I've been thinking about teachers on the tough days. You know those days. The days when you can barely lift your hand to high five kids on the way out (which may be a good thing because you don't really want to give them high fives anyway). When you're not sure you can make it… Continue reading On the tough days…
Author: Ruth Ayres
Unhurried. Finding the magic in the middle of living. Capturing a life of ridiculous grace + raw stories.
Celebrating Versus Publishing
I've been percolating some ideas for the Celebrating Writers book Christi Overman and I are working on and expect to have out later this year with Stenhouse. We pretty much had it drafted, but then, looking back after letting it settle realized (due to the insight of our editor) that it just wasn't quite right.… Continue reading Celebrating Versus Publishing
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Another Way to Launch a Review Unit
Yesterday in Mr. Gause's third grade class, some incredible thinking was happening. This week we launched into reviews. Earlier in the week, he asked students to test different toy cars and then select the one they thought was the best. Then they met as a group and talked about their choice. Yesterday, during the minilesson,… Continue reading Another Way to Launch a Review Unit
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Professional Development
I {heart} conferences. Do you? The thing is money is tight right now, making conferences a little more difficult to attend. So I'm excited to share with you TWO super reasonably priced conferences with incredible presenters in the field. Dublin's lineup includes: Eric Litwin and James Dean -- You know, the team behind PETE THE… Continue reading Professional Development
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The Book Stack: Cynthia Leitich Smith
One of our favorite reads is... The book is as great as it looks. I love the whimsical illustrations and the strong craft of the text. In fact, each time I read HOLLER LOUDLY by Cynthia Leitich Smith (and I read it multiple times each week), I find more craft moves to imitate. Right now I'm busy… Continue reading The Book Stack: Cynthia Leitich Smith
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Slice of Life Challenge — Your Thoughts
The Slice of Life Challenge is coming to a blog near you! In March, we'll host the 5th Annual Slice of Life Challenge. The Challenge: In the month of March share a slice of your life. Every. Single. Day. Have you been thinking about joining us? (You should!) But don't take my word for it!… Continue reading Slice of Life Challenge — Your Thoughts
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Review Mentor Texts
I'm excited to share this with you. It was one of those times when things just worked out in writing workshop. In one of the third grade classes studying reviews, we began talking about using details to support your opinion. I try to avoid the word details as much as possible. I think it's an… Continue reading Review Mentor Texts
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The Book Stack: A Couple of ROCKIN’ Books
I added three more YA books to my reader's notebook this week. I'll be sharing another of them later, but today I only want to focus on one. The past several YA books I've read have left me a little disappointed. They just didn't feel genuine. All in all, they left me feeling like the… Continue reading The Book Stack: A Couple of ROCKIN’ Books
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REVIEW Unit Launch
This week I launched a REVIEW UNIT in several third grade classrooms. On the first day I asked, "Have you ever heard of a review?" Heads shook. "Okay, then, let me show you some," I said. We spent time looking at some reviews I pulled up via the internet on the SmartBoard. We read reviews… Continue reading REVIEW Unit Launch
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The Book Stack
YA Books this week: Of the three, THE ONE THAT I WANT by Jennifer Echols was my favorite. Echols is a master at creating characters that stick with you. Characters that you feel like you've met. Characters that keep you reading into the wee hours of the night. This book is currently available as an… Continue reading The Book Stack
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Common Core + Students’ Needs
Much of my time this school year has been devoted to studying Common Core Standards, as well as keeping up with the ever-changing discussion about the PARCC assessment. I've been thinking about the influence these things have on our writing curriculum and the implications for writing workshop. One thing is for certain, Common Core Standards… Continue reading Common Core + Students’ Needs
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Ruth’s OLW: Reflection 2011 + Word 2012.
First a little reflection on OLW '11... I chose this word because I felt like it encompassed everything in my life. The list of words in the tape along the bottom of the image, shows the connections I was interested in making. I was surprised to find the online connections I make just as integral… Continue reading Ruth’s OLW: Reflection 2011 + Word 2012.
