If you're stuck figuring out how to support writers' foundational skills or simply want to grow your teaching knowledge and expertise, Melanie Meehan and Maggie Beattie Roberts' new book, Foundational Skills for Writing, is a must-have resource.

modeling · Practices of Great Writing Teachers Blog Series · think aloud

Teachers Model and Think Aloud: Practices of Great Writing Teachers

Thursday January 29, 2026Wednesday January 28, 2026 Sarah Valter

Modeling strong writing and surfacing teacher thinking are essential for guiding students to become better writers. Today Sarah surfaces why these practices are so important and suggests actionable steps for bringing them back.

greenbelt writing · Joy · notebooks

Making Time for Playful Writing Practice

Thursday January 8, 2026Thursday January 8, 2026 Sarah Valter1 Comment

Writers need to practice writing as much as they need to produce writing (perhaps even more!). Let's dig into some strategies for infusing practice opportunities into our classrooms and our own writing lives.

dialogue

A Simple Scaffold for Constructing Dialogue

Monday November 17, 2025Sunday November 16, 2025 Sarah Valter1 Comment

Whenever my conversations with colleagues focus on helping kids with dialogue or quotes in their writing, there’s almost always a defeated vibe. “Kids just struggle with using good quotes and punctuating them!” is a common refrain. Today's post focuses on a scaffold that is fun, effective, and easy to implement.

routines · time

Timely Tricks for Tight Transitions

Thursday October 16, 2025Wednesday October 15, 2025 Sarah Valter

Looking for ways to maximize your writing minutes? Tight transitions, built on a foundation of smooth routines, help pave the way to more productive writing time.