At Two Writing Teachers, we know how important it is to learn in a safe space, so this week, we invite you into ours. We will share some of the growth experienced in our own teaching and what that was like for our students and for us. You might recognize yourself in some of our journeys, or you may see into an experience quite different from your own.
Author: Lainie Levin
Mom of two, full-time teacher, wife, daughter, sister, friend, and holder of a very full plate
Wrapping Up Writing Workshop: Finding Joy to Carry Along
Here we are, many of us ready to wrap up the school year... We CAN re-align our moral compass with student instruction. We CAN commit ourselves to being sincerely, wholeheartedly, a community of learners. This summer, I’ll be gearing up for what, I’m hoping, will be a year of excitement and discovery. I also hope that somewhere, you, too can find a kernel of hope, joy, or idealism to carry with you into the summer.
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Poetry Month: That’s the (Line) Breaks
Poetry, she thought, with a sigh,is little more than proseedited forbrevityand line breaks. Right now, I’m doing a poetry unit with my fourth graders. Most of them dread poetry writing. While it’s no surprise, this news saddens me. As someone who prefers to express herself through poetry, I hold the belief that people are much… Continue reading Poetry Month: That’s the (Line) Breaks
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It’s Time for Play and Fun!: Storytelling in Writing Workshop
It’s March. If your schools are anything like mine, you are slogging through the remnants of a long winter, all while gearing up for a season of standardized testing. Kids of all ages still need play and fun. I don’t know about you, but my kids always seem to do a bit better when some of each is incorporated into my lessons. I’ll share some ways to bring joy into writing workshop.
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Nurturing Your Writing Soul: Rethinking Self-care
Everywhere I look, the world wants me to engage in self-care. Instagram posts, TV commercials, Twitter threads, email newsletters…all of them chock-full of reminders that even as the world falls to pieces around us, It's important to fill our buckets, put on our own air masks first, give ourselves grace. But how about creative self-care? What can we do to make our writing selves feel stronger, happier, more resilient?
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Writing as Social-Emotional Development: Maximizing Writing Time
Let’s turn our attention to the classroom, to the kids in our care. Like many of us, they need a space to release burdens, to feel the same connection and validation that has kept us afloat. This, my friends, is where we begin. THIS is where we claim our power as writers, as teachers of writing. No matter the age of our students, no matter their readiness level, no matter the constrictions of a mandated writing system, there are ways to create and protect a nurturing, supportive community of young writers.
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MLK Day: A Reflection
Today, in the United States, we commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Today, kids in the U.S. might eat breakfast in pajamas. Their parents might shop a sale. Many will see (and welcome!) a day off of school or work. Some will use today as a day of service. It’s easy to let a day like today slide by without taking stock, without offering it the full measure of what a day like today deserves. So let us consider today.
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Getting Craft-y: Using Art to Teach Writing
"If kids see writing as just another avenue of self expression, if they realize that craft and skill are necessary for all areas of self-expression, then perhaps they might use these understandings as a foundation for their writing."
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Steering the Craft: Review + Giveaway
Need a writing resource that has something for all ages, yourself included? Look no further than Ursula K. Le Guin's Steering the Craft: A 21st-Century Guide to Sailing the Sea of Story
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Storytelling Starter Pack: Making the Leap
If you’re trying to reach reluctant writers with “nothing to write,” pushing students to use craft and voice in writing, or just hoping to make the writing process creative and fun, storytelling may be your answer. Taking the leap is easier than you think!
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Beyond School Supplies: Energizing Ourselves for a New Year
Going back to school is an exciting time. A new school year gives us a chance to dream, to reconnect with our ideals, and to renew our commitment to ourselves and our students.
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“I Feel Like a Real Writer:” Supporting Gifted Students in Writing
Teaching writing to gifted students isn’t the smooth, easy path some might suppose. Gifted kids often present a range of academic and affective needs. How can we encourage joyful and confident writing in this special population?
