About the course

Choice in reading is one of the most powerful ways to engage students, but it works best when it’s intentional.  This course explores how to structure choice in ways that motivate students, strengthen comprehension, and build lifelong reading habits. You’ll see models ranging from independent reading to literature circles, learn how to use themes and essential questions to connect student-selected texts to your standards, and discover practical tools for scaffolding and assessment.  With concrete examples, teacher-tested strategies, and space to plan your own choice-based activity, you’ll leave ready to make reading instruction both rigorous and responsive to your students’ needs. Length:      Approximately 3-5 hours  Level:          K-12  Subjects:   ELA or any class that involves regular reading Includes:    Videos, readings, games, written assignments  Access:       Unlimited  Certificate of Completion provided.

Engage students through authentic reading choice

Move beyond one-size-fits-all assignments and create reading pathways that resonate. This course guides you step by step in embedding choice without losing structure.

Your Instructor, Tim Fredrick, Ph.D.

I’ve spent more than twenty years teaching, mentoring, and coaching educators. In that time, I’ve worked with hundreds of teachers—from new candidates just stepping into their first classrooms to seasoned educators who’ve taught for decades. I started out as a classroom teacher myself, learning firsthand what it takes to guide students’ learning day after day. Over time, I found my focus shifting toward helping other teachers refine and deepen their practice—the same way mentors once did for me. I earned my Ph.D. in Education from New York University, where I studied how teens use language to navigate power in the classroom. That work shaped how I think about teaching: not just as a matter of content and curriculum, but as a web of relationships, communication, and shared meaning. These days, my work centers on helping teachers slow down, reflect, and make clear, intentional choices in their teaching. I believe professional development should do more than offer quick fixes—it should build habits of mind that support real, lasting growth. Whether I’m leading a workshop, observing a lesson, or coaching one-on-one, my goal is always the same: to meet teachers where they are and help them feel confident in the decisions they make for their students. After two decades in classrooms and schools, I founded Pedagogy Guru to create professional learning that feels both grounded and practical—something teachers can actually use the next day. I want teachers to feel seen, supported, and reminded that the work they do every day truly matters.

Curriculum

  1. 1

    Introduction

    1. (Included in full purchase)
    2. (Included in full purchase)
  2. 2

    Module 1: Why choice matters in reading

    1. Read: Fredrick (2006) Choosing to belong: Increasing adolescent male engagement in the ELA classroom Free preview
    2. Quiz: Fredrick (2006) Choosing to belong Free preview
  3. 3

    Module 2: Before you start offering choices

    1. (Included in full purchase)
  4. 4

    Module 3: Creating the choices

    1. (Included in full purchase)
    2. (Included in full purchase)
    3. Read: Creating choices about genre and format Free preview
  5. 5

    Module 4: Assessing reading skills in a choice-based environment

    1. (Included in full purchase)
    2. (Included in full purchase)
  6. 6

    Module 6: Designing a choice-based reading experience

    1. (Included in full purchase)
  7. 7

    Conclusion

    1. (Included in full purchase)
    2. (Included in full purchase)

Make reading instruction relevant for every student

When students have a voice in what they read, comprehension and confidence grow. Learn how to balance autonomy with accountability in any K-12 ELA classroom.