Two Writing Teachers Podcast

The Two Writing Teachers co-authors shared ideas for modernizing mentor texts in the most recent blog series. Melanie summarizes some of the ideas she has already implemented with children and teachers within her work. 

Go Deeper:
Click here to read through all of the posts in the series.

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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.

Jess Carey and Sarah Valter, Two Writing Teachers Co-Authors, join Stacey to unpack the transformative insights from the 2024 National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Convention, diving deep into the conference's "Heart, Hope and Humanity" theme. The conversation explores reimagining scripted curriculum into student-centered teaching approaches. Jess and Sarah share compelling perspectives on integrating AI as a collaborative writing partner, highlighting innovative strategies that empower students rather than replace their creativity. The episode provides a candid look at some of the convention’s most inspiring sessions about the evolving landscape of literacy education. Listeners will gain insider tips for navigating future conferences, selecting sessions, and revitalizing their conference learnings in the classroom. Whether you're a seasoned conference-goer or a curious newcomer to NCTE, this episode provides a vibrant and reflective journey through the latest thinking in literacy education.

Go Deeper:

• Don’t Let It Fade: Holding Onto the Magic of NCTE 2024
• Research Roundup #ICYMI: Build Your Expertise
• Rytr
• Writing Partners
• The Role of SEL in Improving Literacy Development
• A Writer(s)-within-Community Model of Writing

You can find Jess Carey at wherethereisjoy.blog and @jlcarey.bsky.social.

You can find Sarah Valter at Read. Reflect. Teach. and @litcoachvalter.bsky.social.

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.

Writing tools are deeply personal, with each individual having a preferred instrument that feels comfortable and enables smooth writing. For children, selecting the right pen or pencil can significantly impact their writing experience and learning, with options like flair or gel pens offering easier grip and more enjoyable writing. While pens provide clear, lasting marks, pencils offer unique graphomotor benefits that help children learn letter formation with greater automaticity. The critical goal is supporting kids in discovering writing utensils that make them feel powerful and confident as emerging writers. Ultimately, what matters most is finding a writing tool that feels good and supports each child's writing journey.

GO DEEPER:

• #TWTBlog Post from Beth Moore: Pens versus Pencils
• Writing Utensils: Flair pens, mechanical pencils, and School Smart pens

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, Stacey explores the concept of planning and implementing a series of small group lessons to enhance students' writing skills across different genres. Drawing from her books Craft Moves and Welcome to Writing Workshop, the episode provides practical examples of teaching points that can be applied to various writing types to emphasize the importance of cross-genre application, demonstrating how skills such as establishing focus in leads and elaboration techniques can be taught and reinforced across different writing styles. Key implementation strategies, including scheduling independent practice time and maintaining flexibility in group composition, are also shared to help educators effectively implement a series of small group lessons.

GO DEEPER

• TWTBlog Posts
  • A Few Tips for Small Group Instruction: Expanding the Reach With Small Group Work
  • Ideas for planning Small Group Instruction
  • The Language to Develop Agency: Amping Up Agency Blog Series
  • The Power of Progression: Expanding the Reach with Small Group Work
  • This is the year I’m going to keep better records.
• TWTPod Episode
  • Inviting Students to Sign Up for Small Groups
  • Your Small Group Instruction, Your Records

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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.

We explore the reasons against writing directly on children's work in progress, including potential negative impacts on learning and agency. The episode discusses why educators might feel compelled to write on student work and offer alternative approaches. We delve into considerations for digital writing and introduce new thinking about orthographic mapping and the neurological connectivity of reading and writing. Finally, we provide practical strategies for supporting young writers without directly writing on their work, emphasizing the importance of fostering independence and focusing on the writing process rather than just the final product.

Go Deeper:

• Writing on Students’ Work in Progress: Resetting Our Workshop Practices
• Don't Write on That Paper!

Thanks to our affiliate, Libro.fm!

• Use the TWTPod Code to receive 2 audiobook credits for $14.99 USD with your first month of membership.  
• Also, check out Stacey’s audiobook playlist!

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 our final episode of 2024, Melanie shares three ways to streamline your record-keeping using Google Forms. She explains how to use Google Forms to have students share something specific, reflect on conferences, and sign up for small group instruction. You'll learn to collect helpful information about, from, and alongside students. Plus, links to forms you can customize for use in your classroom follow below.
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Go Deeper:

• Google forms for sharing
• Writing reflection form
• Small group sign-up
• Ways to use google forms in classrooms from Rebecca Warchut

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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.

This week, Stacey chats about the critical role of record-keeping in small-group instruction within the writing workshop. The episode highlights five key reasons why educators should prioritize record keeping. We’ll explore effective record-keeping methods, emphasizing the importance of real-time note-taking during conferences and discussing physical and digital tools for maintaining records. A particular focus is placed on using Google Forms as an efficient and organized method for record-keeping, briefly mentioning Google Apps Script for automating data organization. 

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Go Deeper:

• Google Apps Script
• TWTBlog Posts
  • A Few Tips for Small Group Instruction: Expanding the Reach With Small Group Work
  • Ideas for planning Small Group Instruction
  • Increase the Number of Teachers in the Room with Student-Led Small Groups
  • Small Groups, Big Engagement: Expanding the Possibilities and Potential 
  • Student Agency, Self-Assessment, and Small Group Instruction
  • The Language to Develop Agency: Amping Up Agency Blog Series
  • The Power of Progression: Expanding the Reach with Small Group Work
  • This is the year I’m going to keep better records.
• TWTPod Episode
  • Inviting Students to Sign Up for Small Groups

*****

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 week, we explore the transformative power of writing celebrations in elementary classrooms. Discover how these joyful events showcase student work, nurture young writers' identities, strengthen classroom communities, and foster a sense of pride and accomplishment. From minor celebrations that acknowledge daily progress to grander events involving families and special guests, we share practical tips and creative ideas to make these moments memorable. Whether you're an educator looking to celebrate your students or a caregiver eager to support your child's writing development, this episode offers valuable insights into creating a culture of celebration that will ignite a greater passion for writing.

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Go Deeper:

• A Parade of Writers
• Celebrate What’s Working
• It’s That Time of the Year
• Joyful Writing Memories
• Overcoming Anxiety About Displaying Student Writing
• Quick & Fun Lesson Closures? Yes, Please!
• Thinking about Process versus Product: Looking Back and Moving Forward
• Writing Celebrations: But Why?

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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 shares three practical strategies for maximizing classroom time. She emphasizes managing transition times to maintain student engagement and minimize downtime. In addition, she suggests creating a collection of valuable and doable activities that students can choose from, fostering independence and motivation. Finally, she suggests training students to deliver minilessons or lead small groups, which empowers them to take ownership of their learning. These practical approaches enhance instructional efficiency and create a more dynamic writing workshop.
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GO DEEPER:

• Read Beth Moore's post about teaching students the architecture of a minilesson.
• See this post from Melanie with a picture of an interactive bulletin board
• Look at these student-driven conference cards.

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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.

Stacey explores the vital executive functioning skill of time management as it applies to the writing workshop. She identifies common challenges students face, from grasping time concepts to meeting deadlines, and offers practical strategies to enhance their skills. Listeners will learn about tools such as visual aids, organizational checklists, and digital planners that can help young writers stay on track. Stacey also discusses establishing routines and breaking down larger projects into manageable tasks. This episode is packed with actionable tips to foster confidence and efficiency in students as they navigate the writing process. Join Stacey to discover how to equip young writers with the time management skills they need for success both in and out of the classroom!

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GO DEEPER:

• TWT Podcast Episodes That Deal with Executive Functioning
  • Accommodations for Access to Writing Instruction
  • Build Writing Confidence with the "Ready, Do, Done" Model
  • Co-Create Writing Goals
  • Help K-8 Students with Executive Functioning Needs: A Conversation with a Colleague
  • Unlock Strategies for Task Initiation
• TWTBlog Posts That Explore Executive Functioning
  • Contingency Maps for Writing Workshops
  • Writing and Working Memory: Reflective Practice

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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.