Part 1: Blessing the Book with Sharon Callen

In this episode of Blessing the Book, host Phil sits down with Sharon Callen to explore the power of professional collaboration, reflective teaching practices, and how intentional planning can transform literacy classrooms. Sharon, an experienced educator, shares her insights from working with schools across Australia, highlighting the importance of teacher agency in driving student success.

The conversation begins with Sharon discussing her work with teachers, emphasising the importance of noticing patterns in the classroom to spark inquiry and drive improvement. She gives a compelling example of a school where students could decode text but weren’t choosing to read. This observation led teachers to collaboratively explore strategies to engage students more deeply in their reading journeys.

Sharon introduces the concept of “Blessing the Book,” a term coined by renowned literacy researcher Linda Gambrell. She explains how this idea focuses on motivating students to read by making books relevant and engaging for them. Sharon encourages teachers to create an environment where books are valued and reading becomes a meaningful, intrinsic activity for students.

Throughout the podcast, Sharon emphasises the importance of intentional planning and reflective practice. She shares stories of working alongside teachers to map out literacy strategies tailored to their students’ needs, with each step driven by thoughtful consideration and professional knowledge.

This episode is a call to action for teachers to reflect on their classroom practices and consider how they can bless the book for their students, fostering a love of reading that goes beyond school tasks and becomes a lifelong joy. Stay tuned for part two, where Sharon dives deeper into practical strategies to bring this concept to life.

TEACHIFIC RESOURCES

• Seven Rules of Engagement by Linda Gambrell
• Motivation to Read Profile by Linda Gambrell
• Reading Calendars 2024 - Teachific

PODCASTS (TEACHER'S TOOLKIT FOR LITERACY)

• Genevieve Kruyssen: New Release Books 2022, Latest Release Books 2023, Invitation to New Books 2024 Part 1 Part 2
• Rebecca Bird: A Book Lover’s Story 2020, Great Books for High School 2021, New Books to Inspire 2022,
• Giselle Pulford: Picture Books for Older Readers 2021, Information Books in My Classroom 2021,
• Motivation: Key to Reading Success with Sharon Callen
• Tantalising Texts and Classroom Libraries with Sharon Callen

TEXTS (AMAZON)

• No More Reading for Junk by Barbara Marinak and Linda Gambrell
• Best Practices in Literacy Instruction by Lesley Mandell Morrow and Linda B Gambrel

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FURTHER INFORMATION

Tune in to "Teacher's Tool Kit For Literacy," a free podcast where accomplished literacy educator Sharon Callen and her team share valuable insights and tips. With over 30 years of experience, they provide strategic learning solutions to empower teachers and leaders worldwide.  Subscribe on your favourite platform for exclusive literacy learning content.  Apple, Spotify,  Google, YouTube

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