Teaching Unscripted

Today we are going to revisit a podcast from 2019 on re-imagining the math classroom. My colleague Steph speaks with Heinemann author Steve Leinwand.  Steve’s work revolves around fostering authentic math fluency in students, valuing deep understanding over memorization and speed. By challenging long-held ideas about how math is taught, Steve says we can re-imagine instruction that better ser...

Kylene sits down with secondary teacher Jen Ochoa, who teaches in New York City, to reflect on the history of the book and the journey to the new edition. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

This week we hear from Heinemann author and poet Georgia Heard about why you should and how you can make time for poetry in your classroom. An expanded and updated version of her book, Awakening the Heart: Exploring Poetry in Elementary and Middle School , will be available in the spring. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-...

We are a culture that loves choice and that goes for all ages. So offering choice in an elementary writing classroom is extremely powerful. Today, we will hear firsthand how making the small shift results in tremendous engagement. Join us for a discussion between Kelly Boswell, author of Every Kid a Writer, and Blake Williams, a second grade teacher in South Carolina. See Privacy Policy at https:/...

Join us today as we hear from Jennifer Lempp and Kristen Stump about shifting the culture and structure of their elementary math classrooms. Jennifer is author of Math Workshop, Five Steps to Implementing Guided Math Learning Stations, Reflection and More . And Kristen is a current classroom teacher in Fairfax County, Virginia. Their conversation is a beautiful testament to teacher growth that lea...

Can you write a 100 word story? Sounds easy, right? That's what the students in Kim Culbertson's high school English class thought at first. A 100 word story, or piece of flash fiction as it's otherwise known, is a small yet densely packed teaching tool and harder to write than you think. In today's discussion between Kim and her contributing co-author, Grant Faulkner, they delve into the origin o...

Students today are learning the importance of analyzing all forms of text for accuracy and truth. A great way to engage students in honing this skill is to practice identifying dominant narratives and seeking out counter narratives. In this excerpt from their audiobook, The Civically Engaged Classroom, authors, Mary Ehrenworth, Pablo Wolfe, and Marc Todd offer practical advice and resources for st...

What is a book written for doing, not just reading? Matt Glover and Carl Anderson can answer this question. Their new book, How to Become a Better Writing Teacher is a book written for doing. It puts the power of day-to-day curriculum decision-making and fine-tuning into the hands of the teacher. In our conversation today, Matt and Carl dive deeper into some of the 50-plus high impact strategies f...

Less planning, more student autonomy, and more time to confer. Sounds pretty great, right? In an integrated reading and writing block Ellin Keene aims to achieve all three. Her newest book The Literacy Studio –titled after this approach— is full of research-backed insights from the classroom, and practical strategies on how to do this in your ELA classroom. Today in a special commuter podcast epis...

Today we are going to revisit a podcast from 2022 on teacher mental health. My colleague Steph speaks with Dr. Kris Scardamalia associate professor from the National Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland.  If you enter “teacher mental health” into a search engine, you’ll probably be met with a surprisingly short list of results. But teachers have long experienced high...

One way to better understand today’s issues in schools is to know the history of how we got here. Today, we’ll hear about the landmark supreme court case; Lau v. Nichols, that established that bilingual students have the  right  to equal educational opportunities and a meaningful education. In this excerpt from his audiobook,  Elevating Equity and Justice: 10 U.S. Supreme Court Case...

The pleasure of storytelling is the entry point for everyone into writing, as well as what propels the writer as they move into different genres. Today we’ll hear from Tom Newkirk about his new book Literacy’s Democratic Roots: A Personal Tour Through Eight Big Ideas. Tom is interviewed by fellow Heinemann author Ralph Fletcher. In this delightful conversation between two old friends Tom and...

As far as I’m concerned," educator and performer Rebecca Bellingham writes, "there is no one busier than a teacher." Fitting it all in can feel impossible. Still, the benefits of reading aloud to students of all ages are vast and comprehensive – so if you’re going to skip something, Bellingham argues, please don’t let it be read aloud! This week, in an excerpt from Rebecca’s The Artful Read Aloud,...

This week we have a special interview with Kylene Beers about her newly released second edition of   When Kids Can’t Read: What Teachers Can Do. Michelle Flynn joins her to talk about how Kylene’s thinking has changed over the past 20 years since the first edition, what new material is included, and how this book speaks to the urgency around reading. Stay tuned after their conversation for a...

Students who read more become stronger readers, so how do we get our students to read more? Today, we'll hear from teacher, author, and consultant, Donalyn Miller, advising us that the only way to support the volume of reading that we all want for students is to support their joy in reading. In this excerpt from the book, aptly titled, The Joy of Reading , which Donalyn co-authored with the late T...

Can math skills and concepts be taught through children's literature? Can a shared reading experience in your classroom prompt meaningful math connections and a deep understanding of math concepts? The answer is yes! Join us for a conversation with Sue O'Connell, author of Math by the Book , to hear about why she created the series and how literature-based math practices enhance students' math exp...

We know that students are more engaged and feel affirmed and centered when they're doing work that is relevant and meaningful to them. But how can we design units that are truly useful to students? Today, we'll hear from teacher, author, consultant, and DisruptTexts co-founder Lorena Gèrman. In this excerpt from her audiobook Textured Teaching , Lorena reminds us that making work relevant means kn...

How can back-to-school professional development leave teachers feeling heard, recognized, and energized for the year? Today, we are joined by Berit Gordon, the author of The Joyful Teacher , and Erin Bailey, a district-level instructional coach from the Blue Springs School District in Missouri. Berit and Erin talk about how Erin used The Joyful Teacher to create professional development that prior...

In the wake of school disruptions during the pandemic, reports of widespread student misbehavior have been making headlines. It's the kind of story that attracts attention, with armchair analysis from individuals outside the field of education. Today, we'll hear from teacher, consultant, and author Arlène Elizabeth Casimir about how the behavior categorized as misbehavior is often an expression of...

Literacy moves with us in the world wherever we go. Valerie Bang-Jensen writes, "When we move literacy practice outside, we give students the message that reading, writing, and thinking, go with them no matter where they are." Valerie, a professor of education at St. Michael's College, who has also taught in the K-6 classrooms, writes about how try new things can be hard, especially in or in this...

When students, or any of us, find ourselves trying to make sense of a difficult text, it's easy to feel frustrated or even hopeless. In today's podcast, we'll hear about a simple strategy for supporting students when they encounter a text that is difficult for them, rereading. In this excerpt from the second edition of When Kids Can't Read - What Teachers Can Do, teacher, author, consultant, and f...

Helping students to understand what they read is one of the most central academic aims of school. No matter what subject you’re teaching, students’ reading comprehension likely plays a big role in their success in your classroom. Back in 1992, Dr. P. David Pearson and others identified six strategies that proficient readers consistently use as they read: using schema, inferring, questioning, deter...

The number of bilingual students in the United States is growing, and most of those students speak Spanish at home. What can teachers do to help these students feel not merely included but centered in classrooms? Doctors Carla España and Luz Yadira Herrera have named six essential practices for centering the voices and experiences of Latinx students. During today’s commute, we'll get to hear about...

Commuting is always better when you have a friend along. Let us join you on your commute with curated segments from Heinemann's audiobook library. From guidance on creating a classroom where all students feel valued, to lessons on specific reading strategies, these short, focused podcasts will give you something to ponder during your commute or try out in your classroom after listening. Join us on...

What are some words that you would use to describe your math classroom? Today we’re joined by Jen Munson, Faith Kwon, and Mary Trinkle. If your classroom looks anything like theirs, you might say things like collective, trusting, and vulnerable. Sound surprising? Their new book, The Collaborative Math Classroom, guides readers through implementing easy and approachable suggestions to launch a trul...