What if the paper we give students is limiting what they can show us as writers? From lined paper to digital tools, our choices shape theirs. Explore why paper choice matters beyond K–2, especially in nonfiction writing, and how giving students more flexibility can foster independence, creativity, and agency.
It’s Tuesday! Join us for Slice of Life!
Write, share, give.
Share this:
Share this:
A Kindergarten Story: The Next Chapter
What does launching Writing Workshop look like when children have already spent six weeks composing stories? After beginning Kindergarten with Story Workshop, we wanted a launch that built on what children already knew. In this follow-up post, I share how we adapted familiar lessons, connected phonics learning to writing, and planned next steps that honored children’s ideas, risk-taking, and voices.
Share this:
Share this:
Make Space for Conferring: Why Having a Plan Matters (and How to Make It Happen)
By investing time, especially with a team of teachers, at the beginning of a unit to intentionally fit in conferences, we shift our mindset from “I might be able to…” to “I will.”
Share this:
Share this:
It’s Tuesday! Join us for Slice of Life!
Today, October 20th, is the National Day on Writing. What better way to celebrate than by sharing your slice?
Share this:
Share this:
Connecting Caregivers: The Importance of Motor Skills on Written Expression
This post focuses on the importance of motor skills for written expression, with specific ideas and strategies for both at home and at school. It also includes a communication that you can personalize and use for sharing these ideas with the families in your own communities.
Share this:
Share this:
When Writing Is the Barrier: Recognizing Dysgraphia Traits in Grades 4–8
Recognize dysgraphia traits in grades 4–8 and explore practical ways to support students who struggle to get their ideas onto the page.
Share this:
Share this:
It’s Tuesday! Join us for Slice of Life!
I run an Author's Club at my school, and I'm encouraging the students to consider their writing identity. One activity that helped launch the conversation was Sarah Valter's This or That. Check out the list and consider what kind of writer you are. What do your choices say about you? How have you evolved as… Continue reading It’s Tuesday! Join us for Slice of Life!
Share this:
Share this:
Building the Oral Language Foundation for Kindergarten Writing
Oral language is a foundational skill for writing. Learn simple strategies to boost oral language throughout the Kindergarten day.
Share this:
Share this:
It’s Tuesday! Join us for Slice of Life!
Write, share, give.
Share this:
Share this:
Poetry for Community: Cultivating Identity and Belonging in the Writing Workshop
With no rigid rules, free verse poetry invites every writer in. Discover how including poetry at the beginning of the year celebrates student identities and builds an inclusive classroom community.
Share this:
Share this:
From Practice to Transfer
Foundational skills like handwriting, high-frequency words, spelling, grammar, and punctuation need more than isolated practice, they need to make their way into students’ independent writing. Read to learn more about how we can explicitly teach these skills, create opportunities for transfer, and use what we notice in students’ writing to determine what comes next.
