Two Writing Teachers Podcast

This episode features Doug Kaufman and Tracey-Ann Lafayette talking about student activism, voice, and writing as a tool for social change. They explore how students move from personal concerns to purposeful action through inquiry, research, and dialogue. 

• Books mentioned in the podcast
• Article by Doug Kaufman

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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.

Two Writing Teacher Co-author Jessica Carey joins Melanie to talk about the power of read alouds with tips and strategies that you can use right away in literacy instruction. Jess is a literacy coordinator in Westport, CT, and she is inspirational in the work she does every day with young learners. 

Go Deeper: 

• Owen Davey
• No More Chairs by Dan Gill
• Teachers Read Professionally- a blog post from Jess Carey

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

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

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

In this tip for tomorrow, Melanie talks about why morphology is so important as students learn and use words. She also offers strategies for how to build students' skills in this critical area. 

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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.

Conferences don’t always go as planned, but you can quickly get back on track with a simple reset. Whether a student shuts down, you start over-teaching, or time runs out, each situation has a quick recovery line to try. Pause to rebuild trust, return control to the student, or end with a clear next step. These small pivots help students feel supported and keep your conferences productive. Pick one reset to try in tomorrow’s writing workshop.

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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 talks with Melanie Meehan and Maggie Roberts about their book, Foundational Skills for Writing: A Brain-Based Guide to Strengthen Executive Functions, Language, and Other Cornerstones for Writers. The discussion highlights the "Conversations with a Colleague” sections, which bring expert voices to teachers and promote classroom collaboration. Melanie and Maggie explain how graphic organizers serve as thinking tools that support executive functioning and make writing more accessible. They also discuss the connection between gross motor development and fine motor writing skills, sharing strategies for learners of all ages. The episode offers practical tips on topics like cognitive flexibility and playful sentence combining.

ABOUT TODAY’S GUESTS

Maggie Beattie Roberts is a national literacy consultant, author, and highly sought-after professional learning facilitator. As co-author of DIY Literacy: Teaching Tools for Differentiation, Rigor, and Independence (2016; with Kate Roberts), Maggie continues to empower educators with tools that enhance student learning and independence. Her forthcoming book, Unboxing the Curriculum, helps educators and school leaders navigate prepackaged curriculum and tailor it to their students’ needs. Learn more about Maggie's work at kateandmaggie.com 

Melanie Meehan opened The Writing Clinic, an in-person and online center for inspiring and nurturing competent, confident, and joyful young writers, after retiring from her public school position as an Elementary Curriculum Coordinator. Melanie’s published works include Every Child Can Write (2019), The Responsive Writing Teacher (2021), and Answers to Your Biggest Questions About Teaching Elementary Writing (2022), all published by Corwin Press. 

GO DEEPER

• Landmark College in Putney, VT
• Purchase Foundational Skills for Writing: A Brain-Based Guide to Strengthen Executive Functions, Language, and Other Cornerstones for Writers.

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 week’s TFT episode shifts the conversation about conferring from technique to equity. Even with solid conferring routines, some students, especially multilingual learners, students with IEPs, and quieter voices, can miss out on meaningful conferences. Learn how a quick equity scan of your conferring notes can help close these gaps. You’ll hear practical strategies to ensure every student benefits from your best teaching moves. Tune in to see how a few simple shifts can make your conferences more equitable and impactful for all writers.

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 and Melanie dive into the transformative power of the Slice of Life Story Challenge, a writing initiative that has connected educators since 2008. Stacey shares the origins of the challenge, emphasizing the importance of community and daily writing. The discussion highlights how participating in this challenge not only enhances writing skills but also deepens empathy and understanding among teachers, impacting their overall teaching practices. Melanie reflects on a recent meeting with fellow educators who revealed that the challenge has been a game-changer in their careers, enriching their approach across various content areas. Join them as they explore the profound insights gained from being authentic learners within a supportive writing community.

Go Deeper:

• Building on “Rallying a Community of Writers”: A February Support System by Ana Valentina Patton
• Embracing Imperfection as a Teacher-Writer: A Conversation With a Colleague - Stacey Shubitz and Ana Valentina Patton
• Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose by Jennifer Breheny Wallace
• On a Thought by Ona Gabriel
• One Writer at a Time: Fostering An Adult Writing Community by Jessica Carey
• Rallying a Community of Writers by Jessica Carey
• Writing: The Gift We Give Ourselves by Jessica Carey
• Essential FAQs for First-Time Slice of Life Story Challenge Participants
  
  

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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.

While interval training shouldn't take the place of process writing, there are potential benefits to writing in short spurts. In this episode, Melanie shares some reasons to give interval writing a try, as well as some strategies to get you started.

Go Deeper:

• Interval Training With Writers

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 Ana Valentina Patton, an Instructional Coordinator at KLA Academy in Miami and a contributing writer for the Two Writing Teachers blog. Together, Stacey and Ana tackle the challenges teachers face during the mid-year slump, when energy dips and the pressure of test scores can overshadow the joy of writing. Ana shares practical ways to reclaim presence and authenticity as a teacher-writer, focusing on small shifts that make a big difference in the K-6 classroom. Drawing on her global teaching background, Ana offers strategies for connecting and making writing a more joyful, meaningful part of daily classroom life.

GO DEEPER:

• A Teacher's Guide to Mentor Texts, K-5 (The Classroom Essentials Series) by Carl Anderson
• Building on “Rallying a Community of Writers”: A February Support System by Ana Valentina Patton
• Morning message ideas from Responsive Classroom
• “Persistence and Pedagogy” by Amanda Potts
• Rallying a Community of Writers by Jessica Carey
• Sign up for the 19th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge on Two Writing Teachers
• When Teachers Write: Three Shifts Toward Becoming a Present Writing Teacher by Ana Valentina Patton
• Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark

Ana Valentina Patton, the Instructional Coordinator at KLA Academy in Miami. With over 20 years of experience across the globe—taught in Venezuela, Egypt, and now the U.S.—Ana is an expert in literacy coaching and writing workshops. She’s passionate about the 'reciprocal power' of teaching and learning, and she’s here to help us cultivate stronger writing communities in our schools.

Instagram: @anavpatton

Blog: https://anavpatton.org

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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.

Discover how teaching self-advocacy during writing workshop empowers students to express their needs and take charge of their learning. Drawing on insights from her upcoming book, Make the School System Work for Your Child with Disabilities: Empowering Kids for the Future, Stacey shares practical sentence starters to help students ask for help with revision, clarify instructions, and participate in peer conferences with confidence. Learn how teaching your students these sentences can foster independence and help them speak up for themselves clearly. 

Six Self-Advocacy Sentences for Writing Workshop

1. I’m feeling confused about my writing. Can you help me understand what to do next?
2. I need help with this part of my writing. Could you help me?
3. I’m not sure how to revise this. Could you show me again?
4. Can you please check if I understood the instructions correctly?
5. I’m struggling with giving feedback. Can we talk about how to do it?
6. I’m not comfortable sharing this piece. Is there another way I can participate?

Learn more about Stacey’s book, Make the School System Work for Your Child with Disabilities: Empowering Kids for the Future (Guilford Press, 2026).

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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.