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Considering Running Records, or No, I Don't Beat My Wife Anymore

Tim Shanahan

Teacher question:

I’m confused. I've understood your message that we should stop obsessing about deriving an independent or instructional reading level. But I’ve also read that you feel that there is a place for F&P style running records (many schools still use them!). If a running record is producing a…

The photo at the left is the   Livermore Centennial bulb, the world's longest-burning electric bulb. 

The Dim Bulb…

Disciplinary Literacy for the Elementary School

Tim Shanahan

Blast from the Past: This blog first appeared on August 14, 2021, and was reissued with minor revisions on September 20, 2025. Reading education – like the lengths of skirts and the widths of neckties – tends to be trendy. That’s unfortunate for…

If you’re a Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher, you’ve probably asked yourself: How do I get students thinking more critically, without sacrificing hands-on skills or piling on more work? The answer may be closer than you think—and powered by Generative AI.

I have been exploring Generative AI ideas following my work on Integration of Academic from the book Synergizing Success.  These ideas…

Why Grades 4–8 Matter More Than We Think

In recent years, there’s been a well-deserved spotlight on PreK through grade 3. Those early years matter enormously: play, executive function, and early literacy lay the foundation for everything that follows.

But here’s a question we don’t ask often enough: what happens after that?

By the time students reach grades 4–8, the game changes. Content becomes more complex. Reading shifts from “learning to read” to “reading to…

My friend, Joe Dragone, who has had a rich career as a school administrator in many districts, contributed the thoughts below, which I think can serve as important lessons for all of us.  Joe is well-known to the Long Island school community as a skilled administrator, forceful advocate for public education, and just a great decent human being.  Joe credits his source as "The Daily Coach."…