Stellar Teacher Podcast: A Podcast for Upper Elementary Teachers

If you're working to align your literacy instruction with the science of reading, this listener favorite interview is for you! In this conversation, literacy expert and author Lindsay Kemeny shares the 7 research-backed strategies from her book Seven Mighty Moves that help teachers strengthen reading instruction and support all learners. Lindsay discusses how her experience supporting her son with...

Part 1: New Teacher Blueprint Getting your classroom ready for a new school year can feel overwhelming. Between Pinterest-perfect classrooms, endless classroom décor ideas, and a growing back-to-school to-do list, it's easy to spend time focusing on things that won't actually make your year easier. In this first episode of our New Teacher Blueprint series, Tami and Meghan are sharing practical cla...

Part 6: Your Literacy Block Series Learn how to make small group instruction purposeful and effective. Tami breaks down the five key questions about small groups: what they are, what they look like, how they differ from whole group, how much time to spend, and real examples using Stellar Literacy Collective resources. Perfect for upper elementary teachers looking to differentiate literacy instruct...

Part 5: Your Literacy Block Series In this episode of our Your Literacy Block series, Emily is talking all about writing— and why it deserves a place in every upper elementary literacy block. Many teachers think of writing as essays, state testing, and lengthy writing projects.... but writing can be so much more than that. When students write about what they read, they deepen comprehension, organi...

Think fluency instruction is only for primary grades? Think again. In this episode, we're unpacking why reading fluency remains one of the most important—and often overlooked—components of literacy instruction in upper elementary. You'll learn how fluency impacts comprehension, the common signs students are struggling, and simple ways to build meaningful fluency practice into your literacy block....

Your Literacy Block: Part 4 Fluency is more than reading fast — it's the bridge between word recognition and comprehension. In this episode of the Your Literacy Block series, Emily breaks down what reading fluency really means, why upper elementary students still need explicit fluency instruction, and three simple, research-backed activities you can start using this week. You'll learn: the 3 compo...

Supporting struggling readers is one of the most important—and often most challenging—parts of literacy instruction. When intervention time is limited and student needs vary widely, it can be difficult to know where to focus your efforts. In this episode, literacy specialist Shannon Moore joins us to discuss the key components of effective reading intervention and how teachers can create systems t...

Your Literacy Block: Part 3 If you've ever wondered whether phonemic awareness and phonics still matter in upper elementary, this episode is for you! While these foundational skills are often associated with primary grades, many students in third, fourth, and fifth grade continue to struggle because of gaps in their word recognition skills. In this episode, we're unpacking the difference between p...

We replayed an interview with Dr. Molly Ness last week... and we just could not help airing this one too! We love our interview episodes. What helps a word move from something students have to sound out to something they instantly recognize? In this episode, literacy researcher and educator Dr. Molly Ness joins us to explore orthographic mapping—the process that allows readers to permanently store...

Your Literacy Block Series: Part 2 If your students freeze when they come across long, unfamiliar words while reading, this episode is for you. In today’s episode of The Stellar Teacher Podcast, we’re talking about how morphology instruction can completely change reading confidence for upper elementary students. You’ll learn how teaching prefixes, suffixes, roots, and base words helps students dec...

Are read-alouds still worth making time for in an upper elementary classroom? According to literacy researcher and author Dr. Molly Ness—they absolutely are. In this episode, we dive into the research-backed benefits of read-alouds and why they still play an essential role in a Science of Reading-aligned literacy block. From building vocabulary and background knowledge to increasing engagement and...

Your Literacy Block Series: Part 1 If you’ve ever wondered: “How do I actually help my students comprehend what they read?” …this episode is for you. Reading comprehension is the goal of reading instruction—but it’s not just one strategy or skill. In this episode of The Stellar Teacher Podcast, we’re kicking off a brand-new series all about building an effective upper elementary literacy block. We...

The school year is almost over, but before you fully switch into summer mode, there are a few things your future teacher self will be so thankful you did. In this episode of The Stellar Teacher Podcast, Sara and Emily share 7 end-of-year reflection and reset strategies that can help make next school year feel more organized, intentional, and less overwhelming. Episode Takeaways: Reflect on your fa...

In this episode, Emily shares 3 simple, low-prep literacy moves that still make a big impact at the end of the year (hello increased engagement!). You’ll hear practical ideas for: Student-led book talks that build excitement around reading Fluency performances that combine comprehension, rereading, and engagement Bringing back your favorite read-alouds using a simple 3-2-1 comprehension structure...

May can feel exhausting, emotional, and chaotic but it can also be one of the most meaningful months of the school year. In this episode, Tami and Sara are reminder teachers not to miss the magic of May. Sara and Tami talk about the unique opportunities this final stretch of the year brings: stronger student relationships, visible growth, classroom confidence, and the chance to finish with purpose...

As the school year comes to a close, it’s easy to feel pressure to squeeze in one more lesson, finish one more project, or check off every remaining standard. But what if finishing strong didn’t mean doing more? In this episode, Tami shares three powerful reminders to help you navigate the final weeks of the school year with more clarity, intention, and less overwhelm. From letting go of the press...

If teaching feels harder than usual right now, you’re not alone—and you’re not doing it wrong. In this special 🎉300th episode🎉, Emily and Tami share 3 simple ways to make teaching feel easier and more manageable right now (so you can lean into loving it!). They talk about why doing more isn’t the solution, how routines and systems can lighten your load, and what to focus on so you can finish the...

Feeling the pressure to try something new before testing season? In this episode, Emily and 5th grade teacher Meghan share why that instinct might be doing more harm than good. Instead of adding new strategies, they encourage teachers to lean into the routines that are already working. Listen in and walk away with simple ways to strengthen what’s already in place (or super easy to implement) — lik...

Sign up for our FREE test prep email series: stellarteacher.com/testprep ! Get 3 free lessons straight to your inbox. If you’ve ever reached April and wondered why some students still seem to struggle with reading, you’re not alone. In this episode of the Stellar Teacher Podcast , we explore a reality many teachers experience during the final months of the school year: student progress in literacy...

In this episode, Sara and Kori discuss the difference between helpful feedback and noise in teaching. With so many opinions and suggestions coming from evaluations, colleagues, professional development, and social media, it can be difficult for teachers to know which feedback to take seriously and which advice to let go. Sara and Kori share personal experiences with receiving feedback throughout t...

What do calm classrooms actually look like? Contrary to what many people think, calm classrooms aren’t always silent or perfectly still. Instead, they are spaces where students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn. In this episode of the Stellar Teacher Podcast , Emily is joined by Stellar Teacher team member Tami to explore what calm classrooms truly have in common. Drawing on her years of ex...

In this episode of the Stellar Teacher Podcast , Kori shares an encouraging reminder that many educators need to hear — teaching is a long game . When the pressure of testing season, pacing guides, and student progress starts to feel overwhelming, it can be easy to believe that every lesson needs to produce immediate results. But the reality is that meaningful learning rarely happens overnight. If...

As much as we prepare students with practice passages and strategy review, many performance struggles happen before students even answer a question. When test anxiety sets in, students may skim or skip directions entirely, misread what’s being asked, or overlook key details like “not,” “compare,” or “from least to greatest.” In this episode, Sara and Emily discuss why this happens and how teachers...

Standardized testing season is coming — and if you’re already feeling the pressure of long testing days, restless students, and review overload, you’re not alone. In this Dear Stellar Teacher episode, Sara and Emily share realistic, classroom-tested strategies to help you approach testing season with clarity, confidence, and calm . Instead of cramming more practice into your schedule, this convers...