Teach Me, Teacher

Hello everyone! This episode is an introduction to my second podcast, Craft & Draft! This is pulled from episode 40 of that show (our most popular episode to date) all about starting the year in reading and writing workshop. If you are en English teacher and want more topics directly focused on reading and writing, go check out the show if you enjoy this one! Here is the blurb for the episode: It’s now time to think about next year. A huge question a — How should I set up my workshop? Pam explains the principles that she uses to set up her first day of workshop. She wants her students to read and write on the first day of school. She shares her first day’s lesson that will get her students excited about the year and models workshop expectations for her students. Jacob will have new students this next year, so he will change up how he begins the year. He shares how he likes to utilize texts that will elicit great responses from his students. He likes to get students into authentic writing as soon as possible using the Craft & Draft Books. Join Jacob and Pam as they respond to a request from a listener. If you have a question or a topic you want them to address, Jacob and Pam invites you to submit questions or topics on the Craft & Draft website. This episode is sponsored by Heinemann and their book, Leading Literate Lives. What stories make you who you are? How have your experiences shaped you as a learner? Who are you as a reader and writer? Exploring your history as a learner can help you reflect on your teaching practices and make instructional decisions that positively impact student learning. In Leading Literate Lives, Stephanie outlines a framework for reading and writing that makes a direct connection between reflection and classroom practice. In each chapter you will find concrete ideas, tools, and activities for reading and writing to help move you from teacher reflection to instruction. For every specific reflection Stephanie will show you how to put the same idea into practice in your classroom, with the goal of helping you and your students: build and cultivate habits that make reading and writing a priority make space and create opportunities in your lives and classrooms to do what real readers and writers do explore and embrace your reading and writing identities find and create thriving communities filled with inspiration and support, where the reading and writing lives of every member are shared and celebrated. Fueled with the understandings that come from leading a literate life, you can learn to embrace reflective practices that bring greater intention and joy to your classrooms and schools.

Hello everyone and welcome back to Teach Me, Teacher. if you missed part one of this discussion, you can listen here. You can also catch the video of the whole podcast here.

In this episode, we continue talking about why relationships are KING in the classroom, but we also talk about not arguing with kids, not bringing your baggage into the class, and being the adult in the space those kids need today.

All of that and more on this episode!

Enjoy!

Hello everyone! I hope you are ready for some AMAZING content today, because I have brought on one of my favorite educators in the literacy space, Martin Brandt, to discuss his book Between the Commas, and how to use writing instruction that WORKS! In this talk, we discuss: That writing is more than just responses to questions and essays How to achieve sentence focus The power of writing instruction that frees students from artificial constraints ...and much more! I don't know about you, but I am a bit over everything in teacher land being about "the virus." For this episode, I just wanted a pure talk about teaching writing. And that's what it is! Enjoy! This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators. Obviously, this is a challenging time for every educator. Your taking care of yourself and your family, you’re thinking about friends and loved ones you can’t see in person. And you’re also adapting to trying to teach and care for your students virtually. Heinemann and their authors are providing free resources to support remote learning during this time. This page is being updated daily. So just go to Hein.pub/RemoteLearning to find all of the remote learning resources that are available for you to access for free.

Hello everyone! I am SO EXCITED about this week. Why? Because even in the face of great adversity, there are so many districts pushing to keep learning going, and so many teachers working to create a temporary "new normal" for their students. Hopefully, this episode keeps you inspired and keeps you pushing to be your best—and it should, because we are talking about what the best teacher professional development is! Wait, you don't know? And you think I'm going to spoil it in this post? NOPE! I want you to dive in and enjoy the talk. Let us know if you agree on Twitter, Instagram, or even in down below in the comments! If you missed last week's episode and the first part of my talk with Kevin Butler, go check it out! This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Between the Commas: Sentence Instruction That Builds Confident Writers (and Writing Teachers) by Martin Brandt. A veteran English teacher at San Jose Independence high school, Marty Brandt was flat-out frustrated with the quality of his students’ writing, and doubting himself as a writing teacher. Realizing that part of the problem was the traditional, painful methods of grammar and sentence instruction he was using, Marty set out to reinvent writing in his classroom. Between the Commas shares the novel approach to grammar and sentence instruction he created for the students in front of him. Marty’s laugh-out-loud sense of humor and live-from-the trenches stories will engross you in one teacher’s journey out of the duldrums of old school grammar instruction and into the light of what’s possible as a writing teacher. To learn more, visit Heinemann.com to download a sample chapter.

Hello everyone! Today we are asking the question, Why Can't Public Schools Look Like That? with none other than the great Kevin Butler! If you don't know who Kevin is, you are missing out, because he is a wealth of inspiration for what schools CAN BE. In his work at an independent school, he continuously models ideas, lessons, and teaching practices, that are next level and completely inspiring. If you believe teaching is boring or feel like you are being limited by "the system," then this episode is for you! In this talk we touch on: His many roles as a teacher and director of curriculum What inspires us to push the boundaries of what teaching can be Why scripted curriculums are the bane of teaching How to overcome limitations put on you as a teacher And much more! This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Between the Commas: Sentence Instruction That Builds Confident Writers (and Writing Teachers) by Martin Brandt. A veteran English teacher at San Jose Independence high school, Marty Brandt was flat-out frustrated with the quality of his students’ writing, and doubting himself as a writing teacher. Realizing that part of the problem was the traditional, painful methods of grammar and sentence instruction he was using, Marty set out to reinvent writing in his classroom. Between the Commas shares the novel approach to grammar and sentence instruction he created for the students in front of him. Marty’s laugh-out-loud sense of humor and live-from-the trenches stories will engross you in one teacher’s journey out of the duldrums of old school grammar instruction and into the light of what’s possible as a writing teacher. To learn more, visit Heinemann.com to download a sample chapter.