The final countdown to winter break is on! These last few weeks can feel like a blur and then, before you know it, you’re locking your classroom door until early January. One of the most common things we hear from teachers around this time is that “coming back...
When I began school at the age of five, Spanish was the only language I spoke. Being bilingual was a priority for my parents and they knew that I would eventually pick up English at school. As a child, all I saw were the struggles to communicate with others and keep...
The first few weeks of school buzz with a nearly palpable energy as students settle in from the summer and embark on a new school year. We commit ourselves to building a positive, inviting classroom community and spend as much time as possible getting to know our...
Picture this … You’re standing in the center of your classroom before the school year begins. There are boxes all around you, bulletin boards are bare, and there’s a minefield of tables and chairs. You hear your heart pounding in your chest as you...
The countdown is on for summer 2023! Closing out the year with students and getting the classroom cleaned out are two of the top priorities as the year comes to a close. And while August may feel lightyears away, it somehow always sneaks up on us. Before heading out...
Have you ever tried to have a class discussion about a wonderful read-aloud, but the conversation felt…less than amazing? We’ve been there! Initiating high-level conversations can be challenging, even if you pick a stellar text Grand conversations, which are...
Summer is quickly approaching, and while so many of us are looking forward to a much-needed break, we need to remember to set up our students for success before sending them off on break. To do that, we need to ensure they continue reading while away from the...
State testing in the US happens each May. The pressure is on to ensure students are as prepared as possible. You’re considering doing “test prep” with your students, but what exactly does that mean? You don’t know the topics or what genre students will need to write....
Real talk. During my first years of teaching, book clubs used to terrify me. Launching them seemed like an uphill battle. In a panic to get the groups rolling, I sent my readers off to talk and assumed they’d figure out how to have meaningful, organic conversations...
1. Writing Workshop: Anchor Charts 101 2. Everything You Need To Know To Create an Anchor Chart for Writing Workshop 3. Writing Workshop: Everything You Need To Know To Create an Anchor Chart “I don’t have room for all these anchor charts in my classroom.” Does...
The mini-lesson is a crucial part of running a reading or writing workshop. It sets kids up for independent work, so how effective it is will truly set the tone for the workshop time. It’s incredibly important that your kids are clear on what they learned in the...
I distinctly remember attending my first guided reading professional development seminar. At the end of the session, the facilitators handed out a mock schedule for pulling groups so that all students could be seen at least twice a week during guided reading. By the...
Writing On-Demand Over the years, I’ve learned that there are many ways to bring power to your teaching. When I first began teaching writing, I was limiting myself by thinking that the on-demand would only help me create small groups for conferring. When I realized...
It’s no secret that the pandemic lent itself to many new “traditions” out of pure necessity. But out of every tragedy, we strive to find a bright shining light. This life-changing time in our lives was no different – in fact, certain new discoveries – like...
When I was a teacher in the classroom, I used to refer to October as “Dark-tober” because I felt lost and unsure of how to support my readers at this point in the year. I did the running records, got the level, and tossed the data into a folder for each student in my...
It’s always smart to start your reading or writing workshops on day one. To understand why, read this article – Yes, You Can Start Workshop On Day One! This article discusses how to set up your class with the expectation that you’re a community of writers. It’s...
