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Monumental Women: A Timely Short Text Set

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

Did you know that August 26, 2020 marks the 100th Anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment?  As women, we are thankful for the many who fought for our right to vote.   The very first statue of women in Central Park will be unveiled this week to commemorate the 100th Anniversary and the millions of women it took to get the 19th Amendment into law. The statue will feature three suffragists -- Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Sojourner Truth -- who represent this hard work.  You can watch the unveiling LIVE on Wednesday, August 26th beginning at 7:45 a.m. by visiting THIS LINK or visit it at a later time where it will be archived.   

This post will feature short texts at your fingertips focused on women and women’s suffrage that can be used in real time or to look back in the days and months to come.   

BUILDING SOME BACKGROUND

There are a lot of great books, texts and resources about women and the women’s suffrage movement.  Here, we highlight a few of our favorites that can be used as:

  • Whole group mini lessons, shared reading, or read aloud

  • Small group work led by the teacher, by students, or a combination of both

  • One-to-one during teacher/student conferring or for independent reading

PICTURE BOOKS

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LINKS TO THESE TITLES [for reference or purchase]

Finish the Fight!: The Brave and Revolutionary Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote by Veronica Chambers  and The Staff of the New York Times

Equality's Call: The Story of Voting Rights in America By Deborah Diesen

History Smashers: Women's Right to Vote By Kate Messner

Bold & Brave: Ten Heroes Who Won Women the Right to Vote by Kristen Gillenbrand

Marching with Aunt Susan: Susan B. Anthony and the Fight for Women's Suffrage by Claire Rudolf Murphy 

How Women Won the Vote: Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, and Their Big Idea by Susan Campbell Bartoletti 

My Name Is Truth: The Life of Sojourner Truth by Ann Turner 

Elizabeth Started All the Trouble by Doreen Rappaport

OTHER ARTICLES, VIDEOS & OTHER SHORT TEXTS

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Share one (or more) picture books or resources with students about the Women’s Suffrage Movement.  Invite conversation around the ideas that are shared.  Ask students if they have any questions or wonderings about voting rights, either related to today or in the past.  Jot those questions down to reference later.  Or, show the students a photograph or drawing of the new statue.  Ask them what they notice about the three women depicted. There is a great deal of symbolism included.  Then introduce the three important figures through some of the resources above.

Step 2

Pose the following questions and ideas to students, with the whole group or in small groups, and provide time and space for some conversation.

  • Did you know that Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Sojourner Truth were all from the same state?  Do you know what state they are from? [New York]

  • Was Susan B. Anthony alive when the 19th Amendment was passed?  

  • What is an Amendment and how does it become official?

  • In 1872, fifteen women voted illegally.  Who were they and what happened to them?

  • What are the rules around voting today?  Can everyone who lives in the U.S. vote?  

  • Why is this new statue so important?  Why do you think there are so few statues of historical women?

  • What other historical women do you think should be depicted in a life-sized statue?  Why?

As students share, listen in and note students’ background knowledge, misconceptions, and wonderings.  For more on ways to kidwatch, check out the Kidwatching section.

Step 3

If time and interest permit, invite students to form mini-study cohorts (small groups no larger than 3-4) to research and learn more about a voting topic of their choice. Each mini-cohort can focus on the same topic OR they can research a variety of topics.  The main goals would be for students to have an opportunity to:

  • Read more (volume!) about a related topic of interest

  • Collaborate with peers, either by researching together or sharing new information they’ve learned with others

  • Use short texts to pique interests, potentially leading to reading even longer texts 

Step 4

Determine how long you’d like to dedicate to this learning experience and share that timeline with students.  A reminder that this opportunity can be a one-day exploration or more, depending on the time you have available and the goals you’ve set with students.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT TEXT SETS

This is the perfect opportunity to use a text set.  We love to use a curated set of texts about a topic or related topics.  Start general and get more specific (e.g show an image of the new statue and then explore the woman depicted and the movement.  Or, go the other direction and read one of the woman’s life stories and then talk about the Suffrage Movement and the statue.  By reading a number of different short texts, the readers get a broader view of the topic.  And, they get to explore the topic further.  You can start by reading a text together and then inviting your students to pick another text that is of interest to them.  

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (Benchmark, 2021).

A SHORT TEXT SET AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: PICTURE BOOKS

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

By design, picture books combine the wisdom of the words with the visual power of the illustrations to convey the story.  Beginning with the earliest readers, picture books create building blocks that promote a lifelong love of literacy.  

We love picture books because they can be read multiple times and for multiple reasons. We love to share picture books with students.  Sometimes we read aloud to students for pure pleasure or to showcase fluent reading.  Other times, we use shared reading as a way to dive into a book with students so that we can unpack the story and co-construct meaning together. 

Shared Reading

If you liked our Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Picture Books (Fiction), we think you’ll love these ideas about taking one short text about a favorite picture book and expanding it into a short text set.  Just a reminder:  If you don’t have this book at your fingertips, swap it out for one you do have  and imagine other short texts you can pair with it to create a short text set.  

TRY THIS

Step 1

Some children may need some historical background to understand this book.  Consider both the background knowledge the children already have and their developmental age when you introduce this book and texts that support this book in the short text set.

Start by sharing Who Are Your People?, written by Bakari Sellers and illustrated by Reggie Brown.  As you share the book, spend some time talking about the opening page.  Use this excerpt from the book to launch an authentic conversation about the people who have shaped you/us. 

Who are Your People?

Then, as you read the rest of the book, consider:

  • Listening to Who Are Your People? read aloud by the author, Bakari Sellers.

  • Leaning into the illustrations (check out Reggie Brown’s website) and references to the figures in the book which includes:

    • Muhammed Ali

    • Maya Angelou

    • Stacey Abrams

    • Martin Luther King, Jr.

    • Harriet Tubman

    • Barack Obama

    • Serena Williams

    • Jackie Robinson

    • Kamala Harris

    • John Lewis

  • Talking about the proverb in the book that says, “it takes a village to raise a child.”

  • Discussing the call to action at the end of the book that reads, “So what will you dream, and how will you change the world?”

Step 2

Sharing this picture book can lead to other reading, writing, and talking opportunities, especially when you curate a short text set that includes picture books and other short text types like the example below.  Take a look.

Picture Books

Use this short text set during whole group shared reading, with small groups or give students individual opportunities to read the texts to learn more about civil rights, Black heroes and resistance stories.  

In addition, you could:

GOING DEEP & WIDE

Looking for more titles and short text types that add to and expand your text set?  Check out these titles:

Hero's Books

STAY TUNED!

More about short texts and short text sets coming soon!

Using Short Texts to “Warm-up” Reading Muscles & Build Community

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

Last spring, when the world did an abrupt pivot and teachers and parents were suddenly teaching on screens from home, we offered a series of blog posts.  We suggested using short texts that could be found “right at our fingertips” to create access and interest to keep children reading.   Please find all the posts below:

“WARM UP” THOSE READING MUSCLES

Now it is August.  The hoped-for, regular, back-to-school, normal that we are used to is clearly not going to happen.  Instead, we are faced with a lot of uncertainty and a myriad of education models.  Whether you are teaching remotely, face-to-face, or in a hybrid model, you will be meeting children who have not been in a classroom in more than 5 months.  While we hope that each of them had a rich reading life all summer, we will be facing a wide variety of experiences and skills.

Short texts offer a way to ease back into reading in a comfortable, low-stakes way because they are easy to read and discuss in one sitting.  Short texts are great to use with students across grade levels and content areas because they:

  • Create conversation starters that can positively impact whole group, small group and one-to-one learning

  • Increase reading volume by reading widely (lots of topics) and deeply (read a lot about one topic)

  • Help students read the world around them, not just what they find in books

Short texts give us reasons to read, write, talk, and think because they entertain, inform, and often inspire us.   Here’s what we mean.

Entertain -- brings us joy 

Inform -- teaches us new information and/or renews our thinking about ideas and topics 

Inspire -- motivates us to read, write and share more

BUILDING COMMUNITY

When we ask a group of students to read the same short text, whether they are face-to-face in the same room or interacting online, it gives them a common experience and a way to build community and positive relationships.  Here are some examples of short texts your students might enjoy!

ELEMENTARY

Picture books are wonderful short texts! Check out these resources about friendship, community and being an upstander! Click the links below to order copies!

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My Friend is Sad by Mo Willems

  • Use the text as reader’s theater.

  • Examine the thought and speech bubbles and the use of punctuation.

The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig

  • Read the story aloud and discuss their friendship.

  • Discuss the problem in this story and how it is resolved.

Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev 

  • Discuss how it feels to be excluded.

  • Discuss how it feels to be included.

  • Use this book as a springboard to creating a classroom community where all feel included.

Giraffe Problems by Jory John

  • Read this story aloud or listen and watch it using this link.

  • Discuss the giraffe’s perspective compared to the other animals.

  • Make a list of ways we can be a good friend to others.

The Power of One by Trudy Ludwig

  • Talk about different ways to be an upstander.

  • Think about and discuss, What is an “act of kindness”?

  • Make a list of different acts of kindness that we can do for one another each day.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Excerpts of novels, picture books, podcasts and short stories are great to use when curating short texts.  Reading short texts often leads to reading longer texts, especially when students’ interests have been piqued or they connect with authors.  Check out these resources about friendship, community and being an upstander!

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Two Naomis by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

  • Read an excerpt from the book.

  • Read and/or write a review about the book.

  • Listen to the podcast with Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich.

  • Read the entire book together or offer it to students who may want to read it independently.

  • In addition, check out 50 Must Read Middle School Friendship Stories curated by Book Riot for more ideas!

Weslandia by Paul Fleischman

  • Discuss what it means to accept [and show acceptance of] others.

  • Talk about ways we can ensure that everyone in our learning community feels accepted and welcome.

One by Kathryn Otoshi

  • This book, often thought of as a book to read with younger students, is an amazing story to spark discussion with older students.

    • Share and discuss the definition of upstander.

    • Discuss what it means to be an upstander.

    • Investigate websites committed to anti-bullying work.  Here’s one example.

Dear Bully: Seven Authors Tell Their Stories by Dawn Metcalf

  • Read aloud and discuss one story or give students an opportunity to read several stories from this anthology.

  • Find and share quotes related to being an upstander such as, “If not now, then when?  If not me, then who?” [Hilell].

Dictionary of a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham

  • Explore this book and the many words, definitions, ideas, and illustrations across several days.

  • Give students an opportunity to talk about how they can apply each word to create a better, more accepting, world.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Choose a short text that you feel will grab your readers’ interests such as a short magazine article or a top ten list. Look for an engaging and “easy” text.  This experience should be fun, more like dipping your toe into a nice warm bath than plunging into an ice cold lake.  Find a way to make it available to your readers.  Consider print copies or post it in a place where your students can either read it online or print it for themselves.  Before reading, ask students:

  • What do you notice about this piece?  

    • Title

    • Author

    • Illustrations,  images or graphic elements

    • Headings, subheadings

  • What do you already know about this topic?

  • What do you wonder?

Step 2

Read the text.  Decide if you want students to mark the text in some way to hold their thinking or if you want students to make that decision.  Consider sharing ways students could hold their thinking to note important or interesting information. Students could:

  • Take notes in a notebook or on a piece of paper.

  • Use sticky notes to capture their thinking.

  • Create margin notes and/or highlight words, sentences or sections. 

Step 3

Share your thinking with others.   Some ways to do this include:

  • Pose a question and have everyone answer it (on a post-it or via an online forum).  Provide time to read others' answers.

  • Ask readers to pose a question, then have readers answer someone else’s question.

  • If students noted their thinking in some way, ask them to pick 1-2 ideas to share with others.

Step 4

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.

Reading Ideas 

  • Present students with another short text similar to the first.  Compare them.

  • Present students with another piece that is on the same or similar topic, but is a different genre (e.g. both pieces are about penguins: one is an article and the second is a poem).  Compare the pieces.

Writing Ideas

  • Use the short text as a mentor text.  Writers write about a topic they know a great deal about using the same genre and style as the piece you read together. 

  • Make a top ten list. Be sure to share them with others.

Talking Ideas

  • Invite conversation about students’ reading lives. Ask:

    • Where do you like to read?

    • How long do you like to read?

    • What types of texts do you like most? Least?

Step 5

Invite students to share other things they have been reading.  Students could share book titles, but it could also mean that they talk about other text types and genres they particularly like (e.g. graphic novels or magazines or a reading website).

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (Benchmark, 2021).

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Articles

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. One or two times each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: ARTICLES

Articles are a perfect short text.  Found in newspapers (the old-fashioned ones still found in driveways and at newsstands and now also online), in magazines and on websites, they are easy to find and easy to share.  While we all want to be careful about how much of current events we share with children, there are lots of fascinating articles to share with any age group.  Sports stories are often the hook needed to get a reluctant reader interested.  And, if you read about a game you watched or attended, you bring lots of background knowledge to your reading.  We are particular fans of the quirky human interest story: the armored truck with the faulty door that spills thousands of dollars in cash all over the highway or the message in the bottle that washes up a 100 years after it was dropped into the ocean on the other side of the world.  There really is an article for everyone.

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TRY THIS!

Step 1

Find an article you want to share.  There are lots of places to find articles.  One excellent source is your local newspaper.  It is a great source of information about your town or neighborhood and is likely to be filled with issues and events of interest to your young readers.  Local papers usually have online platforms, making it easy to share the article or get a printer-friendly copy in readers’ hands. In addition, there are many online sites to peruse so take a look at the resource list provided below.  

First, select a subject matter that will interest readers.  Consider a:

  • Current event

  • Human interest story

  • Sporting event

  • Historical event (old newspapers also have fascinating articles)

Next, ask yourself, will you and your students read the article:

  • All together?

  • Partially together and partially on their own?

  • On their own?

Step 2

Discuss the article.  There are many ways to guide the discussion such as:

  • Look at the features of the article and talk about their importance. 

    • Headline -- What is this article about?

    • Byline -- Who wrote this article?  Can you figure out their job at the publication?

    • The “Lead” --  How does this article begin?  What’s the pithy sentence or two right at the top to catch readers’ attention?

    • Photograph / Image -- What do you see?  Is there a caption?  If so, what does it teach you?

    • Quotes -- What are some one-liners from the article worth noting?

  • To keep the conversation going, considering asking:

    • What are some facts from this article?

    • Do you have any connections or new ideas based on your reading?

    • What are your opinions about this article?

    • What other questions do you have about what you read? 

Step 3

Ask students to brainstorm a list of interesting topics that they may want to learn more about (such as animals, space, rainforest).  Then, invite students to go on an article hunt and find 1-2 articles related to any of the topics that were generated.  Ask students to share the articles with their peers.  This can lead to high interest, voluminous reading filled with texts curated by students for students.  For more on ways to curate texts to inspire voluminous reading, check out this blog post.

Step 4

Give students opportunities to write their own articles for their peers or for online publication submission.  Check out these two resources:

  • Time for Kids  - A great site which includes articles by grade level. 

  • Google has some free templates that students can use to create their own newspapers. 


FOR MORE  RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

  • DOGO News - A great site that one can search by topic.

  • Scholastic News  - A tried and true publication which is organized by grade level.

  • News For Kids  - Lots of interesting articles organized by date, with the most recent articles at the top.

  • KidsPost  - This the kids’ section of “The Washington Post”. 

  • Teaching Kids News - A site started by a parent and a teacher and geared for grades 2-8.

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Co-Planning: Reading & Writing Mini-Unit Focused on Expert Studies [PART 4]

Written by Julie Wright & Barry Hoonan

HOW WE GOT INTO PROFESSIONAL CAHOOTS WITH ONE ANOTHER

We’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with one another for the past seven years.  We met at a school in Harlem, Julie as an Instructional Coach and Barry as a Model Classroom Teacher and Instructional Coach. Our work continued well past that experience.  With Barry out west and Julie on the east coast, we’ve spent the majority of our years working across 3000 miles.  Highlights include Sunday morning co-planning sessions and co-authoring What Are You Grouping For?, Grades 3-8: How to Guide Small Groups Based on Readers -- Not the Book.  We’ve always enjoyed being THINKING PARTNERS and we believe educators need someone to think beside now, more than ever.

A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS

As we navigate and co-plan learning during the weeks ahead, here are a few shared agreements:

  1. We are not going to edit these videos which means it might be clunky at times.  You might get a barking dog, tech glitches, or family interruptions.  We know you’ll be able to relate and hope you’ll be understanding.

  2. The ideas we share are NOT “the way” or “the right way” -- they are just one way to approach things.  And, we are figuring it out as we go along too. We hope you’ll take the big ideas we are discussing and — adopt, adapt or improve upon them — making them fit your settings, interests and needs. 

  3. We suggest focusing on process -- our work will continue to unfold between video segments.  That’s why if you pop back into our shared document links, you’ll notice changes because we’ll be adding ideas.  That’s because responsive plans evolve across the days and weeks.

HERE’S WHAT WE ARE UP TO

  • Kids have been learning from home for several weeks now.  Barry and Julie have a co-planning routine and they “meet” about 1-2 times each week.  Sometimes we switch on the video, other times we don’t.

  • Barry’s students have settled into a learning from home routine, sort of.  Each week brings about new celebrations and new challenges.  

  • Kiddos are knee-deep in an Expert Studies mini-unit. They are taking a 3-day pause from the unit to experience “camp”. During this time, they would typically spend 3 days out in the woods to experience outdoor exploration and learning as a community. Due to the pandemic, camp will take a different form this year.

THINGS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT NOW

  • How can kiddos use their “camp” experience to fuel the end of the Expert Studies mini-unit?

  • What if kiddos do a 2 minute presentation to a small group focused on their expert study and use that as a dress rehearsal for the end demonstration? If we used this as a mid-process reflection, maybe they could figure out what they need next.

VIDEO

If you are interested in watching a coach and teacher co-plan — working as THINKING PARTNERS in response to the unique times we are currently experiencing — check out this video.

OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES

Our DRAFTY, dynamic, in-motion, evolving plans: Co-Planning: Julie & Barry

Planning Templates: Co-planning Templates

Small Group Plans: Small Group Reading & Writing Lesson Plans to Adopt, Adapt or Improve [During Remote/Distance Learning]

Interested in post-it note planning, check out one of these resources: Chapter 8 & 9 Resources from What Are You Grouping For?, Grades 3-8: How to Guide Small Groups Based on Readers -- Not the Book.

BARRY’S REFLECTIONS

  • We’ve got small groups meeting. Do we need to switch them up or would it be beneficial to keep them the same?

  • How, when, where can I use some co-created texts from last year [Barbie study] to inspire the work in this mini-study?

  • I need to collect artifacts from last year’s students and use them as models for anyone who needs them.

JULIE’S REFLECTIONS

  • How can we use the ideas in this Expert Study mini-unit to ignite summer reading, writing, and talking about things that you find interesting?

  • What will kiddos do this summer in lieu of some typical summer activities? Are there new ways to host “meet ups” or “check ins” for kiddos who want and/or need it?

WANT TO SUBMIT A QUESTION or CONNECT WITH US?

If something we’ve shared inspires new ideas or ignites some questions, reach out to us using THIS FORM and we’ll do our best to get back to you!

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Short Stories

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. One or two times each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: SHORT STORIES

Short stories provide lots of benefits for readers of all ages, one being they are short! Or  Short stories provide lots of benefits for readers of all ages.   For one thing, they are short!  They are usually fast-paced with a single-plot.  Short stories have other benefits too. Readers can read from start to finish, avoiding the struggle of failure to launch and failure to finish.  Short stories give readers opportunities to try new genres and authors.  Short stories are portable, tradable, can easily be read several times, and can be a path to reading longer texts.  Short stories are a great resource to use in flexible, small groups where kiddos have many opportunities for reading, writing, and talking opportunities!

We get jazzed up by short stories -- both stand alone stories and those collected in anthologies.  We would be remiss if we neglected to mention a favorite short story type called a picture book.  We wrote about picture books -- check it out here.  Take a look at some of our favorite short story anthologies.  They are sure to pique students’ interests, inspire reading more and more often, and create culturally responsive reading opportunities for students across grade levels.  

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LINKS TO THESE TITLES

Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance by Jason Reynolds, Samira Ahmed, et al.

Guys Write for Guys Read: Boys' Favorite Authors Write About Being Boys by Jon Scieszka

Fresh Ink: An Anthology by Lamar Giles

Baseball in April and Other Stories by Gary Soto 

Flying Lessons & Other Stories by Ellen Oh

A Stage Full of Shakespeare Stories (World Full Of...) by Angela McAllister

Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices by S. K. Ali and Aisha Saeed

Funny Girl: Funniest. Stories. Ever. by Betsy Bird

5-Minute Marvel Stories (5-Minute Stories) by Marvel Press Book Group, Brandon Snider, et al.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Find a short story you want to share.  There are lots of ways to share a short story.  Ask yourself, will you share the short story:

  • As a read aloud?

  • As a text for shared reading?

  • With a small group?

  • With an individual student?

Next, ask yourself, will you and your students read the short story:

  • All together?

  • Partially together and partially on your own?

  • On your own?

Then, ask yourself, will you and your students:

  • Read just for the sake of reading?

  • Jot some notes, draw some images, write about what you are thinking or wondering about your reading?

Finally, ask yourself, will you and your students talk about the short story:

  • All together during the whole group?

  • In a half group?

  • In small groups?

  • One-to-one between teacher and student?

Step 2

Find other short stories that students will enjoy reading.  Check out these online resources:

Step 3

Select other short stories you want students to read.  Decide:

  • Will all students read the same short story?

  • Will students have choices in the short stories they read?

  • Will students go on a hunt and find [or curate] short stories for their peers to read?

Step 4

Consider giving students opportunities to write their own short story for their peers or for online publication submission.  Here are some publications that accept short stories written by students:

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!


COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Co-planning a Mini-Unit to Wrap Up the Year with JOY!

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Shannon for the last few years. We share a common love of books and we are both self-proclaimed pen snobs — meaning we are both “pen-picky” and enjoy trying to convince one another that our favorite pen type is the best. Shannon is a continual learner — with an ongoing stream of inquiry. She’s a joy to co-plan with because she exudes happiness as she noodles ideas, thinks through wonderings, and creates ways to support her students — and her learning community — in collaborative, heart-felt ways.

A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS

A few shared agreements:

  • As I co-plan with teachers, I’m not going to spend much time, if any, editing the videos.  This means it might be clunky at times.  You might get a barking dog, tech glitches, or family interruptions.  I hope you’ll be able to relate. Thank you, in advance, for assuming best intentions and for your understanding. In addition, not everything we do together is recorded.

  • The ideas shared in these videos are NOT “the way” or “the right way” -- they are just one way to approach the work.  I hope you’ll spend some time actively studying the co-planning conversation. As you listen, take stock of the ASSETS that emerge from the conversation.  Think about:

    • What’s the WHY behind our work?  

    • What moves are we trying to make in service of students?

    • Name the implications for your work going forward.  What might you adopt or adapt to fit your setting, interests, and/or needs?

  • Focus on process versus end product.  The work will continue to unfold even if it’s not captured on video segments.  If you check back into our shared documents, you’ll notice changes because our work is dynamic, not static, and will evolve across time.

HERE’S WHAT WE ARE UP TO

  • Shannon’s students have settled into a learning from home routine and are launching into their 8th week. Each week brings about new celebrations and new challenges.  

  • Shannon wants her students to end the year with a mini-poetry unit, celebrating reading and writing!

THINGS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT NOW

  • How do the enduring practices we use in the classroom translate -- or not -- to remote/digital learning from home?

  • What’s the WHY behind this mini-poetry unit?

  • What’s going to get kiddos jazzed up about reading and writing poetry?

  • What end demonstrations or learning celebrations can we co-create with students to honor their work?

VIDEO

If you are interested in watching a coach and teacher co-plan — working as THINKING PARTNERS in response to the unique times we are currently experiencing — check out this video.

SOME REFLECTIONS

  • What poem types will be new/unfamiliar to students?  What poem types will feel like “old friends”?

  • Will students write poetry on paper or on the computer?  They have options so I’m wondering what they will choose?  

  • Will students illustrate some of the poems they write?

  • Is there a way to help students collect all of the poems they are reading and writing [a binder or folder] to keep them organized at home?  If so, maybe they could be used to inspire reading/re-reading poetry over the summer.

OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES

Our DRAFTY, dynamic, in-motion, evolving plans: Julie & Shannon: Co-planning Mini-Poetry Unit

Small Group Plans:  Small Group Reading & Writing Lesson Plans to Adopt, Adapt or Improve [During Remote/Distance Learning]

Short Texts at Your Fingertips:  Poetry

If you want to learn more about Shannon’s classroom, check out her blog!

IDEAS TO CHEW ON

As most educators would agree, working from a distance is not the same as in-person experiences. In my work as a consultant, it’s not unusual for me to work across the miles with teachers. In fact, most of my consulting contracts include some form of this type of professional learning, particularly as we prepare for our work together in the classroom. Planning and working across the miles is how we often get a jump-start to our work together. The difference, of course, is the work we are typically planning is NOT from a distance. So, that is where we are trying to make a shift.

I’m in good company when I say we are all kind of tired of this by now. However, with so many unknowns about what school will — or should — look like in the fall, we are using this spring as a dress rehearsal of sorts. We are asking:

  • What’s working? What’s clunky?

  • Who are we reaching and supporting in ways that are making a difference?

  • Who are we concerned about? What don’t we know that we should know?

  • How will we stay connected and minimize the “distance” that separates us?

  • How will we create compelling, sophisticated learning experiences that take into account our foundational beliefs and practices in ways that nature and inspire students?

Two pieces I’ve recently written that might be of interest are:

Until next time — keep at it! You’ve got a whole crew of educators cheering you on because we know the spirit and camaraderie surrounds us all! Reach out if you’d like to chat about ways I might be of service and support your efforts!

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Poetry

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: POETRY

Poems are the quintessential short text.  Easy to find and usually under a page in length, poems are our “go-tos” for lots of reasons.  Sometimes we use poems in the classroom whenever we need a little something extra or we use them as part of a poetry unit.  We always have a few poems on deck and now is the perfect time to bring them out.  There are poems about every subject imaginable and almost as many types of poems to read or write about them.  There are rhyming poems and odes and poems for two voices.  There are so many different types, we could really write many blog posts about poetry.  For today we are going to think about just two: concrete poems and acrostic poems.  Both are easy to understand, easy to write and easy to love. 

An anthology — or collection of poems — is a great resource to encourage voluminous reading. You’ll find anthologies that are filled with one particular type or various types of poems. Some anthologies are authored by one poet while others by many. …

An anthology — or collection of poems — is a great resource to encourage voluminous reading. You’ll find anthologies that are filled with one particular type or various types of poems. Some anthologies are authored by one poet while others by many. And, poetry anthologies can be about one subject — such as sports, weather, or honoring important people — and others are filled with poems about various topics. You can’t go wrong with a poetry anthology — there’s something for everyone!

TWO TYPES OF POEMS

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TRY THIS!

Step 1

Find a poem or poems to share.  We suggest you introduce one type at a time (i.e. get to know and understand concrete poems before moving onto another type of poem).

Some places to look:

  • Poetry books you may have on your bookshelf

  • Go online (So many to find!).  See the resources below.

  • Write your own.

Step 2

Study the poem or poems you have chosen. Things to consider:

  • Will you show the poem first?  Or read it first?  Both approaches have advantages.  Note: we usually show both of these types of poems before reading the words because the visual is such an important aspect of these particular forms.

  • Ask the readers what they notice about the way the poem looks.

  • Ask the readers what they notice about the words of the poem.

  • After studying one poem, readers can start to shape (pun intended!) their own definition of this type of poetry.

Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.  Here are some examples:

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Step 4

Look for other concrete or acrostic poems and read those too!  You could also consider:

  • Write a concrete or acrostic poem and perform / read your poem to others.  Make sure you display or show your poem too!

  • Writing an acrostic poem for each of your readers (a quick poem to brighten up their day)

  • Use the acrostic or concrete poem builder app (listed in resources below) to generate a poem.

  • Use a “found” word as the foundation of an acrostic poem

Other Fun Poetry Types to Try:

  • Haikus

  • Limericks

  • Free Verse 

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

Acrostic Poems

Concrete Poems

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

CO-AUTHOR: ELIZABETH KEIM

Elizabeth Keim is a New York City based educator with more than 25 years of experience. She is currently an AIS Reading Teacher/Reading Recovery teacher for a school in Mamaroneck, New York. Previously she taught in District 2 in Manhattan,  serving as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, and library teacher. In each of these roles,  she knows that, "it is all about finding a text that truly captures a particular reader."  She has taught Undergraduate and Graduate level courses at New York University and Bank Street College of Education, as well as workshops for teachers and parents.  An avid birder, Elizabeth enjoys her time in Central Park every spring and fall. Her most thrilling sightings to date are: A rare Kirtland's warbler and the tutti frutti colored Summer Tanager.

Screen Shot 2020-04-30 at 8.28.32 PM.png

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Trivia

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: TRIVIA

Did you know that the singular form of trivia is trivium? Did you also know that in Latin trivia means “triple way” because long ago European students learned about three disciplines which included grammar, logic, and rhetoric.  Did you also know that the term trivia dates back to 1589 and has been references by many as insignificant pieces of information, The big question is whether you agree with Merriam-Webster’s definition that trivia is “unimportant facts, matters, or details” or if you believe trivia holds a significant place in our knowledge stream or if you believe that trivia is a fascinating and worthy pursuit.   Regardless, trivia is everywhere, it’s at your fingertips, and is one short text type that grows exponentially by the day.  

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TRY THIS!

Step 1

Think about where you can find trivia that will entertain, inform and inspire readers. 

  • Do you already know some trivia that you could share?

  • Do you have trivia books on your shelves?

  • Do you have magazines that include trivia?

  • Do you have online access where you can find trivia that piques interests?

  • There is often a page of “extra” facts (aka trivia) at the end of a nonfiction picture book.  

Step 2

Find trivia to share.  Things to consider:

  • Will you share trivia about one topic, such as sports or food, or multiple topics?

  • Will you ask students to find trivia to share?  Do you need to create shared agreements about what types of trivia are appropriate?

  • Will you share trivia as a regular routine at the beginning or end of the day [or class period] OR will you create a learning progression across a few days using trivia?

  • Once you’ve selected trivia to share, take a closer look and think about other reading, writing, and talking opportunities are tucked inside this short text. 

Sometimes trivia is set up in different formats.  Here are two examples:

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Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.  Here are some examples:

Screen Shot 2020-05-12 at 6.02.19 PM.png

Step 4

Look for other trivia that you find and read those too!  You could also consider:

  • Sharing a Fun Fact [trivium] during breakfast [families] or during a morning/class meeting [educators] each day.

  • Hosting a trivia day or night.

  • Asking students to do a mini-research project about a topic of interest and write trivia to share with others.

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

Books

Games & More

Online Resources

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Field Guides

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: FIELD GUIDES

Field guides are generally used to identify something in nature.  There are field guides available for endless subjects: birds, butterflies, trees, mushrooms, rocks and minerals- we could go on and on.  A field guide presents lots of  information and facts to help teach how to identify a particular species or type within a group.  Many of us have at least one field guide on our bookshelf and this is the perfect opportunity to dust it off and use it as a short text!  If you don’t have a field guide of your own, there are plenty of online resources to access.

Screen Shot 2020-05-07 at 4.11.11 PM.png

VIDEO 

If you’d like to see a short video on how to use field guides to entertain, inform, and inspire watch here.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Take a look at your bookshelf.  Maybe there is a field guide waiting there.  If there is more than one, pick the one about the subject most interesting to you.   If you don’t have a physical field guide, find one online (see the resource list below).  Thumb through the guide and orient yourself to its structure and features.  Field guides are designed to be used as a quick reference (possibly in the field).   Decide which entry/entries  you want to look at more closely.   

Some things to consider:

  • How is this particular guidebook set-up?

    • Are there sections? 

    • Are the entries organized by type, by color, by region?

  • Look through the first part of the book.  This is usually where the structure of the book is explained and some important facts are provided.

  • Think about how you might use the guide if you were outside. 

    • Would you want to mark particular pages for easy reference?

  • Consider how this book is meant to be used.  

    • Does the author intend for it to be read cover to cover?

Step 2

Take a closer look at a specific entry in your field guide.

Here are two different examples:

Screen Shot 2020-05-07 at 4.13.52 PM.png

Here’s what we noticed:

  • The bird guide on the left uses bold headings to identify characteristics about a bird.  It includes a map and it is organized by color (see the oval on the top right).

  • The bird guide on the right shows similar species together on the same page.  Arrows show the most distinguishing marks.  On the opposing page there is information about each bird.

  • Both examples give distinguishing characteristics of the object featured.

  • Some guides have photographs, some use illustrations.

Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type:

Reading  Ideas  

  • Compare entries in two different field guides (see above). How are they the same?  How are they different?

  • Look at  field guides about two different things (for example birds and mushrooms). What is included in both?  What features are particular to the thing being studied? 

  • Explore new vocabulary words.  Are there words you have never seen or heard before?  How can you find what they mean?

  • Learn how to use other text features including the Table of Contents, Index and Glossary.

Writing  Ideas  

  • Write your own field guide entry for the guide you have.  Use the features and structure of the guide to help you.

  • Write your own field guide about a subject you know well.

    • You could write about a habitat you know well (e.g., your bedroom, the kitchen).

    • You could write about a category of things (e.g., your stuffed animals, tools used to draw and write).

  • Use the field guide to add details to another piece of writing (e.g., include a more detailed description of what a character sees).

  • Start a “Life List” for the subject in the field guide (e.g., record your personal sightings).

 Talking  Ideas 

  • Consider who wrote this field guide?  How did the author prepare to write this book?  How is the preparation different than it would be to write a fiction picture book?

  • Compare the illustrations to a photograph.  What are the advantages to a photograph?  What can the illustration show that a photograph cannot?

  • Discuss who uses field guides and when?  

  • Compare field guides and think about what background knowledge a reader needs to use the guide.  Are different guides written for people with different background knowledge?

Step 4

Look for other field guides and explore those too!

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

To find a field guide about virtually anything, go online and type “free online field guide about_______”. Here are some examples you might enjoy.

To find more general information about field guides, check this out.

Check this out if you are interested in some fun, simple printable field guides for kids.

For more ideas about creating your own field guide, check this out.

CO-AUTHOR: ELIZABETH KEIM

Elizabeth Keim is a New York City based educator with more than 25 years of experience. She is currently an AIS Reading Teacher/Reading Recovery teacher for a school in Mamaroneck, New York. Previously she taught in District 2 in Manhattan,  serving as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, and library teacher. In each of these roles,  she knows that, "it is all about finding a text that truly captures a particular reader."  She has taught Undergraduate and Graduate level courses at  New York University and Bank Street College of Education, as well as workshops for teachers and parents.  An avid birder, Elizabeth enjoys her time in Central Park every spring and fall. Her most thrilling sightings to date are: A rare Kirtland's warbler and the tutti frutti colored Summer Tanager.

Screen Shot 2020-04-30 at 8.28.32 PM.png

Co-Planning: Reading & Writing Mini-Unit Focused on Expert Studies [PART 3]

Written by Julie Wright & Barry Hoonan

HOW WE GOT INTO PROFESSIONAL CAHOOTS WITH ONE ANOTHER

We’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with one another for the past seven years.  We met at a school in Harlem, Julie as an Instructional Coach and Barry as a Model Classroom Teacher and Instructional Coach. Our work continued well past that experience.  With Barry out west and Julie on the east coast, we’ve spent the majority of our years working across 3000 miles.  Highlights include Sunday morning co-planning sessions and co-authoring What Are You Grouping For?, Grades 3-8: How to Guide Small Groups Based on Readers -- Not the Book.  We’ve always enjoyed being THINKING PARTNERS and we believe educators need someone to think beside now, more than ever.

A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS

As we navigate and co-plan learning during the weeks ahead, here are a few shared agreements:

  1. We are not going to edit these videos which means it might be clunky at times.  You might get a barking dog, tech glitches, or family interruptions.  We know you’ll be able to relate and hope you’ll be understanding.

  2. The ideas we share are NOT “the way” or “the right way” -- they are just one way to approach things.  And, we are figuring it out as we go along too. We hope you’ll take the big ideas we are discussing and — adopt, adapt or improve upon them — making them fit your settings, interests and needs. 

  3. We suggest focusing on process -- our work will continue to unfold between video segments.  That’s why if you pop back into our shared document links, you’ll notice changes because we’ll be adding ideas.  That’s because responsive plans evolve across the days and weeks.

HERE’S WHAT WE ARE UP TO

  • Kids have been learning from home for several weeks now.  Barry and Julie have a co-planning routine and they “meet” about 1-2 times each week. 

  • Barry’s students have settled into a learning from home routine, sort of.  Each week brings about new celebrations and new challenges.  

  • We just wrapped up a mini-writing unit focused on Greek mythology.  Kiddos spent 2 weeks reading Greek myths and then they worked on narrative writing with a twist of Greek mythology.

  • Up next—a reading and writing unit focused on Expert Studies.

THINGS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT NOW

  • How does workshop play out in terms of synchronous and asynchronous learning?

  • How can mentor texts that we choose and that students choose be used to support learning?

  • When, where, why, and how will students meet in small breakout groups over the next week?

  • How can student work be used for a minilesson using a digital platform?

  • How can doing our own assignment [as teachers] become models/minilessons to use for instruction?

VIDEO

If you are interested in watching a coach and teacher co-plan — working as THINKING PARTNERS in response to the unique times we are currently experiencing — check out this video.

In this video, we briefly reflect on this week's plans. Then, we think through a process for responding to students using as asset-based approach. Finally, we begin noodling plans for an upcoming Expert Studies mini-unit.

RESPONSE TO STUDENTS

Whether we are face-to-face or facilitating digital/remote learning opportunities, our response to students matters. Thinking together about ways to support students is an important coach-teacher conversation. Here’s one way to think together to noodle plans for supporting students that starts with students’ assets. Note: It’s important to think about ALL students, not just students who may appear to need extra support due to deficits or weaknesses.

Ask: Who is on your worry / wonder list?

Screen Shot 2020-05-06 at 8.45.45 AM.png

OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES

Our DRAFTY, dynamic, in-motion, evolving plans: Co-Planning: Julie & Barry

Planning Templates: Co-planning Templates

Small Group Plans: Small Group Reading & Writing Lesson Plans to Adopt, Adapt or Improve [During Remote/Distance Learning]

Interested in post-it note planning, check out one of these resources: Chapter 8 & 9 Resources from What Are You Grouping For?, Grades 3-8: How to Guide Small Groups Based on Readers -- Not the Book.

BARRY’S REFLECTIONS

  • I am still thinking about the different ways to plan for the Expert Studies mini-unit. I’m thinking about our work during shared experiences and independent work time.

  • I need to make a list of end demonstration ideas for this new mini-unit and if I will co-construct ideas with students.

  • I am going to begin with the WHY when I share this new mini-unit with students.

JULIE’S REFLECTIONS

  • For the kiddos on Barry’s worry/wonder list, did his response plan yield the desired results?

  • What topics did Barry’s kiddos choose for their Expert Studies? What are the end demonstration choices?

  • With only 2 “days” to teach reading and 2 “days” to teach writing, what are the short and long-term impacts for students’ knowledge, skills and understandings? As a multi-age teacher, how will Barry [and his colleagues] respond in the fall? How will this response be similar or different for single grade classrooms?

WANT TO SUBMIT A QUESTION or CONNECT WITH US?

If something we’ve shared inspires new ideas or ignites some questions, reach out to us using THIS FORM and we’ll do our best to get back to you!

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Game Directions

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: GAME DIRECTIONS

If you are like us, we have favorite go-to games that get played over and over again and some games that we hardly take off the shelf.  Often, that’s because it’s easier to grab the game that we love and already know how to play versus new and unfamiliar ones. Card games, board games, dice games, puzzle games, cooperative games, and more...all include a short text in the form of a set of directions that create reading opportunities galore!   

Screen Shot 2020-05-05 at 3.33.05 PM.png

A messy, but game-filled, shelf filled with oodles of directions to read and enjoy!

VIDEO 

If you’d like to see a short video on how to use game directions to entertain, inform, and inspire watch.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Take a look at your game shelves.  Grab any card, board, or dice game that sounds like fun and that you want to play.  If you don’t have any board or card games, you can look for games online and take a look at the resources below for some ideas. Once you find the game you want to play, pull out the directions and preview them.  Decide if you want to read the directions once all the way through or read them one section at a time.  Consider asking:

  • What do you notice about how the directions are set up?

  • Do the directions have headings or subheadings that help you navigate the text?

Dice, card and board games are great because they are easily transportable and can be played in many places.  We are tired of being inside, so we’re taking some of our games outside.

Screen Shot 2020-05-05 at 11.48.51 AM.png

Step 2

Take a closer look at the game directions. Here’s an example of some game directions we love.  

Screen Shot 2020-05-05 at 11.55.36 AM.png

Here’s what we noticed:

  • The directions are folded like a leaflet or flyer.

  • There are a few headings that help us orient to the game such as Object, Setup, Get Ready.

  • The game directions are listed in numbered steps.

  • There are colorful images that help demonstrate what the text is talking about.

This text is filled with reading, writing and talking opportunities.  For example, you could:

  • Play the game a few times and then read further to learn about Other Ways to Play.

  • Compare this 2-player version to the original Rubik’s Cube puzzle.

  • Visit the website of the Original Rubik’s Cube to learn about different types of Rubik’s Cubes and lots of hints, tips and challenges.

  • Read about and watch short clips on Speedcubing to learn about the world record holder for solving the Rubik’s Cube in the shortest amount of time. 

Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.

Reading  Ideas  

  • Depending on the difficulty of the game, reread or revisit the game directions as needed.  

  • Compare directions from one game to another.  How are they similar?  How are they different?

  • Pick a game -- one that you enjoy, one that is challenging, or one that has you intrigued -- research the history of the game.

    • Who is it made by?

    • Has the company been around for a long time?

    • What other games do they make?

  • If the directions are written in more than one language, compare the sets of directions.

Writing  Ideas  

  • Rewrite some of the directions to your favorite game, making changes that you think would make the game even better.

  • Write, draw or redesign the game box or container.  What would you keep the same?  What would you change?  

  • Create your own game, including writing the directions.

  • Write a game review for your favorite or least favorite game.

Talking  Ideas 

  • Share the strategies you used to play the game.

  • Talk about your favorite types of games and explain why you like them.

  • Talk about your least favorite types of games and explain why you don’t like them.

  • Discuss the games you know how to play without any written directions such as 20 Questions, I Spy, The License Plate Game, and Hopscotch.  How did you learn to play them?

Step 4

Look for other images that you find and read those too! 

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

  • Check out some of the largest game companies for types of games, interesting facts, and different versions of the same game.

  • There are a lot of games online.  We suggest searching for the types of games that pique the interests and needs of the players.  Some criteria you can use as you search include:

    • Age Ranges [Ex. Ages 7 and up]

    • School [Ex. Preschool, Elementary]

    • Type [Ex. Card, Dice]

    • Number of Players [Ex. 2 Players]

    • Difficulty Level [Ex. Novice, Experienced, Expert]

    • Ratings [Ex. 1 Star, 2, Stars]

  • Other sites you might find helpful for online games include:

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Co-Planning: Mini-Writing Unit [PART 2]

Written by Julie Wright & Barry Hoonan

HOW WE GOT INTO PROFESSIONAL CAHOOTS WITH ONE ANOTHER

We’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with one another for the past seven years.  We met at a school in Harlem, Julie as an Instructional Coach and Barry as a Model Classroom Teacher and Instructional Coach. Our work continued well past that experience.  With Barry out west and Julie on the east coast, we’ve spent the majority of our years working across 3000 miles.  Highlights include Sunday morning co-planning sessions and co-authoring What Are You Grouping For?, Grades 3-8: How to Guide Small Groups Based on Readers -- Not the Book.  We’ve always enjoyed being THINKING PARTNERS and we believe educators need someone to think beside now, more than ever.

A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS

As we navigate and co-plan learning during the weeks ahead, here are a few shared agreements:

  1. We are not going to edit these videos which means it might be clunky at times.  You might get a barking dog, tech glitches, or family interruptions.  We know you’ll be able to relate and hope you’ll be understanding.

  2. The ideas we share are NOT “the way” or “the right way” -- they are just one way to approach things.  And, we are figuring it out as we go along too. We hope you’ll take the big ideas we are discussing and — adopt, adapt or improve upon them — making them fit your settings, interests and needs. 

  3. We suggest focusing on process -- our work will continue to unfold between video segments.  That’s why if you pop back into our shared document links, you’ll notice changes because we’ll be adding ideas.  That’s because responsive plans evolve across the days and weeks.

HERE’S WHAT WE ARE UP TO

  • Kids have been learning from home for several weeks now.  Barry and Julie have a co-planning routine and they “meet” about 2 times each week. 

  • Barry’s students have settled into a learning from home routine, sort of.  Each week brings about new celebrations and new challenges.  

  • We are co-planning a mini-writing unit focused on Greek mythology.  Kiddos spent the last 2 weeks reading Greek myths.  This writing mini-unit isn’t about research, it’s about narrative writing with a twist of Greek mythology.

THINGS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT NOW

  • How does workshop play out in terms of synchronous and asynchronous learning?

  • How can mentor texts that we choose and that students choose be used to support learning?

  • When, where, why, and how will students meet in small breakout groups over the next week?

  • How can student work be used for a minilesson using a digital platform?

VIDEO

If you are interested in watching a coach and teacher co-plan — working as THINKING PARTNERS in response to the unique times we are currently experiencing — check out this video.

OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES

Our DRAFTY, dynamic, in-motion, evolving plans: Writing Mini-Unit [Greek Mythology]

Planning Templates: Co-planning Templates

Small Group Plans: Small Group Reading & Writing Lesson Plans to Adopt, Adapt or Improve [During Remote/Distance Learning]

BARRY’S REFLECTIONS

  • I am thinking about how to co-construct 'what counts .... what are we going after' in this integrated writing project. Should we have a discussion? Should we jot down a couple of ideas first?

  • I am considering whether I should read through all student writing this weekend or pair them up and ask each small group to find two pluses in their writing partner's work.

JULIE’S REFLECTIONS

  • Who is on the worry / wondering list? What’s our response?

  • Will small groups continue to be grade based [5th and 6th] or will we mix it up?

  • Thinking ahead — what’s next after this mini-writing unit?

WANT TO SUBMIT A QUESTION or CONNECT WITH US?

If something we’ve shared inspires new ideas or ignites some questions, reach out to us using THIS FORM and we’ll do our best to get back to you!

Our North Star: Building Relationships & Collaboration Through Asset-Based Protocols

Barry and I have been colleagues for the last 6 years. We first met while supporting a school in Harlem and then continued our work across the miles — coast to coast — through Sunday morning co-planning calls and writing. We are a great pair because we’ve nudged one another to think deeply about the things that matter to our practices and we hold inquiry and assets at our center. One of the best parts about our work together is the bridge we’ve created between our professional and personal lives. It’s pretty typical for Barry and I to launch or end our planning calls with, “what’s happening with the family?” type of dialogue. We work hard at keeping it real — real people, real lives, real work. We wouldn’t have it any other way. It doesn’t hurt, either, that we really dig each other’s spouses and kids—what blessings they are to each of us!

So, why all this chatter about our connection? For us, relationships, collaboration, and working with an asset-based mindset matters. We’ve worked to put our beliefs about learning, both with adults and students alike, into practice. Specifically, we believe learning is maximized when:

  • we build lasting RELATIONSHIPS with our colleagues

  • we work toward COLLECTIVE GOALS with SHARED AGREEMENTS about how to get where we are going

  • we catch the good — going after ASSET-BASED PROTOCOLS — always

  • we approach all problems of practice through MULTIPLE ENTRY POINTS

  • we create learning environments where everyone has something to GIVE and everyone has something they can GET

  • we use REFLECTION to look back in order to create steps forward

About once or twice a year, Barry and I try to live out our beliefs by working and learning alongside one another in the same space. Whether that’s Barry making his way east to take a class in NYC or my heading west to learn in his classroom, thinking and planning together has been a cornerstone of our work.

A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of co-hosting a Learning Lab in Barry’s classroom. The classroom organization and culture, his students, and students’ work became our text for learning. Because collaboration is central to our work, we invited some colleagues to join us. It’s hard to really capture all of the beauty that came about — individually and collectively —from participants. What follows is a snapshot from our Bainbridge Island Learning Lab experience.

Reflection: Our educational North Stars are the things that help us hold steady while other things [priorities, initiatives] continue to move and change. Defining and living within your professional North Star helps you stay grounded in your work, regardless of what comes your way.

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Reflection: Using asset-based protocols — catching the good — when observing a classroom builds relationships, fosters trust and safely for everyone involved.

A big thank you to my friend and mentor, Sam Bennett, for sharing this protocol with me 10 years ago. It worked then and it still works today!

A big thank you to my friend and mentor, Sam Bennett, for sharing this protocol with me 10 years ago. It worked then and it still works today!

Teachers kidwatching — using a note catcher to collect asset-based evidence.

Teachers kidwatching — using a note catcher to collect asset-based evidence.

Reflection: Being clear with how time will be used across a workshop — both for yourself as the facilitator of learning and for the kiddos — is directly linked to student independence.

Posted in Barry’s classroom and revisited at the beginning of workshop.

Posted in Barry’s classroom and revisited at the beginning of workshop.

Reflection: Creating efficient, effective and sustainable systems and structures for noting student observations —as you study and interact with students in whole group, small group, and 1:1 — is a key ingredient for future, instructional decision-making.

Graph paper + student headshots + clipboard + pen!

Graph paper + student headshots + clipboard + pen!

Reflection: If we believe in EYES ON PRINT, EYES ON PRINT, EYES ON PRINT, then choice in text type + seating makes a BIG difference for kiddos buying in and settling in for independent reading time.

Who wouldn’t want to dive into a text when you can sit around the “family room” to read!

Who wouldn’t want to dive into a text when you can sit around the “family room” to read!

Reflection: Biographies come in lots of shapes, sizes, and lengths. Sometimes reading lots of short texts builds reading volume in ways that one long chapter book biography can’t. Giving kiddos the choice is important.

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Reflection: When students hold their thinking, it gives them opportunities to make meaning of the texts they are reading.

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Reflection: Conferring with students provides insights and is one of the most meaningful, on-the-spot forms of formative assessment.

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Reflection: One of the most powerful parts of a Learning Lab is the reflection that follows — cracking open the thinking behind the planning & instructional moves. It’s that metacognition that helps others imagine the implications for their work going forward.

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Reflection: Sometimes we write to make sense and/or solidify our thinking or reflections. If you’d like to read some of Barry’s reflections after this Learning Lab, check this out!

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