The Teacher Squad Podcast

Spring Term 2024 Episode 10 - Thinking for Writing, Book Clubs and Book Talk and a mascara warning for the end!

Join Jane Considine & Heather Wright for insightful discussions around the thinking required for writing, making time for book talk, with a bit of a kitchen disco thrown in.

This week, Jane is grateful for those who accept a sorry gracefully, while Heather is grateful for special days and the reminders they give us.

In Sentence of the Week, Jane talks about a page for thinking for writing, exploring what that looks like and how it adds value in the writing process, while Heather wants to talk about book clubs again and bringing in consistent ways to blether about books.

In this week’s Wonder of Words, Jane put a donk on it, drops some moves and brings the bests to this episode, while Heather makes you reach for the tissues!

Heartbursts from Jane and Big Love from Heather xxx 💕💕💕

Find Jane at https://www.janeconsidine.com/

Find Heather at https://wherereadingrocks.com/

Email the show (and get a badge!) at: [email protected] [email protected]

Links from the show:

Hooked on Books by Jane Considine - https://www.thetrainingspace.co.uk/product/hooked-on-books/

Widening Teachers' Reading Repertoires research - https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/trtr.2294 

Reading Rocks Reviewer’s Book Club - https://wherereadingrocks.com/reading-rocks-reviewers-book-club/

5 ideas for a pupil book club - https://x.com/_reading_rocks_/status/1766071657364377635?s=46&t=-DJPB9i0hRpBkUnj88wBew

Jane read from - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9780571307883

Spring Term 2024 Episode 9 - Please no death by PowerPoint, Effective Modelling of Writing and Ending the Reading Wars.

Join Heather Wright & Jane Considine for thoughts and suggestions on getting a pen in your hand and modelling the writer’s brain, a chat about fluency, morphology and comprehension with guest Prof. Kathy Rustle and beats on the rewind (have we heard this one before?!) from a picture book.

This week, Jane is grateful for school leaders who give time to digest CPD, while Heather is grateful for the launch of #RR_ReviewersBookClub 📚

In Sentence of the Week, Jane talks about the importance of independence in writing, modelling to pupils live writing, pen in hand, so they can see the choices a writer makes in real time.

Our guest this week is Prof. Kathy Rastle, chatting with Jane and Heather about research in reading instruction, the ten year journey of learning to read and a spotlight on morphology.

In this week’s Wonder of Words, Jane shares a poem for those frazzled teachers who get called mum or dad in class, while Heather shares a dancing cat picture book that she may or may not have shared before (ooops!)

Heartbursts from Jane and Big Love from Heather xxx 💕💕💕

Find Jane at https://www.janeconsidine.com/
Find Heather at https://wherereadingrocks.com/

Email the show at:
[email protected]
[email protected]

Links from the show:

Jane’s new guidance on independent writing -

Jane’s World Book Day reading - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzrzJxGyrx4

Kathy’s website - https://www.rastlelab.com/impact

Jane read from - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9780349726366

Heather read from - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781915395030

Purposeful Praise for Pupils, Teacher Stationery to Make Teachers Happy and Unusual Uses for Washi Tape!!!

Join Jane Considine and Heather Wright for insights and discussions around planning for praise to give pupils a concept of what good looks like, a stationery unboxing with Rachel from The Positive Teacher Company and types of worries from a gorgeous picture book.

This week, Heather is grateful for daffodils and spring progress , while Jane is grateful for retro school dinners and a hug of a pudding!

Our guest this week is Rachel from The Positive Teacher Company, sharing how stationery can support teacher well being and make teachers happy.

In Sentence of the Week, Heather thinks about how we make room for praise, plan for praise and make the best use of praise in our lessons. Jane gives this thinking a double underline!

In this week’s Wonder of Words, Jane shares from Nadia Shireen’s picture book, Geoffrey Gets The Jitters, while Heather shares from Benjamin Dean’s new middle grade, The Boy Who Fell from the Sky.

Heartbursts from Jane and Big Love from Heather xxx 💕💕💕

Find Jane at https://www.janeconsidine.com/

Find Heather at https://wherereadingrocks.com/

Email the show at: [email protected] [email protected]

Links from the show:

The Positive Teacher Company - https://thepositiveteachercompany.co.uk/

Reading Rocks Teacher Subscription Box - https://wherereadingrocks.com/subscribe/

Jane’s Training Events - https://www.thetrainingspace.co.uk/hooked-on-books-live/?

Geoffrey Gets The Jitters - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9780241623688

The Boy Who Fell From The Sky - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781398518742

Spring Term 2024 Episode 7 - Writer identities, rogue full stops and making space for editing

Join Jane Considine and Heather Wright for insights and discussions around Writing for Pleasure, Making Space for Editing and lots of other (maybe) interesting stuff thrown in, too!!!

This week, Heather is grateful for the lovely and support between teacher colleagues, while Jane is grateful making friends in Aldi!

In Sentence of the Week, Heather thinks about what she responds to as a writer to help think about pupil writer identities, while Jane shares ways we can show the importance of editing writing and give pupils space to do it.

In this week’s Wonder of Words, Jane shares brilliantly crafted writing about Monsters from Jenny Pearson, while Heather entices us into a mystery with Lizzie and Belle, written by JT Williams.

Heartbursts from Jane and Big Love from Heather xxx 💕💕💕

Find Jane at https://www.janeconsidine.com/

Find Heather at https://wherereadingrocks.com/

Email the show at: [email protected] [email protected]

Links from the show: Readers to Writers research - https://www.shropshirebookfest.co.uk/schools-should-prioritise-creative-writing-as-an-enjoyable-activity/

Writing Laundry - https://www.thetrainingspace.co.uk/product/the-writing-laundry-mark-scheme/

Interview with Jenny Pearson - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U_AUhbftJI

The Boy Who Made Monsters - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781474999892

JT Williams Author Event - https://wherereadingrocks.com/event/j-t-williams-author-event/ (Don’t forget to get in touch with Heather for a free credit to join the event)

Lizzie and Belle Mysteries - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9780008485283

How can we be lighthouse teachers, illuminating the way for writing? Is there enough space for informal book talk in your classroom? and an interview with Miranda McKearney, founder of Empathy Lab.

Join Jane Considine and Heather Wright for insights into ways we can breathe life into the writing process, thoughts on making space for book blether in the classroom and an inspiring interview with Miranda McKearney, sharing the recently released Reading for Empathy Collection 2024

This week, Jane is grateful for windows and good vibes, while Heather is grateful for musical theatre and car song-a-longs.

In Sentence of the Week, Jane talks about being a lighthouse teacher of writing, while Heather blethers about informal book talk.

Our guest this week is social justice entrepreneur and founder of Empathy Lab, Miranda McKearney, chatting about the Reading for Empathy collection 2024.

In this week’s Wonder of Words, Jane shares a piece about peeling, while Heather reads a pupil teacher interaction extract.

Heartbursts from Jane and Big Love from Heather xxx 💕💕💕

Find Jane at https://www.janeconsidine.com/

Find Heather at https://wherereadingrocks.com/

Find Miranda at https://x.com/mirandamck?s=21&t=-DJPB9i0hRpBkUnj88wBew

Email the show at: [email protected] [email protected]

Links from the show:

Jane’s FREE Writing Unit plans - https://www.janeconsidine.com/offers/QupXWMG6/checkout

Reading Rocks Badges - https://wherereadingrocks.com/product/ask-me-what-im-reading-badge/

OU on Informal Book Talk - https://ourfp.org/finding/rfpp/booktalk-and-recommendations/

The latest Read for Empathy collection - https://www.empathylab.uk/RFE-2024

Read For Empathy Collection CPD Training (20 February) - https://www.empathylab.uk/our-foundation-empathy-programme

General support and training for schools from Empathy Lab - https://www.empathylab.uk/schools-programme

Empathy Lab main website link - https://www.empathylab.uk/ Miranda’s book shout outs -

The Final Year - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781915659040

Crossing the Line - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781471413049

I am Nefertiti - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781912923311

Safiyyah's War - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781839133138

Jane’s Wonder of Words choice: The Book of Hopes: Words and Pictures to Comfort, Inspire and Entertain - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781526629883

Heather’s Wonder of Words choice: The Piano at the Station https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781800902183

Do teachers feed gender stereotypes? What does your World book Day look like? and an interview with Helen Rutter, author of Reggie Houser has the Power.

Join Heather and Jane for discussions around how teachers treat boys and girls differently and pupil choice and time to read as a focus for World Book Day, and a great interview with Helen Rutter around her great new book featuring a boy with ADHD.

This week, Jane is grateful for jokes from pupils, while Heather is grateful for emails from listeners and school dog stories.

Our guest this week is Helen Rutter, award winning author, chatting about under dog characters, writing with honesty and wit, and a bit about trampolines and wetting yourself!

In Sentence of the Week, Jane shares research and thinking around gender stereotypes, while Heather provokes some thought around World Book Day plans.

In this week’s Wonder of Words, Jane shares a poem about friendship, while Heather shares a picturebook about unconditional love.

Big Love from Heather and Heartbursts from Jane xxx 💕💕💕

Find Jane at https://www.janeconsidine.com/
Find Heather at https://wherereadingrocks.com/
Find Helen at https://x.com/helenrutteruk?s=21&t=-DJPB9i0hRpBkUnj88wBew

Email the show at:
[email protected]
[email protected]

Links from the show:

Reggie Houser has the Power -

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9780702314650

Helen Rutter Virtual Author Event - https://wherereadingrocks.com/event/helen-rutter-author-event/

Gender identity and perceptions of achievement and underachievement - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240530241_'Troublesome_boys'_and_'compliant_girls'_Gender_identity_and_perceptions_of_achievement_and_underachievement

World Book Day Overcoming Barriers series -

https://www.worldbookday.com/about-us/our-approach/overcoming-barriers-to-reading-for-pleasure/

Reading and Writing for Pleasure Framework -

https://cdn.ourfp.org/wp-content/uploads/20231212163945/Reading-and-Writing-for-Pleasure-REVIEW_04Dec-FINAL.pdf

https://www.mercers.co.uk/sites/default/files/2023-12/Reading%20and%20Writing%20for%20Pleasure%20-
%20Framework%20for%20Practice.pdf Reader’s Theatre -

https://d2tic4wvo1iusb.cloudfront.net/production/eef-guidance-reports/literacy-ks2/KS2-Lit-Readers-theatre.pdf?v=1637856977

Snail in Space - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781471199462

I Love you More - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781839944178

Teaching harder to reach pupils and building pupil belief in themselves and an interview with Jo Brassington, co founder of Pride and Progress.

Join Heather Wright and Jane Considine for discussions around those pupils who are harder to teach and about changing a pupil’s beliefs by pushing them into the growth zone, followed by a great interview with Jo Brassington around creating inclusive schools where all stakeholders feel seen, safe and free to be themselves.

This week, Jane is grateful for lots of love in schools she’s been visiting, while Heather is grateful for her loving dog and all the school dogs she sees in the schools she visits.

In Sentence of the Week, Jane shares her thinking on pupils who are a bit harder to reach, while Heather shifts teacher’s thinking towards progress of beliefs.

Our guest this week is Jo Brassington, co founder of Pride and Progress, chatting about creating inclusive environments for pupils and staff.

In this week’s Wonder of Words, Jane shares a poem that gets us hot under the collar, while Heather shares a bit of a picture book to remind we can shine like stars.

Big Love from Heather and Heartbursts from Jane xxx 💕💕💕

Find Jane at https://www.janeconsidine.com/

Find Heather at https://wherereadingrocks.com/

Find Jo at https://www.prideprogress.co.uk/

Email the show at: [email protected] [email protected]

Links from the show:

Diary of a CEO - https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0C4F9WGP5?source_code=ASSORAP0511160006&share_location=library_overflow

A Swift Return - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781913230494

Shine like the Stars - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781839131516

Teacher Subscription box - https://wherereadingrocks.com/subscribe/

Discussions on government funding for reading and an interview with Karen McGuigan, founder of Maths For Life.

Join Heather Wright and Jane Consdine for a chat about real life maths with Karen McGuigan, followed by an in-depth discussion on the need for government funding for reading.

This week, Heather is grateful for listening to her daughter read on an early morning drive, while Jane is grateful for a bit of extra sunshine time to connect with colleagues.

Our guest this week is Karen McGuigan, founder of the Maths For Life programme, chatting to Jane & Heather about a love for maths, Count Dracula and the Hierarchy of Independence.

In Sentence of the Week, Jane and Heather have a righteous rant about government funding for reading, following the open letter from The BookTrust, Michael Morpurgo and children’s Laureates to Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer.

In this week’s Wonder of Words, Jane shares a powerful speech from Ursula Le Guin, while Heather shares a clip of Jess French reading from her new book Beastlands.

Big Love from Heather and Heartbursts from Jane xxx 💕💕💕

Find Jane at https://www.janeconsidine.com/

Find Heather at https://wherereadingrocks.com/

Find Karen at https://www.mathsforlife.com/

Email the show at: [email protected] [email protected]

Links from the show:

BookTrust open letter - https://www.booktrust.org.uk/news-and-features/features/2024/january/reading-together-read-our-open-letter-calling-for-investment-in-early-years-reading/

“Does the government need to invest more in reading in primary schools?” POLL https://x.com/_reading_rocks_/status/1748106939244966013?s=46&t=-DJPB9i0hRpBkUnj88wBew

Speeches of Note - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781786331090 Beastlands - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781800784062

Options in Modelling Writing, Great News about Graphic Novels and an interview with Rosa Legeno-Bell, co-founder of Diverse History UK.

Join Heather and Jane for insights into impactful writing modelling and perspective on graphic novels in the classroom, followed by an inspiring discussion with Rosa Legeno-Bell about de-colonising the curriculum.

This week, Jane is grateful for being open-hearted, while Heather has been breathing in a bit of nature.

In Sentence of the Week, Jane shares valuable ideas for making modelled writing really impactful for pupils , while Heather discusses how graphic novels are viewed by educators.

Our guest this week is Rosa Legeno-Bell, co-founder of Diverse History UK, chatting about diverse curriculums and lesser known narratives.

In this week’s Wonder of Words, Jane goes back to childhood book again and is checking pockets, while Heather flies in a feathery read in time for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch.

Big Love from Heather and Heartbursts from Jane xxx 💕💕💕

Find Jane at https://www.janeconsidine.com/

Find Heather at https://wherereadingrocks.com/

Find Rosa at https://www.diversehistory.co.uk/about

Email the show at: [email protected] [email protected]

Links from the show:

Support for teachers: https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/

Graphic Novel Awards: https://shop.scholastic.co.uk/graphic-novel-prize/about

Interview with Paige Braddock, graphic novel creator: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLa3gxI-m0Q

Emil and the detectives get the book: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9780141362625

RSPB Birdwatch: https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch?sourcecode=bwmith0230&utm_source=googleads&utm_medium=paid-search&utm_campaign=bgbw-2024&utm_content=ppc&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA-vOsBhAAEiwAIWR0TXUSzHi1OiTnPKn_cvc0AMtevOsg3X4nzasvu75Wj6SVp34uEIJq1BoCF-UQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Bird blog: https://wherereadingrocks.com/2018/01/04/when-we-share-books-we-share-something-of-ourselves/ Birdsong (sample chapter):

https://www.barringtonstoke.co.uk/books/birdsong/

Birdsong get the book: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9781800900981

Insights for school leaders on De-implementation, Playing with Words and an interview with Nicky Parr, founder of Better Handwritten Ltd

Join Jane Considine and Heather Wright for chats about changing teacher workload and improving teacher retention and ideas on playing with words in the classroom to build enjoyment and confidence and engaging chat with Nicky Parr about handwriting, pen licenses and writing fluency.

This week, Jane is grateful for being a bit more vulnerable and shiny new stationery, while Heather shares the joys of love performance and theatre trips.

In Sentence of the Week, Jane discusses the issues around teacher retention and shares ways we can move forward in making change, while Heather gets playful with words and shares a few ideas fun getting pupils engaged with word play.

Our guest this week is Nicky Parr, founder of Better Handwritten Ltd, chatting with Heather and Jane all about handwriting and its importance. I

n this week’s Wonder of Words, Jane shares an extract from a book of her childhood, that shares tales of making do in tough times, while Heather finds a lion where a mum and dad should be!

Heartbursts from Jane and Big Love from Heather xxx 💕💕💕

Find Jane Considine at https://www.janeconsidine.com/

Find Heather Wright at https://wherereadingrocks.com/

Find Nicky Parr at https://adept-motivator-9304.ck.page/c24acbc4b7

Email the show at: [email protected] [email protected]

Links from the show:

Insights for school leaders thinking about de-implementation - https://evidenceforlearning.org.au/support-for-implementation/school-planning-and-recovery/de-implementation

Word of the Year 1 - https://www.instagram.com/p/C1kTQb0scfZ/?igsh=ZWI2YzEzYmMxYg==

Word of the year 2 - https://www.instagram.com/p/C1yyPDlMPQp/?igsh=ZWI2YzEzYmMxYg== Blog on

Words in Primary Science - https://www.researchschool.org.uk/cornwall/news/the-language-of-science

EEF report on Primary Science - https://d2tic4wvo1iusb.cloudfront.net/production/eef-guidance-reports/primary-science-ks1-ks2/improving-primary-science-guidance-report-ks1-ks2.pdf?v=1704526348

Oscar’s Lion - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/562/9780008596750