the reading and writing lives of their students. Teachers walk away from professional development often wondering, “But what do I do with my student who hates reading,” or, “How do I get my student caring about what they write?”
If you’ve asked similar questions, are at a loss for how to get students invested in their reading and writing, or just want to deepen your understanding and practice as an educator, our TOP TEN LITERACY PODCASTS is sure to provide you the best professional development you could ask for in podcast form, from the top voices in literacy.
Teach Me, Teacher has featured guests such as Donalyn Miller, Penny Kittle, and Jennifer Serravallo, providing listeners with unprecedented and free access to long form discussions on real world teaching and literacy.
Enjoy the episodes, and make sure to share this list with a fellow teacher or administrator!
Teach Me, Teacher’s Top Ten Literacy Podcasts
1. Donalyn Miller: The Power of Independent Reading
We couldn’t think of any other way to start this list than with Donalyn Miller. The Book Whisperer changed the way Teach Me, Teacher’s host taught, and continues to change the lives of educators around the world. Donalyn’s honest and clear approach to getting students to love reading by empowering educators to embrace authentic practices is unmatched. This episode is a great place to start if you are currently wondering how you can get students reading (and why they need time to get better!)
2. Authentic Reading and Writing with Kelly Gallagher
Since 1985, Kelly Gallagher has devoted himself to the teaching of reading, writing, listening and speaking. Today, he is considered one of the leading voices in literacy education. He is the author of 180 Days, Readicide, and In the Best Interest of Students. In this episode he talks about how to create authentic experiences both in reading and writing, and how not to kill the love for reading and writing. Books, equity, clubs, representation, and more, all in this discussion.
3. 180 Days with Penny Kittle
In this episode, Penny discusses her book (co-written with Kelly Gallagher), 180 Days, and how teachers can better their literacy practices and deepen the learning of students. The episode hits on: beliefs that drive teaching decisions, why teaching a LOVE for reading and writing is paramount, the power of modeling, and the need for conferencing with students. Kittle is the author of several books, including Book Love and Write Beside Them.
4. Reading Workshop, Ron Clark Academy Style, with Korey Collins
Korey Collins is a certified reading specialist and reading teacher at the Ron Clark Academy. Korey and host Jacob Chastain dive DEEP in their equal passion and love for reading workshop and discuss a range of topics in this episode. Specifically: How test prep is NOT backed by research, why BASAL reading programs were never meant to be the core reading in classes, and the power of graphic novels for reluctant readers. In other words, this one is PURE FIRE!
5. Powerful Literacy Practices with Jennifer Serravallo
Jennifer Serravallo is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Reading Strategies Book as well as other popular Heinemann professional books: The Writing Strategies Book, Teaching Reading in Small Groups, and The Literacy Teacher’s Playbook, Grades K–2 & Grades 3–6. This episode covers a range of topics such as: Why Jennifer believes workshop teaching is the best format for a literacy classroom, why digital teaching is tiring, why we should reexamine where our focus is when creating digital lessons, and why one on one conferring is THE KEY to a successful and empowering class.
6. Jeff Anderson and The Patterns of Power
Jeff Anderson, also known as The Write Guy, is a phenom of writing education. His method of “inviting” writers to notice patterns, and then use those patterns in their own writing, is a powerful force in the classroom. In this episode, Jeff discusses his book, The Patterns of Power, but he also hits on his philosophy with teaching writing, what teachers should do (and stop doing in writing instruction,) and how we should embrace the messiness of writing education.
7. We Teach Kids, Not Data Points with Regie Routman
Literacy Essentials by Regie Routman is by far one of the most influential books host Jacob Chastain has read in his teaching career. So when he was given a chance to talk to Regie herself, he knew he couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Regie is just as honest and passionate in person as she is in her many books. Not wasting any time in this 3 part talk, Regie quickly dives into subjects that range from equity in our schools, to allowing students to be themselves in their reading and writing. This is the deep dive you need to get your class supporting children the way the deserve to be supported!
8. Fearless Learning with Dr. Mary Howard
Dr. Mary Howard is a professional who is astounding in her insight, her dedication, and her effectiveness in communicating with educators. If you haven’t run into her on Twitter, you’ve probably run into the hashtag she co-created, #G2Great. If not, you’re in for a real treat for this two part epic. This is an episode about empowering educators to grow, to learn, and to fight for their profession in the best way they can…by getting BETTER. She is the author of Good to Great Teaching and Moving Forward with RTI.
9. The Real Work of Teaching Literacy with Evan and Laura Robb
In a world where too many educators want the short and easy answers to literacy education, Evan and Laura Robb are here to help us see the value and purpose for putting in the real work and time it takes to learn our craft, and support kids the way they need to be supported. Evan and Laura discuss what balanced literacy education is, why kids need books and time to read them, and why reading programs are often the worst thing you can sit a struggling child in front of. Laura and Evan are the co-authors of TeamMakers, and have a truckload of other notable works and awards in education. If you don’t know either of them, you have just stumbled upon professional development GOLD.
10. Beyond Grades, Rewards, and Standardized Testing with Alfie Kohn
Last on this list, but certainly not least, is Teach Me, Teacher’s episode with the legend himself, Alfie Kohn. Alfie Kohn writes and speaks widely on human behavior, education, and parenting. In this episode, Alfie discusses a range of topics, such as why grading hurts more than it helps, why rewards do more harm than good, and why the testing obsession leads to bad teaching. The most recent of his 14 books are SCHOOLING BEYOND MEASURE…And Other Unorthodox Essays About Education (2015) and THE MYTH OF THE SPOILED CHILD: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom About Children and Parenting (2014).
About Teach Me, Teacher and the host Jacob Chastain
Jacob Chastain is the host and creator of the Teach Me, Teacher podcast, co-creator of the Craft & Draft podcast, a former literacy coach, author, speaker, trainer, curriculum writer, and is currently teaching seventh grade English in Ft. Worth Texas.
His award winning Teach Me, Teacher podcast reaches tens of thousands of educators every month across the world, is a top rated podcast Apple Podcasts, and has featured some of the premier minds and personalities in education on the show.
Some of the top guests featured on the show are Kim Bearden, Hamish Brewer, and Todd 
Whitaker.
The show covers anything and everything related to the wonderful world of education, but is sure to focus on how educators can all step up and be a positive influence for good in their students’ lives.
To support this podcast, please consider subscribing to the show, reviewing, or purchasing Chastain’s memoir here. Thank you for your time and support of Teach Me, Teacher!