Identifying a worthy text is often one of the biggest challenges to overcome when putting together a close-reading plan. Choosing a text that offers opportunities for multiple readings, as well as new, meaningful understandings can be difficult. So how do we know if a book or article will work for close reading?
In this episode of Teacher's Corner, Graham Fletcher and Tracy Zager share a sneak peek of the upcoming Building Fact Fluency: A Toolkit for Multiplication & Division and discuss the purpose and challenge of creating intriguing and accessible contexts for students.
Topics: Math
In this week’s One Thing You Might Try… blog post, first-grade teacher Santasha Dhoot tells the story of her class’s voting rights unit and challenges us to make space for social justice work in our classrooms—whether they are in person or online.
Topics: One Thing You Might Try
We recently sat down with Jan Burkins and Kari Yates to talk about their new book, Shifting the Balance. Read to find out what inspired them to write this new book and to get a deeper dive into this important resource.
In the Foreword of Welcome to Writing Workshop by Stacey Shubitz and Lynne R. Dorfman, Kate Roberts and Maggie Beattie Roberts wrote, "Stacey and Lynne have managed to achieve the almost impossible: they have written a book that speaks to the highest goals we can have as writing teachers, while holding our hands every step of the way, helping us make it happen." But that is not even close to the end of the accolades for this comprehensive book that—through its strategic routines, tips, advice, videos, and resources—is sure to provide the know-how to feel confident and comfortable in the teaching of writers.
"I know in the classroom that good things happen when my students have meaningful discussions. I know as a teacher myself that my craft sharpens when I am given the opportunity to have meaningful discussions with my peers. And let's have a laugh or two while we are at it." – Kelly Gallagher
In this week’s One Thing You Might Try . . . blog post, third-grade teacher Janaki Nagarajan writes about her class’s mini-unit of study on names—and why doing this kind of identity work is more important now than ever.
“[A name] is one of the greatest gifts that a family can give you—it is the first gift that a child, usually, when they enter the Earth, receives from their family. It is usually informed by tradition and love, and the hope and aspiration the family has for that child. It is something precious, and sacred, and it is a part of their identity. And when I see people fighting for the right for that to be respected and treated in a dignified way, I applaud and salute that.” —Kamala Harris
Topics: One Thing You Might Try
The following is an excerpt from the Introduction of Patterns of Power: Inviting Adolescent Writers into the Conventions of Language, Grades 6 - 8 by Jeff Anderson with Travis Leech and Melinda Clark.
Though it’s not easy to tap into exactly what inspires them, it is easy to tap into what doesn’t: adolescent writers aren’t inspired by rules, no matter how we toil, sweat, and quiz to force their memorization. Yes, believe it or not, we’re still having that conversation, the one about how to approach teaching the conventions of language—grammar, editing, usage, capitalization, punctuation—or whatever you want to call the skills that fall under this umbrella.
The following is an excerpt from the Introduction to Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom, a new book from Jan Burkins and Kari Yates coming February 2021.
In this episode of Teacher's Corner, we talk to author, Cris Tovani, about her new book, Why Do I Have to Read This? Literacy Strategies to Engage our Most Reluctant Students with her instructional coach/editor/friend, Samantha Bennett. Cris and Sam reflect on their long relationship with one another, and share the stories that helped shape the book.