Latest Videos
Getting Started with Lunchtime Author Groups

Gigi McAllister helps a group of fourth graders evaluate questions for fostering good group discussions.

Tools for Reading Conferences

Deb Gaby confers with second grader Reagan early in the school year. She is reading her first chapter book, and using a reading strategies "toolkit" for support.

Previewing Book Club Books

Gigi McAllister finds taking time to have students browse texts before forming book clubs makes all the difference in the quality of the discussions.

More Thoughtful Read Alouds

Franki Sibberson shares strategies for deeper reflection from students during read aloud to help them move beyond “like/don’t like” responses to books. The strategies include pausing for written reflection, partner...

Homework Challenges

This professional development session is designed to help participants explore the concept of weekly “homework challenges,” as well as to consider what is working well with their homework program and...

Assessing in the Midst: Using Charts and Exit Slips

Melanie Meehan shares some ways teachers can press the pause button in the midst of teaching to assess whether they are teaching the right lesson at the right time. The...

Better Family Communication

Gigi McAllister gives a brief explanation of how her thinking on goal setting has changed, as well as the ways in which she uses student goals to connect with parents. Max Brand shares strategies for helping parents talk with students.

Building Identity and Community

Katherine Sokolowski shares a wall display from her fifth graders that students build to celebrate who they are and people they love from home. The reading is from Suzy Kaback, explaining the value of an "All About Us" board in classrooms.

Scaffolding Partner Work

Katherine Sokolowski scaffolds fifth graders Liam and Caden through the process of learning to recommend books to each other. The workshop includes reading from Tara Barnett and Kate Mills with suggestions for fostering better partnerships through student-created "want ads."

Choosing Mentor Texts for Demonstration Lessons

This workshop is designed for use with literacy coaches and school leaders leading demonstration lessons, but it can easily be adapted to use with teachers choosing mentor texts for minilessons...

Better Student-Led Literature Discussions in Fourth Grade

Gigi McAllister helps a group of fourth graders evaluate questions for fostering good group discussions.

Writing Share Structures in the Primary Grades

Sean Moore leads his second graders in a whole-class discussion of nonfiction writing, including a partner share.

Post It Prove It

Leslie Lloyd preserves instructional time by having her third-grade students share their Post It Prove It notes on a bulletin board throughout the reading workshop. Click here to download the...

Envisioning Writing in First Grade

In this minilesson, Katie DiCesare helps her first-grade students "envision" their writing drafts. The lesson focuses on creating mental images to conjure up stronger verbs and adjectives while writing.

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 video excerpt shows Joan working with a group of kindergartners....

Launching and Sustaining Writers’ Notebooks

Ruth Ayres confers with third grader Jade about the value of collecting ideas in her writer’s notebook, and shares some strategies for organizing the information. Click here to download the...

First Grade Guided Writing Group: Goldilocks and the Three Writers

Katie DiCesare leads a guided writing group in her first-grade classroom. Click here to download the workshop guide. COMMON CORE CONNECTIONS: L.1.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and...

Noticing Interesting Words: Small-Group Vocabulary Lesson

In this brief video, Gail Boushey (of “The Sisters”) leads a small-group lesson on vocabulary. In the debrief following the lesson, Gail talks with Joan Moser about vocabulary instruction, and...

Introverts and Reading Share Sessions

In this brief video from a reading share session in first grade, Katie DiCesare has three students describe strategies they used during reading workshop.

Analyzing Poetry in Third Grade

Leslie Lloyd's third graders analyze literal and figurative language (which they describe as “nonliteral”) in Donald Graves's poem "Bully."

Teaching Stamina Strategies to First Graders

Tammy Mulligan works with two seven-year-olds to teach them strategies for building reading stamina.

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