connection

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Short Stories

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. One or two times each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: SHORT STORIES

Short stories provide lots of benefits for readers of all ages, one being they are short! Or  Short stories provide lots of benefits for readers of all ages.   For one thing, they are short!  They are usually fast-paced with a single-plot.  Short stories have other benefits too. Readers can read from start to finish, avoiding the struggle of failure to launch and failure to finish.  Short stories give readers opportunities to try new genres and authors.  Short stories are portable, tradable, can easily be read several times, and can be a path to reading longer texts.  Short stories are a great resource to use in flexible, small groups where kiddos have many opportunities for reading, writing, and talking opportunities!

We get jazzed up by short stories -- both stand alone stories and those collected in anthologies.  We would be remiss if we neglected to mention a favorite short story type called a picture book.  We wrote about picture books -- check it out here.  Take a look at some of our favorite short story anthologies.  They are sure to pique students’ interests, inspire reading more and more often, and create culturally responsive reading opportunities for students across grade levels.  

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LINKS TO THESE TITLES

Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance by Jason Reynolds, Samira Ahmed, et al.

Guys Write for Guys Read: Boys' Favorite Authors Write About Being Boys by Jon Scieszka

Fresh Ink: An Anthology by Lamar Giles

Baseball in April and Other Stories by Gary Soto 

Flying Lessons & Other Stories by Ellen Oh

A Stage Full of Shakespeare Stories (World Full Of...) by Angela McAllister

Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices by S. K. Ali and Aisha Saeed

Funny Girl: Funniest. Stories. Ever. by Betsy Bird

5-Minute Marvel Stories (5-Minute Stories) by Marvel Press Book Group, Brandon Snider, et al.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Find a short story you want to share.  There are lots of ways to share a short story.  Ask yourself, will you share the short story:

  • As a read aloud?

  • As a text for shared reading?

  • With a small group?

  • With an individual student?

Next, ask yourself, will you and your students read the short story:

  • All together?

  • Partially together and partially on your own?

  • On your own?

Then, ask yourself, will you and your students:

  • Read just for the sake of reading?

  • Jot some notes, draw some images, write about what you are thinking or wondering about your reading?

Finally, ask yourself, will you and your students talk about the short story:

  • All together during the whole group?

  • In a half group?

  • In small groups?

  • One-to-one between teacher and student?

Step 2

Find other short stories that students will enjoy reading.  Check out these online resources:

Step 3

Select other short stories you want students to read.  Decide:

  • Will all students read the same short story?

  • Will students have choices in the short stories they read?

  • Will students go on a hunt and find [or curate] short stories for their peers to read?

Step 4

Consider giving students opportunities to write their own short story for their peers or for online publication submission.  Here are some publications that accept short stories written by students:

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!


COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Simplicity and Connection in Distance Learning

We’ve heard it and said it lots of times over the past weeks. These are tricky times. I’m so proud of all the educators have stepped up to make the most out of the changes and challenges that have come their way. As I support educators across the miles, it’s clear that there is no one right answer or one right way. It’s about putting our best feet forward in meeting the individual and collective needs of the learning communities we serve. And, then, pushing pause to reflect so that we can make reasonable and responsive moves forward.

Last week I had the pleasure of speaking with Patty McGee about the simplicity and connection in distance learning. Our conversation was refreshing and I’m thankful for the opportunity. In case you missed it, check it out here!

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Thanks to Patty and Benchmark Education for your continued support of important conversations and work!

Instructional Coaches as Servant Leaders: 3 Actions to Consider Now More Than Ever

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Back in 2008, when I received my K-8 Principal License, I adopted a stance. I took to heart the idea of instructional leadership as a mindset — leaders as servants to those they lead. Since then, I have worked to hold myself accountable to that mindset, both as a district leader and educational consultant.

During these tricky, unprecedented times, teachers have A LOT of stuff coming at them. Many are trying new things [e-learning routines, distance learning platforms, new systems and structures, content delivery via video and video-conferencing, etc] for the first time with little, or no, dress rehearsal time. It’s like building the plane while it’s already at 10,000 feet. The good news is if any group of people can do it, it’s teachers. That’s because they show up — regardless of the situation — and they do whatever it takes to serve their students. They are leaders, and servants, of their learning communities.

3 Actions to Consider Now More Than Ever

By nature, instructional coaches are doers. They are natural servant leaders because their work is heavily focused on serving the stakeholders in their learning communities. As instructional coaches figure out [and maybe even redefine] their roles across the next few weeks, here are 3 actions to consider.

1. JUST BE THERE

Some teachers may feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff coming at them right now. Instead of pushing stuff out, consider just being there and being available. Set up choices for teachers and ways they can receive support from you. Offer up support through:

  • text messages

  • phone calls

  • email

  • digital platforms

Support is often well-intentioned, but can feel like added pressure during already high-pressured times. Honor teachers by giving them voice and choice — offering up vehicles and modes of support that they need, if and when they want it.

2. CONNECT AS PEOPLE

Relationships matter. They matter a lot! Instead of just connecting about school stuff, consider connecting as people about ordinary stuff. This gives opportunities for colleagues to share the silver linings that may be tucked inside these tough times. Some ideas could include:

  • share an uplifting quote or joke

  • create virtual coffee or dessert hangouts

  • organize a recipe swap

  • pleasure reading book club conversation

Creating opportunities for teachers to connect with one another on a personal level helps bolster relationships, which can yield both short and long-term impacts.

3. TAKE SOMETHING OFF TEACHERS’ LISTS

By nature, teachers’ lists are endless. Instead of pushing things out, consider taking things on in service of teachers and the students they/you serve. Be of service by being at service. Ask teachers to share with you the top 5 items on their to do lists. Then, offer to take on one of them to help support their efforts. You could:

  • create something that would benefit a whole class

  • support a small group of students

  • offer to “meet” or support one particular student’s needs

Sometimes help doesn’t always feel like help. Sometimes it feels easier to just do it yourself. That depends on the person, the situation, and the nature of the work on the to do list. Be extra aware of this and don’t take it personally if teachers don’t take you up on your support. Most likely, it isn’t personal at all — it’s just a response that makes sense to that teacher at that time.

Other Supportive Roles

You don’t have to have the title of “Instructional Coach” to apply these actions. In fact, anyone who serves as a Thinking Partner could consider these 3 actions now more than ever. If you are a school leader, curriculum director, team leader, department chair, lead interventionist, data coordinator, teacher leader or a teacher on a collaborative team — everyone deserves a supportive thinking partner to navigate the days ahead. Reach out to offer support and reach within and take the support you need. We’ll look back at these times — stronger and smarter because of our work together as servant leaders.

© 2023 Julie Wright Consulting LLC. All rights reserved.