Best Models Workshop Production Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 132 Time Stealers turned Time SAVERS 17:49

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2h ago17:49

17:49

I know there is not enough time for writing instruction. That means we need writing time to be as efficient as possible! This episode shares my top tips for making writing time the best for your students. Time stealers: Too much teacher talk Too much student talk Lack of writer independence Keeping writers all together Editing for your writers I ho…

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Episode 131 Writing Together, Growing Together with Authors Irene Latham and Charles Waters 42:16

11d ago42:16

42:16

Listen in to another fantastic conversation with authors Irene Latham and Charles Waters. Both share their experiences and strategies for making writing an effective an enjoyable activity for both teachers and students. The discussion includes: personal journeys as writers the significance of collaboration the importance of creating a safe and enco…

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Episode 130 Struggling Writer Should Not Equal Limiting the Writer 16:58

17d ago16:58

16:58

It often seems that with writing, the first instinct for teachers when seeing a writer have difficulty is to hold them to what they are able to do correctly-to limit them to what they can do well. But isn't that only preventing them from making progress as writers? In this episode, I discuss the importance of placing your focus on the writer, not t…

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Episode 129 Rethinking Editing: Tips to Support Writers with Grammar and Mechanics 24:53

1M ago24:53

24:53

Where are the periods? Why isn't this capitalized? You teach it, but it doesn't show up consistently in their writing. UGH! In this episode, we take a fresh look at teaching grammar and punctuation and the expectations we have for our writers. You will hear: the idea of viewing grammar as a craft including grammar instruction in reading and writing…

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Episode 128 Narrative Know-How with Trevor Bryan 31:06

1M ago31:06

31:06

Join Melissa Morrison in an engaging episode of 'Getting Students to Write' as she welcomes art teacher and author Trevor Bryan. They discuss innovative strategies to boost writing confidence and effectiveness for both teachers and students. Trevor shares insights on integrating art and literacy, the role of pictures in developing comprehension, an…

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Episode 127 Strategies for Grading Writing 20:29

2M ago20:29

20:29

Grading alone is a complicated topic, but grading writing, especially when wanting to value the writer, is even more difficult! The subjective nature of evaluating writing makes it difficult to be sure you have done so "correctly" for your students. It is also cumbersome to consider grading entire pieces from so many students. In this episode, I sh…

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Episode 126 The Ins and Outs of Language Composition with Matt Glover 45:08

2M ago45:08

45:08

This is such an important episode for all Pre-K, Kindergarten, First-grade and Second-grade teachers (and has helpful tips for upper grade teachers as well!) Language composition is the way students use language when reading books they have written, reading published books they are not yet decoding, and taking part in activities such as dramatic pl…

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Why the Paper Matters-Supporting students with paper choices 28:33

2M ago28:33

28:33

Writing volume, struggling writers, writing engagement, writing structure and more can all be affected by the paper that students are using to write. So yes, this episode is all about paper! We will explore: how paper makes writing more authentic the benefits of writers making "picture books" how paper choices communicate importance and expectation…

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Episode 124 Nurturing All Writers with Author Christine Devane 30:17

2M ago30:17

30:17

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Episode 123 Practical Support for Utilizing Formative Data with Writers 33:40

2M ago33:40

33:40

This episode will prepare you to begin gathering formative data about your writers that will keep your instruction, and writer's progress, on track! As the data conversation continues, I share more in this episode about: How data adjust goals for writers How data informs your instructional choices Simple ways to choose data points and collect data …

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Episode 122 Knowing What's Next-The What and Why of Formative Data for Writers 19:46

3M ago19:46

19:46

Do you have independent writing time up and running in your classroom but feel unsure of how to keep your writer's moving forward? It is difficult to support struggling writers or even know what to teach for writing if you don't know enough about your writers. The right formative data will help you plan instruction that supports progress! In this e…

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Episode 121 How to Move from Telling to Teaching 22:23

3M ago22:23

22:23

A coach just telling a player to "hit the ball" or "be aggressive" does not improve their performance. The same is true for us as teachers of writers! We need to teach, not tell by addressing their needs and showing them how to do what we want them to do. Struggling writers will just keep struggling if all we do is have them keep trying to write wi…

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Episode 120 Your Writers Need More. 19:09

3M ago19:09

19:09

Are you wondering.... Why you have struggling writers? Why your writers aren't showing growth? Why your writers aren't engaged in writing? Perhaps they need MORE of something. In this episode, I share three main "mores" that writers need in order to be successful, and a few additional "mores" that are just as important. The first more is one I'm su…

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Episode 119 BOY Lessons that Spark Writers 23:55

3M ago23:55

23:55

***I share some exciting news in this episode!*** In this episode, I discuss lessons cultivated from a multitude of resources combined with years of experience working with writers and with teachers who are new to writer's workshop. Ideas for lessons will be provided that will help with: How to introduce writing to your students Ways to support str…

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Episode 118 From Reluctant to Engaged-Finding Meaning for Writers 13:17

4M ago13:17

13:17

Reluctant writers won't stay reluctant with the right supports! As you start a new year with a new group of writers, you will want to make writing meaningful for each of them because engaged writers become successful writers! In this episode I share a few ideas for helping students make connections with writing by offering a variety of entry points…

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Episode 117 Writer's Identity as a Fuel for Growth with Leah Thomas 39:34

4M ago39:34

39:34

" ... it's really important that we start building their identities as writers and readers from that young age because they will rise to whatever level we set for them." ABSOLUTELY!!! So many good things in this episode with the wonderful Leah Thomas! -Building writing 'empathy' by being a teacher writer -Allowing writers to be self-directed, makin…

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Episode 116 3 Tips for Starting the School Year with Your Writers 31:42

4M ago31:42

31:42

Ok, it's actually way more than 3...but I have placed them into 3 main categories! Make it Exciting and Meaningful Build Community Learn from Your Writers You will hear how to set a strong foundation for writing from the beginning with techniques such as: Sharing "real-world" writing for students Creating a safe and positive environment Being a par…

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Episode 115 The Heart of Teaching Writing with Melanie Meehan 49:47

4M ago49:47

49:47

Today's episode features a very special guest, Mrs. Melanie Meehan! As a reader of the Two Writing Teachers Blog for many years and a fan of Melanie's books, it was wonderful to get to talk with her all about writing! I know you will find inspiration hearing Melanie speak of: her writing belief statement the importance of teachers as writers though…

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Episode 114 Wins Wins Wins: 3 Classrooms' Journey of Independent Writing Time 25:24

6M ago25:24

25:24

You will be inspired from this episode! The transformation that occurred for all three of these fabulous teachers as well as their students was incredible! Listen in to hear about: Huge wins in a short amount of time Increased teacher confidence with teaching writing How students' engagement and idea generation increased Growth in kindergarten writ…

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Episode 113 Tips for Fantasy Writing with Carl Anderson (Pt 2) 32:11

6M ago32:11

32:11

The second part of my conversation with Carl Anderson provides you with helpful and interesting information about teaching writing and more about the genre of fantasy. You will hear Carl's thoughts on: writing your own mentor text-Do not be afraid! the importance of showing how writers navigate writing writing in front of students (modeled writing)…

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Episode 112 Fantasy for the Win with Carl Anderson Pt 1 27:36

6M ago27:36

27:36

You will LOVE this discussion with Mr. Carl Anderson about his newest book, Teaching Fantasy Writing: Lessons That Inspire Student Engagement and Creativity, Grades K6. This book is a MUST-HAVE for teachers and hearing Carl's insights on the book as well as his passion for the fantasy genre for students is palpable! In the episode you will hear abo…

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Episode 111 Myths and Misconceptions about Writer's Workshop 30:58

7M ago30:58

30:58

We've all heard remarks about the writer's workshop method that are a bit off. In this episode, I bring up some of the misconceptions, and sometimes just untruths, of writer's workshop and try to set the record straight. After telling a bit about the history of the workshop model, I share what I feel are a few of the possible reasons for these misc…

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Episode 110 All Things Kinder with Zeba McGibbon 39:56

7M ago39:56

39:56

Oh so many tips and insights were shared by the fabulous Zeba McGibbon of the Kindergarten Cafe! Listen in to hear about: -the importance of supporting students with SEL -including a variety of aspects for helping students with writing -Zeba's Caring Critters book series! You can find Zeba - On her Podcast-Kindergarten Cafe On Instagram @kindergart…

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Episode 109 An Inside View: 3 Classrooms' Journey of Independent Writing Time 37:30

7M ago37:30

37:30

I am currently in the process of supporting three teachers with implementing an authentic independent writing time and wanted to give you an insider's look! In this episode you will hear about teachers and students from three different grade levels and how they are progressing with implementing student choice, multiple drafts and more. Our coaching…

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Episode 108 Practical and Effective Tips for Supporting Multi-lingual Writers with Katherine Hamilton 38:54

7M ago38:54

38:54

I know that teachers are always looking for more ways to be able to provide effective support for their students who are multilingual learners. In this episode, Katherine Hamilton from Ensemble Learning discusses mindsets and strategies that are able to be implemented without lengthy preparation and will generalize across other areas of instruction…

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Episode 107 Thoughts on "Free Writing" and Journals 21:47

8M ago21:47

21:47

The term "free writing" is used often, and I have to say, I don't love it. To me, it signals that providing students "freedom" to choose their own topics, make mistakes, right without what is considered "proper structure", make mistakes or go at their own pace is something that is different from or outside of the writing that is typically done. Hea…

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Episode 106 Meaningful Grammar Instruction with Patty McGee 43:45

8M ago43:45

43:45

Students struggle with grammar. Teachers struggle with grammar. But...Patty McGee says it doesn't have to be that way! If you are looking for simple yet powerful ways to help your students to apply grammar skills, you will not want to miss this discussion! Patty shares a wealth of information on best practices in grammar instruction including high-…

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Episode 105 Holding Space for Writers' Needs: One Teacher's Win! 12:50

8M ago12:50

12:50

When teaching writing, there are so many things on our mind-so many skills to worry about our students mastering. Most of these skills are what we can see on paper, and they can easily steal the majority of our focus. However, there are a multitude of skills, abilities, beliefs and characteristics of writers that need to be developed and addressed …

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Episode 104 Empowering the Writer Within with Author Sarah McDavis 37:19

8M ago37:19

37:19

This incredible conversation with author and speaker Sarah McDavis will have you feeling inspired! Sarah gives us a peek into her mind as a writer sharing: How she begins a new book Her process for drafting Her own version of planning Strategies for when you are "stuck" Using charts and graphs to revise her book She reminds us that each and every w…

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Episode 103 Master Sentences before Writing? I Don't Think So 24:23

9M ago24:23

24:23

How can we expect perfection from our young writers when we don't expect it of ourselves? Does a young basketball player need to perfect his shot before he can play a game? Do professional authors publish their first draft? For some reason there are literacy professionals who are promoting having students "master sentences" before they are able to …

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Episode 102 Help! I Don't Know What to Teach Them! 18:41

9M ago18:41

18:41

When I first began using the workshop model, I felt very unequipped to help my writers. I wasn't a writer myself and certainly had not had any training in writing or how to teach writing. So, when I sat next to my little ones and read over their pieces, I felt like I didn't know how to help them. The truth was, I knew so many things about writing t…

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Episode 100 Elevating Writing Instruction with Carl Anderson and Matt Glover Pt 1 31:38

9M ago31:38

31:38

This is it!!! The 100th Episode! For my 100th am joined by two incredible writers themselves who have given so much to the field of education through their work on writing instruction: Matt Glover and Carl Anderson. In this first episode of the two-part series, we discuss ways to provide more student ownership in writing, which increases engagement…

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Episode 101 Elevating Writing Instruction with Carl Anderson and Matt Glover Pt 2 30:59

9M ago30:59

30:59

Get ready for the rest of this fantastic discussion with Carl Anderson and Matt Glover! You will hear more about the importance of student engagement in writing as well as helpful tips for navigating the various aspects of a writer-focused workshop model. Check out what the authors have to say about: Illustrations as an integral part of composition…

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Ep 99 But We Don't Have Enough Time! 27:19

9M ago27:19

27:19

Time just does not seem to be on a teacher's side! There are so many things requiring or affecting your time-some you can control, some you cannot. Some you are invested in, some you are not. More often than not, writing is the part of literacy that gets pushed aside for other areas. But writing is an ESSENTIAL part of our students' day and life an…

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Episode 98 Writers Struggling? Try a New Perspective! 14:33

9M ago14:33

14:33

We all get stuck in a rut with our teaching. Sometimes it just takes a different perspective to figure out what works! This episode shares a few examples of looking at parts of teaching writing in a new way and provides you with steps to try it out yourself! Listen in to this short episode for some helpful tips for improving your writing instructio…

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Episode 97 Little Things Make a HUGE Difference! 14:01

10M ago14:01

14:01

Implementing effective writing instruction is a big task. There are many moving parts and lots of important young writers to take care of! I find it helpful to know and remember that often times the little details are what also make a huge impact on your student writers. This episode shares examples of those small practices and hopefully helps to s…

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Episode 96 Why Can't We Just Use the Oreo Planner? 13:02

10M ago13:02

13:02

Teaching is hard. Teaching writing is hard...and, it's not the only thing you have to teach! I get it. Trying new things can be time-consuming and a bit scary. But also...it can be so worth it! If you want your students to be engaged and successful in writing, it's time to take a risk! If you are frustrated with lack of student progress and even st…

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Episode 95 Peer Feedback that Works with Michelle Ruhe Pt 2 22:03

10M ago22:03

22:03

Part 2 with Michelle Ruhe of Coach from the Couch continues with more actionable steps for implementing peer feedback with your writers. In this episode we discuss: the importance of slow, strategic implementation using checklists and rubrics providing quality, exemplar writing pieces and how to set goals while staying within a writer's ZPD This co…

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Episode 94 Peer Feedback that Works with Michelle Ruhe Pt 1 16:52

10M ago16:52

16:52

It can sound scary and impossible, but it's not! In this first episode with Mrs. Michelle Ruhe of Coach from the Couch, we share the power of peer feedback to: enhance writing quality engage students and distribute the feedback workload You will hear about the transformative potential of peer feedback in fostering student ownership and improving wr…

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Episode 93 Are You Over-Scaffolding your Writers? 19:34

11M ago19:34

19:34

Can't stand the mess? Then get out of the kitchen! I couldn't help but think of that saying when writing show notes for this episode! Just like I over-supported my children when baking cookies to avoid the "mess" of little hands, writing teachers often over-scaffold their writers. If you have ever said, "I taught you how to do that!" or "We've been…

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Episode 92 Writing Strategies Series: Volume 27:49

11M ago27:49

27:49

I recently had a teacher I am coaching say, "That's going to be hard for me," when we discussed allowing students to try multiple drafts on different topics for their informational books. I completely understand why this fabulous teacher was hesitant...and there are so many reasons! But the truth is, we all need repeated practice to improve our ski…

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Episode 91 Writing Conferring Series: Research-Decide-Teach 30:22

11M ago30:22

30:22

Melissa saved one of the best, but possibly "scariest" writing conference for last! The Research-Decide-Teach conference originates from Lucy Calkins and is a highly effective method for truly meeting your writers' needs and moving them forward as writers. In this final installment of the Writing Conference Series, Melissa discusses how to gather i…

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Edited! Episode 90 Writing Strategies Series: Elaboration 20:40

11M ago20:40

20:40

Are you looking for more than "use describing words" and "tell me more" when it comes to helping students elaborate in their writing? In this episode, Melissa dives into strategies for improving writing elaboration for students by first considering a few overall understandings and techniques for opinion, narrative and informational writing and then…

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Episode 89 Lessen Your Mental Load by Establishing Student Agency 19:38

12M ago19:38

19:38

Raise your hand if you have felt unsure, ill-equipped, or stressed out when making decisions about writing instruction. Teachers tend to place too much responsibility on themselves when it comes to instruction in general, and definitely with writing instruction! This creates unnecessary stress that can be alleviated by establishing student autonomy…

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Episode 88 Writing Conferring Series: Re-teach Conference 15:56

1y ago15:56

15:56

What does a conference sound like you ask? Listen in to hear Melissa provide a detailed example of a "Re-teach Conference." Quite often, the strategies you have taught are not being implemented in each student's independent writing pieces. The purpose of a "Re-teach" conference is to provide follow-up, explicit instruction on a previously taught wr…

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Episode 87 Writing Strategies Series: Generating Ideas 16:40

1y ago16:40

16:40

"I don't know what to write about!" is what is heard in classrooms all over. In this episode, Melissa emphasizes the importance of supporting students in having the independence to generate their own ideas for writing. She discusses the negative impacts of consistently providing students with topics and offers practical strategies to help students …

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Episode 86 Writing Conferring Series: Compliment Conference 11:13

1y ago11:13

11:13

Are you wondering where to begin when conferring with your writers? This episode will teach you all about the Compliment Conference and how to use it as not only a way to encourage your writers but also as a formative assessment for your writing instruction. This conference has four simple steps: Open the conversation Identify evidence of a success…

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Episode 85 Writing Strategies Series-Independence 13:23

1y ago13:23

13:23

Raise your hand if you have students coming up to you or sitting and staring or raising their hands during independent writing time! There are so many reasons why students are not fully independent writers, and this episode provides a variety of ideas and strategies for creating a classroom full of writers who are! Melissa shares four ideas for sup…

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Episode 84 Writing Conferring Series: Writer's Inquiry Conference 23:52

1y ago23:52

23:52

Welcome to the first episode in the Conferring Series! This series will discuss a variety of conference types for writing to help you feel more confident in meeting one-on-one with your writers in order to meet their needs. This first conference, the Writer's Inquiry Conference is all about getting to know your writers. It is extremely helpful for …

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Ep 83 Writing Strategies Series- Engagement 21:08

1y ago21:08

21:08

This episode is the beginning of the Writing Strategies Series and is all about supporting students with the most foundational aspect of writing- Engagement! Just as with any learning-academic to athletic-learners must be engaged in order to progress. Drawing from educational research and expert Jennifer Serravallo, I discuss the multi-dimensional …