The act of paying attention brings us peace. --- Julia Cameron Yesterday I was thinking about how life is messy and how often it is human nature to try and cover-up the mess instead of face it head-on. As the day went on, I began thinking about Writing Workshop in these terms. Anytime we teach in… Continue reading Peace in Workshop
Author: Ruth Ayres
Unhurried. Finding the magic in the middle of living. Capturing a life of ridiculous grace + raw stories.
Writing Teaching Points
I've been intentional about writing a teaching point for each of my lessons in Reading and Writing Workshop. Last night I typed them all to share with my students. Starting Monday, they will be responsible for recording the teaching point each day along with any needed notes. The teacing points are based on student need, as… Continue reading Writing Teaching Points
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Refining the Art of Teaching
Refining is the process of purification. Natural resources are refined when they are almost in a usable state in order to make them more valuable. I think teachers ought to engage in a refining process as well. A process of purification. A process of becoming more valuable. I've heard all of the reasons why we… Continue reading Refining the Art of Teaching
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Cris Tovani Thoughts
About a month ago, All-Write hosted Cris Tovani. I probably should have blogged about the workshop the next day, but I didn't. Instead, I'm blogging about it today after I've had some time to digest the information. First, if you ever have the chance to hear Cris speak, you should jump at the opportunity. She… Continue reading Cris Tovani Thoughts
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Chasing Dreams: Part II
I had envisioned being able to share with you some of the dreams on my freshmen's lists. However, Monday we had a lock down drill smack in the middle of block two, altering our plans. Then yesterday we had a fog delay, shrinking class minutes by half. It reminds me how we are constantly determining importance… Continue reading Chasing Dreams: Part II
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Chasing Big Dreams: Part I
I rolled into my driveway around 8:30 last night. Andy had given our kids late naps so they could stay up and see me. This may not have been our best parenting move. They were excited, but also tired. Emotions swirled. By 9:45 Andy and I were snuggled on the couch and there were no… Continue reading Chasing Big Dreams: Part I
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Swirling Thoughts from NCTE
Today was a good day, but what day at NCTE isn't? Since we just finished our last session and have dinner plans in a few minutes, you're getting a list of swirling thoughts. Expect more blog posts about NCTE in the future. Choice matters. Today I’ve been inspired to stand up and defend student choice… Continue reading Swirling Thoughts from NCTE
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A Few Random Bits of Life
Right now I'm sitting in Stacey's kitchen, thinking how good it is to be in the same house as my friend. I already know I have a great class. (We'll see if I still feel this way after I get the sub notes for the three days I'm absent.) Yesterday we spent a good portion of the… Continue reading A Few Random Bits of Life
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Today.
Today is the first day of the new trimester. This means two things: I get to teach my own class starting today -- English 9A with 26 students. I barely slept last night and woke up early today. This is typical behavior prior to the "first day of school." Starting a new trimester is like… Continue reading Today.
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Peer Conferring: Questions
I'm intrigued by peer conferring. There's just something about two writers coming together to talk about their work that's interesting to me. I love the nuances of peer conferring -- learning what works well and what doesn't. I like to study really strong collaborations to find the little-known-secrets to a specific grade level of writers. … Continue reading Peer Conferring: Questions
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Owning Your Story.
I was talking with a friend and colleague of mine, Deb Gaby. She was commenting about how often in life when we begin to think differently, this new awareness crops up in many different aspects of our life. Interestingly enough, Deb and I are both thinking deeply about collecting the stories which define our lives.… Continue reading Owning Your Story.
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Speaking to Me.
These words are speaking to my soul tonight. I'm planning to use them in a workshop I'm leading tomorrow. Students such as these walk into your classrooms in every size, shape, and color. You can't know their histories because their only control is control of their secrets. You are asked to create a safe enough… Continue reading Speaking to Me.
