Enthusiasm

Tuesday January 13, 2009 Stacey Shubitz1 Comment

I had, what felt like every kid in my class, so many students who wanted to share after yesterday's Writing Workshop, which was comprised of four strategy lessons. I was pretty surprised that so many students wanted to share. My kids know that I pre-select the sharers, but regardless, still came up to me in… Continue reading Enthusiasm

slice of life

SOLSC

Tuesday January 13, 2009Wednesday January 14, 2009 Stacey Shubitz5 Comments

It's time for the weekly Slice of Life Story Challenge. Please leave a comment with a link to your post.

memories

It’s Memoir Monday Time!

Monday January 12, 2009Tuesday January 13, 2009 Stacey Shubitz8 Comments

Please share your memory-related post with us by leaving a comment.

academic choice · strategy lesson · writers

Strategy Lessons for Writer’s Block

Sunday January 11, 2009Sunday January 11, 2009 Stacey Shubitz2 Comments

I'm giving my students the choice to sign-up for one of four strategy lessons after the minilesson is over tomorrow morning in Writing Workshop. You'll find a Scribd Document below which contains the text, not the writing samples I'm using, for tomorrow's strategy lessons. (Note: The hyperlinks got wedged-into other words. Pardon their appearance!)

big picture · writing workshop

Big Picture Series: It’s a Wrap . . . Or Is It?

Sunday January 11, 2009Sunday January 11, 2009 Ruth Ayres6 Comments

NOTE: We would really appreciate any feedback on the last Big Pictures Series. Please leave a comment or email us. Does anyone else feel as though there wasn't a holiday break? I, for one, was thankful for the Big Picture Series on reflective practice. It is good to have a reminder from time to time about… Continue reading Big Picture Series: It’s a Wrap . . . Or Is It?

observations · student teacher · student teaching

Getting Ready for My Student Teacher’s First Day

Sunday January 11, 2009Sunday January 11, 2009 Stacey Shubitz2 Comments

My student teacher starts with my class tomorrow. Therefore, in order to facilitate a smooth transition (and the earliest possible start-date for her to begin teaching lots of lessons) with a gradual release, I prepared an observation form for her to use during the first 1-2 weeks that she's with me. (The form follows below.… Continue reading Getting Ready for My Student Teacher’s First Day

big picture · community

The Big Picture: The Next-to-the-Last Post

Saturday January 10, 2009Saturday January 10, 2009 Stacey Shubitz

Ruth's going to close-up TBPS tomorrow. In the meantime, if you've read one or all of our posts, but haven't commented, we hope you'll do so! We'd really like your feedback on the latest Big Picture Series. Thanks!

aimee buckner · authentic assessment · self-assessment · writer's notebook

Mid-Year Self-Evaluation: Want a Copy?

Friday January 9, 2009Saturday January 10, 2009 Stacey Shubitz37 Comments

It's that time again... This-coming week is Mid-Year Self-Evaluation Time in my class's Writing Workshop. I've revamped the Mid-Year Self-Evaluation to reflect the questions from not only Buckner's Book (as I have done in the past), but from Elliott's Book, along with some of my own questions. It's a lot less intensive on photocopying entries… Continue reading Mid-Year Self-Evaluation: Want a Copy?

big picture · hopes and dreams · quote · writers

The Big Picture Series: Celebratation

Friday January 9, 2009Saturday January 10, 2009 Stacey Shubitz3 Comments

"Most people search high and wide for the key to success. If they only knew, the key to their dreams lies within." –George Washington Carver Thoughts: I don't think I was always able to determine what made me successful (at what I do). In fact, when I was younger, I thought success equaled making a… Continue reading The Big Picture Series: Celebratation

academic choice · big picture · writing workshop

The Big Picture Series: Freedom in Topic Choice

Thursday January 8, 2009Friday January 9, 2009 Ruth Ayres5 Comments

"Write what makes you happy." -- O. Henry What wise words from O. Henry! So often we try to inspire our students to write by giving them topics we think will interest them. I know for me, relinquishing topic choice was one of the harder things to do when I transitioned into teaching according to… Continue reading The Big Picture Series: Freedom in Topic Choice

big picture · quote

The Big Picture Series: Care Enough.

Wednesday January 7, 2009Wednesday January 7, 2009 Ruth Ayres10 Comments

What children take home in their heads and hearts is much more important than what they take home in their hands. – Bev Bos Sometimes we get caught up in having the perfect plan, the perfect lesson, the perfect unit, the perfect curriculum, and our students producing the perfect pieces. This isn’t what really matters.… Continue reading The Big Picture Series: Care Enough.

guided writing

Guided Writing Article in The Reading Teacher

Tuesday January 6, 2009 Stacey Shubitz

For those of you who are interested in learning more about guided writing, check out Sharan A. Gibson's Article, "An Effective Framework for Primary-Grade Guided Writing Instruction" in the December 2008/January 2009 Issue of The Reading Teacher. There's even a related lesson plan over at ReadWriteThink that references the article.