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...
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Practical Advice To Help Students Be Successful With State Testing
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?...
5 Smart Ways To Set Students Up for Book Club Success
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...
Writing Workshop: Everything You Need To Know To Create an Anchor Chart
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 ...
Making Your Mini Lesson Quick and Powerful
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...
4 Ways To Make the Most of Guided Reading
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...
4 Ways to Get The Most Out of Your On-Demand Writing
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...
Creating New Thanksgiving Traditions
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...
6 Ways to Make Your Reading Assessments More Effective
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,...