Whether you’re teaching for the first time or a seasoned classroom educator, the words ‘back to school’ always signal excitement, energy, and new enthusiasm for the year ahead. As we launch season 4 of Literacy Talks, our trio explores ideas and strategies to create classroom, at-home, and tutoring environments that support readers and reading. You’ll pick up helpful tips for classroom setup. You’ll understand why classroom routines are critical from the first day forward, and more about building relationships that help students feel comfortable and open to learning. Listen to this episode and discover the wit and wisdom of teachers who have “been there” and are here now to welcome every educator back to school!
Subscribe to our Literacy Talks podcast digest and never miss an episode! We’ll send you summaries of every session, links to the resources discussed on each show, and some extra goodies so that your learning never stops.
Subscribe to our podcast digest.
Download the new Reading Horizons Discovery Product Guide.
Access the show notes.
Read the transcripts.
Whether you’re teaching for the first time or a seasoned classroom educator, the words ‘back to school’ always signal excitement, energy, and new enthusiasm for the year ahead. As we launch season 4 of Literacy Talks, our trio explores ideas and strategies to create classroom, at-home, and tutoring environments that support readers and reading. You’ll pick up helpful tips for classroom setup. You’ll understand why classroom routines are critical from the first day forward, and more about building relationships that help students feel comfortable and open to learning. Listen to this episode and discover the wit and wisdom of teachers who have “been there” and are here now to welcome every educator back to school!
Subscribe to our Literacy Talks podcast digest and never miss an episode! We’ll send you summaries of every session, links to the resources discussed on each show, and some extra goodies so that your learning never stops.
Subscribe to our podcast digest.
Download the new Reading Horizons Discovery Product Guide.
Access the show notes.
Read the transcripts.
Hello literacy leaders and champions. Welcome to literacy talks, a podcast series for Reading Horizons dedicated to exploring the ideas, trends, insights and practical issues that will help us all improve our professional practice knowledge and confidence in teaching reading. Our host is Stacy Hurst, professor at Southern Utah University and Chief Academic Advisor at Reading Horizons where reading momentum begins. Joining Stacy are Donell Pons, a recognized expert in literacy and special education, and Lindsay Kemeny, and author and Utah based elementary classroom teacher. We're launching our new season with a special back to school focus and a wide ranging conversation about classroom setup, classroom management, and helping students build excitement and engagement around learning to read. Let's get started.
Stacy Hurst:Welcome to this episode of literacy Talks. My name is Stacy Hurst. I'm the host and I'm joined by Donell Pons and Lindsay Kemeny as I am every week, and as those of you've been listening for a while know, we take turns choosing the topic, this topic for this episode is timely. And Donell, you got to choose it. So I'm gonna just turn the time over to you and we can jump right in.
Donell Pons:So there are many people who make this point when they hear this podcasts are not quite ready to return to a classroom, or a teaching setting. And that's okay. But that's this, this episode is going to focus on going back into classrooms and how to prepare those classrooms and teaching settings for young people. And reading, we're really focusing in on the reading aspect. And we're going to because we have the resources to do so this conversation is going to span all of the grades, which is kind of nice and fun. That's why we thought it might be interesting. And it will span classrooms, and tutoring sessions as well. And all of those areas in which an educator, parent, someone who's helping support someone with reading, could come into contact with the work that needs to get done by students and reading. And so that's really what this podcast is, it's pretty all encompassing. And I'm looking forward to that it should be exciting, because these are always really interesting conversations when we get together and kind of share about our different aspects of how we support reading. And so to start the conversation off, I'm going to kind of put a smile ideas out there, so you can be thinking about it. But this is really about getting ready for students to be returning to those, like I said, classrooms, tutoring sessions, whatever aspect it is where you're supporting reading. And the first one that I'm going to talk about is kind of like, how can you set up a classroom that is going to be more user friendly for students. And let's talk those lower grades the younger grades K through three. And so this is going to be Lindsey Stacy Wang, and as well, how can we set up those classrooms K through three to really be supportive and inviting for students from day one, when they step into your classroom, for reading and being being excited and knowing that, oh, I'm going to be supported in here, when it comes to reading? What would that look like in setting up your classrooms and Lindsay, I'm gonna start with you. Well, I
Lindsay Kemeny:think you know, especially the beginning of the year, there's, you really want to focus on building those relationships. And that's important, because we need the students to feel comfortable in order to be in the situation where they're really open to learning and that they can be vulnerable sometimes. And so it's a lot like setting that foundation of this is a warm environment, guess what I'm going to teach you to read and I'm going to tell them at the beginning of the year, it's been if you're already reading, you're going to get to be a better reader. Even if you're don't know all your letters yet, we're going to learn them and you're going to be a better reader. And so everyone gets to learn and everyone's going to improve. And so really setting that up from the beginning, I also like to talk about how we're all a little different, and that's okay. And just helping them feel comfortable that I'm going to help them and I'm going to, you know, be with them every step of the way.
Stacy Hurst:I actually really like that. How about you, Stacey? Yeah, I echo that when I was teaching first grade, I did emphasize we're all going to get better even me, I'm going to get to be a better reader because that's what we're going to focus on together. And we can always improve. So that is important and effectively. I also spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about the flow of my classroom during reading instruction and areas right, like the small group area, and how students would move from whole class to small group instruction or maybe independent work. Honestly, that took me longer just thinking about and mapping out. Then when it came time to actually put it together. I really thought through every different scenario I considered my schedule. That's where you start. You start with the daily schedule, and then you go from Okay, what do I need to do and know for them to move from area to area and then also making it aesthetically pleasing. I always had a literacy nook, a reading corner, one year before fire code, shut it down. Actually, for a few years, I had a climbing wall in my classroom, on the opposite side of it was my little reading area. And it had of course, beanbags and lots of books, and just looked really inviting. And students, I think, really liked that library section of our classroom and spent a good amount of time there. So making it appealing thinking through the schedule, and how the movement in the classroom will go. And then as Lindsay mentioned, those an effective things to what you're going to say to your students to help prepare them to put in the work that they need to put in, right, and that we're gonna do it together and they do feel supported.
Lindsay Kemeny:Stacy, that's a huge thing, too, you're talking about, like, how they're moving from thing to thing, I'm thinking about routines, which is huge at the beginning of the year to get those routines down. And so a lot of the time, the beginning of the year, that's what we're doing, I start my instruction day one, it's going to take a little longer, because we're learning those routines. So I have to go through, you know, this is how we're gonna go from the carpet to the desks, and we're gonna practice that. And then, you know, this is how you get your whiteboards out, and your markers. And then we're gonna practice that. And every little step of the way, this is how we line up. This is how we walk in the hall, I mean, you have to do every little thing, like this is how you put the lid back on the glue stick, you have to go through everything, you can assume nothing, especially if you're teaching the lower grades. And so you might say, I just want to get to the content, well, you, this is gonna help you move faster later on. And you can do that where people say that a lot when they come to see my classroom, because they're like, everyone knows exactly what to do what they're doing, and, and I say, Okay, I go desk, desk desk, and the kids say, desk, desk desk, and then they stand up and they go to their desks super fast. And then I start right away. I mean, it's, you know, 30 seconds, and we start, and it's just all of that takes practice, it's just not going to get there. And then you just have to have that high level of those high expectations. And expecting 100% You know, all that stuff you probably really talked about in, you know, your teacher prep program, right. But you just have to do it. And it's going to just make everything go so well later on. And you're going to be able to do more teaching, and it's going to help your reading because you have more time because all those transitions are really tight.
Donell Pons:I love that I love what I'm hearing from both of you. And then Stacy, Lindsay just alluded to it. And I have to say, by the way, Lindsey, I've seen pictures of your classroom, and it is a well oiled machine. And I love what I see too, with the visuals and just the welcoming feeling. And it is about learning. And it's about words. And it's about support for all of that to your providing pieces across your classroom. I love it. Stacy, I want to ask you something, because we've got you here to ask you this. How well prepared our teachers Lindsay alluded to, we got some new teachers hitting classrooms, we will every year, and this might be their first time teaching alone in a classroom. How much time do they really get to prepare these pieces?
Stacy Hurst:You know, that is a great question. I can speak for my university. And I think I'm biased. But I think the professors that teach in those methods classes do a really good job. And that is including classroom management. I think no matter what it kind of depends. Our Department of Education puts a high priority on practical experience, as well as knowledge. So it depends on what time of year they begin their practicum is at the beginning of the school year, because that's when you see those processes in put in place. Right. So I think they do a decent job of preparing for classroom management. But in truth, you just have to do it. You have to go through it the first time when it's all you when it's your you're 100% responsibility your classroom. And I think the advice I would give in that case is repetition is your friend and to be consistent. And like our dear friend Anita Archer always says if you can expect it, you can pre correct it. You need to think through every scenario. What about the kid who doesn't stand in line? What about the kid who doesn't follow what you're asking them to do and really anticipate and prepare for that. Most of the time, you won't need to use those things, but if you think ahead, you'll be ready for it.
Donell Pons:And I love Lindsay what you said about not assuming anything that goes right in there along with that as well. Right um, sage advice from Anita Archer.
Lindsay Kemeny:Sorry, I was just going to add to that because the beginning of the year can be so painful because like I'm just thinking back Okay, I gotta get ready because You know, at the end of the year, you're like, Yes, this is great. I love first grade. And then, you know, in a little bit, we're going to be the beginning of the year. And it's like, oh my gosh, they don't know anything. I have to tell them everything. It's so hard.
Stacy Hurst:But you have had the advantage of having taught kindergarten, I will tell you categorically, the first few weeks of every first grade year for me, I was like, What am I doing? What am I even doing in this grade? They come to you in first grade as kindergarteners, and they leave a second grader. So fresh in your mind is the second grade version, right. And so it is a it's drastic, it is a drastic change. But I that's where I really grew. My appreciation, I'll just reiterate it for kindergarten teachers, y'all are awesome. I can't say enough.
Donell Pons:So I was going to say that walking across the hall to that sage teacher like Lindsay, if you need that help and assistance, do it. And don't, don't wait till you're in your tears. But make your way across that hall early on and get to know those other teachers in that school, I would say lean into that.
Lindsay Kemeny:Yeah. And I think for new teachers, that's one of the hardest things. And I just remember this teacher, that I was mentoring, she was at a different school. And it was the first week of kindergarten, like you're saying, Stacy that Oh, like kindergarten harder, you know, in addition to the first week, and she just called me, she was like, I need help managing the class. So it's just yeah, reach out for help. Don't be embarrassed.
Stacy Hurst:And I have to say, too, whatever classroom management, philosophy, you land on it, you really have to make it your own, it's not going to work unless it works for you, I think starting out, it's a great idea to find a mentor and ask them what they do. And maybe lean more into that your first year. But at the end of the day, you really have to own that in a personal way. It's not a plug and play kind of a situation, it has to work for you your philosophy of teaching, and the way that you interact with your students. So that takes time. So
Donell Pons:leaning into those folks in the building, also, it's just nice to have a support group, right? You know, even though you do things your way, it's nice to have a little support group hanging out there. Now, when you're teaching alone, say you're tutoring that's a situation I'm very familiar with, what does that look like when I'm preparing and getting ready. And I would say many of these pieces are the same. So I prepare, even if I'm doing a zoom lesson with a student, I have all of the pieces that I need to be supportive for that particular student. And they're already ready to go so that I'm not hunting around while I'm doing a zoom session with a student to say, oh, where's that we're going to do letter formation? We need some assistance. Where is that at? I try to have all those pieces put together so that it's not taking up time when we're together. We also try to iron out some of those challenges with is the volume, okay? And if not, what can we do to make sure and I don't assume there either, I want to make sure that the environment works for the student. So a lot of us might be doing zoom for those tutoring sessions. But then also, what's interesting is you talked about relationship building. And that happens just as much to in a tutoring session, maybe even a little bit more. Because you're doing really intensive work, and you're requiring extra of a student, this is above and beyond a classroom, I really need buy in. And I need buy in by everybody. Because this is going to be challenging, and they're going to want to play a sport, no, you're going to have their homework. And I really come in and those wee hours where you'd like to be doing something else. And that's really where the tutoring comes in. And then the other thing is, is that you have to reassure the student, just like you've talked about to with your students, I'm going to help you this year, we're all going to get better this year. And I really have to reassure my students, I will help you learn. So if things were challenging, I'm going to figure this out. And that's my job. That's what I do. And so I need you to tell me, what's working, what isn't working. This is a two way street. It's not all about me telling you everything. But we need to work together. So it's just really interesting how much of those pieces mirror each other. And then the other thing that I think is interesting is that when students come for tutoring, oftentimes you don't really talk about their day to day in a classroom. And that is very much a part of I believe the whole tutoring session as well, is you need to understand the demands for that student. What kind of demand and pressure Are they under with reading and writing. And that needs to be this needs to be a place where they can bring their concerns their worries as well. And sometimes I bridge my information for a teacher when I when it's appropriate when it's asked, but oftentimes, that's a role I fulfill as well as a bridge to the classroom to help a teacher to understand when I'm asked to do so and it's appropriate. And so there are lots of ways in which we we kind of mirror and connect in those ways. I mean, it's kind of interesting.
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Donell Pons:Okay, here comes the next we're gonna move on about we've really done a great job of setting up management. Now let's talk about that nitty gritty. Let's get down to the nitty gritty. So now that I've got my management under control, the room looks really good things are flowing, work that out. And Stacy, you alluded it to, I know where to kids are gonna be spending their time in small group and these sorts of situations, how do I organize the classroom in terms of how I'm going to teach reading, and I know this is going to look different across K, 123, and etc. But we can talk about some general points. And Stacy, maybe I'll start with you because you have to help first time teachers navigate this.
Stacy Hurst:Yeah. And I think I would start by thinking about those instructional settings. So literacy instruction whole group, what does that look like? Well, your students be sitting at the rug for which parts of the lesson right? Will they be transitioning to a desk at some point? And how will you do that those transition times will make or break a lesson, right? So really focusing on those initially, and then that small group area, what do you need? What materials do you need for either one of those whole class small group? What technology do you need? What books do you need, and then thinking of it in terms of instruction, and application is helpful to so when you have instruction that can be whole class, small group application, students can be working independently with a partner, as with the teacher giving feedback, so again, making sure those spaces and procedures are in place to support those. And then materials, of course, that could be a whole episode on its own. Of we're in a unique profession, where a lot of the time not all the time, but a lot of the times we're expected to supply at least some of our materials by ourselves. And so finding unique ways to get those and or things that you could repurpose teachers are famous at the dollar store, right? They know you will. So I'm just thinking through the lessons, those kinds of things, what materials you'll need spaces, procedures,
Donell Pons:let's see how about you,
Lindsay Kemeny:when I teach whole group I'd there's two different spots in my classroom, we're either going to be at the carpet, or we're going to be at our desks. So I do assigned seating. And I like to have my students who need the most support. Like if I'm thinking about the carpet, even on the carpet, we have assigned seating, so students who need most support, I have them up in the front, so that I can be helping them helping them pay attention, extra support, however they need. And so at the beginning of the year, I do look at because you don't really know your students yet, however we have their data from last year. So I will look at their end of year, we use acadiens, formerly known as dibbles. Next, oh, kind of look at that, to kind of see oh, okay, we have some, here's my students that maybe, you know, our little red flag, they're at risk. So I can see that from their data. So I'm gonna go ahead, and I'm gonna assign them, you know, these spots, also getting into like partners, I usually try to have, like, especially at their desks, because we do more partner work at their desks, I like to have someone sitting next to them who's a little bit stronger, maybe. So we're going to have this good partnership where we can help each other. Anyway. So that's one of the things to beginning the year. So I'm going to kind of assign their spots both at the carpet and at their desks not that they have to change because as I get to know the kids, I'm going to really understand who needs to be where but I do that. And then like Stacy was saying, going through materials, what do we need? If we're at the carpet, we might need our little mirrors. And so I'm going to okay, how am I going to do this because I don't want to take more than 30 seconds to pass out the mirrors. And so, you know, I have Okay, each little row is going to have a basket, they're going to take their little mirror and pass it and we're going to practice that it's going to be really fast. And then also thinking, what point in the lesson are we going to move from the carpet to the desks and Thinking that through? And then what do I need when they're at their desks? And then like Stacey was saying, you're thinking about your small group, too. So how are you going to run your small group, your instruction and what the other kids are doing? And so I do have like, my small group table, and what do I need for them back there? Oh, I'm going to have little baskets with whiteboards, and markers back there. I'm gonna have all our books back there. What else do I need? I have a mirror I have some little vowel tents that we use for a little while intensive. This is just making sure I have, you know, and have magnetic letters back there, too. So making sure I have everything ready. So that we can really minimize all that in between stuff that can really take a lot of time. Does that kind of answer your questions that we were looking for?
Donell Pons:Absolutely. And in fact, I'm thinking there's got to be teachers out there who are going, oh, gosh, I wish I have heard from teachers about this a long time ago, because we don't really talk about the nitty gritty very often, we make a lot of assumptions, right. So I love hearing this.
Lindsay Kemeny:Or another thing I was thinking of is the desks like how you arrange your desks. And I mean, of course, if you have tables, you're kind of limited. I like to have my desks all facing forward in pairs, which maybe isn't as fun and creative. When I have turned and even in first like last year, first grade, I'm like, Oh, I really want them in tables. I'm going to turn them. And oh, my goodness, like the lesson derailed so quickly. And so it was so good to have them facing forward where they're just they're facing you already. And they don't have to turn. And then I like having them write with a partner, like I said, because we do a lot of turning talks, we'll do partner reading, that's where it's really important to have, you know, one reader who's a little more fluent in the other who's less so that they can help each other. So I I love that. It's just maybe, you know, it's not like an exciting arrange. Sometimes you walk in, and it's really fun, but it works.
Stacy Hurst:Yeah. And you know, I think as you were talking Lindsay, I was thinking of a couple things. My first year of teaching first grade, I had desks, it is a very novel thing. It was anyway for first graders in my school, because in kindergarten, they just had tables, and now they have their very own desk, that is a whole other layer of management, they are so excited. And a lot of the day consumed about what's happening inside that desk. So for me, I actually started using tables, the first half of the year and holiday break, I switched to desks. And we had a lot of build up to that. And that was what worked for me. So there's that. And then Lindsey, I was thinking about, as you were talking to I did the same thing. I looked at their data from the year before. When I was a literacy coach, I made sure that my teachers had access to their next year's class data before the year ended. It's really valuable, especially to accelerate instruction. The other thing that was really helpful for me was two things we happened in the schools I taught and we had a yearbook. And so I would memorize my students, I would look at their pictures if I didn't know them already, and attach the name to their faces. And then if I looking over the data had any concerns about students, I would actually reach out to the previous year teacher, and just ask them to tell me a little bit about that student what they found to be helpful. That really helps things. Also you're building a classroom community. So you can't leave parents out of that equation, right. And so I made sure always to contact parents before the school years started. And just let them know a little bit about how first grade would be run. I think I've mentioned this before on this podcast, but I also had parent meetings slash trainings once a month. So I let them know about that, that classroom community really ends up working in your favor for literacy instruction too, because parents are the ones at home who have to do a lot of helping their students apply what they're learning, right.
Donell Pons:So the older students, I was just thinking in this same area. And thinking about when the student obviously comes for tutoring, you're going to be looking at data. So it's always data driven, right day one, I'm not making a guess at or having to assume or this is the material we're gonna get through. So it's all driven by data. That's the one piece I think might be slightly different is that the data drives absolutely everything, because that's why the student is with you. Right, there's clearly a concern that we're not meeting this expectation that we need to meet. And so in that parents are directly involved, or the caregiver, whoever is providing the support and saying tutoring would be a good idea. And they're always the partner to there's always that individual who has the concerns for the student that needs to be part of the journey as well, not only to support at home, but also are they happy with how things are progressing? What are their expectations, what would they like to see? And then all the way along the way we're having conversations about As I find out more about the student, there are those realistic expectations? What could those look like? And that should be a natural progression into talking about accommodations for a student. And that happens at the beginning of every year, even if the student is not new to me. And we've been together for years, we always review accommodations every year at the beginning, and talk about throughout the year, whether the accommodations are appropriate or not. That's one thing I see more people having conversations about, and I'm happy to see it is they're talking about cleaning up five oh fours, cleaning up IEP s. So that on them are not things that students haven't used in years and never helpful. Things that don't really match the goals, we so I hear that more. And I'm loved. I love that conversation. Because that takes active work, working on these documents that are very important to the students. They're not a one and done. And I'm hearing more conversation about how active folks are with the documents. And I love that. That's this time. I love this time of year because it's a good fresh pair of eyes and a start. And let's look at the classes that you have coming up and these accommodations. And then the conversation that continues to make sure are we on the right track has this been the right thing to do. And so I love hearing about that. What that means is is that you're spending a lot of time getting to know your students. And so one of the other things I want to emphasize when I'm working with a student is, if I see a student that is not comfortable sitting in a chair, I have a large ball that we can try to sit on, here's the thing. Yes, a student needs to be able to sit and be able to do those activities. But they don't need to be uncomfortable. And again, we're doing something extra on top of what they've been asked to do all day. And so I'm really making myself aware of the needs of the student to be comfortable in that space. And there are a lot of things that we can tweak just a little bit lighting, if it's too bright for a student, those are really important. Again, when it comes to I've been at this already for seven hours today. And if I just give a little more thought to what's going on for that student that can really make a big difference for them whether they enjoy being in that space or not. Okay, so we've had a really good conversation, I think could continue this for a long time. I was thinking at the beginning, I don't know, we'll be able to continue this. And now it's like, well, I've got six more topics we could do. That's just how it goes. So this has been really, really nice to be able to discuss. And I think it's really nice to give yourself a break at the beginning of the year. Think about things that we all do it and know that we're all in this together, think things that didn't maybe go as well as you had planned. And think of the new year as an opportunity, because every year starts is an opportunity to implement those things. And to get them the way that you would like to see them done. And I'm going to do a shout out to those new teachers. Be patient with yourself this year, please. It's a new year.
Stacy Hurst:Thank you so much for that conversation, Donell. And of course, I really appreciate that shout out that you gave at the end, because they're just so true. That first year of teaching, we learn a lot, right. I also want to say to teachers that we're recording this episode, in what is technically summer. And I do think it's important to take a break. So I hope you're doing that and kind of replenishing your creativity and excitement for the the school year. I know sometimes depending on the year, it can take a while to recover from the previous school year. So this conversation hopefully will be helpful. I know personally, as a college professor, we don't have a year we have semesters. And so every semester I get to go through that preparation phase which has its pluses and minuses. But I think the litmus for any teacher is that you're thinking about the next year and you can get excited, right? So hopefully you take the time to do that take time for you. Thank you so much for joining us for this episode. And for all episodes. Our hope is that we're helping to make your teaching life a little bit better. Donell, thank you for this topic because I think it does right preparation is key. So thank you. And thank you all again for joining us and we will be with you next time on the next episode of literacy talks.
Narrator:Thanks for joining us today for Literacy Talks, the podcast series for literacy leaders and champions everywhere. We invite you to join the Science of Reading Collective, our free community and resource hub so you can stay current with new ideas, free webinars, resources and more. And be sure to visit literacy talks online for resources access to every season's episodes and more at readinghorizons.com/literacytalks. It's an exciting time to teach reading and ensure your students reach grade level proficiency this school year. Literacy Talks comes to you from Reading Horizons, where reading momentum begins. Join us next time.