ready for those odd days when your lesson randomly ends five minutes earlier than you expect. Maybe you change up your book talk routine now and then and show a trailer for a book or two that you have featured in your library. Maybe you show a few trailers to help introduce a new genre, like novels-in-verse, or graphic novels. Maybe after all this book trailer fun, you have students make book trailers of their own and start building a collection you can show to your students in future years! I hope you give book trailers a try this year! Go Further: Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast. Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram. Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!
This week I want to share one of my favorite recent reads - Alone, by Megan E Freeman. I picked up this book after hearing what a smash hit it was with Caitlin Lore's seniors back when I interviewed her for our episode about verse novel book clubs. If a ton of seniors loved it AND it was middle school appropriate with a younger protagonist, I figured it was a must-read! I knew coming in that it was a survival story, set in a dystopian future, and that it was a novel-in-verse. I read it in two days, and loved it just as much as I expected. It's compelling, dramatic, and lyrical, and it manages to maintain suspense without being too frightening. I've often seen it compared to Hatchet, but for me it felt quite different. Much more familiar. While the main character in Hatchet crashes a plane onto an island where he has to survive alone in nature, 12-year-old Maddie must survive in her own city when she wakes up to find every other citizen has been evacuated for some kind of mysterious national emergency, and she was accidentally left behind. It's easy to start imagining what you would do in the same situation as you read. Besides loving the book, I appreciated the notes from Megan Freeman at the end. Particularly the way she shared a section of the book written in prose and then its makeover into verse. This could easily become the basis of a creative writing project for kids working through any novel-in-verse or novel-in-verse book clubs. So if you've got a couple of hours and a hammock, beach, or cozy couch available this week, I highly recommend reading Alone, by Megan E. Freeman and thinking about how to incorporate it into your book clubs, First Chapter Friday program, or choice reading library. Go Further: Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast. Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram. Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!
Changes need to happen in order not to become post-literate. Are we creating life-long readers? Or life-long haters of reading? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/walter-t-bowne/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/walter-t-bowne/support
Shannon and Mary bring you a surprise bonus episode for Season 5. They chat with Dr. Amanda Alexander from Scholastic about statistics about summer reading. In the episode, they all share tips about how to make the most of the summer reading experience. Note: The research statistics cited were compiled by Scholastic in conjunction with Fluent Research. The findings are based on a nationally representative sample of 1,724 parents and children, including 531 parents of children ages 0–5; 1,193 parents of children ages 6–17; plus one child aged 6–17 from the same household.RESOURCES MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODEScholastic Summer Reading Home BaseScholastic Ultimate Summer Reading GuideScholastic Kids and Family Reading ReportHow Educators Can Strengthen Summer Reading Connections with Families by Dr. Amanda AlexanderScholastic Warehouse Book Saleour Season 3 Episode 1: Books as Windows, Doors, and Mirrorsour Season 5 Episode 5: Classroom LibrariesLearning Ally: AudiobooksThe Good Egg by Jory John *Amazon affiliate link*Get Literacy Support through our PatreonEducate & Rejuvenate June 27-28, 2023
“What is the goal of independent reading, and why does this goal so often get lost in instruction?”We asked this and other questions of Hannah Schneewind. She is the author along with Jennifer Scoggin of Trusting Readers: Powerful Practices for Independent Reading (Heinemann, 2021). We explored how to best use our limited classroom time, as well as how leaders can support this critical element of the literacy block.You can purchase Hannah's book here. For a full transcript of this conversation, see below or click here. Full subscribers also have access to the video recording of this conversation, as well as the professional discussion guide for this conversation.Read by Example is a reader-supported publication. Thank you to our full subscribers for making transcripts and other benefits available to everyone. Full TranscriptMatt Renwick (00:03):Welcome to Read by Example, where teachers are leaders and leaders know literacy. That tagline is from Regie Routman's book, Read, Write, Lead, and I find that line especially appropriate for our conversation today. Our special guest is Hannah Schneewind, and she is the co-author, along with Jennifer Scoggin, of Trusting Readers: Powerful Practices for Independent Reading through Heinemann. Reading the bio in the back of the book, which is right here: Hannah Schneewind has been a teacher, staff developer, curriculum writer, keynote speaker, and national literacy consultant. Hannah's interest in student and teacher agency, and her belief in the power of books informs her work with schools. Together, Jen and Hannah are the co-creators of Trusting Readers, a group dedicated to collaborating with teachers to design literacy opportunities that invite all students to be engaged and thrive as readers and writers. Welcome, Hannah.Hannah Schneewind (01:07):Great. Thank you so much for having me. And I know that Jen is sorry that she's not here. She's traveling at the moment, so you'll have just me, I'm afraid.Matt Renwick (01:17):We are delighted to have you. And we have another guest with us, Mary Beth Nicholas, a Wisconsinite now living in Minnesota, working at an alternative school secondary level. She had been working with intervention students at the secondary level and brings a neat perspective as well to trusting readers, especially after that elementary experience. So, with that I have three questions I was going to pose to Hannah, but take the direction wherever you want it to go. And again, our intentions for this conversation are just to build knowledge and awareness around this topic, and to practice coaching skills while engaging in conversation around professional topics. So, really trying to serve as a model for any leader of any position, how you might, co-create knowledge together instead of living in sometimes these echo chambers we see in education. My first question is for Hannah: what is the goal of independent reading and why does this goal so often get lost in instruction?Hannah Schneewind (02:26):So the first thing I would say is that the goal of independent reading is for students to become really skilled and proficient readers. And being proficient includes being skillful with decoding, fluency, and comprehension. So the reason I think it's really important to start with that is that too often independent reading is seen as this kind of fluffy thing, or it's an add-on, or it's a thing that you do for 10 minutes at the end of the day if you have time. And so I just want to start by saying, no, this is a serious teaching and learning time. So I would say that's the big goal. And then within that goal, of course, we have lots of other things, right? We want kids to find joy in reading. We want them to have books that they connect with. We want them to find books where they can make meaning and then really are motivated to take some kind of action after they're reading.(03:28):I'll tell you though, I won't say that the goal of independent reading is to make students love reading, because I think when we say that, number one, we do ourselves a disservice as professionals because that seems kind of fluffy. And number two, I actually can't do that. That is to say, I can set up the condition, you know, I can give you lots of choice and I can give you the right feedback at the right time, and I can give you lots of time to read. I can set up the conditions for you to love reading, but I can't actually make you love reading. So I think, that's something I have thought a lot about. So I no longer say, the goal is for all them to love reading. They might or they might not. So, then in terms of why does it get lost?(04:16):I think it gets lost for a few reasons. I think it gets lost, number one, when it is not in fact the focus of reading instruction. When it becomes something to do at the end of the day or it sometimes gets lost because the teacher is trying to also work with small groups, let's say, and independent reading is something that the students can in fact do independently that she knows it's going to be really impactful. And so she ends up doing small group instruction during that time and does not confer with kids. And independent reading without conferring is not actually independent reading, such as giving kids books and letting them read. So I think those are two very different things.Matt Renwick (05:03):That's very helpful for me. Especially the comment about you cannot make kids love reading. It almost seems kind of refreshing that I can kind of take that part off of my responsibility, and not that I'm not responsible for the conditions, but puts more of the onus on that part of a reading right on the kids. And I think kids would rise to that trust, which comes back to your book title, Trusting Readers.Hannah Schneewind (05:38):Yeah, absolutely. I mean, for example, in high school, I became skillful at biology, right? I had a very good teacher. I did all my homework. I never loved biology. I did not decide to become a scientist. You know, so much as we hope that kids will love reading, I do think that we can separate, being skilled at reading from necessarily the love of it. With one important caveat, which is, and Mary Beth, maybe you've seen this with older students, I have talked to older readers who are very proficient readers and actively hate reading. You know, there are kids who think reading is boring, I have to do it, my teacher makes me write a certain number of post-its, or I have to write in this reading log. So when I say we can't make kids love it, that's true. However, , we don't want to be setting them up to hate it either, which sometimes people inadvertently do.Matt Renwick (06:46):Well, that comes into the next question I had. You noted on page one, Hannah, that the number one obstacle for teachers trying to increase independent reading time to be able to confer with students to support them in being independent is the demands of the literacy curriculum. But then at the same time, you do share ways to prioritize independent reading that can exist alongside a curriculum resource. So, I guess the connection here is I've heard teachers say, I just don't have time to meet with all my kids, you know? And because of the resource, because of this, or because I can't meet with small groups, there's just too many things to do. What have you found that teachers have done to make better use of their time to increase independent reading? Because I do think there are opportunities that teachers don't always see, to be able to support kids at that level of independence.Hannah Schneewind (07:50):Absolutely. So I think there are two different scenarios. So I think one scenario is that I have a program that I have to follow and I'm not sure how to follow this program and still make time for independent reading. And then there's a second scenario, which is I have independent reading up and going, I have devoted time for it. My administrator's completely behind it. I have the books, I'm just not sure how to make it incredibly impactful. So I think those are two different scenarios. So I am actually currently working with some schools in Connecticut who, because of state legislation, will be using a reading program next year. And the district actually asked me to come in specifically to make sure that they can hold on to independent reading. It will be interesting, so I'll be able to tell you more about it in a few months.(08:50):We're just at the beginning of it. But one thing that we have thought is, even if you're within a reading program, right? Kids are reading, and once they are done doing whatever that kind of whole class basal type text is for the day, you're always going to have kids who are finishing at different times, and what better time for them to then go do that independent reading, and then you segue from that kind of whatever the whole class activity is into independent reading, and then you do your conferring. So that's one way that we're thinking about it is just kind of tucking it in to that. Another thing you can do, if you have to do this program for "x" number of minutes a day, I also go back to what Kelly Gallagher says in high school.(09:45):He teaches high school, he has kids for 50 minutes, and so the first 10 minutes of every single day is independent reading, and he can do two conferences in 10 minutes. So that means as an elementary teacher, my kids have gotten 50 minutes of independent reading over the week, and I've conferred over the course of two weeks, I've conferred with almost everyone in my class. So I think it's that when you talk about finding time, when you talk about finding time, the time is there. It's tricky. So as I said, that's kind of one scenario. The other scenario though is that I have independent reading up and running, but I don't feel as if it's going really well and I'm not sure what to do. So that's the work that Jen and I do a lot.(10:38):I will say the question that I get asked the most is, what do I confer about? Like, how's the conference supposed to go? You know? So I think that number one, just don't be afraid to confer, because people will often say, "Well, I walk around, I kind of check in with the kids." and I'll say, "You're already conferring, right?" And now what you have to do is take that kind of checking in and make it really intentional, because if you're already checking in, you could take that five minutes of a check-in and make it five really, really impactful minutes if you kind of follow this structure. And then that's life changing. You know, when teachers realize the importance of being really intentional in that how they spend their time during independent reading.Matt Renwick (11:31):So it sounds like just look for pockets and opportunities within your current schedule. Try not to fight it too much, but start really small, make it easy, make it really hard to not do it. Like the example of Kelly Gallagher and just, "Guys, we get 10 minutes to read when you come in." What a neat way to start the class. Just a nice soft landing to whatever chaos is happen in the hallways. You always know you have a quiet, safe spot, coming into Kelly's class.Hannah Schneewind (12:03):Yeah, absolutely. So I work with some teachers who also as a way of increasing the number of minute students are reading, we'll do that for like 10 minutes in the morning and then 10 minutes after lunch, because we all know, the beginning of kindergarten, first grade, five minutes is really all you might get, but if you do five minutes in the morning and five minutes in the afternoon and that turns to 10 and 10, then you have 20 minutes. So I also have learned myself to be really flexible in thinking about time. That is to say, ideally, yes, we have this beautiful hour block where we are all sitting there and kids are hunched over their books and working with partners. I mean, that's what I had the liberty to do in my own classroom. And that's the vision. However, you know, as I said, 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes in the afternoon adds up to 20 minutes every day. So yeah, whatever ways you can work it in, I think it's really important.Matt Renwick (13:06):And I have a third question. This kind of transitions to more of a leadership perspective, and you did say in there in one example, you had leaders have you come in to preserve independent reading as they transition to a more commercialized resource. So that's one way as leaders is to make decisions about how resources are spent. But you make the point that teachers need to be trusted as well.Hannah Schneewind (13:37):Mm-hmm.Matt Renwick (13:39):What specific actions can leaders take to convey their trust, as well as to ensure every kid, every student's being trusted as readers in every classroom? Because not every teacher believes independent reading is important, even though that's the ultimate goal is we want them to transfer, we want them to pick up those identities as readers. So as leaders like myself - we're all leaders here- what can we do to trust teachers so they can trust students and ensure full school accountability?Hannah Schneewind (14:10):Absolutely. So I am not a principal and I've never been a principal, so, I would never say, "Well, let me give you some advice." But what I can tell you is what I have noticed or what has worked in the buildings where I work. So I think the first thing is that leaders do need to trust teachers to make their own schedules. And I know that might sound small, but that's actually pretty huge, because if teachers feel as if I must be doing reading from 10:02 to 10:31, and then I'm somehow going to be reprimanded if I'm not doing reading at 10:31, you know. That is not really setting up really great conditions for the teacher. Now, I understand that there have to be parameters, right? Everyone in first grade pretty much has to be doing reading at essentially the same time because we have pullout and we have all these other things.(15:07):So I totally get that. It doesn't need to be down to, you know, the minute. So I think that where you can, giving teachers some wiggle room in their schedules is really important. The other thing I would say that goes along with that is giving them flexibility to switch things around. That is to say, sometimes people will have a schedule where they always do reading in the morning and they always do writing in the afternoon, right? And what happens in the afternoon, we all know, right? Especially with the young kids. Afternoon, may not be so great at time. And then I'll have teachers say, "Oh, but I can't switch it. You know, the schedule is that way. I have to follow that." "Well, why?" you know, "why can't you switch it? You're getting to everything." So why not have writing in the morning some days and reading in the afternoon some days?(16:01):So I think that if leaders give teachers that kind of flexibility, I think that goes a long way. Then the other thing that I think is very difficult about being a principal, and even in my role, is that I think it's very tricky to balance curricular consistency with teacher autonomy. That is to say, yes, we need to have a consistent curriculum, right? We, our school has to have consistent values. We all think that kids need a long time to read. That has to be consistent. And at the same time, you can recognize that some teachers are going to do it differently, and it's not going to look exactly the same. So this is a silly example, but I love to sing. And so in first grade, independent reading was always preceded by shared singing of songs that were shared reading. That was me. My colleague next door is like, "I am not singing." She did lots of shared reading of big books, but we were both doing the same thing. We were both getting to all those skills and strategies. So I think that balance as yes, we need to be consistent and yes, where are places where we can give teachers autonomy.Matt Renwick (17:22):Yeah. I think you nailed it, Hannah, that's one of the biggest challenges of leadership, is balancing the curriculum coherence and teacher autonomy. And I'm glad you brought that up. I would hand the mic over, so to speak, to Mary Beth or Debra, if you have any thoughts on what Hannah shared here. I've been taking notes. This has been great.Mary Beth Nicklaus (18:01):I was thinking about what you were saying about teacher autonomy and letting teachers create their own schedules. Because when you're dealing, like with middle school, high school, and you have that 50 minute or 40 minute block or regular class period, skinny class period, depending on the chemistry of your class, this whole working with reading is not linear. You have your routine and you have your stations where I work on this, then I work on this, then I work on this. But when you're dealing with a certain chemistry of those older kids, especially if you're dealing with students who are maybe not your regular mainstream students, nothing is linear.(19:07):You plug them into those routines, but then you might suddenly break off into somebody has an idea that they want to write, like say a story based on...I had a student who really got into Gary Paulson and he was actually a foster student and he said, "You know, Gary Paulson writes about his life, and I have interesting life stories, so I would like to..." (He had already completed two or three books.) "I would like to write about some of my life stories." So he'd read some of the time, then he'd go off and start writing a story, and then other students started joining. Well, I have something I can write too. And you know what's really interesting? That year I got a grant through Encourage Foundation, and we put all our stories together in a book that's towards the end of the year.(20:04):And that really meant something to these kids, to the point that years later, I had gone into Lulu Publishing, and they each got a spiral bound last story book. I had a student come up to me and I didn't even recognize him at first because he was grown up now. And I think he was a senior in high school, and he said, "I still have my book on my dresser, and I look at it every day." So you find things, you know, the stuff that you're doing in elementary creates a foundation, especially if it's as strong as the kind of ideas that you have and what I'm seeing so far in your book. And then I get them, someone like me gets them, and you just keep that going. If there's anything I can stress, and you're talking about teacher autonomy is, realize that they're a professional, they know what to do with the chemistry of their students. And then within that framework you can usually end up getting something pretty interesting, I think.Matt Renwick (21:16):Thanks Mary Beth, I think that's a cool story. I know if I was walking through your classroom, I would think, "Hey, that's awesome. Keep doing that." I am wondering why some leaders don't do that. And I suspect it comes back to the initial line from Regie's Rotman's book: teachers need to be leaders and leaders need to know literacy. And I suspect that some leaders just don't know literacy. And that's why teacher autonomy falls apart. They don't know how to see different pathways to the same outcome. I would open up to Debra or Hannah because you work with different schools. Any words of wisdom, experiences here, where how a leader might build their literacy knowledge or practice, especially if they don't have a literacy background?Debra Crouch (22:11):Well, hopefully they're joining in any professional learning opportunities. I know that's made a huge difference in the schools I've worked with is, if principals believe enough in what the conversations are that you're having with teachers when you come in that they make the time to come in and be part of that conversation. I think a really just a critical piece, so that they're asking the questions and they're hearing the kinds of conversations that their teachers are engaged in. Within all of this, I was just thinking about as you were talking about teachers and principals, if they value and make sure that this is part of their day, that it's not the add-on, independent reading is not the extra thing that you're doing.(23:20):It's the thing that you're doing, right? It builds around it, sort of the same thing with writing. I'm in that same conversation with writing. It's like, this isn't an extra, you know, independent reading, independent writing is not the extra stuff. It's the reason you're doing what you do. I think that was just such a powerful message. As principals you don't want to require, but at the same time, how do you balance that conversation out of just making sure that that it is something that we recognize it has to be part of our day. So in the autonomy, part of me goes, as long as they understand it's so important that you have to have independent reading and writing every day. But that again, expectations and consistency and the ongoing conversations.Hannah Schneewind (24:17):Yeah, I agree with everything you said, and specifically having principals be part of the work with teachers, I think is key. When they do that, I treat the principal just the way I would treat another teacher. So if everyone is gonna go off and trying a conference, the principal's going to go off and try a conference. And if everyone is conferring with a partner and the partner's going to practice coaching in, then the principal is part of that. Because if they're not really doing it, how on earth are they actually going to be able to evaluate it? So another thing that I encourage principals to do is, if you are doing an evaluation - and again, I'm not a principal, I know nothing about evaluations - but when you are evaluating, please do not just watch the mini lesson and leave because then you only looking at 10 minutes of whole class instruction, and that actually is not the most impactful part.(25:23):Please sit down next to the teacher as she's doing a small group. Sit down next to her as she's doing a one-on-one conference. That's the time. Write down everything she says. That's actually what I think you could then evaluate and give really helpful feedback about. But so often, and I don't know if this happens to you, but often when I do come into a school for the first time, they just want to talk about mini lessons. And I actually have learned to say, "Actually, no, let's start with matching kids and books. Let's start with getting your classroom library together. Let's start with how do you say to a child, 'Hey, how's it going with your reading today?'" And then we can think about the mini lesson, because too often we just focus on, as I said, that whole class part. But really that's not where the magic happens. And so if you can get principals to confer and then to do their evaluations or observations while the teacher is doing that, I think those can be really helpful for leadership.Matt Renwick (26:30):That reminds me of beginning with the end in mind: we'll start with where we want to be, at the end. I know you're not a principal, Hannah, but I think you ideas are spot on. I've been guilty of that too, of just watching teaching, and I forget that teaching happens all day long, and it doesn't mean the teachers, you know, verbally giving instructions or are writing on the board. So much of good teaching happens in those quiet spaces. One thing I've tried to do to is to confer with readers myself, when I do visits in classrooms. I just did this with fifth grade group talking with a student about what he was reading: a baseball book. He had just tons of knowledge.(27:17):Peter Afflerback calls it "epistemic beliefs" or "epistemiology", right? Just a wide range of knowledge about baseball, about legends. He was able to say, "Aaron Judge wouldn't be in this book because he's a current player. In this book, it talks just about legends from like 1990 or previous." You know, just things I wouldn't know. But later on, I said to his teacher, "I don't know if the student would do so well on a typical assessment." She's like, "I know." I've had kind of a shared frustration there was not a solution, right? But at least we could talk about that at a very collegial level. And it did not feel like an evaluation. And I think that's what teachers really crave, is just conversation and not always solutions. But I appreciate this advice. We're already at 30 minutes and this has so far been a great conversation. I think what we could do is just kind of go around and, especially with Debra and Mary Beth, if you have any closing thoughts or questions for Hannah, I'll start with you, Mary Beth, if you have anything you'd like to close with.Mary Beth Nicklaus (28:51):As a teacher, I've seen it because I've been teaching long enough where I've had very supportive principals who I just feel they were kind of almost the backbone of what was going on in my classroom. Because as a teacher, you feel like the principal is good with what you're doing, it like gives you this exhilaration and this feeling like you can take chances and be happy taking chances and look at it as a challenge instead of a fear that you're going to get slapped down. So I agree with you that the principal is a very important part of that.Matt Renwick (29:43):Debra, any closing thoughts for you?Debra Crouch (29:46):Yeah, I was just so enjoying reading this, and I had actually pulled it out earlier. I was doing some work with some teachers on their classroom libraries, now thinking with a little bit of a future in mind and for the fall. So in Chapter 2, the thing that I thought was so just beautiful about the parts that we read for this notion of trust, I think is just so powerful. It speaks to the way that we view kids and the way that we view teachers, as capable and of course they can do this, this kind of thinking work.(30:45):It's just such a critical part of relationships, as a condition of learning, and that principle of engagement that you have to have that trusting relationship. Without that nothing else goes. Mary Beth, the way you said that, if your principal's with you, you don't fear trying things out. You don't fear, you know, trying something and it's not going to work the way that we want it this time. And I think that's just such a critical piece that's sometimes missing in classrooms today. If teachers come to us and say, "How do you want it? What's the district want? What's the principal want?" How's it supposed to be that that's really a base of fear. Doesn't matter how good you are as a teacher, it's a base of fear that you're coming from. It doesn't have that sense of trust that you need to be the learner that you can be. So I'm just absolutely loving your book.Hannah Schneewind (31:49):Thank you. I'm glad it's really useful. I'd love to know what the teachers do with their classroom libraries.Debra Crouch (31:56):Oh my goodness, kindergarten, they were so adorable. So we were trying to put the books into understanding the notion that their books are categorized, right. You know, putting the books together. And I took your question. They're about, "Are the books together, you know, putting the books that are together, right. And this one little five year old who's next to me, he goes, "Wait, it's like garbage." And I'm thinking, "Huh?". And he goes, "You put the plastic together, and you put the paper together, and you put the..."Hannah Schneewind (32:28):Right?Matt Renwick (32:32):Yeah.Hannah Schneewind (32:33):Yeah. That's a perfect way of understanding it. Right? And that's such a great example of, it makes sense to kids and then however you set up that library will make sense to them.Matt Renwick (32:45):It's a classic student example too.Hannah Schneewind (32:50):Yeah. I might have to use that one.Matt Renwick (32:59):Hannah, any closing thoughts for you? I'll just say, I've used and read Chapter 2. I've read that chapter twice and even have recommended it to teachers in my building, especially if they've not been part of the culture very long. I'll say, "Read this chapter and this really gets to the heart of what we're trying to get to in our school." But terrific book. I agree with everyone. Any closing thoughts, Hannah?Hannah Schneewind (33:27):First of all, thank you for having me. And it just makes me so happy to hear that people are using it because really what more could you ask, right? It's like what, when we say to kids, you know, what action do you want to take after reading this book? The action might be, I wanna go find another book by this author. Or the action might be, I need to write a letter to my senator about greenhouse gases. But I'm so happy that our book can actually help people take some actions. I guess my closing thought would be about reading identity, which we did not have a chance to discuss. So one of the things that I find frustrating about some of the current narrative around the teaching of reading is that the role of engagement and motivation and the research on engagement and motivation is being completely ignored.(34:20):Students are at the center of this. That is as much a science of reading as is the science of decoding and what we need to know about phonics and phonemic awareness and phonological awareness. If you want to talk more about just that piece at some point, it's just so important. And if teachers don't yet feel comfortable conferring, everyone can sit down and do what we call a discovery conference, which is basically saying to the child, "Hey, tell me about yourself as a reader." That one question just gives you so much insight and also really shows that you are trusting the student. I really want to get to know you. So that's just something that I feel very passionately about is that student kind of being at the center of it and that reading identity and engagement motivation are a huge part of that. Thanks so much for hosting.Matt Renwick (35:30):Thank you, Hannah. Thank you Mary Beth. Thank you, Debra. Thank you. Great conversation. Please read Trusting Readers: Powerful Practices for Independent Reading by Jennifer Scoggin and Hannah Schneewind through Heinemann. Terrific book and terrific conversation. Thank you. Get full access to Read by Example at readbyexample.substack.com/subscribe
Guest: Noel Foy, Founder at Neuro Noel Consulting [@NeuroNoel]On LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/noel-foy-73a5ab45/On Twitter | https://twitter.com/NeuroNoelOn Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/neuronoel/?hl=enOn YouTube |https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6wQxj0vYaxxh9MxkjxinhQ_____________________________Host: Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining Society PodcastOn ITSPmagazine | https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/marco-ciappelli_____________________________This Episode's SponsorsAre you interested in sponsoring an ITSPmagazine Channel?
Guest: Noel Foy, Founder at Neuro Noel Consulting [@NeuroNoel]On LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/noel-foy-73a5ab45/On Twitter | https://twitter.com/NeuroNoelOn Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/neuronoel/?hl=enOn YouTube |https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6wQxj0vYaxxh9MxkjxinhQ_____________________________Host: Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining Society PodcastOn ITSPmagazine | https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/marco-ciappelli_____________________________This Episode's SponsorsAre you interested in sponsoring an ITSPmagazine Channel?
Did you catch episode 139 with Dr. Jenna Copper? We talked all about independent reading and student choice at the high school level. Today we're continuing our independent reading series with our friend, Abby Gross.This one is for all of our middle school teacher friends! Abby was a high school teacher who recently moved to middle school. This transition is what gave her the chance to wake up to a whole new set of possibilities for what independent reading could look like in her classroom.We have a feeling that this conversation with Abby will reinstate your love of independent reading and spark so many new ideas that you can take straight to your classroom. You'll hear about the functionality of independent reading, ways to get your students curious and excited about different kinds of books, and we're even addressing the big question of, how do you create accountability between you and your students with independent reading?Show Notes: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode140 Support the showCheers! Join BNT Happy Hour HERE!Support the show
When we decided to do a series on independent reading, the first name that came to mind was our friend, Dr. Jenna Copper. Jenna has just as much passion and excitement for independent reading and student choice as we do. Plus, she shares Marie's love of YA fantasy books, which is just the icing on top!In this conversation, we talk about what independent reading has looked like in our classrooms. We also discuss a lot about the exciting ways to position units within your curriculum and how to approach student choice strategically. You'll love hearing how Jenna uses backward design for her independent reading units and how this idea of ‘student choice' has evolved for her over the years. Show Notes: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode139Support the show
Main Questions about Independent Reading: (full show notes here) Is there a place for independent reading in the classroom? If so, what does it look like? Independent Reading Is: Intentional, purposeful reading Tailored to each specific student and their needs Looks different on each reader based upon their level Within a student's range of skills Sitting with a decodable! Dinner with a little dessert (see below) Independent Reading Is NOT: The age-old direction of “Drop Everything and Read” Reading alongside students and modeling reading for them at your desk Showing your students how much YOU love reading by reading a book yourself Sustained and silent Strictly timed A substitution for what we are doing in our small group time Check out Christina Winter Instagram Mrs. Winter's Bliss Website
Shannon and Mary chat with Emily Gibbons from the Literacy Nest about decodable texts. This discussion provides information about how decodables are similar and different to trade books and leveled texts. In this episode, teachers will find out how and when to use decodable texts in reading instruction. Listeners will also learn the best sources for high quality decodable books and short texts. Episode Links for Resources mentioned:Decodable Texts Guide UFLIA tweet with a graphic that says "Decodable texts are a bridge, not a destination!" -C. TartaglioneA Research Study on the Effects of Using Decodable Texts with Systematic Phonics Instruction-Sadlier (Wiley Blevins)Decodable Readers: Benchmark EducationFree Books for Kids: Beyond DecodablesWhat are decodable books? IDA OntarioFB Group: Let's Talk Decodable Books & Literacy Resources!Five from Five: Decodable BooksDecodable ComicsWhat can I do with all these predictable books? Wiley Blevins webinar training Ready to move on from decodables?Decodable text tips Choosing and Using Decodable Texts by Wiley Blevins *Amazon affiliate link*Scholastic's Super Book of Phonics Poems by Linda Ross *Amazon affiliate link*Emily Gibbon's podcast: Together in LiteracyEmily Gibbon's website The Literacy NestEmily Gibbon's Word List BuilderCOME JOIN THE CONVERSATION!Our WebsiteFacebookInstagramShannon's TpT StoreSupport the show
After a long break, there's bound to be some challenges that arise when students return. Before break, your students were in a routine and had good stamina for independent reading. But now, it's almost like starting from the beginning all over again. To help your students regain their momentum towards independent reading, I'm sharing 5 tips to implement during your reading block.Join us in the Stellar Teacher Reading Membership: stellarteacher.com/membershipTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode114
You've hit the halfway mark in the school year, so it's a great time to reevaluate your literacy routines and take this opportunity to revamp your ideas. One way to do that is through your reading response activities. While students read independently, the goal is for them to think about what they're reading, which is exactly what reading response activities do. So if you're looking for fresh and new reading response ideas that will energize independent reading time, today's episode will do just that!Join us in the Stellar Teacher Reading Membership: stellarteacher.com/membershipTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode112
Want to help your independent readers enjoy audiobooks? Whether you want to use Audible, Libro FM (do you know about their free educator advance listening program?), Libby, or Sora, in this episode I'll walk you through the process of creating easy access for your students at your own classroom listening station. Check out the show notes at nowsparkcreativity.com for visuals and links!
Andrew Watson, educator and author of Learning and the Brain Blog and the book The Goldilocks Map, teaches us how to become healthy skeptics. Cognitive science and literacy intersect as we are inundated with information about reading science, curricular materials, motivation strategies and more. As we learn to discern and distill information, we ask the question: Is there research to support that? There are three steps to the process of unpacking the legitimacy of research. Determine if you trust the speaker. Ask: What is the best research you know of that supports that idea? Review the study. Ask: Is this study a good proxy for my students or scenario? Look for more research! Consider: Which direction does most of the research point me? ResourcesLearning and the Brain Blog by Andrew WatsonThe Goldilocks Map by Andrew WatsonIsn't Independent Reading a Research-Based Process? Reading Rockets /Tim ShanahanTools to determine validity of research: ConnectedPapers.comScite.aiGoogle Scholar Connect with us!Facebook and join our Facebook Group Twitter Instagram Visit our website to subscribe to our newsletter. Helping teachers learn about science of reading, knowledge building, and high quality curriculum.
Shannon chats with Sarah Rich, CEO of Just Right Reader, about her company that provides decodable readers to students, families, teachers, and schools. Sarah and Shannon talk about how decodable texts are important for the right reading practice for students. Sarah provides details about their mission to make reading fun and for students to learn to read with engaging decodables that are representative of students in America's schools.Episode Resources:Decodable Book Collection from Just Right ReaderSample Decodablesabout Just Right ReaderFamily Literacy BoxesJust Right Reader on InstagramJust Right Reader on FacebookJust Right Reader's Phonics Scope and SequenceDecodable Books ExplainedChoosing and Using Decodable Texts by Wiley Blevins (*Amazon affiliate link)Hot Logic Mini Oven https://amzn.to/3jO2C4l (*Amazon affiliate link)Daily Harvest (Get $35 off your first box when you use this link)COME JOIN THE CONVERSATION!Our Website Facebook Instagram ClubhouseShannon's TpT StoreSupport the show
This edWeb podcast is sponsored by Sora from OverDrive Education.The edLeader Panel recording can be accessed here.Listen to this edWeb podcast with Amy Hall and Nick Harris from the Weber School District (UT) to learn how they successfully and systematically integrated ebooks and audiobooks into all school libraries across the district. You also discover how Weber School District:Embedded digital books into district tech trainingsProvided monthly tips and user guides for librariansUsed ebooks and audiobooks for districtwide professional developmentDeveloped trainings and resources specific to the districtSpread digital book use and models to departments and individualsListeners walk away with best practices and strategies for harnessing the power of digital and replicating this success in their own districts.This edWeb podcast is of interest to K-12 librarians, education technology leaders, and school and district leaders.
Goldstein, Tara and Friesen, Doug (Producers). (2020, Feb 13). Tara talks to PhD students Yasmin Owis and Lindsay Cavanagh about their Independent Reading and Research course on the intersections of queer and critical race theories.
The Literacy View lets loose in this episode with their thoughts on INDEPENDENT READING DURING THE SCHOOL DAY?Should the practice continue or not?What about struggling readers?
Welcome to Teach Your Class Off RADIO! We are currently in our Fifth season of Sunday Night Teacher Talk! Sunday Night Teacher Talk is a community of educators who meet live every Sunday at 1 pm Eastern Time (US) on CJ Reynolds' Real Rap with Reynolds YouTube channel to help each other become the teachers we're called to be. If that interests you, we welcome you to join the conversation and the community. We believe teaching is a communal activity and we support all types of educators. ________________________________________________________ Other resources: CJ's book, Teach Your Class Off: The Real Rap Guide to Teaching https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Class-Off-Teaching/dp/195160010X/ Website: www.realrapwithreynolds.com Newsletter: https://realrapwithreynolds.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=dd46eaf83a849e077d27736e8&id=550be2e69f Mentoring: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=16916028 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realrapwithreynolds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realrapwithreynolds Teacher Talk Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/566468247135630 Twitter: https://twitter.com/realrapreynolds Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/realrapwithreynolds Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/realrapwithreynolds Mail: P.O. Box 11 Gloucester City, NJ 08030 USA For business inquiries or questions, visit https://www.realrapwithreynolds.com/contact/ ____________________________________________________________ Music: Kia Orion itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/orion-radio/id1303207770?mt=2 or https://www.instagram.com/kiaorion/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/cj-reynolds5/message
Revisit the importance of independent reading with Laura Robb and Evan Robb. As we move out of a global pandemic, there is a heightened need for independent reading to be part of ELA classrooms! Laura and Evan share Monday morning strategies to increase independent reading, some research, and the role of school leaders to support and elevate independent reading in schools.
Phenomenal Conversations W/Mr. Short: Dr. Jennifer Scroggin and Hannah Schneewind. I have a treat for ELA teachers who love Independent Reading. I interviewed Dr. Jennifer Scroggin and Hannah Schneewind, the authors of Trusting Readers: Powerful Practices for Independent Reading. We discussed how they got their start, working closely with Lucy Calkins, being consultants and their LitCon 22 presentation. Their Book: https://www.amazon.com/Trusting-Readers-Powerful-Practices-Independent/dp/0325120471/ref=sr_1_1?crid=18IN92ZRR8C78&keywords=hannah+schneewind&qid=1640352000&sprefix=hannah+schneewind%2Caps%2C134&sr=8-1 Be Phenomenal, Mr. Short --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jeremiah-short0/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jeremiah-short0/support
Listen in as: I give you actionable ideas that you can use to keep students accountable during independent reading. I talk about: Creating a culture of reading Using Stop and Jot And …. So much more Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Book Talk Projects Reading Response Choice Board Bundle Conferring and Guided Reading Template Bundle 4 steps to crafting a mini lesson One on One Coaching Support Next Steps: Hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode Join our podcast FB community so you can get other ideas to add to your playbook Fill out the google form to tell me your challenges and what you would like to hear on the podcast Follow me on instagram at msevamireles Join my in the know list so you don't miss an episode and get my free guide for how to DIY a mini lesson that makes learning stick --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/eva-mireles/message
In this episode we are going to talk about all things independent reading. Take a sneak peak at my workshop that talks about all things launching independent reading so that you launch your readers workshop right. Listen as I break down how to: Give your students the skinny on the how, the what and the why behind independent reading. Learn how I build a community of readers. Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Launching Independent Reading Workshop One on One Coaching Support Hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode Join our podcast FB community so you can get other ideas to add to your playbook Fill out the google form to tell me your challenges and what you would like to hear on the podcast Follow me on instagram at msevamireles Join my in the know list so you don't miss an episode and get my free guide for how to DIY a mini lesson that makes learning stick --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/eva-mireles/message
In this podcast, Laura Robb and Evan Robb share ideas to champion independent reading in your classroom and school. In addition, they share ways to promote more reading and their opinions on motivating readers VS some traditional accountability methods. Help students develop reading lives and collaboratively create a culture of reading!
CURRICULUM DESIGN FOR INDEPENDENT READING:Going to be a terrific show with Marika Ismail, Director of Curriculum Development for Waterford Institute's Curriculet
CURRICULUM DESIGN FOR INDEPENDENT READING:Going to be a terrific show with Marika Ismail, Director of Curriculum Development for Waterford Institute's Curriculet
In this podcast reading enthusiasts, Evan and Laura have a conversation on building reading capacity in schools. Independent reading is important but as Evan and Laura note reading should occur in all classes not just English classes. Evan and Laura discuss how students can engage in independent reading in all content areas! Evan starts the podcast with a confession to Laura!
Today on the podcast, Brynn Allison of The Literary Maven shares her top ten current book recommendations to hook reluctant readers. For example... FORGED BY FIRE (TRILOGY), BY SHARON M. DRAPER If you're going to add only one of these books to your reading library, this just might be it. It's Brynn's top recommendation. With its amazing first chapter that was originally written to stand alone as a short story, you can hook readers instantly. Read it aloud and put it on your shelf, then watch how quickly your struggling readers (and all the rest of your students) line up for it. Great for: Everyone! ON THE COME UP, BY HANNAH WEYER In this novel, a young woman gets pregnant. This is the story of how she deals with it. Though she makes mistakes, she also makes good choices. She's strong and driven, a real and honest protagonist that makes a good role model for students who may be facing difficult realities and struggling with their own choices. You can read Brynn's full review here. Great for: Young women who could use a strong and realistic role model. This also makes a great next read for students who have fallen for The Hate U Give. LIFE AS WE KNEW IT (SERIES), BY SUSAN BETH PFEFFER If the moon got out of whack, what might happen? This post-apocalyptic series follows life on earth in a fairly realistic scenario, following along as characters deal with the way the world is changing. You can read Brynn's full review here. Great for: Keeping students reading, since they can move on to the next in the series after the first book. THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO (SERIES), BY PATRICK NESS Also set in the ever-popular post-apocalyptic world, this novel follows the story of Todd, who grows up in a town with only men. Then one day he finds a girl, Viola, and together they start a revolution. You can read Brynn's full review here. Great for: Another solid series, giving students a lot to love once they get hooked on the first book. CINDER (THE LUNAR CHRONICLES SERIES), BY MARISSA MEYER This intriguing twist on a popular fairy tale is full of surprises. Who would have expected to find futuristic features like androids and life on the moon in a retelling of Cinderella? You can read Brynn's full review here. Great for: These books are long and big. And there are a lot of them. Share a bit in class and then see who is ready for months of joyful reading. Go Further: Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast. Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram. Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!
As a principal, you can shape teachers' theories of education by being an instructional leader who brings best practices to your school. The journey can be slow with setbacks, but when teachers help students develop personal reading lives, they prepare their students for life, college, and career. There's nothing better than being part of that outcome!
Effective Curriculum Design in an Independent Reading Program (and How to Add Technology!): with Waterford Institute's Anne Brown
Effective Curriculum Design in an Independent Reading Program (and How to Add Technology!): with Waterford Institute's Anne Brown
We hope you enjoy our first podcast! In this episode, we discuss independent reading with commentary on the value along with dispelling some myths when the topic of holding students accountable for it arises.
Introduction Welcome to Episode 1 Season two of The Educator's Room podcast! In this episode, Franchesca interviews, Colette Bennett, Literacy Teacher Extraordinaire and proponent of choice in reading. This year we are going around the world to talk to educators who are doing awesome things- just like you. Starting the school year is always tough for teachers as we try to balance what the pacing guide says and what we know our kids need. During this podcast we will discuss: strategies to encourage teachers to allow students to have a choice in what they read for class. possible roadblocks for teachers and students in choosing books for their readings. strategies to encourage independent reading in the classroom. advice for administrators to understand the shift in practices with independent reading and choice in reading selection. Resources discussed in the podcast Colette's blog: www.usedbookclassroom.wordpress.com Colette's articles on The Educator's Room Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It--Order here. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-educators-room-podcast/support
Welcome to Episode 2 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 2 Show notes You can learn more about the Book Love Foundation at Booklovefoundation.org, where you can also make a donation. 100% of the money you give to the Book Love Foundation puts books into classrooms. We ve given away $100,000 in three years, but the need is far greater. Help us reach more young people with the power of reading. Book Love Foundation awards are given to teachers like you. If you re listening to this show, you re already committed to kids and the power of reading. You can apply for a Book Love Foundation grant by visiting booklovefoundation.org. Applications for 2016 are due March 1st. CONVERSATION SEGMENT Ben Wilkinson has been an English teacher for six years, most recently at Knoxville Catholic High School in Knoxville, TN. He also teaches Creative Writing, and won a Book Love Grant in 2014. Find him on Twitter at @readlikeawolf. Claire Gibson is a high school English teacher and instructional coach at Adams City High School in Commerce City, CO. You can find her on Twitter @Gibby86, read about her reading and teaching life on her new blog atateacherwhowrites.com or e-mail her at clairegibson9@gmail.com. Karlen Shupp has taught English since 1999 and currently at Trumbull High School in Trumbull, CT. She has also taught at Pomperaug Regional High School and Western Connecticut State University. She presented at the NCTE Annual Convention in 2014 on modeling and in 2015 on assessments linked to Independent Reading. Shupp, along with Stephanie Jalowiec and Jim McCaffrey is part of the Reading (R)evolution, a group of three educators dedicated to sparking the love of reading in students. They have a blog at https://3lonenuts.wordpress.com and an active Twitter account @THSReadRev. Karlen can be reached at shuppk@trumbullps.org, @THSteacher, and https://sites.google.com/a/trumbullps.org/shupp-english/ Steph can be reached at jalowies@trumbullps.org and on Twitter @MrsJalowiec. Jim can be reached at mccaffrj@trumbullps.org and on Twitter @mccaffths. Beth Hughes teaches high school English at Massachusetts' Wakefield Memorial High School. You can find her on Twitter @MsBethHughes, read her musings on lifelong learning at msbethhughes.org and her passion to reintroduce her students to reading at fortheloveofreading.org, or email her at bhughesud@gmail.com. BOOK TALK Here are the books from this episode s book talk, courtesy of Serena Kessler: All American Boys, by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely I am Number Four, by Pittacus Lore The Divergent series, by Veronica Ruth Ender s Game, by Orson Scott Card Rangers Apprentice, by John Flanagan 13 Reasons Why, by Jay Asher Jandy Nelson books, especially The Sky is Everywhere. Ellen Hopkins books (That s two episodes in a row for both Jandy Nelson and Ellen Hopkins, in classrooms 2,000 miles apart ) Serena Kessler is a high school English teacher at Romulus High School in Romulus, Michigan. She blogs at wholechildren.wordpress.com and can be reached by email at serenakessler@gmail.com. STUDENT STORY This episode s student story was from Lynn Hagen, a high school literacy teacher and Reading Specialist in Columbia, Missouri. Lynne is a passionate advocate for choice reading for high school students. You can follow her reflections on teaching at Blue-skyteaching.blogspot.com or on Twitter @lynnahagen. You can reach her by email at lhagen@cpsk12.org. Lynn s student mentioned liking: Monster, by Walter Dean Myers The Bluford High series 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 Why Classroom Libraries Matter and How to Build Them. Episode 2 of the Book Love Foundation Podcast appeared first on Teacher Learning Sessions. ★ Support this podcast ★
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