We don’t just want writers to be independent writers in our classrooms, we want them to be independent writers in the world! To do that, we need to offer frequent opportunities for them to begin with ideas, then choose genre — instead of the other way around.
Every year brings with it new surprises. I was delightfully surprised by just ten minutes this year. Ten minutes made a big difference.
Find out how Amelia Poor, age 12, learned “at a really young age how powerful writing can be.”
Amelia’s journey will surely inspire you and your young writers!
When thinking about the year ahead, you may be considering soft starts to the day. In this post, I share the why’s and how’s for having soft start to writing workshop.
We do all we can to keep kids writing over summer. But are we assigning tasks and busywork, or actually enriching their writerly lives?
I’ve created a tool to share with families and students of all ages to inspire writing for REAL purposes this summer and beyond.
Don’t let kids (or teachers) lose momentum for writing as summer approaches! There is no better time than now to implement independent writing projects, as we help kids prepare to lead writerly lives long after the school year ends.
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.
Four ways to encourage students to write after the school day is finished WITHOUT assigning writing as homework.
More and more, I’ve been recognizing the need to give students some freedom in their writing lives. Can independent writing time be the answer?
My favorite gifts to give are the ones that have come from my heart and my pen!
This week my colleagues and I are writing posts that we hope will make your life a little easier. We’re sharing some ways to work smarter, not harder.
You’ve got to practice writing to teach writing!
Some students want to write more than what is required of them in writing workshop. Enter independent writing projects! But how do you go from being another set of eyes on some additional writing a student does to helping him/her go public with their work?
Encouraging students to have back-up work honors who they are as writers.
Channeling students to write over the summer can generate loads of independence and engagement. Read on for tips on how to get started.
Today launches our Independent Writing Blog Series! Join us all week long as we write about writing projects, summer writing, getting published in the real world, multi-genre projects, pulling back to let kids write on their own, and much, much more! Also join us for a Twitter chat on Monday, May 12 at 8:30pm EST with the hashtag #TWTBlog.
My students were always shocked to learn that my favorite subject to teach wasn’t writing… it was social studies! I was a history minor in college and almost considered getting my first master’s… Continue reading
An interview with Author Germano Zullo + a giveaway of his new book, Line 135.
If you’re planning to launch independent writing projects in your class during the final weeks of school, then you’ll most likely have several students who might want to write a book about a… Continue reading
The Day My Mom Came to Kindergarten can be used to help kids find a topic and to teach students a variety of craft moves. Read more about this book and then leave a comment if you’d like a chance to win a copy.
