As the final few months of the school year draw near, the demands on elementary teachers and students tend to increase, which means the joy in our reading communities can actually decrease a bit. Luckily, it is not too late to hit the refresh button
In the background of my first Zoom conversation with Vera Ahiyya, I heard ambulance sirens passing and helicopters circling her Brooklyn apartment. It was early summer of 2020. Ambulances shuttled COVID patients to hospitals. Helicopters hovered over thousands of daily protesters, people demanding justice after
I used to think I needed to use a different text for each strategy I taught. I spent hours upon hours searching for the “perfect” book for each lesson. I would ask my colleagues questions like, “What text do you use to teach fill-in-the-blank strategy
As we continue to navigate pandemic teaching, there is a clear need for small group instruction. With so many disruptions over the past two school years, students are reading at a wider variety of levels than we have seen in the past. Children want attention
So far 2020 has been a doozy, hasn’t it? I’m so proud of teachers across the US and the world who are adjusting their work to meet constantly changing needs of students and schools. When I launched my series Simply Stations in February, I was thrilled to bring you my updated thinking on how to ensure
This is the number one question teachers have been asking me for the past three decades. You want to be able to differentiate and teach kids in small-group time, but how do you make sure the rest of the class is practicing the skills you’ve
In these first weeks of school, teaching -- comprised of equal parts science, art, psychology, and honed wisdom -- can feel like the “easy” part. It’s introducing and practicing new routines that can leave new and seasoned educators feeling exhausted. It may not come as a surprise
Every time Nancy Boyles works in a K-2 class, she brings her magic binder. From the outside, it’s three-ringed, matte black, and ordinary, but on the inside are colorful concoctions that transform young learners into readers: Active reader cards. Corwin Literacy consulting editor Wendy Murray