Write, share, give, and most of all...engage! Let the comment section be a place for community and friendship.
Author: Lainie Levin
Mom of two, full-time teacher, wife, daughter, sister, friend, and holder of a very full plate
Crowdsourcing: Straight from the Classroom
I’ve used crowdsourcing in writing instruction here and there, but this was the first project I designed and taught using the strategy as a foundation for our work. The verdict? Crowdsourcing improves writing and engages students. In this post, I’ll share our process, and I hope others will find ideas and inspiration.
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Oral Language: Build your Expertise Blog Series
When judging the effectiveness of oral language in my instruction, it's one thing to consider anecdotal evidence. It's another to rely on data to demonstrate I'm engaging in best practice. Fortunately, empirical research supports oral language as a component of writing instruction. and there are ways of incorporating that knowledge into teaching.
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The Dissatisfaction Spectrum: Gearing Up for Persuasive Writing
Persuasive writing is a powerful tool for writers. It allows them to recognize and articulate those feelings, and creates an avenue for expression, empowerment, and change in the community. Some students need scaffolding when it comes to thinking about issues or problems. Using the dissatisfaction spectrum is one way to bring students in touch with their emotions and identify the topics that matter most in their lives.
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Vocabulary Games: From The Archive
My search through the archives led me to a series of articles on vocabulary and word games. What better way to incorporate word work and keep a sense of fun in our writing workshop? Here are activities and ideas I look forward to trying in the coming weeks. I hope you’ll enjoy them, too!
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Ready-to-Go Tip: Give it a Go!
As a teacher of gifted students in a high-performing district, I struggle with ways to break my students from perfectionist tendencies. For the longest time, I’ve pictured my ideal: students recognize strong style or craft, then try it for themselves. But how could I teach or structure it?
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Joyful Offerings: Poems of Gratitude
This season offers the time and opportunity to practice gratitude. Today, I'd like to share two of my favorite poetry exercises for reflection and appreciation.
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Can We Talk?: Teaching Dialogue in Narrative Writing
When it comes to narrative writing, there are few craft moves as powerful as adding dialogue. Through dialogue, a reader can see more clearly into our characters: who they are, how they respond, and what they want. In today’s post, I’ll outline how I’ve used activities and play to teach the elements and conventions of dialogue in narrative writing.
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Biweekly Recap #ICYMI
Fall is in full swing, and so is writing workshop. I'm so grateful for the ideas and resources shared here on the Two Writing Teachers site. With every week, I emerge with new ideas to try, and new strategies to share with colleagues. Today's recap post highlights some of the great work from the last two weeks.
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Reframing Avoidance: Writers and Perfectionism
Task-avoidant behavior is as much a part of the writing environment as pencils, sticky notes, and writing journals. Rather than seeing struggles as a lack of motivation or work ethic, students can learn that their behaviors may stem from other causes: namely, the struggles that many writers face. Giving students that knowledge, and the strategies to manage their feelings, goes a long way towards building confidence and self-efficacy in writing.
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It’s Tuesday – Welcome to the Slice of Life
Whatever your mindset, whatever your mood, I hope you find joy, solace, validation - whatever it is you seek - through your writing. Share your link in the comments below, and comment on the work of others.
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It’s Tuesday – Welcome to the Slice of Life
It's Tuesday, and you know what that means! Time to dream a little, think a little, write a little. Share the link to your blog in the comments below, and share the joy by commenting on the work of others.
