The conversation around matching texts to readers is a continuous struggle for us. On the one hand, we continually see how important it is for students to have lots of opportunities to read texts that are easy for them. When students read at an independent...
What are you reading? We would love to know!! ...
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As writers, we both find inspiration in thinking about objects. These small treasures from our lives are filled with stories. This shell sits on my desk. I saved this shell on the day my son Ryan laughed for the first time. He went from not smiling to...
This fall we are going to try something new for our It's Monday! posts. In honor of NCTE's new initiative - #BuildYourStack - we are going to share our reading stack each Monday. We will share our thoughts on some of these books and ideas for...
Choosing “just the right” read aloud for the first weeks of school can be tricky. We want books that engage students, make them laugh, and help them think about how they can be a contributing member of a passionate and inclusive classroom community. So many...
One of the best things you can do for your child’s transition to college is to put your phone down, so they can put their phone down. If they walk around campus looking down, they will not make connections with the people who are actually...
When we think about our own reading lives, we know community matters. We are both in book clubs, regularly participate in #IMWAYR with Jen Vincent and Kellee Moye, and read and write for the Nerdy Book Club Blog. Today the Picture Book 10 for 10...
It has been quite a year! We each had a son graduate from high school, we continued learning with teachers in over fifteen school districts, and we published our second book. This time last year, we were in the thick of revisions and still envisioning...
Early this morning I sat down in my garden with a cup of coffee (in my favorite writing mug) with plans to write my slice of life. I thought through my topic and my structure the prior day. I even had my lead sentence drafted...