PoPCast: Discussing Educational Practices that Support Readers and Writers

Grammar in the Homeschool Classroom with Jaimie Thomas

In this episode we are joined by homeschool educator Jaimie Thomas. She shares how she creates rich literature conversations where her multi-age students naturally engage with grammar, build confidence as writers, and develop a genuine love for language.Find Jaimie online at https://simplylearningtogether.com/

Part 2: Author Chat with Cheryl Olsten

In part two of our interview with children's book author Cheryl Olsten, she shares how she crafts stories in bits and pieces, why she writes by hand, and how living with dyslexia never stopped her from finding her voice as a writer. Find out more about Cheryl at cherylolsten.com [https://cherylolsten.com/].

Bringing Punctuation to Life: Author Chat with Cheryl Olsten, Author of Punctuation to the Rescue

In this episode of PoPCast, Travis and Whitney sit down with children's book author Cheryl Olsten to talk about her picture book Punctuation to the Rescue — a story where the punctuation marks themselves are the characters. Cheryl shares how a pet peeve about exclamation point overuse sparked the idea, what it was like developing the personalities of her four punctuation mark characters, and how her background in magazine publishing shaped her path to children's books. Whether you're looking for a fresh mentor text or just love a good origin story, this one's for you. Learn more about Cheryl and her books at https://cherylolsten.com/ [https://cherylolsten.com/]Follow Cheryl on Instagram: @cherylolsten

Part 2: Contemporary Grammarian Chat with Patty McGee

Patty McGee joins us to share hands-on grammar strategies from Not Your Granny's Grammar that turn students into active explorers of language through play, conversation, and manipulatives. Plus, we talk next steps for teachers ready to embrace a contemporary grammarian mindset — starting with grace, curiosity, and a learning buddy. Check out Patty's book, Not Your Granny's Grammar [https://www.corwin.com/books/not-your-grannys-grammar-288198?srsltid=AfmBOooJEqF_jYrMkAAZtGbu-EBmbLQDuar-dFfDjv46IMPiawkJnjQ-]

Becoming a Contemporary Grammarian (part 1)

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Travis and Whitney welcome author Patty McGee to explore what it means to be a contemporary grammarian. The trio shares personal grammar backstories and unpacks the shift from punitive, correction-focused grammar instruction to an approach rooted in curiosity, craft, and invitation. Stay tuned for Part 2, where Patty shares practical strategies like "sentences from a sentence" and the trio tackles the myth of mastery.