Growing brave readers and writers, with Theresa Boyd and Ann Ingham

Host Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross chatted with two classroom teachers about what it takes to create a classroom in which every student feels safe tasking risks as a reader and writer. Theresa Boyd is a teacher-leader coach and sixth grade social studies teacher at Mallard Creek STEM Academy in Charlotte, North Carolina; Ann Ingham is a third grade teacher from the Cedarsburg School District in Wisconsin and a 2025 Science of Reading Star Award winner. Theresa and Ann share what they're seeing in ELA classrooms today; students who are curious and collaborative, but also struggling with decreased reading stamina and fear of being wrong. After the roundtable, Ana and Eric reflect on key takeaways, including why sometimes you have to slow down teaching to speed up learning.

Show notes: 

• Learn more about Amplify CKLA.
• Learn more about Amplify ELA.
• Follow Theresa on TikTok: @CraftyTeacherTees.
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• Subscribe to Beyond My Years.
• Connect with Ana Torres.
• Connect with Eric Cross.

Quotes:

"Growth lives outside your comfort zone." —Theresa Boyd

"Mistakes are valuable. They literally grow our brains when we make them and see them and correct them." —Ann Ingham

"Curiosity is very important. I think we've fallen away from that." —Ana Torres

"Sometimes we have to step back from just teaching content and switch to teaching our students how to learn." —Eric Cross