writer's notebook

Note-Taking: A Writing Genre Worthy of a Curriculum of Its Own

Saturday November 29, 2014Saturday November 29, 2014 Anna Gratz Cockerille12 Comments

Launch a note-taking curriculum with an assessment and a vision of what is possible.

Who Inspires You? Expressing Teacher-Mentor Gratitude

Friday November 28, 2014 BethMooreSchool6 Comments

When you share your gratitude for someone's support, you give them energy and inspiration to keep on going.

conferring · writing workshop

You Just Don’t Get It

Thursday November 27, 2014Thursday November 27, 2014 Betsy Hubbard3 Comments

Do you ever feel like kids just aren’t getting “it?” You look at what they are doing but the “what” isn’t telling you anything. Try looking below the surface to the find the “how.” I went to a session with Dorothy Barnhouse and Charlotte Butler at NCTE this past weekend called, What Stories Do Our… Continue reading You Just Don’t Get It

writing workshop

Flash drafting our way to a “best first draft”.

Wednesday November 26, 2014Wednesday November 26, 2014 Tara Smith15 Comments

We are trying something new in our memoir unit this year: flash drafting our way to a “best first draft”. The main reason for this is that for as long as I’ve taught memoir, I’ve always had a handful of students who would reach the midpoint of their first draft and then just stall. Our… Continue reading Flash drafting our way to a “best first draft”.

slice of life · Slice of Life Story Challenge

Slice of Life Story Challenge: Every Tuesday!

Tuesday November 25, 2014Monday November 24, 2014 BethMooreSchool57 Comments

Join us every Tuesday for the Slice of Life Story Challenge!

NCTE · presentations · professional development · Slice of Life Story Challenge

Highlights from NCTE

Monday November 24, 2014Tuesday December 2, 2014 Stacey Shubitz5 Comments

We're sharing our presentations from NCTE with you, along with quotes I jotted down from a variety of authors and literacy leaders. ALSO, take a peek at some photos from our Slicer Dinner.