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“This Could Be Our Family”: Books for Children with Lesbian and Gay Parents
My daughter Alysa and her other mother snuggled into the recliner, not saying a word. The only sound I could hear was an occasional page turning. I took this as...
Using Picture Books to Teach Theme in Grades 3-6
Wikipedia defines theme as "A broad idea, message, or lesson that is conveyed by a work. The message may be about life, society, or human nature. Themes often explore timeless...
Is “Just Right” Still Just Right?: Helping Children Select Appropriate Books
We taught together in an elementary classroom for years. One of the most important things we always talked about with students was the concept of "just-right" books. We used the...
Infographics and Lists in Science Notebooks
Today I observed my students scattered around our school's outdoor learning lab. I wandered from group to group, from micro-habitat to micro-habitat, thrilled with their focused energy, thoughtful conversations, and...
You Get What You Ask For: The Art of Debriefing
When I pick up my children from school and ask, "How was your day?" 99.9% of the time I get the f-word: fine. However, when I noticed the green outline...
Helping Students Deal with Distractions
We have had the privilege of spending the last few weeks in many teachers' classrooms supporting them as they launch their literacy workshops. The first few weeks of school are...
New Notebook Essentials
Sitting around a crowded conference table, eight of my colleagues and I discuss the merits of using a writer's notebook with our students. What started out as a study of...
It’s Not the Assessment — It’s How You Use It
Clare's mother always used to tell her, "It's not what you say that is the problem, it's how you say it!" This same thought rings through our heads as we...
A Thanksgiving Take on Differentiating Instruction
As I've traveled between conferences and classrooms this fall, I've heard a lot of buzz around the concept and practice of "differentiation." When I've asked teachers, literacy coaches, and language...
Making Data Analysis a Motivating and Worthwhile Process
Over the past few years we have met with different groups of teachers to analyze student data. These meetings have pushed us to think about strategies for facilitating data meetings...
Writing Do-Overs: ERPs in the Classroom
When I was in elementary school I played four square and tetherball. These seemed like the best sports for a kid like me who was less tall and more small...
Returning to Our Creation Chambers: Supporting Experienced Teachers
"Gorky built upon the achievements of the early modern artists he greatly admired and broke new ground during a remarkable moment to become an inspiration to a new generation of...
The Power of Wonder Questions
"Do you know what I've been thinking and reading about?" asked Will as we settled into an out-of-the-way spot in my grades 3-4 multiage classroom. It was time for reading...
Creating Shared Learning Experiences for New and Veteran Teachers
Nothing brings people together more than shared experiences. Jimmy Fallon One of my many guilty pleasures is taping Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and watching...
Punctuation Study with Third Graders
[Writers] deliberately choose certain marks because they know these marks signal us to inflect our voice in a particular way, emphasize a word or phrase, or slow down. We know...
Sharing Data with Families at Parent/Teacher Conferences
For many of us who teach, the change of the seasons to spring or fall brings changes outdoors we love -- of flowers newly in bloom, or leaves turning to...
Engaged by the World: Maps, Globes, Reading, and Writing with Young Children
I had been puzzling over Luis for some time. I couldn't get him interested in doing more drawing or writing, and he wasn't like other 3 to 5-year-old children in...
Creating a Culture of Literacy
My in-laws really love sports. My nephews spent their entire infancies in onesies emblazoned with professional team logos. As soon as they were old enough to get out of their...
Overcoming Slumps: Principles for Student Writers
I began last summer in two slumps: a running slump and a writing slump. I injured my lower back in early May and could not run for about six weeks....
From Page to Screen: My Top Ten Film Adaptations of Children’s Books
My friend and I went to the movies last month to see The Time Traveler's Wife, the film adaptation of one of our favorite books. I had my fingers crossed. Watching...
Tips for More Effective Debriefing Sessions
We do a lot of demonstration lessons in our coaching work. Lately we have been reflecting on how we structure these sessions. We find the debriefing of the lesson to...
