Two Writing Teachers Podcast

In this episode, John Warner, an influential author and educator, joins us to discuss the changing landscape of writing instruction. Rather than relying on formulaic methods such as the five-paragraph essay, we talk about writing as a way to help students think and communicate in real ways. We also examine why it matters that students write for real audiences and real purposes, especially now that AI can produce text but cannot capture human thought or experience. We consider how writing supports students’ cognitive, emotional, and executive skills, and why it remains essential despite the push to use more technology in schools. 

John Warner has 20 years of college teaching experience across four different institutions, and is now a writer, editor, and frequent campus speaker focused on how to teach writing in a world with artificial intelligence.

He's the author of eight books, most recently More Than Words: How to Think About Writing in the Age of AI. His previous books include Why They Can’t Write: Killing the Five-Paragraph Essay and Other Necessities (Johns Hopkins UP) and The Writer’s Practice: Building Confidence in Your Nonfiction Writing (Penguin). John has been writing about higher education as a columnist at Inside Higher Ed since 2012, and writes weekly about books and reading culture at the Chicago Tribune and his associated newsletter, The Biblioracle Recommends. He is also an advisor to the social writing game Frankenstories.

Go Deeper:

• “I Let My Students Watch Me Struggle With a Masterpiece. It Changed Everything.” by Matt Dinan
• “I’m Begging You: Never Write With A.I.” by Bret Stephens
• “If You’re Over 40, You’re Ready to Use A.I.” by Debbie Millman
• “What Do Students Lose When They Stop Writing?” by Dana Goldstein
• “We Could Teach Writing, But It Will Take Resources” by John Warner

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Send us Fan Mail

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.

You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. 

• Melanie Meehan: [email protected] 
• Stacey Shubitz: [email protected]

Email us at [email protected] for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.

For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

In the Tip for Tomorrow, Melanie explains the power of three, a simple but effective writing technique that helps students create rhythm, build meaning, and make writing more memorable. Whether students are writing narratives, informational pieces, or arguments, three carefully selected details can transform basic text more elaborated composition.

Texts Mentioned include:

• Bat and the End of Everything by Elana K. Arnold
• The Titanic by Melissa Stewart

Thanks to our affiliate, Zencastr. Use our special link (https://zen.ai/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan. 

Send us Fan Mail

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.

You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. 

• Melanie Meehan: [email protected] 
• Stacey Shubitz: [email protected]

Email us at [email protected] for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.

For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

In this season five premiere, Stacey Shubitz and Melanie Meehan discuss the key issues affecting writing instruction at the moment. They examine the current debate over technology in the classroom, weighing the benefits and challenges of using digital tools for young writers. The conversation covers the neurological and educational value of handwriting, the increasing influence of AI and automation on student writing, and the significant role of oral language development. The hosts also explore how teachers can balance assignments with student choice to promote agency and genuine engagement in writing. Listeners can expect thought-provoking dialogue, useful insights, and a preview of upcoming conversations with expert guests.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• “Balancing Choice and Assignments in Writing Instruction: Finding Common Ground” by Stacey Shubitz
• “Connecting Caregivers: The Importance of Oral Language“ by Melanie Meehan
• Cultivating the Reader and Writer: Teaching Literacy as an Integrated Science by Young-Suk Grace Kim
• Finding Common Ground Blog Series (August 2026) by the Co-Authors of TWTBlog
• Foundational Skills for Writing: A Brain-Based Guide to Strengthen Executive Functions, Language, and Other Cornerstones for Writers by Melanie Meehan and Maggie Beattie Roberts
• More Than Words: How to Think About Writing in the Age of AI by John Warner
• Writing Workshop in Contentious Times: A Digging Deeper Dialogue with Stacey Shubitz and Melanie Meehan

Thanks to our affiliate, Zencastr. Use our special link (https://zen.ai/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan. 

Send us Fan Mail

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.

You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. 

• Melanie Meehan: [email protected] 
• Stacey Shubitz: [email protected]

Email us at [email protected] for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.

For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

In the season four finale, Stacey Shubitz and Melanie Meehan tackle the increasingly contentious topic of “writing workshop” in today’s educational climate. They reflect on the origins and evolution of the writing workshop, the research supporting its key principles, and why certain foundational practices remain crucial, even if the label itself is under fire. Drawing from recent evidence-based recommendations and their own classroom experiences, Stacey and Melanie unpack what truly effective writing instruction looks like and why authentic, joyful writing communities matter now more than ever.

Resources Mentioned:

• “All Children Can Write” by Donald H. Graves
• Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
• “Evidence-based recommendations for teaching writing” by Steve Graham, Alyson A. Collins & Stephen Ciullo
• Literacy Specialist Graduate Program at Teachers College
• More Than Words: How to Think about Writing in the Age of AI by John Warner
• Sentence Structure for Young Writers: A Tip for Tomorrow from Melanie
• The Art of Teaching Writing by Lucy Calkins
• Transfer Writing Skills Across Genres: A Tip for Tomorrow from Stacey
• Writing, 20th Anniversary Ed.: Teachers & Children at Work by Donald H. Graves

Send us Fan Mail

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.

You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. 

• Melanie Meehan: [email protected] 
• Stacey Shubitz: [email protected]

Email us at [email protected] for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.

For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

In this episode, Stacey dives into what happens when educators reconnect with the familiar passions that ground them after a demanding school year. While the daily hustle of teaching often forces educators to put their own needs on the back burner, summertime presents a vital opportunity for them to reclaim their personal identities. Through a reflection on what it means to be a "swimmer with a lowercase s," Stacey explores the powerful shift that happens when teachers step out of their educator personas and reconnect with their own identity as writers. This episode is a call to action for teachers to dust off their notebooks, embrace writing practices that bring them joy, and find peace in the rhythm of the craft. Listeners will discover how making time for their inner writer this summer can help them unplug, decompress, and build a writing repertoire for future school years.

GO DEEPER:

• Listen to one of our first TWT podcast episodes, “Why Teachers Should Write.” 
• Read Creating a Consistent & Meaningful Writing Life, or It's Not Magic (but it IS): The Power of Being a Teacher Who Writes. 
• Check the deep TWTBlog archives by visiting the category “teacher of writing.”
• Check out Tapping the Writer Within: Practical Ways to Help All Students Claim Their Wri-dentity by Ralph Fletcher.

Send us Fan Mail

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.

You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. 

• Melanie Meehan: [email protected] 
• Stacey Shubitz: [email protected]

Email us at [email protected] for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.

For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

This episode features a rich conversation with author and educator M. Colleen Cruz about her new book, Neurodiversity in the Literacy Classroom: The General Educator’s Guide to IEPs, Dyslexia, ADHD, Autism, and More. Colleen shares the story behind the book and explains why information about neurodivergent learners must move out of special education silos and into every general education classroom. Melanie, Stacey, and Colleen explore universal design for learning (UDL), explicit writing instruction, and concrete strategies to reduce instructional obstacles so that vulnerable learners can fully participate. They also discuss strengths-based IEPs, collaboration between general and special educators, and practical classroom strategies—from fine-motor supports to executive-function scaffolds—that help all writers, not just those with identified disabilities. Throughout the episode, Colleen emphasizes curiosity as a core stance for teachers seeking to better understand students’ behaviors, needs, and potential in the writing workshop.

M. Colleen Cruz is an educator, independent consultant, and author committed to making rich literacy education accessible. Her popular books include The Unstoppable Writing Teacher, the Writers Read Better series, and Border Crossing, a Tomás Rivera Mexican- American Children’s Books Finalist. Her student-centered, research-driven work is used by classroom teachers, administrators, and teacher education programs nationally and internationally. She lives in Brooklyn with her family, her persnickety dog Charlie, and way too many books. 

Connect with Colleen Online: 

• Instagram: @mcolleencruz 
• LinkedIn: m-colleen-cruz
• Substack: @mcolleencruz
• X: @colleen_cruz 
• Website: colleencruz.com

Mentioned in the episode:

• Archaeology of Self: The Introspective Educator’s Guide to Racial Literacy by Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz
• "Living with Dignity in Education: How noticing dignity can transform teaching, learning, and collaboration" by Leah Mermelstein
• Maryanne Wolf

Thanks to our affiliate, Zencastr. Use our special link (https://zen.ai/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan. 

Send us Fan Mail

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.

You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. 

• Melanie Meehan: [email protected] 
• Stacey Shubitz: [email protected]

Email us at [email protected] for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.

For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

Melanie introduces customizable writing bingo boards to keep students writing over summer. These boards combine playful activities with purposeful skill-building, like fine motor and oral language development, while encouraging writing for real audiences. The approach is flexible for primary and upper elementary students and easy to adapt. Families can support writing at home, making summer a time for growth instead of regression.

Summer is a great time for young writers to build foundational skills, explore topics, and share their work with the world. These BINGO boards provide inspiration and ideas. One board is for primary students, the other for older writers. Both focus on play, purpose, and audience. Enjoy!

Thanks to our affiliate, Zencastr. Use our special link (https://zen.ai/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

Send us Fan Mail

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.

You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. 

• Melanie Meehan: [email protected] 
• Stacey Shubitz: [email protected]

Email us at [email protected] for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.

For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

​This year’s 11th Annual Author Spotlight Series transforms professional creators into accessible mentors to help you inspire the next generation of writers and artists. We dive into the diverse creative processes of Gabbie Benda, Lauren Castillo, R. Gregory Christie, Julie Leung, Orit Magia, Àlàbá Ònájìn, and Mel Rosenberg. From demystifying graphic novel drafts to mastering the synergy between words and images, these experts share the practical "how-to" behind their craft. To bring this magic directly to your students, we share how you can enter to win exciting book giveaways and exclusive virtual author visits. Tune in to find the tools and inspiration needed to integrate professional artistry into your classroom writing time.

Preview the series on Two Writing Teachers.

Learn more and follow this year’s authors and illustrators on Instagram:

• Gabbie Benda: @patchysourkids 
• Lauren Castillo: @studiocastillo 
• R. Gregory Christie: @rgregorychristie 
• Julie Leung: @jleungbooks 
• Orit Magia: @oritmagia 
• Àlàbá Ònájìn: @alabaonajin 
• Mel Rosenberg: @writer_inventor_musician 

Send us Fan Mail

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.

You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. 

• Melanie Meehan: [email protected] 
• Stacey Shubitz: [email protected]

Email us at [email protected] for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.

For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

Stacey is joined by beloved authors and educators Lily Howard Scott and Ralph Fletcher to explore how teacher language shapes students’ writerly identities. They examine what it means to make writing personal and joyful, even amid standards, rubrics, and formulaic structures like the five-paragraph essay. Lily and Ralph offer practical tips for using inclusive, encouraging language that welcomes every child and keeps their voices at the center. The conversation also explores the impact of AI, asking important questions about creativity, authenticity, and how we help young writers distinguish real writing from AI-generated text. This episode will leave you rethinking how your words as a teacher can help build or limit students’ confidence and independence as writers.

Ralph Fletcher has written over fifty books for writing teachers and young readers. His books include Fig Pudding, Flying Solo, Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid, Joy Write, Craft Lessons, and Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide. His most recent book for writing teachers is Tapping the Writer Within: Practical Ways to Help All Students Claim Their Wri-dentity (published by Corwin). 

Ralph visits schools and frequently speaks at educational conferences around the world, helping teachers find wiser ways of teaching writing. Check out his website, or follow him on Facebook or Instagram.

Lily Howard Scott, MSEd is an educator and author. She teaches graduate school at Bank Street College of Education and supports school leaders, teachers, and caregivers around the country with literacy learning and social and emotional learning. 

For nearly 10 years, Lily taught elementary school in both independent and public settings. She is the author of The Words That Shape Us (Scholastic), selected by UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center as a Top Book for Educators in 2025. Learn more about Lily from her website or follow her on Instagram.

Go Deeper

• More Than Words: How to Think About Writing in the Age of AI by John Warner + a related podcast
• The Mind-Expanding Ideas of Andy Clark

Thanks to Zencastr: Use our special link to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan. 

Send us Fan Mail

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.

You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. 

• Melanie Meehan: [email protected] 
• Stacey Shubitz: [email protected]

Email us at [email protected] for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.

For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

Stacey spotlights a foundational principle of writing instruction: "Teach, don’t just tell." Inspired by Sarah Valter’s insights and rooted in educational research, she explores the impact of modeling: making the invisible processes of writing visible for our students. You’ll hear about the difference between simply giving directions and authentically showing your thinking and writing moves, and why this distinction matters so much for young writers. Stacey also discusses practical ways to shift from telling to teaching and offers reflective questions to help you examine your own classroom practices.

GO DEEPER:

• Read “Teachers Model and Think Aloud: Practices of Great Writing Teachers” by Sarah Valter

Use these reflective questions:

1) Do you mostly give directions, or do you model your thinking and writing?

2) In one-on-one conferences, do your questions and feedback help students try new strategies, or do you just tell them what to do next?

3) When you use mentor texts, are they published works, curriculum samples, or your own writing?

4) If you use your own writing, do you show your process? That is, do you let students see your thinking, mistakes, revisions, and decisions?

5) Are you only sharing the finished product, or also the rough drafts and your thoughts about them?

6) What chances do you give students to see your real process, and do you invite their questions or encourage them to notice your writing moves?

Send us Fan Mail

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.

You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. 

• Melanie Meehan: [email protected] 
• Stacey Shubitz: [email protected]

Email us at [email protected] for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.

For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.