Two Writing Teachers Podcast

Two Writing Teachers
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Since 2007, Two Writing Teachers has been a vibrant community of reflective writers. We're excited to take our passion for teaching writing to new heights in the second season of our podcast. Join us as we explore ways to create, lead, and sustain joyful and productive writing workshops, empowering educators to help their students become competent, brave, and confident writers. Let's make writing instruction engaging and rewarding for everyone involved!Would your company like to sponsor an episode of the Two Writing Teachers Podcast? Click here to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.

  1. 2D AGO

    Writing Together with Slice of Life: A Digging Deeper Dialogue

    Stacey and Melanie dive into the transformative power of the Slice of Life Story Challenge, a writing initiative that has connected educators since 2008. Stacey shares the origins of the challenge, emphasizing the importance of community and daily writing. The discussion highlights how participating in this challenge not only enhances writing skills but also deepens empathy and understanding among teachers, impacting their overall teaching practices. Melanie reflects on a recent meeting with fellow educators who revealed that the challenge has been a game-changer in their careers, enriching their approach across various content areas. Join them as they explore the profound insights gained from being authentic learners within a supportive writing community. Go Deeper: Building on “Rallying a Community of Writers”: A February Support System by Ana Valentina PattonEmbracing Imperfection as a Teacher-Writer: A Conversation With a Colleague - Stacey Shubitz and Ana Valentina PattonMattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose by Jennifer Breheny WallaceOn a Thought by Ona GabrielOne Writer at a Time: Fostering An Adult Writing Community by Jessica CareyRallying a Community of Writers by Jessica CareyWriting: The Gift We Give Ourselves by Jessica CareyEssential FAQs for First-Time Slice of Life Story Challenge Participants Thanks to our affiliate, Zencastr! Use our special link (https://zen.ai/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan. Send a text 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@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.com Email us at contact@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities. For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

    33 min

  2. FEB 8

    Interval Training in Writing: A Tip for Tomorrow from Melanie

    While interval training shouldn't take the place of process writing, there are potential benefits to writing in short spurts. In this episode, Melanie shares some reasons to give interval writing a try, as well as some strategies to get you started. Go Deeper: Interval Training With WritersSend us a text 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@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.com Email us at contact@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities. For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

    6 min

  3. FEB 1

    Embracing Imperfection as a Teacher-Writer: A Conversation With a Colleague

    This episode features Ana Valentina Patton, an Instructional Coordinator at KLA Academy in Miami and a contributing writer for the Two Writing Teachers blog. Together, Stacey and Ana tackle the challenges teachers face during the mid-year slump, when energy dips and the pressure of test scores can overshadow the joy of writing. Ana shares practical ways to reclaim presence and authenticity as a teacher-writer, focusing on small shifts that make a big difference in the K-6 classroom. Drawing on her global teaching background, Ana offers strategies for connecting and making writing a more joyful, meaningful part of daily classroom life. GO DEEPER: A Teacher's Guide to Mentor Texts, K-5 (The Classroom Essentials Series) by Carl AndersonBuilding on “Rallying a Community of Writers”: A February Support System by Ana Valentina PattonMorning message ideas from Responsive Classroom“Persistence and Pedagogy” by Amanda PottsRallying a Community of Writers by Jessica CareySign up for the 19th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge on Two Writing TeachersWhen Teachers Write: Three Shifts Toward Becoming a Present Writing Teacher by Ana Valentina PattonWriting Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter ClarkAna Valentina Patton, the Instructional Coordinator at KLA Academy in Miami. With over 20 years of experience across the globe—taught in Venezuela, Egypt, and now the U.S.—Ana is an expert in literacy coaching and writing workshops. She’s passionate about the 'reciprocal power' of teaching and learning, and she’s here to help us cultivate stronger writing communities in our schools. Instagram: @anavpatton Blog: https://anavpatton.org Thanks to our affiliate, Zencastr! Use our special link (https://zen.ai/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.  Send us a text 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@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.com Email us at contact@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities. For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

    36 min

  4. JAN 25

    Building Self-Advocacy: A Tip for Tomorrow from Stacey

    Discover how teaching self-advocacy during writing workshop empowers students to express their needs and take charge of their learning. Drawing on insights from her upcoming book, Make the School System Work for Your Child with Disabilities: Empowering Kids for the Future, Stacey shares practical sentence starters to help students ask for help with revision, clarify instructions, and participate in peer conferences with confidence. Learn how teaching your students these sentences can foster independence and help them speak up for themselves clearly.  Six Self-Advocacy Sentences for Writing Workshop I’m feeling confused about my writing. Can you help me understand what to do next?I need help with this part of my writing. Could you help me?I’m not sure how to revise this. Could you show me again?Can you please check if I understood the instructions correctly?I’m struggling with giving feedback. Can we talk about how to do it?I’m not comfortable sharing this piece. Is there another way I can participate?Learn more about Stacey’s book, Make the School System Work for Your Child with Disabilities: Empowering Kids for the Future (Guilford Press, 2026). ***** Thanks to our affiliate, Zencastr. Use our special link (https://zen.ai/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.  ***** Send us a text 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@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.com Email us at contact@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities. For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

    8 min

  5. JAN 18

    Previewing MAKE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WORK FOR YOUR CHILD WITH DISABILITIES: A Digging Deeper Dialogue

    In this episode, Melanie talks with Stacey about her forthcoming book, Make the School System Work for Your Child with Disabilities: Empowering Kids for the Future. From its three-part structure and recurring features, such as tips for cultivating joy and engaging in self-care, to its asset-based approach that builds partnerships while fiercely advocating for services, the book offers practical guidance. Designed primarily for parents and caregivers, it also benefits educators and service providers by demystifying technical language, procedures, and processes, serving as a quick-reference roadmap—making it valuable for non-special ed teachers, new special educators, administrators, and more. It offers key insights on self-advocacy, agency, and strategies to empower kids for lifelong success ahead of its January 20 release from Guilford Press. ​Use promo code AU2E to receive 15% off your pre-order this text at Guilford.com. ​Connect with Stacey Shubitz online: Instagram: @thestaceyshubitzLinkedIn: @staceyshubitzSubscribe to her Substack: Your Ally in AdvocacyWebsite: staceyshubitz.com Send us a text 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@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.com Email us at contact@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities. For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

    33 min

  6. JAN 11

    Handwriting Tips: A Tip for Tomorrow from Melanie

    In this episode, Melanie provides a few tips for building students' automaticity with letter formation.  Go deeper Effective Strategies for Teaching Handwriting in Grades 3-8The Handwriting Part of WritingSend us a text 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@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.com Email us at contact@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities. For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

    7 min

  7. JAN 4

    The Power of Cognitive Flexibility: A Digging Deeper Dialogue

    This week, we examine cognitive flexibility and its importance for young writers and learners. Listeners will hear clear, classroom-based examples—such as switching from an outside voice to an inside voice, adapting to new assignments, and seeing disappointing grades as growth opportunities. The discussion links cognitive flexibility to writing, emphasizing how it aids in planning, revising, experimenting with different leads and endings, and responding to teacher feedback productively. Practical strategies like perspective-taking, word play, experimentation, writing within constraints, and goal-setting are shared to help teachers develop this skill. The episode also features picture book mentor texts such as Don’t Feed the Bears, Beautiful Oops, The Dot, and One Word from Sophia, using them as springboards to discuss flexible thinking with students. Sources Mentioned Dr. Nelson CowanPip the Guide DogValerie Boling podcastJess Mazzonne’s postMindset by Carol Dweck Beauty of Opinion Writing podcastOne Word From SophiaThanks to our affiliate, Zencastr! Use our special link (https://zen.ai/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.  Send us a text 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@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.com Email us at contact@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities. For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

    33 min

  8. 12/14/2025

    The Beauty of Opinion Writing: A Digging Deeper Dialogue

    Opinion writing in grades K–6 is more than just persuasive essays. It lets kids express what they really think and see their ideas matter on the page. In this episode, we look at what makes opinion writing special: children sharing real opinions on topics they care about, building their sense of self, and bravely taking risks with their words. You’ll hear how opinion writing grows from simple preferences with pictures and labels to more thoughtful arguments that consider other viewpoints. We also share a list of mentor texts you can use to lift the level of your students’ opinion writing. Finally, we offer ways to celebrate students’ work, like author’s chair, hallway displays, family mailings, and online publishing, all focused on giving students a voice and the joy of sharing their opinions with real audiences. Go Deeper  Doug KaufmannTracey LafayetteBeth Moore’s website for paperThe New York Times’ Writing ContestsBooks We Mentioned: 1,000 Awesome Things by Neil PasrichaBreakfast on Mars and 37 Other Delectable Essays: Your Favorite Authors Take A Stab at the Dreaded Essay edited by Brad Wolfe and Rebecca SternDon’t Feed the Bear by Kathleen DohertyCan I Be Your Dog by Troy CummingsEating to Save the Planet by Ann BroylesOur Favorite Day of the Year by A.E. AliThe Black Mambas by Kelly Crull Thanks to our affiliate, Zencastr! Use our special link (https://zen.ai/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.  Send us a text 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@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.com Email us at contact@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities. For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

    39 min
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4.9
out of 5
29 Ratings

About

Since 2007, Two Writing Teachers has been a vibrant community of reflective writers. We're excited to take our passion for teaching writing to new heights in the second season of our podcast. Join us as we explore ways to create, lead, and sustain joyful and productive writing workshops, empowering educators to help their students become competent, brave, and confident writers. Let's make writing instruction engaging and rewarding for everyone involved!Would your company like to sponsor an episode of the Two Writing Teachers Podcast? Click here to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.

Information

  • Creator
    Two Writing Teachers
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    149
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Two Writing Teachers Podcast
  • Show Website
    Two Writing Teachers Podcast

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