Some sit at a keyboard and the words just pour out. Others use a pen and paper, working slowly and deliberately. I know one writer who prefers a typewriter to a laptop.
And then there are the storytellers.
Hey, pssst… Yeah, you. Have you noticed that it’s already the middle of April? It’s spring. There are only a matter of weeks left in the school year (not that anyone’s counting). And… Continue reading
Many kids go through a perfectionist stage. They will sometimes freeze up, choose not to write, or select different, easier words to spell. Here’s what you can do.
Day 7 of the Classroom Slice of Life Story Challenge!
Day 6 of the Classroom Slice of Life Story Challenge!
Day 5 of the Classroom Slice of Life Story Challenge!
Day 4 of the Classroom Slice of Life Story Challenge!
Day 3 of the Classroom Slice of Life Story Challenge!
Day 2 of the Classroom Slice of Life Story Challenge!
Welcome to the the sixth annual Classroom Slice of Life Story Challenge for students!
There are a hundred ways precious minutes can be wasted during those pesky transitions, and a hundred ways a rough transition can make for an uphill battle for the rest of writing workshop. Here are three tricks that you might try.
Tips for moving to the next level of unit planning.
Join us for the 2018 Slice of Life Story Challenge in March!
If you aren’t on Twitter already, maybe this list will be the push you needed to give it a try. We’ve rounded up our ten favorite organizations to follow on Twitter.
I was often the shortest person in my class. I also cried a lot. Like… a lot. I also seemed to always have a terrible ear-ache, or a bad cough, and headaches… you name it. I was exceptionally clumsy. And forgetful. Basically, I was a weakling.
When I was a new teacher, my professors and mentors emphasized the importance of questioning as a teaching technique. We were taught to track the number and frequency of questions we asked, as… Continue reading
On behalf of our team at Two Writing Teachers, I’d like to thank you, our readers, for your dedication to the teaching of writing, and for the incredible community of educators you have helped us to build.
When I was a new teacher, I learned from Lucy Calkins that there are basically four overall methods to choose from when planning instruction: 1) demonstration, 2) coaching, 3) inquiry, and 4) telling/explaining. This four-method framework is useful for thinking about conferring.
It’s happened to ever teacher. We start out strong, with enthusiasm. We think: This unit is going to be GREAT! This is is exactly what my kids need! This unit is our favorite! But then, five weeks, six weeks, seven weeks (!!) later you and the kids are completely sick of the writing you’ve been doing–just like a favorite recipe that you’ve become burnt out on.
I’ll be honest, the best thing about the start of the new school year is the school supplies. There’s nothing like the combo-smell of new backpack, pencils, erasers, and paper. Ah. I think… Continue reading
