Chalk and Ink: The Podcast for Teachers Who Write and Writers Who Teach

Send us Fan Mail Chloe Ito Ward talks about mining memory moments, authenticity, and celebrating the present. For our next episode, please read debut author Andrew Hacket’s picture book Ollie the Acorn and the Mighty Idea which celebrates the power of kindness. If you happen to live in Massachusetts, Andrew has two launch events this weekend. On Saturday, April 13th, he’ll be at the Silver Unicorn...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Bober , and I talk about making history 3-D, the power of collaboration, and taking things off of our plates. For our next episode, please read debut author Chloe Ito Ward’s honest, anti-racist, heartwarming picture book Love Grows Here . Support the show

Send us Fan Mail On today’s show with author and educator, C.K. Malone , we talk about sitting down and getting to work, that tomorrow is a new day, and that anyone can succeed. Have you reviewed the show? If not, please do so and help me turn 24 in 2024 from a dream into a reality. By doing so, you’ll be entered to win a copy of CK Malone’s A Costume for Charly . Thanks in advance for helping me...

Send us Fan Mail Janelle Harper talks about reclaiming narratives, positive phrasing, and creating safe spaces To prep for our next episode with picture book author and secondary educator C.K. Malone, be sure to read their fabulous debut picture book, A Costume for Charly , which features an innovative bigender character who creates a Halloween costume that reflects their whole self. Support the s...

Send us Fan Mail Brooke Hartman talks about the power of social media, breaking through the fourth wall, and staying true to the original story. To prep for our next episode with Bronx author Janelle Harper , be sure to read her fabulous debut picture book, My Block Looks Like , which is illustrated by the incomparable Frank Morrison. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Jen Gennari , author of Muffled and My Mixed Up Berry-Blue Summer , talks about flagging filter words, personifying drafts, and cultivating artistic vision. To win a critique or a virtual author's visit, go to www.katenarita.com/podcast during the month of March and leave a comment on Jen's post saying which giveaway you'd like to win. Good luck! Support the show

Send us Fan Mail In this episode with Gita Varadarajan we talk about national boundaries dissolving in the classroom, writing as therapy, and the power of writing partnerships. Gita is as delightful as her books Save Me a Seat   and My Bindi , which a lucky listener can be eligible to win simply by sharing this episode on social media and tagging Gita and me. To prep for our next episode with Alas...

Send us Fan Mail Mk Smith Despres talks about all the different kinds of walks they take from the everything-is-the-worst walk, to the there’s-a-problem-in-the text walk, to the walking-with-the-kids walk. But most of all, this episode focuses on the importance of relationships–relationships with our editors, our students, and our writing process. You can preorder Mk Smith Despres' debut pict...

Send us Fan Mail Earlier this fall, we had an all things kindergarten chat with Jyoti Rajan Gopal and Tina M. Cho. Today we talk about all things preschool with Susan Edwards Richmond and René Colato Laínez . We chat about classroom communities, differentiation in the classroom, and the importance of families. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Kristy Acevedo talks about how writing is like painting, writing with pens and pencils, and the importance of creating personal checklists. To prep for our next episode, grab a copy of Susan Edwards Richmond’s , Night Owl Night and René Colato Laínez’s We Play Soccer/Jugamos al fútbol . We’ll talk about these books along with their other amazing creations and we’ll celebrate the j...

Send us Fan Mail Veera Hiranandani and Ruth Behar talk about the incredible parallels in their work, othering and writing from a personal place. Join us for our next live chat on Sunday, October 29th at 12 PM EST. We’ll be talking all things preschool, picture books, and early literacy with Susan Edwards Richmond and René Colato Laínez . Sign up on my website at www.katenarita.com For our next epi...

Send us Fan Mail Debut picture book author, Hà Dinh , talks about being a night owl, wildflower wonders, and the importance of trailblazers. To prep for our next episode, read or listen to one of Veera Hiranandani’s novels and one of Ruth Behar’s novels. We’ll travel back through time to pre and post World War II and the 1960s. Pack your bags and get ready to go. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, Jyoti Rajan Gopal and Tina M. Cho talk about all things kindergarten. We talk about beautiful beginning of the year books to build community, the importance of extended family, and Tina and Jyoti’s upcoming releases. To prep for next episode, read Hà Dinh’s wonderful debut picture book, Where Wildflowers Grow . Support the show

Send us Fan Mail I n this episode,  H.M. Bouwman teaches us how to embrace interiority, separate out revision rounds, and share our writing processes with students. To prepare for our next chat and episode, read one of Tina M. Cho’s or Jyoti Rajan Gopal’s fantastic picture books to prepare for our chat. It’s fun to compare and contrast Tina’s The Ocean Calls with Jyoti’s My Paati’s Saris . Go to b...

Send us Fan Mail New England SCBWI’s regional advisor, Stacy Mozer , delves deep into writer’s workshop. In addition to writer’s workshop, we also talk about how reading is a writing and a teaching superpower, and the importance of developing a relationship with your local librarian. Before our next episode, read one of H.M. Bouwman’s fantastic middle grade novels. Gossamer Summer just came out th...

Send us Fan Mail It’s the season three finale.  I’ve compiled the top ten writing tips from this season’s guests to help get listeners psyched up for a creative, productive summer.  Tip Number Ten: It's Gotta Be Fun with Linda Urban , Torrey Maldonado , and Jessica Lander Tip Number Nine: Set a Schedule with Andy J. Pizza , Sally Engelfried , and Ruth Behar Tip Number Eight: Get Organized wit...

Send us Fan Mail Chris Baron talks about how writing starts with you, reaching unseen readers and the magic of maps. Sign up here for our next live Chalk + Ink Chat on May 24th with Newbery Honor winner Veera Hiranandani and Pura Belpre Award winner Ruth Behar . It's free and it's fun. Our summer writing tips episode airs on May 26th. Be sure to listen to glean the best writing tips from...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, picture book author, Hanh Bui , highlights the helpers who welcomed her and her family to the United States in the 1970s and the helpers who taught her how to write, as well as staying true to her story and surrounding herself with positive people. Sign up here for our next Chalk + Ink Chat with Newbery Honor winner Veera Hiranandani and Pura Belpre Award winner R...

Send us Fan Mail Mary Ann Cappiello and Erika Thulin Dawes talk about trusting the process, text sets, and the magic of working on multiple projects at once. If you would like to attend the next chat with Lisa Stringfellow and Michael Leali on April 26th, please go to www.katenarita.com/podcast and fill out the Chalk + Ink Chat   form. It’s free and it’s fun. We’ll talk about being a debut author...

Send us Fan Mail Jessica Lander talks about celebrating students' strengths, using text structure to synthesize research, and self-care. Remember to sign up for our next Chalk + Ink Chat on April 26th with Lisa Stringfellow and Michael Leali to talk about their debut year and DEI in middle grade novels. Go to www.katenarita.com/podcast and fill out the Chalk + Ink Chat form. To prep for our n...

Send us Fan Mail Nicole D. Collier talks about fear, asks tough questions about whether or not we’re betraying ourselves, and gives listeners tips to create courage. Sign up for our next Chalk + Ink Chat featuring Carole Boston Weatherford and Rob Sanders at 8 PM EST. For our next episode, please read Making Americans: Stories of Historic Struggles, New Ideas, and Inspiration in Immigrant Educatio...

Send us Fan Mail Kyle Lukoff talks about puzzling out books, gives tips to librarians to protect their patrons’ right to choose their own books and compares picture books to formalist poems. Remember to sign up for our next Chalk + Ink Chat on March 29th, 2023 with Carole Boston Weatherford and Rob Sanders to talk about biographies, collaboration, book bans and more. Go to www.katenarita.com/podca...

Send us Fan Mail On today's episode, Ralph Fletcher talks about how writing is a process of self-discovery, how the writer’s notebook is a place to honor students’ voices, and creating idea treasure maps. For homework, be sure to read Kyle Lukoff's Newbery Honor book, Too Bright to See . Happy listening! Support the show

Send us Fan Mail This week Melanie Meehan and Stacey Shubitz from the Two Writing Teachers Podcast talk about how writing helps us live wide-awake lives, discuss why the best teachers of writing, write, and how as authors it’s our responsibility to ask for what we need from a critique. Join us for a Chalk + Ink Chat   on the last Wednesday of every month, from September through May, from 8-9 PM ES...

Send us Fan Mail On today’s episode, Emily Francis talks about transparency and honoring our students’ stories as well as their wishes. Stay tuned to the end of the episode to find out how to win a signed copy of Emily's incredible epistolary autobiography,  If You Only Knew: Letters From an Immigrant Teacher . I’m hoping you’ll help me spread Chalk + Ink cheer throughout the new year. Boost...