Two Writing Teachers Podcast

In this episode, Stacey explores how picture books about moving, starting over, and making a new home—including stories of immigrants, refugees, and families in transition—can inspire and elevate students’ writing. Drawing on Rudine Sims Bishop’s work about books as mirrors and windows, she highlights three powerful titles: My Home is in My Backpack, You Are Home, and Just Say Welcome. Each book offers students opportunities to see...

This Writing Roundtable episode features Valerie Bolling discussing her book, Goal Setting in the Writing Classroom: Building Student Agency, Independence, and Success. Valerie shares what inspired her focus on writing, goal setting, and how teachers can balance guidance with student ownership. She explains how to model goal setting, teach effective strategies, and assess student progress. Valerie also addresses common challenges t...

In this episode, we explore the typical path that every writing unit follows, regardless of the curriculum. We highlight teaching strategies that work in different settings. We discuss immersion, its importance, and how to make it more beneficial for writers. We also discuss how co-creating anchor and process charts can support students, focusing on what authors do and how they do it. You'll hear tips on helping students think...

This episode explores practical executive functioning tools that support students’ writing and goal-setting success. Inspired by Valerie Bolling's book, Goal Setting in the Writing Classroom: Building Student Agency, Independence, and Success (Stenhouse Publishers, 2025), Stacey highlights seven strategies—such as making timelines, using timers, and tracking progress—that help improve organization, focus, and motivation. These...

In this episode, Melanie talks with TWTBlog co-authors Sarah Valter and Leah Thomas about ways to infuse writing experiences in students' lives beyond classroom instruction. 

GO DEEPER:

Finding Wider Audiences for Student Work

This or That: Inspiring Writers to Learn About Themselves

Extracurricular Writing Clubs

Classroom Slice of Life Story Challenge

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GIven that many teachers are getting ready for parent/caregiver conferences, Melanie suggests five ideas for making good writing conferences even better! 

GO DEEPER:

Genre-based Progressions

Summer Writing Motivation

Ways for Caregivers to Support Writers

Making the Most of Conferences

Finding Wider Audiences for Student Work

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My Kids Can't Write: How to Advance Achievement Through Cross-Curricular Writing, by Paul Emerich France, provides K-5 teachers with practical guidance on helping students write effectively across all subjects. It explains how to incorporate simple routines and journal-based activities to make writing a regular and manageable part of classroom life. In today's episode, we talk with Paul about how to prioritize writing thr...

There are many different questions to consider when assessing students' writing. This episode suggests various lenses for deciding on next instructional steps. 

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• Melanie Meehan: meehanmelanie@gmail.com
• Stacey Shubitz: st...

In this Writing Roundtable episode, Stacey and Melanie talk with Patty McGee and Tim Donohue, co-authors of Not Your Granny’s Grammar. Patty and Tim explain their research-based approaches to making grammar and writing instruction engaging and meaningful for both teachers and students. They explore the history of grammar, the power of grammar notebooks and partnerships, and how to effectively integrate grammar instruction into the ...

In this first episode of our fourth season, we talk about the importance of choice in the lives of writers. Why does choice matter, and what are some ways to bring choice into the classroom?

GO DEEPER:

• Pens vs Pencils
• Paper Choice

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In the final episode of our third season, we dive into the foundational beliefs that shape effective writing instruction. From emphasizing explicit teaching to fostering a community led by a teacher who writes to foundational skills like handwriting and spelling, we explore key elements that support student success. This episode will inspire educators to reflect on their teaching philosophies and empower students within any curricu...

The Salad Bowl Game is one of our family's favorite games to play when we're all together, and it's also a great game for building students' vocabulary in writing, as well as any other content area. Give it a try with friends when you have some time, and have some great laughs and learning in classrooms with students. 

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Introducing the 10th Annual Author Spotlight Series on the Two Writing Teachers blog, featuring daily interviews with children’s authors and illustrators who share their creative journeys and writing processes. Listeners get a preview of the week’s lineup, including stories of resilience, identity, and collaboration from Tim Donohue, Tyler Gordon, Maham Khwaja, Rebecca Gardyn Levington, Patty McGee, and Padma Venkatraman. The episo...

In this special episode, Melanie turns the tables as she interviews Stacey about her forthcoming book, which helps parents understand how to make the school system work for their child with disabilities. Hear about the personal passion that fueled this project, get an overview of the book’s three-part structure, and demystify the language of special education. The episode concludes with a discussion on the vital role of self-care, ...

In this Tip for Tomorrow, Melanie provides three ideas for differentiating that can work across grade levels and across genres. 

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You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district.

• Melanie Meehan: meehanmelanie@gmail.com
• Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.com

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Let’s revisit the Spring 2017 blog series "Keep Learning Going Throughout the Summer," which explored various strategies to maintain children's writing skills during the summer break. Stacey highlights key ideas from the 2017 co-author team, including creating personalized writing spaces, gamifying the writing process, and using books to inspire writing projects. The episode emphasizes the importance of making summer...

In our second Writing Roundtable episode, renowned literacy expert Lester L. Laminack joins us to discuss his Ferris wheel of education concept, providing a fresh perspective on educational trends. Lester examines the current state of writing instruction, investigating how recent developments influence students' writing experiences and skills. Listeners will gain valuable insights into the evolving landscape of writing pedagog...

Fun test prep may seem like an oxymoron, but in this tip for tomorrow, Melanie shares a few ways you can bring movement, collaboration, and agency into getting students ready to take assessments. 

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Please subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.

You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district.

• Melanie Meehan: meehanmelanie@...

In this episode, Stacey interviews Melanie about her upcoming book (co-authored with Maggie Beattie Roberts), tentatively titled THE WRITING BRAIN: FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS OF WRITTEN EXPRESSION. The book emphasizes developing foundational writing skills through research- and evidence-based instructional methods. We discuss the five guiding principles featured in the book: Cognitive Load Theory, Neurological Response to Learning, The Zo...