All Episodes

[Listen Again] Dear Stellar Teacher: Our Phonics and Intervention Confessions (and What We Would Do Differently!)

Episode 321: Differentiation vs. Intervention: What's the Difference?

Episode 320: A Simple Framework for Your Tier 1 Literacy Instruction

Episode 319: MTSS Explained: What Every Upper Elementary Teacher Needs to Know

Episode 318: What Kind of Teacher Do You Want to Be this Year?

[Listen Again] Reading Intervention Made Easy: 15-Minute Lessons for Struggling Readers in Upper Elementary

317: Back-to-School Anxiety? Here's What Every Teacher Needs to Remember

315. The First Day of School Doesn't Need to Be Perfect (And That's Actually the Goal)

314. The Simple Framework for Teaching Procedures That Actually Stick

[Listen Again] Multilingual Learner Support with Dr. Jana Echevarría and Dr. Jeannette Mancilla

313. You Don't Need to Teach 100 Procedures. Start with These

[Listen Again] 7 Research-Backed Strategies for Reading Success with Lindsay Kemeny

312. How to Set Up Your Classroom (Without Overthinking It)

311. Small Group Instruction Made Simple: How to Use Data to Support Every Reader

310. Writing Belongs in Your Literacy Block (Here's How)

[Listen Again] Why Reading Fluency Matters More Than You Think

309. Fluency - The Bridge Between Decoding & Comprehension

[Listen Again] Intervention Strategies for Struggling Readers with Shannon Moore

308. Phonics & Phonemic Awareness: Closing Gaps in Upper Elementary

[Listen Again] How the Brain Learns Words (and Why It Matters for Reading Success) with Dr. Molly Ness

307. The 5-Minute Word Study Routine That Builds Reading Confidence

[Listen Again] Why Every Literacy Block Needs Read-Alouds with Molly Ness

306. Comprehension: A Simple Research-Backed Framework That Actually Works

[Listen Again] Let Them Be Bored: Why Boredom Might Be Exactly What Kids Need with Mike Bender and Chuck Dillon

304. 7 Things Your Future Teacher Self Will Thank You For

303. Want More Engagement in May? Try These 3 Literacy Moves

302. Hey Teachers, Don't Miss the Magic of May

301. 3 Things That Actually Matter Before the School Year Ends

300. You Can Love Teaching and Still Want It to Be Easier

299. 1 Thing Your Students Actually Need Right Now

298. Why It's Not Too Late to Support Struggling Readers

297. The Difference Between Feedback and Noise

296. What Calm Classrooms Actually Have in Common (Spoiler: it’s not decor!)

295. Teaching Is a Long Game: A Reminder for Teachers Feeling the Pressure

294. The Most Expensive Test Prep Mistake Happens Before the Question

293. [Listen Again] Dear Stellar Teacher: How Can I Make Test Prep Season More Effective and Less Overwhelming?

292. Navigating the Challenges of Required Curriculum

291. When You Can’t Stop Rethinking Everything You Said, Taught, or Did

290. You Are the Expert: Why Your Professional Judgment Matters

289. Embracing Imperfection in Teaching

288. Choosing Intention Over Perfection

287. 5 Myths About Small Group Instruction (And What to Believe Instead) [Listen Again]

286. Dear Stellar Teacher: Making Space for More Joy This Year

285. Implementing Classroom Routines for a Strong Second Semester

284. 5 Steps to Teaching with Thematic Units [Listen Again]

283. Your Guide to Teaching Syllabication in Upper Elementary [Listen Again]

282. 4 Ways to Easily Incorporate Movement into Your Instructional Day [Listen Again]

281. 5 Reasons Why You Need to Spend More Time on Sentence Writing in Upper Elementary [Listen Again]

280. Slow Down to Show Up: A Thanksgiving Reminder for Teachers

279. Plot Twist: Student Engagement Doesn’t Happen by Accident

278. Scaffolding That Sticks: 4 Steps to Support Student Learning

277. 3 Simple Summarizing Frames to Boost Comprehension

276. Intervention That Works: A 5-Day Framework for Busy Teachers

275. How to Use Agree or Disagree Statements to Activate Background Knowledge

274. How to Help Students Read Big Words With Confidence

273. Dear Stellar Teacher: How Do I Effectively Teach A Novel Study?

272. Multilingual Learner Support: Practical Strategies for Upper Elementary Teachers with Dr. Jana Echevarría and Dr. Jeannette Mancilla-Martinez

271. [Listen Again] Maximize Your Read Alouds With These 3 Tips

270. Explicit, Systematic Writing Instruction for Upper Elementary with Dr. Karen Harris and Dr Steven Graham

269. [Listen Again] Scheduling Tips for Creating an Effective Literacy Block (SOR Summer Series Part 7)

268. Dear Stellar Teacher: How Can I Use AI in My Classroom to Save Time and Reduce Stress?

267. [Listen Again] Episode #216 - Back to School: 3 Fun, Engaging, and Important Literacy Lessons to Teach at the Beginning of the Year

266. How to Support Upper Elementary Students in Reaching Grade-Level Literacy with Dr. Jan Hasbrouck

265. 3 Simple Steps for Effective Word Study Instruction This School Year

264. Dear Stellar Teacher: Navigating the Back-to-School Chaos with Confidence

263. Making Words Stick: Orthographic Mapping and How the Brain Learns to Read with Dr. Molly Ness

262. Cheers to 10 Years! Sara Marye Shares the Story Behind STC

261. Reading Intervention Made Easy: 15-Minute Lessons for Struggling Readers in Upper Elementary

260. Dear Stellar Teacher: Our Phonics and Intervention Confessions (and What We’d Do Differently!)

259. From Sentences to Essays: The Writing Sequence That Works

258. From Sentence to Paragraph: A Peek Inside Our Writing Routine

257. How to Strengthen Student Writing—One Sentence at a Time

256. 5 Signs You Might Need To Rethink Your Writing Instruction

255. Dear Stellar Teacher: How to Navigate Changing Grade Levels with Confidence

254. Supporting Multilingual Learners Through Structured Literacy with Maya Valencia Goodall and Kristie Shelley

253. Teaching with Empathy and Boundaries: Why Both Matter with Jenn Borovy

252. Finish Strong: 7 Fun & Meaningful Literacy Ideas for the End of the Year

251. Dear Stellar Teacher: Our Writing Confessions (and What We’d Do Differently!)

250. Let Them Be Bored: Why Boredom Might Be Exactly What Kids Need with Mike Bender and Chuck Dillon

249. Closing Learning Gaps: Practical Strategies for Supporting Struggling Readers with Dr. Cheryl Lundy Swift

248. Rethinking Narrative Writing: A Better Way to Teach Students to Write

247. Dear Stellar Teacher: How Can I Make Test Prep Season More Effective and Less Overwhelming?

246. Integrating SEL into Literacy to Strengthen Student Behavior with Allie Szczecinski

245. How To Fix This Common Mistake in Comprehension Instruction (Part 2)

244. Are You Making This Mistake in Your Comprehension Instruction? (Part 1)

243. Intervention Strategies for Struggling Readers with Shannon Moore

242. Dear Stellar Teacher: How can I take personal days without feeling guilty or overwhelmed?

241. The Secret to Expanding Students’ Vocabulary (Without More Word Lists!)

240. Are You Ignoring Fluency? How It’s Impacting Your Students’ Reading Success

239. 7 Research-Backed Strategies for Reading Success with Lindsay Kemeny

238. Dear Stellar Teacher, How Can I Reach My Goals Without Feeling Overwhelmed?

237. Reciprocal Teaching: A Research-Backed Approach to Stronger Readers

236. Why Read-Alouds Still Matter: Research-Backed Benefits for Every Learner with Molly Ness

235. 3 Powerful Routines to Boost Reading Comprehension in Your Classroom

234. Dear Stellar Teacher: What’s the best way to teach comprehension strategies and skills?

233. 5 Misconceptions About Comprehension and the Truths We Should Embrace Instead

232. [Listen Again] Episode #58 - 5 Creative Ways to Reteach Classroom Routines in January

231. [Listen Again] Episode #55 - Creative Ways to Assess Student Learning

230. Supporting Students with Dyslexia: Expert Tips for Teachers and Parents with Heather O'Donnell

229. Dear Stellar Teacher: How can I make a familiar book or resource feel fresh and engaging for my students?

228. The Power of Outlining: 3 Strategies to Strengthen Student Writing

227. Mastering Topic Sentences: 6 Strategies Every Teacher Should Know

226. The Powerful Impact of Sentence-Level Work

225. Dear Stellar Teacher: What Should Grading Look Like in My Classroom?

224. The Reading League Review: Key Takeaways and Insights

223. Help Your Students Develop A Robust Vocabulary With These 4 Engaging Strategies

222. The Write Stuff: How Writing Can Enhance Reading Success

221. Dear Stellar Teacher: How Do I Fit Everything Into My Literacy Block?

220. How to Help Your Students Become Masters at Decoding Multisyllabic Words With Marnie Ginsberg

219. 5 Game-Changing Tips for a Rock-Solid Literacy Year

218. A 5-Step Process to Help Students Read Multisyllabic Words

217. How to Integrate Writing Instruction Across All Subjects

216. Back to School: 3 Fun, Engaging, and Important Literacy Lessons to Teach at the Beginning of the Year

215. Practical And Easy Ways To Incorporate Reading Fluency Activities In Your Classroom With Aylin Claashen

214. Teaching Genre: Why It's Important and How To Introduce It To Your Students

213. 3 Easy Strategies to Embed Social Emotional Learning (SEL) into Your Classroom With Abby Moehringer

212. 5 Things To Do and 5 Things To Avoid When Teaching Word Study

211. What Is Morphology and How Do I Teach It?

210. How to Engage the Rest of Your Class So You Can Pull Small Groups

209. Scheduling Tips for Creating an Effective Literacy Block (SOR Summer Series Part 7)

208. 5 Steps to Better Paragraph Writing in Upper Elementary

207. How to Help Students Read Multisyllabic Words (SOR Summer Series Part 6)

206. 3 Ways to Improve Students’ Sentence Writing

205. 3 Ways You Can Organize Your Classroom Library (SOR Summer Series Part 5)

204. 4 Ways to Enhance Your Vocabulary Instruction

203. 5 Strategies for Improving Reading Fluency in your classroom (SOR Summer Series Part 4)

202. Classroom Shifts: Small Changes, Big Impacts With Meghan Hein

201. Using Implicit and Explicit Vocabulary Instruction to Increase Student Reading Comprehension (SOR Summer Series Part 3)

200. How to Make Teaching Writing Easier

199. Text Structure: A Roadmap for Reading (SOR Summer Series #2)

198. Shifting the Balance: A Conversation With Katie Egan Cunningham

197. 3 Simple Steps to Develop More Mental Velcro (SOR Summer Series #1)

196. Understanding the Science of Reading in Upper Elementary

195. How to Effectively Collaborate With SLPs: An Interview With Hallie Sherman

194. Must-Teach Writing Skills for the Start of School

193. 5 Things Teachers Can (And Should) Do Before Their First Year With Dr. Lori Friesen

192. 5 Easy Steps for Effective Vocabulary Instruction

191. Empowering Educators: Practical Wisdom From Melissa and Lori

190. Navigating the Complexities of Sentence Structure

189. Understanding and Supporting Sticky Student Behaviors With Sara Cottrill-Carlo From The Responsive Counselor

188. Beyond the Hand Raise: 5 Ways to Enhance Class Discussions

187. From Balanced Literacy to Structured Literacy With Anna Geiger

186. Don’t Let Grammar Be the Star of Your Writing Block! Do This Instead

185. It’s Test Prep Season: Here Are 4 Ways to Make It More FUN!

184. Plan Authentic and Accessible Writing Experiences for Your Students With Katie Novak

183. How Do I Keep My Students Independent & Engaged While I Pull Small Groups?

182. What We Need to Understand About Reading Comprehension (And 8 Instructional Strategies)

181. Evidence-Based Strategies for Building Student Vocabulary With Michelle Sullivan

180. Practical Tips for Big Improvements in Student Fluency With Aylin Claahsen

179. Phonics Instruction That Can Help ALL Students With Savannah Campbell

178. Debunking Common Myths Around Phonemic Awareness With Christina Winter

177. A Close Look at the 5 Pillars of Reading Instruction

176. How Can You Help Your Struggling Readers? 7 Things to Consider

175. Secrets to Success for New and Veteran Teachers With Ashleigh Smith

174. Grammar Game-Changers: 3 Simple Swaps for Improving Your Instruction

173. Classroom Routines Reset: 5 Ways to Ensure a Smooth Transition Back to School After Winter Break

172. If You Want to Get Your Students Hooked on Reading, Teach This!

171. Spice Up Student Assessment: Engaging Ways to Check for Understanding

170. Losing Steam Before Winter Break? Try These Fun Activities to Keep Your Class Excited About Reading

169. How to Best Support Your Students With Dyslexia With Heather O’Donnell

168. Are You Building a Culture of Reading in Your Classroom? With Ciera Harris

167. Elevate Student Writing With These 4 Revision Strategies

166. How Can I Help My Students Become Stronger Paragraph Writers?

165. Making Space for Silliness in Our Schools With Mike Bender

164. 7 Ways to Incorporate More Sentence Level Work in Your Upper Elementary Classroom

163. Sentence Deconstruction: What It Is, How It Helps, and Steps to Take To Fit It Into Your Day

162. Simple Strategies to Help Your Students Expand Their Sentences

161. 5 Reasons Why You Need to Spend More Time on Sentence Writing in Upper Elementary

160. 4 Movement Routines to Try in Your Upper Elementary Classroom

159. Avoid These Things During Grammar Instruction & See Students’ Writing Improve!

158. Syllabication in Elementary Classrooms: What Is It & Why Teach It?

157. The Secret to a Stellar School Year: Teach These 3 Essential Literacy Lessons

156. Maximize Your Read Alouds With These 3 Tips

155. Get INSPIRED To Teach Writing This Year!

154. My #1 Tip for Creating a Strong Classroom Community and Culture

153. Simple Strategies to Strengthen the Language Domains for Your ELL Students with Beth Vaucher

152. The 3 Steps to Take This School Year If You’re Always Saying “I Wish I Had More Time”

151. 5 Myths About Small Group Instruction (And What to Believe Instead)

150. 3 Mistakes That Teachers Make When Creating a Literacy Block Schedule

149. Give Students a Framework for Making Inferences [Small Steps to S.O.R. Part 7]

148. 4 Things to Do If You Don’t Have a Writing Curriculum (or it Doesn’t Meet the Needs of Your Students!)

147. Teach Syllabication [Small Steps to S.O.R. Part 6]

146. Get More Out of Your Literacy Block With a Strong Whole Group Lesson Routine

145. Incorporate Phonological Awareness Activities [Small Steps to S.O.R. Part 5]

144. How Book Talks Can Transform Your Classroom Community with 4th Grade Teacher, Kelsey Moody

143. Use a Semantic Map [Small Steps to S.O.R. Part 4]

142. How to Get Students to Write a “MEATY” Paragraph

141. Explicitly Teach the Most Common Prefixes & Suffixes [Small Steps to S.O.R. Part 3]

140. Top 5 Aspects of Small Group Instruction to Plan for NOW!

139. Practice Sentence Deconstruction [Small Steps to S.O.R. Part 2]

138. How to Build Up Your Classroom Library Without Breaking the Bank with Dr. Lori Friesen

137. Build and Activate Background Knowledge [Small Steps to S.O.R. Part 1]

136. What Does the Science of Reading Look Like in Upper Elementary?

135. Creating Structured Student Partnerships in Your Literacy Block with 3rd Grade Teacher, Dena Dornfield

134. 3 Ways Literacy Routines Can Help Calm End-of-Year Chaos

133. Keep Your Students Engaged in Reading Until the Very Last Day of School: 7 Tips for You!

132. Two Simple Ways to Boost Engagement During Whole Group Lessons

131. The #1 Mistake Upper Elementary Writing Teachers Make

130. Practical Tips for Supporting Special Education Students During Your Literacy Block with Dr. Chris Reeve

129. How to Love Teaching Again: A Conversation with Jamie Sears

128. Unleashing the Power of Poetry to Teach the Big 5 Reading Skills

127. Managing Stress and Teacher Burnout with Brittany Blackwell

126. From Stress to Success: Strategies for Empowering Students on Testing Day

125. Providing Students a 5-Step Process for Writing a Constructed Response Paragraph

124. Mastering the Constructed Response: A Teacher's Guide to Boosting Student Confidence

123. Troubleshooting Classroom Management with Heidi and Emily of Second Story Window

122. A 5-Step Process for Decoding Big Words (That You Can Implement TODAY!)

121. Your Guide to Teaching Syllabication in Upper Elementary

120. Reading Simplified: Help Struggling Readers Crack the Code with Dr. Marnie Ginsberg

119. 5 Steps to Teaching with Thematic Units

118. How to Say 'No' (Without the Guilt!) ft. Rachel Lenhart

117. 5 Things to Consider When Teaching Nonfiction Text Structure: Part 2

116. 5 Things to Consider When Teaching Nonfiction Text Structure: Part 1

115. Kicking Off 2023 with a 'More and Less List’ for Literacy Teachers

114. Seasonal Spotlight: Five Tips for Returning To Independent Reading After Winter Break

113. Seasonal Spotlight: Establish Student Independence With Book Clubs

112. Seasonal Spotlight: Reading Response Ideas to Energize Independent Reading

111. 4 Ways to Easily Incorporate Movement into Your Instructional Day

110. Creating a Positive Perspective using "The End Is Just the Beginning" with Mike Bender

109. Taking Control of Your Professional and Personal Happiness During Stressful Seasons of Life

108. Powerful and Practical Tips to Boost Your Students’ Reading Fluency with Aylin Claahsen

107. 5 Ideas for Using High Impact Writing Activities in Any Content Area

106. Simple Classroom Management Hacks for the Seasonal Changes with Dr. Lori Friesen

105. How to Incorporate Writing About Reading During Small Groups

104. 4 Response Frames That You Can Use When Assigning a Written Response

103. 5 Tips That Help Students Improve in the Area of Writing About Reading

102. Ways to Reframe a Students’ Thinking of Failure using Failure Friday with Andrea Burns

101. A Literacy Routine for Building Students’ Sentence Structure Skills