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I’ll always remember Jonas. Most of us have had students like him. Jonas was a fourth-grade absentminded-professor kind of student. Given a topic, he’d go off to find information, and...
Beyond a Checklist for Teaching and Leading
If I had a dime for every time I’ve felt like a fraud in the literacy world, I’d be rich. I’d still feel like a fraud, but at least I’d...
The 70% Rule
When practicing T’ai Chi, doing too much is the same as doing too little. Master Wong Chung-yua As I have progressed solidly into my 40s, my choices of physical...
Helping Students Understand What Works for Them
While playing tennis with my youngest daughter and my husband, I was surprised by how much Cecily liked Garth’s constant stream of suggestions, pointers, and coaching. “He’s always right,” Cecily...
Whole-Class Reflection in Middle School
Ever since my first day in the teaching profession, my students have taught me how to be a better teacher. This may come from my own learning as a child:...
Teaching Conventions in Small Groups
“Do you pinky promise?” I asked Josie. “I do,” she solemnly agreed. We linked pinkies and looked each other in the eye. I smiled. Josie had just agreed to edit...
Building Reading Identities Across the Year
It was November, and a new intervention cycle was beginning. “What kind of reader are you, Giselle?” Kate asked the student who was new to one of her third-grade intervention...
Text Sets: Reading Beyond Just Facts
In this world of online searching, skimming, and scanning, I want my students to experience the power of digging deeper into a subject. I want them all to read beyond...
Finding Time for Writing Shares
“I never seem to get to the share,” a teacher said to me in a recent conversation. We talked more, and it became clear to me that part of the...
Circle Share
It had been an intense day of finishing the rough drafts of our memoirs. My students were really putting themselves on the page, and I had been moved nearly to...
Brain Dumps for Clarity in Coaching
I stepped into the room and was immediately reluctant to interrupt the controlled chaos before me. Diane was buzzing about the room. She cleaned up student work at one table,...
Textual Lineage
A text that becomes a part of the student long after he reads it and leads him to think and act differently as a result of the text becomes part...
The Toll of Constant Interruptions
Not long ago, a teacher marched into my office, closed the door, and sat down. She covered her face with her hands. I was taken aback. She was one of...
Big Table Writing
Max Brand uses the "big table" in his kindergarten classroom as a communal spot for writing. You can see how he interrupts students naturally to make quick suggestions, and allows...
Minimizing Interruptions During Workshops
I have two young children at home, so believe me, I am accustomed to interruptions. I am used to the call of “Moooommmm!” right when I sit down to fold...
Field Notes: Preserving Minilesson Time
In a first-grade classroom at Haverhill Elementary, the sweet smell of efficiency wraps around me as I observe literacy stations. The minilesson is finished, and kids are settling into their...
Raising Student Voices: Mentor Texts
I’ve never really gotten over watching A Muslim and Jewish Girl’s Bold Poetry Slam on YouTube. Amina Iro and Hannah Halpern share their poem about the way the world sees...
Boosting the Confidence of Writers
The first time I sat down with Aaron, I asked him about his writing identity. “How would you describe yourself as a writer?” I asked. His eyes narrowed a bit....
Word Count Counts
Bob was planning a literature circle cycle for his third graders. It was the second quarter of the school year. He thought that 10 weeks of small-group lessons and interactive...
The Power of Video Replay
The team huddles around as the coach calls attention to the iPad in his hands. Players watch intently as the clip of the winning goal is played . . ....
Book Club Tools
I am a big fan of Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbooks. I love the unique flavors in his recipes and the way he incorporates so many vegetables into each dish. On the...
