#224 Keeping the Joy of Writing Instruction

#224 Keeping the Joy of Writing Instruction

Author: Jacob Chastain & Pam Ochoa February 18, 2025 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. 

Far too often educators give up teaching the love of reading and writing during instruction.  They feel pressure from the curriculum developed due a need to perform on high stakes testing.

In this episode, Jacob and Pam discuss how to help students develop a love for reading and writing while maintaining a high level of learning that will meet the rigorous requirements necessary for high stakes testing.

Pam explains how she never shirks self selected reading and writing time.  She shares how she ties that time to her lessons.  Jacob remembers how he designed his lessons so the students would create their own learning goals and set a purpose for the reading and writing.

Join Jacob and Pam as they talk about how to keep the joy in the reading and writing instruction and more!

Part one of this can be found by clicking here. 

The post #224 Keeping the Joy of Writing Instruction 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
#212 Low-stakes Writing: Why? [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. Many curriculum documents do not include t…
#211 Navigating Political Seasons as an Educator [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
In this episode of Craft & Draft, we dive into the delicate balance teachers face when navigating political discussions in the classroom. How can educators remain neutral while still encouraging students to explore diver…
#210 A Focus on the School Library [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 concept of a school library is changin…
#209 How We Use QuickWrites in Writing 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. We are trying something new: an episode th…
#208 Standards: Academic or Kid Friendly [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, Jacob and Pam discuss whe…
#207 Workshop in a Boxed Curriculum [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, Jacob and Pam answer a li…
#206 Develop the Future of Your Workshop (PD) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Hello everyone! In this LIVE PD, Pam and Jacob dove into what the future of your workshop could look like. AKA… Previously, this episode was a PATREON only episode. If you’d like to see the video, join us here. We give p…
#205 A Wide Array of Workshop Wonderings [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, Jacob and Pam share their…
#204 The Dos 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…
#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…