Content Category: Choice Literacy
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Catching Struggling Readers Before They Fall with Pat Johnson and Katie Keier (PODCAST)
Pat Johnson and Katie Keier are the authors of Catching Readers Before They Fall. In this podcast, Franki Sibberson chats with Pat and Katie about their latest thinking on teaching strategies...
Tech Tools for Our Youngest Learners with Kathy Cassidy (PODCAST)
Kathy Cassidy does amazing things with technology in her first-grade classroom. She chats with Franki Sibberson about her favorite tech tools in this podcast. You can learn more about Kathy's...
The Triple Threat: Building a Community, Discussion Skills, and Writing Stamina
There are several key components of a thriving literacy workshop. In my sixth-grade classroom, students need to: be able to read and discuss texts; feel comfortable with each other so...
Writers, Choice and Independence (Part I)
I had an observer in my classroom a few years ago who said, "I love how independent your students are during the workshop. They're such independent writers for fourth graders."...
Sense of Little Engines
About half of our coaching staff is engaged in a book study of Peter Johnston's Choice Words. We meet once a month before school at a local coffee shop that offers...
Poetry Possibilities
April is National Poetry Month! It's time to put the poetry books front and center in the class library. I think that National Poetry Month is a bit of a...
Raising Readers: Independent Reading, Choices, and Intentional Reading Practices
I am one of those teachers who fights a constant battle to balance students' reading time with just-right books with letting them choose freely from many books that interest them....
Fireflies: Then and Now
Summer is a recharging time for teachers; it is our time to be at home with our families and provides us with time to ponder teaching and learning. Last night...
Motive, Means, and Opportunity
I'm on trial for my latest offense. I'll confess -- I did it. And I'll do it again and again -- even if I get caught. I can't stop myself....
Favorite Short Mentor Texts for Demonstration Lessons
Teachers and coaches often ask us for a list of mentor texts to teach a particular strategy or genre unit of study. While we certainly have some favorites, we truly...
Virtually Coaching a Lesson
I'd known Chad for about two months when his first observation was scheduled. Chad had shared with me that he didn't feel like his new principal understood him. Even though...
Book Matchmaker: Texts for 5th Grade English Language Learners
Kelly is a fifth-grade teacher with two English language learners in her class who have trouble finding books. These students are reading at a level 16 independently, and...
A More Literate Show and Tell
Last week Tammy joined a kindergarten teacher, Vicki Haley, for her writer's workshop. As we all know, the reality of kindergarten is that even with the best-laid plans we can...
Sharon Taberski on Comprehension Instruction (PODCAST)
In this podcast, Sharon Taberski chats with Franki Sibberson about comprehension instruction across the grades. You can read Sharon's blog, All About Comprehension, at this link: http://allaboutcomprehension.blogspot.com/ A full transcript...
Books that Invite Students into Poetry Writing
"Poetry is prose, bent out of shape." J. Patrick Lewis, www.jpatricklewis.com Students learn so much about crafting quality writing when they are immersed in a poetry writing unit. I often see...
Tips from Literacy Leaders for Closing Out the School Year (ROUND-UP)
Here are some suggestions from Choice Literacy Contributors of the best ways to close out the year, with everything from personal organizing tips to family events. Heather Rader, Instructional Coach...
Best Practices All Day Long: Balancing Personal and Professional Success
Eureka! Just the other day I had an epiphany, which I truly believe might change my professional and personal life forever. As a classroom teacher, I had always thought of...
Transitioning to Guide on the Side: Facilitating Collaborative Scoring
"I want to move as much of my professional development from sage on the stage to guide on the side," I wrote as my goal for the coming year. For...
A Closer Look at Anchor Charts
Peeking into classrooms at the very beginning of this new school year, I was surprised to see that many teachers already had lots of anchor charts (and completed word walls,...
Wonderopolis: Nonfiction, Technology, and Web-Based Independent Learning
Wonder questions bring life and energy to learning. This school year, I started using a powerful digital website called Wonderopolis. Each day, my students and I visit this site during Morning...
Patrick Allen on Conferring (PODCAST)
In this podcast, Franki Sibberson chats with Patrick Allen (author of Conferring: The Keystone of Reader's Workshop) about how teachers can develop conferring skills. You can follow Patrick's blog, All-en-A-Day's...
