Three Ways to Find Joy & Keep Writing
We are now entering week seven in our school district. At the start of the year, there was much to think about and much to worry about. There were many … Continue Reading Three Ways to Find Joy & Keep Writing
Belief Statements: The Breadcrumbs of Teaching Near and Far
No matter where we gather to teach children, the values we have for children and education should not change.
Bringing Virtual Classrooms to Life
Is it possible to duplicate the live, in-person experiences? Of course not, but maybe some of you could feel the authenticity of a high-five or hug I’m sending your way.
So let’s think about some ways to bring virtual classrooms to life, maybe thinking of it as duplicating some of the processes of your classroom in a virtual world.
Building a New Community
How are you finding ways to connect and bring a community of learners together?
Background Noise for Writing Workshop
How quiet is too quiet, when it comes to writing workshop?
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.
Re-imagining Classroom Work Spaces: Reaching Your Writers
We cannot always afford to provide students everything we want to give them, but it’s important to find ways to give all kids what they need. It is possible to create a space with flexible seating options on a limited budget.
How to Deal with “Too Much” Energy in the Classroom + a Book Giveaway
Every writing workshop I’ve ever taught or consulted in has had at least one child who is in perpetual motion. Many times, that child is the kid who talks their classmates during independent writing time, interrupts their teacher during a writing conference, or cannot respect their peers’ space in the meeting area. The first few weeks of school are the perfect time to begin conversations about living in a classroom community where all learners have different needs.
Susan Verde, author of Unstoppable Me, chats with Stacey about the ways we can build classroom writing communities that welcome kids with who are often seen as having “too much” energy.
Revising the Classroom: Adventures in Flexible Seating
This year I had the opportunity to try out flexible seating with brand new furniture. It’s been an adventure and I’ve learned many lessons along the way. What are your experiences with flexible seating?
Take a Tour of Your Own School with an Eye Toward Writing Workshop
When you have a chance, take a walk through the hallways of your own school. Try to see with fresh eyes. Pretend you are a visitor. Ask yourself: What kind … Continue Reading Take a Tour of Your Own School with an Eye Toward Writing Workshop
Our Favorite “Back-to-School” Posts
Whether you’re already back in school or returning in the next two weeks, I’ve rounded up some of our team’s best blog posts that will help you launch & sustain writing workshop in 2018-19.
Personalizing charts to foster intention and independence
More and more, another way we’ve been making sure that charts become part of our writers’ toolbelts is to create individual ones that are either the same as the ones on the wall or close enough that they don’t require instruction for students to access.
End of Year Reflections and June Planning
As we approach the end of another school year, many of us begin making plans for outgrowing ourselves. But what might be some lenses to think through when taking on such a task? I have a few ideas . . .
Off You Go, Find a Just-Right Spot!
Find out how one teacher’s decision to stop assigning seats led to greater independence, higher engagement, and a stronger writing community in a Kindergarten classroom.
Flexible Seating Options
Not everyone works the same way. As educators, it’s up to us to find what works best for every kid so we’re meeting their needs.
Environments for Kids & With Kids: Beyond the Fundamentals of Writing Workshop
As I thought about writing this post, I considered my day and what needed to get done. I mulled over when I would go to the store, how many loads … Continue Reading Environments for Kids & With Kids: Beyond the Fundamentals of Writing Workshop
Fitting It All In: Solving Predictable Problems
For many of us, especially in middle school, trying to fit all the pieces of writing workshop into, say, a 41-minute schedule, can feel daunting. How can we teach a minilesson, get our kids working, confer with individuals and small groups, provide a mid-workshop interruption, and facilitate a teaching share…all in that tight time frame?
A Change Will Do You Good
Changing things up can mean extra work and moving away from what you’ve always done. It can also breathe new life into spaces and might move you closer to what you are trying to achieve.
Environments: Writing Workshop Fundamentals
Working with the intention of creating writing environments with our students that are reflective of the beliefs and the needs of all should be our goal.
While each writing workshop is unique to the writers within the workshop, there are basic design components true of all writing workshops.
Welcome to Writing Workshop
Lynne Dorfman & I are in search of pictures of beautiful writing workshop spaces for our forthcoming Stenhouse book about the basics of writing workshop (to teachers who are new to using the workshop structure). If you teach in a physical space you’d like to showcase, then please fill out the Google Form in this post.
