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Category: community
Visual Writer Introductions
Fostering a nurturing writing community at the beginning of the school year means taking the time to build a community of writers. Here's an artistic way you can have students introduce themselves, and their quirks, to their peers.
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Living Well in the Classroom
Last week I found myself reading through The Community Review, which is the Jewish newspaper for Greater Harrisburg. Rabbi Akiva Males of Kesher Israel Congregation wrote a tribute to teacher Victoria Soto who hid many of her students when the gunman entered her classroom. While I've read much about Soto's heroism, there was something that… Continue reading Living Well in the Classroom
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A national tragedy impacts all of us.
I don't want to imagine receiving an automated phone call from my child's school telling me there has been a shooting there. That's what happened today in Newtown, CT after a gunman entered Sandy Hook Elementary School and began shooting. When I heard there was a school shooting today in Connecticut, I immediately thought about… Continue reading A national tragedy impacts all of us.
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Because of WMS…
I began my career as a seventh grade language arts teacher at Wawasee Middle School. Thirteen years later, I remain in the same district, but in a different position. My career path has taken me into hundreds of classrooms. I've been able to learn about writers from preschool to college. I've developed many diverse relationships.… Continue reading Because of WMS…
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Vintage Ayres {2007}: The Heart of It All
I'm smiling at the phrase Vintage Ayres. It's a little bit of a smirk because, really, am I old enough to qualify as vintage? Maybe not. But definitely so in blog years. I began blogging in March 2006. My first blog was called Inspiring Readers and Writers and it has since been moved to private… Continue reading Vintage Ayres {2007}: The Heart of It All
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Wow. Just Wow.
Awhile ago I was a 7th grade language arts teacher. My last year in the classroom I had one of the coolest classes that may have ever been compiled. It was the last block of the day. There were 22 of them, and they all came from very different walks of life. Outside of the… Continue reading Wow. Just Wow.
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Voiceless Visitors
I came across "Ode to the voiceless visitor" during last week's Slice of Life Story Challenge. Riss Leung posted it over at L.I.T. Ladies. It resonated with me since I often wonder why some of the things I write receive a lot of hits, but very few comments. Ruth and I have talked about this… Continue reading Voiceless Visitors
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Mr. Stowlkey and Mr. Smith
Mr. Stowlkey and Mr. Smith were the teachers in one of the kindergarten writing workshops I was in today. They are incredible teachers. They are both six. (Normally I don't refer to students as Mr. or Miss...but since they were acting as teachers today, they wanted to go with this form of their names. I'll… Continue reading Mr. Stowlkey and Mr. Smith
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Are we having fun yet?
Slicing is supposed to be fun. Sure it's a challenge. Not just the challenge of writing every single day for a month, but also the challenge of the technology. Unique URL? Commenting? Where do I link? If I miss a day can I still share my link? There are questions that abound. Most of these… Continue reading Are we having fun yet?
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New Slicers Only: Who Is Motivating You as a Writer?
Last month, I ran a post announcing the prizes for this year's Slice of Life Story Challenge. I promised four prizes would be given away during the month of March. I hinted that the prizes would be given away based on commenting and writing streaks. Well, today is the first of three prize giveaways and… Continue reading New Slicers Only: Who Is Motivating You as a Writer?
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Another Way to Launch a Review Unit
Yesterday in Mr. Gause's third grade class, some incredible thinking was happening. This week we launched into reviews. Earlier in the week, he asked students to test different toy cars and then select the one they thought was the best. Then they met as a group and talked about their choice. Yesterday, during the minilesson,… Continue reading Another Way to Launch a Review Unit
