Hello everyone! In light of the tragedies facing the world and America today, I found it timely to bring this talk to teachers. I don't believe there has ever been a time in modern history when our students need to be doing what matters most—exploring their thoughts and reflecting on the ideas, experiences, and lives of others.

To help give us the tools to empower students in such a way, I brought on my friend Travis Crowder to discuss his approach to reading workshop, and more specifically, his use of journals as tools for student reflection.

If you've ever struggled with keeping a journal or binder neat (or useful), or wondered if there was a better way to get kids invested in their reading, this is the podcast for you.

Travis Crowder is the co-author of Sparks in the Dark, and his latest book, Reflective Readers is out now (and it is FANTASTIC.)

This episode originally appeared as episode #166.