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Tiger Teams: Mixed Age Student Groups
In this video, Karen Szymusiak (the principal at Glacier Ridge Elementary School in Dublin, Ohio) explains how “Tiger Teams” work. Tiger Teams are mixed age groups of K-5 students who meet regularly to talk about their learning and the school community.
Picture Reading in First Grade
In this read-aloud lesson from Katie DiCesare's first-grade classroom, Katie demonstrates the importance of picture reading using the wordless picture book The Zoo by Suzy Lee.
1st Grade Room Tour with Kelly Yahr
In this four-minute video, Kelly Yahr introduces viewers to her 1st grade classroom. Kelly emphasizes how much ownership students have of wall displays and the library, especially through their writing and lettering of materials.
Desk Area Reorganization
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.
Student Storage Areas: Tips for Reorganizing
“The Sisters” (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) talk with Kelly about strategies for reorganizing student storage areas, considering access, group supplies, and how the materials are used.
Decluttering a Storage Area
In this time-lapse video, “The Sisters” (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) help second-year teacher Carrie declutter a storage area in May, talking through decisions about what to keep and what to throw away, and simple tricks for dressing up shelves.
Conferring with Leonela: A Two-Day Progression
Leonela is a six-year-old student whose first language is Spanish. In these videos of conferences with Ruth Shagoury filmed over two days, she makes connections between her drawing, writing, and experiences at home and in Mexico.
Conferring with Eddie
Eddie is a six-year-old student who speaks Cantonese as his first language. In this conference with Ruth Shagoury, little English is spoken, and yet there is much communication through gestures and shared history.
Noticing Interesting Words: Small-Group Vocabulary Lesson
In this five-minute video, Gail Boushey leads a short small-group lesson on vocabulary.
Community Language Board: Building Vocabulary All Year Long
“The Sisters” (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) talk about how the community language board changes and evolves over the year, building a sense of community and shared literacy.
In the Zone: Conferring with a Young English Language Learner
Andie Cunningham confers with kindergartner Cristian within his "ZPD" – Zone of Proximal Development.
Reorganizing the Classroom Library
In this 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.
Lighting Redesign from the Sisters
In this five-minute time-lapse video, Gail Boushey and Joan Moser redesign the lighting in their colleague Ahnsaly’s literacy meeting area.
The Sisters Redesign a New Teacher’s Storage Area
The Sisters help a new teacher, Amy, sort through junk she inherited from previous occupants of her classroom. The video uses time-lapse videography to show how the coat, storage, and book area is transformed in the process of winnowing down these materials.
Understanding the “Silent Period” with English Language Learners
Ruth Shagoury and Andie Cunningham explain how to support an English Language Learner who is not speaking with verbal and nonverbal communication strategies.
Chapter Book Read Alouds in the Primary Classroom
Shari Frost considers selection, preparation, and pacing in choosing books that work well as read alouds in the primary classroom.
Shopping With Ana: Expanding Our Definition of “Just Right” Books in Grades K-2
Franki Sibberson learns from her daughter about emerging readers and book choice.
Mix It Up: Helping Young Writers Learn to Confer with Peers and Teachers
Ruth Shagoury models her own writing as a way to introduce the concept of conferring to young learners.
Flexible Groups: Moving Beyond Levels to Assess Reading Needs
Gail Boushey and Joan Moser (“The Sisters”) discuss how their thinking has evolved when it comes to flexible groups. The article includes a video excerpt of Joan working with a group of kindergartners.
The Lines are to Write My Words: Phonics in Context
Ruth Shagoury considers the role of phonics in context as she observes a classroom built on a foundation of children's expert knowledge as writers.
Planning for K-3 Author Studies (eGUIDE)
Gayle Brand knows the power of author studies and shares her activities, unit plans and year-long glances to support students identification as readers and writers.
My Son Clark Kent
Lisa Koch shares a parent's perspective of the damage too much emphasis on reading levels in the classroom does to her young son.
Small Group Instruction: Inferring Focus
In this 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 inferring.
Noticing Words to Expand Vocabulary: Conferring with Mariah
In this conference with six-year-old Mariah, Joan Moser of “The Sisters” has chosen to focus on expanding vocabulary.
Whole-Class Vocabulary Lesson, Grades K-2
In this five-minute video, Joan Moser of “The Sisters” teaches a whole-class vocabulary lesson. The focus is on helping students notice interesting words, and make connections between daily read-alouds and word learning.
Coaching Moment: Reorganizing a Classroom Library
Gayle Gentry reflects on how a colleague’s simple request to reorganize a classroom library turned into coaching opportunities that had a direct impact on student learning.
Common Core Conversations: Increasing Argumentative Writing
Teachers continue to puzzle over and sort through the terminology in the Common Core related to opinion and persuasive writing. Amanda Adrian and Heather Rader consider terms and teaching strategies.
“I Am the Book”: Helping Emergent Bilingual Learners Connect with Books
Jesabel Centeno helps her emergent bilingual learners respond orally to texts and share favorite books with classmates.
Gratitude Week
Gigi McAllister shares the tradition of Gratitude Week. It gives students an authentic writing experience that has a ripple effect of spreading joy and gratitude throughout the school. It also shows them the significant impact that their words can have on others.
Use Math Practices to Deepen Friendships
Molly James is inspired by the book Friends Beyond Measure to use math practices to strengthen the bonds of friendship in her kindergarten classroom.
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