This summer we’re taking a step back, breathing deeply, sipping some lemonade by the pool… and inviting you to a Corwin Literacy slow chat on Twitter. Starting June 1 and throughout the month of June, we’ll be talking about Dave Stuart Jr.’s book These 6 Things: How to Focus Your Teaching on What Matters Most.
Dave’s bestselling book is all about streamlining your practice so that you’re teaching smarter, not harder, and kids are learning, doing, and flourishing in ELA and content-area classrooms. Dave admits he’s not giving a bunch of new ideas or strategies here – just coaching us on how to do better the things we already know are effective. Together we’ll dig into how to build key beliefs to motivate and engage your students; find ways to get kids reading, writing, speaking and listening throughout the content areas every day; and doable solutions for building knowledge and practicing argument, which boosts engagement, confidence, comprehension, and critical thinking. Throughout the book, Dave also gives practical strategies for streamlining your workload and refining some perennial time-sucks, like grading student writing.
(Here Dave writes about the book way better than I do – and you can also see what other educators have said about #These6Things.)
We hope you’ll join us for this refreshing slow-chat, summer PD opportunity: read a thought-provoking, challenging professional book; interact with a favorite author; talk with colleagues you know and meet new ones; AND read, think, and respond when it’s convenient for you. The conversation lingers. The thinking goes deeper. The slower pace gives new ideas time to germinate.
We’ll post a few new discussion questions each week over the month of June, along with recommended readings to guide the next week’s conversation. Please use and track the hashtag #these6things to participate, and check Dave’s blog, davestuartjr.com, for occasional goodies and giveaways.
Find a full list of dates, discussion questions, and readings here, as well, so you can plan ahead. And you can save 20% on the book by ordering directly from Corwin.com. (Or, of course, you can order it through other online outlets, as well.)
Our hope is that These 6 Things will be exactly the summer reading you need as you reflect on this past school year’s accomplishments and obstacles, then ready your heart and mind for the coming year. And we hope this slow chat format will strengthen a community of like-minded, supportive teachers who are striving to focus on what matters most for our kids and ourselves.
(By the way, if you haven’t subscribed to Dave’s blog yet, I encourage you to do that right now. I guarantee you’ll find wisdom and encouragement – fuel you need for the challenging and future-shaping work that you do.)
Dave and I can’t wait to chat with you!
