academic choice · authentic writing · blogging · digital writing · writing workshop

Past the Flash of Technology

Technology gives us all choices and decisions to make. Big decisions. How can we welcome technology in our classrooms? Technology can be a new way of doing the same thing. Will we seek apps that allow our students to make choices in creating and sharing with others, or will we seek apps that do the same old thing in a different way?

slice of life · writing workshop

It’s Tuesday! Join us with a slice of life!

Welcome to our weekly Slice of Life Story Challenge! Please leave the permalink to your own blog post, and comment on at least three other posts. Comments energize writers and keep our writing community vibrant. Our community is a source of strength for each other. My thoughts continue to be with people who are impacted by… Continue reading It’s Tuesday! Join us with a slice of life!

September 11th

Pausing to remember 9/11

Sixteen years ago, I kissed my three daughters goodbye as I left them in the gym's babysitting room, and I headed up to the aerobics room to teach my 9:15 step class. My oldest daughter was five--an afternoon kindergartner-- and I did not know yet that I was pregnant with my fourth daughter. Just before… Continue reading Pausing to remember 9/11

revision · writing workshop

Three Tips to Avoid Overcommitting to First Words: Revision

Helping light the way to revision for our writers while honoring those first words.

differentiation · goals · Kate Roberts · middle school · repetition · small group

Not All Writers Are the Same! Ideas for Differentiating in the Writing Workshop (Part 2)

The fact is, just like athletes that show up to the first day of practice, writers bring different skill sets.  Some arrive to middle school not knowing where to put a period, while others already know how paint vivid pictures with words that knock our socks off.  How do we plan for such a wide variety of writers?

classroom environment · writing workshop

A Change Will Do You Good

Changing things up can mean extra work and moving away from what you've always done. It can also breathe new life into spaces and might move you closer to what you are trying to achieve.

slice of life · writing workshop

It’s Tuesday! Time to share a slice of life!

  Welcome to our weekly Slice of Life Story Challenge! At Two Writing Teachers, we believe in the importance of a writing community. Please leave the permalink to your own blog post, and comment on at least three other posts. We all know how much comments mean to ourselves as writers--please share your writing and be generous… Continue reading It’s Tuesday! Time to share a slice of life!

georgia heard · heart maps

Revisiting the Heart Map

Heart maps can help young writers when they think they don't have anything to write about.

professional books

Best Friend Professional Books

Today's guest post is by Kathy Christy, a third grade teacher and professional development coach. She shares her "best friend professional book" of 2017 with us!