The Un-Perfect Classroom
I was one of three new kids in my bunk at camp in 1989. The rest of the girls who were in my bunk had been together for a few years and were… Continue reading
Monthly Archive: July, 2011
14 Comments
Words that are Speaking to Me + Something Cool
Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read. — Attributed to Groucho Marx And make sure to check out these FREE SUMMER… Continue reading
GUEST BLOG POST: The Journey
Caroline Gonzalez currently works as an Instructional Support teacher for grades 1-3 in South Brunswick NJ. After 21 years of teaching, she is completing coursework to attain an Administrator’s License. She is the… Continue reading
Say What You Mean: Part Two
Tammi Myers wrote the following on our Facebook Page in response to the post I wrote on Tuesday: Sometimes we repeat jargon with the goal of being consistent with other grade levels- but… Continue reading
“The Mind Flip”
Yesterday, Deb Day wrote a Slice about the way her brain “flips” and is ready for school. It resonated with me. I understood exactly what she was talking about and expect it will… Continue reading
Say What You Mean: Part One
One September, I was creating a chart with my students about the things good writers do. They said things like “good writers write long and strong” and “they add details.” I was initially… Continue reading
{Discover. Play. Build.} Character Wants
One of the best ways to get to know characters (or people in general) is to figure out what they want. Often these wants drive our stories Whether you are crafting a fiction… Continue reading
Say, Sketch, and Write
One of the many charts I made, with the help of some wonderful Kindergarten teachers, while I was taking Kristi Mraz’s chart-making class at the July Writing Institute was a scaffold to get… Continue reading
Words that are Speaking to Me
It is necessary to write, if the days are not to slip emptily by. How else, indeed, to clap the net over the butterfly of the moment? For the moment passes, it is… Continue reading
GUEST BLOG POST: Savor a Book: Reading like a Writer
Edited by Ruth: Pssst…today is Mary Helen’s birthday! Won’t you join me in leaving comments on her blog post about one of her very favorite books? Mary Helen Gensch is currently a literacy… Continue reading
Simple Shapes Convey Meaning
I have a confession to make: I’m a wanna-be artist. I have a deep appreciation for art and for people who can draw the human form. Until last month, I couldn’t even draw… Continue reading
Google Reader
Do you read a lot of blogs? Ever wish the posts would come to you instead of you going to them? If you’ve not already met Google Reader, I’d like to introduce you.… Continue reading
{Discover. Play. Build.} More on Maps
Last week… Stacey blogged about updating heart maps. (See everything we’ve blogged about heart maps here.) B. blogged about hand lists. I was reminded about writing close to the bones. I kept thinking… Continue reading
Facebook Event – Day 5
Our Stenhouse Facebook Event concludes today with a final downloadable and printable writing tip is entitled “Record-Keeping Systems That Make Sense for You.” You can find this tip on our Facebook Event. Here’s… Continue reading
GUEST BLOG POST: Say It Like a Writer
Karren Colbert is an educational consultant and founder of Write Brained Learning. She works with elementary teachers across the country and also presents at state and national conferences. Karren blogs at The Write Brained… Continue reading
Updating Your Map
The navigation system I have in my car is three years old. Considering there’s been a great deal of construction in an area I travel to frequently, my GPS doesn’t do a great… Continue reading
Facebook Event – Day 4
Our Stenhouse Facebook Event continues today. Today’s downloadable, printable writing tip is entitled “Organizing Teacher-Written Mentor Texts.” This tip will help you create a system, using hard copies or electronic files, for organizing… Continue reading