Books & Writing
Writing that lives at the intersection of story and practice.
Annie writes about literacy, teaching, and the deeply human work of helping children find their way into reading and writing. Her work spans memoir, professional writing, and the essays that live somewhere in between.
Current project
- FormatMemoir in Essays
- StatusForthcoming — seeking representation
- ThemesLiteracy, identity, teaching, belonging
- AudienceEducators, readers, memoir lovers
Silver Linings: A Memoir in Essays
Silver Linings: Navigating the In-Betweens is a memoir-in-essays that explores the intersections of literacy, education, resilience, and the human experience. Drawing from her experiences as a literacy expert, educator, family member, and fellow human navigating life's uncertainties, Annie P. Spear examines the moments when we question ourselves, struggle to make sense of what is happening around us, and rely on others to help us find our way. Through storytelling that is at humorous, vulnerable, and reflective, the essays reveal a quieter, cumulative truth: literacy and education are not simply academic measures. They give us language, knowledge, agency, and access—and, alongside the support of people who believe in us, can provide the foundation we need to navigate life's most difficult in-between spaces.
With every experience, there is an opportunity to find a silver lining, but first, we must navigate the in-betweens.
Contributed Chapter
Word Study for Literacy Leaders
Guiding Professional Learning
Edited by Anne C. Ittner, Amy Frederick, Darl Kiernan, and Donald R. Bear
Foreword by Shane Templeton, Marcia Invernizzi, and Francine R. Johnston
Guilford PressAnnie's Chapter
Support and Insight for Teachers of Young Children
Co-authored with Dr. Laura Tortorelli
Written and edited by experts in the field, this book provides a blueprint for weaving effective word study into the fabric of classrooms and schools. Provided are principles, ideas, materials, and activities for use with teachers in a range of professional learning contexts. Key topics include word study foundations and orthographic knowledge; implementing collaborative coaching models, "learning huddles," and workshops; and word study strategies for young children, emergent bilingual students, and adolescents. Helpful reproducible tools include the empirically validated Word Study Classroom Observation Guide.
Purchasers get access to a companion website where they can download and print the reproducible materials.
View on Guilford Press→
Annie P. Spear and Dr. Laura Tortorelli, co-authors of Chapter 8: Support and Insight for Teachers of Young Children.
Other Writing
Articles, essays, and professional publications.
In addition to Silver Linings, Annie writes regularly for educators — from practitioner articles on literacy instruction to personal essays on the experience of teaching. Her writing has appeared in professional journals, conference publications, and online platforms for educators.
Creating an Online Community of Learners During the COVID-19 Shutdown Using Michigan's Literacy Essentials
Abstract When a global pandemic shuts down our educational system it is critical to mobilize quickly and effectively to support children and families. This article explores one educator's experience of setting up free online classes to support students during the COVID-19 shutdown. Participants ranged in age from 3 to 12 and were from Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, and Ohio. The author outlines how she designed classes, engaged with children and families, and provided instruction that was grounded in literacy research and Michigan's Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy while guided by developmentally appropriate pedagogy. Specific practices that foster motivation and engagement and contribute to connecting with families are outlined. Insights from the experience reveal that a classroom community can be forged remotely across states and ages, internet access affects educational experiences, and that teaching requires hard work, innovation, and dedication regardless of the setting. Limitations and insights for the future are also discussed.
Three points of the phonics triangle: An equilateral relationship among pseudoword reading, name reading, and spelling.
Abstract This study evaluates the relationship among three commonly administered phonics measures. "Pseudoword Decoding," a norm-referenced assessment from Wechsler Individual Assessment Test - II (WIAT-II), the "Primary Spelling Inventory" and the "Names Test," criterion-referenced instruments, were administered to a general population of 56 second-grade students with mixed reading abilities. The "Elision" subtest, a norm referenced assessment from the "Phonological Awareness" composite on the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP), was also administered to all 56 students to discover whether the phonics measures correlated with it. Pearson product moment correlations were used to compare the four measures. Significant correlations were found among all the measures. The phonics measures were most strongly correlated ranging from .778-.845. Students shared their perceptions of and preferences for the measures. Implications for classroom assessment of phonics are discussed.
On Writing
Writing is how Annie thinks.
For Annie, writing has always been inseparable from teaching. She writes to understand — to make sense of what she sees in classrooms, to process the complexity of the work, and to find the words that help other educators feel less alone in theirs. Silver Linings grew out of years of personal essays written in the margins of lesson plans and coaching notes.
Annie is available for writing commissions, guest posts, and collaborative projects. If you're an editor, publisher, or organization interested in working with her, she'd love to hear from you.
Reviews Annie Has Written
Excerpts from reviews Annie published in the Michigan Reading Journal
Book ReviewThis book serves as an essential resource for administrators (at every level), curriculum directors, literacy leaders, coaches, and school leadership teams. No More Random Acts of Literacy Coaching is both an invitation to reflect upon current coaching systems and a gift that provides structures and tools to make the desire for change actionable.
Book ReviewWhether you have always valued relationship-building or perhaps you are seeking to engage in new learning on this topic, the book No More Teaching Without Positive Relationships by Jaleel R. Howard, Tanya Milner-McCall, and Tyrone C. Howard, Ph.D. offers a contemporary lens for both seasoned and beginner educators. This book infuses theory, research, and practice as it encourages educators to evaluate their current teaching contexts.
Book ReviewWhen educators have access to texts that bring research and practice together, enhanced by insights directly from a leading researcher in the field, the resource is appealing and useful. A Teacher's Guide to Vocabulary Development Across the Day does exactly that and adds a literary blockbuster to Heinemann's Classroom Essential Series. Dr. Wright deserves applause, cheers, accolades, and praise for highlighting the importance of vocabulary learning in a relevant and engaging way. This book is a must read for all educators.
Publishers, editors, and collaborators — welcome.
Annie is actively seeking representation for Silver Linings and is open to conversations about future writing projects, contributed chapters, and collaborative publications. Reach out through the contact form and mention your interest in her writing.
Get in Touch→