Biweekly Recap #ICYMI

As the chaos of fall picks up around me (School! Sports! Pumpkins and apples and sweater weather!), I have to remind myself often to slow down, take a deep breath, and recharge. During my hectic weeks it’s easy to miss out on great posts on Two Writing Teachers blog, so I savor the time I make to catch up on the weekends. If you’re in “catch up” mode, too, here’s a quick roundup of some of the latest and greatest posts from the past two weeks from Two Writing Teachers!

Are your students struggling to stick to a single point of view in their writing? Stacey tackles this topic with some great tips for writing with a consistent point of view. (Bonus: She also shares some fabulous second person mentor texts!)

Mentor Texts for Navigating Second Person Point of View

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

Storytelling is at the heart of our work with our youngest children, and no one illuminated the power of telling stories more than the late early childhood educator Vivian Gussin Paley. Jenna reminds us of Paley’s powerful insights into the world of children at play and challenges us all to create classrooms in which play and storytelling are at the forefront.

Channeling Vivian Gussin Paley

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

If you’re looking for quick and immediate strategies to put your writers in charge of feedback, Leah shares an impactful way to increase metacognition and agency in the workshop through student-driven feedback. Her post includes charts and a video of this strategy in action so teachers can transfer this work to the classroom tomorrow!

Student-Driven Feedback: A Ready-To-Go Tip

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

On #TWTPod

Writing should be joyful and purposeful, and Stacey and Melanie bring this to life in “Unleash Greenbelt Writing’s Potential: A Digging Deeper Dialogue.” Building upon the idea of Greenbelt Writing, first introduced by Ralph Fletcher in his book Joy Write, this podcast gives listeners practical and insightful ideas for infusing choice and creativity into children’s writing lives.

Building Self-Advocacy: A Tip for Tomorrow from Stacey – Two Writing Teachers Podcast

Discover how teaching self-advocacy during writing workshop empowers students to express their needs and take charge of their learning. Drawing on insights from her upcoming book, Make the School System Work for Your Child with Disabilities: Empowering Kids for the Future, Stacey shares practical sentence starters to help students ask for help with revision, clarify instructions, and participate in peer conferences with confidence. Learn how teaching your students these sentences can foster independence and help them speak up for themselves clearly. Six Self-Advocacy Sentences for Writing WorkshopI’m feeling confused about my writing. Can you help me understand what to do next?I need help with this part of my writing. Could you help me?I’m not sure how to revise this. Could you show me again?Can you please check if I understood the instructions correctly?I’m struggling with giving feedback. Can we talk about how to do it?I’m not comfortable sharing this piece. Is there another way I can participate?Learn more about Stacey’s book, Make the School System Work for Your Child with Disabilities: Empowering Kids for the Future (Guilford Press, 2026).*****Thanks to our affiliate, Zencastr. Use our special link (https://zen.ai/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan. *****Send us a textPlease subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. Melanie Meehan: meehanmelanie@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.com Email us at contact@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.