Stellar Teacher Podcast: A Podcast for Upper Elementary Teachers

I’ve talked on this podcast before about the science of reading, the major components of it, and why it’s such a major topic in the field of education right now. And while I’ve researched and surrounded myself with all the information I can on it, there’s still so much to unpack and learn. Thankfully, my guest on today’s episode, Katie Egan Cunningham, is an expert on the topic. So, in this episode, Katie is sharing insights into the science of reading, the importance of evidence-based instruction, the idea of the science of happiness, and her new book, Shifting the Balance. Buy Katie's book, Shifting the Balance, Grades 3-5: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Upper Elementary Classroom, here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode198

The podcast discusses how activating prior knowledge and building background knowledge can enhance reading comprehension. It emphasizes empowering students to deeply understand the topic of texts they are reading, using practical strategies like developing 'mental Velcro' and fostering critical thinking through thematic planning and knowledge-building in various genres.

I’ve always been fascinated with how students learn to read, so when I first heard about the science of reading, I couldn’t get enough. I read all the books and did countless hours of research, all to learn this knowledge and share it with my listeners. Starting this Thursday, we’re kicking off our Stellar Teacher Science of Reading Summer Series, where I address one aspect of the science of reading with practical tips and strategies. So, in order to prepare for this upcoming series, in this episode, I’m sharing a brief overview and explaining what the science of reading is and insight into the science of reading in upper elementary.Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode196

I’ll be honest: when I was teaching in the classroom, I knew very little about the work Speech Language Pathologists, or SLPs, did in schools. I knew they pulled students to work on speech services, but not much beyond that. After my conversation with today’s guest, Hallie Sherman, I gained a deeper understanding of the role of an SLP and how they help students with their language, which affects their reading comprehension. In today’s episode with Hallie, you’ll learn how to effectively collaborate with SLPS, ways they support students, and practical strategies you can use in your own classroom.Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode195

Discover must-teach writing skills for the start of school in this episode. Explore essential writing skills, sentence construction, and paragraph development. Learn how to transform writing instruction with practical tips. Join a summer book study for upper elementary teachers focusing on the science of reading.

Being a first year teacher, there are so many things on your mind and your to-do list before entering your classroom in the fall. But like most first year teachers, they don’t want to wait to get started on all things teaching and are so eager to get started now. Well, if you’re a first-year teacher, you’re in luck! In today’s episode, I have guest Dr. Lori Friesen, who is sharing five things teachers can do now before their first year of teaching.Grab a copy of Dr. Lori Friesen's book here!Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode193

Discover effective strategies for teaching vocabulary to upper elementary students, including kid-friendly definitions, visual aids, word connections, and interactive exercises. Join a free summer book study for teachers on the science of reading in upper elementary classrooms. Learn about the speaker's journey from traditional word lists to a balanced literacy approach, highlighting the struggles and need for explicit instruction.

Melissa and Lori, literacy experts and co-authors of a book, share practical wisdom on fluency, vocabulary tiers, and reading comprehension strategies for educators. They discuss the challenges of condensing valuable literacy information, enhancing fluency skills through daily practice, effective vocabulary instruction, and comprehension strategies. The episode provides tips for educators and invites them to join a summer book study to improve their teaching.

One of the reasons I love doing this podcast is because I get to share resources, information, and knowledge I’ve learned with you all. I know when I was a classroom teacher, I didn’t have the time to research and really dive into topics like I wanted to. But I get to do that now, and one of the topics I’ve learned so much about, and really one of my favorite topics, is syntax. So, in today’s episode, I’m giving you information for understanding syntax, why it’s important, and ideas to implement in your classroom.Get on the waitlist to join The Stellar Literacy Collective here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode190

When working with kids, part of the job is dealing with their behaviors. Just like adults, kids have good and bad days, experience emotions, get excited, and would rather partake in activities that interest them than do their school work. Learning to understand their behaviors and how to manage them in a productive way is the key to supporting them. To help with this, in today’s episode, I have guest Sara Cottrill-Carlo on to discuss understanding student behaviors and proactive intervention strategies to put in place. Grab Sara's Behavior Intervention Handouts here!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join Check out my Free Literacy Workshop, The Time Crunch Cure: Create a Literacy Block That Fits it All In and Achieves MoreTo check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode189