handwriting · letter formation · letter writing

Effective Strategies for Teaching Handwriting in Grades 3-8

With the rise in digital technology, it's easy to forget about the importance of handwriting. But remember, it's not just a lost art. It's the key to unlocking deeper reading and writing capabilities for your students.

letter writing · summer vacation

Handwritten Letters & Summer Snail Mail

Letter writing is a fun way to end the school year and launch students into summer writing. Bonus: personalize the postcard template and set up a class/school summer writing challenge!

community · letter writing · writing workshop

Thoughtful Third Grader: Building Relationships Through Writing

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? 

back to school · community · letter writing · writing workshop

Write Them Back!

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?

end of year reflection · letter writing · Looking Back and Moving Forward Blog Series · reflections · Reflective Practice

End-of-Year Letters: Looking Back and Moving Forward

Sometimes it's the feedback our students -- rather than our administrators -- give us that help us become better teachers.

Authentic Purposes for Writing Blog Series · letter writing

Friendly Letter Writing: Authentic Purposes for Writing

Thoughts about making time for letter writing in the classroom.

letter writing · mentor texts · picture book

Two New Mentor Texts I Adore + Book Giveaways

I've always been a diary and letter person.  I have loads of journals from my childhood and post-college years.  To this day, I relish letters I saved from my childhood since they're a permanent reminder of a time in my life.  In these days of e-mail, texts, and Tweets, correspondence and journals can be savored.… Continue reading Two New Mentor Texts I Adore + Book Giveaways

letter writing · lucy calkins · revision · writing

In Your Own Words

First drafts usually contain the words anybody can write. Revision is the key to crafting writing that sounds just like you.

letter writing · technology · units of study

E-mail: A Mini Unit of Study

After reading "Technology and the College Generation," I've come to believe teachers of writing need to craft mini units of study to help kids learn to use e-mail confidently.

letter writing · mentor texts

The Day the Crayons Quit + a Giveaway

You can use The Day the Crayons Quit as a mentor text to teach everything from personification to persuasive letter writing. Find out how to use this text with your students. Also, leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of this book for your classroom library.

letter writing · mentor texts · persuasive writing

A Persuasive Touchstone Text

Karen Kaufman Orloff wrote I Wanna Iguana, which quickly became one of my favorite texts to use with my students to teach voice in persuasive letter writing.  She's out with a new book, I Wanna New Room, which can be added to my growing list of touchstone texts for a persuasive unit. If you're familiar… Continue reading A Persuasive Touchstone Text

letter writing

“The Lost Art” of Letter Writing

I was recently talking with a friend whose daughter was spending the summer at sleep away camp.  I was curious about how she was going to communicate with her since e-mail and texting are so prevalent.  She told me her daughter wasn't allowed to bring a smart phone and that the computer lab wasn't open… Continue reading “The Lost Art” of Letter Writing