259. From Sentences to Essays: The Writing Sequence That Works
In this final episode of our summer writing series, I’m unpacking one of the biggest challenges upper elementary teachers face: helping students write multi-paragraph essays. If your state test expects students to write an essay by the end of the year, the pressure to start early is real—but I’m here to tell you why that might actually hold your students back. Instead of jumping straight into essays, we’ll talk about how building a strong foundation in sentence and paragraph writing can lead to much greater success down the road.I’ll share why starting the year with essays can be overwhelming for students, how to know when they’re truly ready for multi-paragraph writing, and what scaffolds to put in place in the meantime. From sentence-level work to outlining and targeted revision, this episode walks through the writing sequence that actually supports long-term growth—not just short-term test prep.Whether you're a third-grade teacher wondering if essays are developmentally appropriate, or a fifth-grade teacher looking for a better way to build student confidence, I hope this episode gives you clarity and encouragement as you plan your writing instruction. Essay writing doesn’t need to happen right away—in fact, holding off might be exactly what your students need to grow into confident, capable writers.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode259.
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258. From Sentence to Paragraph: A Peek Inside Our Writing Routine
In this episode of The Stellar Teacher Podcast, we’re diving into all things writing—with a special guest! Sara is joined by Kori, the head curriculum creator at The Stellar Teacher Company, to talk about how her experiences as both a student and a teacher, along with research, have shaped the writing resources she’s helped develop. From classroom strategies to behind-the-scenes insights on how our writing routines and resources came to life, you’ll get a candid look at what it takes to build confidence in student writers.This conversation explores why paragraph writing needs to be broken down into manageable, scaffolded steps—and how imitation, modeling, and sentence-level support are essential to helping students grow as writers. Kori shares some “aha” moments she had throughout the curriculum creation, and the powerful mindset shift that writing doesn’t need to start at the finish line.Whether you’re already using our resources or just starting to think about how to teach paragraph writing more effectively, this episode is packed with insight and encouragement. You’ll walk away with a fresh perspective on how to support struggling writers, challenge advanced students, and create writing routines that help everyone feel like a successful writer.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode258.
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257. How to Strengthen Student Writing—One Sentence at a Time
If your students struggle to write solid paragraphs or essays, the solution might be simpler than you think. In this episode, we’re zeroing in on the often-overlooked foundation of all good student writing: the sentence. When students can write strong, clear, and varied sentences, everything else—from organizing paragraphs to crafting essays—becomes easier and more effective.You’ll hear why sentence-level instruction deserves a front-row seat in your upper elementary writing block and learn easy-to-implement strategies like fixing fragments, unscrambling sentences, and using the “because, but, so” routine. These quick activities not only boost sentence skills but also lead to noticeable improvements in overall student writing. Whether you're short on time or unsure where to begin, this episode will show you how to make sentence writing a natural part of your daily instruction—without overhauling your schedule. These quick activities take just minutes a day, but they pack a powerful punch when it comes to building your students' writing confidence and skill. Tune in to discover how focusing on the building blocks of student writing can lead to big wins in your classroom all year long.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode257.
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256. 5 Signs You Might Need To Rethink Your Writing Instruction
Writing instruction in upper elementary can often feel overwhelming, especially when your students are expected to produce multi-paragraph essays—but struggle to write a clear sentence. In this episode, we’re taking a step back to reflect on what effective writing instruction really looks like. If you’ve ever felt unsure about your writing block or questioned whether your current approach is helping students grow, you’re not alone.We’re breaking down five common signs that it might be time to rethink your writing instruction. From assigning writing instead of explicitly teaching it, to skipping sentence-level work and fast-forwarding to essays, we’ll unpack the most frequent challenges teachers face—and offer simple, actionable shifts you can make to see real progress in your classroom.Whether you're looking for new strategies, a mindset reset, or just some encouragement, this episode will help you feel more confident and empowered as a writing teacher. Tune in to learn how you can make small but meaningful changes that will transform your students' writing outcomes all year long.Whether you’re looking for new strategies, a mindset reset, or just a little encouragement, this episode will help you feel more confident and empowered as a writing teacher. It’s never too late to rethink your writing instruction and make changes that will transform your students’ writing outcomes all year long.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode256.Mentioned in this episode:Stellar Teacher Summer Book Study: The Writing Revolution 2.0 Learn more about our summer book study, and sign up here: https://learn.stellarteacher.com/stc-book-study
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255. Dear Stellar Teacher: How to Navigate Changing Grade Levels with Confidence
If you’re changing grade levels, schools, or positions next year, this episode is for you! In our monthly Dear Stellar Teacher segment, Emily and I are sharing our own experiences with making big transitions in our careers and offering encouragement and advice to help you feel more confident and supported through the changes ahead.From rethinking your mindset to giving yourself grace, we offer the kind of teacher-to-teacher advice that will help you navigate your transition with a little less stress and a lot more support. We also talk about how to lean into your strengths, make meaningful connections with your new team, and avoid putting pressure on yourself to have it all figured out on day one. We’re also sharing our personal stories—yes, even the mid-year surprise moves—and how we’ve learned to embrace the unknown with confidence (and a little humor).If you’re entering a season of change, tune in for some real talk, encouragement, and practical tips to help you feel ready for whatever next year has in store. This episode will remind you that you're not alone—and that every teacher brings something valuable to the table, no matter where you land next year.Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!Fill out the Dear Stellar Teacher form for a chance to be featured on a future episode.Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany. To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode255.Mentioned in this episode:Stellar Teacher Summer Book Study: The Writing Revolution 2.0 Learn more about our summer book study, and sign up here: https://learn.stellarteacher.com/stc-book-study
About Stellar Teacher Podcast: A Podcast for Upper Elementary Teachers
Welcome to the Stellar Teacher Podcast! We believe teaching literacy is a skill. It takes a lot of time, practice, and effort to be good at it. This podcast will show you how to level up your literacy instruction and make a massive impact with your students, all while having a little fun!
Your host, Sara Marye, is a literacy specialist passionate about helping elementary teachers around the world pass on their love of reading to their students. She has over a decade of experience working as a classroom teacher and school administrator. Sara has made it her mission to create high quality no-fluff resources and lesson ideas that are both meaningful and engaging for young readers.
Each week, Sara and her guests will share their knowledge, tips, and tricks so that you can feel confident in your ability to transform your students into life-long readers.
For printable and digital resources, head to stellarteacher.com. Connect with Sara on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany
Listen to Stellar Teacher Podcast: A Podcast for Upper Elementary Teachers, Mick Unplugged and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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