Two Writing Teachers Podcast

Join us to explore the potential of minilessons as a forum for whole-class instruction. Peeling back the layers, we delve into the art of teaching writing behaviors, behaviors, strategies, and more in ten minutes or less. We thoroughly examine the four essential parts of a minilesson: connection, teach, active engagement, and link, shedding light on how each part impacts young writers.  Past #TWTB...

In this episode, Stacey shares five valuable steps for cooperating teachers who are hosting with student teachers in leading a writing workshop for elementary school students. Stacey begins by sharing her personal experience and the challenges she faced when initially handing over the reins to student teachers. The five steps for empowering student teachers are: establishing clear expectations, mo...

Unlock the secrets of a successful writing workshop! Dive into the dynamic framework that increases student growth. Every workshop begins with an engaging minilesson and ends with intentional sharing time. Discover the power of independent writing time with conferring, small group work, and the short, but mighty mid-workshop interruption. Listen until the end for several tips for maximizing your w...

Delve into the essential elements of building your conferring toolkit! Melanie explores the valuable tools, demonstration writing, and paper choices you'll want to stock in your toolkit. She'll even share a suggestion about the surprising impact of mints! Unlock the key to effective conferring by equipping yourself with everything you need to confidently engage and support your students....

Discover what a conferring toolkit is, why it's essential, and how to create one that suits your needs. This episode will share must-have items, tips for organizing, and the benefits of incorporating digital setups. Get valuable advice on updating your toolkit, embracing change, and capturing photographs of your resources. Remember, tools don't teach—people do. So let us help you get sta...

Join us as we explore how filling out conference cards alongside students makes them more responsible for their learning journey.   Also, conference cards are an excellent way to check what's been taught, and what's been accomplished between writing conferences and plan the next steps for student success!  Some useful links: Conference cards A Few Ideas for Conferring Record Keeping: A D...

In this episode, we explore the concept of greenbelt writing and its profound impact on young writers. We discuss why children must be free to play with words without grading pressure. We discuss how allowing kids to choose their preferred genres empowers creativity and fosters a genuine love for writing. Through discussion, we share the true essence of greenbelt writing—an unmanicured and imperfe...

This week, we're diving into a game-changing strategy to help students struggling with spelling. Not only will it provide immediate assistance to kids when they need it, but it will also become a strategy for monitoring student progress. You won't want to miss this episode that will empower you and your students on the spelling journey! Link to the keyrings mentioned in the episode. Chec...

Learn how to kick off the school year with successful writing partnerships. Discover the benefits of pairing young writers together. Get tips on how to pair students effectively, teach effective communication, and make writing partnerships joyful. Take advantage of this valuable information to help your students grow as writers. Elevate your writing partnerships with our top #TWTBlog posts. Whethe...

Are you a teacher who sometimes forgets to compliment your students during writing conferences? Don't worry. You're not alone! But compliments are an essential part of building confident and competent young writers. In this episode, Stacey explores ways to make space for compliments during those limited conference times. Learn how to start your conference with research and build on a stu...

Teachers' expectations of their students can significantly impact their outcomes, so it's vital to have an asset-based approach. Using an asset-based lens, we look for the positive things students can do rather than focusing on their deficits. This shift can occur in teacher-teacher and teacher-student interactions, such as examining student work with a positive lens and emphasizing the...

Ready to create a thriving writing workshop in your classroom? Our latest podcast episode has got you covered! We discuss the components of a successful writing workshop approach, including ample writing time, building a strong community, mentor texts, & more. Plus, we explore how to infuse joy into the workshop so it's fun for students. Tune in to learn how to nurture your students'...

Are you a literacy coach looking to take your professional development to the next level, or are you a classroom teacher who wants more out of the PD you receive? Our latest episode has got you covered! Tune in for various ideas, from incorporating dedicated writing time into PD sessions to searching for mentor texts as a faculty member. More nuanced options, like video studies and lab sites, are...

Summer vacation can be when children's writing lives take a backseat to other activities. What if we could help our students pursue writing that interests them during the summer break? Kathleen Neagle Sokolowski, a former #TWTBlog co-author, joins us to discuss how to keep students writing during the summer months. Join Kathleen and Stacey as they explore practical strategies for encouraging...

There are many ways teachers of writing can use A.I.! From exemplar and demonstration texts to feedback on your in-process writing, to providing starting points for curriculum documents, this episode will provide you with some ideas for using A.I. to maximize your preparation time. Where to access Chat GPT: https://chat.openai.com/chat This requires you to set up an account, but you can also acces...

It's essential to keep mentor texts meaningful for students so they can learn how to use them effectively and independently. In this episode, Stacey shares four practical strategies to encourage children to return to mentor texts repeatedly. These include whole-class text studies, the "return and reflect" process, using craft move charts in picture books, and encouraging students to...

Are you ready to help your students take their spelling skills to the next level? We discuss spelling development and the benefits of invented spelling, word sorts, and personalized word walls. We also explore practical strategies that empower kids to become confident spellers and make the most of an "Editing Minute." Whether you're a teacher or a parent, our episode contains valuab...

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Independent writing projects are among the best ways to infuse joy into your writing workshop. These projects are a blessing for students who love to write, but they’re also a way to hook striving writers.  A Few #TWTBlog Posts About Independent Writing Projects: Closing the Summer Writing Gap From the Classroom to the World: How a Young Writer is Making Her Voice Heard How to Reinvigorate Writing...

Joyful classrooms, where play and humor are valued, help make schools feel safer and more welcoming. In today’s episode, we’ll provide ways to increase joy, play, and humor in your writing workshop Related TWTBlog posts about joy, play, & humor: A Few Games to Inspire Writing Lives   A Mini Unit on Joke Telling   Incorporating Play-Based Learning in Writing Workshop at Any Age   It’s Time for...

Sentence construction can be tricky for many students. In this episode, Melanie shares a few strategies that might help students begin to internalize ways to construct sentences, moving from simple sentences to compound and complex sentences.  THANKS TO OUR AFFILIATE! Libro.fm Offer: Use the TWTPod Code Receive 2 audiobook credits for $14.99 USD with your first month of membership. Credits can be...

THANKS TO OUR AFFILIATES! Head to https://one-sec.app?qu=twt to download the One Sec app to reclaim a large chunk of your waking hours by making distracting apps less appealing. Libro.fm Offer: Use the TWTPod Code Receive 2 audiobook credits for $14.99 USD with your first month of membership. Credits can be used on your choice of more than 275,000 audiobooks on Libro.fm. After your first month, yo...

Equitably distributing your time among your students matters since every child should receive 1:1 writing instruction. However, it’s challenging to keep writing conferences to five to seven minutes in length. In today’s Tip for Tomorrow, you’ll hear two ideas that require minimum preparation. Both will help you trim down the time you spend with each student so that you can meet with more students...

This podcast is the second of two Tips for Tomorrow about test prep. You can listen to the first one here. Libro.fm Offer: Use the TWTPod Code Receive 2 audiobook credits for $14.99 USD with your first month of membership. Credits can be used on your choice of more than 275,000 audiobooks on Libro.fm. After your first month, you’ll pay $14.99 USD for one audiobook credit per month, and each paymen...

Teaching grammar doesn’t have to be tedious or painful. In today’s episode, we dive deep into ways to make grammar instruction more meaningful, sticky, and joyful for you and your students. Browse Two Writing Teachers for in-depth blog posts about grammar , editing , and conventions . Thank you to our affiliates! Head to https://one-sec.app?qu=twt to download the One Sec app to reclaim a large chu...