#178 Filler Lessons for the Unexpected Day

#178 Filler Lessons for the Unexpected Day

Author: Jacob Chastain & Pam Ochoa February 3, 2024 Duration: 0:00

Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching.

This episode was previously unreleased on FREE feeds and was only available for our Patreon supporters. If you want more episodes like this and more content from the show, support us here. 

In this episode, Jacob and Pam answer Hanah’s question about a day when all the ELL students are being pulled from the class for a week due to TELPAS. Pam shares how she just had a moment last week when she only had five students left in class for a similar reason. Jacob discusses how these days occur for other reasons as well, so he has had to fill time with ‘filler’ lessons.

Pam recalls how she incorporates reading and writing into these types of days while offering a few writing strategies to get the students writing.  Jacob shares how he likes to use these days for team building activities.

Join Jacob and Pam as they share how workshop structure will help you be more flexible for the unexpected day!

The post #178 Filler Lessons for the Unexpected Day appeared first on Craft & Draft.


Jacob Chastain, from Teach Me, Teacher, and Pam Ochoa, an Abydos trainer, bring their combined classroom and coaching experience to every conversation on Craft & Draft. This isn't a theoretical lecture; it's a practical dialogue built on their specific Craft & Draft approach, designed to make the reading-writing workshop model work in real secondary classrooms. You'll hear them unpack the nuances of workshop teaching, from structuring effective mini-lessons to facilitating meaningful student conferences. They delve into the intentional separation of craft study and drafting time, offering actionable strategies for fostering independent, engaged writers and readers. Each episode feels like pulling up a chair in the teachers' lounge with two insightful colleagues who aren't afraid to discuss the challenges and celebrate the breakthroughs. The podcast serves as a steady resource for educators looking to move beyond theory and into the day-to-day reality of building a dynamic literacy workshop. Tune in for honest reflections, concrete examples, and the collective wisdom of two practitioners dedicated to refining their craft alongside their listeners.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Craft & Draft
Podcast Episodes
#203 The Don’ts of Starting Workshop [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching. The new school year is around the corner f…
#202 The Craftbook and Draftbook Tutorial [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Several of the Craft and Draft listeners have requested more information regarding how to set-up the Craft and Draft Notebook System They begin with the first page of the Craft Book. Jacob shares how he has his students…
#201 The Knowledge Gap Has Gaps [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Welcome to Craft & Draft, where we explore the art of teaching and the science of learning. In today’s episode, hosts Pam Ochoa and Jacob Chastain continue their summer book study of “The Knowledge Gap” by Natalie Wexler…
#200 The Knowledge Gap Book Study Finale and Our Thoughts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Welcome to Craft & Draft, where we explore the art of teaching and the science of learning. In today’s episode, hosts Pam Ochoa and Jacob Chastain continue their summer book study of “The Knowledge Gap” by Natalie Wexler…
#199 Chapters 9-10 of The Knowledge Gap (Book Study) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Welcome to Craft & Draft, where we explore the art of teaching and the science of learning. In today’s episode, hosts Pam Ochoa and Jacob Chastain continue their summer book study of “The Knowledge Gap” by Natalie Wexler…
#198 Chapters 7-8 of The Knowledge Gap (Book Study) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Welcome to Craft & Draft, where we explore the art of teaching and the science of learning. In today’s episode, hosts Pam Ochoa and Jacob Chastain continue their summer book study of “The Knowledge Gap” by Natalie Wexler…
#197 Chapters 4-6 of The Knowledge Gap (Book Study) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Welcome to Craft & Draft, where we explore the art of teaching and the science of learning. In today’s episode, hosts Pam Ochoa and Jacob Chastain continue their summer book study of “The Knowledge Gap” by Natalie Wexler…
#196 Chapters 1-3 of The Knowledge Gap (Book Study) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Welcome to Craft & Draft, where we explore the art of teaching and the science of learning. In today’s episode, hosts Pam Ochoa and Jacob Chastain kick off their summer book study diving into “The Knowledge Gap” by Natal…
#195 The Knowledge Gap Book Study (Join Us!) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching. This summer on the podcast, Jacob and Pam…
#194 Is the Knowledge Gap Real? (Book Study Intro) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Welcome everyone to the Craft & Draft podcast! We are so excited to bring you what we love, talking with you about workshop, literacy, writing, reading, and real world teaching. In this episode, Pam and Jacob talk about…