Most of my students intrinsically understand conflict; after all, it's an essential reality in all...
Why Conflict (in Sarah Speak)
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Be Bold
Taking Public Notes to Scaffold
I'm a big believer in taking public notes of classroom discussions and work. Public notes not only...
The Two-Cents Discussion
I call it the “Two Cents Worth” discussion and I really like to use it when I need to encourage...
Engaging Learners in Online Productive Group Work
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ld-P1scI324 In our urgency to put content in front of our students,...
Voice Memo Feedback for Students
I've been using voice memo feedback for students since I was a student teacher...
Student Well-Being Survey
https://www.youtube.com/embed/L3lK28I8DGo Student Well-Being Survey If you want to check in, at...
Creating Poetry Comics
https://www.youtube.com/embed/b3RwjNLKvZk Creating Poetry Comics Are you looking for a way to help...
Four-Corners Reading Day
the STRUGGLE: It took me awhile to make sense of “reading days.” I know it sounds ridiculous, but...
Purpose Driven Discussions
the STRUGGLE: I’m constantly working towards creating more purposeful and authentic discussions in...
Paint Chip Discussions
the STRUGGLE: I often have trouble determining how engaged students are in discussion. There was a...
From the Archives: “Mirror” Choral Reading
Context & History I first taught this lesson when I interviewed for my first teaching job. (I...
The Transition “Game”
the ASK: I noticed that in our writing and in our conversations, we were struggling to call on...
Sentence Stems for Helpful Peer Feedback
the ASK: I’m constantly struggling with ways to help students give more authentic feedback to each...
Should I grade discussions?
Dear Sarah, Do you ever just grade students on discussion? Sincerely, Grading Discussions ...
Bringing Out Student Ideas
Dear Sarah, Hey super lady! My co-worker and I are hoping to find new ways to bring out student...
First Day of School
Dear Sarah, I wonder what a first day of school looks like for you. I’ve been teaching for...
Why Doesn’t It Work for Me?
Dear Sarah, I’ve watched many of your videos at the Teaching Channel and love them. But how come...
Vocabulary Families
the ASK: I never seem to have enough approaches to teaching vocabulary. Here, I wondered how I...
Saying Goodbye to Graduates
Dear Sarah, I am teaching seniors for the first time. Graduation is coming up and that means I’m...
End of School Year Inspiration
Dear Sarah, As the end of the school year approaches, I want my students to begin reflecting on...
Testing Season
Dear Sarah, It’s testing season and I’m worried about the pressure of high-stakes assessments, and...
Encouraging Student Writers
Dear Sarah, What strategies do you use to encourage student ownership and choice in writing...
Constantly Concerned
Dear Sarah, What are your thoughts about teachers re-using the same curriculum every year? Is this...
Wessling Writing Tips: A Video Message to My Students
In honor of the final day of this year's NaNoWriMo (which I vow to complete some year), I thought...
Seeking Student Participation
Dear Sarah, How can a student better participate in class? Seeking Student Participation Dear...
Magnets for Student Grouping
the ASK: I like to switch up groupings of students on a regular basis and am always wondering how...
Facetime Teaching
the ASK: I often wonder how to minimize the effects of being gone from class when I travel to work...
Audience is Everything: Teaching our Parents
the ASK: I know that audience is everything when comes to writing or creating, so I was curious...
Extended Definitions Go Digital
the ASK: After a week of thinking about and exploring the concept of hubris, I wondered how...
Student Voice at Parent-Teacher Conferences
the ASK: Our school has traditional parent/teacher conferences where we each have a table in the...
Doors of Learning (Literally, I Mean Doors)
I’m sure you’ve had this everyday experience too. The one where you pick up a photo that has...
Question Stems
the ASK: I wondered how to help students go from passive and compliant during discussions to...
Adding Questions to Learning Purpose
the ASK: I wondered how to make the purpose statements I wrote every day more about an action for...
Famous Pairs
the ASK: I wondered how else I could get students in pairs without numbering them off. (I also...
Choral Reading to Read Closely
the ASK: I wondered how to help my readers “zoom in” on a text in a different, more active way....