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The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy May 12, 2012 Are You Still Listening? I enjoy listening to Pandora on the Web when I'm working on projects. Pandora takes the artists and songs you like and through their research of "musical genes," pairs what you like with other songs and artists you may not know. Sometimes my work calls for a little rhythm and blues, and other times I need wordless tunes. The Bruce Hornsby station continues to be my favorite music for creating. Every time I listen to it, I think, "I love that song," and "I love that song too." They've mastered gene coding for my musical tastes. . . . more Creative Ways to Organize Study Groups for Teachers This cluster will help teacher leaders develop creative strategies for hosting teacher study groups. . . . more Over the Top: Mystery Writing with 4th Graders (VIDEO) Beth Lawson Helping students navigate the boundaries between realistic fiction and fantasy can be tricky, especially when it comes to mystery writing. In this lesson from Beth Lawson's fourth-grade classroom, Beth uses a top hat graphic to help students think through when writing is "over the top" in mysteries. . . . more Accuracy and Comprehension: Conferring in Second Grade (VIDEO) Sean Moore In this video from Sean Moore's second grade classroom, Sean confers with a student who comprehends text well but has some issues with accuracy. . . . more Standards and Magic: Digging Deep and Being Spontaneous with Infographics Mary Lee Hahn Recently, I experienced a rare kind of classroom magic with the 4th and 5th graders who participate in our school's environmental club. I had about fifteen minutes to plan our activity after a full day of language arts data digging. Please don't judge me too harshly for not having a detailed plan set and ready to go. It was only because I had a mere frame of a plan that magic was able to happen: I could be flexible. I had nothing to lose! . . . more Beyond Harry Potter: Tapping Student Interest in Fantasy Franki Sibberson Ever since the Harry Potter craze several years ago, the fantasy genre has been a popular one. I often have students in the library who would like to read more fantasy, but just don't know of any other great fantasy books. I also meet many students who are reading fantasy books that are intended for older audiences, as well as teachers looking for good fantasies to read aloud to their classes. I've been trying to build our school collection of fantasy books for middle grade readers. There are so many available that this task has been a fun one. . . . more Supporting New Teachers and Appreciating Their Gifts Melanie Quinn The research is clear and the statistics are grim. The most important factor which influences student achievement is the skill of the teacher, yet we lose more than 50% of all teachers before they finish five years of teaching. New teachers bring many skills and much knowledge to our schools as they arrive fresh out of their programs with innovative ideas. With their energy and determination, they remind us why we came to teaching in the first place. (And let's admit, they also provide subtle fashion tips, lest we stray into the vortex of "dressing like a teacher.") . . . more Poetry that Celebrates Summertime and the Outdoors Franki Sibberson The books in this list are perfect for sharing during the spring and summer months. Introducing some of these to students before they leave for vacation may encourage them to add some poetry to their summer reading. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy May 5, 2012 Click Clack Whisper Last month when I visited Katie DiCesare's bustling first-grade classroom, I noticed small posters in the middle of each work table. The posters all had drawings representing quiet work. "Shhh!" or "whisper voices" were written in word bubbles, above colorful renderings of kids at work. I asked Katie about the posters, and she explained they were initiated by a student. . . . more Struggling Book Clubs in Middle School (VIDEO) In this final video from Katie Doherty's middle school book club series, Katie meets with a book club that is struggling to converse and work through the book together. . . . more Book Matchmaker: Global Citizenship and Social Responsibility (VIDEO) When I thought about the idea of citizenship and all that could be learned about such an important topic with young readers, I wanted to share some books that would span many different concepts and ideas. Here are some current books to begin those conversations. . . . more How Do We Know Small-Group Instruction is Effective? Heather Rader An interesting question to pose is: Do beliefs change behavior or does behavior change beliefs? Many people think the former: that beliefs change behavior, which is why so many new initiatives start with the "why" or the philosophy behind a change. Yet those same new initiatives fail if behavior is not adequately addressed. Because in classrooms, true lasting change comes from changing behaviors that in turn affect attitudes and beliefs. . . . more I Can't Quite Put My Finger On It Melanie Quinn Have you ever been working with a teacher and they start to tell you about a new strategy or "program" you are not familiar with, but the description you are getting immediately sends up some flags? When this happens to me in my role as an instructional coach, my hunch is it's not best practice, not in the best interest of kids, and not best use of instructional time. And even though I can't quite put my finger on it, I am pretty sure I need to navigate this teacher away from some questionable practices. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy May 19, 2012 Prove It When I visit classrooms, I am always on the hunt for the words a teacher uses often with students. If you listen closely to the language of teachers, certain phrases or questions repeated all day long are key markers of what is valued. They are the words students unconsciously say to themselves when working independently, imagining their teacher beside them. . . . more Advice for New Literacy Coaches This cluster is designed to help new literacy coaches reflect on their role in classrooms and schools. . . . more Lesson Design This cluster is designed to support teachers in planning thoughtful whole-class discussions that meet the needs of all students. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy April 28, 2012 What's the Worst Thing That Could Happen? I've come to appreciate that "What's the worst thing that can happen?" is a profound question. It doesn't leave room for "I can't because . . ." or "It won't work with these kids because . . ." It's a question that represents an attitude of experimentation and trust -- something we need ample supply of in education and life. . . . more Common Core Standards: Spreading the Word Suki Jones-Mozenter As a district-level literacy coach in California, I've been given the task of helping move our system toward implementation of the Common Core Standards. We are a large urban district serving about 40,000 students. Nearly 70% of our students qualify for Title I services, and about one-third are English language learners. We have a multi-year plan. This is our first year and it has been titled "Awareness." Next year is "Transition," and 2013-14 is "Implementation." In this year of awareness, the question for me as a district coach is How do we get there? Here's a little of what I've learned so far. . . . more Teacher Language and Listening: A Podcast with Ellin Keene In this podcast with Brenda Power, Ellin Keene talks about language habits and teacher reflection in the classroom. . . . more Words and Images: Mentor Texts for Second Grade Boys (VIDEO) Linda Karamatic In this conference with two of her second-grade students, Linda Karamatic shares mentor texts and tips to help them with their writing. Both boys are writing stories with strong visual components. . . . more Perspective as a Component of Text Complexity: A Common Core Booklist Franki Sibberson Text complexity has been a big topic of conversation since the Common Core Standards were released. Reading complex texts is an expectation for readers across grade levels. In Appendix A of the Common Core State Standards, the idea of perspective as a component of text complexity is identified. The appendix defines the difference of complexity under the heading of Knowledge Demands: Life Experiences (literary texts). . . . more Common Core Conversations: Increasing Argumentative Writing Amanda Adrian and Heather Rader "Let's argue more often!" Does this exclamation bring up some feelings for you? Are they positive? Maybe . . . if you won debates in high school. Perhaps the word has a negative connotation for you. As in, "My students were arguing on the playground" or "The driver was arguing with the officer and ended up with a ticket." . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy April 21, 2012 Play Protection Contraptions A couple of weeks ago I visited Franki Sibberson's school library, where I had the pleasure of watching her work with a class of first graders. After a read-aloud, there was a brief discussion when Franki introduced a few new books and materials. Then the kids were off, moving in every direction. Some students went to a computer station to check out books. Others booted up laptops, carefully entered their school passwords, and started visiting favorite sites. A few browsed stacks or read with classmates. A gaggle of girls eagerly started on a new puzzle Franki had mentioned. But the most intriguing sight to me was the group of boys who pulled out a large bin of colorful plastic tubing and connectors, and starting rapidly creating a large structure. . . . more Making the Most of Small Groups: A Podcast with Jennifer Serravallo Jennifer Serravallo is the author of Conferring with Readers and Teaching Reading in Small Groups. In this podcast with Heather Rader she talks about the joys and challenges of grouping students for reading instruction. . . . more Preparing Students for Summer Reading (ROUND-UP) As the end of the school year draws near, many teachers are thinking about ways to support summer reading. We know that reading over the summer is important for all students, and we want that reading to be meaningful. We asked some of our Choice Literacy contributors for their favorite ideas for supporting summer reading with their students. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy April 14, 2012 Never Stop Chasing This spring meteorologist Reed Timmer was a guest speaker for the opening session of the Association of School Curriculum and Development (ASCD) annual conference. Reed's mom was a seventh-grade science teacher and encouraged him from a young age to pursue his curiosity, though I'm not sure she expected him to drive into tornadoes. Reed appears on the popular show Storm Chasers. . . . more Writing Workshops in a Digital Age: A Podcast with Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson is a teacher who is passionate about supporting students as they explore new technologies. He shares what he is learning with students at his blog, Kevin's Meandering Mind. He is a sixth-grade teacher at the William Norris Elementary School in Southampton, Massachusetts, Technology Liaison for Western Massachusetts Writing Project, and coauthor of the book Teaching the New Writing. In this podcast with Franki Sibberson, Kevin talks about how writing workshop is changing in this digital age. . . . more Listen In: XBox Game Writing Heather Rader with Linda Karamatic Cody begins the conference with, "I have a piece that I just finished," and he's off and reading. Can this be the same student I conferred with who had no ideas at the beginning of the year? It is a testament to giving kids who show signs of being reluctant at first, the time to find their way to writing. . . . more "School" Writing at the End of the Year Erin Ocon For the past few years, I had the opportunity to loop with seventh and eighth graders. As last year's eighth graders prepared to leave the school, I wondered what it was they would be taking with them from my class, and from their journey through elementary and middle school. To answer my question, I introduced what I told them would be a "school writing" unit. . . . more If You Like Goosebumps . . . Franki Sibberson Matching books to children is one of the things I enjoy most about my job as a librarian. It is fun to dig in and think about books a specific child may enjoy. Sometimes the work of matching students to texts is easy, and sometimes it is challenging. About once a week, I get a request from a classroom teacher to recommend a book for a child, or to help that child find something on his or her own. . . . more How Do We Structure Small Groups? (Part 3 of the Grouping Series) Heather Rader Fifth-grade teacher Pam was encouraged by her principal to transition from mostly whole-group instruction to include more small-group instruction especially in the area of reading. The previous year she'd used a one-minute reading probe to sort her students into groups using leveled books. . . . more From Rages to Rags: Conferring with Conner (VIDEO) Sean Moore Conferring with Conner has taken many different twists and turns throughout the year. His ability to converse about strategies during his reading has improved, but there is often a sense that he isn't quite internalizing the strategies we've talked about in class. He is definitely approximating, testing out what we've talked about and tried together as a class. I approach him with open ears, constantly searching for what he is ready for. This conference is an indicator that Conner has come a long way as a reader, but he doesn't quite show the confidence that I yearn for him to have. . . . more Literacy Groundings Andie Cunningham One thing I find educators cannot talk enough about is their personal literacy histories, that fundamental grounding of how they became literate. What happened in their lives that impacted who they are as educators? What impact have those experiences had on how they work with the learners they teach, how they structure their classroom, and the ways they collaborate with colleagues? . . . more What's On Your Summer Pleasure Reading List? (Round-Up) A lazy day, a cool drink, and a great book -- that's the perfect summer day for many literacy teachers. We don't get nearly as many days off in the summer as most people assume, so we want to make the most of our pleasure reading time. We asked some of our favorite literacy experts what is on their summer reading pile. Here are their suggestions, with hopes there is a "just-right" book for you mentioned by one of them. . . . more The Power of Games for 21st Century Learners Franki Sibberson When we think of 21st Century skills for students, our thoughts often go immediately to technology. Although our school has many technology tools, we know that these important skills are not only about technology. . . . more Middle School Book Clubs in Action (VIDEO) In this video from Katie Doherty's sixth-grade classroom, Katie talks about the links between strategy lessons and book club work. Katie also sits in on a book club discussion. . . . more Middle School Book Clubs: Response Options (VIDEO) Perhaps the most important part of my role as teacher during book clubs is to know what my students are thinking. This is the whole point, to know that they are going beyond the literal, that they are challenging themselves with text (otherwise how do we become better readers?), and that they are enjoying good literature. . . . more Middle School Book Clubs: Introduction (VIDEO SERIES) Katie Doherty Book clubs are a natural fit in middle school classrooms. They are a great way to incorporate more reading into the lives of our students and to encourage rich discussion of text. In my experience, however, book clubs can easily be turned into just another fill-in-the-blank, mindless school assignment. I want students thinking and engaging actively in their learning, not going through the motions of tasks that have little relevance to them in the moment. . . . more Book Matchmaker: Wordless Picture Books (VIDEO) Franki Sibberson No matter what age we work with, I find the possibilities of wordless picture books to be endless. Kids of every age enjoy them, and they provide so many teaching opportunities. When I think about wordless books that would be best for preschoolers, I want a variety in terms of genre, type of illustration, and complexity. I want the stories we share, with or without text, to allow the child to make thoughtful connections. . . . more Books that Make Kids Squeal Shari Frost with Michelle Martinez When kindergarten teacher Michelle Martinez read my article Books that Touch the Heart, she wasn't impressed. While she personally enjoys a good cry over a book, the list did not meet her needs at the kindergarten level. Kindergarten teachers work really hard to help children avoid tears. . . . more What is the Content for Small-Group Instruction? (Part 2 of the Grouping Series) Heather Rader My colleague Pam, who is new to small groups, had a goal of meeting with three groups of fifth graders each day. We had several pieces of information in front of us: our standards, student running records, and the interest inventory she'd done with each reader . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy March 31, 2012 Principled Habits In our classrooms, we manage attendance, but the morning community opener may be a principled habit. We believe kids need time to sing songs, tell stories, and talk about news. As literacy leaders we may manage our schedules, but have a principled habit of pause-paraphrase-probe when we meet with teachers. . . . more Helping Young Readers Become Independent Katie DiCesare Having quick conversations have been key to helping Evan build confidence, assess his reading needs, and help keep him accountable as a reader. I often found myself asking Evan about his. What did you do over the weekend? What did you play after school? These questions helped me know Evan and what he might be interested in reading. . . . more We Are All Writers: A Podcast with Louise Borden Louise Borden is the author of many acclaimed books for children, including The Journey That Saved Curious George, Sea Clocks, and her latest, His Name Was Raoul Wallenberg. In this podcast with Franki Sibberson, Louise talks about writing history for children, and the power of writing for both teachers and students of all ages. . . . more From "I Don't Get It" to "Never Mind -- That's Amazing!": Scaffolding Schema for Comprehending Poetry Katie Doherty In the beginning poetry was reserved for April. It is National Poetry Month after all, so why not teach about it then? As it became difficult to fit all things poetry into one spring month, I felt like my students were being cheated, so I took a cue from other teachers. These teachers were reading poetry a lot. Some explored a poem a day. Others celebrated Poetry Friday. I decided to start bringing in poetry regularly to help us meet our learning goals. Now poetry is integral to understanding the world around us -- the great moments and the tough ones. . . . more Better Whole-Class Share Sessions This cluster is designed to support teachers in planning thoughtful whole-class discussions that meet the needs of all students. . . . more You've Got to Be Joking Heather Rader Kai's class was "obnoxious" (in his words). I'm accustomed to working with high-energy kids in need of redirection, but some days even I had to admit they knocked the wind out of me. It was his first . . . more Poetry Possibilities This cluster will help teachers add more poetry reading and writing to their curriculum. . . . more Why Read? - A Question to End the School Year Erin Ocon After Memorial Day, I always feel a slight sense of euphoria, but also one of dread. My school year ends in mid-June, and while I love summer vacation, the perfectionist in me also starts nagging about how much more my kids could still know about writing and reading. Last year, in order to silence her, I decided that there was an endless number of things I could teach my students about literacy (there's still an endless number of things I could learn on the subject), and so I would stick with the most essential of questions. Why did we just go through this whole year? Basically, why read? . . . more Sticky Little Invention (The Post-It Essay) Jill Ostrow I love a graffiti board assignment -- a chance for students to display their learning in creative ways and receive brief "graffiti" responses from their peers. Teachers in my college courses have been creating graffiti boards ever since I was asked to make one years ago as a graduate student and fell for the idea. The freedom, collaboration and the luxury of time for graffiti boards encourage responding to a reading, a series of readings, a project, or a poem. During a teaching retreat, I was introduced to the idea of the silent graffiti board. After the boards were displayed, we were asked to take a post-it note and respond to the boards without words -- a beautiful experience. . . . more Rumor Has It Lisa Koch This April, let's talk about people; let's start some rumors. Let's talk about characters and authors we know to people who have no clue who they are. Let's step out of the comfort zone of our book groups, our classrooms, and our circles of moms, partners, and friends. Let's introduce everyone we can to the characters, authors, and illustrators we love; or better yet, the ones we love to hate. When we get people wondering, we will ultimately get them reading, downloading, and searching our favorite books for the real story. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy March 24, 2012 Yes And I was recently working with a teacher who is a new mom. As we were trying to figure out when we'd collaborate she said, "Not before school, not after school, not during planning, and not during lunch because I really need to relax then." My knee-jerk reaction was to respond, "It doesn't sound like you want to work together." Instead I said, "Okay then, how do you envision us having time to plan together and debrief?" . . . more Vocabulary, Comprehension, and the Common Core: A Conversation with Doug Fisher (PODCAST) Douglas Fisher has spent decades researching the place of vocabulary instruction in literacy programs at all grade levels. He is the author or coauthor of many books and articles for teachers, including Improving Adolescent Literacy and the forthcoming Text Complexity: Raising Rigor in Reading. In this podcast with Heather Rader, Doug discusses his latest work connecting vocabulary, comprehension, and the Common Core. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy March 17, 2012 Closer to True This winter we filmed Beth Lawson's fourth-grade class as she taught a lesson on essay writing. I was intrigued by Beth's anchor chart, which included notes on the parts of an essay requiring more heart from writers, and those sections requiring more mental work. The heart on the chart wasn't in the cutesy style you'd find on a Hallmark card. . . . more Conferring About Chunking Words in Second Grade (VIDEO) Sean Moore confers with a second grader who is learning the strategy of chunking words in reading. Notice how Sean focuses the student, refers to previous conferences, and previews an upcoming whole-class reading. . . . more Common Core Conversations: Vocabulary Heather Rader and Amanda Adrian What do you remember about vocabulary instruction and assessment as a student? We remember weekly lists of words and definitions, especially in high school. Sometimes we'd memorize 20 or even 30 words a week. Come Friday we'd pair those words up with definitions on a test to prove we understood what they meant. Because we were both hardworking and dutiful students, we studied those words for a week, were successful on the test and then forgot the majority of them. This is not the "nuanced and flexible understanding" that we now know is needed to comprehend text. . . . more Stopping and Jotting Jennifer Jones Let's face it -- we teachers are control freaks. It's in our blood, and what in many ways makes us great at what we do. Yet sometimes that need to be in control can really get in the way. One of the things I have noticed as my district evolves with reading workshop is an over-reliance on graphic organizers, templates, and artifacts that students complete on a daily basis. Don't get me wrong, I understand that transitioning from a traditional basal approach in literacy to reading workshop is major, monumental, and a leap of faith. To go from being in control of exactly what your entire class is reading for the week, to 25 children self-selecting texts that they are independently reading can feel like all control has been tossed out the window. . . . more Stuck on a Thesis: Conferring (VIDEO) In this conference with a fourth grader, Beth Lawson works with a student who has chosen a challenging essay topic and is struggling to develop his thesis. . . . more Conferring About Thesis Statements (VIDEO) In this conference with a fourth grader, Beth Lawson talks about supporting details for thesis statements. This is part 3 of a video series from Beth's room on essay writing. . . . more Noticing Words in Second Grade (VIDEO) In this brief video from Linda Karamatic's second-grade classroom, students share words they are noticing, and Linda talks about making revisions to the wall displays of words in the classroom. She also mentions the word "wretched" which the class discussed the previous day, and how the word might be used naturally in conversations. . . . more Unpacking the Common Core Standards: First Grade Information Texts Franki Sibberson In the "Reading Information Texts" section of the Common Core, Standard 1.6 asks first graders to distinguish between information provided by pictures or other illustrations, and information provided by the words in a text. This is a skill that might seem to be one that comes naturally for most readers, but often young students make incorrect inferences when reading informational text. This standard is one that will help them look closely at both text and visuals in order to gather information. Readers need to be able to distinguish between information provided by visuals and by text. They also need to be able to pull information from both together to understand the message the author intended. First grade seems like the perfect place to begin this important work. . . . more Guided Reading in Perspective Cathy Mere Recently I presented my work at a regional conference. A teacher came rushing to the front of the room as I packed my computer after the session. "Do you have a literacy coach?" she inquired. "Does your coach tell you that you have to get in at least three guided reading groups each day?" she asked with obvious exasperation. Now I don't know her, and I don't know her students, but I do know that putting an arbitrary number of required reading groups out there keeps us from discussing the bigger issues in supporting the growth of the readers in our classrooms. Maybe her class data works out so that three groups make sense? I don't know, and I wonder if her coach does. . . . more Grouping: Who? How Big? How Often? Heather Rader One of the more vexing dilemmas for teachers is how to group for instruction. No matter how teachers group students, they often wonder if there might be a better way. In this series, I'll synthesize research-based and time-honored practices for instructional grouping. It's a topic I look forward to tackling, since I've made a lot of mistakes myself when grouping students. . . . more The Heart of Word Clouds: Planning, Norming, & Debriefing Jan Miller Burkins With the end of winter upon us, we have been working through those months that are neither charged with a new year or invigorated with impending spring. Here are three fresh ways to integrate technology into your professional learning sessions. . . . more Telling Our Stories Ruth Shagoury and Andie Cunningham We all know that teaching requires constant renewal of the mind, heart, and spirit. How do we find time to truly renew ourselves, to refuel our spirits that get used every day with our amazing students? Reading stories and poems, writing about what we discover with them, and talking with our colleagues can invite us to speak honestly about our lives as educators -- and listen and respond to each other with encouragement and compassion. . . . more "If You Like Matt Christopher" Student Book Share (VIDEO) In this video from Franki Sibberson's grades 3-4 classroom, boys share books that are similar to ones written by Matt Christopher. Franki explains how the group came about, as well as the value of these peer-led small groups. . . . more Sports Writing Group Discussion (VIDEO) As part of our nonfiction writing study, many of the students in the class began to write about sports. Every year that I've taught in any grade, students enjoy writing about sports. It is always difficult to teach this writing style, because students write mostly play-by-play writing of the games they've played or watched. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy March 10, 2012 Just the Thing In my early years of leading professional development sessions for colleagues, I would feel confused when a teacher would ask to borrow my model text to lead a reading response activity with students. I'd smile and say, "You can use any book for that activity. It's just a structure." The teacher would usually look unsure and a little unsatisfied. It's true that she didn't need the picture book I had used in my demonstration, but I understand now that's not the point. . . . more Exit Slips Open Doors Amanda Adrian "It doesn't have to end here." So claims the powerpoint slide at the end of my professional development classes in the past. With this statement, along with my contact information and a hopeful sales pitch, I attempted to communicate to teachers that I was poised and eager to support their implementation of a new concept. Usually it worked. The participants would file out of the room, and one or two teachers would stay behind, expressing an interest in coaching around the topic taught in the class. "They like me!" Sally Field's famous line would ring in my head . . . more Teaching and Assessing Persuasive Writing Skills Heather Rader After completing the class, a teacher who I'll call Marla asked if I would come work with her in her classroom as she implemented the learning from our workshop sessions. She majored in history so she felt comfortable with the civics aspect, but wanted my help with the reading and writing components. I was excited. We decided to focus on "Whose Rules?" a similarly constructed civics standard that asks the students to "identify a problem and a policy or law that attempts to solve it." We chose to focus on seatbelt laws. We knew this was a topic that would engage opinionated fifth graders. . . . more Essay Writing: Teacher Modeling (VIDEO) Beth Lawson Beth Lawson works with her 4th graders to develop essays with strong thesis statements and supporting details, using a folder organization system to highlight different thesis statements for each child. This is the second video in a series. . . . more Argumentative, Opinion, and Persuasive Writing in the Common Core Jennifer Burton I've been working with a few different grade levels taking a closer look at argumentative, persuasive, or opinion writing in the Common Core. As we've been looking over these new standards, it seems that persuasive writing was often based on an emotional appeal. The expectation now is that students will develop a strong argument, or support an opinion, based on facts and evidence. It doesn't seem like a huge shift, but it is important to note. . . . more Essay Writing: Thesis Statements and Supporting Details Minilesson (VIDEO) Beth Lawson works with her 4th graders to develop essays with strong thesis statements and supporting details, using a folder organization system to highlight different thesis statements for each child. This is the first video in a series. . . . more Oral Language and Understanding: A Podcast with Ellin Keene Ellin Keene is the author or coauthor of many books for literacy educators, including the classic Mosaic of Thought. She has spent much time in the past four years developing her new work linking oral language and literacy development. Ellin's latest book is Talking About Understanding. In this podcast with Brenda Power, she explains the genesis of the book, and makes connections between talking, listening, and understanding. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy March 3, 2012 Do Not Sweat the Astrigs I was visiting Linda Karamatic's second-grade class one morning last month. For the minilesson before writing workshop, Linda decided to have students talk about punctuation they'd found in their reading, as part of a unit on punctuation rich in children's literature. . . . more Respond, Reflect, Rejoice: The 3 Rs of Writing Celebrations Ruth Ayres lmost two years ago I started a writing group. I knew if I wanted to keep writing, then I needed a group of other writers to hold me accountable. I didn't want to be floating in the vast ocean of words without others to anchor me. During our first meeting we huddled around a tiny table in the lobby of a hotel and shared our writing plans. As I listened to the others share, I soon realized it wasn't accountability that I needed, but rather people to celebrate the little moments of being a writer. . . . more The Power of Powerpoints for English Language Learners Erin Ocon I love planning, it was with a sense of excitement that I agreed to teach an English as a Second Language class at my middle school -- despite the fact that I lacked an ESL endorsement or any experience teaching a full class of English language learners. At the beginning of August, I took my blank calendar and freshly sharpened pencils, set up at a table outside a coffee shop, and ordered an iced chai. It was then that I opened up the teacher's edition of the curriculum I was given for the first time. I was no longer excited. . . . more When It's Time to Abandon Your Writing Heather Rader We were thrilled that Michelle had abandoned the South Carolina heat to write instead about military privacy. Her writing experience would have been completely different if she'd stayed with a topic that didn't have much to offer her. Yet student writers do this all the time. . . . more Book Matchmaker: Texts for Young English Language Learners Paulette teaches English language learners at an overseas school. Children come to the school from many countries, and many have very limited English. Paulette wants to share her love of children's literature with them, and asked for book suggestions. . . . more Astrigs, Asterisks, and Letting Students Lead (VIDEO) In this video from Linda Karamatic's classroom, Charlie shares his punctuation "find" of asterisks with his classmates. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy February 25, 2012 Misheard I keep music in mind when I hear things someone thought I said during professional development. For example, a teacher told me her colleague reported that I teach kids not to use dialogue in their writing. At first I was perplexed -- when would I have ever said such a thing? . . . more Professional Development Closing Activities (ROUND-UP) In the closing moments of professional development sessions, how do you leave participants inspired and commited to making changes in their classrooms? We asked Choice Literacy contributors to share some of their favorite closing activities for sessions with colleagues. . . . more Write Today Ruth Ayres I believe in being a teacher who writes. Today. And the next day and the one after that. I know there are reasons why this will never work. I've heard most of them, have claimed some of them, and understand, logistically, there just aren't enough minutes in the day. But what if we could become teachers who write? How might it play out in real time? What if instead of listing all of the reasons it's impossible to write daily, we come up with an opposite kind of list, a powerful list of possibility. . . . more Nonfiction Read Aloud - Part 2 (VIDEO) Sean Moore Sean Moore reads aloud the nonfiction text Plants That Eat Animals to his second grade students. This is the second video in a two-part series. . . . more Teachers Writing in the Digital Age: A Podcast with Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson is a teacher who believes strongly in the power of teachers writing and sharing their writing processes with students. He shares what he is learning with students at his blog, Kevin's Meandering Mind. In this podcast with Franki Sibberson, Kevin talks about teachers writing in a digital age. . . . more Nonfiction Informs Fiction (PODCAST) Sofia Headley is a teen writer who finds research is the oxygen that feeds the heart of her fiction. Her mom, author Justina Chen Headley, has published for children and young adults. . . . more What Can You Learn From Slice of Life Writing? Ruth Ayres Writing on a regular basis is a tough habit to develop. There are many things vying for our time, and the act of sitting down and putting words on the page isn't always the most pressing thing we have on our to-do lists. However, it is also said that a habit can be developed in 30 days. When we do something for 30 straight days, in the end, we are left with a new routine. If we want to make writing part of our lives, then one way to do this is to write for a month straight. . . . more Research Advice for Teens Writing Fiction Sofia Headley with Justina Chen Headley If characters are the heartbeat of fiction, then research is the oxygen that feeds a story. Research makes a story "real" for the reader, whether it's grounding a scene with a sense of place or incorporating historical and scientific facts to add the feel of reality. Writers draw readers into a story so they forget they're reading; they enter the world authors create. . . . more Connecting Literacy and Math (PODCAST) Kassia Omohundro Wedekind is the author of Math Exchanges. In this podcast with Franki Sibberson, she talks about connections between reading, writing and math. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy February 18, 2012 Cheesified Jack is writing a story about the lunchroom food in Katie Doherty's sixth-grade classroom. Katie leans in to confer. "What a brilliant word to create. So wise -- everyone will know what you are talking about." . . . more Worldwide Cinderella Resources Erin Ocon Here are resources for a Cinderella unit with middle school students. . . . more Worldwide Cinderellas Erin Ocon Like many teachers, I see my classroom growing more diverse each year. My students can tell stories about crossing the Mexican border, or recount how different their classrooms were in the Philippines. Not only do my students have a wide variety of cultural experiences, but their academic backgrounds vary greatly -- some students are completely bilingual, while others struggle to express their thoughts in one language. Finding literature to appeal to this wide variety of students, on a limited budget, can be a challenge -- to say the least. . . . more The Nerdy Book Club (PODCAST) Franki Sibberson chats with Donalyn Miller, Colby Sharp, and Cindy Minnich about the power and reach of online reading communities. They also discuss the creation and evolution of "The Nerdy Book Club," a wonderful free-wheeling website for (what else?) book nerds, especially those who work with children. . . . more Making Assumptions Ellie Gilbert It had been a rough morning. I'd spent the last two-and-a-half hours in jaw-tightening silence, watching a novice teacher making misstep after misstep in his classroom. In my capacity as his supervisor, I visit his classroom twice per month to observe his teaching and to mirror back to him what I see, offering support where I can. During our debrief after class, I gave him my feedback about what I had noticed. I could tell he wasn't listening. In fact, I could see him formulating his rebuttal to what I was saying before I was through saying it. It was painfully clear that this novice teacher was stumbling over his assumptions and that he wouldn't be able to grow or learn until he was willing to let them go. Driving home that afternoon, I wondered -- are there assumptions that I am holding onto that are keeping me from growing as a teacher? . . . more Flip for Families: Using Video to Build the Home-School Connection Heather Rader with Kelli Demonte Kelli Demonte reaches high as she teaches in a diverse, urban setting. She is a third-grade teacher looping with students since second grade. Last year she applied for and won a 21st century grant that included a microphone, scanner, color printer, flash drives for each student, and a Flip video camera. Kelli said, "Technology is advancing so fast, I really wanted to hold myself accountable for keeping up with everything. I knew the grant would help me do that. Many of the families of my students may or may not have books on their shelves due to economic circumstances, but they have smart phones, email and Facebook accounts." . . . more Book Matchmaker: Third Graders Reading Below Grade Level Ellen is working with a group of third graders who are not reading at grade level. They want to read books that won't embarrass them among classmates. . . . more Common Core Conversations: Using Evidence From Text Amanda Adrian and Heather Rader If we want our students to support their conclusions with evidence we need to start with where they are at, be it kindergarten, fourth grade or ready to graduate from college. Let's look at nonfiction and literary examples to put this in context for our students. . . . more Ten Outstanding Newer Young Adult Books Donalyn Miller Without question, students need to read deeply and study academic texts, like the recommended texts in the Common Core Standards. Alongside academic reading, though, students need to read books for pleasure in order to remain readers after school ends. Well-written, thought-provoking texts are not the sole purview of books that were written 100+ years ago. My list of Ten Outstanding 2011 Young Adult Books includes new titles that will engage and excite secondary students and reinforce the message that reading challenging texts can be relevant and enjoyable, too. . . . more Nonfiction Read Aloud (VIDEO) Sean Moore Sean Moore reads aloud the nonfiction text Plants That Eat Animals to his second grade students. . . . more More