The Classroom Collaborative Podcast
By Deedee Wills and Adam Peterson
The Classroom Collaborative PodcastJan 03, 2022
EP 98 - Classroom Teachers We Remember
Deedee and Adam chat about teachers that had an impact on them.
They share heartfelt stories about the teachers who left a lasting impact on our lives. Join us as we delve into the inspiring world of education, reminiscing about the dedicated individuals who shaped our early years.
We'll explore the profound influence these teachers had on our journeys, discussing the teaching methods that made learning engaging and unforgettable. From innovative activities to memorable classroom moments, we'll paint a vivid picture of the educators who made a difference.
Get ready for a conversation filled with anecdotes, laughter, and a genuine appreciation for those unsung heroes in education. Tune in to discover how the passion of these teachers ignited a spark within us, shaping the way we view learning and the impact it can have on young minds.
This podcast episode is not just a trip down memory lane, but a celebration of the incredible educators who dedicate their lives to shaping the future. Join Deedee and Adam as we pay tribute to those special teachers who go above and beyond to make a lasting impact on the lives of their students.
Ep 97 - Special Guest Childrens' Book Author Shannon Olsen
Deedee and Adam sit down to chat with Shannon Olsen, second grade teacher turned best selling children's book author!
Shannon is the author behind the children's books:
Join us as we discuss her inspiration for her books and how she took her first book from idea to publication!
Find more about Shannon and book an author visit on her teaching blog:
Ep. 96 - Small Group Success in the Science of Reading World
Deedee and Adam chat about how to provide small group instruction in the science of reading world!
Many of us were familiar with how to form small groups when we taught guided reading through leveled texts. Now that we know leveled texts actually hinder student reading progression, should our small group instruction look different?
Deedee will share her ideas on forming skills groups and how to structure your small group differentiated instruction that aligns with a structured literacy approach.
Ep. 95 - 2024 Plans & Goals!
Deedee and Adam get together to chat about what they've been up to, plans for the upcoming year, and goals they've set for themselves. A few reminders for teachers to take care of themselves are also included!
Find more from Deedee & Adam:
Teach Children in a Way They Want to Learn With Special Guest Jerry Kolber
In today's episode of the Classroom Collaborative Podcast, Deedee and Adam sit down with the creative genius that is Jerry Kolber!
Jerry is the co-founder and CEO of edutainment company Atomic Entertainment Group. He is also an Emmy-nominated co-creator and showrunner of Nat Geo's biggest hit series Brain Games and Netflix's Brainchild with Pharrell Williams.
Beginning his career within the production auditing department of New York Undercover, Jerry dove in headfirst when it came to working in the entertainment field with networks as varied as Disney, Bravo, HBO, National Geographic, Animal Planet, and MTV. Overall, Jerry has written, produced, supervised, and run over 400 episodes of various premium television and streaming content pieces.
Today, Jerry is focused on education - specifically changing the game to create a system that helps children learn without stamping them all out of the same mold along the way.
He is the voice behind Who Smarted? a podcast that’s aimed at children aged 6 to 10. Each episode teaches kids something new through humor, stories, and even interactive games. Within just one year, they’ve hit 3 million downloads for the show.
You can find Jerry:
- On Twitter: @JerryKolber
- On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jerkolber/
- Who Smarted?
- Atomic Entertainment Group
Find ways to help hook for kindergarten, first and second-grade students with the content found on Who Smarted? podcast and it is free!
You can find the show notes and transcripts at:
Let's Chat About Classroom Behavior with Brandie Rosen
Let's Talk about Classroom Behavior! We have heard from countless kindergarten teachers and first-grade teachers about how classroom behaviors are more prevalent in schools. In this episode of the Classroom Collaborative Podcast, Deedee is joined by special guest Brandie Rosen.
Deedee and Brandie discuss a few practical ideas to include in your classroom to help students become more independent and self regulating.
Brandie has spent the past 25 years as a special education teacher, administrator, and teacher coach. She has mentored 1000s of teachers, built district-wide programs, and trained teachers both nationally and internationally in creating classrooms that work for all students. She has worked with students with and without disabilities from preschool through high school. She provides training in classroom management, behavior, and all things special education. She is passionate about creating professional development for teachers that is practical, meaningful, and most importantly, makes their lives easier. She has also created online courses and memberships in classroom management, special education, and behavior management.
You can learn more about Brandie on her website:
https://teachinguntangled.com/
You can find other episodes:
https://mrswillskindergarten.com/podcast/
Summer is Coming! Teachers on Summer Break!
Elementary teachers in summer! How are you taking a break and how can you fill your teacher bucket? Adam and Deedee talk about some professional learning opportunities for kindergarten and first-grade teachers. They offer suggestions on books to read and conferences that will get them excited for next year!
Learn more about The Educator Summit by going to:
Catch up on all of the past podcast notes by heading to:
You can find the show notes and transcript by clicking:
- Teacher Professional Development Teachers Sliding Into Summer!
Spread Classroom and Community Kindness with Yellow Day!
Deedee and Adam chat about Adam's kindness movement that has spread globally. His #betheyellow message challenges people of all ages to create brightness wherever they go!
How can you include these kindness ideas in your own classroom? Listen as Adam explains what Yellow Day looks like in his own kindergarten classroom.
Blending Practices that Yield Better Results
Deedee and Adam continue their discussion on the Science of Reading. Specifically, they discuss blending and segmenting best practices. Deedee was asked by a kindergarten teacher if teachers should include alphabet cards that include the key sound picture (mnemonics) on the card to practice blending and segmenting.
Listen in to learn about how to make your instruction more efficient and more effective.
Learn more and download the free file mentioned by clicking:
Learn more about the Science of Reading in these articles:
- What Does A Science Of Reading Lesson Plan Look Like? Free File Too
- How To Teach Blending Letter Sounds And Word-Building In Kindergarten
You can find the show notes and transcript by clicking:
https://mrswillskindergarten.com/podcast_episodes/phonics-blending-best-practices/
How Much Time Should a Phonics Lesson Take?
How Much Time Should a Phonics Lesson Take? Deedee and Adam discuss an article by Tim Shanahan where he answers the question about the length of a phonics lesson and best practices. Deedee and Adam talk about phonics instruction AND application in kindergarten and first-grade classrooms through the lens of the Science of Reading.
High leverage routines will have students actively apply phonics skills while practicing blending and segmenting. By making your lessons more concise and explicit, you can shorten the time spent doing low-yielding activities. A few tweaks to your routines will result in amazing results.
Learn more about the daily routines of a Science of Reading Lesson Plan by clicking:
You can find the show notes and transcript by clicking:
Sound Walls or Word Walls? Which are Better?
Deedee and Adam continue to talk about the Science of Reading and specifically get into the differences between sound walls and word walls in kindergarten and first-grade classrooms.
Read more about sound walls vs word walls:
- Turning Kindergarten High Frequency Words Into Sight Words (FREE FILE) READING ROCKETS ARTICLE: Transitioning from Word Walls to Sound Walls
You can find the show notes and transcript by clicking:
Are Leveled Texts Bad? Let's Chat About the Science of Reading
Deedee and Adam discuss the Science of Reading and how it affects leveled texts in kindergarten and first grade. Many teachers continue to use guided reading as part of their small group instruction or intervention instruction.
Deedee and Adam chat about the texts we select to use in our classrooms. They offer tweaks to instruction that will help teachers align their practices closer to the ideals outlined with structured literacy.
Read more about the difference between Leveled Texts and Guided Reading:
You can find the show notes and transcript by clicking:
Social Emotional Learning in Kindergarten with Elizabeth Coller
Deedee and Adam discuss social-emotional learning with Elizabeth Coller. Elizabeth is a kindergarten teacher in California and teaches in a Montessori-inspired charter school that emphasizes the importance of social-emotional learning from elementary school to high school.
Elizabeth shares some classroom environment strategies that will change the way you approach classroom management and building classroom community. Through teaching, practice, lessons, and modeling the classroom becomes student-led with peer-to-peer accountability. This frees up instructional time so the teacher can then focus on instruction and the curriculum. Come and get inspired by what you hear!
You can find Elizabeth Coller on:
You can find the show notes and transcript by clicking:
Emergent Writing with Whitney La Rocca Author of Patterns of Wonder
Teaching writing to PreK, kindergarten, and first-grade students can be challenging. Deedee is joined by the author of Patterns of Wonder, Whitney La Rocca as she simplifies the process and offers advice to primary teachers! This is a must-listen episode! You can find Whitney's book on Stenhouse Publishers or on Amazon.
About Whitney:
Whitney La Rocca, with more than 20 years in education, has been a teacher, a literacy coach, and a consultant, working with children and teachers across grade levels, schools, and districts. With a deep knowledge of content, standards, and best practices, Whitney enjoys delivering professional development and coaching teachers to support children as they develop their identities in the world of literacy. She continues to learn from children each day.
You can find the show notes and transcript by clicking:
Homework? Nope, HomePLAY!
Is homework appropriate for kindergarten? In this episode, Deedee and Adam share ideas that allow students to practice essential skills as homework, but it feels like play... because it is! They will discuss some ideas that primary teachers can use in their own classroom with kindergarten and first-grade students that are fun. Games are a great way to activate learning and they encourage more time on task.
Instead of homework, try these instead:
You can find the show notes and transcript by clicking:
Boddle Learning!
Deedee and Adam chat with Edna from Boddle Learning. What is Boddle Learning? It is a free 3D math game that makes learning fun and personalized. This is not just for kindergarten! Boddle Learning has curriculum-based learning for K-6 students! Best of all... it is free for teachers.
Teachers have control of the math games and activities that students experience.
In this episode, you will hear the history behind this start-up that has gotten the attention of AT&T and Google! You can learn more about Boddle by clicking:
- Boddle Learning
You can find the show notes and transcript by clicking:
What Is Mastery?
Deedee and Adam chat about what mastery is and how it should be assessed.
This conversation was inspired by an email that Deedee received about assessing letter sounds. The question circled around what are we assessing and how much support should be given while assessing?
Are we really helping students in the long run if alter assessments? Take a listen!
Shifting the Balance Author Interview
Deedee chats with Jan Burkins and Kari Yates about their blockbuster book, Shifting the Balance. 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom.
Fine Motor with Marsha McGuire
Deedee is joined by Marsha McGuire to discuss fine motor skills in kindergarten. Marsha shares some ideas that every teacher can incorporate into their daily instruction that will strengthen students' fine motor skills.
Grab your exclusive Podcast Free file:
Where can you find Marsha?:
Follow her on:
Redshirting In Kindergarten
Deedee and Adam discuss some of the pros and cons that surround redshirting in kindergarten.
SOURCES:
Samuels, Christina A. , 2017, August 29, Delaying Child’s Starting Age for School a Tough Call for Parents, Education Weekly https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/delaying-childs-starting-age-for-school-a-tough-call-for-parents/2017/08
Wong, Alia, Updated, 2021, March 11, Beyond the Pros and Cons of Redshirting, Atlantic Weekly, https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/08/beyond-the-pros-and-cons-of-redshirting/401159/
Podcast:
Cult of Pedagogy, 2016, APRIL 24, Kindergarten Redshirting: How Kids Feel About it Later in Life, https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/academic-redshirting/
The Teacher Road Trip!
Deedee and Adam chat about the upcoming Teacher Road Trip. This is a series of teacher meet-ups that will be hosted by some amazing sponsors.
- Fort Worth Tailgate: June 7
- Atlanta Tailgate: June 11
- Nashville Tailgate: June 14
Teachers must register at:
Follow the fun on their Instagram Channel: @teacherroadtrip
Be The Yellow - Let's Make This The Kindest Week Ever!
Adam and Deedee chat about the #betheyellow movement and the worldwide celebration called Make Someone's Day Yellow!
Visit www.makesomeonesdayyellow.com for more information!
Get the FREE pack here:
English Version
Spanish Version
A Chat with Hilary Statum
Deedee and Adam chat with Hilary Statum.
Hilary is a teacher out of Tennessee! In this episode, Hilary discusses her life in the classroom while balancing pregnancy, motherhood, and life!
Here is where you can find Hilary
Take The Learning Outside
Deedee and Adam talk about ways to take learning outside! The weather is starting to get warmer so why not take the kiddos outside!
You can find some ideas in Adam's book, Teach, Play, Learn!: How to Create a Purposeful Play-Driven Classroom
Here are a few additional places you can get inspiration!
The Educator Summit!
In this bonus episode, Deedee and Adam discuss the upcoming event of the summer - The Educator Summit!
I am thrilled to announce that I will be a featured presenter at The Educator Summit! The Educator Summit is a three-day virtual conference with over 30 sessions presented by nationally recognized educational leaders.
As an attendee of the summit you will receive:
· Over 30 hours of on-demand professional development sessions
· The ability to watch and replay to all of the sessions until September 27, 2021*
· Certificate of attendance (please check with your district for their requirements)
· Exclusive VIP free products that have been created specifically for this event
*30 days for The Keynote Speakers
Check out all of the event information and keynote speakers by going to:
Our Book Recommendations!
Deedee and Adam share some of their favorite books and some top picks that are available now!
Here are some of the books that were discussed:
- Mrs. Spritzer's Garden
- Just Read
- Jasper and Ollie
- My Teacher is a Robot
- Dude!
- Just Ask!
- Dancing Hands
- Are We There Yet?
Our Favorite YouTube Channels!
Deedee and Adam talk about a few of their favorite teacher-related YouTube channel recommendations for teachers.
Here is a list with links to their channels:
- The Lettered Classroom
- Kris Szajner (Tech)
- Pocketful of Primary
- IMSE (Orton-Gillingham Training)
- The Kinderhearted Classroom
- ESGI Assessments and Webinars
- TedX Talk
- Parent to Parent (Matt Glover writing)
A Day in the Life of Virtual Teaching with Cindy Price
Adam and Deedee are joined by their good friend, Cindy Price. Cindy is a first-grade teacher in Delaware and has been teaching virtually since last March of 2020. She explains how she maintains her energy despite being pulled in so many directions.
5 Ways to Support Multilingual Students
Deedee and Adam discuss ways to support not only your multilingual students but all of your students through 5 specific strategies that were discussed in the Edutopia article.
Read this article for yourself by visiting:
You can find this free website for wonderful photos that will help spark conversations and help build student background knowledge:
Ways to increase writing in all subjects
Deedee and Adam talk about ways to increase the writing your students do across all of the subjects.
Why?"Writing about content material facilitates learning by consolidating information in long-term memory."
Professor Steve Graham from the Teachers College at Arizona State University
- Having students write down what they understand about a topic, helps to identify gaps in their understanding.
Here are a few of the suggestions that were listed in the article:
- I "wonder" journals
- Travel journals
- Low-stakes writing
- Student-created magazines
- Creative writing
Read this entire article by clicking:
Additional ideas to incorporate writing throughout the day:
The Power of YET with Katie Mense
Deedee and Adam chat with Katie Mense about her new book, Yani, the Yeti. Katie shares about the process she went through to self publish her first children's book! Katie offers her tips for finding an illustrator to make the story come to life.
You can find this book on Amazon Affiliate link by clicking: Yani the Yeti: and the Power of Yet
Here are a few of the links to resources we mentioned in the podcast:
- Yeti Mountain Adventure Kindergarten Classroom Transformation
- Yani the Yeti and the Power of Yet: Book Companion Activities
- FREE Yani the Yeti and the Power of Yet Coloring sheet
Here is how you can find Katie Mense:
Don't Miss This Conference! ILASCD PreK-K Conference Preview with Ryan Nevius
Deedee and Adam chat with Ryan Nevius from Illinois ASCD. Every year, this is a massive Pre-K and Kindergarten conference that is going virtual this year. Ryan shares how nimble they needed to be to bring amazing content to teachers everywhere! Learn more about this conference by clicking.
Checking For Understanding In A Digital World
Deedee and Adam discuss ways to check for understanding digitally. Back in 2015, an article was written for The Reading Teacher, but it seems like it was made for 2020-2021! Teachers today have expressed how challenging it is to keep students engaged during distance learning. Some of these tools may help improve student involvement while also providing great feedback around student understanding.
Here are a few of the tools Adam and Deedee discussed:
You can find the article that Deedee and Adam discussed in:
The Reading Teacher Vol.69 Issue 3 November/December 2015
Selecting texts to use in your classroom.
Deedee and Adam discuss an article from The Reading Teacher on text selection and integration. The article titled, "Five Steps Towards Successful Culturally Relevant Text Selection and Integration," walks teachers through the changing demographics and the need for culturally responsive pedagogy. Here is some information that you might find helpful:
The Reading Teacher Vol.71, NO.3 pp 295-307 November/December 2017
Websites with Book Lists
- American Indian Youth Literature Award https://ailanet.org/activities/american-indian-youth-literature-award/
- Americas Award http://www.claspprograms.org/americasaward
- Arab American Book Award https://arabamericanmuseum.org/book-awards/
- Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature https://www.apalaweb.org/awards/literature-awards/
- Batchelder Award http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/batchelderaward
- Belpre Medal http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/belpremedal
- Caldecott Medal http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottmedal
- Carter G Woodson Book Award https://www.socialstudies.org/awards/woodson
- Children's Africana Book Award https://africanstudies.org/awards-prizes/children-s-africana-book-award/
- Coretta Scott King Book Award http://www.ala.org/rt/emiert/cskbookawards
- ILA Notable Books for a Global Society http://www.clrsig.org/nbgs-lists.html
- Jane Addams Children's Book Award https://www.janeaddamschildrensbookaward.org/
- Newbery Medal http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberymedal
- Skipping Stopes Honor Awards https://www.skippingstones.org/wp/book-awards/
- Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award https://jewishlibraries.org/Sydney_Taylor_Manuscript_Award
- Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award https://www.education.txstate.edu/ci/riverabookaward/
Suggested Additional Professional Reading
Teachers Who Share Book Ideas on Social Media
100th Day Ideas for In-Person or Virtual Learning Fun!
Deedee and Adam catch up after a long winter break and chat about some fun ways to make the 100th day of school as fun as possible in this ever-changing year of education!
Zoo Camp! Virtual Learning and Engagement with guest Cynthia Kaye
Deedee and Adam sit down with Cynthia Kaye to talk about the exciting new learning platform from Alive Studios called Zoo Camp! Students learn letters and sounds with live teacher instruction and engagement. HINT: Adam is the teacher!
Learn more:
We Got PrincipalED with Dr. Rachael George
Get your copy of PrincipalED
From fighting wildland fires with the U.S. Forest Service to putting out fires in the classroom, education was the last place that Rachael thought she’d end up. It wasn’t until a hard conversation with a base manager in Grangeville, Idaho did Rachael realize she needed to put her chainsaw down and make a bigger impact on the world. Rachael is a member of the ASCD Emerging Leaders Class of 2015 and currently serves as the principal of Sandy Grade School in the Oregon Trail School District. Over the past seven years, Sandy Grade School has moved from being one of the lowest ranked elementary schools in the state of Oregon to performing in the top 20% of elementary schools. Sandy Grade School has been recognized by the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE) as a Model School for closing the achievement gap. Prior to serving as an elementary principal, she was a middle school principal of an “outstanding” and two-time “Level 5: Model School” as recognized by the State of Oregon. Rachael serves as the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators President Elect, is the NAESP State Representative for Oregon, and is an NAESP Fellow. Rachael just released her first book PrincipalED: Navigating the Leadership Learning Curve with two friends and has two other books in the works. She specializes in curriculum development, instructional improvement as well as working with at-risk students and closing the achievement gap. Connect with Rachael on Twitter @DrRachaelGeorge.
That Episode That Was About Nothing AND Everything
In this episode Deedee and Adam talked about trying to find gratitude in this moment in time.
Teaching Sight Words When Students Struggle Part 2
Deedee and Adam continue their discussion on how to help students who are struggling to learn to read. They discuss the Orton-Gillingham approach to instruction. Join them!
They discuss how using the science of reading and orthographic mapping to teach high-frequency words to move students away from memorization and guide them towards mastery.
Read more about the Science of Reading Lesson format by going to:
Teaching Sight Words When Students Struggle
Deedee and Adam discuss how to help students who are struggling to learn to read. They discuss the Orton-Gillingham approach to instruction. They discuss how using the science of reading and orthographic mapping to teach high-frequency words move students away from memorization.
Read more about the Science of Reading Lesson format by going to:
Professional Books for Teacher with Guest Tara Martin
Don't forget to PLAY! (Even Virtually) Part 2
In today's podcast episode, Deedee and Adam share some play ideas teachers can use in their classroom. You can incorporate a few play ideas while still teaching!
About the Podcast
The Classroom Collaborative Podcast is a show about teaching, classroom, and education. We tackle new classroom tips and tricks in every episode.
About Your Hosts
Deedee Wills is an early childhood educator, instructional coach, and international educational consultant. She is also the author of the award-winning blog, Mrs. Wills Kindergarten.
Adam Peterson is a kindergarten teacher, nationally recognized speaker, and educational consultant. He also the creator of the popular YouTube channel, TeachersLearn2.com.
I hope you enjoyed this episode! See you on the next one!
Deedee & Adam