Stellar Teacher Podcast: A Podcast for Upper Elementary Teachers

Happy 2023, friends! As this podcast celebrates 2 years, I like to reflect on the journey of this milestone, while also thinking about the goals and plans for the upcoming year. I have to admit that I’m not into making resolutions, for I tend to make them specific, which then ultimately, I end up not following through. Instead, I make a ‘more and less list’. So in the spirit of resolutions, in today’s episode, I’m sharing my ‘more and less list’ for literacy teachers.Download my Free Word of the Day: Context Clue Routine here!Join us in the Stellar Teacher Reading Membership: stellarteacher.com/membershipTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode115

After a long break, there’s bound to be some challenges that arise when students return. Before break, your students were in a routine and had good stamina for independent reading. But now, it’s almost like starting from the beginning all over again. To help your students regain their momentum towards independent reading, I’m sharing 5 tips to implement during your reading block.Join us in the Stellar Teacher Reading Membership: stellarteacher.com/membershipTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode114

It’s our job to provide instruction to students on a variety of skills and strategies to use outside of the classroom. But it’s something special when we can do something inside the classroom that translates to an authentic experience in real life. One way to do that is through the implementation of book clubs. I’m known as a “serial book club starter”, which explains why I’m sharing tips on how to establish student independence with book clubs. Join us in the Stellar Teacher Reading Membership: stellarteacher.com/membershipTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode113

You’ve hit the halfway mark in the school year, so it’s a great time to reevaluate your literacy routines and take this opportunity to revamp your ideas. One way to do that is through your reading response activities. While students read independently, the goal is for them to think about what they’re reading, which is exactly what reading response activities do. So if you’re looking for fresh and new reading response ideas that will energize independent reading time, today’s episode will do just that!Join us in the Stellar Teacher Reading Membership: stellarteacher.com/membershipTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode112

The weeks between now and winter break can be long for both teachers and students, and a time when students tend to lose focus and need more engagement. One way to regain their attention is to incorporate movement into your instructional day. In Episode 53, I shared 4 ways to incorporate movement into your literacy block, so in a way, this is part 2 of that episode. In today’s episode, I’m sharing 4 additional ways to incorporate movement into any part of your instructional day!Join us in the Stellar Teacher Reading Membership: stellarteacher.com/membershipTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode111

With the new year just around the corner, we often think of this time as a fresh start and a new beginning to something that is ending. But what if we applied that same logic to every ending that occurred in our lives? After reading the children’s book The End Is Just The Beginning, you will start doing just that. Giving us more insight, I have the author of that book, Mike Bender, to help discuss how to create a positive perspective on any ending.Join us in the Stellar Teacher Reading Membership: stellarteacher.com/membershipTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode110

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and being grateful and thankful, I first, am so grateful for each of my listeners on this podcast. Y’all are amazing and the reason why I get to do what I’m doing. And secondly, this time of year provides a great opportunity to reflect and evaluate your professional and personal happiness. So we’re going to take a short break from our regular literacy discussions, and focus on how to take control of your professional and personal happiness during stressful seasons of life.Join us in the Stellar Teacher Reading Membership: stellarteacher.com/membershipTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode109

We’ve talked about this idea of trying to fit all these different skills into your literacy block, but with what time? It’s so difficult to designate time specifically for certain skills when you have so much to cover. So what if I told you focusing on the skill of fluency doesn’t have to take up extra time and it can be organically streamlined throughout all parts of your day? Game changer! In today’s episode, my special guest, Aylin Claahsen, is sharing powerful and practical tips to increase student reading fluency.Check out Aylin's Fluency Course here!Join us in the Stellar Teacher Reading Membership: stellarteacher.com/membershipTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode108

I don’t know about you, but one of the things that was difficult for me to teach to my students was writing. The act of writing causes many challenges for students, but unfortunately, it’s a skill that’s necessary in academics. And why most people just associate writing during literacy or ELA class, in reality, writing is transferable to all subject areas.Since we know writing isn’t used when just talking about literacy concepts, having students practice and develop their writing skills needs to be incorporated in other content areas throughout the day. While this might be difficult for some to grasp and put into action, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! In today’s episode, I’m sharing 5 different ideas on how you can incorporate high impact writing activities into any content area.Download our Sentence Writing Routine Resource here!Join us in the Stellar Teacher Reading Membership: stellarteacher.com/membershipTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode107

In the spirit of Halloween, I’ve got a treat for you today! If you’re like me, you think the same thing at the beginning of every single school year: I’m going to rock my classroom management this year! And while you might start with good intentions, it never seems to go the way you thought it would. Not to mention, holidays and other exciting events are starting to take place, which can disrupt the flow and management of your classroom. If this sounds like you, or you just need to tweak a few management techniques in your classroom, this episode is for you! On today’s episode, Dr. Lori Friesen is sharing her top smart and simple classroom management hacks for these ever changing seasons. Join us in the Stellar Teacher Reading Membership: stellarteacher.com/membershipDon't forget to download Dr. Lori's Ultimate Classroom Management Checklist Freebie here!To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode106