I recently tweaked some of the record-keeping forms I disseminate when I consult with teachers about conferring. Some of the forms now have space to record the mentor text a teacher studies in alongside a child in a conference or with a small group in a strategy lesson. I think it's important to keep track… Continue reading Record-Keeping Forms
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 new book, MAKE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WORK FOR YOUR CHILD WITH DISABILITIES (Guilford Press, 2026), empowers parents to navigate the special education system.
Writing More in 2010
We're not big on New Year's Resolutions around here at TWT. We're big on living by the power of words. If your goal, hope, or desire this year is to push yourself as a writer, then we hope you'll consider joining our weekly Slice of Life Story Challenge. (For more information on what the Slice… Continue reading Writing More in 2010
Share this:
Share this:
Inspiring Words for the Second Half of the School Year
As you head back to school (work) tomorrow, consider these quotations: We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for… Continue reading Inspiring Words for the Second Half of the School Year
Share this:
Share this:
Picture Books in Upper Elementary School
The Fall of 2006 brought me the savviest class I ever taught. Nearly all 32 of them scoffed at me on Wednesday, September 6th when I pulled out Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street. "A picture book?" one student said disdainfully. "Yes, a picture book," I replied. "We're going to read lots of picture books… Continue reading Picture Books in Upper Elementary School
Share this:
Share this:
Last Chance to Contribute to the SOLSC This Year!
Share this:
Share this:
Applying for RTT Funding
As we were reading The New York Times this morning, my husband, who knew about the post, "Teacher Compensation & Standardized Test Scores," I wrote last week mentioned an article on page A12 of today's Times to me. It's about Race to the Top and just how long it takes for states to complete the… Continue reading Applying for RTT Funding
Share this:
Share this:
Articles You Might Enjoy
Many people across the world are celebrating Christmas today. I may not be one of them, but I wanted to just post some links to education articles today. Therefore, I've scoured the 'net (Thanks to NCTE Inbox and ASCD SmartBrief, which helped me with this endeavor!) to find some interesting pieces you might wish to… Continue reading Articles You Might Enjoy
Share this:
Share this:
Mentor Texts That Keep Students’ Interest
Every now and then I'd pick a dud-of-a-book to read aloud. However, more often than not, my students loved the books I read aloud and subsequently used as touchstone texts. Was it that they were all interested in the topics of every book? Not necessarily. Was it that they admired the illustrators for their artistic… Continue reading Mentor Texts That Keep Students’ Interest
Share this:
Share this:
Teacher Compensation & Standardized Test Scores
Last week I began reading Steven L. Layne’s Igniting a Passion for Reading: Successful Strategies for Building Lifetime Readers (2009). By the time I finished page five, I had a highlighter and a pad of post-its in hand to record my thinking. Layne wrote: It would seem that there is every reason to believe that… Continue reading Teacher Compensation & Standardized Test Scores
Share this:
Share this:
Share a Slice of Your December Life with Us!
Share this:
Share this:
Using One Book for Many Purposes
When I started teaching I owned a handful of picture and chapter books. I came armed with this handful and my love for Judy Blume. I knew I liked to write, but really had no idea how to help a child become a stronger writer. Over time, with a lot of guidance and professional development,… Continue reading Using One Book for Many Purposes
Share this:
Share this:
SOLSC and the Holidays
Like many Americans, I spent this past weekend at a holiday party. I prepared blue and white cupcakes before traveling 250 miles for the Chanukah party I attended in New England. As you can imagine, there are many stories that dotted the path of my journey. In an effort to hold fast to some of… Continue reading SOLSC and the Holidays
