Hello everyone! Engagement can come in many forms. It can be the lesson design. It can be the teacher's style. It can be the content itself...But what if there was a way to think about engagement that demystified it a bit? What if there was a way to analyze each lesson to make sure you were getting the most out of it?

Dave Burgess, author of Teach Like a Pirate, publisher, and world renowned speaker, joins us this week to discuss his vision of engagement and why it applies to ALL teachers—not just the most over the top educators.

Whether you are needing ideas or just want to be encouraged to try something new, this episode is for you!

Enjoy.

(NOTE: Due to a special and TIMED announcement in part 2, if you are a Patreon supporter or are subscribed to the Youtube channel, the video is delayed until the announcement is closer. Stay tuned!)

Hello everyone! Teach Me, Teacher is back and I cannot believe we are at season 9 of the podcast... For those that have been along for this journey, can you believe it? Truly, this has been a ride of a lifetime. 

But, we aren't done yet. 

In this intro, we debut the new theme of the season, and detail what's to come, including guests, ideas, and goals for the coming months (such as posting every podcast video on the Teach Me, Teacher Youtube channel.)

I want this season to be bigger, smarter, and more helpful to education as a whole. The only way I can do this is with your support and time. For those that continue to support the show, thank you! Reviews, shares, and support on Patreon really do mean the difference. 

Enjoy! 

Hello everyone! Join us in this episode of Teach Me, Teacher as we delve into the core principles of professional learning communities (PLCs) with insights from the book "Simplifying the Journey: Six Steps to Schoolwide Collaboration, Consistency, and Clarity in a PLC at Work" by authors Bob Sonju, Maren Powers, and Sheline Miller.

Together, we explore the essential roles within PLCs, the transformative power of data-driven decision-making, and the indispensable nature of collaboration in fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Whether you're a seasoned educator or just beginning your journey, this episode offers invaluable guidance for building a collaborative community dedicated to student success. Tune in to discover practical strategies for streamlining your school's journey towards collaboration, consistency, and clarity.

 

The pressure on school leaders to effectively navigate change, implement new programs, and keep teachers motivated can be intense. Solution Tree has the tools you need to rise to any challenge.

Our curated library of resources features new titles like The Emerging Teacher Leader, a guide to equip new leaders, Groups at Work to foster productive teamwork, and Implement with IMPACT to ensure initiatives hit the mark. Titles like Grading Reform That Lasts and Competency-Based Education Ignited offer methods to address critical school issues while Navigating the Unexpected provides essential strategies for facing unforeseen challenges.

Be sure to stream Passion and Persistence, a motivational video designed to inspire a collaborative team environment in your school or district.

Elevate your leadership skills and discover how these powerful resources can help you lead with confidence at SolutionTree.com/LeadershipResources

Hello everyone! Today I am joined by my friend David Bakker, PocketLab co-founder & Stanford teacher. In this episode we discuss the importance of scientific literacy, how to bring passion into the science classroom, and an amazing FREE conference any teacher involved with science should attend.

I loved this talk! Check out the FREE conference here.  Here's what it's about:

ScIC "Science is Cool" invites STEM educators from around the world to a globally attended event dedicated to Open Educational Resources (OER). We will explore this and other free to low-cost tools and resources that empower you to shape lesson plans according to your teaching style and classroom needs.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2022 — 9:00AM - 4:00PM PACIFIC TIME

 

   

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Textured Teaching: A Framework for Culturally Sustaining Practices by Lorena Escoto Germán.

 

With Culturally Sustaining Practice as its foundation, Textured Teaching helps secondary teachers stop wondering and guessing how to implement teaching and learning that leads to social justice.  Lorena Germán shares her framework for creating a classroom environment that is highly rigorous and engaging, and that reflects the core traits of Textured Teaching: student-driven and community-centered, interdisciplinary, experiential, and flexible.  The actionable strategies Lorena uses to bring Textured Teaching values to life illuminate what is possible when we welcome all types of texts, all types of voices, and all forms of expression into the classroom.

Learn more about how to become a culturally sustaining educator. Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Textured Teaching.

Hello everyone! As Teach Me, Teacher readies to enter it's seventh season, I wanted to take some time to let the summer breathe a bit with an "off season" mini-series of the show. Today you are listening to a Q&A episode from my second show, Craft & Draft, and next week we are going back in time to highlight some other episodes of the show you may have never heard or have forgotten about.

Below is the episode description!

Jacob and Pam love answering questions from their patrons!  In this episode, they answer two separate questions:

1. How do you implement technology into the writing and reading workshop?
2. How do you use the Craft and Draft Books with GT fifth graders in a writing, reading, science, and social studies workshop?

Jacob and Pam share how they use technology while maintaining their Craft and Draft Books in their workshops.

They each follow-up with several ideas regarding how to use the Craft and Draft Books with gifted and talented students.  Jacob shares how he would use the Books to help the students to explore a plethora of genres and disciplines.  Pam shares ideas that she has used in the past that would bring in a multi-disciplinary thinking approach.

Join Jacob and Pam as they explore ideas while they do one of their favorite things–answering audience questions!

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Textured Teaching: A Framework for Culturally Sustaining Practices by Lorena Escoto Germán.

https://teachmeteacherpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/9780325120416.jpeg

With Culturally Sustaining Practice as its foundation, Textured Teaching helps secondary teachers stop wondering and guessing how to implement teaching and learning that leads to social justice.  Lorena Germán shares her framework for creating a classroom environment that is highly rigorous and engaging, and that reflects the core traits of Textured Teaching: student-driven and community-centered, interdisciplinary, experiential, and flexible.  The actionable strategies Lorena uses to bring Textured Teaching values to life illuminate what is possible when we welcome all types of texts, all types of voices, and all forms of expression into the classroom.

Learn more about how to become a culturally sustaining educator. Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Textured Teaching.

Hello everyone and welcome to part 2 of our season finale episode!If you missed part 1, check it out here.

If you have been a fan of this show for any amount of time, you know that I am a mega fan of Donalyn Miller. Not just because she is an amazing person and educator, but because her work changed how I taught.

In this episode we discuss:

1. The legacy of Teri Lesesne
2. The importance of having diverse books in schools
3. Fighting against programs and initiatives that are bad for readers
4. Reclaiming book joy for students and ourselves

You DO NOT want to mis the season finale to season 6 of Teach Me, Teacher.

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The First Five: A Love Letter to TeachersBy Patrick Harris II.

We all have stories. We all have experiences to share. A memoir with a call-to-action, The First Five affirms the humanity of all teachers. Patrick inspires you to dream big about what you want for yourself, our students, our schools, and our educational system.

In The First Five, Patrick brings to light the realities of teaching, especially in the first five years. He immerses you in his world with personal stories that lead to lessons, questions, and exercises to help you reflect on your own journey. Each chapter includes interviews with a diverse group of educators.

Creating change in our education system is a process. It will happen from the ground up and the inside out. If we want to make a long-lasting impact we need to know more than just what to do; we need to start sharing our stories, not just our strategies. The work we do together throughout this book and beyond will leave you feeling hopeful, empowered, and challenged. No matter where you start, know that this work is ongoing. Give yourself grace. We are in this together, for the long haul. Here's to the next five years.

Hello everyone and welcome to part 1 of our season finale episode! If you have been a fan of this show for any amount of time, you know that I am a mega fan of Donalyn Miller. Not just because she is an amazing person and educator, but because her work changed how I taught. FULL STOP.

So, it was an absolute pleasure to invite her back to the show to talk about all of her latest work and the soft censorship happening in schools right now that is getting in the way of book joy.

If you have never heard Donalyn Miller speak before, you are in for a treat. If you have, then you are still in for a treat because this episode is all about book love, choice, voice, and the problem with censorship today in schools.

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The First Five: A Love Letter to TeachersBy Patrick Harris II.

We all have stories. We all have experiences to share. A memoir with a call-to-action, The First Five affirms the humanity of all teachers. Patrick inspires you to dream big about what you want for yourself, our students, our schools, and our educational system.

In The First Five, Patrick brings to light the realities of teaching, especially in the first five years. He immerses you in his world with personal stories that lead to lessons, questions, and exercises to help you reflect on your own journey. Each chapter includes interviews with a diverse group of educators.

Creating change in our education system is a process. It will happen from the ground up and the inside out. If we want to make a long-lasting impact we need to know more than just what to do; we need to start sharing our stories, not just our strategies. The work we do together throughout this book and beyond will leave you feeling hopeful, empowered, and challenged. No matter where you start, know that this work is ongoing. Give yourself grace. We are in this together, for the long haul. Here's to the next five years.

Hello everyone! As the school year closes out and we begin to look to the future, many of us are taking the time to look back and offer advice for new teachers from our experiences. Ciara Bennion, otherwise known as @ciarak.beauty on Instagram has been doing just that! 

I have been a fan of Ciara's for awhile now, but what made me reach out to get her on the show was her video on what she would say to her first year self if she could. There were so many great pieces of advice in that video that I wanted to address them in a longer form on the podcast. 

In this part, we continue our talk from last week and talk about some much needed nuanced advice for first year teachers.

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The First Five: A Love Letter to TeachersBy Patrick Harris II.

We all have stories. We all have experiences to share. A memoir with a call-to-action, The First Five affirms the humanity of all teachers. Patrick inspires you to dream big about what you want for yourself, our students, our schools, and our educational system.

In The First Five, Patrick brings to light the realities of teaching, especially in the first five years. He immerses you in his world with personal stories that lead to lessons,  questions, and exercises to help you reflect on your own journey. Each chapter includes interviews with a diverse group of educators.

Creating change in our education system is a process. It will happen from the ground up and the inside out. If we want to make a long-lasting impact we need to know more than just what to do; we need to start sharing our stories, not just our strategies. The work we do together throughout this book and beyond will leave you feeling hopeful, empowered, and challenged. No matter where you start, know that this work is ongoing. Give yourself grace. We are in this together, for the long haul. Here's to the next five years.

Hello everyone! As the school year closes out and we begin to look to the future, many of us are taking the time to look back and offer advice for new teachers from our experiences. Ciara Bennion, otherwise known as @ciarak.beauty on Instagram has been doing just that! 

I have been a fan of Ciara's for awhile now, but what made me reach out to get her on the show was her video on what she would say to her first year self if she could. There were so many great pieces of advice in that video that I wanted to address them in a longer form on the podcast. 

In this episode we cover: 

1. The best grades to teach (according to us)
2. Pitfalls with being young
3. Dealing with toxic adults in the workplace
4. Making a change of school if you need something better 

...and so much more! 

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The First Five: A Love Letter to TeachersBy Patrick Harris II.

We all have stories. We all have experiences to share. A memoir with a call-to-action, The First Five affirms the humanity of all teachers. Patrick inspires you to dream big about what you want for yourself, our students, our schools, and our educational system.

In The First Five, Patrick brings to light the realities of teaching, especially in the first five years. He immerses you in his world with personal stories that lead to lessons,  questions, and exercises to help you reflect on your own journey. Each chapter includes interviews with a diverse group of educators.

Creating change in our education system is a process. It will happen from the ground up and the inside out. If we want to make a long-lasting impact we need to know more than just what to do; we need to start sharing our stories, not just our strategies. The work we do together throughout this book and beyond will leave you feeling hopeful, empowered, and challenged. No matter where you start, know that this work is ongoing. Give yourself grace. We are in this together, for the long haul. Here's to the next five years.

Hello everyone! Between the constant attacks on education, toxic echo chambers on the internet, and the quiet majority, many people believe that schools are doing very little good. Of course, we know this isn't true. We see the greatness happening everyday in the halls, our classrooms, and around school grounds.

Yet we have struggled to share the good news about education in many places. We have let the loud and negative minority win the discussion about what schools are and what they are accomplishing.

This, in turn, has made many move away from their purpose. Their why for being in the classroom. In this episode, we are hoping to shift the focus back to what truly matters... THE KIDS. 

Hal Bowman, speaker, podcaster, and author of the latest book Dear Teacher, is back for part two to talk about the power of educators and why we should move forward with a reinvigorated focus on our purpose for being teachers.

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The Joy of Reading by Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne.

What reading experiences have entertained you, provoked you, taught you, inspired you, helped you to see your own life more clearly, or connected you with others?  As teachers, librarians, school administrators, and caregivers who love reading, we know what it feels like to fall into a book and let the world fall away. We have joyous reading memories, and we know how reading can sustain and inspire us.

Now consider: When talking with children about their reading lives at school, are you likely to hear about this transformative reading joy? Or are you more likely to hear about reading logs, book reports, and standardized tests? For too many young readers, reading is joyless. It is something that is required of them, but not something that they choose to do.

Here's the truth: It is possible to teach children how to read well without killing their love for reading in the process.

The Joy of Reading is a guide for teachers, librarians, administrators, and families to create the conditions for joyful reading. Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne draw from their decades of work with students, teachers, and librarians, providing practices that nurture joy while identifying factors that destroy joy, all with a clear understanding of the realities of today's classrooms and libraries.

There's more to life than school and work. There's more to reading than school-based value systems for it. We can aim higher than short-sighted measurements and, instead, become reading encouragers, supporters, and role models for lifelong, joyful reading.

Hello everyone! Between the constant attacks on education, toxic echo chambers on the internet, and the quiet majority, many people believe that schools are doing very little good. Of course, we know this isn't true. We see the greatness happening everyday in the halls, our classrooms, and around school grounds.

Yet we have struggled to share the good news about education in many places. We have let the loud and negative minority win the discussion about what schools are and what they are accomplishing.

Hal Bowman, speaker, podcaster, and author of the latest book Dear Teacher, is back on the podcast to discuss the greatness happening in schools, why we should be sharing our stories, and so much more.

It doesn't feel like it, but it has been roughly 4 years since Hal Bowman came on the show last. Regardless, I loved having this talk with him and I think you all will as well.

 

 

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The Joy of Reading by Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne.

What reading experiences have entertained you, provoked you, taught you, inspired you, helped you to see your own life more clearly, or connected you with others?  As teachers, librarians, school administrators, and caregivers who love reading, we know what it feels like to fall into a book and let the world fall away. We have joyous reading memories, and we know how reading can sustain and inspire us.

Now consider: When talking with children about their reading lives at school, are you likely to hear about this transformative reading joy? Or are you more likely to hear about reading logs, book reports, and standardized tests? For too many young readers, reading is joyless. It is something that is required of them, but not something that they choose to do.

Here's the truth: It is possible to teach children how to read well without killing their love for reading in the process.

The Joy of Reading is a guide for teachers, librarians, administrators, and families to create the conditions for joyful reading. Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne draw from their decades of work with students, teachers, and librarians, providing practices that nurture joy while identifying factors that destroy joy, all with a clear understanding of the realities of today's classrooms and libraries.

There's more to life than school and work. There's more to reading than school-based value systems for it. We can aim higher than short-sighted measurements and, instead, become reading encouragers, supporters, and role models for lifelong, joyful reading.

Hello everyone! I LOVE WRITING. It's such powerful tool to learn through and teach with. Because of this, understanding writing is key to employing it well in the classroom.

While I talk about secondary focused writing often, I wanted to bring on someone who could give voice to the elementary perspective.

Today we are returning to my chat with Melanie Meehan, author of The Responsive Writing Teacher and her latest, Answers to your Biggest Questions About Teaching Elementary Writing.If you missed part 1, check it out here. 

In part 2 of our talk, we discuss:

• The importance of writer identities and how they are shaped
• Deadlines in school—the good and the bad
• Creativity and using student writing in lessons
• Celebrating students to encourage their writing lives

…and so much more! Can't wait for you to hear this one!

 

 

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The Joy of Reading by Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne.

What reading experiences have entertained you, provoked you, taught you, inspired you, helped you to see your own life more clearly, or connected you with others?  As teachers, librarians, school administrators, and caregivers who love reading, we know what it feels like to fall into a book and let the world fall away. We have joyous reading memories, and we know how reading can sustain and inspire us.

Now consider: When talking with children about their reading lives at school, are you likely to hear about this transformative reading joy? Or are you more likely to hear about reading logs, book reports, and standardized tests? For too many young readers, reading is joyless. It is something that is required of them, but not something that they choose to do.

Here's the truth: It is possible to teach children how to read well without killing their love for reading in the process.

The Joy of Reading is a guide for teachers, librarians, administrators, and families to create the conditions for joyful reading. Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne draw from their decades of work with students, teachers, and librarians, providing practices that nurture joy while identifying factors that destroy joy, all with a clear understanding of the realities of today's classrooms and libraries.

There's more to life than school and work. There's more to reading than school-based value systems for it. We can aim higher than short-sighted measurements and, instead, become reading encouragers, supporters, and role models for lifelong, joyful reading.

Hello everyone! I LOVE WRITING. It's such powerful tool to learn through and teach with. Because of this, understanding writing is key to employing it well in the classroom. For some educators, this comes naturally. For many others, we have to dedicate ourselves to understanding the craft to be able to teach it to young people. It also pays to know what the grades before you taught and how writing develops of years in individual students.

While I talk about secondary focused writing often, I wanted to bring on someone who could give voice to the elementary perspective.

Today we are chatting with Melanie Meehan, author of The Responsive Writing Teacher and her latest, Answers to your Biggest Questions About Teaching Elementary Writing.

In this episode we dive into:

• The importance of writer identities and how they are shaped
• The core aspects of a writing workshop and her latest book
• The nuance with deadlines

…and so much more! Can't wait for you to hear this one!

 

 

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The Joy of Reading by Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne.

What reading experiences have entertained you, provoked you, taught you, inspired you, helped you to see your own life more clearly, or connected you with others?  As teachers, librarians, school administrators, and caregivers who love reading, we know what it feels like to fall into a book and let the world fall away. We have joyous reading memories, and we know how reading can sustain and inspire us.

Now consider: When talking with children about their reading lives at school, are you likely to hear about this transformative reading joy? Or are you more likely to hear about reading logs, book reports, and standardized tests? For too many young readers, reading is joyless. It is something that is required of them, but not something that they choose to do.

Here's the truth: It is possible to teach children how to read well without killing their love for reading in the process.

The Joy of Reading is a guide for teachers, librarians, administrators, and families to create the conditions for joyful reading. Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne draw from their decades of work with students, teachers, and librarians, providing practices that nurture joy while identifying factors that destroy joy, all with a clear understanding of the realities of today's classrooms and libraries.

There's more to life than school and work. There's more to reading than school-based value systems for it. We can aim higher than short-sighted measurements and, instead, become reading encouragers, supporters, and role models for lifelong, joyful reading.

Hello everyone! Tune in to Teach Me, Teacher for a deep dive into strategies from Triage Your School on preventing teacher burnout.

If you miss part 1, click here. 

Author Christopher Jenson unpacks how traditional self-care approaches fall short and explores practical solutions rooted in healthcare practices. Discover how to effectively manage workload, share responsibilities, and establish emotional boundaries to reignite passion and resilience in teaching. Whether you're an administrator or educator, this episode equips you with actionable steps to navigate challenges and foster a healthier school environment.

Join the conversation and reclaim joy in education.

Enjoy!

 

Transform learning in your school or district with PLC at Work® from Solution Tree. Our resources are designed to empower educators so all students learn at high levels.

We have an abundant library of resources from bestsellers like Learning by Doing, which has seen over one million copies sold and provides a practical guide to establishing effective PLCs, to The Foundation for Change, Beyond PLCLite, The Way Forward, Training Teacher Leaders in a PLC at Work® and The 15-Day Challenge.

Looking to develop a PD workshop that allows your teams to witness the power of PLC through the eyes of a struggling student? Stream the video Through New Eyes, and experience one student's journey through four years in a traditional school compared to four years in a PLC.

All these resources and more can be found at SolutionTree.com/PLCAtWorkResources.

Hello everyone! In honor of teacher appreciation week, the United States Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, has come to Teach Me, Teacher to discuss the politics continuing to shape education, as well as the hope and good news coming down from Washington.

It was an absolute honor to speak with Secretary Miguel Cardona for the time we had. Many feel as if teachers are just yelling into the void and no one is listening. We feel like little changes despite so much needing to be changed. I believe that Secretary Cardona addresses much of that in this discussion.

It's my hope that this episode inspires hope in educators, but also inspires other leaders in and around education to come speak directly to teachers on this show. Tens of thousands of passionate educators listen every month to Teach Me, Teacher and we are constantly pushing for more understanding and support in what we do. We need more clear lines of communication to create the best schools possible for our communities and the people who work in them.

As I say at the end of this episode…this podcast is not an echo chamber. We talk to anyone who genuinely wants to see education be better, and we believe that people on many sides can contribute to making public school reach the promise it strives to honor.

Whether you are a new listener or a longtime fan of the show, I hope you enjoy this special episode.

Hello everyone! Summer is on the way and that means many of you are eyeing new ways to serve as a leader in your district (and beyond.) But what does it mean to be a leader today? So much has changed over the past few years…is there even a guide anymore?

YES! Matt Renwick, author of the fantastic Leading Like a C.O.A.C.H, is on the show today to talk about his lessons in leadership and his view of principalship today.

In part one we looked at literacy through a LITERACY lens. In part two, we discuss:

1. Working with teachers from a "coach" mentality
2. Leading with the people in mind
3. What it takes to lead in today's educational climate

…and much much more!

 

 

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book, The Joy of Reading by Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne.

What reading experiences have entertained you, provoked you, taught you, inspired you, helped you to see your own life more clearly, or connected you with others?  As teachers, librarians, school administrators, and caregivers who love reading, we know what it feels like to fall into a book and let the world fall away. We have joyous reading memories, and we know how reading can sustain and inspire us.

Now consider: When talking with children about their reading lives at school, are you likely to hear about this transformative reading joy? Or are you more likely to hear about reading logs, book reports, and standardized tests? For too many young readers, reading is joyless. It is something that is required of them, but not something that they choose to do.

Here's the truth: It is possible to teach children how to read well without killing their love for reading in the process.

The Joy of Reading is a guide for teachers, librarians, administrators, and families to create the conditions for joyful reading. Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesesne draw from their decades of work with students, teachers, and librarians, providing practices that nurture joy while identifying factors that destroy joy, all with a clear understanding of the realities of today's classrooms and libraries.

There's more to life than school and work. There's more to reading than school-based value systems for it. We can aim higher than short-sighted measurements and, instead, become reading encouragers, supporters, and role models for lifelong, joyful reading.

Hello everyone! Summer is on the way and that means many of you are eyeing new ways to serve as a leader in your district (and beyond.) But what does it mean to be a leader today? So much has changed over the past few years…is there even a guide anymore?

YES! Matt Renwick, author of the fantastic Leading Like a C.O.A.C.H, is on the show today to talk about his lessons in leadership and his view of principalship today.

In this episode we discuss:

1. His history and his early days as a "siloed" principal
2. How he grew into a principal who was supportive rather than purely evaluative
3. How a focus on literacy has been at the core of his work

…and much much more!

 

 

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new classroom resource, Math by the Book by Sue O'Connell and colleagues.

Math is everywhere—even in great children's books! Teachers and students love a good story. But those stories can also help elementary students make sense of important mathematical concepts.

Math by the Book shows teachers how to use high-quality children's books to teach grade-specific math skills and content. You'll find activities, investigations, and teaching strategies…all paired with lists of carefully chosen K-5 literature.

So, if you're looking for a fresh way to bring math teaching to life in your classroom, visit MathByTheBook.com to download a free sample or order a copy. That's MathByTheBook.com.

 

 

 

 

Hello everyone! One of the key aspects of being a teacher is being able to communicate well with many people. At times, especially in the classroom, it can feel like there just isn't time to communicate well. We have lessons and tests to do. Papers to grade. Emails to send…

But this isn't something that's complicated. It's not "rocket science." It's a basic need that our classes need to succeed.

Last week, I brought on my friend and educator Josh Monroe to discuss how communication is a form of care for our students. We touched on Josh's growth in communication and how small tweaks in how we speak can bring huge results.

In this episode, we dive into how compassionate communication brings better results in student academics and supports them in a multitude of ways in the class. 

And when you're done with this episode, check out my talk on his podcast!

 

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new classroom resource, Math by the Book by Sue O'Connell and colleagues.

Math is everywhere—even in great children's books! Teachers and students love a good story. But those stories can also help elementary students make sense of important mathematical concepts.

Math by the Book shows teachers how to use high-quality children's books to teach grade-specific math skills and content. You'll find activities, investigations, and teaching strategies…all paired with lists of carefully chosen K-5 literature.

So, if you're looking for a fresh way to bring math teaching to life in your classroom, visit MathByTheBook.com to download a free sample or order a copy. That's MathByTheBook.com.

 

Hello everyone! One of the key aspects of being a teacher is being able to communicate well with many people. At times, especially in the classroom, it can feel like there just isn't time to communicate well. We have lessons and tests to do. Papers to grade. Emails to send…

But this isn't something that's complicated. It's not "rocket science." It's a basic need that our classes need to succeed.

To discuss this, I brought on my friend and educator Josh Monroe! Josh's videos about communication have gained him over a million followers on TikTok and his passion for teaching has helped thousands of educators.

In this episode we discuss:

1. The importance of sharing our educator stories on social media
2. How Josh grew as an educator, especially with communication
3. The realization not everything has to be "flashy"
4. Why communication matter to students

…and so much more! And when you're done with this episode, check out my talk on his podcast!

 

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new classroom resource, Math by the Book by Sue O'Connell and colleagues.

Math is everywhere—even in great children's books! Teachers and students love a good story. But those stories can also help elementary students make sense of important mathematical concepts.

Math by the Book shows teachers how to use high-quality children's books to teach grade-specific math skills and content. You'll find activities, investigations, and teaching strategies…all paired with lists of carefully chosen K-5 literature.

So, if you're looking for a fresh way to bring math teaching to life in your classroom, visit MathByTheBook.com to download a free sample or order a copy. That's MathByTheBook.com.

 

Hello everyone! Welcome to part two of my talk with Erin Gruwell! Last week, we discussed the power of writing, stories, and teaching honestly.

In this episode, we dive into HOW to create a workshop that that is an empowering writing community and why this should be our goal.

Backstory: Over twenty years ago, the students in first-year teacher Erin Gruwell's high school class in Long Beach, California, were labeled "unteachable"—but she saw past that. Instead of treating them as scores on a test, she understood that each of them had a unique story to tell. Inspired by books like Anne Frank's diary, her students began writing their own diaries, eventually dubbing themselves the Freedom Writers. Together, they co-authored The Freedom Writers Diary.

In Dear Freedom Writer, the next generation of Freedom Writers shares its struggles with abuse, racism, discrimination, poverty, mental health, imposed borders, LGBTQIA+ identity, and police violence. Each story is answered with a letter of advice from an original Freedom Writer. With empathy and honesty, they address these young people not with the platitudes of a politician or a celebrity, but with the pragmatic advice of people who have dealt with these same issues and come out on the other side.

You do NOT want to miss this one.

 

Want to support the podcast and learn how to empower writers? Check out: WRITEFULLY EMPOWERED

 

Tap into the Transformative Potential of the Writing Workshop

The time has come to shift how we think about writing in our schools. In Writefully Empowered, Jacob Chastain calls on educators to embrace the deeply personal, powerful, and transformative potential of the writing workshop by pivoting toward a classroom that honors each student's individual voice. As Chastain argues: "When we let-no, push-for students to use their voices for their own purposes, we give them what is rightfully theirs as human beings: the tools to shape the world in their image." Writing through this lens is an exercise in agency, empowerment, and self-determination.

Chastain outlines key considerations for creating a writing workshop that centers freedom, equity, and equality of opportunity. He begins with what writers need, classroom routines, and how to catalyze creativity through mini-lessons, independent work time, and conferencing. He also addresses how to track growth, advocate for equitable practices, and navigate the trauma that sometimes emerges in student work. A clear-eyed call to action informed by Chastain's years of classroom experience, Writefully Empowered will equip educators with all the tools they need to facilitate dynamic practices in their own spaces.

 

 

 

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new classroom resource, Math by the Book by Sue O'Connell and colleagues.

Math is everywhere—even in great children's books! Teachers and students love a good story. But those stories can also help elementary students make sense of important mathematical concepts.

Math by the Book shows teachers how to use high-quality children's books to teach grade-specific math skills and content. You'll find activities, investigations, and teaching strategies…all paired with lists of carefully chosen K-5 literature.

So, if you're looking for a fresh way to bring math teaching to life in your classroom, visit MathByTheBook.com to download a free sample or order a copy. That's MathByTheBook.com.

 

Hello everyone! Over twenty years ago, the students in first-year teacher Erin Gruwell's high school class in Long Beach, California, were labeled "unteachable"—but she saw past that. Instead of treating them as scores on a test, she understood that each of them had a unique story to tell. Inspired by books like Anne Frank's diary, her students began writing their own diaries, eventually dubbing themselves the Freedom Writers. Together, they co-authored The Freedom Writers Diary. In Dear Freedom Writer, the next generation of Freedom Writers shares its struggles with abuse, racism, discrimination, poverty, mental health, imposed borders, LGBTQIA+ identity, and police violence. Each story is answered with a letter of advice from an original Freedom Writer. With empathy and honesty, they address these young people not with the platitudes of a politician or a celebrity, but with the pragmatic advice of people who have dealt with these same issues and come out on the other side. In this episode, we discuss the power of writing, stories, and teaching honestly. We discuss legacy. We discuss purpose. You do NOT want to miss this one.   Want to support the podcast and learn how to empower writers? Check out: WRITEFULLY EMPOWERED   Tap into the Transformative Potential of the Writing Workshop The time has come to shift how we think about writing in our schools. In Writefully Empowered, Jacob Chastain calls on educators to embrace the deeply personal, powerful, and transformative potential of the writing workshop by pivoting toward a classroom that honors each student's individual voice. As Chastain argues: "When we let-no, push-for students to use their voices for their own purposes, we give them what is rightfully theirs as human beings: the tools to shape the world in their image." Writing through this lens is an exercise in agency, empowerment, and self-determination. Chastain outlines key considerations for creating a writing workshop that centers freedom, equity, and equality of opportunity. He begins with what writers need, classroom routines, and how to catalyze creativity through mini-lessons, independent work time, and conferencing. He also addresses how to track growth, advocate for equitable practices, and navigate the trauma that sometimes emerges in student work. A clear-eyed call to action informed by Chastain's years of classroom experience, Writefully Empowered will equip educators with all the tools they need to facilitate dynamic practices in their own spaces.       This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Four Essential Studies: Beliefs and Practices to Reclaim Student Agency by Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher. Four Essential Studies is based on the belief that secondary students can only be prepared for life after high school when we purposefully shift the decision-making in our classrooms over to them. By reimagining how we teach essay, poetry, digital composition, and sustain talk in book clubs, we can ignite student curiosity, independence, and decision-making skills. Penny and Kelly share the strategies and activities they use in their own classrooms over the course of each unit, and show us what is possible when we expect more than compliance from our students. Learn more about how to transform students' relationship with literacy.  Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Four Essential Studies.

Hello everyone! It's no secret that the trust people have about schools, rightfully and wrongfully, has been harmed. Many of the relationships involved with well functioning schools are struggling. Some of this is caused by media hype, while others are rooted deeply in the culture wars occurring right now in and around education. In part one with Dr. Zac Bauermaster, we discussed how Zac leads with people in mind first. Even when things are hectic or struggling, he goes back to the people he serves. In this episode, we go deeper and discuss the complexities Covid, school board meetings, teacher burnout, and other factors have played into the damaging of trust in schools (from the inside out). Zac speaks honestly about the struggles schools face, and without blame, puts forth an outlook aimed at a better tomorrow. I really enjoyed this talk. I think you will too.     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Four Essential Studies: Beliefs and Practices to Reclaim Student Agency by Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher. Four Essential Studies is based on the belief that secondary students can only be prepared for life after high school when we purposefully shift the decision-making in our classrooms over to them. By reimagining how we teach essay, poetry, digital composition, and sustain talk in book clubs, we can ignite student curiosity, independence, and decision-making skills. Penny and Kelly share the strategies and activities they use in their own classrooms over the course of each unit, and show us what is possible when we expect more than compliance from our students. Learn more about how to transform students' relationship with literacy.  Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Four Essential Studies.

Hello everyone! Over the years we have featured some of the top leaders in education, such as Todd Whitaker, Hamish Brewer, and Adam Dovico. Even though Teach Me, Teacher is a teacher centered show, I love talking with administrators from all over because I feel like it brings a lot of light into the teams we work with. By understanding one another's jobs and hardships, we can better serve one another. In this episode, we are talking with Dr. Zac Bauermaster, the principal of Kissel Hill Elementary. Together, we discuss: Why he got into administration His experiences from going from secondary to elementary Choosing what to focus on as a leader Putting people first, always ...and so much more! I really enjoyed this talk. I think you will too.     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Four Essential Studies: Beliefs and Practices to Reclaim Student Agency by Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher. Four Essential Studies is based on the belief that secondary students can only be prepared for life after high school when we purposefully shift the decision-making in our classrooms over to them. By reimagining how we teach essay, poetry, digital composition, and sustain talk in book clubs, we can ignite student curiosity, independence, and decision-making skills. Penny and Kelly share the strategies and activities they use in their own classrooms over the course of each unit, and show us what is possible when we expect more than compliance from our students. Learn more about how to transform students' relationship with literacy.  Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Four Essential Studies.

Hello everyone! Writefully Empowered is HERE! It's my second book, all about creating a writing workshop that empowers young people to be their best and write pieces they care about. In this episode, I talk with my co-host of Craft & Draft (my second podcast) about her experience with reading the book, what her takeaways are, and what other educators might find useful in it too. You can get the book here — or if you want a signed copy by all of the students, message me here!     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Four Essential Studies: Beliefs and Practices to Reclaim Student Agency by Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher. Four Essential Studies is based on the belief that secondary students can only be prepared for life after high school when we purposefully shift the decision-making in our classrooms over to them. By reimagining how we teach essay, poetry, digital composition, and sustain talk in book clubs, we can ignite student curiosity, independence, and decision-making skills. Penny and Kelly share the strategies and activities they use in their own classrooms over the course of each unit, and show us what is possible when we expect more than compliance from our students. Learn more about how to transform students' relationship with literacy.  Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Four Essential Studies.

Hello everyone! Tune in to Teach Me, Teacher for a deep dive into strategies from Triage Your School on preventing teacher burnout.

Author Christopher Jenson unpacks how traditional self-care approaches fall short and explores practical solutions rooted in healthcare practices. Discover how to effectively manage workload, share responsibilities, and establish emotional boundaries to reignite passion and resilience in teaching. Whether you're an administrator or educator, this episode equips you with actionable steps to navigate challenges and foster a healthier school environment.

Join the conversation and reclaim joy in education.

Enjoy!

 

Transform learning in your school or district with PLC at Work® from Solution Tree. Our resources are designed to empower educators so all students learn at high levels.

We have an abundant library of resources from bestsellers like Learning by Doing, which has seen over one million copies sold and provides a practical guide to establishing effective PLCs, to The Foundation for Change, Beyond PLCLite, The Way Forward, Training Teacher Leaders in a PLC at Work® and The 15-Day Challenge.

Looking to develop a PD workshop that allows your teams to witness the power of PLC through the eyes of a struggling student? Stream the video Through New Eyes, and experience one student's journey through four years in a traditional school compared to four years in a PLC.

All these resources and more can be found at SolutionTree.com/PLCAtWorkResources.

Hello everyone! Last week, we dove into how educator Kass Haut, otherwise known as @heymshaut on Instagram and TikTok, discovered and came to love concept based instruction. This week, we take this a step further and go into the dos and don'ts, common pitfalls with concept based instruction, grades, and even working with parents! You do not want to miss this one! Enjoy!   Teaching our children to think and reason mathematically is a challenge, not because students can't learn to think mathematically, but because we must change our own often deeply-rooted teaching habits. This is where instructional routines come in. Their predictable design and repeatable nature support both teachers and students to develop new habits. In Teaching for Thinking, Grace Kelemanik and Amy Lucenta pick up where their first book, Routines for Reasoning, left off. They draw on their years of experience in the classroom and as instructional coaches to examine how educators can make use of routines to make three fundamental shifts in teaching practice: Focus on thinking: Shift attention away from students' answers and toward their thinking and reasoning Step out of the middle: Shift the balance from teacher-student interactions toward student-student interactions Support productive struggle: Help students do the hard thinking work that leads to real learning With three complete new routines,  support for designing your own routine, and ideas for using routines in your professional learning as well as in your classroom teaching, Teaching for Thinking will help you build new teaching habits that will support all your students to become and see themselves as capable mathematicians.

Hello everyone! Many teachers are always on the lookout for new ways of doing things. We want new ways to engage students in our content, new ways to plan, and new ways to assess. We want something that will take our class to the next level. If this is you, then concept based instruction just might be what you need to fire up your class work assessment, and planning! Kass Haut, otherwise known as @heymshaut on Instagram and TikTok, is here to tell us about how she discovered concept based instruction, what it is, and how it has changed her teaching. Personally... I'm excited to hear and learn more already! Enjoy!   Teaching our children to think and reason mathematically is a challenge, not because students can't learn to think mathematically, but because we must change our own often deeply-rooted teaching habits. This is where instructional routines come in. Their predictable design and repeatable nature support both teachers and students to develop new habits. In Teaching for Thinking, Grace Kelemanik and Amy Lucenta pick up where their first book, Routines for Reasoning, left off. They draw on their years of experience in the classroom and as instructional coaches to examine how educators can make use of routines to make three fundamental shifts in teaching practice: Focus on thinking: Shift attention away from students' answers and toward their thinking and reasoning Step out of the middle: Shift the balance from teacher-student interactions toward student-student interactions Support productive struggle: Help students do the hard thinking work that leads to real learning With three complete new routines,  support for designing your own routine, and ideas for using routines in your professional learning as well as in your classroom teaching, Teaching for Thinking will help you build new teaching habits that will support all your students to become and see themselves as capable mathematicians.

Hello everyone! Education policy is changing. Politicians and board members are literally running on campaigns centered around what they believe should—and should not—happen in schools. Because of this, it is extremely important that we not only stay informed, but are knowledgable around laws, the history of educational movements, and why many restrictions are being pushed right now so hard. Among all of this, is the term gag order, which is detailed clearly in this episode. If you're unfamiliar with the term in education, like I was, you'll want to hear this episode. Joining me to help in unpacking this complex topic is Jonathan Friedman, the director of Free Expression and Education PEN America. In this episode, we discuss: The history of fringe involvement in educational policy The underlying politics behind content bans Analyzing precedence for today's bans by looking at the push for religious beliefs to be in public school Gag orders, what they are, and what they do How gag orders are seeking to control teacher speech around race, sex, gender, and politics Enjoy!     Teaching our children to think and reason mathematically is a challenge, not because students can't learn to think mathematically, but because we must change our own often deeply-rooted teaching habits. This is where instructional routines come in. Their predictable design and repeatable nature support both teachers and students to develop new habits. In Teaching for Thinking, Grace Kelemanik and Amy Lucenta pick up where their first book, Routines for Reasoning, left off. They draw on their years of experience in the classroom and as instructional coaches to examine how educators can make use of routines to make three fundamental shifts in teaching practice: Focus on thinking: Shift attention away from students' answers and toward their thinking and reasoning Step out of the middle: Shift the balance from teacher-student interactions toward student-student interactions Support productive struggle: Help students do the hard thinking work that leads to real learning With three complete new routines,  support for designing your own routine, and ideas for using routines in your professional learning as well as in your classroom teaching, Teaching for Thinking will help you build new teaching habits that will support all your students to become and see themselves as capable mathematicians.

Hello everyone! Last week, I spoke with Ashley Hope Pérez about book bans and why she has been speaking up about them. As an educator, trauma survivor, and author, Ashley brought her unique perspective to this topic and challenged us to look at the complexity of, not just book bans, but the human beings being affected by them most…kids. In this episode, we continue this talk but dive into the nuance and complexity of book bans. What do they mean, why do they happen, and can we understand how many people can want a book banned are all a part of this talk...and much, much more. Enjoy!   Teaching our children to think and reason mathematically is a challenge, not because students can't learn to think mathematically, but because we must change our own often deeply-rooted teaching habits. This is where instructional routines come in. Their predictable design and repeatable nature support both teachers and students to develop new habits. In Teaching for Thinking, Grace Kelemanik and Amy Lucenta pick up where their first book, Routines for Reasoning, left off. They draw on their years of experience in the classroom and as instructional coaches to examine how educators can make use of routines to make three fundamental shifts in teaching practice: Focus on thinking: Shift attention away from students' answers and toward their thinking and reasoning Step out of the middle: Shift the balance from teacher-student interactions toward student-student interactions Support productive struggle: Help students do the hard thinking work that leads to real learning With three complete new routines,  support for designing your own routine, and ideas for using routines in your professional learning as well as in your classroom teaching, Teaching for Thinking will help you build new teaching habits that will support all your students to become and see themselves as capable mathematicians.

Hello everyone! It seems like any time you scroll through the news around education these days there are new reports of another book being banned. Authors of celebrated books are now being demonized, and more and more parents and special interest groups are raining their voices about books in schools. But why now? What caused the massive uproar? Why are certain books being attacked and others not? What does this tell us about our values in education and American society? To discuss these ideas and much more, I have brought on Ashley Hope Pérez, author of Out of Darkness—a book being targeted across the United States despite it being an award winning novel. As an educator, trauma survivor, and author, Ashley brings her unique perspective to this topic and challenges us to look at the complexity of, not just book bans, but the human beings being affected by them most...kids.     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Textured Teaching: A Framework for Culturally Sustaining Practices by Lorena Escoto Germán. With Culturally Sustaining Practice as its foundation, Textured Teaching helps secondary teachers stop wondering and guessing how to implement teaching and learning that leads to social justice.  Lorena Germán shares her framework for creating a classroom environment that is highly rigorous and engaging, and that reflects the core traits of Textured Teaching: student-driven and community-centered, interdisciplinary, experiential, and flexible.  The actionable strategies Lorena uses to bring Textured Teaching values to life illuminate what is possible when we welcome all types of texts, all types of voices, and all forms of expression into the classroom. Learn more about how to become a culturally sustaining educator. Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Textured Teaching.

Hello everyone! This podcast is many things to many people. It's where educators can gather and enjoy the good news and positivity of education. It's where educators can learn the latest approaches to fostering deep and meaningful literacy classrooms. And it's a place where we discuss complicated issues in and around education today. Today, and over the next few episodes, we will be diving into the culture war in education today. This war has taken many forms and many voices have chimed in (often not in education), and this has caused a dilution of clear messages and goals. Those who care about education and its future have found ourselves often talking around each other rather to one another, and have seemingly fallen down endless rabbit holes as we defend our stances or accuse others of causing more harm than good. As an independent podcast that has found a healthy audience, I view this podcast as a place for us to dialogue across the divides, come to understand one another (even if we do not agree), and become educated on the issues so that we can truly work together to create a better world of education than the one we have today. Much like my episode with PragerU's Jill Simonian, this is my attempt at creating bridges to one another, finding common ground, and setting the stage for us to move forward on the biggest issues we face as educators. To start this several episode mini-series, I have brought on the co-creator and owner of the Chalkboard Review, Tony Kinnett. Tony has recently made headlines because of his takes on CRT and recent fallout with his school district, as well as his work in education. In this hour long episode, we discuss numerous topics. We touch on: Critical Race Theory Book bans Curriculum Race Supporting marginalized communities Public schools vs Charter vs Private ...and much more! Strap in, this should be a good one for you.     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Textured Teaching: A Framework for Culturally Sustaining Practices by Lorena Escoto Germán. With Culturally Sustaining Practice as its foundation, Textured Teaching helps secondary teachers stop wondering and guessing how to implement teaching and learning that leads to social justice.  Lorena Germán shares her framework for creating a classroom environment that is highly rigorous and engaging, and that reflects the core traits of Textured Teaching: student-driven and community-centered, interdisciplinary, experiential, and flexible.  The actionable strategies Lorena uses to bring Textured Teaching values to life illuminate what is possible when we welcome all types of texts, all types of voices, and all forms of expression into the classroom. Learn more about how to become a culturally sustaining educator. Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Textured Teaching.

Hello everyone! Kelly Gallagher returns in part two of our discussion about engagement, the writing life, and his newest book with Penny Kittle (see our talk here), 4 Essential Studies. Last week, we talked about moving students beyond compliance and into actual engagement with content—reading and writing. If you missed it, check it out here. In this half of our talk, we touch on: Allowing students to enter the writing life Living the writing life as a teacher Giving yourself time in the workshop for students to latch on to it Writing with students to learn how to teach it better Assessing who is doing the decision making in the classroom...the teacher or the student? ...and so much more!     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Textured Teaching: A Framework for Culturally Sustaining Practices by Lorena Escoto Germán. With Culturally Sustaining Practice as its foundation, Textured Teaching helps secondary teachers stop wondering and guessing how to implement teaching and learning that leads to social justice.  Lorena Germán shares her framework for creating a classroom environment that is highly rigorous and engaging, and that reflects the core traits of Textured Teaching: student-driven and community-centered, interdisciplinary, experiential, and flexible.  The actionable strategies Lorena uses to bring Textured Teaching values to life illuminate what is possible when we welcome all types of texts, all types of voices, and all forms of expression into the classroom. Learn more about how to become a culturally sustaining educator. Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Textured Teaching.

Hello everyone! When it comes to getting students to engage with content, we often focus on compliance. We want to see students doing the work as we say to do it and during the timeframes we determine are correct. This over emphasis on compliance, however, can actually work against us. Students may be "doing the work," but is it registering meaningfully in their minds? Is it enriching their lives for the better, or is it simply getting them a grade in a class? Or... more importantly, who is doing the work in a class where compliance is the primary goal? In this episode, Kelly Gallagher returns to the show to take us on a deep dive into these ideas and more. We discuss not only why we should focus on engagement, but why engagement will benefit students for far longer than simply "getting work done." Kelly explains the thinking behind his latest book, 4 Essential Studies, and how this has led to truly opening up genre studies to empower readers and writers. If you missed out on his first time on the show, you can check that out here.      This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Textured Teaching: A Framework for Culturally Sustaining Practices by Lorena Escoto Germán. With Culturally Sustaining Practice as its foundation, Textured Teaching helps secondary teachers stop wondering and guessing how to implement teaching and learning that leads to social justice.  Lorena Germán shares her framework for creating a classroom environment that is highly rigorous and engaging, and that reflects the core traits of Textured Teaching: student-driven and community-centered, interdisciplinary, experiential, and flexible.  The actionable strategies Lorena uses to bring Textured Teaching values to life illuminate what is possible when we welcome all types of texts, all types of voices, and all forms of expression into the classroom. Learn more about how to become a culturally sustaining educator. Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Textured Teaching.

Hello everyone! For the last few years, I have made new year resolutions for teachers episodes. I find it a great way to reset, refocus, and share some ideas with you all, one to one. It helps me stay focused, and many of you have reached out to say you appreciate these as well. 2020 resolutions can be found here.  2021 resolutions can be found here.  This year, it seems like we have all at once, much of the same and more chaos all at once. What's the solution to it? How do we manage so much of what we can't control with what we want and need to get done? What should we focus on as educators? I have some thoughts. Let me know if you agree or disagree. 2022 resolutions for teachers: Check fear at the door. We can no longer make decisions based on fear.  Fear of Covid  Fear of change  Fear of failure Fear of judgment Fear of not fitting in Fear of Sundays Re-align with yourself and understand yourself.  Humanize how you interact with others in your class, school, and community at large. Fight for what you believe is right, but do it within reason and evidence.   BONUS: Check out our top 10 most downloaded episodes of 2021 here!     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Textured Teaching: A Framework for Culturally Sustaining Practices by Lorena Escoto Germán. With Culturally Sustaining Practice as its foundation, Textured Teaching helps secondary teachers stop wondering and guessing how to implement teaching and learning that leads to social justice.  Lorena Germán shares her framework for creating a classroom environment that is highly rigorous and engaging, and that reflects the core traits of Textured Teaching: student-driven and community-centered, interdisciplinary, experiential, and flexible.  The actionable strategies Lorena uses to bring Textured Teaching values to life illuminate what is possible when we welcome all types of texts, all types of voices, and all forms of expression into the classroom. Learn more about how to become a culturally sustaining educator. Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Textured Teaching.

Hello everyone! Coming right off of the holiday, we head into a fantastic discussion with the Vice President of Avid Center all about deep learning and remembering the WHY behind our practices. I have come into contact with Avid teachers a few times in my career, and I'm always delighted by their practices and work they do with young people. I'm also, as listeners of the show know, wary of anything that is pushed or seen as a "program." Programs are often where good ideas go to die in public education. So why is Avid different than any other professional development? Is it their beliefs? Approach? Research? All of the above? I asked Dr. Kepp why good ideas and practices, such as the ones found in Avid, get turned into check boxes (programs) in many schools, and I loved her response. Not only do it give me a new perspective, but it also verified that Dr. Kepp's work, and the work of Avid as a whole, are doing great things for education. Dr. Lynn Kepp is the Vice President, Executive Communications and Project Management Office at AVID Center where she works closely with the CEO, COO, and Executive Team to enhance and improve internal communication, ensure accurate and timely Board communication and support special projects. She oversees the AVID Project Management Office that implements project management best practices for the benefit of the organization in a way that encourages collaboration, standardization, and overall improvement in project results across the organization.     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, The Power of Teaching Vulnerably: How Risk-Taking Transforms Student Engagement by David Rockower. In The Power of Teaching Vulnerably, David Rockower illustrates the transformational impact on student learning that results when teachers lean into their own discomfort and share personal stories, write with their students, and navigate difficult classroom conversations. David unpacks three dimensions of what it means to teach with vulnerability (personal, relational, and dialogic), shows what each of these dimensions look like in the classroom, and offers action steps to get started. Learn more about how to transform student engagement in your classroom.  Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from The Power of Teaching Vulnerably.

Hello everyone! Welcome to Teach Me, Teacher. This episode is a version of one of my favorite keynotes I do. It's my favorite because it's filled with real world stories about my life and the teachers that saved me growing up. 

Now, I don't mean "saved" in the religious sense. I mean "saved" as in BEING THE DIFFERENCE. 

What did that look like to me? What did it sound like as I navigated growing up around drugs and violence? All of that and more in this talk.

If you want to see the digital presentation, click here to support the show.  

 

 

Transform learning in your school or district with PLC at Work® from Solution Tree. Our resources are designed to empower educators so all students learn at high levels.

We have an abundant library of resources from bestsellers like Learning by Doing, which has seen over one million copies sold and provides a practical guide to establishing effective PLCs, to The Foundation for Change, Beyond PLCLite, The Way Forward, Training Teacher Leaders in a PLC at Work® and The 15-Day Challenge.

Looking to develop a PD workshop that allows your teams to witness the power of PLC through the eyes of a struggling student? Stream the video Through New Eyes, and experience one student's journey through four years in a traditional school compared to four years in a PLC.

All these resources and more can be found at SolutionTree.com/PLCAtWorkResources.

 

Hello everyone! A few weeks ago, I woke up in a snarky mood. In this mood, I scrolled through Twitter and came across this video from Jon Corippo. I responded by saying something along the lines of "this has nearly 0 educational value..." or something like that. Well, Jon responded, we talked, and now he is on the show! And... I have to be honest, he changed my mind. Not all that glitters is gold, but some things are. In part two of our talk we discuss: How tech can be used to amplify workshop teaching Used to cover and review ground Why many programs are atrocious  How teacher expertise is being undermined by bad programs and policy in schools ...and so much more! You do NOT want to miss this one! Jon had served a decade at the K-8 level, opened a 1-1, PBL, Google-based high school, served in two county offices, including as an Assistant Superintendent and It Director. Jon has been recognized a County Teacher of the Year, a 20 to Watch Educator by the NSBA, and was a finalist in the EdTech Digest Awards. Jon also holds the Apple Distinguished Educator, Google Certified Innovator, and Microsoft Innovative Educator badges.     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, The Power of Teaching Vulnerably: How Risk-Taking Transforms Student Engagement by David Rockower. In The Power of Teaching Vulnerably, David Rockower illustrates the transformational impact on student learning that results when teachers lean into their own discomfort and share personal stories, write with their students, and navigate difficult classroom conversations. David unpacks three dimensions of what it means to teach with vulnerability (personal, relational, and dialogic), shows what each of these dimensions look like in the classroom, and offers action steps to get started. Learn more about how to transform student engagement in your classroom.  Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from The Power of Teaching Vulnerably.

Hello everyone! A few weeks ago, I woke up in a snarky mood. In this mood, I scrolled through Twitter and came across this video from Jon Corippo. I responded by saying something along the lines of "this has nearly 0 educational value..." or something like that. Well, Jon responded, we talked, and now he is on the show! And... I have to be honest, he changed my mind. Sort of. Depending on the context, he definitely opened my eyes to better ways of understanding and using tech, but we also hit on why I, and many others, fear for students in a tech obsessed school or classroom. Not all that glitters is gold, but some things are. In this episode we discuss How tech can be used for low level tasks Tech can speed up processes How tech is being used incorrectly Why teacher expertise is still needed even with tech present ...and so much more! You do NOT want to miss this one! Jon had served a decade at the K-8 level, opened a 1-1, PBL, Google-based high school, served in two county offices, including as an Assistant Superintendent and It Director. Jon has been recognized a County Teacher of the Year, a 20 to Watch Educator by the NSBA, and was a finalist in the EdTech Digest Awards. Jon also holds the Apple Distinguished Educator, Google Certified Innovator, and Microsoft Innovative Educator badges.     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, The Power of Teaching Vulnerably: How Risk-Taking Transforms Student Engagement by David Rockower. In The Power of Teaching Vulnerably, David Rockower illustrates the transformational impact on student learning that results when teachers lean into their own discomfort and share personal stories, write with their students, and navigate difficult classroom conversations. David unpacks three dimensions of what it means to teach with vulnerability (personal, relational, and dialogic), shows what each of these dimensions look like in the classroom, and offers action steps to get started. Learn more about how to transform student engagement in your classroom.  Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from The Power of Teaching Vulnerably.

Hello everyone! We have talked a lot about the power of making learning relevant for students. It gets kids engaged and excited to be in class. But what happens when we look at ourselves? Are we staying relevant with the kids? Do we know that they like? Do we attempt to know their world and connect our lessons to what they are already engaged with? Billy Allen, founder of 3kingvisions, is here to help guide us to discover, not only why we should try to be relevant to the kids we serve, but also why being relevant included being diverse with what books we carry. In part two of this chat we discuss: The need for diversity Learning about other's experiences  Letting passion drive your mission …and so much more!     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, The Power of Teaching Vulnerably: How Risk-Taking Transforms Student Engagement by David Rockower. In The Power of Teaching Vulnerably, David Rockower illustrates the transformational impact on student learning that results when teachers lean into their own discomfort and share personal stories, write with their students, and navigate difficult classroom conversations. David unpacks three dimensions of what it means to teach with vulnerability (personal, relational, and dialogic), shows what each of these dimensions look like in the classroom, and offers action steps to get started. Learn more about how to transform student engagement in your classroom.  Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from The Power of Teaching Vulnerably.

Hello everyone! We have talked a lot about the power of making learning relevant for students. It gets kids engaged and excited to be in class. But what happens when we look at ourselves? Are we staying relevant with the kids? Do we know that they like? Do we attempt to know their world and connect our lessons to what they are already engaged with? Billy Allen, founder of 3kingvisions, is here to help guide us to discover, not only why we should try to be relevant to the kids we serve, but also understand that you don't have to be something you're not to do this. You just need to be AUTHENTIC. In this chat we discuss: Why Billy became a librarian  How his career has changed over time Being a male teacher/librarian can be a difference maker The power of relevancy with young people  ...and so much more!     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Four Essential Studies: Beliefs and Practices to Reclaim Student Agency by Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher. Four Essential Studies is based on the belief that secondary students can only be prepared for life after high school when we purposefully shift the decision-making in our classrooms over to them. By reimagining how we teach essay, poetry, digital composition, and sustain talk in book clubs, we can ignite student curiosity, independence, and decision-making skills. Penny and Kelly share the strategies and activities they use in their own classrooms over the course of each unit, and show us what is possible when we expect more than compliance from our students. Learn more about how to transform students' relationship with literacy.  Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Four Essential Studies.

Hello everyone! Today, there is a special focus on schools. Across America, people are examining curriculum, going to board meetings and making their voices heard, and posting online about their worries about where schools are going. Many people dismiss these events by saying they are spurred by special interest groups (driven by money). They say the parents railing against Critical Race Theory or what they call inappropriate sex and race education, is all either a misunderstanding or ignorance. While this show has featured many educators who have outlined why race should be addressed in schools, how identity is a part of the real world, and how the cry from parents is misguided, I wanted to bring on the other side, so to speak. I wanted to speak to a parent about her concerns, and the concerns of others, in hopes of at minimum, coming to an understanding, and at best, bridging gaps between schools of thought. To do so, I have brought on Jill Simonian. Jill is the Director of Outreach for PragerU Kids, is the on-camera personality and 'spokesmom' for PragerU's new digital children's edu-tainment for Kindergarten through 12th grade. Jill is a former television host & media contributor, founder of TheFABMom blog and published author. Previously, Jill was best known for her straight-talking parenting segments on Los Angeles' KCBS, KCAL, KTLA, KTTV as well as HLN/CNN, The Doctors, Access LIVE, TODAY Show, E! News, Hallmark Channel and more (totaling over 500 family lifestyle segments and articles between 2011-2020). Connect with Jill via PragerU.com/kids and Instagram/Twitter @jillsimonian. As I say in the intro of this episode... you may not agree with everything said in this episode. I certainly do not. However, I believe that listening to one another, even when we disagree, is our best way to proceed forward.       This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Four Essential Studies: Beliefs and Practices to Reclaim Student Agency by Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher. Four Essential Studies is based on the belief that secondary students can only be prepared for life after high school when we purposefully shift the decision-making in our classrooms over to them. By reimagining how we teach essay, poetry, digital composition, and sustain talk in book clubs, we can ignite student curiosity, independence, and decision-making skills. Penny and Kelly share the strategies and activities they use in their own classrooms over the course of each unit, and show us what is possible when we expect more than compliance from our students. Learn more about how to transform students' relationship with literacy.  Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Four Essential Studies.

Hello everyone! Several months ago, I gave a virtual keynote for a workshop the wonderful Jen Jones was conducting. I talked all about empowering young writers, and how I began this work—struggles and all. I discussed the philosophy and big ideas of what an empowered workshop is, but I also talked about the nuts and bolts and growth I saw in my students over time. And now this keynote is available here! Whether you are new to workshop, thriving in your own workshop, or are wondering how to move it to the next level, this is my effort to bring the energy I feel every day to where you are. Enjoy, and remember WHY we do this work day in and day out. The kids deserve it! PS: If you'd like to be entered in to win a review copy (digital at first, then a physical copy once it is released), click here and fill out the form.      This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Four Essential Studies: Beliefs and Practices to Reclaim Student Agency by Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher. Four Essential Studies is based on the belief that secondary students can only be prepared for life after high school when we purposefully shift the decision-making in our classrooms over to them. By reimagining how we teach essay, poetry, digital composition, and sustain talk in book clubs, we can ignite student curiosity, independence, and decision-making skills. Penny and Kelly share the strategies and activities they use in their own classrooms over the course of each unit, and show us what is possible when we expect more than compliance from our students. Learn more about how to transform students' relationship with literacy.  Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Four Essential Studies.

Hello everyone! It seems like every single day there is another controversy about public schools. Whether it's about banning books or the curriculum being taught, the media and pundits alike cannot get enough of the discussion. But why? Is it really a fear of what is happening in schools, or is there a different reason? Jessica Piper, a previous middle and high school English teacher and now candidate for Missouri state representative, believes there's a far bigger agenda behind the outrage we are currently hearing about. In part one of our talk, we talk about her experience as an educator, how this has formed her beliefs around politics, and how privatization is a potential devastation for rural communities—a topic that is increasingly marginalized among more controversial issues. In this episode, we dive into the common claim that "everything should be taught from both sides." Is there two sides to every issue that should be taught in schools? Let's discuss!      This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Four Essential Studies: Beliefs and Practices to Reclaim Student Agency by Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher. Four Essential Studies is based on the belief that secondary students can only be prepared for life after high school when we purposefully shift the decision-making in our classrooms over to them. By reimagining how we teach essay, poetry, digital composition, and sustain talk in book clubs, we can ignite student curiosity, independence, and decision-making skills. Penny and Kelly share the strategies and activities they use in their own classrooms over the course of each unit, and show us what is possible when we expect more than compliance from our students. Learn more about how to transform students' relationship with literacy.  Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Four Essential Studies.

Hello everyone! It seems like every single day there is another controversy about public schools. Whether it's about banning books or the curriculum being taught, the media and pundits alike cannot get enough of the discussion. But why? Is it really a fear of what is happening in schools, or is there a different reason? Jessica Piper, a previous middle and high school English teacher and now candidate for Missouri state representative, believes there's a far bigger agenda behind the outrage we are currently hearing about. In this episode, we talk about her experience as an educator, how this has formed her beliefs around politics, and why she believes the cries around Critical Race Theory are much more about profit than the theory itself. We also touch on how privatization is a potential devastation for rural communities—a topic that is increasingly marginalized among more controversial issues.      This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Four Essential Studies: Beliefs and Practices to Reclaim Student Agency by Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher. Four Essential Studies is based on the belief that secondary students can only be prepared for life after high school when we purposefully shift the decision-making in our classrooms over to them. By reimagining how we teach essay, poetry, digital composition, and sustain talk in book clubs, we can ignite student curiosity, independence, and decision-making skills. Penny and Kelly share the strategies and activities they use in their own classrooms over the course of each unit, and show us what is possible when we expect more than compliance from our students. Learn more about how to transform students' relationship with literacy.  Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Four Essential Studies.

Hello everyone! Saying this year is difficult is an understatement. Administrators, teachers, students and parents are all trying to figure out how to balance their lives within constant disruption and uncertainty. For many, this problem is causing mental health concerns and quality of life struggles. Returning for part two of our discussion, Monika, otherwise known as @thecheerteacher on Instagram, is here to talk about the nuts and bolts of her well-being workshops! In this episode we touch on: How to set up a well-being workshop When to have them Involving parents and getting feedback Tips to start You do not want to miss this one!   This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new classroom resource, Math by the Book by Sue O'Connell and colleagues. Math is everywhere—even in great children's books! Teachers and students love a good story. But those stories can also help elementary students make sense of important mathematical concepts. Math by the Book shows teachers how to use high-quality children's books to teach grade-specific math skills and content. You'll find activities, investigations, and teaching strategies…all paired with lists of carefully chosen K-5 literature. So, if you're looking for a fresh way to bring math teaching to life in your classroom, visit MathByTheBook.com to download a free sample or order a copy. That's MathByTheBook.com.

Hello everyone! Saying this year is difficult is an understatement. Administrators, teachers, students and parents are all trying to figure out how to balance their lives within constant disruption and uncertainty. For many, this problem is causing mental health concerns and quality of life struggles. In hopes that we can shed some light—and the importance of—managing mental health, I have brought on Monika, otherwise known as @thecheerteacher on Instagram, to discuss her path through mental health struggles, how she got out of her dark time, and how she is helping her students manage their own mental health for the better. In this episode we touch on: Teaching in a variety of grades The beginning of her work with a mental health focus in the classroom Monika's descent into hating her job because of putting on a "happy face" and her way out of this dark place  Managing time to support student mental needs Modeling how to handle difficult emotions You do not want to miss this one!   This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new classroom resource, Math by the Book by Sue O'Connell and colleagues. Math is everywhere—even in great children's books! Teachers and students love a good story. But those stories can also help elementary students make sense of important mathematical concepts. Math by the Book shows teachers how to use high-quality children's books to teach grade-specific math skills and content. You'll find activities, investigations, and teaching strategies…all paired with lists of carefully chosen K-5 literature. So, if you're looking for a fresh way to bring math teaching to life in your classroom, visit MathByTheBook.com to download a free sample or order a copy. That's MathByTheBook.com.

Hello everyone! Being in the teacher podcast space for over 8 years has shown me a lot about the state of education and how it has changed. Mainly, professional development is dying.

If you missed part 1 of this talk, find it here. 

Conferences are filled with sessions that appeal to ideology instead of quality pedagogy. District PD's are all about how to log in to the latest tool and assign work to kids. Books are expensive and not worth reading when state laws restrict what resources teachers can use.

So, what's the deal? Why is teaching PD in such a state of despair?

To think and talk through this (and maybe have some hope at the end of the tunnel), I brought on Pam Ochoa, my co-host on the Craft & Draft podcast. Pam is an Abydos Learning International Diamond level trainer and has trained teachers in the teaching of writing and reading for 26 years. She provides professional development for those who want to become more student centered in their instructional approach. She was an Instructional Coach where she worked with Jacob Chastain and collaborated on the Craft and Draft Notebook system.

 

 

Transform learning in your school or district with PLC at Work® from Solution Tree. Our resources are designed to empower educators so all students learn at high levels.

We have an abundant library of resources from bestsellers like Learning by Doing, which has seen over one million copies sold and provides a practical guide to establishing effective PLCs, to The Foundation for Change, Beyond PLCLite, The Way Forward, Training Teacher Leaders in a PLC at Work® and The 15-Day Challenge.

Looking to develop a PD workshop that allows your teams to witness the power of PLC through the eyes of a struggling student? Stream the video Through New Eyes, and experience one student's journey through four years in a traditional school compared to four years in a PLC.

All these resources and more can be found at SolutionTree.com/PLCAtWorkResources.

 

Hello everyone! Today, educators are under more scrutiny than they have been in many years. Not only are people rallying together to fight what they feel like is Critical Race Theory, but they are also signing laws that prevent certain texts from being taught in schools. Yet, teachers are constantly being told that teaching isn't political. In part one of our talk, Alfred Shivy Brooks asks, if what is taught is dictated by politicians, how could teaching NOT be political? If school boards are elected, how is teaching not political? In part two we look at what legislation is being passed today to silence educators, and which policies Shivy believes SHOULD be being passed.  Shivy is a high school teacher in Atlanta Georgia, Instagram phenomenon, and is currently running for city council. We dive into these questions and more on this in depth, big idea episode of Teach Me, Teacher. Enjoy.   This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new classroom resource, Math by the Book by Sue O'Connell and colleagues. Math is everywhere—even in great children's books! Teachers and students love a good story. But those stories can also help elementary students make sense of important mathematical concepts. Math by the Book shows teachers how to use high-quality children's books to teach grade-specific math skills and content. You'll find activities, investigations, and teaching strategies…all paired with lists of carefully chosen K-5 literature. So, if you're looking for a fresh way to bring math teaching to life in your classroom, visit MathByTheBook.com to download a free sample or order a copy. That's MathByTheBook.com.

Hello everyone! Today, educators are under more scrutiny than they have been in many years. Not only are people rallying together to fight what they feel like is Critical Race Theory, but they are also signing laws that prevent certain texts from being taught in schools. Yet, teachers are constantly being told that teaching isn't political. Alfred Shivy Brooks asks, if what is taught is dictated by politicians, how could teaching NOT be political? If school boards are elected, how is teaching not political? Shivy is a high school teacher in Atlanta Georgia, Instagram phenomenon, and is currently running for city council. We dive into these questions and more on this in depth, big idea episode of Teach Me, Teacher. Enjoy.   This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new classroom resource, Math by the Book by Sue O'Connell and colleagues. Math is everywhere—even in great children's books! Teachers and students love a good story. But those stories can also help elementary students make sense of important mathematical concepts. Math by the Book shows teachers how to use high-quality children's books to teach grade-specific math skills and content. You'll find activities, investigations, and teaching strategies…all paired with lists of carefully chosen K-5 literature. So, if you're looking for a fresh way to bring math teaching to life in your classroom, visit MathByTheBook.com to download a free sample or order a copy. That's MathByTheBook.com.

Hello everyone! The terms antibias and antiracist bring up a lot of opinions and feelings in people. Depending on who you are talking to, this work might be the most important work happening in schools, or the bane on public education as a whole. Never being shy of a large topic, I wanted to discuss this work with one of the leading (and humble) voices in the space and see what it was all about. Luckily, Liz Kleinrock agreed! In part one of our talk, we covered the WHY behind antiracist and antibias work. In this episode, we take a look at what this looks like in context, and how to sustain this work over time.  Liz Kleinrock is an anti-bias anti-racist educator and consultant based in Washington, DC. A transracial adoptee, Liz was born in South Korea and grew up in DC before attending Washington University in St. Louis, MO. After spending a year student teaching a 5th grade class in Watts, Liz joined the founding faculty of a startup school in East Hollywood where she spent seven years teaching 1st through 4th grades. In addition to classroom teaching, Liz also works as an anti-bias anti-racist facilitator for schools, organizations, and companies across the country. Her work has gained national recognition through a documentary short produced by Fluid Film, and media outlets such as CNN, The Washington Post, NPR, and BBC. In 2018, Liz received Teaching Tolerance's 2018 Award for Excellence in Teaching, and currently serves on the Teaching Tolerance Advisory Board. Liz is proud to share her 2019 TED Talk from "Education Everywhere" on building foundations of equity with young learners, and is working on her first book with Heinemann Publishing. Whether you are a supporter of antiracist and antibias work, or are wary of it, this talk is sure to add to your thinking on the matter.     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Textured Teaching: A Framework for Culturally Sustaining Practices by Lorena Escoto Germán. With Culturally Sustaining Practice as its foundation, Textured Teaching helps secondary teachers stop wondering and guessing how to implement teaching and learning that leads to social justice.  Lorena Germán shares her framework for creating a classroom environment that is highly rigorous and engaging, and that reflects the core traits of Textured Teaching: student-driven and community-centered, interdisciplinary, experiential, and flexible.  The actionable strategies Lorena uses to bring Textured Teaching values to life illuminate what is possible when we welcome all types of texts, all types of voices, and all forms of expression into the classroom. Learn more about how to become a culturally sustaining educator. Visit Heinemann.com to download a sample from Textured Teaching.