I often write to figure out things. This is typically scrawled in a notebook that no one but me sees. I follow winding trails of thoughts, capture snippets, and try to come to deeper understandings. I tell you this as part of a disclaimer. Usually I go to those notebooks before blogging about something that… Continue reading What do you think?
Author: Ruth Ayres
Unhurried. Finding the magic in the middle of living. Capturing a life of ridiculous grace + raw stories.
Loving the Tough Ones
Today I was reminded of the importance of education. At the start of a new school year there is always a lot of talk about the dynamics of a classroom. How many kids in your class? How many girls? How many boys? Any siblings of previous students? And then there are more sobering stats. Like… Continue reading Loving the Tough Ones
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Be You
Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. ~ Judy Garland Today is my first day of the new school year. I like this first day. I like starting the school year by being in the same room as all of the educators in my district. I like that… Continue reading Be You
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More Read Alouds
I fell in love with Oliver Jeffers' work when I came across THE INCREDIBLE BOOK EATING BOY. So it is no surprise that I was drawn to the whimsical illustrations in UP AND DOWN. When I read the book the story did not disappoint. It is a story of adventure and friendship and in the end… Continue reading More Read Alouds
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Friendship Books
As I'm getting ready to say hello to a new school year, I've been thinking about books I would love to share with students early in the year. The rest of the week I'll be sharing some new titles I've come across recently. Tonight I'd like to share two books about friendship with sweet twists.… Continue reading Friendship Books
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Slice of Life Tuesday
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Empowering Independence
One of the things I think most about this time of year is how can I empower students to be (more) independent in writing workshop. What do I mean be independent? This is a crucial vision for us to develop as we head into a new school year. For a moment let's suspend reality. Let's… Continue reading Empowering Independence
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How do you make writers feel welcomed?
This time of year thoughts about creating a safe and inviting classroom fill our minds. This is one of my favorite things to think about. Today I shifted the question slightly and began thinking about writers specifically. How can we make writers feel welcomed? Here are some ideas I'm tossing around. More importantly, I can't… Continue reading How do you make writers feel welcomed?
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WFMAD (Write Fifteen Minutes a Day Challenge)
Last year I joined the WFMAD challenge hosted by Laurie Halse Anderson. You know Laurie Halse Anderson, right? No matter what level of students you work with she writes books that you would be interested in reading (if you haven't already). Young Adult: Speak. Wintergirls. Twisted. Prom. Catalyst. Historical Thrillers: Chains. Forge. Fiction for Young… Continue reading WFMAD (Write Fifteen Minutes a Day Challenge)
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Words that are Speaking to Me + Something Cool
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. --- Attributed to Groucho Marx And make sure to check out these FREE SUMMER READING PRINTABLES. Don't be fooled by the word summer, I can totally envision using some of these ideas in classrooms. Check it… Continue reading Words that are Speaking to Me + Something Cool
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“The Mind Flip”
Yesterday, Deb Day wrote a Slice about the way her brain "flips" and is ready for school. It resonated with me. I understood exactly what she was talking about and expect it will happen soon for me. The past few summers I've spent time in the days leading up to starting school saying So Long… Continue reading “The Mind Flip”
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{Discover. Play. Build.} Character Wants
One of the best ways to get to know characters (or people in general) is to figure out what they want. Often these wants drive our stories Whether you are crafting a fiction story or living your own story, wants are a motivator for actions and choices. Today's {Discover. Play. Build.} challenge is focused around… Continue reading {Discover. Play. Build.} Character Wants
