Since 2007, Two Writing Teachers has been a vibrant community of reflective writers. We're excited to take our passion for teaching writing to new heights in the second season of our podcast. Join us as we explore ways to create, lead, and sustain joyful and productive writing workshops, empowering educators to help their students become competent, brave, and confident writers. Let's make writing instruction engaging and rewarding for everyone involved! Would your company like to sponsor an ...
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Getting Students to Write! Helping Elementary and Middle School teachers transform writing time
Melissa C Morrison, Elementary, Middle School Writing Consultant, Literacy Coach
Are you a K-8 Elementary or Middle School ELA teacher wondering how to get your students to write? This podcast is for teachers looking for a way to revamp and transform their writing time! You don't need daily lesson plans or prompts-you just need to understand what writers need! In this inspiring podcast, you will hear about the struggles, pitfalls, practices, and joy of teaching writing in a student-centered (workshop) model. Melissa guides you through the journey away from a more traditi ...
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Chalk and Ink is a biweekly school year podcast that interviews teachers who write and writers who teach. Are you looking for inspiration to develop and deepen your writing and/or teaching practice? If so, then listen to the experts who make it their practice to become better writers and teachers every day. If you'd like to connect after listening, please find me on Twitter @KateNarita or visit my website www.katenarita.com Happy listening!
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The Literacy Dive Podcast: Reading and Writing Strategies for Upper Elementary Teachers and Parents
Megan Polk, Literacy Specialist, Elementary Teacher
Do you find yourself seeking new implementations when it comes to literacy instruction? Do you crave fresh ideas and engaging lessons to transform your students into skilled readers and writers? The Literacy Dive Podcast was created to provide educators, like you, with actionable steps and strategies to improve teaching reading and writing. Your host, Megan Polk, is the creator and owner of The Literacy Dive, a company that creates educational, literacy curriculum that aims to close the gap ...
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Unpacking and Implementing Insights from the 2024 NCTE Convention: A Conversation With Colleagues
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Jess Carey and Sarah Valter, Two Writing Teachers Co-Authors, join Stacey to unpack the transformative insights from the 2024 National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Convention, diving deep into the conference's "Heart, Hope and Humanity" theme. The conversation explores reimagining scripted curriculum into student-centered teaching a…
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I recently had a teacher I am coaching say, "That's going to be hard for me," when we discussed allowing students to try multiple drafts on different topics for their informational books. I completely understand why this fabulous teacher was hesitant...and there are so many reasons! But the truth is, we all need repeated practice to improve our ski…
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Author's Craft Chat with April Jones Prince, Jody Little, Josh Galarza, Katrina Moore and Zetta Elliott
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Send us a text April Jones Prince, Jody Little, Josh Galarza, Katrina Moore and Zetta Elliott talk about the courage to be emotionally vulnerable on the page, writing about subjects for kids that people have told you kids shouldn’t read about, and the fact that even though publishing has a long way to go before it’s truly equitable that in 2014 onl…
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Writing tools are deeply personal, with each individual having a preferred instrument that feels comfortable and enables smooth writing. For children, selecting the right pen or pencil can significantly impact their writing experience and learning, with options like flair or gel pens offering easier grip and more enjoyable writing. While pens provi…
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Melissa saved one of the best, but possibly "scariest" writing conference for last! The Research-Decide-Teach conference originates from Lucy Calkins and is a highly effective method for truly meeting your writers' needs and moving them forward as writers. In this final installment of the Writing Conference Series, Melissa discusses how to gather i…
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This week, Stacey explores the concept of planning and implementing a series of small group lessons to enhance students' writing skills across different genres. Drawing from her books Craft Moves and Welcome to Writing Workshop, the episode provides practical examples of teaching points that can be applied to various writing types to emphasize the …
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Are you looking for more than "use describing words" and "tell me more" when it comes to helping students elaborate in their writing? In this episode, Melissa dives into strategies for improving writing elaboration for students by first considering a few overall understandings and techniques for opinion, narrative and informational writing and then…
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Compression, Repetition, and Representation with Jeannine Atkins
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Send us a text Jeannine Atkins is one of the kindest people I know, and her compassion radiates through her verse. So, my wish for all of you is that your year is filled with kindness, just like Jeannine’s novels. In this episode we talk about the power of compression, repetition, and representation. Let’s get started. Thanks so much for listening …
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We explore the reasons against writing directly on children's work in progress, including potential negative impacts on learning and agency. The episode discusses why educators might feel compelled to write on student work and offer alternative approaches. We delve into considerations for digital writing and introduce new thinking about orthographi…
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Raise your hand if you have felt unsure, ill-equipped, or stressed out when making decisions about writing instruction. Teachers tend to place too much responsibility on themselves when it comes to instruction in general, and definitely with writing instruction! This creates unnecessary stress that can be alleviated by establishing student autonomy…
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In our final episode of 2024, Melanie shares three ways to streamline your record-keeping using Google Forms. She explains how to use Google Forms to have students share something specific, reflect on conferences, and sign up for small group instruction. You'll learn to collect helpful information about, from, and alongside students. Plus, links to…
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What does a conference sound like you ask? Listen in to hear Melissa provide a detailed example of a "Re-teach Conference." Quite often, the strategies you have taught are not being implemented in each student's independent writing pieces. The purpose of a "Re-teach" conference is to provide follow-up, explicit instruction on a previously taught wr…
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A Mini MFA with Jen Ferguson
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Send us a text Jen Ferguson talks about opportunities to sharpen our work, why characters mirror one another in dialogue, and why we need different books for different readers. Let’s get started. Our next episode will feature Jeannine Atkins. Support the showJen Ferguson, Kate Narita
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This week, Stacey chats about the critical role of record-keeping in small-group instruction within the writing workshop. The episode highlights five key reasons why educators should prioritize record keeping. We’ll explore effective record-keeping methods, emphasizing the importance of real-time note-taking during conferences and discussing physic…
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"I don't know what to write about!" is what is heard in classrooms all over. In this episode, Melissa emphasizes the importance of supporting students in having the independence to generate their own ideas for writing. She discusses the negative impacts of consistently providing students with topics and offers practical strategies to help students …
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This week, we explore the transformative power of writing celebrations in elementary classrooms. Discover how these joyful events showcase student work, nurture young writers' identities, strengthen classroom communities, and foster a sense of pride and accomplishment. From minor celebrations that acknowledge daily progress to grander events involv…
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Are you wondering where to begin when conferring with your writers? This episode will teach you all about the Compliment Conference and how to use it as not only a way to encourage your writers but also as a formative assessment for your writing instruction. This conference has four simple steps: Open the conversation Identify evidence of a success…
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Melanie shares three practical strategies for maximizing classroom time. She emphasizes managing transition times to maintain student engagement and minimize downtime. In addition, she suggests creating a collection of valuable and doable activities that students can choose from, fostering independence and motivation. Finally, she suggests training…
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Raise your hand if you have students coming up to you or sitting and staring or raising their hands during independent writing time! There are so many reasons why students are not fully independent writers, and this episode provides a variety of ideas and strategies for creating a classroom full of writers who are! Melissa shares four ideas for sup…
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Reaching for the Sweet Spot with Sarah Aronson
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Send us a text In today’s episode Sarah Aronson talks about the importance of embracing conversations, challenges, and community. Sarah's latest biography, Abzuglutely!, celebrates congresswoman, lawyer, and activist, Bella Abzug, Our next episode will feature Jen Ferguson. Jen’s latest novel, A Constellation of Minor Bears is a USA Today bestselle…
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Stacey explores the vital executive functioning skill of time management as it applies to the writing workshop. She identifies common challenges students face, from grasping time concepts to meeting deadlines, and offers practical strategies to enhance their skills. Listeners will learn about tools such as visual aids, organizational checklists, an…
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Welcome to the first episode in the Conferring Series! This series will discuss a variety of conference types for writing to help you feel more confident in meeting one-on-one with your writers in order to meet their needs. This first conference, the Writer's Inquiry Conference is all about getting to know your writers. It is extremely helpful for …
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We delve into the challenging subjects that often arise in elementary school writing workshops, ranging from bodily functions and violence to mental health issues. We explore the non-negotiable aspects of topic choice and discuss establishing clear boundaries in the classroom, emphasizing the importance of creating a safe space for young writers. T…
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This episode is the beginning of the Writing Strategies Series and is all about supporting students with the most foundational aspect of writing- Engagement! Just as with any learning-academic to athletic-learners must be engaged in order to progress. Drawing from educational research and expert Jennifer Serravallo, I discuss the multi-dimensional …
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Celebrating Neurodiversity with Jen Malia
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Send us a text Jen Malia and I talk about celebrating neurodiversity, identifying your audience, and writing on location. Our next episode will feature Sarah Aronson. Sarah’s latest picture book biography, Abzuglutely! Battling, Bellowing, Bella Abzug released last month. Support the showJen Malia, Kate Narita
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Writing complete sentences is tricky for most elementary school students. This week's Tip for Tomorrow provides concrete ways to make sentence construction sticky for students. From a visible, tactile teaching method to progressions of examples, Melanie shares various strategies to help kids gain a more concrete understanding of sentence structure …
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This episode shares the understandings needed in order to get the most out of the two upcoming series: Strategies for Writing and All About Conferring There are a variety of common struggles for our writers and I hope to help you by sharing specific strategies for each of them in the upcoming podcast series. Conferring is a topic I have not yet tho…
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Leah Thomas, a co-author of the Two Writing Teachers Blog, chats with Melanie to reflect on her recent experiences with parent-teacher conferences, discussing the challenges and rewards of connecting with families. She shares effective note-taking strategies, what assessments to present, and the impact of showcasing student writing samples. Leah al…
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You've gotten to know your students as writers, and you've chosen goals for your class. Now what? It's time to find strategies for writing that your writers can use to meet their goals! In this episode, Melissa shares four techniques for finding and choosing teaching points. Leveraging Your Own Writing Experience Mining Mentor Texts Thinking Outsid…
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Expression Is Everything with A.S. King
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Send us a text A.S. King talks about her newest novel, Pick the Lock, ACES or adverse childhood experiences, and the importance of honesty and expression. Our next episode will feature Jen Malia. Check out her chapter book series The Infinity Rainbow Club to prep for our next episode. Support the show…
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In this podcast episode, Melanie will share creative strategies to make the editing process engaging for students. Discover how to infuse fun into editing by using gamification techniques and various tools. You will also learn how to integrate editing into the drafting process and support students with scaffolds, checklists, and reminders to streng…
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Part 2 with Dana Teague is here! Dana's energy is contagious, and she shares so many ideas for supporting your student writers. Listen in to hear: Why you don't need to be a perfect writer to teach your writers Ways to get to know your writers Free Writing Assessment Helping writers use AI effectively I hope you enjoy the episode! About Melissa: Me…
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Discover the art of building meaningful writer-to-writer relationships and managing time effectively in brief, impactful sessions. The discussion delves into the importance of individualized focus, highlighting how concentrating on a single aspect of writing per conference can lead to more manageable and absorbing lessons for students. Additionally…
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I know this episode (and its sequel) will have you nodding your head in agreement again and again! Ms. Dana Teaque is an experienced and passionate educator who will make you feel seen and inspire you to do what is best for your students. Listen in to hear: Dana's educational journey Writing strategies for diverse learners Fostering student growth …
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Creating Classroom Writing Communities
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Send us a text Andrew Hacket, Ernesto Cisneros, Marcie Flinchum Atkins, Lisa Stringfellow, and Tina Athaide talk about creating classroom writing communities. In addition to their wonderful voices, authors Cindy Jenson-Elliott, Valerie Bolling, and Jody Little also contributed to this heartfelt discussion. Our next episode will feature the only two…
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In our 100th episode, Stacey explores the power of tangible artifacts in writing conferences. She discusses five essential tools to enhance the writer-to-writer relationship: mentor texts, demonstration texts, mini-charts, personalized word walls, and individualized checklists. Learn how to introduce and utilize these artifacts to support student w…
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You may not have had said this out loud, but I know it has been in the back of your mind. It is there each time you make a decision to: -provide a structure graphic organizer for planning Or -have students "check in" before moving ahead in the work In this episode, I encourage teachers to consider the purpose of their fear and provide less structur…
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Melanie shares four ways to reenergize student writers whose enthusiasm and stamina dwindle during more extended writing units. Her ideas are sure to reinvigorate students in engaging and meaningful ways. Go Deeper: Keeping the Energy In a Unit of Study Writing as a Gift Thanks to our sponsors! Book Creator: Listeners can get 3 months free premium …
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Writing Prompts- they can be cute but looks can be deceiving! Yes, they have their place and may be a needed activity for our elementary and middle school students in order to prepare for testing or other situations, BUT They should not be the only writing students are doing on a daily basis! In this episode, I explain the limitations of prompts, s…
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Lead with Curiosity with Ryan Tahmaseb
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Send us a text I had a blast chatting with Ryan Bani Tahmaseb. We celebrate his debut picture book, Rostam’s Picture-Day Pusteen, and talk about collaborating, connecting with family, and leading with curiosity. Click here by 11:30 AM EST on Sunday, September 22nd, to sign up to join our live chat with Andrew Hacket, Ernesto Cisneros, Lisa Stringfe…
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This episode features Betsy Hubbard, an experienced educator and co-author at Two Writing Teachers. The discussion explores the critical role of executive functioning skills in writing and how deficits in these areas can impact students' performance. Betsy shares practical strategies for teachers to support executive functioning in writing workshop…
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I have had many questions recently regarding content area writing instruction. Although writing across the curriculum is not a new term in education, most content area teachers still have little training in how to incorporate effective writing practice and instruction into their subject area. This episode shared 4 techniques to not only help get mo…
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In this week's episode, Melanie shares six innovative strategies for using verbal rehearsal to empower young writers. She discusses techniques such as purposeful storytelling, visual cue cards, and fostering student collaborative partnerships. Enhancing oral language skills aims to strengthen writing abilities, demonstrating the powerful connection…
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Veracity, Voice, and Vulnerability with Josh Galarza
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Send us a text Debut author Josh Galarza talks about the importance of veracity, voice, and vulnerability in this episode, all of which are embedded into his heartfelt, hilarious, and heartbreaking debut, The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky. Let’s dig in. Click here for the transcript. Join Andrew Hacket, Ernesto Cisneros, Lisa Stringfellow, Mar…
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In this episode, Stacey explores the "Ready, Do, Done" model by Sarah Ward and Kristen Jacobsen to help students with executive functioning challenges become confident writers. She discusses the importance of setting clear intentions and gathering necessary materials ("Ready"), breaking down tasks and using visual aids ("Do"), and celebrating accom…
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We all know practice is necessary for all of us to grow in any capacity. Whether you are a writer, athlete, construction worker or musician, the more you practice your skills the more skilled you become at your craft. I often find that in the classroom, this practice is limited for students as writers. This may be due to teachers' lack of time, or …
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This episode delves into the importance of understanding students as writers and its benefits to educators and learners. We explore how this knowledge fosters a stronger classroom community and informs more tailored instruction. Tried-and-true methods such as kid-watching, utilizing writer's notebooks, and conducting effective one-on-one conference…
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Send us a text Chalk + Ink presents the top ten writer’s workshop tips for the 2024-2025 school year: Choose Community Building Books Partner with Families Embrace Growth Mindset Incorporate Multiple Entry Points Use Art Mimic Mentor Texts Listening Is Key Be Vulnerable Have Fun and Celebrate Believe Join us in two weeks to hear from young adult au…
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If you are looking for inspiration for teaching writing, this is the episode for you! My guest, Cassandra Williams, owner of Educational Innovation 360 brings her energy and passion for literacy and supporting teachers. Listen in to hear us discuss: -Cassandra's observations of writing programs in various districts -Bringing real-world writing into…
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In this episode, I invite you to consider how you are setting the stage for writing in your elementary or middle school classroom in the first few days of school. Do you want your writers to be excited, confident and ready to engage in writing? How you begin writing time-the words you say and the activities you ask your students to do-needs to supp…
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