Ep. 87: Telling Isn't Teaching

About this episode

The episode discusses the importance of making invisible thinking visible in literacy instruction with insights from Kristina Smekens.

Marc and Nick, joined by guest co-host Kate Crimmins, high school English chairperson, sit down with Kristina Smekens, president and lead consultant at Smekens Education and one of the most in-demand literacy consultants in the country. Kristina has spent the better part of two decades helping K-12 teachers master reading and writing instruction, and this conversation zeroes in on a distinction that changes everything: the difference between modeling what to do and the think-aloud that makes invisible thinking visible. Kristina walks through the free throw analogy that stopped a room full of new teachers cold, explains why students can repeat every step of a skill and still fail the moment the context shifts, and unpacks what gradual release actually looks like when it is done with intention. The conversation also covers the planning that makes a 15-minute mini lesson look effortless, and why slowing down in September almost always produces faster, more independent learners by spring. If you have ever shown students exactly what to do and then watched them not be able to do it, this one is for you. GUEST LINKS smekenseducation.com @SmekensEd on X (Twitter) Kristina Smekens on…

People in this episode

Hosts: Marc Isseks, Nick Simone

Guests: Kate Crimmins, Kristina Smekens

Topics covered

• literacy instruction
• modeling teaching
• think-aloud strategies
• gradual release
• mini lessons
• independent learning

Keywords

• reading instruction
• writing instruction
• teaching strategies
• K-12 education
• teacher training
• classroom planning

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Smekens Education, Amazon, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, stateofedpodcast.com

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