Episode 4 - Dr. Timothy Shanahan on Great Reading Instruction and the Pillars of Authentic Literacy

In this episode, a dream came true and I was able to dialogue with another great hero: Dr. Timothy Shanahan.  To quote the biography on his website, “Shanahanoliteracy.com,” 

Timothy Shanahan is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chi­cago where he was Founding Di­rector of the UIC Center for Literacy. Previously, he was director of reading for the Chicago Public Schools. He is author/editor of more than 200 publications on literacy education. His research emphasizes the connections between reading and writing, literacy in the disciplines, and improvement of reading achievement.

Tim is past president of the International Literacy Association. He served as a member of the Advisory Board of the National Institute for Literacy under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and he helped lead the National Reading Panel, convened at the request of Congress to evaluate research on the teaching reading. and helped write the Common Core State Standards.

He was inducted to the Reading Hall of Fame in 2007, and is a former first-grade teacher.

Years ago, Tim’s work and leadership transformed the way I taught reading, text analysis, and radically disrupted my notions about how to work with students who struggle to read, write, and engage in authentic literacies. On a personal level, it is because of his wisdom that I did far better for my students and he helped me foster vast reading and writing gains.  More importantly, I saw a drastic increase in my students’ eagerness to work hard. I watched their levels of self-efficacy shoot up. And, they reported a sense that what they did each day felt valuable and just made sense. I try to avoid gushing during these interviews, but he truly made a difference in my life and in the lives of groups of young people who will navigate this world with far greater agency.  

This episode contains all the wisdom that changed my life as a teacher and much, much more. 

It is a distinct honor to share with you a conversation I will never forget!  And with that, I bring you Dr. Tim Shanahan! 

Mentioned Resources:

1. Dr. Shananah’s Website: https://shanahanonliteracy.com/
2. Dr. Shananah’s Blog: https://shanahanonliteracy.com/blog (Please Subscribe!)
3. The “Hard Words” Article: (Click Here)