Podcasts about upper elementary

In This Episode We DiscussWhy end-of-year classroom routines often fall apart after testingHow to maintain high expectations in your upper elementary literacy classroom through the last day of schoolThe connection between teacher expectations, student behavior, and student effortWhy structure and consistency matter more than “keeping students busy” during the post-testing seasonHow to cast a realistic vision for the end of the school year without burning yourself outThe difference between reacting to the end of the year vs. intentionally designing itA simple framework for helping students continue reading, writing, thinking, and learning through May and JuneHow maintaining expectations supports both classroom management and academic growth• Casting a vision for how you want your classroom to look, sound, and feel at the end of the school year• Choosing a few clear academic and behavior non-negotiables• Maintaining literacy routines even after state testing• Continuing reading, writing, discussion, and thinking work through the final weeks• Reflecting on where expectations became unclear during the school year• Editing unrealistic end-of-year plans so they align with your energy and values• Supporting students through transitions while maintaining structure and consistencyThese are all practical strategies designed to help upper elementary teachers finish the school year with intention, maintain classroom expectations, and protect the learning students have worked hard to build all year long.As you listen, consider this question:What am I intentionally maintaining in my classroom right now?Because students don't just respond to what we say matters at the end of the year—they respond to what we consistently reinforce.Instructional leadership starts with teachers who are willing to design the ending of the school year with as much intention as they designed the beginning.This episode focuses on the first component of Eva's four-part Finish Strong-ish framework:Clarify:What students will be doing, saying, and producingWhat expectations supported student successWhat routines and expectations need to stay consistentHow you want your classroom to feel through the final weeks of schoolFuture episodes in this series will also unpack:Back End (teacher systems, organization, and motivation)Front and Center (keeping learning intentional)Community (cultivating classroom connection and belonging)• The Pygmalion Effect (Rosenthal & Jacobson)• Research on teacher expectations and student outcomes• World Economic Forum research on vision, resilience, and future-focused thinkingEpisode 133: Finish Strong-ish Series Overview

Episode 129- Why Read Aloud Still Matters in Grades 3–5 ClassroomsIn this episode we talk about:Why read alouds still matter in your Upper Elementary literacy classrooms.How Read alouds support learning science, How Read alouds support The Science of Teaching Reading. Choose texts that build knowledgePause for thinking, not just predictionsPlan 2–3 intentional thinking stops instead of a lot of questions“How might my read aloud time become one of the most instructionally powerful parts of the day?”Schema Theory in Reading by Shuying AnIf you're ready to strengthen your instruction and implement research-based literacy strategies with support, you can learn more about coaching and campus support in the link below.Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini Practical Strategies Mentioned:Self-Leadership Reflection:Resources Mentioned:The Neuroscience of Narrative and Memory by Judy WillisWork With EvaBook a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development

In this episode:Listen in as I interview Stacey Riedmiller of Literacy for Big Kids. We talk about the what, the why and the how of reading what your students are reading. We talk about:1.What- What does it mean to read what your upper elementary students are reading?2. Why- Why is reading what your upper elementary students are reading important?3. How- How do we make reading what our upper elementary students are reading happen?Quotables: - Reading what students are reading means that you read what they gravitate to during independent reading and what you are going to use to teach from whether that be in whole group or small group instruction.-We read what our students are reading because it helps us build connections with students, showcases our professionalism, and deepens the conversations we can have with students.- We make reading what our students are reading happen when we remember our why and make time to read in the edges of our day. Stacey Riedmiller- Is a fifth grade language arts teacher who lives near Cincinnati, Ohio. She is finishing up her 11th year teaching in the school she went to as a child. She has a Masters in Writing from The Ohio Writing Project at Miami University. Next up is working on her reading endorsement.You can find her on instagram ⁠@literacyforbigkids⁠ or at ⁠literacyforbigkids.com⁠Links to resources mentioned in the podcast:⁠Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini ⁠⁠Get on the mini lesson revamp bootcamp waitlist⁠⁠Book a discovery call⁠ for one on one coaching or school professional developmentNext 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 infoLeave 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 podcastClick ‘Send'

Episode 127In This Episode We DiscussHow to incorporate science of learning strategies into your literacy blockUsing retrieval practice in reading lessonsWhy spaced practice improves student learningTurning learning objectives into student thinking opportunitiesSupporting metacognition during literacy instructionApplying research-based strategies without overwhelming your schedulePractical Strategies Mentioned• Brain dump retrieval activity • Student self-rating for understanding • Justifying multiple-choice responses • Interleaved exit tickets • Think-aloud modelingThese are all strategies grounded in cognitive science and learning research that help strengthen student learning over time.Self-Leadership ReflectionAs you listen, consider this question:How can I begin implementing science of learning strategies even if no one else on my team is doing it yet?Instructional leadership often starts with teachers who are willing to try research-based practices first.Resources MentionedSmart Teaching, Stronger Learning  (affiliate link)Previous Episode Referenced: Episode 102 Teaching for Transfer: What is modeling and why does it matter in your literacy classroom?Work With EvaIf you're ready to strengthen your instruction and implement research-based literacy strategies with support, you can learn more about coaching and campus support in the link below.Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development

Goal: The goal of this episode is to help you walk away with tangible tools for helping students build connected meaning within and across texts. We talk about:        1.Concept Mapping 2. Recap of chapter 6 of Smart Teaching Stronger Learning 3. Strategies that you can implement in your classroom today. Links to resources mentioned in the podcast:Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional developmentLink to the book (affiliate link)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 infoLeave 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 podcastClick ‘Send'Episode 122 — Helping Students Build Connected MeaningLeave a Rating and Review:

Episode 121 — Why- How Your Students Learn and  Practice Matters in your Upper Elementary Literacy Classroom?Goal: The goal of this episode is to help you walk away with tangible tools for choosing how to teach and practice literacy skills in your upper elementary literacy classroom.We talk about:        1.Blocked Practice vs Interleave Practice 2. Recap of chapter 4 of Smart Teaching Stronger Learning 3. Strategies that you can implement in your classroom today. Links to resources mentioned in the podcast:Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional developmentLink to the book (affiliate link)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 infoLeave 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 podcastClick ‘Send'Leave a Rating and Review:

Episode 119: What Does It Mean for Learning to Stick?The goal of this episode is to help you walk away with an understanding of what retrieval practices are and how they help support student learning, in other words how to make learning stick.We talk about:1.Retrieval Practice and how it helps learning stick. 2. Recap of chapter 1 of Smart Teaching Stronger Learning 3. Two retrieval strategies that you can implement in your classroom today. Links to resources mentioned in the podcast:Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional developmentLink to the book (affiliate link)Rote Vs. Meaningful Learning Richard Mayer (2002)Episode 97: Teaching for Transfer: The difference between rote and meaningful learning and why it matters in your literacy classroom.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 infoLeave 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 podcastClick ‘Send'Leave a Rating and Review:

In today's episode, I'm unpacking a skill that often gets overlooked in upper elementary but has a huge impact on whether students can read big words with confidence. So many of our students see a long word and immediately freeze or give up, not because they don't want to try, but because they don't have the tools to break the word apart. That's where syllabication comes in. When we intentionally teach students about syllable types and syllable division, we give them the confidence and know-how to tackle long words with accuracy and independence.Throughout the episode, I unpack why syllabication is such an essential part of reading instruction in grades 3–5. I talk through the six syllable types, the foundational vowel sounds students need to understand, and why prompts like “slow down” or “break apart the word” aren't effective unless students actually know how to do those things. I also share several reasons students struggle with multisyllabic words—gaps in early instruction, difficulty applying known rules to longer words, and the increased complexity of upper elementary texts. Most importantly, I focus on how teaching syllabication directly supports fluency, comprehension, and word recognition, and how it complements the work we're already doing with prefixes, suffixes, and roots.Finally, I break down what effective syllable instruction looks like in the classroom: explicit, systematic teaching paired with ongoing practice. I walk you through how to introduce each syllable type, why to start with simple examples, the importance of teaching exceptions, and ways to build in meaningful practice through warmups, small groups, independent reading, and vocabulary routines. My goal in this episode is to help you feel confident bringing syllabication into your classroom—because when students understand how syllables work, they gain a powerful tool for reading big words. And if you're looking for ready-to-use lessons and visuals to support your teaching, be sure to check out the syllable types resource I mentioned at stellarteacher.com/syllables.***This episode is a replay of Episode 121, a listener favorite that continues to help teachers support students with multisyllabic words.Check out my Syllable Types: Lesson Plans & Activities Bundle here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode283.

In today's episode, I'm diving into a small but mighty part of literacy instruction that has a huge impact on your students' reading and writing success—the sentence. For years in my own classroom, I didn't give sentence-level work nearly enough attention, even though sentences are at the heart of everything students read and write. If you've ever wondered how to strengthen your students' writing, boost their comprehension, or make your literacy instruction more effective, this episode will give you a fresh perspective on why focusing on sentences matters so much.I'm sharing five key reasons why sentence-level work is an essential part of upper elementary literacy instruction. Strong sentences are the foundation of all writing—whether students are crafting paragraphs, essays, summaries, or responses to reading, their success depends on their ability to write clear, complete, and detailed sentences. At the same time, understanding sentence structure is crucial for comprehension. When students understand how phrases and clauses work together, they are better equipped to make meaning from the increasingly complex texts they encounter. Plus, sentence-level work is manageable for students and teachers, it's one of the most effective ways to teach grammar, and it benefits all learners—those who struggle and those who are already confident writers.My hope is that this episode inspires you to slow down and give sentence-level writing the time and intention it deserves. Prioritizing sentences can transform your writing instruction, strengthen your students' reading comprehension, and make your overall literacy block more effective and more manageable. Whether you're looking for a place to start or simply need a reminder that small shifts can lead to big growth, this episode will give you practical insight into why every upper elementary teacher should be spending more time on sentences.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode281.

In this episode of The Stellar Teacher Podcast, I dive into a critical topic for upper elementary classrooms: supporting multilingual learners (MLLs). With the help of experts Dr. Jana Echevarría and Dr. Jeannette Mancilla-Martinez, we explore why the term “multilingual learner” is replacing “English language learner,” how to challenge common misconceptions, and why it's so important to recognize the linguistic assets students bring to our classrooms. You'll gain a clear understanding of the difference between everyday language and academic language, and why focusing on both is essential for our students' success.We also tackle the myth that students need to fully master English before they can access grade-level content. I talk with Jana and Jeanette about research showing that, with intentional support and meaningful instruction, MLLs can engage with the same literacy and content skills as their peers. From understanding the role of academic language as a “gate opener” to strategies for integrating language objectives into everyday lessons, this episode is full of practical ideas you can bring right into your classroom.Finally, the conversation turns to actionable strategies teachers can implement immediately. From leveraging students' background experiences to integrating listening, speaking, reading, and writing into content lessons, Jana and Jeanette highlight simple yet powerful ways to support language development across disciplines. This episode is packed with guidance to help you feel confident, intentional, and empowered to meet the needs of multilingual learners—reminding us all that these students are learners just like everyone else.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode272.

Episode 236Catlin Goodrow discusses her role as a literacy coach and interventionist for older students, focusing on assessing student needs, implementing effective interventions, and the logistics of providing support in the classroom. She shares insights on decoding challenges, comprehension strategies, and the importance of engaging students with appropriate texts. She also emphasizes the significance of flexibility in instruction and offers practical tips for teachers to support struggling readers. Check out her new book 'Reading Beyond the Routines,' which provides research-informed strategies for teaching literacy in grades 2 through 6.ResourcesReading Beyond the Basics by Catlin Goodrow (book) Podcast Episode - Helping Students Read Multisyllabic Words with Devin Kearns (podcast)Podcast Episode: Exploring the Research Behind Paired Oral Reading with Jake Downs (podcast)Podcast Episode - No More “Strategy of the Week” (podcast)Building Background Knowledge Through Reading: Rethinking Text Sets - Sarah Lupo et. al. (research article)Rewards by Anita Archer (paid program)Word Connections by Jessica Toste (free program) We answer your questions about teaching reading in The Literacy 50-A Q&A Handbook for Teachers: Real-World Answers to Questions About Reading That Keep You Up at Night.Grab free resources and episode alerts! Sign up for our email list at literacypodcast.com.Join our community on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.

Writing is one of the most complex skills our students will ever learn—and one that is often overlooked. In this episode of the Stellar Teacher Podcast, I'm joined by two of the leading experts in writing instruction: Dr. Steven Graham and Dr. Karen Harris. Steven has spent more than 40 years studying how students learn to write, while Karen developed the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model, one of the most widely used and researched approaches to teaching writing. Together, they share valuable insights into what makes writing instruction so challenging and how teachers can provide explicit, systematic writing instruction that really works.During our conversation, we dig into the many complexities of writing—everything from idea generation and sentence construction to transcription skills, motivation, and self-regulation. Steven and Karen also unpack what it means to use evidence-based practices in writing instruction and help us distinguish between strategies that truly make a difference and those that fall short. Their insights are especially helpful for teachers in upper elementary who often face limited time for writing and wonder how to make the most of the minutes they do have.You'll walk away from this episode with practical guidance you can apply right away, whether it's structuring short but consistent writing blocks, integrating writing into reading and content areas, or helping students set goals and monitor their own progress. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by teaching writing, this conversation will give you clarity, encouragement, and research-backed strategies to strengthen your writing instruction.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode270.Mentioned in this episode:Supporting Struggling Readers WorkshopClick the link below to register for our FREE workshop on supporting struggling readers in upper elementary.

Do your students groan when it's time for vocabulary?

What if I told you that 90% of students can be on grade level with the right instruction? In today's episode, we're joined by Dr. Jan Hasbrouck, a leading researcher, author, and consultant in the field of literacy. Dr. Hasbrouck has dedicated her career to helping educators better understand the complexities of reading fluency and effective interventions, and today she's sharing her valuable insights with us. Whether you're an upper elementary teacher working with students who are still developing foundational skills or someone looking to dive deeper into the science of reading, you're in the right place.In this conversation, Dr. Hasbrouck breaks down the importance of understanding reading fluency and how to identify the true root causes of reading struggles. We also dive into the impact of language development and decoding fluency on comprehension, as well as how to support struggling readers. If you've been feeling overwhelmed by the challenge of supporting students who are behind in reading, Dr. Hasbrouck offers a fresh perspective and encourages a collaborative, community-based approach to overcoming these challenges.This episode is packed with valuable takeaways for educators who want to better support their students' reading development. From understanding the research behind effective interventions to practical strategies for identifying and addressing gaps in fluency, you'll leave this episode feeling empowered and ready to tackle the new school year with confidence.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode266.

In this special episode of The Stellar Teacher Podcast, we're giving you a behind-the-scenes look at one of our most exciting new resources—the Stellar Teacher Reading Intervention Kit! I'm joined by my teammate Emily, one of our amazing curriculum writers and the mastermind behind this new intervention resource designed specifically for upper elementary students who struggle with decoding. If you've ever felt unsure about how to approach reading intervention or wondered how to fit it into your already packed schedule, this episode is for you.Emily and I talk candidly about the biggest challenges teachers face when it comes to reading intervention—limited time, lack of confidence, and keeping older students engaged—and how each of those challenges shaped the design of this kit. You'll hear about our goals, the research that guided us, the beta testing process, and the thoughtful routines we built to make intervention practical, effective, and doable in just 15 minutes a day.Whether you're looking for tools to support struggling readers, or you just want to feel more confident about teaching phonics in the upper grades, I hope this episode gives you inspiration and clarity. I truly believe this resource is going to make a huge difference in classrooms—and I can't wait for you to experience it for yourself.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode260.

One of my absolute favorite ways to bring history to life is through historical fiction - and yep, it just so happens to be my favorite genre! In today's episode, I'm sharing how you can use historical fiction to help your upper elementary students connect with the past in a meaningful, memorable way. From book recs to tips for incorporating these stories into your social studies block, you'll walk away with fresh ideas for making history feel real.Episode Highlights:Why historical fiction is a powerful tool for teaching historyMy top historical fiction recommendations for upper elementaryCreative ways to integrate literature into your social studies lessonsBooks open doors - and in this case, they just might open a window into the past for your students.Resources and LinksBlog Post - Episode 102https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/historical-fiction-picture-books https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/5th-grade-historical-fiction https://shop.scholastic.com/teachers-ecommerce/teacher/genre/historical-fiction.html?p=1&n=20 Let's Connect!Listen/watch on YoutubeShop TPT ResourcesInstagramWebsiteJoin the Facebook GroupMentioned in this episode:Join the FREE Teacher Audio Summit!Join the free Teacher Summer Talks Audio Summit! This PD party takes place June 23-26, 2025! You can click my affiliate link below to sign up - it's easy as 1, 2, 3! https://thesouthernteach--secondstorywindow.thrivecart.com/teacher-summer-talks-2025-max-pass/

Nature's Classroom: Montessori Magic at HarborlightEpisode Description:Join us for an insightful journey into the heart of Montessori Outdoor Classrooms at Harborlight Montessori School in Beverly, MA. In this episode, Eliza Pitkin shares her passion and experiences in cultivating an enriching learning environment where nature and education seamlessly intertwine. Discover how outdoor classrooms are enhancing children's learning experiences by engaging their senses and fostering a deep appreciation for the natural world.Episode Highlights: Introduction to Harborlight's Outdoor Classrooms:An overview of the Montessori method and its application in outdoor settings.The unique features of Harborlight Montessori's approach to outdoor learning. Eliza Pitkin's Personal Journey:Eliza's story of integrating outdoor education into the Montessori curriculum.Her inspiration and vision for creating an immersive educational experience. The Impact of Nature on Learning:Discussing the benefits of outdoor classrooms on cognitive and emotional development.How the natural environment stimulates curiosity and creativity among students. Success Stories and Testimonials:Sharing anecdotes of student experiences and their transformative learning moments.Feedback from teachers and parents on the positive impact of this educational model. Challenges and Triumphs:Overcoming obstacles in implementing outdoor classrooms and raising chickens.Celebrating the milestones achieved and future aspirations. Final Thoughts:Eliza's reflections and hopes for the continued evolution of outdoor learning.An invitation for educators and parents to explore and embrace this innovative approach.Call to Action:If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review! To learn more about the Montessori approach and how you can incorporate outdoor learning activities, visit Harborlight Montessori School's website or reach out to Eliza Pitkin for more insights.Meet Elisa: Elisa Pitkin is the Director of Education at Harborlight Montessori School in Beverly MA, and has over 30 years of experience teaching and leading Montessori educational programs. Elisa has a BA in Early Childhood Education and has a Master's Degree in Education. She has been teaching for the Montessori Institute of New England as well as Endicott College. Elisa is a Montessori trained teacher for Early Childhood, Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary. She has been at Harborlight for 29 years and most recently has working on their outdoor classroom spaces, including garden beds, raising chickens, and creating spaces for children to learn and work. Contact Elisa: Harborlight Montessori Elisa Pitkin, Director of Educationepitkin@harborlight.net243 Essex Street Beverly, MA 01915 Phone 978-922-1008CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:WEBSITE: www.outdoor-classrooms.comEMAIL:

While it's easy to focus on well-known figures like Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks, Black History Month is an opportunity to go deeper and share a more comprehensive understanding of Black history and culture. Today, I'm sharing three important things to focus on with your students during Black History Month that can spark meaningful conversations, build empathy, and promote a greater understanding of history.Episode HighlightsBlack History Is American HistoryHighlight Unsung Heroes and Everyday StoriesExplore Black Culture Beyond StruggleResources and LinksMy Black History Month unit has all of these elements ready to go for you - check it out hereTry the Webquest about the Civil Rights Movement hereLet's Connect!Check out the episode show notes!Shop TPT ResourcesInstagramWebsiteJoin the Facebook GroupMentioned in this episode:Grab the Black History Bundle Today! Looking for an easy, engaging way to teach Black History? The Black History Month All-In-One Bundle is packed with ready-to-use biographies, activities, and nonfiction passages—perfect for upper elementary and middle school! Whether for Black History Month or year-round learning, this minimal-prep resource makes it simple to highlight diverse voices. This resource can: ✔️ Make Black History lessons meaningful ✔️ Save you time with no-prep activities ✔️ Boost reading comprehension and critical thinking Grab the resource here!

Looking for ways to engage your upper elementary music students? Check out this podcast, with three strategies!

Book projects don't just help students learn, they inspire them to explore, create and share their voices, and it's a great way to integrate ELA and social studies altogether. Let's explore 5 of my favorite project options!Episode HighlightsWhat is a book project?Why try book projects?Ideas your students will loveWhy book projects workBook recommendations for upper elementary projectsTips for success with book projectsResources and LinksBook Project IdeasChapter Book Series RecommendationsUsing Multiple Intelligences in the ClassroomMultiple Intelligences Choice BoardsLet's Connect!Check out the episode show notes!Shop TPT ResourcesInstagramWebsiteJoin the Facebook GroupMentioned in this episode:Grab the Black History Bundle Today! Looking for an easy, engaging way to teach Black History? The Black History Month All-In-One Bundle is packed with ready-to-use biographies, activities, and nonfiction passages—perfect for upper elementary and middle school! Whether for Black History Month or year-round learning, this minimal-prep resource makes it simple to highlight diverse voices. This resource can: ✔️ Make Black History lessons meaningful ✔️ Save you time with no-prep activities ✔️ Boost reading comprehension and critical thinking Grab the resource here!

In this episode: Listen in as we talk about self-efficacy and how it impacts your upper elementary literacy classroom.  We talk about: What self-efficacy, why knowing what it is matters in your literacy classroom and how to help raise it. Hear what the research says its impact is in your literacy classroom and what you can do to impact it. Quotables:  -Self-Efficacy refers to what a student thinks they are able to do as it relates to learning and their ability to perform a task.  -Self-efficacy can be influenced by a student's environment, and a student's self-efficacy can impact how they behave in their learning environment.  -Even students with a high self-efficacy will not attempt a task if they don't feel equipped to handle it.  Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Schunk, D. H., & Zimmerman, B. J. (2007). Influencing     children's self-efficacy and self-regulation of reading and writing through modeling. Reading and Writing Quarterly, 23, 7-25.Link to Article For the Love of Real Learning Workshop Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini  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:

In this episode: Listen in as we talk about why your students may not be applying what you've taught them and some ways to fix that. We talk about:  The what, the why and the how of teaching students in their zone of proximal development. What the research says good learning is. Tangible steps for making this happen in your classroom. Quotables:  - Zone of proximal development is the distance between what a child can do independently (actual development) and what they can do with assistance (level of potential development). -  Good learning is defined as what is delivered in advance of development. -Providing appropriate support means that you allow students to engage in productive struggle.  Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Interaction Between Learning and Development  Launching Independent Reading Workshop Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini  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:

In this episode: Listen in as we talk about how to bridge the gap between rote learning and meaningful learning in your upper elementary literacy classroom. We talk about: The what, the why and the how of teaching students so that they apply what you've taught them. Learn what the research says the goal of learning is. Walk away with tangible steps for making this happen in your classroom. Quotables:  - Teaching for transfer matters in our literacy classrooms. It is the entire point of teaching. It's what helps our students grow as readers, thinkers and learners.  - Transfer is what we think of when we teach a student how to divide words into syllables during our word study time and then the same student is able to use this knowledge to decode multisyllabic words during their independent reading time.   -As educators we need to ensure that students understand that what they are about to learn matters and why. Making sure that students know why they are learning something is one way to attain student attention.  Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Rote Vs. Meaningful Learning Richard Mayer (2002) Launching Independent Reading Workshop Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini  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:

ECS Academic Dean Jenny Shorten and Upper Elementary principal Luke Matzke join host Brandon Artiles to discuss the recent debut of the new library for our 4th-6th grade students. They share how the library and its variety of options has ignited a love for reading.

Utah Educators — let's talk about fluency and comprehension!October 1 – Brigham CityOctober 7 – Salt Lake CityOctober 22 – St. George Make sure to sign up for both sessionsFluency: https://usbe.midaseducation.com/professional-development/courses/course/64621Comprehension: https://usbe.midaseducation.com/professional-development/courses/course/64623All sessions are free of charge and 7 relicensure hours will be credited for the full day. A big thanks to the Utah State […]

Send us a textThe One About…Using Questioning and Strategy Instruction to Support Upper Elementary Students with Marianne Rice, Kay Wijekumar, and Kacee Lambright “Making inferences is essential to comprehending text. Teachers can ask inferential questions, model their thinking, and teach specific strategies to support upper elementary students in making inferences while reading.” Website: https://www.literacy.io/ Article:Promoting Inference Generation: Using Questioning and Strategy Instruction to Support Upper Elementary StudentsMarianne Rice, Kay Wijekumar, Kacee Lambright, and Ashley StackThe Reading Teacher, July 2024https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/trtr.2353 Check out our other episode with Marianne and Kacee!EP.69-Text Structure and Inference Skills: The Latest Instructional Research!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-69-text-structure-and-inference-skills-the/id1614519794?i=1000651502855  “What's the Main Idea?”: Using Text Structure to Build Comprehensionhttps://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/trtr.2016 “Inference skills for reading: A meta-analysis of instructional practices.”https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2024-63383-001 Kay WijekumarHouston Endowed Chair (Teaching, Learning and Culture)Texas A&M UniversityEmail: k_wijekumar@tamu.edu  Marianne Rice is an Assistant Professor of Literacy Education at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She was an elementary teacher and reading specialist for over 10 years before earning her PhD at Texas A&M University.Email:mrice44@utk.eduKacee Lambright:Research Specialist IIITEACHING, LEARNING & CULTURETexas A&M UniversityEmail: kacee331@tamu.edu Please Support Our Show❤️https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=88DP4YMVETHFQAdvertise with us:https://theliteracyview.com/contact/Join our Facebook Group✅https://www.facebook.com/share/g/msdoTSwSiQvbtUW9/?mibextid=qtnXGeEmail us: FaithandJudy@gmail.comFaith Borkowsky's books: "If Only I Would Have Known..." (3-in-1 Edition): What I wish the Pediatrician, the Preschool Teacher, and the Librarian would have told me about Language, Literacy, and Dyslexiahttps://a.co/d/6wTSSGv Failing Students or Failing Schools?: A Parent's Guide to Reading Instruction and Interventionhttps://a.co/d/aR6cPhR   Support the showThe Literacy View is an engaging and inclusive platform encouraging respectful discussion and debate about current issues in education.

In this episode: Listen in as we talk about helping students develop a growth mindset in order to foster independence during your upper elementary literacy block.  We talk about: The what, the why and the how of building independence by cultivating a growth mindset in your upper elementary literacy classroom. Quotables:  -Independence is the ability of a student to do something that we have taught them to do without relying on us and being capable of acting for oneself. -In order to cultivate independence in our literacy classrooms we need to make helping students develop a growth mindset part of our plan. -We set the tone for this shift in student thinking and we have to ensure that we are ready to highlight the positive examples of growth mindset when we see them.  Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Launching Independent Reading Workshop Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini  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:

In this episode: Listen in as we continue our summer book study of the book “Big Words For Young Readers” by Heidi Anne Mesmer.  We talk about: Chapters 7 and 8 of the book which covers the skills that students working on 2nd-5th grade skills should be taught and how to teach them. Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Sign Up for summer podcast book study Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini  Summer Bucket List Resource Online Summer Conferences: SImply Coaching Summit 2024 Mind Your Coaching Institute 2024 Linked Upper Elementary Teacher Conference  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:

In this episode: Listen in as we continue our summer book study of the book “Big Words For Young Readers” by Heidi Anne Mesmer.  We talk about: Chapters 5 and 6 of the book which covers the skills that students working on K-2nd grade skills should be taught and how to teach them. Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Sign Up for summer podcast book study Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini  Summer Bucket List Resource Online Summer Conferences: SImply Coaching Summit 2024 Mind Your Coaching Institute 2024 Linked Upper Elementary Teacher Conference  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:

In this episode: Listen in as we continue our summer book study of the book “Big Words For Young Readers” by Heidi Anne Mesmer.  We talk about: Chapters 3 and 4  of the book which cover which assessments we should giving students, what ingredients are needed for students to learn big words and how to provide research based big word instruction. Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Sign Up for summer podcast book study Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini  Summer Bucket List Resource Online Summer Conferences: SImply Coaching Summit 2024 Mind Your Coaching Institute 2024 Linked Upper Elementary Teacher Conference  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:

In this episode: Listen in as we continue our summer book study of the book “Big Words For Young Readers” by Heidi Anne Mesmer.  We talk about: Chapters 1 and 2 of the book which cover what word parts our language is composed of and the importance of a scope and sequence. Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Sign Up for summer podcast book study Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini  Summer Bucket List Resource Online Summer Conferences: SImply Coaching Summit 2024 Mind Your Coaching Institute 2024 Linked Upper Elementary Teacher Conference  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:

Being an upper elementary teacher means that we put a bigger focus on getting students to write a five-paragraph essay by the end of the year. And as we've talked about recently on the podcast, students need to have a foundation of good sentence writing first. Once students have that solid foundation, they then learn how to write strong paragraphs. So, in today's episode, I'm sharing five tips that will help students write better paragraphs in upper elementary. Grab our Sentence Writing Routine Free Sample here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode208Mentioned in this episode:Sign up for my FREE workshop at https://stellarteacher.com/freeworkshop

In this episode: Hey Upper Elementary Teacher! Listen in as we launch our summer book study of the book “Big Words For Young Readers” by Heidi Anne Mesmer.  We talk about: Why the 4 reasons the author wrote the book. Why I chose this particular text. Why I think you should join us in this book study.  Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Sign Up for summer podcast book study Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini  Summer Bucket List Resource Online Summer Conferences: SImply Coaching Summit 2024 Mind Your Coaching Institute 2024 Linked Upper Elementary Teacher Conference  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:

In this episode: Listen in as I give you tangible steps for crafting a bucket list that helps you come back in the fall rested, and ready to start back in the fall.  We talk about: How to craft a realist summer bucket list for yourself and a plan to make it happen. We also talk about how to help your students do the same. Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development Sign Up for summer podcast book study Grab my free guide for keeping your mini lesson mini  Summer Bucket List Resource Online Summer Conferences: SImply Coaching Summit 2024 Mind Your Coaching Institute 2024 Linked Upper Elementary Teacher Conference  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

I've always been fascinated with how students learn to read, so when I first heard about the science of reading, I couldn't get enough. I read all the books and did countless hours of research, all to learn this knowledge and share it with my listeners. Starting this Thursday, we're kicking off our Stellar Teacher Science of Reading Summer Series, where I address one aspect of the science of reading with practical tips and strategies. So, in order to prepare for this upcoming series, in this episode, I'm sharing a brief overview and explaining what the science of reading is and insight into the science of reading in upper elementary.Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode196

In this episode:             I talk about the what, why and how of reflecting your career goals as a teacher and using that reflection time to decide if it's time to make a career shift.  We talk about: 1.What it means to reflect on our career goals as a teacher.  2. Why taking time to reflect on your career goals is an important part of longevity in education.  3.How to reflect on your career goals in a way that helps you choose next steps.  Quotables: - You have permission to dream without guilt. To envision possibilities without a sense of responsibility to this system that we call education. -  How can we possibly teach students to dream big dreams for their lives, if we refuse to dream at all for ourselves? -Taking time to reflect on our career goals helps us take our power back and not place the responsibility for this decision on work conditions like student or colleague behavior.     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

In this episode:             I talk about the what, why and how of reflecting on our past school experiences and the positive and/or negative impact they have on your teaching.  We talk about: 1.What it means to reflect on our school experiences.  2. Why taking time to reflect on past school experiences is a necessary step in growing our practice as teachers.  3.How to reflect on both the positive experiences and think about the impact they have on your teaching.  Quotables: - Our school experiences whether positive or negative are likely impacting how we show up in our classrooms with our students every single day. - There have been times when a teacher has told me that they hate teaching reading, because they themselves feel like they weren't good at reading.  -I had a teacher who would tutor me in highschool and helped me to see that I could figure things out as a learner. She showed me what a growth mindset was before that was a thing.    Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Linked Conference for Upper Elementary Teachers 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

Upper Elementary art and music teacher Anna Pearson joins host Brandon Artiles to share about UE's inaugural spring musical, “Let's Go to the Movies”. Talented sixth graders, Emmy Murphy, Raston Goff  and Cameron Williams jump in on the conversation to let us know how they prepared and what they learned from the process. The performance is Thursday, May 2, 6:30 p.m. in the Mark Brink Auditorium.  

In this episode:             I talk about the what, why and how of leveraging the behind the scenes of being an upper elementary reading teacher to help you end the year strong-ish. We talk about: 1.What is the behind the scenes of teaching. 2. Why setting intention around the behind the scenes of teaching matters when planning to end the year strong-ish. 3.How to leverage the behind the scenes of teaching to help you end the year strong-ish. Quotables: -When I refer to the term back end I'm referring to those things that happen behind the scenes. Those things that if they don't happen then you don't actually ever get to the teaching portion of the day.   -Taking time to consider the behind the scenes of our jobs and create a plan for it helps give us some of that power back.When we feel empowered we operate from an entirely different frequency which positively impacts everyone around us.  - I like to think of self care as an act of resistance, because education is a system that will try to take all of everything you give it.   Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Sign up for the Finish Strong-ish Workshop Here! 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

In this episode:             I talk about the what, why and how to leverage your small group time as part of your test prep strategy. We talk about: 1.What test prep should look like during your upper elementary literacy block. 2. Why leveraging small group instruction should be a part of your test prep strategy. 3.How to incorporate small group instruction into your test prep strategy using 3 simple steps. Quotables: -Upper elementary students are just like us, if they think they already know how to do something they check out, if they are bored with the material or the presentation of the material they check out.  -Small group test prep helps you monitor student engagement, address test anxiety, and tailor instruction to what your upper elementary students need most.  -Both standardized and anecdotal data should help you plan for what skills students need  help reviewing during small group instruction.  Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development Test Prep Planning Guide  Episode 76 Episode 77 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

Are you an upper grade teacher that is struggling to help your students engage with math meaningfully and build an understanding of math concepts?? Things like multiplying or dividing fractions. If so, this is the podcast episode for you! Even if you aren't struggling, you will love my chat with Brittany who is the teacher behind Mix and Math. She is passionate about helping teachers grow their understanding of the math concepts they teach. You will feel empowered after you listen to today's episode with Brittany. In this episode we will chat about: using representation in mathchanging the culture of using manipulatives in the math classroomtypes of representation About our guest, Brittany HegeBrittany Hege is a math educator who has worked with students and teachers in both upper elementary and middle grades. She holds a master's degree in Elementary Mathematics Education and is passionate about helping teachers grow their understanding of the math concepts they teach. Brittany believes in the power of experiencing math through hands-on work and uses her platform, Mix and Math, to equip upper elementary teachers with the knowledge and confidence to inspire a generation of empowered math learners.  

In this episode:             I talk about the what, why and how of using read aloud with accountable talk as part of your test prep strategy. We talk about: 1.What test prep is and what it isn't. 2. Why read aloud should be a part of your test prep strategy. 3.How to leverage your read aloud time within your test prep framework. Quotables: -Test prep should feel like a time of review for students. It should feel like an opportunity to apply the skills that they have already learned in a different format.  -Read-aloud creates a shared experience, it provides an opportunity to practice active listening,it's an inclusive practice and it helps to reduce stress during this potentially stressful time in the year.  -Studies show that being read to helps to reduce stress, anxiety levels and heart rate. Which makes read-aloud the perfect component of your test prep plan.   Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development Test Prep Planning Guide  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

In this episode:             I talk about the what, why and how of helping students write constructed responses in the upper elementary classroom.  We talk about: 1.What reading response is and how it relates to constructed responses. 2. Why constructed responses should have a place in your upper elementary literacy classroom. 3.How you can help your upper elementary students write constructed responses independently. Quotables: -Reading response opportunities help upper elementary students deepen their comprehension and engage in productive struggle.  -Reading response refers to a tool used to deepen understanding of the text as your upper elementary students read and interact with the text.  -Upper elementary students need to engage in productive struggle in order to become more proficient at independently crafting constructed responses.    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

In this episode: I talk about the what, why and how of using the mini lesson framework to teach vocabulary and word study skills in your upper elementary classroom. We talk about: 1.What is vocabulary and word study instruction? 2. Why does vocabulary and word study instruction matter in the classroom? 3.How can I use the mini lesson to vocabulary and word study skills? Quotables: -Students need access to word study and vocabulary instruction in the upper elementary classroom in order to help them read and understand text on a deep level. -In grades 3-5 students are required to read multisyllabic words and need to be taught how to do this. - The mini lesson is the only framework that respects student attention spans and builds in a way to move students from novice to apprentice intentionally and effectively. Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development Episode 61: The Real MVP of Your Literacy Block Grab Your Free Mini Lesson Guide Next Steps: If this episode resonated with you, take a screenshot of the episode and tag me on instagram @msevamireles. Leave a Rating and Review: 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' --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/eva-mireles/message

In this episode:             I talk about the what, why and how of SOR or Science of Reading in the upper elementary classroom.  We talk about: 1.What is the science of teaching reading? 2. Why does this research matter to upper elementary teachers? 3.How can I implement it into my literacy block?  Quotables: -SOR centers explicit and systematic instruction in the skills that teach students how to decode and understand what they read. -Science of Reading matters, because ensuring that all students have access to explicit and systematic instruction ensures a more equitable experience for all students.  - The best way to deliver explicit instruction in each component of reading is to use the mini lesson framework Links to resources mentioned in the podcast: Book a discovery call for one on one coaching or school professional development Episode 61: The Real MVP of Your Literacy Block Grab Your Free Mini Lesson Guide 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

Last week I brought attention to vocabulary acquisition and the importance of expanding your students' vocabulary toolbox. But before you start incorporating more vocabulary into your instructional day, I wanted to bring awareness to some common vocabulary myths and misconceptions as you focus on this in your upper elementary classrooms. So in today's episode, I'm debunking vocabulary myths and highlighting the need for structured vocabulary instruction, along with different ways to embed vocabulary.Reading and memorization were always the standard ways for teaching vocabulary, but we have since learned those aren't effective ways to learn new vocabulary words. Instead, incorporating vocabulary in discussions, stories, and explicit instruction will make vocabulary more memorable and meaningful for students. Additionally, I provide examples on how using vocabulary in context creates a deeper understanding of the word. In order to expand a student's vocabulary, it's more than just exposure while reading texts. It's actually intentional instruction with application as the end result. By knowing common vocabulary myths and how to teach it effectively, your students will have more vocabulary words in their toolbox and use it in other contexts. Stay tuned to next week's episode where I dive into strategies and actionable tips for vocabulary!Show Notes: https://theliteracydive.com/episode146Resources Mentioned:Join The Daily Writing DisguiseVocabulary Writing Prompts FREE SampleVocabulary Writing PromptsEpisode 145, Unpacking the Role of Vocabulary AcquisitionConnect with Me:Join The Daily Writing Disguise Membership hereShop my TpT store hereCheck out TDWD Collections hereReceive emails from me hereFollow me on Instagram hereRead my blog posts here

We've spent the last three weeks discussing why sentences are important to a student's reading and writing skills and activities to implement. So, even if you're ready to focus on sentences more, where are you finding the time? I've got the answer for you! I'm sharing 7 ways that you can incorporate more sentence level work into your instructional day without changing up your schedule.Get my Weekly Sentence Writing Routine free sample here! And get the paid TPT resource here.Check out my Free Literacy Workshop. For more information, click here. Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode164

When students are in upper elementary, we often assume that they're ready for more complex literacy skills, and therefore, we have higher expectations of them. However, that theory is completely false. I know when I was in the classroom, I thought that having my students write 5 paragraph essays was a sign they were excelling in writing. But what my students really needed was more foundational work. Today's episode is the first of a four-week series on sentences, where I'm sharing 5 reasons why spending more time on sentence-level instruction benefits your students. Get my Weekly Sentence Writing Routine free sample here! And get the paid TPT resource here.Check out my Free Literacy Workshop. For more information, click here. Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode161

The school day can feel long for kids, especially being expected to focus and pay attention while sitting at their desks. One way to get students refocused while also incorporating learning is through movement. Getting students engaged and moving amongst your classroom benefits students in so many ways while also providing an aspect of fun. In today's episode, I'm sharing 4 specific movement routines for you to incorporate in your upper elementary classrooms. Check out my Free Literacy Workshop. For more information, click here. Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode160