What a treat! A news article written by a class of fifth graders, just for you...writing teachers! Come read about the joy and learning that happened when one fifth-grade class took on a collaborative piece of writing.
Category: audience
Make Your Audience’s Eyes Shine
Author Chana Stiefel shares how a maestro’s philosophy can help you connect with readers.
Beliefs Inspire Actions During Remote Learning
My beliefs about teaching and learning have grounded the decisions I make, in the classroom and now during this time of remote learning. Come with me on a video tour of how my beliefs are shaping my actions. Share in the comments how your beliefs are influencing the instructional decisions are you are making.
Writing on the Walls
What we place on the walls of a classroom tells students, or any other person who enters the room, what is valued most, and what we should value most in our classrooms is student work.
Thinking Big About Writing
The writing work in our building is transforming, and it is exciting to be a part of the change, to witness the impact on kids as we make our workshops increasingly authentic and compelling. We are constantly reflecting on what’s working—what’s leading to measurable shifts in how we plan for writing (and how kids experience writing)—as well as where we might be getting stuck: places there is genuine motivation to transform the task, and yet, our best intentions are still missing the mark in some significant way.
Taking Stock: Moving Forward
As teachers, how might we reflect on our own practice in a way that could make a difference for our students next year? Here are a few lenses for setting some goals...
Where is the Attention?
Sometimes it can be difficult to imagine creating or allowing a wider audience to read our students' writing. But there is great possibility in doing so. It just takes a shift in attention...
Yes &… with Digital Tools We Can
As we set off to create writers who write in tandem with the printed world and the digital world there are a few we need to consider.
Spontaneous Sparks
My students got extra creative when we used some extra time in a spontaneous way!
Making the Writer Better: Getting Started with Blogging
As I move forward in planning summer professional development for the teachers in my district, I am already finding the infographic invaluable. In planning my session, “Getting Started with Blogging” I found the information on the infographic guiding each slide and each step as I planned the presentation.
Make Writing Better. Start With The Writer.
Think about the writer and making the writer better. What are the needs of a writer? What opportunities does technology offer to make the writer better?
Branding Student Blogs
As an instructional technology coach, I have the privilege of working alongside teachers as they bring their students into the world of blogging. Many of the teachers I work with are new to blogging. They rely on me to steer them into an experience that will engage the student, lift student writing, and fit within the already packed school day. I guide these teachers to create branded blogs.

