All Episodes
Stellar Teacher Podcast: A Podcast for Upper Elementary Teachers — 214 episodes
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
305. [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