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Writing instruction can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to fit everything in and help students meet grade-level expectations. But what if some of the things we think we need to do to build strong writers are actually making writing instruction harder than it needs to be? In this episode, Emily and Sara are breaking down five common writing instruction myths they believed as classroom teachers and sharing what they would do differently now. From focusing too much on essays and isolated grammar practice to feeling like you need a dedicated writing block, they’re sharing practical shifts that can help you simplify your writing instruction while building stronger, more confident writers. In this episode, we talk about:Why strong writing instruction starts at the sentence level before moving into paragraphs and essays.How to teach grammar in the context of actual student writing.Why you don’t need a dedicated writing block to help students become better writers.How focusing your feedback on one or two skills can make writing more manageable.Why building strong writers is ultimately better test prep than teaching specifically to the test. You don’t need a perfect writing block or a complicated approach to help your students grow. By slowing down, focusing on foundational skills, and being intentional about the writing opportunities already happening throughout your day, you can help students build the confidence and skills they need to become stronger writers. Grab your FREE sentence writing routine guide - stellarteacher.com/sentence Learn more about the Stellar Literacy Collective - stellarteacher.com/join

Have you ever sat down to teach a small group only to realize you’re spending half your attention wondering what the rest of your class is doing? Maybe students are interrupting you with questions. Someone is suddenly wandering around the room. Another student has been “working” on the same question for 20 minutes. And you’re starting to wonder: How am I supposed to actually teach my small group AND manage everyone else? If small groups feel harder than you expected, it doesn’t mean you’re doing them wrong. In this episode, Sara and Emily are wrapping up our Small Group Success series by tackling one of the biggest challenges of small group instruction: managing the rest of your class while you’re teaching. And we’re starting with a reminder we think more teachers need to hear: You have flexibility. If your students can’t successfully work independently for 45 minutes, don’t ask them to. If they can handle 15 minutes, teach a 15-minute small group and then bring everyone back together. You don’t have to force your students into a small group schedule just because you think that’s what small groups are “supposed” to look like. We also talk about why you don’t need to meet with every student in a small group. Instead, ask yourself: Which students actually need additional practice with my support? Your goal isn’t to fit every student into a rotation—it’s to use your instructional time where it will have the greatest impact. From there, we’re sharing simple, practical ways to make small group time run more smoothly. We talk about explicitly teaching expectations, giving students plenty of opportunities to practice being independent, creating a plan for what students should do when they need help, and using visual cues to reduce interruptions. And before you create an elaborate new reward system or classroom management plan, Sara has an important reminder: keep it simple. The behavior systems you already use may be all you need. Small groups don’t have to become one more complicated thing for you to manage. Finally, we share a quick reflection routine that can help students take more ownership over small group time and recognize that what they’re doing while you’re teaching matters, too. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to structure small groups around what your students can realistically handleWhy you don’t have to meet with every student in a small groupHow to set clear expectations for independent work timeSimple ways to reduce interruptions while you’re teachingWhy you probably don’t need another behavior management systemHow a two-minute reflection can help students take more ownership If small groups haven’t been working the way you hoped, you don’t need to throw out the whole idea or assume you’re doing something wrong. You know your students best. Give yourself permission to adjust the schedule, shorten the independent work time, rethink who actually needs a small group, and create routines that work for the students sitting in your classroom. Small groups don’t have to look perfect. They need to work for you and your students. The Stellar Literacy Collective - stellarteacher.com/join

Episode 327: What Should the Rest of Your Class Do During Small Groups?You’ve planned an intentional lesson for the students at your small group table—but then comes the other question: What should the rest of your class be doing while you teach? For years, Emily assumed small group instruction automatically meant centers and rotations. One group was doing word work, another was reading, another was on the computer—and every 15 minutes, everyone rotated. But small groups don’t have to be that complicated. Your students can all work on the same meaningful literacy activity, or you can rely on a few predictable routines that students already know how to complete independently. In this episode, Emily shares practical ways to simplify what the rest of your class is doing during small group instruction—without constantly searching for, creating, and prepping new activities. You’ll learn four literacy routines you can use again and again: partner fluency practice, sentence writing, writing about reading, and purposeful independent reading. The goal isn’t to create an entirely separate literacy block for your independent students. It’s to build on the instruction and routines you’re already using. Emily also shares why independent work needs a clear connection back to your instruction, how a quick whole-class check-in can create accountability, and one mistake she made when assigning graded work during small group time. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why small groups don’t have to mean complicated centers and rotationsHow predictable routines can make independent work easier for students—and require less planning from youFour meaningful activities students can do while you teach a small groupHow to use partner fluency practice as a repeatable routine where the structure stays the same and the text changesHow sentence writing and writing about reading can extend instruction you’re already doingHow to make independent reading more purposeful by connecting it to the knowledge students are buildingWhy bringing students back together after independent practice creates accountability and helps you catch misconceptionsWhy you should be thoughtful about assigning graded work when some students will have less independent work time because they’re meeting with you Next week, we’re continuing our Small Group Success series with a conversation all about behavior management during small groups—including setting expectations, reducing interruptions, and helping students work independently while you focus on the students at your table. Pasted text(20260925-153458) Resources Mentioned: FREE Sentence Writing Activities: stellarteacher.com/sentencesYou’ve planned an intentional lesson for the students at your small group table...but then comes the other question: What should the rest of your class be doing while you teach? For years, Emily assumed small group instruction automatically meant centers and rotations. One group was doing word work, another was reading, another was on the computer—and every 15 minutes, everyone rotated. But small groups don’t have to be that complicated. Your students can all work on the same meaningful literacy activity, or you can rely on a few predictable routines that students already know how to complete independently. In this episode, Emily shares practical ways to simplify what the rest of your class is doing during small group instruction—without constantly searching for, creating, and prepping new activities. You’ll learn four literacy routines you can use again and again: partner fluency practice, sentence writing, writing about reading, and purposeful independent reading. The goal isn’t to create an entirely separate literacy block for your independent students. It’s to build on the instruction and routines you’re already using. Emily also shares why independent work needs a clear connection back to your instruction, how a quick whole-class check-in can create accountability, and one mistake she made when assigning graded work during small group time. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why small groups don’t have to mean complicated centers and rotationsHow predictable routines can make independent work easier for students—and require less planning from youFour meaningful activities students can do while you teach a small groupHow to use partner fluency practice as a repeatable routine where the structure stays the same and the text changesHow sentence writing and writing about reading can extend instruction you’re already doingHow to make independent reading more purposeful by connecting it to the knowledge students are buildingWhy bringing students back together after independent practice creates accountability and helps you catch misconceptionsWhy you should be thoughtful about assigning graded work when some students will have less independent work time because they’re meeting with you Next week, we’re continuing our Small Group Success series with a conversation all about behavior management during small groups—including setting expectations, reducing interruptions, and helping students work independently while you focus on the students at your table. Resources Mentioned: FREE Sentence Writing Activities: stellarteacher.com/sentence Small Group Success Checklist: stellarteacher.com/smallgroup

Small group instruction is a regular part of many literacy blocks—but what actually makes a small group effective? And do you really need to meet with every student every day? In this episode, Emily is joined by Dr. Julia Lindsey to rethink some of the traditional ways teachers approach small group reading instruction. Instead of starting with rotations, reading levels, or the pressure to get every student to the teacher table, Julia encourages teachers to start with something much more important: the specific needs of their students. Julia shares why small group instruction is most powerful when it gives teachers an opportunity to differentiate instruction, provide immediate feedback, and target the skills students need additional support with. She also explains why small groups don't have to look the way they've always looked—and why it's okay if every student doesn't meet with you every day. You'll also hear practical advice for using assessment data and informal observations to make instructional decisions, managing the rest of your class while you're meeting with a group, and designing a small group schedule around your students rather than trying to fit your students into a predetermined schedule. In this episode, you'll learn: Why effective small group instruction starts with student needs, not a predetermined schedule or rotationHow small groups give teachers an opportunity to differentiate instruction and provide immediate, precise feedbackWhy you don't have to meet with every student every day for small group instruction to be effectiveHow to use assessment data and informal observations to identify targeted skills for small group practiceWhy reading comprehension is complex—and what that means when you're deciding what to teach in a small groupHow a triage approach can help you prioritize which students need additional teacher supportWhy knowing your readers is one of the most important parts of making small group instruction more effectiveHow to rethink traditional small group structures and create an approach that works for the students in front of you If small groups have ever left you feeling like you need to do more, meet with more students, or somehow fit more rotations into an already packed literacy block, this conversation is your reminder that small group instruction is a tool you can use—not a structure you have to serve. Focus on knowing your students, identifying what they need, and designing your instruction from there. Resources Mentioned: Small Group Success Checklist: stellarteacher.com/smallgroup Check out the Stellar Literacy Collective: stellarteacher.com/join

Small group instruction is probably built into your literacy block—but have you ever stopped to ask: What is the actual purpose of small groups? For years, Emily knew she was supposed to teach small groups, but she wasn't always sure what students should actually be doing once they got to the teacher table. Like many teachers, she focused on creating groups, planning rotations, finding leveled texts, and managing the rest of the class. But the most important question often got overlooked: What do these students need to practice with my support? In this episode, Emily breaks down the real purpose of small group instruction and shares a simple mindset shift that can completely change the way you plan. Small group isn't a curriculum or a specific type of lesson. It's an instructional structure that gives students more opportunities to practice a targeted skill while you observe, provide immediate feedback, and adjust your instruction based on what you notice. You'll also learn why strong small group instruction starts with specific student needs (not reading levels) and how using multiple layers of data can help you pinpoint exactly what students need to practice. In this episode, you'll learn: The real purpose of small group instruction—and why it's not simply getting every student to the teacher tableWhy small group is an instructional structure, not a curriculumHow small groups increase opportunities for meaningful student practiceWhy immediate, precise feedback is one of the biggest benefits of teaching students in a smaller settingThe planning shift from “What am I going to teach?” to “What do my students need to practice with my support?”Why effective small groups should be flexible and responsive to what you notice about your students Next week, we're wrapping up our Small Group Success series with a special guest! You're not going to want to miss that! Resources Mentioned: Small Group Success Checklist: stellarteacher.com/smallgroup

Small group instruction can be one of the most powerful parts of your literacy block—but it can also be one of the hardest to figure out. In this episode, Sara and Emily are bringing back our Dear Stellar Teacher style episodes and sharing six small group mistakes they made in their own classrooms (and what they would do differently now!). In this episode, we talk about: Why too much teacher talk can take away from the practice and feedback students really need.Why you don’t need to meet with every student in a small group every day (or even every week).How relying on one data point or fixed reading levels can keep you from identifying what students actually need.Why small group instruction should focus on the specific skills students need to become stronger readers, rather than simply reteaching your whole group lesson. If small groups have ever left you wondering, Am I even doing this right?—this episode is for you. We’ve made the mistakes, learned a lot since then, and we’re sharing it all so you can feel more confident with your small group instruction. Resources mentioned: Small Group Success Checklist: stellarteacher.com/smallgroups Reading Intervention Kit: stellarteacher.com/intervention

What does MTSS actually look like in your upper elementary literacy classroom? Understanding the tiers is one thing, but knowing what instruction should look like at Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 can feel much more complicated. In this episode, Emily breaks down how to put MTSS into practice with practical examples you can use in your literacy block. You’ll learn what strong Tier 1 literacy instruction should include, how to identify the specific skills students need during Tier 2, and how Tier 3 increases the intensity of support without necessarily requiring an entirely different program. We’ll also walk through a simple Tier 2 fluency routine and a five-day phonics and decoding intervention routine to help you see what targeted support can actually look like. Resources Mentioned: Free Fluency Resource: stellarteacher.com/fluency Stellar Intervention Toolkit: stellarteacher.com/intervention Stellar Literacy Collective: stellarteacher.com/join

[Listen Again] The one thing teachers wish they could have more of is time. Time to plan, time to teach, time to make copies, and time to have fun with their students. The day goes by so quickly that it’s hard to fit everything in, but one thing that helps with that is time management. In order to help you gain some time back in your classroom, I’m sharing 3 tips that are effective and help free up brain space. Download my Free Mini-Lesson Plan and Sample Slides here! Check out my Free Literacy Workshop. For more information click here. Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series here! Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode152

If you have a handful of students who need intensive phonics intervention, a few who are reading well above grade level, and everyone else somewhere in the middle, you might be wondering: How am I supposed to meet all of these needs without burning myself out? The good news is that meeting every student's needs doesn't mean giving every student the exact same support. In this episode, Sara is breaking down how to support your struggling readers while still making sure the rest of your class is getting meaningful, appropriately challenging literacy instruction. She shares a helpful doctor analogy that reminds us that different students need different types of support—and that different doesn't mean unfair. You'll also hear practical ways to strengthen your Tier 1 instruction, use partner work to support all learners, make the most of your intervention time, and plan meaningful work for the rest of your class while you're meeting with small groups. In this episode, you'll learn: Why meeting every student's needs doesn't mean giving every student the exact same supportWhy not every student needs to meet with you in a small groupHow explicit Tier 1 instruction can better support struggling readers before intervention even beginsHow partner routines like RallyCoach can provide struggling readers with support while deepening learning for stronger readersA simple five-day intervention framework for making the most of your small group timeHow to plan meaningful literacy work for the rest of your class while you're providing interventionWhy it's okay for your intervention students and the rest of your class to be working on completely different assignments If you're feeling overwhelmed trying to fit every student into a small group or make sure everyone completes the same work, this episode will help you rethink what effective support can look like. Your job isn't to give every student the exact same thing—it's to figure out what each student needs and provide the instruction that will help them grow. Resources Mentioned: ⭐ The Stellar Reading Intervention Kit: Stellarteacher.com/intervention

[Listen Again] We’re bringing back this episode because it’s just too good not to share again! As we continue talking about supporting struggling readers, this conversation feels just as relevant today. If you missed it the first time—or could use a refresher—we’re revisiting some of the biggest lessons we learned about phonics, intervention, and foundational reading skills in upper elementary. Many upper elementary teachers know their struggling readers need support with foundational reading skills, but knowing exactly what to teach—and how to fit it into an already-packed school day—can feel overwhelming. In this Dear Stellar Teacher episode, we're sharing our biggest phonics confessions, including the mistakes we made in our own classrooms and what we wish we had known about supporting struggling readers. In this episode, we're talking all things phonics, phonemic awareness, and reading intervention in upper elementary. We'll share why we didn't always prioritize systematic phonics instruction, why intervention can't simply become someone else's responsibility, and what we've learned about helping older students strengthen the foundational skills they need to become more confident readers. In this episode, we'll discuss:The biggest mistakes we made when supporting struggling readers in our own classroomsWhy systematic phonics instruction still matters in upper elementaryWhy we wish we had incorporated more phonemic awareness into our literacy instructionHow a lack of knowledge and confidence can make foundational skills instruction feel overwhelmingWhy classroom teachers still play an important role in supporting students who need interventionWhat we've learned about providing more effective decoding and foundational skills support Resources Mentioned: ⭐ The Stellar Literacy Collective: stellarteacher.com/intervention

Episode 321: Differentiation vs. Intervention: What’s the Difference? Raise your hand if you have a struggling reader in your classroom. Now, keep your hand raised if you've ever wondered: Am I actually giving this student the support they need? Differentiation and intervention are two terms that get thrown around all the time, and they're often used interchangeably. But they serve two very different purposes. Understanding the difference can help you identify what your struggling readers actually need and make more intentional instructional decisions. In this episode, we're talking all things differentiation, intervention, and how to determine which type of support your struggling readers actually need. You'll learn how differentiation helps students access grade-level learning, while intervention targets the underlying skill gaps that may be preventing students from becoming stronger, more successful readers. In this episode, we'll discuss:The key difference between differentiation and interventionPractical differentiation strategiesHow to recognize when differentiation alone isn't enoughHow intervention targets specific foundational skill gapsHow differentiation and intervention can work together to support struggling readers Resources Mentioned: ⭐ The Stellar Intervention Toolkit: https://learn.stellarteacher.com/intervention

Episode 320: A Simple Framework for Your Tier 1 Literacy Instruction When students are struggling with reading, it's easy to immediately start thinking about intervention and small groups. But before we add more intervention, it's important to take a closer look at the instruction every student receives every day: Tier 1. How can you strengthen your Tier 1 literacy instruction without adding more to your already-full literacy block? In this episode, Tami is kicking off our Supporting Every Reader series by sharing a simple framework that can help you make your whole group literacy instruction more connected, intentional, and effective. She introduces the 3-2-1 Framework for Deeper Comprehension—a practical approach that helps students build the knowledge and skills they need before, during, and after reading. You'll learn why strong Tier 1 instruction is the foundation of literacy learning and how the 3-2-1 Framework can help you maximize the time you already have. Tammy walks you through three things to do before reading, two areas to focus on during reading, and one simple practice to use after reading—all centered around the same text. In this episode, you'll learn: Why strengthening Tier 1 instruction should come before adding more interventionWhy small groups can't carry the full weight of your literacy instructionHow to use the 3-2-1 Framework for Deeper Comprehension to strengthen whole group instructionThree things to focus on before reading: background knowledge, vocabulary, and text structureTwo areas to prioritize during reading: applying the reading standard and supporting students with syntaxWhy syntax instruction can help students make sense of complex sentencesHow writing about reading makes student thinking visible and deepens comprehensionWhy stronger Tier 1 instruction isn't about doing more—it's about making the instruction you're already providing more powerful and connected If you're looking for a practical way to strengthen your Tier 1 literacy instruction, this episode will give you a simple framework you can start using right away. The goal isn't to squeeze more into your literacy block, but to make the time you already have work harder for every student. Resources Mentioned: ⭐ The Stellar Literacy Collective: stellarteacher.com/join

Episode 319: MTSS 101: What Every Teacher Needs to Know MTSS is one of those education acronyms that can quickly start to feel overwhelming. What does it all actually mean, and how does it fit together? What exactly is MTSS—and what does it mean for you as a classroom teacher? In this episode, Emily is breaking down the basics of MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) to help you understand what it is, why it matters, and how your everyday instruction fits into the framework. She also clears up one of the biggest misconceptions about MTSS: it's not a separate program just for struggling students. It's a framework designed to make sure every student gets the right level of support at the right time. You'll learn how Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 work together, why strong Tier 1 instruction is the foundation of an effective MTSS framework, and how data and progress monitoring can help you make better instructional decisions for your students. In this episode, you'll learn: What MTSS actually is and how it supports all studentsWhy strong Tier 1 instruction is the foundation of an effective MTSS frameworkThe key differences between Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 supportWhy tiers should describe levels of support rather than label studentsHow data and progress monitoring help determine when students need additional supportWhat it might mean if more than 20% of your students need interventionWhy early intervention is so important for preventing learning gaps from continuing to grow If MTSS has ever felt confusing or overwhelming, this episode will help you see the framework in a much simpler way. You'll walk away with a clearer understanding of how the tiers work together and how MTSS can help you provide students with the support they need to be successful. And be sure to tune in next week as we continue our MTSS series and talk about how to put MTSS into practice in your literacy classroom. Resources Mentioned: ⭐ The Stellar Literacy Collective: stellarteacher.com/join

Episode 318: What Kind of Teacher Do You Want to Be This Year? As a new school year begins, it's natural to think about goals. But instead of creating a long list of everything you want to accomplish this year, we want to challenge you to start with one simple question: What kind of teacher do you want to be? What kind of teacher do you want to be this year? In this episode, Emily is joined by Stellar Teacher teammate and fifth-grade teacher Megan to have an honest conversation about setting meaningful goals that actually stick. Rather than trying to improve everything at once, they discuss how choosing one area of growth, creating small daily habits, and giving yourself grace can help you become the teacher you want to be. Whether your goal is building stronger relationships with students, improving your literacy instruction, or creating a healthier work-life balance, this episode will help you create a realistic plan for growth throughout the school year. In this episode, you'll learn: Why focusing on who you want to become is more powerful than creating a long list of goalsHow to choose one meaningful area of growth instead of trying to improve everything at oncePractical ways to turn your goals into daily and weekly habitsSimple ideas for building stronger relationships with students and families from the very beginning of the yearWhy giving yourself grace is an essential part of personal and professional growthHow an accountability partner can help you stay committed to your goals all year long If you're looking for encouragement and a practical mindset shift before the school year begins, this episode will help you start with purpose—and remind you that meaningful growth happens one small step at a time. Resources Mentioned: ⭐ The Stellar Literacy Collective: stellarteacher.com/join

In this replay episode of The Stellar Teacher Podcast, we're giving you a behind-the-scenes look at one of our most exciting new resources—the Stellar Teacher Reading Intervention Kit! I’m joined by my teammate Emily, one of our amazing curriculum writers and the mastermind behind this new intervention resource designed specifically for upper elementary students who struggle with decoding. If you’ve ever felt unsure about how to approach reading intervention or wondered how to fit it into your already packed schedule, this episode is for you. Emily and I talk candidly about the biggest challenges teachers face when it comes to reading intervention—limited time, lack of confidence, and keeping older students engaged—and how each of those challenges shaped the design of this kit. You’ll hear about our goals, the research that guided us, the beta testing process, and the thoughtful routines we built to make intervention practical, effective, and doable in just 15 minutes a day. Whether you’re looking for tools to support struggling readers, or you just want to feel more confident about teaching phonics in the upper grades, I hope this episode gives you inspiration and clarity. I truly believe this resource is going to make a huge difference in classrooms—and I can’t wait for you to experience it for yourself. Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join! Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here! Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here! Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode261.