Teaching "How To" Writing seems so simple, doesn't it?! Guess what...It's not as easy for our students as we think!

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Procedural writing seems like just writing down a bunch of steps, but there's so much more to it! 

Today's episode is all about …how to teach your students to write a "How To" text. *giggle*  Yes, I really said that! I couldn't resist. Anyway...this type of writing first requires students to understand the procedure for what they are going to write about [a recipe, an experiment, directions...]. then they have to put that procedure into specific, ordered steps. This can be really hard for many students. By giving them the input they need to understand how to break it down, we can make the process so much easier.

Listen in. 

In this episode, find out: 

• How to get started teaching procedural writing to any grade K-5.
• Why a picture book can help your students...

Did you know…a student's phonic awareness skill is the BEST predictor of reading readiness and future reading development?

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So what is phonemic awareness?

Phonemic awareness is…the ability to hear, differentiate and flexibly manipulate units of sound in spoken language. That means skills like rhyming, separating sounds, blending sounds, substituting sounds, deleting sounds or adding sounds. I know that sounds a lot like what you teach with phonics, right?! It's not the same thing and here's why...

Phonemic awareness can [and should] be taught without any paper, pencils or letters because it's all about auditory skills. You can find out more in this week's episode.

Listen in.

In this episode, find out:

• The difference between phonemic awareness and phonics.
• What the essential phonemic awareness skills are.
• How to begin teaching phonemic awareness.
• The clues that tell us a student in lacking...

Is teaching with mentor texts really worth the effort? Yes! And...this episode will help you maximize your efforts.

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Mentors texts are essential tools for well-planned, effective literacy lessons. Bold words, I know! I stand behind them. 

From experience, I know you can use one mentor text in numerous ways over the course of a week. In fact, I can think of 11 ways off the top of my head that include teaching reading skills and strategies, comprehension, multiple writing opportunities, math and even social studies. Once you hear my ideas, I'm willing to bet you'll think of even more ways to use the same text in your classroom.

Even better, there's  one more way to enrich and extend the learning. Adding in some texts to pair with your first mentor text choice makes for leaning that sticks and  real student success. 

Listen in.

In this episode, find out:

• How mentor texts...

It's great to say we have high expectations for ALL students but… how will you get them there? 

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Let’s revisit the topic of student success from the expectations side of the equation. WHAT we teach and having high expectations are definitely a big part of student success but if that's all there was to it, most students would already be successful. But as every teacher knows, teaching and student success are not that simple. 

High expectations requires high levels of support. Sounds great but what’s that like in reality?  Does it really work? Remember, every year I'm committed to getting all my students, regardless of background, language knowledge, socio economic level, etc., to read and write at or above grade level by the end of the year. I'm no stranger to high expectations. I absolutely believe in the power of high expectations. However, there's more to high expectations...

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Let’s talk about how we teach sight words. There are two camps with sight words – teach them and don’t. I’m just going to jump right in and tell you – I’m in the teach them camp.

Yes, there are many sight words your students can figure out. But there are just as many sight words that they can’t. So many sight words and their spellings don’t make sense to children. So, trying to decode them becomes a minefield that slows students' reading down and makes learning to read well.

Think of it this way… you are new to a school. The staff tells you most of what you need to know but some of it feels intuitive to them. So, they assume you’ll figure it out. And that might work if you weren’t overwhelmed with the enormity of the task of just getting your feet under you. But, you are overwhelmed. Every little piece someone can give you helps you...

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I'm a geek! It's the truth. I can't read enough about how our brains work and how kids learn best. Our amazing brains fascinate me.

Teaching students to read is one of the most debated and misunderstood areas of education. Did you know that 1/3 of 4^th graders in our country can barely read?

One of the most popular systems for teaching reading in education these days is the 3 Cueing system. So, what is this system? This is where we teach students to look at 3 information sources [meaning, structure and visual cues] to understand unknown words and make sense of a text. I have as a Reading Specialist, Resource Teacher and Reading Recovery teacher done my share of teaching this way. But, it’s all based on flawed research!

Listen in to find out how I teach literacy NOW and how much more effective it is. 

In this episode, find out:

• What the REAL best practices are from well-replicated cognitive...

Writing every day is one of my non-negotiable items for students no matter their grade level. I know when teachers hear me say that, one of the things they [guiltily] imagine is MORE grading and planning in an already busy life.  Adding more writing can certainly turn into that if we let it, but it doesn't have to be that way.

My purpose for more writing isn't to have more grades in a grade book. I rarely grade this extra practice...

...and I don't think you should either.

Writing more frequently is an opportunity for students to practice, and I don't grade practice work. Why? It stifles creativity and student's willingness to take risks in their writing and thinking. In short, my purpose is to give students a chance to play with writing, thinking in new ways, get more comfortable with writing and challenge themselves.

It's much EASIER than it sounds.

The answer is Quick Writes - short, fast moments to try something new, think deeply or offer their thoughts and opinions on all...

If you've followed me for awhile, you probably know I'm not a fan of worksheets most of the time.

I'm going to jump all the way into the deep end here and offend quite a few people on BOTH sides of the issue. Guess what?! I'm here to tell you the truth, not be popular.

So here goes...

There are a few instances in which worksheets are effective. However, most of the time, relying on worksheets on a regular basis in all subjects is a way we mask problems and struggles in our teaching. 

Please know...

I do not jump on bandwagons, and I try very hard to NOT throw out great resources and teaching practices when trying something new. So, I have to say sometimes worksheets, when used correctly, ARE appropriate. I know that's not the current rhetoric in education, but it's true. When we think of worksheets as supports or guideposts we can put into place to help students become independent (and not need them), they are very appropriate. 

Here are some appropriate uses of...

Here's the rules...

• Take care of yourself first. This means you MUST guard your personal time.
• Pre-determine how much time you’ll work outside school hours. Make a schedule of time/day and what you’ll accomplish. Stick to it. Walk away when time is up. Remember, weekends are sacred. You NEED a physical and mental break to be a good teacher.
• Show up mentally and emotionally. Be invested. Be real about the days you're worn out or struggling. You students will notice, so ask for their help in winning the day.
• Master your classroom management. If this is working, everything else will be so much easier.
• Commit to being consistent in all you do so your students will feel safe.
• Don’t judge other teachers or parents. Life is hard enough. We all have our journey and need support to grow from who we are today to whom we’ll be tomorrow.
• Budget, budget, budget. Spend as little money on your classroom as you possibly, reasonably can. Less is more. 
• No...