Here is where you'll find the resources for second-grade classrooms.

Linking Morning Message, Poetry, and Word Learning (VIDEO) Linda Karamatic links the morning message with poetry and word learning in her second-grade classroom. . . . more Status of the Class and Monitoring Behavior (VIDEO) In this early year video from Beth Lawson's second-grade classroom, Beth uses a writing status of the class time to help students monitor their behavior, using peers as role models. . . . more Guiding Reading Partners: Work on Accuracy (VIDEO) In this reading conference from a second-grade classroom, Linda Karamatic pairs two children who have similar needs in reading. . . . more Listen In: About the Author Snowy Owls. Polar Bears. Artic Hares. These fine white creatures were all the rage in second grade during the literary nonfiction unit. Linda Karamatic and I co-planned the new writing unit and learned about this special genre that exists in the gray area between fiction and nonfiction as well as literary and informational. We became fans of the prolific author Nicola Davies. . . . more Conferring: Stretching Words (VIDEO) In this conference with a second grader, Beth Lawson uses a visual aid and a hand motion to help a young English language learner understand the concept of stretching words in writing. . . . more Teaching Stamina Strategies to First Graders (VIDEO) Tammy Mulligan works with two seven-year-olds to teach them strategies for building reading stamina. . . . more Books Struggling Readers Can and Will Want to Read: Building the Classroom Library Cathy Mere Cleaning up the room after school, I noticed Sammy's reading bag under the table. I've been finding his reading intervention bag left on his hook lately, and have been wondering if it is intentional. Since I see it under the table, I'm pretty sure it is. . . . more Listen In: Writing Reviews Heather Rader Real writing for real purpose ignites young writers. While a formal book report doesn't exist in grown-up literature, book reviews do. As Kincaid was passionately talking about his beloved series I wondered, how might a talented second grade writer like Kincaid write a book review? . . . more Student Reading Interview: Assessing Ana (VIDEO) Karen Szymusiak In this video, Principal Karen Szymusiak interviews Ana, a second grader, to learn more about her strengths and needs as a reader. . . . more Listen In: Spelling Aids in the Writing Workshop (VIDEO) Addressing conventions with kids is an art. If done too early they will think correctness is what is most important. One risks inhibiting writers from taking their own risks. . . . more 1st Grade Room Tour (VIDEO) Katie DiCesare In this video tour of her 1st grade classroom, Katie DiCesare highlights the many areas of the room used to support literacy, including wall displays. . . . more Decluttering a Storage Area (VIDEO) The Sisters In this time-lapse video, "The Sisters" (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) help second-year teacher Carrie declutter a storage area at the end of the year, talking through decisions of what to keep, what to throw away, and simple tricks for dressing up shelves. . . . more Fluency in Focus: Conferring with Jake (VIDEO) Gail Boushey confers with Jake, a seven-year-old who is setting a reading goal of developing fluency. After the conference, she debriefs with Joan Moser. . . . more Listen In: Magnifying a Moment in Writing (VIDEO) When second-grade teacher Linda Karamatic pulled out Sammi's folder during our meeting, she commented on how delighted she was to see Sammi finishing some pieces. There were several workshops at the beginning of the year when Sammi needed reminders that it was writing time, not social time. We both acknowledged how she was showing more writerly behaviors, and that was something to celebrate. After looking at a few pieces, one of the trends we noticed in Sammi's writing was that she provided a great skeleton for her writing, but the details were lacking. . . . more Reorganizing Student Supplies (VIDEO) Kelly Yahr shares with Joan Moser and Gail Boushey ("The Sisters") how she organizes her first-grade students' supplies in a compact and neat storage unit. . . . more Book Matchmaker: "Cool" Books for a Struggling Second Grader (VIDEO) Franki Sibberson Peggy asked me to help her find books for a second grader. The student is struggling, but still wants to read the kinds of books her friends are reading. Books for early and transitional readers are sometimes the most difficult to find. These readers are at a critical point in their development, and they need books that are just right for them. But they are also beginning to get excited about reading "chapter books" and want to fit in with their peers. Since they are developing their identities as readers, I think it is important that they read a variety of books at this stage. Different books will support them in different ways. . . . more The Difference Between Conferring and "Touching Base" Debbie Miller Sometimes when I talk with teachers about creating "the luscious feeling of endless time," they look at me like I've lost my mind. They tell me they love the idea, but with all they have to teach and all their kids need to learn, "There's no way," they say. Luscious feeling? Endless time? Come on girlfriend, get real!" . . . more Tips for Displaying Student Work (VIDEO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) In this six-minute video, "The Sisters" (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) help a colleague dress up her displays of student work. The common mistake made by teachers is to display work with standard-size borders, all lined up in a row. Joan and Gail demonstrate how teachers can use techniques that mix up the images visually, promoting more of an art gallery look and feel to wall displays. . . . more Listen In: Jeffry's Ocean Story Heather Rader This school year once the procedures of workshop were established, Linda asked if we could take turns listening in as we conferred with writers. We call this "side-by-side," as we fluidly shift roles between observer and teacher. . . . more Second Grade Team Meeting: Helping Students Choose Books Independently (VIDEO) Karen Szymusiak In this five-minute excerpt from a second-grade team meeting, Principal Karen Szymusiak sits in on a discussion of the challenges of helping young readers learn to pick appropriate books independently. . . . more Moving into "Big Fat Chapter Books": Conferring with Elyse (VIDEO) In this conference with seven-year-old Elyse, Joan Moser helps her set a reading goal that will help her move into "big fat chapter books." In the debrief with Gail Boushey, Joan talks about the importance of knowing a reader's history and how teachers can use that to motivate the child. . . . more Reorganizing the Guided Reading Supply Area (VIDEO) Gail Boushey and Joan Moser In this video from a first-grade classroom, Joan Moser and Gail Boushey ("The Sisters") help Kelly Yahr reorganize the books and materials in her guided reading instruction area. . . . more Primary Series Study (Part 1) Katie DiCesare One of my first goals at the beginning of the year for my first and second graders is to help them find and choose books to fill their book bins. With such young readers, I know I can best support this goal by reading aloud many books that I know they will love. Last fall after a month of introducing routines, assessment, and inviting kids to think about what we love about reading, I introduced a series study with a few specific goals in mind. . . . more Book Matchmaker: Texts to Inspire Our Youngest Readers and Writers Franki Sibberson In this installment of the "Book Matchmaker" series with Franki Sibberson, Franki helps first-grade teacher Danielle think through what books might spark better writing in her young students who are mostly interested in toys and video games. . . . more From Cross Checking and Retelling to Main Ideas: Helping Advanced Readers Develop Skills (VIDEO) In this five-minute video, Gail Boushey confers with Amanda, a second-grade student reading at a fourth-grade level early in the school year. In the conference, Gail helps Amanda set a goal of reading more extensive sections of text, and pausing at the end of chapters to construct a simple explanation of the main idea of the chapter. . . . more Community Language Board: Building Vocabulary All Year Long (VIDEO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) The Community Language Board is where the class shares interesting new words from read alouds, sight words, and alternatives to common words in writing. In this video tour, "The Sisters" (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) talk about how the board changes and evolves over the year, building a sense of community and shared literacy. . . . more Assessment Beyond Levels: The Reading Grid Cathy Mere Assessment systems that work are difficult to find. I've been teaching for just over 20 years now, and I'm quite sure I've tried nearly that many systems for organizing assessment information. I've tried mailing labels, note cards, file folders, and post-its (that was a mess!). I've created charts, templates, grids and checklists. I'm fascinated to see how other teachers collect information in their classrooms, and until a few years ago was always looking for a system that worked for me. I think that's the key: finding a system that works in YOUR classroom. About five years ago I tried to find a system that allowed me to keep individual conference notes over time in one handy place. Using a spiral notebook, I divided the pages so each child had 3-5 pages, and kept notes on reading and writing conferences. . . . more Tracking Young Children's Writing Growth and Development in Writing Workshops Andie Cunningham and Ruth Shagoury It's important to us to be aware of each child's writing growth as they progress through the year. Knowing what a child is attempting, experimenting with, and mastering helps us plan appropriate instruction. Understanding what they are writing helps us build on children's needs and celebrate their strengths. Here are the assessment tools we use regularly... . . . more Talking About Synthesis: Metaphors from 2nd Graders (VIDEO) Karen Szymusiak and Lauren Scott In this six-minute video, Lauren Scott's 2nd graders brainstorm different metaphors for the synthesis process in reading while their principal, Karen Szymusiak, listens and responds. After the students leave, Lauren and Karen chat about how the classroom environment supports sophisticated discussions of learning. . . . more Talking About Synthesis: Metaphors from 2nd Graders (VIDEO) Karen Szymusiak and Lauren Scott In this six-minute video, Lauren Scott's 2nd graders brainstorm different metaphors for the synthesis process in reading while their principal, Karen Szymusiak, listens and responds. After the students leave, Lauren and Karen chat about how the classroom environment supports sophisticated discussions of learning. . . . more Making Time for Literacy Chit-Chat to Support Book Choice Franki Sibberson I have come to know lots of my friends' children from quick conversations on the telephone. When I call to chat with a friend, usually one of the children in the house answers the phone. For those friends who I call several times a week, this adds up to lots of very short conversations with these children over years and years. Even though I only have very short conversations with these children, I have so many of them over time that they add up and I come to know them well. . . . more Just Because It's Skinny, Doesn't Mean It's Easy: Matching Books to Transitional Readers in Grades 2-4 Franki Sibberson I buy a LOT of books for my classroom library. But, there are also many books that I won't buy! My husband has a lot of trouble believing I reject many books when he sees our bills from the local children's bookstore, yet I know that I am very picky about the books that I add to my classroom library. Lately I have been on the lookout for new chapter books for transitional readers. No matter which grade I teach, I know I will have at least a handful of children at the transitional stage of reading in my class. . . . more Noticing Interesting Words: Small-Group Vocabulary Lesson (VIDEO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) In this five-minute video, Gail Boushey (of "The Sisters") leads a short small-group lesson on vocabulary. In the debrief following the lesson, Gail talks with Joan Moser about vocabulary instruction, and the importance of fostering independence in students when it comes to noticing and learning new words. . . . more Moving into "Big Fat Chapter Books": Conferring with Elyse (VIDEO) In this conference with seven-year-old Elyse, Joan Moser helps her set a reading goal that will help her move into "big fat picture books." In the debrief with Gail Boushey, Joan talks about the importance of knowing a reader's history and how teachers can use that to motivate the child. . . . more Rethinking Writing Centers - Winter Follow-Up Shari Frost During the 2006-2007 school year, I began a conversation with the literacy coaches in our network about classroom writing centers. I had noticed that most students were distracted by all of the "cool tools" in the writing centers and were doing very little, if any, actual writing. After a couple of brainstorming sessions with the coaches, we settled upon a two-pronged approach. . . . more Whatever Happened to Mrs. Wishy Washy? Shari Frost I noticed a basket in an isolated corner of the primary wing in a school. I wondered what was inside of it. When I got close enough to get a good look, I couldn't believe my eyes. The basket was filled with abandoned big books in various stages of disrepair. As I knelt down to get a better look at the basket's contents, I tried to recall the last time I had seen a teacher engage a class in the shared reading of a big book. Had it been weeks? Had it possibly even been months? . . . more A Literacy "Playground": Cheryl Cole's Second Grade Classroom (VIDEO TOUR) Aimee Buckner hosts this video tour of Cheryl Cole's second grade classroom. Cheryl shares the many strategies she uses to promote literacy learning in a warm, friendly environment. Aimee notes that the atmosphere is that of a "literacy playground" - fun, but also deeply reflective. . . . more Picture Books About Books: Young Learners and Reading Identity Katie DiCesare In the first few weeks of school, I am attempting to understand a whole new class as individual readers (yikes!). I am trying to discover where, when, why, and what they like to read. Even more importantly, I want them to begin to think about and recognize their interests, wants, and desires as readers. . . . more Bookroom Tours Part II (VIDEO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) In this three-minute video, The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) continue their tours of school bookrooms. The focus in this presentation is on the checkout system used to keep track of where sets of books are in different classrooms. . . . more Bookroom Tours - Part I (VIDEO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) In this three-minute video, The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) take viewers on a tour of an elementary bookroom. The books are arranged by levels, with Joan and Gail sharing simple strategies for checkout and updating bins as new titles are added. . . . more Rethinking Centers Katie DiCesare I hope this article makes you think, but that doesn't mean you'll discover you need to change your centers program. As a teacher, I make decisions about my classroom, yet kids are the classroom. This space may be assigned to me, but it is their thinking, questioning, and inquiring that keeps our classroom alive. Implementing reading and writing workshop has allowed my students to have more of a voice in our classroom. While it's led me away from centers, it may lead you to use them in thoughtful, interesting ways. . . . more From Cross Checking and Retelling to Main Ideas: Helping Advanced Readers Develop Skills (VIDEO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) In this five-minute video, Gail Boushey confers with Amanda, a second-grade student reading at a fourth-grade level early in the school year. In the conference, Gail helps Amanda set a goal of reading more extensive sections of text, and pausing at the end of chapters to construct a simple explanation of the main idea of the chapter. . . . more Important Book, Important Notes: Guiding Young Students Through Notetaking Suzy Kaback Since my experiment with Lindsay, I have shared The Important Thing About... data chart with several elementary-grade teachers. They recognized the promise of using this organizer as a notetaking tool for research papers, but they also saw potential for using the chart in more informal ways. One fourth-grade teacher said she would use the chart to help students "hold their thinking" about reading in social studies. She scribbled on the side of her paper a possible beginning entry to prompt students to think more deeply about American history: "The important thing about the Civil War is slavery was not the main reason it was fought." . . . more Teaching About Words, Grammar, and Mechanics Through Children's Literature (BOOKLIST) Franki Sibberson When I think about my students as word learners, I want them to be more than just good spellers. I think that this year, many of my daily word study lessons will focus on grammar and mechanics. The challenge for me is fitting grammar and mechanics into my fifteen minute word study block. What better way to do this than to look at how authors put words together in their writing? After all, grammar and mechanics are all about how words work together. . . . more Personal Touches Early in the Year - Classroom Design Photo Essay Series The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) Early in the year, many of the walls in our classroom are bare, as we wait to fill them up with our learning - our new words, books we've read together, literacy goals, math graphs, anchor charts. Yet our goal is still that our students can quickly see their place in this community. We want the classroom to feel like home to them, with those personal touches that connect home to school, and students to each other. Here are four quick art/design projects you can complete in the first weeks of school that personalize the classroom for students . . . more Whole Class Interviews: Building Community in Writing Workshop (TEMPLATE) Franki Sibberson At the beginning of the year, I want my students to feel valued as part of our learning community. To do that, I also want them to develop their own identities as writers. I know that if they know themselves as writers - what they like, their strengths, their goals, etc. they will grow in all areas of writing. So, I've developed a writing interview that I plan to administer to my students as part of their first writing conferences during those first few weeks of school. By asking them questions about their lives as writers, I place value on their lives outside of school. . . . more Meeting Area Makeover (VIDEO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) Meeting areas in classrooms serve many purposes - they are gathering places for students and teachers, and they also are key storage areas on the perimeter for student work, materials, and literacy supports like big books or chart stands. In this two-part video, "The Sisters" (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) help first-year teacher Christine reorganize her meeting area so that it is less cluttered and easier for students to access the materials they need...without disrupting lessons. . . . more Releasing Responsibility Debbie Miller There are lots of ways to release responsibility to children and move them forward. I want to notice and name some of the supports in place in classrooms that encourage and guide children toward independence. . . . more Organizing Reading Area Supplies (VIDEO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) We design our rooms to support students as they work independently. Often this means areas throughout the room house supplies for literacy - books for independent reading, guided reading, notebooks, and storage bins for students. This time-lapse video provides some tips for reorganizing a small-group reading area that receives a lot of traffic from students. . . . more First Day of School Read-Alouds with Global and Multicultural Perspectives Mary Ann Reilly These are good picks for first day of school read-alouds with multicultural, global perspectives. . . . more Decluttering a Storage Area (VIDEO) The Sisters In this time-lapse video, "The Sisters" (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) help second-year teacher Carrie declutter a storage area at the end of the year, talking through decisions of what to keep, what to throw away, and simple tricks for dressing up shelves. The video is divided into two parts for ease of viewing, and is approximately ten minutes long. . . . more Reorganizing the Classroom Library (VIDEO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) In this brief time-lapse video, Gail Boushey and Joan Moser help Carrie, a second-year teacher, begin to organize her classroom library according to themes and traffic patterns in the classroom. . . . more Community Language Board: Building Vocabulary All Year Long (VIDEO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) The Community Language Board is where the class shares interesting new words from read alouds, sight words, and alternatives to common words in writing. In this video tour, "The Sisters" (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) talk about how the board changes and evolves over the year, building a sense of community and shared literacy. . . . more Worth a Thousand Words: Teaching with Wordless Picture Books Shari Frost Wordless picture books are a wonderful instructional tool for teachers to use with students of any age. A few years ago when the American Library Association annouched their annual awards, we celebrated in our coaches' meeting by giving each coach a copy of the Caldecott award winning book Flotsam by David Wiesner. This was David Wiesner's third Caldecott award, the second for a wordless picture book. After the ooh-ing and ah-ing, the literacy coaches immediately began talking about how they planned to use the book. . . . more Giving New Readers a Diet of More Than Leveled Books Franki Sibberson I am going on another diet. Not one of my favorite things, but something I have to do. I know that for the diet to last through all of the weight I need to lose, I need a little variety. I can't eat lettuce, grilled chicken and oatmeal for months at a time. When I have gone on diets without variety, I have always ended up deciding that I'd rather just be a little plump. It isn't really worth it. I am wondering if this is the same thing that our youngest readers feel when they are given only a diet of leveled books. I wonder if after months and months of leveled books as their only independent reading material, they feel as we chronic dieters do. Do they watch other students in the room reading "real books" in the same way that we watch size 5 colleagues in the lounge eating brownies? Do they think maybe they'd just rather not be readers? . . . more Desk Area Reorganization (VIDEO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) In this brief time-lapse video, The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) help Carrie reorganize her desk and rug area for better access to literacy materials and teaching supplies. . . . more Conferring with Children The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) One of the hardest things for us to learn in improving our conferring skills to truly get up, move about, and start conferring with children one-on-one. We were accustomed to guided reading groups - staying in one area, and having the children come to us. Getting up and moving to confer with students can be a little scary at first, but once you begin, it's exciting. The first concern we had, and many teachers share, is about time. How long will each of these conferences take? How can we stay focused, given that there is so much we might tackle with each child? And what exactly is my role in the conference? . . . more Small Group Instruction: Inferring Focus (VIDEO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) In this six-minute video example of reading instruction with a small group, Gail Boushey of "The Sisters" leads a discussion of inference, using Peter Rabbit as a focus text. All of the children in the group are reading at different levels independently, but they share a goal of learning more about inference. . . . more Helping Struggling Writers Franki Sibberson I've found there are two kinds of struggling writers in my classroom, even though any struggling writer has some unique personality traits. At the start of the year, some students may not know what to write about. We spend a lot of time at the beginning of the year thinking about how to come up with things to write, and we talk pretty honestly about writer's block. Everyone has days when you don't have anything to write about -- I certainly have those days myself. . . . more Small Group on Fluency: Leading Groups Based on Needs, Not Levels (VIDEO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) In this small group targeting fluency, all students are reading different books. Many have experiences with small group reading in the past, so Joan spends less time on norms and there is no common text. . . . more Moving Beyond the Basics: Teaching Inferring to a Fluent Young Reader (VIDEO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) In this conference, Gail Boushey (of "The Sisters") confers with Brandon, a reader who is becoming fluent in his skills. Gail helps him understand the concept of inferring, and Brandon sets a goal to post on the CAFE (Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, and Expanding Vocabulary) board for future reference. Part II of the video also includes a debrief with Joan Moser about the conference and how to teach inference. . . . more CAFE and Small Groups: Moving from Guided Reading to Flexible Grouping (AUDIO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) In this second part of an interview introducing the CAFE Assessment system, The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) talk about about the system has moved them away from guided reading to a more flexible model for small-group instruction. . . . more Helping Young Readers Understand the Middle East: A Booklist of the Best Fiction Picture Books Ruth Shagoury I still remember the first time I read The Day of Ahmed's Secret. I showed the book to colleagues and friends, telling them, "He looks just like my uncle Girgi! " or "Those clothes are like my Sitti wore." It was the first time I saw illustrations of people who looked like my family. As an Arab-American, I grew up as part of a large extended family, with eleven Syrian aunts and uncles who called me "habibi," or little darling. But the images in the media about Arabs didn't match my warm and caring family. The lack of Arab or Arab-American characters in children's books adds to misconceptions about those of Middle Eastern heritage. . . . more My Son Clark Kent Lisa Koch As educators we know kids need "just-right" texts in order to scaffold their literacy skills. We are all familiar with the work of Fountas and Pinnell and their system for teaching with leveled books. I agree that kids need time with just-right books or books they can read independently...Did I miss the seminar that instructed us to run out and get bins labeled from A-Z so students could blindly (or with glasses it seems) make their way dutifully to the end of each bin? . . . more Planning for K-3 Author Studies (eGUIDE) Gayle Brand "Planning for K-3 Author Studies" is an eGuide designed for use by teachers working alone or with partners. The guide includes grids for monthly and year-long plans, suggested authors and activities, and strategies for collaborating with colleagues during author studies... . . . more Hooked on Series: Great New Series Books for Transitional Readers Franki Sibberson The thrill of finding a series that you are hooked on is addicting. When I go to our local bookstore, I am always amazed at the number of series for adult readers. The new book in a favorite series is always welcome, no matter the age of the reader. Reading about characters we love in familiar settings, with plots that we can predict, provides a comfortable read no matter what our age. . . . . . more Reading Comprehension Posters: What, Where, and Why (PHOTO ESSAY) Andie Cunningham Several years ago, I started creating permanent posters to use in my reading comprehension strategy work. My hope for the large posters was two-pronged. I wanted the posters to serve as a visual reference, a way for us to all narrow our focus over and over again when we turned to strategy work. The second hope was to show the children (and classroom visitors) how important the strategies were to all of our classwork... . . . more The Sisters Redesign a New Teacher's Storage Area (VIDEO) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) The Sisters help a new teacher, Amy, sort through junk she inherited from previous occupants of her classroom. They use the "piles" method to sort through materials, separating books and supplies into four stacks. The video uses time-lapse technology to show an amazing transformation in six minutes flat... . . . more Inviting Students to Organize Books and Materials Debbie Miller Involving kids in the organization and placement of books and materials is a smart thing for us to consider. Kids will learn a thing or two about thoughtful organization, and because they've been part of the placement process, they'll know firsthand where things are kept, why it makes sense to keep them there, and where to put things back... . . . more Family Dichos: Bringing the Language of Home into the Classroom Ruth Shagoury We started to wonder how we could discover favorite family sayings in an attempt to create bridges from home to school. In order to bring the words of the children's families into the class, Andie wrote a letter to parents asking them to send in the sayings or proverbs - what the Mexican families call dichos - to hang in the room. She specifically requested "sayings of respect" to post in our classroom community. . . . more Planning for a Year of Author Studies (TEMPLATE) Gayle Brand It's important to me that the author studies include meaningful reading, writing, and discussion activities. Anyone who knows me knows I avoid the cutesy author studies art activities that can be fun, but have little or no connection to the books. I haven't found that random craft projects deepen students' awareness of reading and writing. Instead, we take the time to write and talk about text features, the author's writing craft, and themes in the book in ways that help students understand their own emerging skills as readers and writers. . . . more Mini-Lessons to Start Conversations with Students About Books Franki Sibberson When I think about my role in a new school, I am thinking about my first days with kids in classrooms K-5. How do I want students to see me? My first step will be to start conversations with students about who they are as readers and/or who I am as a reader. If I can begin my work by talking to the students in the school about our lives as readers, the conversation will continue as the year goes on... . . . more Time for Reading Shari Frost How much time do your students spend actually reading text during the literacy block? This question came up during a meeting of elementary classroom teachers. These teachers are required to provide 2-3 hours of literacy instruction each day. Some teachers thought their students were reading for 45 minutes. Some teachers thought their students were reading for an hour! Eventually, they admitted that they just didn't know... . . . more Planning for Author Studies (AUDIO) Gayle Brand In this interview, Gayle Brand talks about how she works with her first- and second-grade colleagues to plan author studies. She explains the criteria for selecting the authors, how she plans author studies across the entire year, and which authors work well at different times in the school year. . . . more Honor Books: Helping Children and Families Build Bridges Between Home and School Andie Cunningham The students I teach come from home environments of limited resources, but their years of family and life experiences are rich. Many of these families only recently immigrated to America, so there is a wealth of languages and cultures to tap in these homes. . . . more Shopping With Ana: Expanding Our Definition of "Just Right" Books in Grades K-2 Ana's shopping taught me so much about emerging readers and their choices of books. As teachers, we don't ever have the luxury of spending the amount of time I did with Ana in the bookstore, choosing two books. We don't often get to see the thinking that is behind the choice. . . . more Reading Comprehension Posters: What, Where, and Why Andie Cunningham Several years ago, I started creating permanent posters to use in my reading comprehension strategy work. My hope for the large posters was two-pronged. I wanted the posters to serve as a visual reference, a way for us to all narrow our focus over and over again when we turned to strategy work. The second hope was to show the children (and classroom visitors) how important the strategies were to all of our classwork... . . . more Chapter Book Read Alouds in the Primary Classroom Shari Frost Some of my all-time favorite books are picture books. However, I learned from many years of teaching first grade that something magical takes place when a class shares the experience of journeying through a chapter book together. How could I convince this group of urban teachers to surrender some of their read-aloud time to a chapter book? . . . more Coaching Moment: Reorganizing a Classroom Library Gayle Brand It may sound like such a minor coaching experience, and yet it was so powerful. I was asked by a second-grade teacher to help reorganize her classroom library, so it would be easier for the teacher and students to use. . . . more Advice from Debbie Miller on Working with Transitional Readers and Writers (AUDIO) Debbie Miller Debbie Miller has moved from her previous role as a primary grades teacher, to a mentor of teachers throughout the country. In this new role, she is often called upon to support teachers in intermediate grades. Debbie describes what she is learning in this three-minute interview segment from her recent work with fifth graders. . . . more