All warpped-up with positive social-emotional wishes Originally uploaded by teachergal This year my classroom has had an "It's not easy being green" theme. (And yes, I felt a bit old in September when the kids informed me they weren't familiar with that Kermit the Frog Song!) The reason is that I went back to using… Continue reading Well-Wishes for the Holidays
Author: Stacey Shubitz
Stacey Shubitz is a K-6 literacy consultant and former elementary teacher. She is the author of CRAFT MOVES and other professional books on writing workshop. Her forthcoming book, MAKE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WORK FOR YOUR CHILD WITH DISABILITIES (Guilford Press, 2026), empowers parents to navigate the special education system.
Using Precise Language When Writing About Reading or When Writing in One’s Notebook
I conferred with one of my students during Reading Workshop today about the writing she was doing about her reading. I noticed the words "things" and "stuff" appearing. I showed her the poem I wrote earlier today in order to encourage her to use words like "things" and "stuff" only when it's clear what those… Continue reading Using Precise Language When Writing About Reading or When Writing in One’s Notebook
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Classroom Research
I think I finally formulated the question I am going to use to guide the teacher-research I'm going to do in the months to come. It is: What kinds of things can I do to nurture the writing habits for the students in my class who do not write regularly? Out of all of the… Continue reading Classroom Research
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Poetry Friday & Photo Fridays Collide!
Even though my inbox is full... Originally uploaded by teachergal Sometimes I like to let Poetry Friday and Photo Fridays collide here. It pushes me to write about my photo in verse, rather than in prose. 🙂 CADDY I had the same pencil cup for years. It spun on a lazy susan and contained more… Continue reading Poetry Friday & Photo Fridays Collide!
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Looking for a Few Interested Writers
I wanted to see which ones of my students were interested in working with me on my action research project (as focal children). Every kid in my class said they would like to. So, I had them answer some questions to help me hone-in on which kids would be good to work with for my… Continue reading Looking for a Few Interested Writers
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Touchstone Texts Helped
11 out of the 17 students who were present yesterday turned-in their drafts. Nine of them will be getting customized letterhead. Good number, right? I found that the packet of touchstone texts (letters) I gave the students on the immersion day of our unit really helped to lift the level of their writing. I could… Continue reading Touchstone Texts Helped
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Readings for Student Teachers
My student teacher's program informed me that I could give her some reading to do over the winter recess. (I've already met Miss M., as I'll refer to her going forward, and she's fantastic! She spent the past five days in my classroom getting to know my students, which was something no other student teacher… Continue reading Readings for Student Teachers
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It’s Time to Read This Article (if you haven’t already).
Have you read the article on Michelle Rhee in the latest issue of Time? If not, click here to read about this controversial Chancellor of Education in the Washington, DC Public School System. (There's a related video, which you can view by clicking here.)
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Action Research: Student Engagement in the Writing Workshop
I bounced the idea of an action research project around with the person who observes us each year. We chatted about developing an action research project for my classroom that I can carry out over the course of the next few months in writing. The lens would be student engagement within the context of Writing… Continue reading Action Research: Student Engagement in the Writing Workshop
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Holiday Gifts
I was listening to the John Tesh Radio Show as I drove to Ceramics Class last night. A segment entitled "What Are Kids Asking Santa for This Year?" came on as I was driving. Tesh reported that more and more kids are asking Santa for the necessities (and even for their parents' jobs back) this… Continue reading Holiday Gifts
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Stacey’s SOLS: At the Car Wash
I was tooling around with Photoshop 7.0 for just a bit this evening. Here's the Slice of Life Story I created with words + pictures. The text looks blurry below, but it's completely clear once you click on it and view it full-size.
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It’s time for the Slice of Life Story Challenge!
The New Slice of Life Story Challenge Button! Originally uploaded by teachergal We look forward to reading and commenting on all of the Slice of Life Stories that you link to this post. Just leave a comment with the link to your post so we know how to find your Slice of Life Story. Oh,… Continue reading It’s time for the Slice of Life Story Challenge!
