The other day, I did it again. I drafted an email to my bosses. Read it. Reread it. Hit send. Got distracted. Then… saw it. The error. These moments of regret keep me humble! And so, when I notice students not applying taught spelling and grammar concepts, I remind myself that they are not defiantly… Continue reading Editing Along the Way…Often in 5 Minutes or Less
Category: grammar
Bring on the Fun with Sentence Construction
Who says grammar can't be fun in a third-grade classroom? And who says young writers can't understand complex concepts like dependent and independent clauses? And who knew I'd be using poop, sentence structures, and a variety of clauses in the same sentence in front of a room of third-graders?
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Minilesson Alternatives: Considering OTHER Ways to Kick Off Workshop
If you have ever felt that you were going through the motions of a minilesson, know that there are plenty of other ways you can choose to gather as a community and launch writing time. Here are ten alternatives for beginning a writing workshop session - - with joy, intention, and inspiration.
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Step Up Interactive Writing (…And Sneak In More Spelling, Vocabulary, and Grammar)
As teachers, we know that when writers encode with ease, they are better able to focus on their ideas. Interactive writing is the perfect setting to build this competency.
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The Power of Small Words and Combinations
Why are some sentences stronger than others? What makes a sentence powerful? What are the subtle but important differences that a single word can make? Maybe you'll inspire some word-based debates as you nudge along fluency and language skills.
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Many Reasons to Love the Oxford Comma
I love the Oxford comma. But not for the reasons you might think.
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Chatting About Conventions with Jeff Anderson & Whitney La Rocca
Let’s talk grammar! Listen-in to a conversation Stacey recently had with Jeff Anderson and Whitney La Rocca about language conventions.
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Why Teach Syntax?
Grammar is a set of craft moves, not a set of rules.
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Grammar and Conventions: Meet Writers Where They Are
Have you ever wondered what to do if some of your students don't understand a grade-level grammatical skill? This post will help you determine how to move those children towards the end-of-year expectations for your grade level.
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Using Personal Editing Checklists At-Home
Many caregivers believe that grammar, usage, mechanics, and spelling is what matters most when reading their child's writing. Children’s writing should be readable, not perfect. What matters most RIGHT NOW is that kids are engaging in the act of putting words on the page or on a screen. Therefore, we can teach young writers how to use a personal editing checklist to help them make their writing more readable anytime they finish crafting a piece of writing.
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Something Do-Able to Try: The Editing Minute
Most of us probably do it without even thinking much about it, but our young writers might not have developed this important habit.
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Using Inquiry to Lift Language Conventions
As middle school teachers, we know grammar and language conventions have likely been taught to our writers in previous years. But why don't they stick? Here are a few ideas around teaching grammar and language conventions using an inquiry approach...
TWO WRITING TEACHERS 