notebooks · personalization · writer's notebook

From the Outside In: Covering Writers’ Notebooks

How do we help students to see the power in the writer's notebook? It can start before the pen even hits the page. It can start from the outside in.

advanced writers · conferring · differentiation · Meet Writers Where They Are Blog Series · mentor texts · personalization · reading-writing connections

Imagination Bait: Meet (and Hook) Advanced Writers Where They Are

My strategy for meeting the needs of advanced writers: personalization. Strategic, pre-planned opportunities, set like a vision trap to capture the imagination of each writer. Once caught, these writers can be reeled in to a level of complexity they had no idea they were ready (and willing) to try.

assessment · authentic assessment · data · feedback · formative assessment · giveaway · goals · growth mindset · high school · middle school · monitoring student learning · peer conferring · personalization · reading-writing connections · record keeping · Reflective Practice · Sarah M. Zerwin · self-assessment · standards · student engagement · Student ownership · writing workshop

Point-Less by Sarah M. Zerwin: A Review and Giveaway

Sarah Zerwin is workshop to her core, and she has found ways to ensure that her assessment practices are not sending conflicting messages to kids. Point-Less will challenge readers to reflect and inspire them to advocate for change.

Expand the Possibilities of Genres You Teach · personalization · process log · writer identity · writing process · writing workshop

The Writer’s Process: Expand the Possibilities of the Genres You Teach

What do you find most challenging when it comes to the writing process? Have you considered a writer's process as personal and unique or a step-by-step path rarely disrupted?

personalization · technology · writing workshop

8 Great Ways to Meet Writers Where They Are

Throughout the conference, I watched, listened, and played with digital tools and all along I thought about our students and how digital tools have the capability to make all students feel successful.  I was in awe of the opportunities digital devices bring to our classrooms.

books · character development · choice · curriculum · curriculum planning · drafting · fiction · focus lesson · free verse poetry · genre · lesson plans · lessons learned from students · mentor author · mentor texts · mentoring · narrative · organization · personalization · plan · poetry · point of view · primary grades · process · publishing · reflections · Reflective Practice · writer's notebook · writing process · writing workshop

Highlights from the Week

I have been in a lot of different writing workshops lately. Just this week I've been in 13 writing workshops and have met with 13 different teachers in either reflective practice meetings or planning meetings. Therefore, I have SO MUCH I want to record. Which leads me to my current dilemma: what do I not… Continue reading Highlights from the Week

personalization · plan book

Personalized Plan Books

This past March my plan book fell apart. Therefore, I created a new one on Winkflash, which had a special ($19.99 for a 100 pg. hardcover book). I don't think Winkflash has that special any more, but the idea of creating my own plan book again, so that it's customized to my tastes, appeals to… Continue reading Personalized Plan Books

art · creativity · inspiration · personalization · ralph fletcher · relaxation · the persona of a writer · writers · writing space

a special space.

I've been a writing coach for four years now.  My arm was gently twisted at the end of the school year when I was planning on looping my seventh graders into eighth grade.  After the painstaking art of decision making I decided to venture out of the classroom to see what life was like for… Continue reading a special space.

personalization · writer's notebook

Drumroll please…

I took Cliff and Jen's advice and turned my time (after I recopied a bunch of poems though) into something productive for my students. I bought the Moleskine Cahiers at a Barnes & Noble Store yesterday since I realized I could use my Educator Discount since they were for my class. I personalized them, added… Continue reading Drumroll please…

personalization · writer's notebook

Decorating Writer’s Notebooks

Kate (the other fourth grade teacher at my school) & I are planning on spending Friday, 9/7 decorating writer's notebooks with our students. I'm thinking that it should be almost like a scrapbooking party. I'm in search of affordable places to buy lots of stickers for the kids to personalize their notebooks. I am not… Continue reading Decorating Writer’s Notebooks