April and I dig into two paths: that of a teacher working to grow students and that of a teacher leader working to partner with and support teachers on their journey in the classroom. The perspective that April brings is vast: 20 years teaching Kindergarten, mentor, literacy coach, curriculum writer, coordinator, professor. Her ability to live by Maya Angelou's words, "Do the best you can until you know better, and then when you know better do better," has driven her from her years in the classroom and now her years outside of the classroom supporting those in it. We must take in the research, listen to the other side of the argument, be willing to make shifts, reflect and reevaluate our toolbox, because the work we're doing is supporting student growth.

Resources mentioned:

Disrupting Gendered Pedagogies in the Early Childhood by April Larremore

Six Ways to Bring Reading Science Alive by Jan Burkins and Kari Yates

To the Classroom Podcast by Jennifer Serravallo

Reading Strategies 2.0 by Jennifer Serravallo

Active View of Reading research by Nell Duke and Kelly Cartwright

From a student who knew two languages, and had a 3rd grade teacher who unlocked the power behind that, to a district leader who works to ensure that teachers have the tools and understanding to create bilingual students. Emelia Ahmed shares exactly what it looks like and means to develop emergent bilingual students and unlock their understanding that bilingualism is a superpower. Join us as we talk about:

• Being a sequential versus simultaneous Spanish speaker
• Dual language programs
• How important the Spanish language block and English Language Development time is
• And, how in order to reach biliteracy we must create a systematic and explicit program that provides students translanguaging opportunities or opportunities to bridge skills from English to Spanish through teacher pedagogy and student activities (Ofelia Garcia's work on translanguaging).

Resources mentioned:

Side-by-side TEKS for Spanish and English

Laurel Dunn shares Leander ISDs literacy purpose "attitudes and aptitude" and how the district leaders and teachers work to be firm in their literacy beliefs and values but flexible in how they address the needs of each student. They work to align their beliefs with day-to-day action: the district provides the framework and the resources, so teachers can use that, but then they can be responsive to the students' individual and unique needs. They've created a clear literacy statement, vision, and mission for every literacy classroom: Opportunity, Access, Responsive Teaching : the OAR gets you there. And this summer, they're hosting their first annual Lit. Love Symposium to showcase those beliefs and actions and celebrate the joy and love of literacy.

Books that Laurel referenced (and would love to give away if she were with you):

Reading Wellness by Jan Burkins and Kim Yaris

Think Again by Adam Grants

The Teacher you Want to Be Essays about Children, Learning, and Teaching Matt Glover & Ellin Oliver Keene

The Gift of Story by John Schu

How can you find her (and others you should follow):

Twitter: @laureldunnlisd

Instagram follows:

@ldunn458

Kid Publishers

Big People

@mrschureads

The work that Brea did as a teacher, then Instructional Coach, and most recently Coordinator in Frisco ISD has shaped her philosophy on how systems can foster success. Her district was able to leverage the TEKS revision/materials adoption of 2018/2019 to create cohesion and connectedness across the district. By adopting reading, writing, and phonics curriculum, developing an internal 3-5 phonics program, and supplementing resources where needed, they've been able to sustain a system of workshop that provides structure and a framework for teachers, but also allows for flexibility and choice for both teachers and students. Teachers take what the district provides, provide parameters, and scaffold for students as needed. Teaching reading is complex and working to create consistency across a 43 elementary school district is challenging, but the motivation in both teachers and students, agency created in students, empowerment students feel makes it all worth it. Choice with support can create volume in what students are reading and writing. In looking ahead, consider your systems and how they're serving you and where are places to provide choice?

Find Brea on Twitter: @BreaKJones3

Podcast mentioned: Indra Nooyi CEO at Pepsi Co Leaders Zoom out and Zoom in

https://www.masterclass.com/classes/indra-nooyi-teaches-leading-with-purpose/chapters/zooming-in-and-zooming-out

As a current Director of English Language Arts & Reading in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, Susan shares the good and hard work that they're doing with teachers and for students. Using research as their guide, CFB works to revise and refine their practice through Professional Learning Communities, embedded professional development opportunities for teachers, coaching, and partnerships between district and campus admin. While maintaining their reading, writing, and phonics workshop structure, teachers work to know their students by name and by need and use formal and informal assessments to guide their instruction. We know that if a student isn't on grade level by third grade their future trajectory could be bleak. This district is working together, making shifts in their practice, and assessing themselves and their work along the way, in an effort to fill gaps and reach every student. Susan tells us that the work isn't done, but CFB is well on their way.

Join me as Debbie and I dig into her work with districts as a literacy consultant. Supporting district and teacher leaders is a passion, but continuing to grow as a learner, by looking at and implementing brain research is key to success. Read Alouds started as an experience for Debbie in her education, but moved into a focus area in her work because of their ability to spring board teachers into vocabulary and word work. Knowing how powerful that whole group instruction is, but translating information from the Texas Reading Academies (and everything else teachers are given) into action is hard, but listening to Debbie talk about expanding the use of the "small group reading table" in teacher's classrooms to support all learners and all needs feels exactly right. The table is more than a guided reading table, it can be used to support phonics work, decoding, fluency, shared reading, and vocabulary, in addition to the work being done through guided reading. Being responsive and prescriptive is key, and focusing on the behaviors the students have, show, or don't have or show to determine the best use of the teacher table with each student or group is paramount to their success. Going from that whole group read aloud, into specifically chosen groups with a specifically chosen focus is a way to meet students where they are and move them where they need to go.

Find Debbie and the work she's done at the following locations:

https://warreninpd.com/debbie-whitt-jarzombek/

Twitter @DebbieJarzombek

On Twitter, Debbie follows: Wiley Blevins, Tim Rasinski, Nell Duke

Jennifer Serravallo is the author of the New York Times best seller Reading Strategies. She joins us to talk about Reading Strategies 2.0, a dramatic rewrite, chalked full of research to support the strategies included. Jennifer talks about connecting research to actionable, doable things in the classroom and how we're looking not only at reading science, but at the science of engagement and motivation, the science of speaking and listening skills and having good conversations, the science of understanding text and reading with fluency, the science behind word level reading, and vocabulary development, emergent reading development, and attitude. Her direct work with teachers motivates and continues to inspire her work.

Don't have Jennifer's resources? Here's her landing page at Heinemann.com https://www.heinemann.com/jenniferserravallo/

Find Jennifer on Twitter: @JSerravallo, Instagram: jenniferserravallo, Facebook: The Literacy Strategies Community, Website: jenniferserravallo.com (star this site for her upcoming podcast)

Stephanie and Anne have done a lot of work together over many years. And it is clear that their passion for kids and passion for experiential learning opportunities along with their understanding of a need for comprehension has led them to where they are today! Join us as we dig into their work and focus on inquiry with comprehension at the core.

Find Stephanie and Anne's work through Heinemann

Stephanie Harvey: https://www.heinemann.com/authors/2471.aspx

Anne Goudvis: https://www.heinemann.com/authors/3279.aspx

Researchers/work referenced:

David P. Pearson

Keene & Zimmermann's Mosaic of Thought

Wiggins & McTighe's Understanding by Design

From Public Teaching: One Kid at a Time, which began Penny's journey as a published author, to her most recent book, Micro Mentor Texts: Using Short Passages from Great Books to Teach Writer's Craft Penny has always practiced what she preaches. Join me as we talk about writing with and by students, putting books in students hands, and as educators, find people to share your passion and struggles with.

Penny is @PennyKittle on Twitter

Her website, pennykittle.net is FULL of resources to support educators on their journey of teaching reading and writing

The BookLove Foundation can be found through her site as well as at booklovefoundation.org. Applications for the 2023 Grants are OPEN!

Jeff Anderson & Whitney LaRocca, co-authors of Patterns of Power and Patterns of Wonder share their experiences with writing as students and teachers and how they came upon co-authoring a book.

The Patterns of Power invitation process is exactly that- an invitation for students to explore, ask questions, and make choices about writing.

Follow Jeff & Whitney on Twitter: @WriteGuyJeff @Whitney_LaRocca and/or join their Patterns of Power Facebook community https://www.facebook.com/groups/poppluscommunity