Let your stories flow from your mind to your fingers and let them all surprise you.
Author: Deb Frazier
Reflections and Refinements: The Year Ahead
I packed the books, cleared the tables and turned in my keys. It's an official end to the school year. As I sit down in my car, my head, and my heart begins to reflect on the year, the successes, the trials and what could've been
Share this:
Share this:
Welcome to SOL Tuesday!
Ah, summer the springboard of our stories!
Share this:
Share this:
A Year of Writing: A Week of Reflection
As I confer with each writer, I feel my eyes filling with tears. I show each student their writing from the first day of school and watch as their less cherubic and more mature faces brighten. "That's really my first writing in first grade?" "I didn't even use the whole page." "I can't read it." and "That doesn't look like my writing now." were typical comments.
Share this:
Share this:
Why Would Writing Stop When School Ends?
"Janie, you have a lifetime of writing. Writing, collecting stories, and sharing with others is a gift of life, and it never ends. Aren't we lucky Janie?"
Share this:
Share this:
The Promise of a Writing Maker Space
As I opened my classroom door Friday I knew we would be writing a poem for Mother's Day. I was feeling a bit guilty about the ease and maybe the lack of thought that I had put into the gift this year. As I switched on the lights and straightened books, I thought about Wonderopolis. I entered Mother's Day in the search box and found a wonder on Mother's Day and an invitation to dive into Writing Maker Space!
Share this:
Share this:
Student-Written Mentor Texts: Teaching Writing with Mentor Texts
As you embark on using, student-written mentor texts push yourself beyond the flawless and visually perfect pieces. Look for the gems buried behind the messy and sometimes crumpled papers. Search for opportunities for all students to shine and guide other writers. All writers have value.
Share this:
Share this:
Planting Seeds for Poetry
Dropping poetry in our classroom silently was like sprinkling seeds and the students (in the classroom and our mentors in Ms. Haseltine's classroom in Virginia) acted as the fertilizer. The students were learning about poetry and becoming poets before we had any lessons. From this point on, our study of poetry became an enlightenment of the curiosity and noticings of the students.
Share this:
Share this:
Protecting Student Writing Time
My students won't become writers just because I want them to be writers. Writers need to wallow in new information, time to let all the words, ideas and questions wash over them, connect with their schema, and let the new information become their own.
Share this:
Share this:
Growing Writers, One Challenge at a Time
This year, our class motto has been "Push through the struggle." Originally a mantra of one student, but quickly became the motto of the community. These are the words used to encourage each other to persevere in all learning tasks. The Slice Of Life Story Challenge was no exception!
Share this:
Share this:
Professional Development Done Your Way: P.D. Possibilities Series
#HilliardU brings the essential elements of professional development together in one event. First, Hilliard U is made up of presentations by teachers of various grade levels and subject areas, academic coaches, related arts teachers, administration and well-known professionals in our field. As participants, we design our day by choosing from a variety of breakout sessions offered or take advantage of a collaboration room to work with colleagues.
Share this:
Share this:
Congratulations to the Winner
Thank you, Highlights Foundation, for this generous prize. Your support of our writing community is so deeply appreciated by us and our readers.
