Category: Classroom Talk

  • #6 Make Use of Common Procedures and Language

    #6 Make Use of Common Procedures and Language

    This is the sixth post in the Building a Reading Community blog series to kick off the 2022-23 school year. All posts in the series can be found here. One lesson I learned in my early years as a teacher was that students learn more, I have more time to teach, and the classroom seems to work more…

  • #5: Teach Kids How to Choose Books

    #5: Teach Kids How to Choose Books

    This is the fifth post in the Building a Reading Community blog series to kick off the 2022-23 school year. All posts in the series can be found here. I just spent the first two days of school with my new group of 5th graders. We are already on our way to growing into a community of readers.…

  • #4: Make the Shift to Asset-Based Thinking

    #4: Make the Shift to Asset-Based Thinking

    This is the fourth post in the Building a Reading Community blog series to kick off the 2022-23 school year. All posts in the series can be found here. One of the more powerful things a teacher can do to both positively build a reading community and enhance teaching and learning is to embrace the mind shift of…

  • #2: Make Use of Browsing Boxes From the Start

    #2: Make Use of Browsing Boxes From the Start

    This is the second post in the Building a Reading Community blog series to kick off the 2022-23 school year. All posts in the series can be found here. Choice and access to a classroom library full of books is an incredibly joyous, central part of thriving classroom reading community. Getting books into students’ hands…

  • #1: Learn About and Celebrate Your Students

    #1: Learn About and Celebrate Your Students

    This is the first post in the Building a Reading Community blog series to kick off the 2022-23 school year. All posts in the series can be found here. Before diving in to the academics of the school year, prioritize learning more about your students as the full and complete people they are. All students…

  • Start of Year Blog Series: 8 Tips for Building a Reading Community

    Start of Year Blog Series: 8 Tips for Building a Reading Community

    Like many of you, I will be heading back to my classroom soon. While still relishing in the final days of summer relaxation (and let’s be honest, recovery from the past two and a half tumultuous school years), I’m beginning to think about the steps I’ll take starting on the first day of school to…

  • Summer Reading & Learning Recs for Elementary Teachers

    *This post was originally published on 5/30/22. It was updated on 6/4/22 as I added even more resources to my summer learning stack! Enjoy!* Summer break is just weeks away or already here for many! It’s the perfect time to unwind, recharge, and do a little self-paced reading or learning in a book club! If…

  • Sneak Peek at Chapter #1: How Do I Build and Maintain a Reading Community?

    The first chapter in Answers to Your Biggest Questions About Teaching Elementary Reading focuses on building and maintaining a classroom reading community. Before students can deeply engage in the challenging yet exhilarating work of solving words, making meaning, and authentically interacting with text, they need to feel safe, welcome, and ready to take risks in…

  • Bring Back the Joy! Free Webinar on Monday, March 7th

    On Monday, March 7th, 3:30pacific/6:30 eastern, Melanie Meehan, Georgina Rivera, and I will be discussing practical ways to increase the joy in your elementary reading, writing, and math instruction. There will be giveaways, goodies, and lots of fun. I hope you’ll join us! Register here. _______________________________________________________________Looking for literacy PD? I’m available for on-site, in-school, and virtual…