Episodes

In this episode: After listening to this episode you will leave equipped to choose resources that help you teach your students. I talk about: 1.What your most undervalued resource is….hint it’s not your pal google. 2. Why you need to know your standards before you try to look for your next resource. 3. How to go about deciding when to look for a resource and decide if it’s going to work for you and your students. Quotables: - Your most undervalued resource is you and your knowledge of your st...

In this episode: Krystal Smith aka The Renewed Teacher and I continue our conversation about writing instruction in the upper elementary classroom. Listen in as Krystal and I continue to discuss the what, why and how of writing across content areas. We talk about: 1.What-Incorporating writing across content areas means creating authentic opportunities to write in each subject. 2.Why- It’s not about writing to pass a test. 3.How- It won’t just happen, you have to plan for it. Quotables: - Teac...

In this episode: Krystal aka The renewed teacher breaks down the what, the why and the how of incorporating writing across content areas. We talk about: What- Incorporating writing across content areas means creating authentic opportunities to write in each subject. Why- Studies show that reading and writing proficiency are linked. How- You do not need to try and cram writing into every subject everyday. Quotables: - I saw that our students were struggling with reading and that my coworkers ...

In this episode: After listening to this episode you will leave equipped with the what, the why and the how of using one text for multiple mini lessons. I talk about: What a mentor text is and its purpose in the RLA classroom. Why using a mentor text for your RLA instruction will: save you time, save students processing time, save you instructional time How to make using mentor texts for multiple mini lessons a reality in your classroom. Quotables: - Mentor texts can be used for several less...

In this episode: After listening to this episode you will leave with the what, the why and the how of teaching students how to determine the main idea. I even include a couple of bonus tips, that includes how to put it all together with identifying key details and turning all of this into a summary. I talk about: What Main Idea is. Why teaching students how to identify the main idea is an important skill. How to teach students how to identify the main idea and use that information along with ke...

In this episode: I lay the foundation of what needs to be in place before we reach for the extras that we think of when we think of supporting high readers. I talk about: What support for on and above level readers should look like. Why our on and above level readers need our support even though they may look fine. How to make supporting your on and above level readers work with your current literacy block. Quotables: - Supporting on or above level readers means remembering that they deserve...

In this episode: You will learn how to use historical fiction to teach black history. Turns out you don’t have to wait until Black History Month to teach it. I talk about: Why using historical fiction helps you expose students to a variety of accomplishments by black Americans outside of the civil rights movement. How to roll out your historical fiction unit of study. What three skills your historical fiction unit should include. Quotables: -Black Americans have done and accomplished a variet...

In this episode: Listen in as I tell you what I said yes to when my school year took an unexpected turn. I talk about saying yes to: 1.Creating monotony as a way to create stability 2. Taking the stance of learner 3. Working out semi consistently 4. Delegating at work and at home 5. Meeting with my book club 6. Cultivating friendships at work 7. Asking for help 8. Letting go of perfection 9. Keeping things simple 10. Maintaining boundaries Quotables: -I said yes to taking the stance o...

In this episode: Listen in as I give you tangible steps that you can use to conduct your mid-year check in. I even get vulnerable and do mine here on the podcast so that you can see how easy and beneficial it is to do one. I talk about: I talk about the what, the why and the how of conducting a mid-year check in. 1.The What- a mid-year check in is a meeting that you do with yourself half way through the year and reflect or think about the practices surrounding your literacy block. 2. The Why- No...

In this episode: You will walk away with clear steps for how to launch and teach your next poetry unit. I talk about: I talk about the what, the why and the how of teaching your next poetry reading unit. 1.The What- A type of literature, or artistic writing, that attempts to stir a reader's imagination or emotions. 2. The Why- Teaching poetry allows students to be able to learn how to see the deeper meaning behind what a poet is trying to convey. 3. The How- I give you 5 main teaching points ...

In this episode: You will walk away with clear steps for how to launch and teach your argumentative text unit. I talk about: I talk about the what, the why and the how of teaching your next argumentative text reading unit. 1.The What- a type of persuasive text that presents one viewpoint and includes: claim, evidence, facts and opinions. 2. The Why- It is important to equip students with knowledge of the genre and tools for how to read it so that they can decide what they think for themselves....

In this episode: You will walk away with clear steps for how to launch and teach your nonfiction reading unit. I talk about: I talk about the what, the why and the how of teaching your next nonfiction reading unit. 1.The What- It’s Broken into two camps:Expository and Narrative Nonfiction 2. The Why- Teaching students how to think about new information and what they think about it is critically important. 3. The How- I give you 4 main teaching points to zone in on in your next nonfiction read...

In this episode: You will walk away with clear steps for how to launch and teach your next fiction unit. I talk about: I talk about the what, the why and the how of teaching your next fiction reading unit. 1.The What- Hint Fiction is not fake. 2. The Why- How being able to navigate fiction can prepare students for real life. 3. The How- I give you 5 main teaching points ot zone in on in your next fiction reading unit. Quotables: Please for the love of all things literacy stop telling studen...

Listen in as: I unpack the three most common time sucks and how to avoid them so that you are saving time in the long run. I talk about: -What time sucks are, how they fool us into thinking they are good for us and a plan for how to avoid them all together. They are: Going down the TPT rabbit whole without a clue of what we actually need or what we already have. Not knowing our grade level standards well enough to know what our students need most to understand the current reading unit. Not plan...

Listen in as: I unpack the what, why and how of respecting your capacity or your limits as you try to build your professional capacity, or skills as a literacy leader in your classroom. I talk about: -What respecting your capacity means to you as a literacy leader in your classroom. -Why respecting your capacity at work allows you to show up well in other areas of your life. -How to respect your capacity by: Acknowledge and name your season Acknowledge and name your limits Craft a plan that all...

Listen in as: I unpack the what, why and how of growing your capacity in order to pave the way for sustainable growth for you and your students. I talk about: -What growing your capacity means to you as a literacy leader in your classroom. -Why you should want to embark on a journey of being a lifelong learner and how this decision impacts your students. -How to grow your capacity in a sustainable way. Quotables: -As lifelong learners we have to know how to pace ourselves. -The reality is that y...

Listen in as: I share how creating systems that support you is the real self care. You may be thinking Eva it’s late in the year who actually cares, but here is the thing anytime is a great time to create a system that supports you. I talk about: -What is a system, routine and habit? -Why you need systems, routines and habits in your work life. -How to incorporate systems, routines and habits into your day. Quotables: -I don't really believe in the idea of work -life balance anymore, an...

Listen in as: I share my solution for literature circles and book clubs. Hint I have control issues and couldn’t do it the normal way. Listen in as I take you step by step through my roll out and implementation process. I talk about: -Why to take a guided book club approach to literature discussions in upper elementary grades. -How to create buy-in for guided book clubs in your classroom. -How to get started with guided book clubs in your classroom. Quotables: -Although their need for s...

Listen in as: I share how you can lead a literacy revolution in your classroom that helps equip students to become thinking members of society. I talk about: -What book banning is. -Why world leaders ban books. -How to equip students to become thinking members of society despite what is going on in our world right now. Quotables: -Reading is a revolutionary act and because world leaders know this they have long attempted to control the access to books and literacy as a form of control. -...

Listen in as: I share what has been helping me navigate grief and work. I talk about: -What grief is. -Questions to ask yourself so that you can identify what you need most. -How creating a movement practice can help you move through your grief. Quotables: -Self honesty is essential to being able to discern what you need most and how to give it to yourself or ask for help. -We barely make time to go to the restroom let alone make time to get honest about how we are really doing and how we ...

Listen in as: Share two professional book recommendations for this time of year. Teachers are lifelong learners and as such you are always on the lookout for books and skills to add to your toolbox. I talk about: -Thinking through when to add new tools to your teacher tool box -Adding read aloud with accountable talk to your whole group instruction and what book to guide you -Varying your small group instruction and what book to guide you Quotables: -Read-Aloud with accountable talk was such...

Listen in as: I share why I took an extended break from the podcast and what to look forward to hearing in this upcoming season. I talk about: -Why I took a break -What made me come back -Why I’m still here Quotables: -I’m on a mission to help upper elementary reading teachers use their literacy block to teach students how to think about books so that students learn how to apply those same thinking skills to their everyday life. -This season we will dig into how to reset your reading block ...

Listen in as: I share part one of a two part series about how a love of reading is cultivated in a classroom. Part one of this series is all about how a love of reading is caught. I talk about: -Taking on the identity of a reader -Making it impossible to opt out -What books to start with -How to take your reading habit public Quotables: - If you have a negative attitude about reading your students will pick up on it too. -We start by taking on the identity of a reader. I know this sounds s...

Listen in as: I share part two of a two part series about how a love of reading is cultivated in a classroom. Part two of this series is all about how a love of reading is taught. I talk about: -What to teach your students to do first -Teaching students how to think about their reading -Giving students a chance to practice -Building a reading community -Encouraging students to read widely -Teaching students how to make reading a priority Quotables: -Most teachers know the value of student...