The creative lives we maintain outside of writing fill us up as humans with stories to tell. When we bring this life into the writing workshop, it builds community, and it lays the foundation for lifelong writers who have strategies for sustaining their own writing lives.
How often do we ask ourselves about what leads our thinking on the teaching of writing? Is our purpose curriculum, or something much more significant? Why do we teach the way we do? And… How do we articulate why this, not that?
Each life we impact matters. Each one of the children with whom we interact is currently living into an uncertain future. Thus, with kindness and resolution, we greet writers each day and do all we can to help them learn what it takes to make their voices heard through the power of the metaphorical pen. This is our work.
Making some time and space in the day to celebrate a student each week has enriched my class as readers, writers, and human beings. How do you use writing to lift up the students in your class?
Do you receive letters from your students at the start of the year? Do you write them back? In what ways do you get to know new students? How do you keep track of the information and use it as a guide for helping your writers grow?
No longer scared and timid, our work has forged a community of writers.
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.
Learn how Hertz and Mraz’s newest book, Kids 1st from Day 1, can impact your writing workshop.
Crushed It (defined): To feel positive, get more done, or in general be a better person. How are you crushing it in the classroom?
Building a community of writers is likely a goal for all writing workshop teachers. But what are some ways to be intentional about bringing such a goal to fruition?
At first, pride filled my heart, but as I continued to watch, I realized the work ethics I was watching at that moment hadn’t been as clear nor intentional throughout the year. The day’s show of teamwork could have been the culmination of a year’s work, but I knew it was something more.
The realization of this moment gave me chills and led me to share my writing backstory with Dana. Dana listened and encouraged me to open my presentation with this story. I was hesitant, the experience had halted my inner writer for years. What if sharing it again had the same result?
This is our first-ever full-team statement to our community.
Many of us are fast approaching the sixth week of school. Many of us consider that the first of countless milestones in our school year. Six weeks in, routines are beginning to solidify,… Continue reading
The young writers sitting in our classroom will rise above the fears and struggles of being a writer, but it will take intentional planning, repetitive teaching, daily writing, and reteaching. Writing is hard work. Students don’t become writers because we have writing workshop. Writers become writers because teachers have clear intentions and a vision of what’s possible.
A few short weeks ago our new school year began. I am feeling the pressure of getting to know my students, setting up our room, and building a community of learners. In these early days I tread slowly.
Early on, as a writing teacher, I didn’t realize the power that talk plays in the writing workshop. Over the years, I have learned there are many benefits from intentionally making talk a priority.
Over the next eight days, my friends and I at Two Writing Teachers will share what goes into developing writers who work with agency, purpose, and independence in our Blog Series: Starting With What Matters Most. Set a reminder or mark your calendars, you won’t want to miss a day of these timely posts.
Stay tuned this morning as I add to this post about #KidLitPalooza, live from this amazing event that connects children’s authors to students!
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