One of the most consistent refrains I have heard in my career as a math educator is, “Where is the research for that?”

All teachers responsible for providing reading instruction to their students are likely aware of the importance of fluency.

Selecting reading material for instructional purposes has always been a job I have enjoyed. In professional development with teachers (e.g., in LETRS®), the text readings we have preferred for analysis are linguistically challenging, thematically engaging, and somewhat provocative.

As a previous secondary and elementary principal, and elementary teacher, I understand firsthand the importance of helping every child learn to read proficiently, and how to intervene when children don’t have the literacy skills needed by third to fifth grades.

Writing is important in its own right but it’s also a powerful tool for the development of reading.

One of the most adventurous decisions of my professional career was moving to a middle school reading interventionist position after many years working primarily with elementary students.