Teaching With Inquiry

Are you trying to mark every single thing your students touch? Why? It’s too much!   I’m here to give you permission to stop. Trying to mark every single thing your students do is completely overwhelming.   In this episode, I’m sharing what you need to stop marking and giving you some tips on what you do mark so that you don't feel like you're drowning in a pile of paperwork all the time.    We are covering why you shouldn’t be marking everything your students do, how to assess practice work without spending too much time on it, the importance of checking on students during class time, and more.   Once you stop marking the few things I mention throughout this episode and implement some of these tips, you’ll free up so much time to spend on more productive tasks.    Believe it or not, there are a lot of ways to make sure your students are receiving accurate assessments without pouring over every piece of work they do. Tune in to learn more about this!   Resources Mentioned: www.teacherspayteachers.co

How do you prepare for parent-teacher interviews?    Let’s talk about some of the best things you can do in advance and on the day to have your parent-teacher interviews run as smoothly as possible.    I know they can cause some nerves because you don’t always know what you’re walking into when it comes to parents, and after two years of irregular schooling, there are a lot of things to address with them. I want to share my tips for covering everything you need to and keeping it within your time limits.    Prep starts at the beginning of the year, but even if you’re just getting started as you near parent-teacher interviews, there are still things you can do!    If you have parent-teacher interviews looming, it’s time to get prepped and ready for them, and this episode will help you get started.    I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram! Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/205To find our highly effective, time-saving resources Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlylearning.com/st

What are your favorite teaching tools?   In this episode, I’m sharing four tools that have changed my teaching practice (and they’re probably not the kinds of tools you’re thinking of!)   I’ve used a lot of different tools in my classroom over the years, but some of them stand out from the crowd. There are certain tools that I reach for over and over again that I know have made me a better teacher, so of course, I want to share them with you!    If you want to know how to read more books, where to find a community of like-minded teachers, how to make your classroom more interactive, or how to create activities more easily, you’ll be interested in some of the tools I’m sharing in this episode.    Tune in to add some teaching tools to your toolkit.    Resources Mentioned: Join the Madly Learning Facebook Group     I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram! Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/204To find our highly effective, time-saving resources Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlyl

What’s holding you back from using inquiry in your classroom?   A lot of teachers tell me that inquiry is too hard for their students, so I want to tell you a story about my class to show you how open-ended inquiry is and why it can work for students at all different levels.    This quick story will also give you some ideas on how to introduce inquiry to your classroom and how to get things started.    You might think your students aren’t ready for inquiry, but I think this episode will help you to see that they are.    What’s more, inquiry-based learning will get your students more invested in their work than ever before. How? You’ll have to listen to the episode to find out!   Resources Mentioned: www.madlylearning.com/store   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/203To find our highly effective, time-saving resources Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlylearning.com/storeCheckout our Teachers Pay Teachers storeJoin our FREE Facebook comm

How do you deal with a badly behaved class?   In this episode, I am diving into the very important topic of classroom management. Specifically, I am talking about how to manage that class that the rest of the school says is one of the most difficult classes in the building… you know the one!   I am sharing what I’ve learned over the years so that you can go home at night without stressing about your kids’ behavior.    These tips and strategies will help you lay the foundation for your classroom management. Trust me, foundational work is the key to success here.    If you have a class that eats supply teachers alive, chews them up, and spits them out so that they never want to come back, this episode is for you. If you know a teacher that does have that kind of class, pass this episode along!   The more teachers that have these strategies, the better!   Resources Mentioned: www.kudosclub.com    I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/202To find our high

Do you struggle with assessment?   I think every teacher does. Assessment is one of those things that you know you need to do but never have enough time for. I want to change that for you.    In this episode, we’re talking specifically about assessing reading.    I’m answering all your burning questions about how to find time for assessment, what to assess, what not to assess, and how to come up with those marks for report cards at the end of the year.    Assessing reading doesn’t have to be complicated and time-consuming. By the end of this episode, you’ll be armed with ideas to help you assess easily and effectively throughout the year.    If assessing your students is a challenge for you, you’re going to love this episode.    Resources Mentioned: www.ignitedliteracy.com   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/201To find our highly effective, time-saving resources Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlylearning.com/storeCheckout our Teacher

Can you believe this is the 200th episode of the podcast?! Me neither.    Thank you so much for being a part of this journey. To celebrate, I wanted this episode to be an opportunity for you to ask me anything. I asked you guys to submit your questions to me, so in this episode, you’ll hear my answers.    I'm reflecting on things we’ve covered in the last 200 episodes and answering questions about finding balance, supporting students, and so much more.    The journey doesn’t end here. I can’t wait to see what the future of the podcast brings and I hope you’ll be here for it!    If you’ve ever wanted to pick my brain, you’re going to love this episode. Don’t miss it!    I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram! Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/200To find our highly effective, time-saving resources Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlylearning.com/storeCheckout our Teachers Pay Teachers storeJoin our FREE Facebook community for teachers here: https://bit.ly/IYT-FB

Did you know that good classroom management can lead to more respect between you and your students?   Let’s talk about what classroom management is and why it’s important. It’s the thing that’s going to set the tone for your classroom as you get back into the swing of things this school year.    You can put whatever system, program, or philosophy in place that you like, but it won’t be as effective as the values at the foundation of how you run your classroom.    This episode is about classroom management strategies that determine whether your classroom fails or succeeds.    Let's dig into the fundamental values that should be at the core of any classroom management program.   If you want to learn some simple strategies to foster mutual respect in your classroom, tune in to this episode.    Resources Mentioned: https://www.madlylearning.com/kudos-club/ www.madlylearning.com/200   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/199To find our highly effect

Do you focus more on teaching the writing process or teaching writing form in your classroom?    In this episode, we are digging into the difference between teaching the writing process and teaching writing form. You might not have given this much thought before, but I have some pretty strong feelings about it that I want to share with you.    If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ll know that I’m passionate about teaching the writing process first and then getting into form differently from traditional teaching methods.    I think that students need to learn how to write first. We need to teach them how to communicate their thoughts effectively. Throughout the episode, you’re going to hear me talk all about why that is and how to make it a reality in your classroom.    If you want to teach your students to be well-rounded writers, you’re going to love this episode.    Resources Mentioned: www.ignitedliteracy.com/freeweek I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram! Show notes available at www.m

Do you have a plan for your guided reading this year?    I know that sometimes as teachers we guilt ourselves if we can’t get guided reading started right away, so I want to lift some of that burden from your shoulders. Guided reading doesn’t need to start right away, and I’m going to tell you why in this episode.    I want to walk you through my plan to get guided reading started in your classroom as soon as possible in a way that’s easy and attainable for you and your students. I know you have students with different reading abilities and you need a plan that works for everyone.    You’re going to learn how to set up your guided reading, prepare your students for guided reading, and assess your students during guided reading time all in this episode.   If you’ve been looking for help with your guided reading plan then look no further! This is the episode for you.    I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/196To find our highly effective, time-saving

Do you use literacy centers in your classroom?   In this episode, I am talking about what literacy centers look like in my junior classroom because they look a little different from centers in my primary classrooms. As junior students go through the year, they often develop more independent skills, so how you use centers can change depending on their skill and comfort levels.    Because centers can be so different in junior classrooms, I think it’s helpful to talk about the differences and how to adapt to make them work for you.    Something that you’ll hear me repeat in the episode is that there is no one right way to do centers. I just want to give you an idea of how I make centers work in my classroom so that you can get some inspiration and guidance for yours!   If you could use some help getting your literacy centers set up, this episode is for you.    Resources Mentioned: www.ignitedliteracy.com/IL2021SP EP 159: Literature Circles vs. Literature Centers – Which is Right for You?   I would love to connec

How do you feel about teaching language arts? If you are feeling overwhelmed, overworked, stressed, and uninspired, you are not alone.    It is easy to feel this way when teaching this subject because there are so many components to consider when creating the perfect language arts program. You want to teach in a way that actually engages students so that they use their language skills every day.    In this episode, I am sharing all of the key components to creating a language arts program that will have students succeeding and surpassing their educational goals.    I am sharing tips on scaffolding, differentiating your instruction, how to relate your literacy lessons to the real world, and more.    Using these high-yield strategies will help you design a language arts program that increases student engagement and success, so tune in to hear them!   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram! Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/194To find our highly effective, time-saving resources Checkout o

What’s the biggest barrier to meeting students’ needs in your classroom? Time.    You’re being pulled in so many different directions, and you only have a finite amount of time.    If you’re spending all of your time planning an entire language arts program from beginning to end, you’re taking that time away from actually implementing the program and meeting your students’ needs. In this episode, I am talking about a solution to that problem.    Ignited Literacy is a program that is designed to give you everything you need for your language arts program all in one place. It expands over four different grade levels and is being used successfully in over 600 classrooms across Canada.    Ignited Literacy gives you your time back, but I get asked all the time, “Is Ignited Literacy right for me?”    Are you the type of teacher that is going to benefit from a done-for-you plan that will help you implement reading, writing, oral language, and media instruction in your classroom? I have five questions for you to help

How confident are you in your language program?   Whether you’re super confident or there are some things you want to change, chances are you’re making some mistakes.   In this episode, I’m sharing five mistakes that you might be making during your language instruction.    These are really common and easy to fix, so don’t worry!   I’m covering what these mistakes are and giving you some tips and strategies on how to do things differently.   We’re also talking about things like tying reading and writing together, prioritizing guided reading, and how to get the most out of your allotted literacy time.    If you want to revise your language program but aren’t sure where to start, this episode is perfect for you.    I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram! Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/192To find our highly effective, time-saving resources Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlylearning.com/storeCheckout our Teachers Pay Teachers storeJoin our FREE Facebook community for teachers

What should you do with your struggling readers during guided reading?   This is something that can be pretty daunting, especially if you’re in a junior classroom and you have a huge range of abilities in your class.    It’s important to remember that you will have different types of students in your classroom, and your strategy for supporting those students is going to look different depending on their academic profile.   In this episode, I am talking about three different types of learners who may be working significantly below grade level in your classroom and how to best support them in a guided reading lesson.   Different students need different types of support, and that’s okay! It doesn’t have to mean a lot of extra work for you. It just means you need to be familiar with those students and what they need.    Once you have your strategy figured out, guided reading lessons will be no problem at all. That’s why I am helping you get it figured out in this episode!    If you need a strategy to help your st

Do you need help with your guided reading sessions?    If so, I am excited to be sharing a complete plan for you to schedule your guided reading time in your junior classroom.    In this episode, I am teaching you how to set up your guided reading, and I am dispelling some myths about how to structure your guided reading time, especially as it pertains to junior grade levels.    I know that not all of your students are at the same level, and you need a schedule that can adapt to that. Guided reading should be a tool for you to use to assess your students’ progress, so let’s make that easier for you!    We’ll talk about what guided reading is, what its purpose is, and how to make it work for your students of all different levels.    If you could use some help getting your guided reading time set up, I’ve got you covered in this episode.    I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/190To find our highly effective, time-saving resources Checkout our Madly

Do you have your schedule ready to go for the fall?    If you’re anything like me, you’re probably already thinking about what your schedule is going to look like.    If you’re lucky enough to have already been given your schedule by your principal, I have some tools to help you figure out what each of your periods is going to look like.   In this episode, I am walking you through the process that I follow to plan out the subjects in my schedule according to the time requirements that we have for each subject.    By the end of this episode, you will know how to plan out your week to make sure that you are fitting everything into your teaching schedule.    If you want to learn how to get your schedule set up quickly and easily, tune in to this episode.    I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/189To find our highly effective, time-saving resources Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madlylearning.com/storeCheckout our Teachers Pay Teachers storeJ

Have you ever wanted to meet the team behind Madly Learning?   You get to in this episode! I have some of my amazing team members joining me to talk about all things teamwork and teaching. You will get to hear things like what their roles are on the team, what they’ve learned during the pandemic, and some of their favorite things about teaching.    Madison is part of the content team, and she helps us get everything done. She has taught in a bunch of different grades since the beginning of her teaching career.    Margaret helps us with all things tech. If you’ve ever sent us an email or noticed a broken link on our website, Margaret was probably working her magic behind the scenes. She keeps us organized.   Lisa is on our content team, and she writes some of our lesson plans. You might have seen some of her work! She taught for 30 years, mostly in junior grades, and she has done it all.    Katrina helps us out with our social media. You might have seen some of her posts in the Madly Learning Facebook group. 

Have you ever found the perfect resource, only to realize that the jargon won’t work in your Canadian classroom?    Being a Canadian teacher can be kind of a struggle because so many resources are geared towards U.S. classrooms!    Nine years ago, there was a lack of Canadian teacher voices online, and that's when I started my blog, Madly Learning. Fast forward nine years and Madly Learning has grown to something that I am so proud of. The community that has developed around Madly Learning is the most amazing community out there. Thank you for that!   In the spirit of that, I am talking about what makes Canadian teachers different from other teachers you see online in this episode.   I also have something super exciting that I want to announce to you, so stick around until the end of the episode for that!   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/187To find our highly effective, time-saving resources Checkout our Madly Learning Store at www.madly

Do you spend hours trying to come up with science lessons that are engaging and not boring? Do you end up just using worksheets because you don’t know what else to do?   In this episode, I am showing you how you can use inquiry-based learning and universal design in your science lessons. By the end of this episode, you’re going to have a whole bunch of ideas for lessons that go beyond basic read and respond worksheets.    Believe me when I say that you can have a fun, engaging, rigorous science program that is easy to plan, prep, and run. Inquiry-based learning is great because it is easy for the teacher and works for all students regardless of skill or ability.    Sound too good to be true? Trust me, it’s not. You just need to know where to start, and I’ve got you covered.    If you feel uninspired or lost and you’re not sure where to start when it comes to science lessons, tune in and take lots of notes!   I would love to connect on Facebook or Instagram!   Show notes available at www.madlylearning.com/186T