Robert B. Parker. There is no one right way. Each of us finds a way that works for him. But there is a wrong way. The wrong way is to finish your writing day with no more words on paper than when you began. Writers write. Every August, I think about what area in regards… Continue reading Choice in Sharing
Author: Ruth Ayres
Unhurried. Finding the magic in the middle of living. Capturing a life of ridiculous grace + raw stories.
Evolution of Anchor Charts
There are many ways to go about creating an anchor chart to use in your classroom. One way is to create the chart ahead of time and use it as part of your instruction. I find myself using this approach when I think my teaching point is brand new for students. An example of this… Continue reading Evolution of Anchor Charts
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Words that are Speaking to Me
Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas everyday. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don't see any. --- Orson Scott Card And this is exciting: Check out our book!
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Ruth’s SOLS: First Day Minilesson — What is Writing Workshop?
Here's a little Slice of Life from the first student day. As a coach, the first day is one of the days I miss the most about being a classroom teacher. Thankfully, Christi Overman (she blogs during the school year only, so you'll want to check back regularly on Chocolate for Teachers) invited me to… Continue reading Ruth’s SOLS: First Day Minilesson — What is Writing Workshop?
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The Power of Thanks
Today was the first day back for the new school year. Students will come tomorrow. I spent my morning in a series of meetings and the afternoon helping teachers prepare for the first few days of the new year. At the end of the day I returned to my office, reminded of the stamina it… Continue reading The Power of Thanks
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Reflecting on Reading Like a Writer
So I took some time to create a video about the system I created in order to track and reflect on my summer reading. Because I pushed myself to reflect in a new medium, I feel like I dug deeper into the work I've done with reading like a writer. (I hope it's not too… Continue reading Reflecting on Reading Like a Writer
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Words that are Speaking to Me
"Every story is part of a whole, entire life, you know? Happy and sad and tragic and whatever, but an entire life. And books let you know them." --- Sara Ockler, Twenty Boy Summer I planned to post a video today of my system to track my summer reading. However, when I got up at… Continue reading Words that are Speaking to Me
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Ruth’s Slice(s) of Life: A New Minilesson Idea
Slice 1: All morning I waited for Laurie Halse Anderson's post about the writing challenge for today. Although a little apprehensive about whether this would be worthwhile, I found myself writing interview questions and then answering them in the voice of a dad. Well past the required fifteen minutes, I was still writing, learning all… Continue reading Ruth’s Slice(s) of Life: A New Minilesson Idea
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Things I’ve Learned from Summer Reading
Two months ago, on the first Monday of my summer holiday, I blogged a post titled, "Summer Reading." Today is my last Monday of summer vacation, so it seems fitting to reflect on my summer reading. Although it'll take more than a single post to capture my reflections, so today is a simple list about… Continue reading Things I’ve Learned from Summer Reading
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Words that are Speaking to Me
Whenever I begin reading a new book, I am embarking on a new, uncharted journey with an unmarked destination. I never know where a particular book will take me, toward what other books I will be led. --- Nancy Pearl
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Start Collecting!
As the school year quickly approaches, now is the time to begin collecting some ephemera from our everyday lives. Ephemera (the stuff of life that you would normally throw away) adds a dimension to writer's notebooks that words alone can't achieve. Here are some things to consider collecting to share with your students. Newspaper clippings… Continue reading Start Collecting!
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Ruth’s SOLS: Listening to Photograph by Nickelback
On Friday, after Andy and I spoke at Nate's funeral, the song "Photograph" was played as the service progressed. Although I've listened to it many times before, it now clings to my heart. I'm reminded how music can make us feel and remember and itch to write. A photo of Nate sits on our mantel.… Continue reading Ruth’s SOLS: Listening to Photograph by Nickelback
