Craft & Draft

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring to you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching. “Jacob, are you doing any summer PD?’ Jacob and Pam discuss summer PD and share what they are doing professional development this summer.  In this episode Jacob shares how he learns new concepts during the summer. Pam will be teaching PD this summer, but she will also be reading books and attending conferences. They concur that summer PD helps them to update and get ready for the next school year. Our students deserve the best trained teachers!  Summer is a great time for study, reflection and growth. Join Jacob and Pam as they share their thoughts on Summer Professional Development. Also learn about Jacob’s most favorite book! The post Greatest Hits: That Summer PD Vibe! appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  In this episode, Jacob and Pam address the issues of student cheating and AI.  Jacob poses the question of whether cheating is a greater problem today than in the past.   Pam shares how she has seen cheating throughout her career and determined that it has always been a large problem.  Jacob explains how technology changes seem to instill fear regarding cheating, such as Google, so, AI is just another one of those changes. Join Jacob and Pam as they discuss the problem of cheating, why it happens, and how to curb it in the classroom. The post #229 Cheating and A.I. — What Are We To Do? appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  Allowing students to discover reading needs to be at the forefront of reading instruction! In this episode,  Jacob and Pam discuss how reading changes lives.  Jacob shares how the written word contains the power to impact and inspire thinking, actions, solutions and connections.  Pam shares how reading certain books have caused her to be moved in profound ways.   They both address the school system and how it places obstacles in the way of creating great reading moments in the classroom.  Teachers struggle with curriculum demands and time constraints.   Join Jacob and Pam as they discuss why allowing students to discover reading in instruction helps foster stronger readers! The post #228 Allow Students to Discover Reading appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  Everyone gets overwhelmed, but what should we do about it… In this episode, Jacob expresses a few of the frustrations that he and teachers are going through during this season. Pam shares some of the frustrations that she has come across during her career. Join Jacob and Pam as they discuss how to deal with a season of frustration.  Maybe there is a ‘silver lining’ after all! The post #227 Teaching Frustrations: What to Do… appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay in an episode. Pam’s new schedule and Jacob’s have conflicted more than normal! We will be back to the regular schedule soon! In the meantime, here is one of our favorites from the early days of the show. In this episode, Jacob and Pam discuss the impact of the writing workshop on the culture of the classroom as well as the culture of the school. Teachers hear all the time that the school culture must change, but how do educators know that the culture has changed for the better. We both share how we need to identify the type of culture that we desire. We recognize that behaviors and moods may change vary from day to day; culture stays steady throughout the year. Jacob and Pam share techniques and strategies that help solidify culture. We recall stories from the classroom which serve as examples that impact our schools in positive ways.  We both agree that writing and making connections that matter to the student writer has the greatest impact on the classroom and it has the power to permeate throughout the school. Jacob lets us in on an active research project and how his project provided data and a plan to create a school wide approach that empowers students to transfer the learning from their writing workshop to other subjects. He discovered that this study brought an awareness of the power of writing to the attention of the teachers in his school. Join us as we look at the impact that reading and especially writing has on our students, classrooms, and entire school. The post Greatest Hits: Culture of the Writing Workshop appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  In this episode, Jacob and Pam discuss Reading Instruction, “Should teachers focus on skills or comprehension in their lessons?” Jacob explains how teachers through the Science of Reading or other such programs tend to be skills focused. He continues to share how skills are important and must be taught, so the question he poses is: “How much time for skills based instruction is necessary?” Pam responds that they are both equally necessary.  She shares a few anecdotes regarding her grandchildren who are now learning to read and what she sees in their instruction.  She describes how she would revise the lesson to include both in her instruction. Join Jacob and Pam as they meander through the sometimes controversial topics skills based or comprehension based reading instruction. The post #226 Skill vs Comprehension Reading Instruction appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  In this episode, Pam rewinds her retirement and returns to school.  Jacob and Pam discuss Pam’s day as she decides to take up substituting.  Her first day on the job was where Jacob and Pam began the Craft & Draft Notebook system. Pam begins by words her aunt who taught for fifty years gave her, “Begin Positive and Stay Positive.”  This advice creates a relational atmosphere that Jacob describes as establishing a relationship in a few short minutes.   Join Jacob and Pam as they talk about how Pam’s first day back was a success!  Maybe there will be some inspiration that will help you be successful, too! The post #225 Pam’s New Adventure! appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  Far too often educators give up teaching the love of reading and writing during instruction.  They feel pressure from the curriculum developed due a need to perform on high stakes testing. In this episode, Jacob and Pam discuss how to help students develop a love for reading and writing while maintaining a high level of learning that will meet the rigorous requirements necessary for high stakes testing. Pam explains how she never shirks self selected reading and writing time.  She shares how she ties that time to her lessons.  Jacob remembers how he designed his lessons so the students would create their own learning goals and set a purpose for the reading and writing. Join Jacob and Pam as they talk about how to keep the joy in the reading and writing instruction and more! Part one of this can be found by clicking here.  The post #224 Keeping the Joy of Writing Instruction appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  Jacob listened to an educational podcast episode this past weekend. The topic that caught attention was whether or not objectives should be posted in the class for the students.   In this episode, Jacob and Pam offer their response – objectives help teachers focus their students as well as guide the learning before, during and after the lesson.  Jacob shares how he felt the first time he was told he had to post his standards.  Pam explains a bit of her history on how she had to post the objectives over time.   They both discuss their own observations from teacher and supervisor point of views. Join Jacob and Pam as they ponder on whether to post or not to post. Remember, if you have questions or topics you want answered or discussed, please let them know! The post #223 Objectives: Posted or Not Posted? appeared first on Craft & Draft.

This episode was previously published Sep. 18th, 2020 — right as we were getting back into our classrooms from the Covid shutdowns. We cover A LOT in this episode, and it holds strong for then as much as I does now. Enjoy! —————————— Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring to you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching. In this episode, we express how excited we are to be back in the classroom! We discuss how we are managing our instruction both on-line and in the classroom, as well as a brainstorming session about how to use portfolios this year. We focus on how we are implementing our Craft & Draft System, and how the system gives the classroom community a tangible way to navigate this new era of teaching. We also spend a bit talking about why PAPER is still king, even for kids who are learning online. Join us as we delve into the realm of authentic learning where students find their voices and inspire us all (we’re serious… the last 30min of this episode is just us sharing stories about how our students inspired us this last week!) The post Greatest Hits: Paper is Still King appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  Teachers are told to make sure to implement standard based learning and assessment.  Easier said than done!   In this episode, Jacob and Pam answer a listener’s question regarding student based learning and grading.  They each define standard based learning.  Pam shares how teachers need to begin with what the students need to know and do at the end of the lesson.  Jacob explains that the assessment question needs to be derived from the standard and the lesson must be derived from the question.    Join Jacob and Pam as they discuss standard based learning and how to make sure teachers implement it as they teach!   The post #222 Standard Based Learning with a Twist of Assessment appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching. Jacob and Pam answer two questions from our patrons: How can Gifted and Talented (GT) students stay passionate and not apathetic about literacy? How can I keep students from hating writing during STAAR prep time? In this episode, Jacob and Pam first discuss how they have helped GT students Literacy Life alive. Pam shares her experiences as to why students may be apathetic towards learning. She addresses how she has dealt with it in the past when she taught GT classes. Jacob explains how he has addressed similar situations in his.  He explains how he allows students to learn about what interests them the most while maintaining the curriculum standards. They both tie the second question into the first question by explaining how similar principles will work to keep the learning alive for the STAAR prep as well. Jacob and Pam share what they believe should be focus for the writing during the prep, while offering suggestions to help with the preparation. Join Jacob and Pam during this bonus episode and keep your students loving literacy, too! The post #221 STAAR Writing Support appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  In this episode, Jacob and Pam welcome everybody back.  They each took some personal time, so thank you for staying with us! They both share their thoughts about where schools are headed for 2025, but they landed on school choice and policies that impact discipline.    Join Jacob and Pam as they begin a new year of podcasting! The post #220 State of Schools in 2025 appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Hey everyone! We just wanted to make this quick post. All will be well. Just lots of changes coming and Jacob needs some time, and Pam is on vacation for a few weeks. Stay tuned! The post A Christmas Break appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  In this episode, Jacob and Pam explain what they’ve been doing and why they did not post last week’s podcast. They are back and ready to go!  Pam offers some insight regarding the Abydos Learning International Teacher and Trainer Conference for 2024!  Jacob shares a little about his past week as well– full of change! They also spend time discussing how to lead a department.  Jacob shares leadership advice  through his role as a past department chair and a present administrator.  Pam shares some of her experiences and what she learned from her role as a department chair and academic coach. Join Jacob and Pam as they share their tips and advice for leading a school department. The post #219 Leading Your Department appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  The Holiday Season is in full swing and much too often our workshops begin to slump.  The students’ minds are on everything but school.  Teachers need to stay strong! In this episode, Jacob and Pam discuss the slump that often happens during Fall.  Pam shares about some times that went wrong when she taught during tough times. Jacob explains some of the issues that occur during this time in schools.  He offers a positive message to educators motivating them to stay the course and remember to always move forward. Join Jacob and Pam as they encourage everyone to stay strong during The post #218 Staying Strong During the Fall Season appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  In this episode, Jacob and Pam talk about ‘Direct Instruction.’   Pam shares how direct instruction was the main strategy used while she attended school, especially in secondary schools.  She shared how it was accepted that as a student you were supposed to maintain focus throughout the teacher’s lecture.   Jacob explains how he uses direct instruction.  He discusses the length of the instruction as well as how to break the lecture into more interactive segments.  He also describes what works and what doesn’t work during direct instruction. Join Jacob and Pam as they discuss direct instruction and how to spice it up in the classroom! Just a reminder, if you have a subject or question you want us to discuss, please send it to us. The post #217 Spicing Up Direct Instruction appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching. Jacob and Pam discuss how they use direct and indirect instruction in their workshops. But before they begin, Jacob shares how each interview from the Teach Me Teacher podcast contributes to his development as a workshop teacher. Pam shares how teaching has changed during her career. Direct teaching dominated the instructional methods in the past. Lectures for the entire c[ass period with a little time to begin the assigned homework were the norm; however, it  is often frowned upon today. The workshop model creates a student-centered atmosphere. Indirect instruction provides time for the students to solve problems, think critically, and learn independently. This episode is originally found as episode 72 of the podcast. Reposting to support next week’s episode!  The post #216 Balancing Direct Instruction with Facilitation (repost) appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  Jacob and Pam begin the episode with a segment regarding the best way to communicate in order to have difficult conversations.  This leads into a conversation about how communication styles impact education. Pam shares how teachers need to approach students with a countenance that says, ‘I’m glad you are here!”  She uses examples from her own life as well as from her experiences in the classroom to illustrate how to make this happen.  Jacob brings his insight and examples of how conversations and approaches to teaching impacts learning and classroom environment. Join Jacob and Pam as they share the importance of framing conversations in a manner that is best for students! The post #215 Building Relationships Through Content appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  In this episode, Jacob and Pam answer a listener’s question regarding how to advocate for a workshop model in a culture of high stakes test prep demands. Jacob and Pam begin the episode with a segment about giving and receiving feedback between administrators and teachers.  Pam discusses how she has received critiques and criticism, while Jacob shares his view from the administrative side.   The episode then moves to answer the listener’s question.  Jacob and Pam offer their insights and how they would go about responding to the changing culture and demands of high stakes prep in lieu of a workshop approach. Join Jacob and Pam as they share how to respond to feedback and advocate for workshop! The post #214 Receiving Feedback and Advocating for Workshop appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Hello everyone! Bonus episode 2 is here for you to enjoy! It’s a full hour of workshop talk + we addressed a few questions you submitted. Below are the questions we tackle in this one. Thank you for supporting the show! Alisha’s Question I’d love to hear about how you start your 6 weeks units. Do they typically follow your curriculum? I teach 5th grade and so we cover narrative, informational, narrative again and then opinion. Typically all my mini lessons are teaching the steps to write these with a little bit of responsive teaching. Are your lessons more responsive driven or are you following your curriculum but teaching them as the needs arise in your classroom? Our district is a workshop district but they like us to stay within the units they’ve laid out for us. I have my students write the type of writing we are studying but with the topic of their choice. Thanks so much!! Amy’s Question My workshop model with my fourth graders sounds very aligned with Alisha’s in her 5th grade classroom. My first question is related to how you start a writing unit. Do you have routines with this? We are currently on a break and go back to school next Monday. I will be starting an opinion unit with my kids and would love to hear suggestions on how you would begin a writing piece in this specific genre. What are some questions you might ask your students to get buy in for choosing a meaningful topic (I stick to a unit for about 3-4 weeks with this age group in which they can choose any topic). What are some initial mini-lessons you might hit on?  I try to find an authentic audience for this; the principal, parents, superintendent, the mayor, etc. so that they feel like their voice will be heard. The other topic I would like to hear more about at some point is regarding something Pam mentioned in a podcast (I don’t remember which one) where she had her kids put together a poetry anthology on a topic of their choice. How was this unit started? How many poems did they include? Was it a full 6-week unit, or a side project they worked on? Did you study different types of poems and then have the kids write in that poem style about their topic? I think this would be a fun unit in April to do for National Poetry month. Many thanks for all the professional development I get from you both!   ** This episode is a rerun from 2022. The post #213 Starting Units and Poetry (Q&A) appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  Many curriculum documents do not include time for low-stakes writing, but it is through such writing that students become comfortable with the blank page and become more fluid writers. In this episode, Jacob and Pam discuss why teachers must create opportunities for low-stakes writing moments in the classroom.  Jacob shares how he is working with his teachers as they discover how to create writing moments in their lessons.  Pam discusses how this type of writing helps develop stronger writers.   Join Jacob and Pam as they explain why low-stakes writing is a must!  The post #212 Low-stakes Writing: Why? appeared first on Craft & Draft.

In this episode of Craft & Draft, we dive into the delicate balance teachers face when navigating political discussions in the classroom. How can educators remain neutral while still encouraging students to explore diverse ideas? We’ll discuss the importance of fostering an environment where students can debate concepts openly, without fear of backlash or repercussions. Join us as we unpack the challenges of handling political discourse, the implications of a chilling climate on democratic education, and strategies for creating a safe space for exploration and dialogue. Don’t miss this critical conversation on shaping informed, engaged citizens in our schools! The post #211 Navigating Political Seasons as an Educator appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  The concept of a school library is changing under the pressure of current technology trends in the schools and the current perception of how schools should meet the needs of the community.  Jacob and Pam discuss how we all may need to slow down and reflect upon the importance of the school library.   Jacob shares how his school is implementing an open concept to create an inviting library.  Pam includes an experience where she finds herself in the middle of a books or media conflict between a librarian and a principal. Join Jacob and Pam as they reflect upon the school library!    The post #210 A Focus on the School Library appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching. We are trying something new: an episode that targets a specific strategy.  This (previous) bonus episode will focus on Quickwrites and how we use them during our writing workshops. Pam shares how Linda Reif presented the Quickwrites from her book The Quickwrites Book. Jacob share how he incorporates them in his mini-lessons. Join Jacob and Pam as they discuss how they utilize Quickwrites in their workshops. Let us know how you like this new style of podcast. The post #209 How We Use QuickWrites in Writing Workshop appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  In this episode, Jacob and Pam discuss whether or not teachers should use the academic language of the standards with their students.   Pam shares how over the years this topic has prompted many discussions due the differing teacher opinions over academic or kid friendly language.  She also explains how she worked with the standards in her classroom. Jacob discusses the level of rigor that must be applied when implementing the standards in teacher lessons.  He also talks about when he uses scaffolds to help students meet the level of rigor required by the standards. Join Jacob and Pam as they consider whether the standards need to be used with academic or kid friendly language. The post #208 Standards: Academic or Kid Friendly appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  In this episode, Jacob and Pam answer a listener’s question regarding how to teach when the district implements a boxed reading curriculum. Jacob suggests that teachers need to review the curriculum and determine areas where workshop teaching could naturally occur.  Pam advocates to look for moments to use a workshop approach in smaller increments to assist in implementing the curriculum. Join Jacob and Pam as they discuss how to keep the workshop going in the reading and writing classroom even if you feel boxed-in. The post #207 Workshop in a Boxed Curriculum appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Hello everyone! In this LIVE PD, Pam and Jacob dove into what the future of your workshop could look like. AKA… Previously, this episode was a PATREON only episode. If you’d like to see the video, join us here.  We give practical advice and outline what a mini-theme can do for you within actual lesson ideas. Enjoy! The post #206 Develop the Future of Your Workshop (PD) appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  In this episode, Jacob and Pam share their thoughts on various topics from discipline to technology.  Jacob is excited about his new beginnings and shares how great it is to have the teachers back in such a positive environment.  Pam is thankful for how positive his year is beginning, but is worried about those who are not as fortunate. Join Jacob and Pam as they explore several aspects of education. Wishing all of you a positive and fun year! The post #205 A Wide Array of Workshop Wonderings appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  The new school year is around the corner for many teachers.  Creating a strong and healthy Reading and Writing Workshop for students begins on the first day of school.  In this episode, Jacob and Pam discuss what teachers want to do when they start their workshop.  Jacob begins with how to allow students to experience the reading and the writing workshop. Pam expresses how important it is for the teachers to plan how they want their workshop to be structured for their students. They each include some tips and possible lesson topics that will help teachers as they begin their school year. Join Jacob and Pam as they you steer toward a successful workshop. May you and your students have a great start to a great workshop year! The post #204 The Dos of Starting Workshop appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  The new school year is around the corner for many teachers.  Creating a strong and healthy Reading and Writing Workshop for students begins on the first day of school.  In this episode, Jacob and Pam discuss what teachers do not want to do when they start their workshop.  Jacob begins with don’t wait until the second week to allow students to experience the workshop. Pam continues with don’t assign a mundane typical writing assignment as the first piece of writing for the year. They each refer to other don’ts they have learned over the years. Join Jacob and Pam as they steer you away from some of the pitfalls that can easily occur during the first weeks of your workshop!  May you and your students have a great start to a great workshop year! The post #203 The Don’ts of Starting Workshop appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Several of the Craft and Draft listeners have requested more information regarding how to set-up the Craft and Draft Notebook System They begin with the first page of the Craft Book. Jacob shares how he has his students organize their Craft Book from the table of contents to the individual mini-lessons, and includes how students set goals. Pam discusses how each element enables the teacher to monitor student growth. If you want to see this presentation, and gain exclusive access to hours of professional development, support us here. Thank you again for your support! The post #202 The Craftbook and Draftbook Tutorial appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome to Craft & Draft, where we explore the art of teaching and the science of learning. In today’s episode, hosts Pam Ochoa and Jacob Chastain continue their summer book study of “The Knowledge Gap” by Natalie Wexler. Jacob and Pam as they share their final thoughts about the book, The Knowledge Gap.  They each share how this book has highlighted some real issues in American education.  Pam shared her take on how the book addresses writing and what she thinks should be implemented in classrooms.  Jacob discusses why he thinks a predetermined core of knowledge may not be the best solutions for future schools. Join Jacob and Pam as they complete the discussion on the book as well as some other workshop thoughts! If you want to hear all of their takes on The Knowledge Gap, click here and get access to hours of bonus content and videos.  Finally, at the top of the show, Pam and Jacob take time to acknowledge the tragedy of political violence that surrounded President Trump and the bystanders who were wounded in an assassination attempt.   The post #201 The Knowledge Gap Has Gaps appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome to Craft & Draft, where we explore the art of teaching and the science of learning. In today’s episode, hosts Pam Ochoa and Jacob Chastain continue their summer book study of “The Knowledge Gap” by Natalie Wexler. Join them as they explore chapters eleven, twelve and the epilogue in section three, “How We Can Change: Creating and Delivering a Content-Focused Curriculum.” Jacob and Pam critique the argument Wexler proposes regarding writing instruction and her conclusion.   Pam discusses Wexler’s juxtaposition of two forms of writing instruction: Judith Hochman’s “Writing Revolution” and Lucy Calkins’ “Writer’s Workshop.”  Jacob explains her final arguments regarding “The Knowledge Gap” and how her solutions may or may not work. Listen to all of the content of the Knowledge Gap Book Study HERE.  The post #200 The Knowledge Gap Book Study Finale and Our Thoughts appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome to Craft & Draft, where we explore the art of teaching and the science of learning. In today’s episode, hosts Pam Ochoa and Jacob Chastain continue their summer book study of “The Knowledge Gap” by Natalie Wexler. Join us as they explore chapters nine and ten in section three, “How We Can Change: Creating and Delivering a Content-Focused Curriculum.” Jacob and Pam critique the argument Wexler proposes regarding a content-focused curriculum.  Jacob addresses her argument against skills based learning such as using ‘mini-lessons’ followed by students grappling with difficult text.  Pam shares how she remembers these arguments historically and how they impacted her throughout the years.  Will Natalie Wexler convince Jacob and Pam before the book ends? Hear the full episode here by clicking here to support the show on Patreon.  The post #199 Chapters 9-10 of The Knowledge Gap (Book Study) appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome to Craft & Draft, where we explore the art of teaching and the science of learning. In today’s episode, hosts Pam Ochoa and Jacob Chastain continue their summer book study of “The Knowledge Gap” by Natalie Wexler. Join us as they explore chapters seven and eight in section two, “How We Got Here: The History Behind the Content-Free Curriculum.” Pam and Jacob discuss what knowledge actually is and what it will mean to education if the curriculum is narrowed to a selection of ‘appropriate knowledge.’  They each discuss bias and how it impacts testing and what is taught. We also answer and read YOUR comments posted in the Patreon. Listen to see what we said about them! (But only here.) Drop your comments, questions, or concerns below! We’d love to talk with you about this. The post #198 Chapters 7-8 of The Knowledge Gap (Book Study) appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome to Craft & Draft, where we explore the art of teaching and the science of learning. In today’s episode, hosts Pam Ochoa and Jacob Chastain continue their summer book study of “The Knowledge Gap” by Natalie Wexler. Join us as they explore the second three chapters of section one, The history of the Reading Wars. Pam and Jacob discuss the political aspect which plays a large role in the conflict.  They each share how these wars have impacted their teaching career and so much more. If you’re eager to join the full conversation, head over to our Patreon and unlock access to the entire hour and 45-minute episode. Don’t miss out on this thought-provoking discussion! The post #197 Chapters 4-6 of The Knowledge Gap (Book Study) appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome to Craft & Draft, where we explore the art of teaching and the science of learning. In today's episode, hosts Pam Ochoa and Jacob Chastain kick off their summer book study diving into "The Knowledge Gap" by Natalie Wexler. Join us as we dissect the first three chapters, delving into how reading is often taught in isolation, the limitations of phonics instruction, and the challenges young learners face in engaging with complex content like science and social studies. Pam and Jacob share their insights, questioning the effectiveness of standardized tests and exploring what closing the knowledge gap truly means for educators. If you're eager to join the full conversation, head over to our Patreon and unlock access to the entire hour and 45-minute episode. Don't miss out on this thought-provoking discussion!

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  This summer on the podcast, Jacob and Pam will discuss the book, “The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Broken Education System–And How to Fix It” by Natalie Wexler. The book addresses reading instruction and how it does not allow students to learn the type of knowledge they need to become efficient readers.   Each podcast will discuss the various topics and chapters in the book.  This study promises to be complete with reflection, case studies, and thoughts on solutions for a deficient educational system.   Jacob and Pam will continue a more in-depth study on their Patreon channel. It will include interactive questions and further group discussion as well as live interactive sessions. Join Jacob and Pam during their book study! The post #195 The Knowledge Gap Book Study (Join Us!) appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  In this episode, Pam and Jacob talk about their idea of what “The Learning Gap” is and whether or not it is real.  Jacob looks at it from a literacy perspective while Pam shares how two different educational approaches are impacting young readers. This summer Jacob and Pam are committing to read The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Broken Education System and How to Fix It by Natalie Wexler.  They will discuss the book during the next episodes as well as complete a book study on the Craft and Draft Workshop Patreon. Join Jacob and Pam during this recharge and professional development. If you want, get the book and follow along. It will be a great summer! The post #194 Is the Knowledge Gap Real? (Book Study Intro) appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  It’s interview time!  Interviews are often scarry, but they do not need to be.  In this episode, Jacob and Pam discuss the interview process. Pam shares about one of her successful interviews and one of her not so successful interviews.  Jacob shares a few interesting moments from his interviews. They each discuss tips and moments for a successful interview. Jacob shares what teachers may want to consider as they answer questions during the interview. Pam discusses types of questions teachers may want to ask in the interview when given the opportunity to ask questions. Join Jacob and Pam while they discuss interviewing. Maybe you will find a few tips to keep you calm and be yourself! The post #193 How to Get an English Teaching Job appeared first on Craft & Draft.

lcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  Another school year is coming to a close! How can teachers close their year and keep the learning happening in the classroom? In this episode, Jacob and Pam talk about how to keep the students learning.  Pam shares several of her year end experiences, projects and ideas. Jacob explains how reflective activities help the students remember what they learned about reading and writing. They both explain how teachers will want to create experiences that connect personally and contain high interest opportunities.  Jacob states that if the workshop teacher has taught their students to love and appreciate reading and writing, then ending the year with longer time periods to read and write will keep students working until the end. Join Jacob and Pam as they explore several end of year possibilities for reading and writing workshop classrooms! The post #192 Closing the Year Strong appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  In this episode, Jacob and Pam discuss many topics from how to figure out who you people are in a new campus to how to study and deeply understand literature. Most of the conversation is about understanding literature and how to help our students make deeper connections to what they read. Jacob shares how teachers need to create moments that allow students individualized experiences with their book studies.  Pam speaks on all the ways students can connect to books in general. They each explain how they approach literature in their reading workshop. Join Jacob and Pam as they make connections to book studies in the classroom! The post #191 How to Study Literature appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching. Do schools ruin poetry? Often…they do. But why? Poetry is an incredible art form. It can be powerful, insightful, and even humorous. So why does the love of poetry die inside school? We have some thoughts. Join Jacob and Pam as they discuss! The post #190 Schools Ruin Poetry appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  ‘What is an assignment?’ seems like a simple question, until it is discussed.  In this episode Jacob and Pam dive into the ‘What is an assignment?’ question.  Pam begins by trying to answer the question and soon realizes that the answer is complicated due to the complexity found in education.  Jacob does a quick search to get a more formal answer. Jacob shares how teachers assign work in various ways. They both share how they have assigned work and graded it in their own classrooms. The consensus is that the work assigned must match the learning goal. Join Jacob and Pam as they think about assignments and reflect on how teachers will want to use them in their own workshops! The post #189 What is an Assignment? appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  In this episode, Jacob and Pam take a quiz straight from Education Weekly.  The quiz asks questions from teacher salary, to teacher PD preferences.   The quiz prompts Jacob and Pam to discuss each scenario or topic that is relevant to teachers today.  Their conversation includes whether or not they agree with each other as well as other aspects of the educational profession. Join Jacob and Pam to see how well we all know America’s teachers!  Want to see behind the scenes of this episode and us take the test? Click here.  The post #188 How Much Do We Know About American Teachers? appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  Jacob just took some students to visit a few colleges and universities.  The visit propagated the question, “Are schools effectively readying their students for college?” In this episode, Jacob and Pam talk about why college readiness is still important.  They each share their own college experiences.  They both realize that the experiences are completely opposite from each other.  Pam shares how she played volleyball in college, made friends and networked.  She goes down a short visit on memory lane about how much she enjoyed her time there.  Jacob shares how most of his experience was on-line, so he missed a lot of the social aspects of attending college on-campus. They both move into what educators need to do to  effectively prepare students for college.  Join Jacob and Pam as they think through why schools may not be getting students ready for college, and what the schools need to do about it. The post #187 What is College Readiness? appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  Every year in the education world, educators are trying to figure out if they should stay at their school or district or leave. Jacob and Pam discuss the question, “When do you know whether you should stay, look for another place, or quit?”   In this episode, Pam shares how she made decisions to move to other schools and districts throughout her career.  She explains how sometimes she moved for reasons outside her control and at other times she moved because she wanted to achieve a professional goal. Jacob also explains how he has made his decisions to stay or move throughout his career. Join Jacob and Pam as they offer a little advice to those who are facing the choice to stay, move, or quit. The post #186 It’s That Time of Year: To Stay or To Quit appeared first on Craft & Draft.

In this bonus episode for our Craft and Draft patrons we answer Courtney’s question regarding the test taking season. Jacob shares how he begins broad in his workshop and then narrows his scope as his students approach the test.  This approach allows him to create a workshop atmosphere full of exploration, discovery and creativity. Pam shares how she focuses the students toward the standard and helps them ‘work’ the test.  She uses the ‘Think Aloud’ strategy form Laura Robb to model how to read test questions. Join Jacob and Pam as they share these techniques and other test prep ideas. Respond with some ideas that use, too! ***This episode was previously  published only for Patreon supporters. The post #185 Test-Prep Strategies! (Patreon Episode) appeared first on Craft & Draft.

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.  It seems that the notion, ‘Students can’t read’ is always at the forefront of public conversations these days.  So much so writing instruction seems to have taken a back seat in the classroom.  In this episode, Jacob and Pam talk about how writing is the flipside of the literacy coin.  You can not have one without the other.  They both make an argument that student centered sponsored writing assists students with their ability to read.  Jacob shares how he and his principal at his past school made writing across the curriculum mandatory. He speaks about the positive results the school received due to this practice.   Join Jacob and Pam as they discuss the role of authentic writing instruction and how it needs to be maintained in the Reading and Language Arts classroom! The post #184 Reading or Writing: What Matters Most? appeared first on Craft & Draft.