The Teach Joyfully Podcast

Shh! I have a secret reading aloud strategy. It's true, and I'm sharing it with you in this episode.

I read 100+ book a year to my students to increase their literacy. Ok. I do a lot of other things that increase student literacy as well. But, so does every teacher. What gives my students an edge over their peers is hearing and discussing that many books read aloud.

Listen in to find out:

• 9 benefits students receive from my reading aloud 100+ books.
• How to make read alouds happen in a busy schedule.
• Why this doesn't prevent you from going deep with books.
• Ways to make sure students still get to hear books more than once.
• How using picture books to teach across the curriculum makes this reading aloud strategy very doable.

Don't forget to check out all the resources and grab the freebie Mentor Text Lists. It's all in the show notes!

TEACH JOYFULLY FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theteachinglab

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_j_burns

Do you struggle to get your students or even your own kids writing over the summer? I get it! Most kids have no motivation or interest in writing during their summer break.

So...

How do we get our students excited or even intrigued enough to dive into summer writing? I've got 5 simple summer writing activities that are fun and easy enough for any student to give it a whirl. Listen in to find out more!

Don't forget to check out all the resources and grab the Letter Writing and How To Writing FREEBIES. It's all in the show notes!

TEACH JOYFULLY FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theteachinglab

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_j_burns

How do you inspire your students to actually do summer reading?

Once summer hits, kids' schedules go haywire and all bets are off when it comes to practicing reading and other skills. Honestly, I never did summer homework as a kid. But, I did read. A lot. Why? Well, I was a committed reader. I learned to love books and reading early on.

But, how do we inspire our students and their families to keep the reading going all summer? In today's episode, I have a few tips for you.

Don't forget to check out all the resources and grab the FREE Million Words Reading Challenge. It's all in the show notes!

TEACH JOYFULLY FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theteachinglab

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_j_burns

Teaching is HARD! It's a profession filled with joys and frustration. But when the frustration becomes overwhelming, maybe it's time to rethink where or if you should stay.

While I truly hope you stay in education because we NEED great teachers like you in our classrooms, I know sometimes it's time for a change. Knowing if, when, and how to make that change is the tricky part.

In this episode, I have some questions for you to think about to help you decide if you should quit teaching [and some ideas for your second act if that's your path].

Don't forget to check out all the resources and grab the FREE Classroom Management Inventory. It's all in the show notes!

TEACH JOYFULLY FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theteachinglab

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_j_burns

As we near the end of the school year, having end of the year activities ready for your students becomes imperative. Everything is winding down, most, if not all, of the concepts have been taught, and everyone is feeling a little worn out.

That's where we need something to engage our students while still learning or reinforcing concepts learned during the year.

Poems for two voices are just the thing! Listen in to find out why these are perfect for that end of year review and for engaging students until the last day.

Don't forget to grab the FREE Poems for Two Voices Template. It's all in the show notes!

TEACH JOYFULLY FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theteachinglab

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_j_burns

Are you stressed about the end of the year or sprinting toward it as fast as you can? I'm always a bit of both, honestly. It's a busy and bittersweet time for me. Endings are hard when we've all grown attached, the end of year shut down is nuts and can be stressful if you don't have a strong plan, but I'm always ready for summer too. Today, I have the skinny on the ending the school year with grace, love, and [dare I say it?] organization.

Listen in to find out more and don't forget to grab the FREE End of the School Year Checklist. It's all in the show notes!

TEACH JOYFULLY FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theteachinglab

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_j_burns

Don't worry, in today's episode, I break it down and help make sense of where to begin, what to do first, and where to go from there. And...I have lots of tips along the way. [What a surprise, right?! 😂]

Listen in to find out more and don't forget to grab the FREE Poetry Mentor Text List. It's all in the show notes!

TEACH JOYFULLY FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theteachinglab

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_j_burns

Is teaching reading in small groups stressful? Do you ever wonder if your students are even getting enough value from their group time to make it worth your effort?

As a young teacher I know I struggled with what to teach during small groups, how to group my students, and don't even get me started on the classroom management struggles I had during small group reading time!

Well, it doesn't have to be that way. And yes, small group reading instruction really is valuable if we structure it right.

Listen in to find out more and don't forget to grab my freebies. It's all in the show notes!

TEACH JOYFULLY FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theteachinglab

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_j_burns

When we take time for teaching genre in primary grades, it's not just one more thing to teach on our already full plates. Learning to read is a journey and understanding genre can empower our students to keep searching for their next great read. This knowledge gives students the ability to understand what they enjoy reading, find books with similar traits, and branch out to try new things.

Just imagine a day when your students no longer say...I don't like to read, reading is boring, or I can't find anything good in the library.

Listen in to find out more and don't forget to grab the FREE Genre Anchor Chart. It's all in the show notes!

TEACH JOYFULLY FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theteachinglab

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_j_burns

Do your students struggle with finding the main idea in nonfiction text? Do you avoid teaching this concept as long as you can? I get it! Main or central idea is hard for so many students to grasp. In fact, many students struggle with nonfiction texts in general.

In this episode, I have 5 strategies to help your students understand and find the main idea in their nonfiction reading.

Listen in to find out more and don't forget to grab the Nonfiction Reading Strategies Poster and check out the Main Idea Graphic Organizers as well. It's all in the show notes!

TEACH JOYFULLY FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theteachinglab

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_j_burns