Avsnitt

  • Michelle Breitenbach is an energetic and motivating presenter who will get you on your feet. She is a certified dyslexia practitioner and early literacy specialist from Boston, Massachusetts.

    After working as a special educator for seven years, she established her own company in Miami, Florida, Read to Rewire. She supports students online as a private educator and coaches teachers globally.

    Michelle is passionate about teaching others how to engage students through less technology, movement, and games in the classroom and online, precisely those extra wiggly, inflexible thinkers. Michelle was teaching online for over a year when the pandemic occurred. She supported the transition to online teaching with free resources and webinars during the pandemic.

    Michelle loves creating unique resources to support teachers and maintain student interest with games and bursts of movement. Her interactive webinars have focused on elevating student engagement, maintaining multi-sensory methods, minimizing tech online for successful lessons, setting up behavior systems, and weaving quick motivating activities into each part of a structured literacy lesson.

    In this episode, we’ll chat give our top 3 tips for tutoring!

    Connect with Michelle:
    Michelle’s Website: https://www.readtorewire.com;
    Connect with Michelle on IG: http://www.Instagram.com/readtorewire
    Connect with Michelle on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/readtorewire

    Additional Resources:
    Freebie! Checklist to Get Ready to Teach Online: https://cheerful-speaker-5789.ck.page/b230f58cbe

    InSwan Document Camera
    Amazon Canada affiliate link:
    https://amzn.to/3do8nVX

    Amazon US affiliate link:
    https://amzn.to/3S85Jm4

    Check out the LIVE with Hanna and Michelle all about working with wiggly littles.
    https://www.instagram.com/tv/Chu6YquprZ_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  • Shaime Cortes-Vega started her career as an educator in 2009. In that time, she’s worked as a special education middle school teacher, an upper grades elementary school teacher, and has now been a literacy coach for four years. She’s also a professional development specialist for Education to the Core. She’s passionate about all things reading science and ADHD and love to share information about these two topics.

    -What is ADHD?
    -The process of obtaining an ADHD diagnosis
    -Typical obstacles that kids with ADHD deal with during a day
    -Common diagnoses that would go together with ADHD
    -How to support someone you love who has ADHD

    Connect with Shaime Corets-Vega @drcorteswrites

    Freebie: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VJS4LTWRND6Q7Yp9krsaK3nXsWMQgnUg/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107460830376551921290&rtpof=true&sd=true

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  • Jeannette Roberes is an author who has worked as a speech pathologist, software engineer and educator. She has spoken in over 40 countries and has earned recognition in The Washington Post and U.S. News & World Report, among other professional acknowledgements. Jeannette’s commitment to life-long learning is noted through her LETRS® early childhood facilitator certification, Fast ForWord® and PROJECT READ® curriculum certifications. Her debut book, Technical Difficulties: Why Dyslexic Narratives Matter in Tech, has received 5 star reviews across Goodreads and Amazon. Jeannette is the chief academic officer of Bearly Articulating.

    In this episode, we’ll chat about:
    What do we mean when we say "literacy is a social justice issue"?

    What are some of the contributing factors?

    How does this impact learning?

    Why do we need to pay more attention?

    Important resources

    The Young Activist’s Dictionary of Social Justice
    Amazon Canada affiliate link:
    https://amzn.to/3cQQq27
    Amazon US affiliate link:
    https://amzn.to/3AVYfLL

    Literacy is Liberation by Kimberly N. Parker
    Amazon Canada affiliate link:
    https://amzn.to/3cUfWmZ
    Amazon US affiliate link:
    https://amzn.to/3D5PiSE

    Think Dyslexia with Dr. Lauren
    Website: https://www.thinkdyslexia.me/
    Podcast: https://www.myliteracyspace.com/blog/how-to-supportyour-dyslexic-child

  • Rachel Beiswanger serves as a K-12 reading specialist. She works directly with students as an interventionist and also leads literacy initiatives to implement evidence-based practices at her school. She holds a master of education in reading and has been an educator for 12 years. Rachel is passionate about helping educators bridge research to practice and believes that prevention is the key to ending the literacy crisis.

    In this episode we chat about:
    -What a universal screener is and what specific ways that that gives us an overall view
    -How to move from a universal to more of a diagnostic assessment
    -The possible red flags that come up possible red flags that come up in an assessment
    -How to support specific literacy skills

    Resources mentioned in the episode:
    Reading comp comprehension blueprint by Nancy Hennessy

    Amazon Canada affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3TzmzMa

    Amazon US affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3KGSxSA

    Teachers top 10 tools by Dr. Deb Glaser: https://www.tools4reading.com/top-10-tools

    Universal Screener: https://acadiencelearning.org/acadience-reading/

  • Hallee Adelman is an educator, writer, producer, and filmmaker. With a PhD in education, Adelman has taught elementary through university students and has been nominated for Disney Teacher of the Year on multiple occasions.

    This past April, Adelman released three new picture books published by Albert Whitman & Company. Way Past Lonely and Way Past Afraid, are the two latest books in Hallee’s Great Big Feelings series, joining 2020 titles Way Past Mad and Way Past Worried and 2021 titles Way Past Jealous and Way Past Sad. These Social Emotional Learning books help kids explore and manage their feelings, with accompanying lesson plans, activities, and videos available for free at WayPastBooks.com. Hallee also released The Strongest Thing, a standalone picture book that reminds children of the strength found in love and kindness—and in themselves.

    Whether she is sharing a story, supporting her local schools, or serving a non-profit, Adelman’s greatest passion is lifting kids, families, and creators as they share their stories, inspire change, and spread laughter. She resides outside Philadelphia, PA with her husband, daughters, and dogs.

    In this episode we’ll chat about:

    -How the descriptive language used in the series helps children visualize the emotion making it easy to relate to
    -Diverse representation of families and character names
    -The importance of using picture books to build social and emotional language and skills
    -How families and educators can use these books to support children


    Connect with Hallee:

    https://waypastbooks.com/
    https://www.halleeadelman.com/
    https://myquietship.com/
    Instagram @WayPastBooks and @HalleeAdelman
    Twitter @HalleeAdelman

  • Wendy Darasz and Jen Yagid are both Wilson certified and credentialed Dyslexia Practitioners. They have worked together for over 10 years. They are self-described Science of Reading geeks and are passionate about evidenced-based literacy instruction.

    Wendy and Jen co-founded Informed Literacy in 2015 to help build a community of like-minded individuals and to spread the word about structured literacy practices. As reading specialists, they work with a diverse population of students, including regular and special education students and English language learners from kindergarten to grade 6.

    Their mission at Informed Literacy is to support teachers and parents of emergent and struggling readers because …every child deserves reading success.


    What is the best definition of fluency?
    What is automaticity and accuracy, prosody, speed, punctuation, expression
    Why is fluency important for readers?
    What are the most important components of fluency?
    How do we assess fluency?

    Connect with Jen and Wendy:
    Website: https://informedliteracy.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/informedlit/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InformedLit
    Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCDE4Ut9Y5ZgzNimn40l0rQ
    TPT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Informed-Literacy

    Megabook of Fluency by Timothy Rasinski and Melissa Cheeseman Smith
    Amazon Canada affiliate link:
    https://amzn.to/3ypG5C1

  • Sarah Paul is a reading interventionist for kindergarten through third grade. Prior to that, she taught first grade. Sarah has a blog called Sarah's Teaching Snippets that she started in 2010.

    Sarah started studying dyslexia about ten years ago, which began her journey with the Science of Reading. She has received OG training through the Dyslexia Training Institute and additional training through PDX Reading Specialist.


    In this episode, we'll discuss:
    What is a morpheme?
    What is morphology?
    Why is morphology important?
    How does morphology support reading and spelling acquisition?
    When do we start to introduce morphology concepts into our instruction?
    Why is important not to wait until the later grades to introduce morphology?

    **Sign Up for the Science of Reading Summer Summit: https://www.myliteracyspace.com/science-of-reading-summer-summit

  • Rachel is a 1st grade teacher based in Atlanta, GA. After falling in love with early education through studying social emotional learning in her elementary education and special education undergraduate teaching program, Rachel found structured literacy through working at Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Reading Clinic. She developed structured multi-sensory instruction for students with diverse learning needs and brought this experience to the gen ed classroom starting in 2020.

    Rachel taught Kindergarten online all year during the 2020-2021 school year out of Brooklyn, NY and built her social media platform and teacher resources to support early career teachers in developing inclusive classroom communities online and in-person as well as implementing structured literacy research and practice in schools with balanced literacy programs. She discovered the equitable power of word study and aligned decodables as she worked with learners with a variety of language backgrounds and learning needs all through the computer.

    In this episode, we’ll chat about

    -What ‘decodable’ means

    -What decodable books and decodable texts are

    -The importance of decodable text

    -The reasons for using decodable text vs. authentic text

    -Who should be reading decodable text

    -The 3-cueing system and leveled text

    -When to move on from decodable text

    **Sign Up for the Science of Reading Summer Summit here: https://www.myliteracyspace.com/science-of-reading-summer-summit

    **Download my Decodable Books & Resources Link here: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/62c59e6776107945a8113180

  • Brittany Philipsen is entering her 18th year in public education, having spent eleven years as an elementary classroom teacher, and beginning year seven as an instructional coach.

    Passionate about research-based literacy instruction, Brittany has completed LETRS training twice, Orton Gillingham training twice, holds a Structured Literacy certificate, and has a Master of Arts in Education with a concentration in Reading Science.

    It is Brittany's mission to support teachers in ensuring that all students have access to high quality explicit reading instruction.

    In this episode you’ll hear us chat about:

    -The importance of explicit spelling instruction
    -The skills kids need to have in order to be proficient spellers
    -Why kids experience difficulty with spelling and how to support their learning
    -Brittany’s favourite spelling resources

    Books Mentioned in the Episode:

    Uncovering the Logic of English - A Common-Sense Approach to Reading, Spelling and Literacy by Denise Eide
    Amazon Canada https://amzn.to/3OAD07n
    Amazon US https://amzn.to/3HMrSSF

    Spelling for Life - Uncovering the Simplicity and Science of Spelling by Lyn Stone
    Amazon Canada https://amzn.to/3OBsEUV
    Amazon US https://amzn.to/3tYTled

    The ABC’s and All Their Tricks - The Complete Reference Book of Phonics and Spelling by Margaret M. Bishop
    Amazon Canada https://amzn.to/3Okz5fa
    Amazon US https://amzn.to/3zYYreg

    Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

    https://education.ufl.edu › ufli

    https://www.readingrockets.org

    https://keystoliteracy.com/

    https://www.grammarly.com/

    Click the following link to access information about the Science of Reading Summer Summit: https://www.myliteracyspace.com/science-of-reading-summer-summit

  • Dr. Lauren McClenney-Rosenstein’s passion for educating, advocating, and bringing awareness to dyslexia at the domestic and international levels began in the elementary classrooms of private schools serving students with language-based learning disabilities. She has been a certified Special Educator for a decade, and she earned her Doctor of Education in Teaching, Learning, Leadership, & Curriculum in 2019 from Northeastern University and holds a dual masters in Special Education and Elementary Education from Syracuse University and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Syracuse University. Her dedication to providing the gold standard of instruction to individuals with dyslexia led her to obtain her endorsement at the Associate level through The Orton-Gillingham Academy in 2014.


    Eventually, she expanded her skill set in the public schools as a 7th and 8th grade math and English Language Arts (ELA) co-teacher before taking a position with a non-profit organization that advocates for inclusion in public schools for students with disabilities. Currently, Dr. Lauren is a middle school learning specialist and instructional coach at a private school while also the CEO of Think Dyslexia.

    In this episode we’ll chat about:

    -What dyslexia is
    -Red flags parents should be looking for
    -How parents can support their child with dyslexia
    -How young children can be to get a diagnosis
    -Why it's important to not just “wait and see”
    -Resource books for parents to read

    Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

    -International Dyslexia Association: https://dyslexiaida.org/
    -3 Surprising Ways to Support Your Child's Dyslexia: https://www.thinkdyslexia.me/landing-page
    -Dyslexia Yale Creativity Center: https://dyslexia.yale.edu/
    -Mayo Clinics Signs and Symptoms of Dyslexia: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dyslexia/symptoms-causes/syc-20353552

    Books Mentioned in the Episode:
    Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz
    Brilliantly Dyslexic. And that's by Liz Trudeau
    Hacking the Code by Gea Meijering
    Climb by Hannah Peckham
    Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
    If You're So Smart, Why Can't You Spell Mississippi? By Barbara Esham
    Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt


    Connect with Dr. Lauren
    Website: https://www.thinkdyslexia.me/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedrlauren/
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/think_dyslexia
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-mcclenney-rosenstein-ed-d-6a06002a/

  • Caroline is a children's book author whose debut book, Gitty and Kvetch, came out this past September through Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. She has a number of picture books coming out over the next few years, and is excited to share more soon! Caroline is currently an MFA Candidate in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband, three kiddos and 120-lb dog.

    In this episode, we’ll chat about:

    -How authors get inspired
    -Important skills to develop as a young writer
    -Favourite takeaways from Caroline’s IG series Craft Talk she did with other amazing children's authors
    -How she looks for what she refers to as a "one magical moment"
    -Tips for educators in encouraging young writers

    Connect with Caroline

    www.carolinekusinpritchard.com

    Instagram @carolinepritchardwrites

    Twitter @CarolinePritch

    Facebook: Caroline Kusin Pritchard

    Books Mentioned in the Episode:

    Gitty and Kvetch by Caroline Kusin Pritchard
    Amazon Canada affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3xsbH8A
    Amazon US affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3NVeGx3


    When We Say Black Lives Matter by Maxine Beneba Clarke
    Amazon Canada affiliate link:https://amzn.to/3b4Qfin
    Amazon US affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3MWJLzl

  • Why is it that more people can’t read and write? Why are there still so many vastly different methods of teaching literacy? Why do people still argue about it?


    In this episode, you’ll hear Hanna discuss the book “Reading for Life” with Savannah from Campbell Creates Readers and Megan and Laura from Developing Readers Academy.


    "Reading for Life" examines these three questions, addressing the less evidence-supported ideas about teaching reading and writing that are still alive and well in schools worldwide. This accessible guide bridges the gap between research and practice, translating academic findings into practical suggestions and ready-to-use techniques.

    Connect with Megan and Laura
    Instagram: @developing_readers_academy
    Facebook- Developing Readers Academy
    Website: www.developingreadersacademy.com

    Connect with Savannah
    Website: www.campbellcreatesreaders.com
    Instagram: @campbellcreatesreaders on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

    "Reading for Life" with Lyn Stone

    Amazon Canada affiliate link https://amzn.to/3xmMqN4

    Amazon US affiliate link https://amzn.to/3xb94rs

  • Get to Know Marisa:

    Instagram:

    https://www.instagram.com/mwliteracy

    Website: https://www.mw-literacy.com

    Executive Functioning Information Sheet:
    https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Executive-Functioning-Skills-Handout-6988990

    Recommended Books:

    Too Many Bubbles
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3Neddle
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3GDy9zI


    Your Fantastic Elastic Brain
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3Ma7AD6
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3m3uvFB


    Goodnight to Your Fantastic Elastic Brain
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3aiUNkw
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3agA54N


    Fix it with Focus
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/38W8UfD
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3M9yg75


    I’m Stretched
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3Nc8vEq
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3m4CrXj


    What Should Danny Do?
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3NcpVRA
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3GJAV6C


    Executive Functioning Workbook for Kids
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3M9z0ZV
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3936V9d


    Executive Skills and Reading Comprehension
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/38DIcrO
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3mnVyMl

    Recommended Games:

    Uno Card Game
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3x8anZp
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3Nck2DM

  • Megan Hartley the brains behind the Instagram account @Ihaveabook4that, describes herself as a book mom, book nerd, and a reading teacher.
    Growing up Megan didn't read many books with characters who looked like her. And now she’s on a mission to change that. Today, Megan helps people find diverse books for all of life’s moments no matter how big, small, or silly.

    In this episode, Megan and I discuss:
    - Where Megan’s passion for books came from
    - Megan’s favourite book that she likes to use in the classroom and what literacy skills she teaches with that particular book
    - Some trends she saw in picture books specifically in 2021 that she would like to see continue in 2022.
    - The need for diverse picture books and when she first saw herself in a book and how that impacted her.
    - 3 things Megan looks for in a great children's picture book and middle-grade book


    Connect with Megan on Instagram
    @ihaveabook4that

    Book Recommendations


    The Little Red Pen
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3Go2B0I
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3sYTlKG


    Out of My Mind
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3yXKTiI
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3MT9dXa


    Out of My Heart
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/38mPQH4
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3sWmbeK


    Blended
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3ah7Frr
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3MT9qtq

    From the desk of Zoe, Washington
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3wK4D6K
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3GofNT1


    Root Magic
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3MRxyN9
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3Giabtw


    Red, White and Whole
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3LNzlRY
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3lK0bzL


    The Front Desk series
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3zgf311
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3yX1umT


    Girl Dad
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3NACdCX
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3Go3tm0


    On Her Wings
    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3lLqC8o
    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3PIMkri

  • Self-regulation is the ability to control one's emotions, thoughts, and actions. It's a critical life skill that impacts every aspect of a person's wellbeing, including their academic success. Self-regulated learners are able to set goals and stick to them, stay focused and on task, manage their time wisely, and cope with stress and setbacks in a healthy way. As you can imagine, these skills are essential for success in the classroom and in life. Karen Braun is joining me on this episode to talk about self-regulation and how that impacts learners in the classroom and at home. Karen Braun is an Inclusive Education Specialist for Palliser School Division. She has been a teacher since 1983 and began working with students with behavioural and mental health challenges in 1990. This has been her passion ever since.

    After working for a number of years within the constructs of more traditional approaches, Karen knew that there were any things that didn’t line up with what she believed in her heart. This started her on a journey of exploration and learning. As part of this journey, she found some excellent research by Dr. Stuart Shanker, the founder of The Mehrit Centre who echoed what she believed, “There is no such thing as a bad kid!” Karen loves to share and teach on regulation, trauma, behaviour strategies, collaborative problem solving and all things inclusive education.

    Connect with Karen:

    Facebook - Karen Vanderleest Braun

    Twitter - @TchrKaren

    Instagram - selfreggerkaren

    Download Karen’s Resources: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10EqViZLDhXPP7pGK6j7N2EMjzaIBJF9k?usp=sharing

    Videos mentioned in the episode:

    Wheel of Emotions: https://www.6seconds.org/2022/03/13/plutchik-wheel-emotions/

    Hand-Brain Model: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRmnVmELMn8

    Long StoryShortz: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC88dVyeFEfwfSXRD7TL03CA


    Books mentioned in the episode:


    Shanker, Stuart - Self-Reg: How to Help Your Child (and You).

    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3yI89kF

    Amazon US link: https://amzn.to/3llN2wO

    Break the Stress Cycle and Successfully Engage with Life

    Amazon Canada link: https://amzn.to/3PEoLjx

    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3sHghy6

    Gates, Miriam and Hinder, Sarah Jane - Good Morning Yoga: A Pose-by-Pose Wake Up Story

    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3wmOLbu

    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3sJ95l8

    Hanh, Thich Nhat - A Handful of Quiet: Happiness in Four Pebbles

    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/37YIZU4

    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3wlLUzi

    Sladkey, David - Energizing Brain Breaks (Also YouTube channel)

    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3wl3aoj

    Amazon US link https://amzn.to/3yO6PNn

    Winner, Michelle Garci and Crooke, Pamela - You are a Social Detective! Explaining Social Thinking to Kids (they have a whole range of great products)

    Amazon Canada link https://amzn.to/3sDGAoY

  • Margaret Kingsbury has 14 years of experience in the book industry and is the co-founder of Baby Librarians, a children’s book review website. She’s passionate about inclusivity, disability, and spreading the joys of reading. She’s a regular contributing writer for BuzzFeed Books and Book Riot. Her articles have also been featured in Parents, The Lily, StarTrek.com, and more.

    In this episode, Margaret and I chat about:

    -What is missing in children's books when we talk about disability?
    -What makes a book about disabilities problematic?
    -How do we think more critically about books - tokenism vs incidental representation
    -Why do you think this continues to be an area lacking representation?
    -How does this impact children?
    -What are your top 3 books that demonstrate disability in a positive light?
    -How do we think more critically about representation in children's books and how do we model that for children or for people we interact with?

    https://www.instagram.com/babylibrarians/
    https://www.facebook.com/babylibrarians
    https://babylibrarians.com/
    https://bookshop.org/shop/babylibrarians
    https://twitter.com/areaderlymom

    The Current State of Disability Representation in Children's Books from Book Riot: https://bookriot.com/disability-representation-in-childrens-books/


    Check out Margaret's Baby Librarians list of books with dyslexic characters: https://babylibrarians.com/5-childrens-books-with-dyslexic-characters/

    Link to The Catchpoles Instagram and Ale's lesson guide too. Here it is: https://thecatchpoles.net/2021/08/08/official-what-happened-to-you-lesson-plan-created-with-the-author/

    What Happened To You? by James Catchpole and Karen George
    Amazon Canada https://amzn.to/3kZbHH9
    Amazon US https://amzn.to/3l80WSN

    I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott and Sydney Smith
    Amazon Canada https://amzn.to/39dcKjX
    Amazon US https://amzn.to/3MakaTK

    My City Speaks by Darren Lebeuf and Ashley Barron
    Amazon Canada https://amzn.to/3M5L935
    Amazon US https://amzn.to/3PhyN9K

  • Using LGBTQIA+ affirming materials in your classroom can help foster more equitable learning environments where everyone feels valued and seen.

    By using inclusive literacy texts and teaching tools, such as book lists and lesson plans tailored towards the needs of LGBTQIA+ youth, you can go a long way towards promoting acceptance, tolerance, and understanding among your child or student. In addition, affirming materials can also provide valuable information about LGBTQIA+ identities and experiences, which can help promote critical thinking skills and lead to a deeper understanding of complex social issues.


    Interested in learning how to use LGBTQIA+ affirming materials in your classroom? Our featured guest this week, Ash Bell, is here to help us get started.


    Ash (they/them) is a LGBTQIA+ cultural responsiveness trainer, former public school teacher, book aficionado, and parent of 2 kids under 5. They have worked with schools, government agencies, businesses, and parents for over 10 years helping to create LGBTQIA+ affirming spaces, DEI plans, and curriculum that celebrates LGBTQIA+ children and families. When not supporting parents, schools, non-profits, and businesses in their inclusion endeavors, Ash can be found hiking the mountains of Western Massachusetts where they are a recent transplant.



    Here are the episode highlights:

    -The Rainbow Toolbox - What is it and what kind of tools make the most impact?
    -How to do a Children's Book Inventory
    -How to use LGBTQIA+ affirming materials in your classroom - What does this mean and what does it look like?
    -Ash’s top book recommendations to read with children and how to start the conversation with your own children or with your students and even your staff!


    Website: www.therainbowtoolbox.com


    Instagram: @therainbowtoolbox


    Check out Ash’s pronoun practice tips sheet by signing up for their email list: https://mailchi.mp/0b6855ad8b82/pronoun-tips


    Bathe the Cat
    Amazon Canada https://amzn.to/3KpMNe9
    Amazon US https://amzn.to/3EYBQ1O


    We Move Together
    Amazon Canadahttps://amzn.to/3vSvq06
    Amazon US https://amzn.to/3vomi4k


    Mr. Watson’s Chickens
    Amazon Canadahttps://amzn.to/3kEeNQV
    Amazon US https://amzn.to/3vpheNe


    A Plan for Pops
    Amazon Canada https://amzn.to/3kjTSSX
    Amazon US https://amzn.to/3xXskuD


    When Aidan Became a Brother
    Amazon Canada https://amzn.to/3vOCn2f
    Amazon US https://amzn.to/3MA29hA


    Grandad’s Camper
    Amazon Canada https://amzn.to/3KtpT5s
    Amazon US https://amzn.to/3rUezcc


    Love, Violet
    Amazon Canada https://amzn.to/3xYkwIS
    Amazon US https://amzn.to/39dgn9E


    Picture Bookstagang Podcast: “Incidental LGBTQ+ Representation in Picturebooks: A short history and a modern overview.” https://picturebookstagang.com/podcast-picture-bookstagang/

  • Handwriting is a crucial skill that many of us take for granted. Whether we are writing in print or cursive, our ability to form letters and words clearly and legibly can affect everything from our engagement in school to our job prospects later in life. And yet, this essential skill has seen a decline in recent years, as teaching methods have shifted away from emphasizing the basics of handwriting towards more advanced concepts such as grammar and sentence structure.
    While this shift may be understandable in theory, it does not reflect the reality of modern learning environments. As anyone who has worked with students knows all too well, many kids struggle with challenges related to fine motor skills, making it difficult for them to master even basic handwriting techniques. And so, for these students in particular, the continued importance of handwriting cannot be overstated. By increasing their focus on cursive writing and related activities such as tracing and copying exercises, educators can help these students build the physical abilities they need to succeed both academically and professionally.


    In this episode, you'll hear me chat with Candi Sellers. Candi is passionate about training professionals, providing academic language therapy to learners of all ages, and creating resources that support literacy. She is a homeschool mom of a neurodivergent learner, a Fellow of Orton-Gillingham Academy, a Certified Academic Language Therapist-Qualified Instructor with ALTA, a Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist with CERI, Instructor of Therapy with IMSLEC, and a licensed teacher in North Carolina. Candi provides Orton-Gillingham teacher training and practicum courses.


    Candi is also in private practice providing tutoring and consultation. Having worked in public, private, and homeschool settings, she recognizes that researched-based literacy instruction is critical for all students. She is passionate about helping families and professionals find the tools and measures needed to support all learners, specifically those with learning differences.

    Candi shares the importance of handwriting and how it is a crucial part of instruction.

    Website: https://www.theinstructionhub.com/


    Instagram: @theinstructionhub


    Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoUpk_JuKNcyUD7pBdEE9gw


    Facebook:
    https://www.facebook.com/theinstructionhub

  • I’m always on the hunt for new and exciting ways to help my students become successful readers (I bet you are too!) Luckily when it comes to literacy, there are a lot of different approaches you can take. And on today’s episode, I’d love to share one more with you- a platform called Simbi.


    Simbi is an online platform that offers a variety of interactive content specifically designed to help children learn to read. With Simbi, your child will have access to stories, games, and activities that’s intended to keep them engaged and excited about learning. Here are a few highlights:


    -Simbi is developed in collaboration with literacy experts and reading teachers from around the world.
    -Simbi’s methods – Reading Along, Narrating, TellMe and more – are proven to improve reading comprehension, fluency, and memory.
    -It helps motivate both avid and struggling readers to improve their own proficiency, and to help others do the same!


    One of the things I love most though is this company’s pledge to foster lifelong reading habits while creating global impact. Here’s how they do it:
    On Simbi’s unique Read for Good platform, learners give back by sharing their voices to help others. Topics such as social-emotional, social justice, resilience and global citizenship are introduced.

    Children are able to explore diverse content from top publishers, always free of ads, and available any time of day.

    As students narrate books for others to hear, they earn volunteer hours automatically. Certificates can be downloaded to celebrate reading, or submit for service hours. (So cool!)


    Never heard of it? Not to worry! Adrienne Gear, Canadian teacher, author and representative of Simbi is here to give us the scoop.


    So if you’re looking for a new and engaging way to support your child’s literacy skills, check out this episode to learn more about Simbi.

    Check out Simbi at https://simbi.io/

    Connect with Adrienne on Instagram
    @readingpowergear


    View Adrienne’s Website: https://www.readingpowergear.com/

    **Check Out this Month's Featured Workshop!** https://www.myliteracyspace.com/classes

  • When it comes to social justice, the classroom is often the last place people think to look. But the truth is, social injustice is happening all around us, every day. By bringing social justice into the classroom, we can empower our students to stand up for what's right. By discussing controversial topics and exploring different perspectives, we can help our students develop the skills they need to become compassionate and effective advocates for social change.

    Want to know more about today’s guests?


    Connect with Corrie
    Instagram @thetinyactivists:
    https://www.instagram.com/thetinyactivists/?hl=en


    Connect with Rabia
    Instagram @rabia_reads https://www.instagram.com/rabia_reads/

    Resources mentioned in this episode:


    NAEYC : https://www.naeyc.org/


    Understanding Anti-Bias Education: Bringing the Four Core Goals to Every Facet of Your Curriculum by Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/nov2019/understanding-anti-bias


    Kimberle W. Crenshaw: https://www.law.columbia.edu/faculty/kimberle-w-crenshaw


    **Check Out this Month's Featured Workshop!** https://www.myliteracyspace.com/classes