professional books · writing space · writing workshop

Make Writing: A Book Review

Make Writing: 5 Teaching Strategies That Turn Writer's Workshop Into a Maker Space is a "MUST READ" for writing teachers. It is a quick read (less than 100 pages), inspiring, practical, and very current, as "maker spaces" are a hot topic in education today. These strategies can be used with all age levels, bring fresh energy to writing workshop, and allow for more students to find their voices as writers.

details · giveaway · professional books · writing workshop

The Big Book of Details: A Review & Giveaway

Are you always telling your students to add detail? This book is for you. Enter to win a copy!

character development · colleen cruz · community · professional books · responsive classroom · writing workshop

Four Books for Your Summer Reading List

These four titles are inspirational and useful resources for teachers. Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win one of them.

interview · mentor texts · professional books

Talking About Unlikely Mentors with Lisa Eickholdt

Using students’ writing as mentor texts builds kids’ self-esteem and lifts the level of writing of every other student in the room.

conferring · Jennifer Serravallo · professional books · strategic conferring · strategies · strategy lessons · writing about reading

The Reading Strategies Book

Have plans mid-June? Cancel them and prepare to run to your nearest bookstore. The Reading Strategies Book by Jen Serravallo is a must and is intended for grades K-8!

professional books · Q & A · revision

Revision Decisions Blog Tour: A Q&A with Anderson and Dean

Revision needs to have a sense that a window of possibility is still open to allow another draft in.

authors · giveaway · grammar · illustrators · professional books · professional development · public education · summer vacation

Five on Friday + Book Giveaways

Want to obtain some high quality professional development at no cost to you? Need some books to sink your teeth into this summer? Feel like kicking back and just enjoying some time off? If you answered "yes," to one of these questions, then read on!

craft · mentor texts · professional books · writing

Sharing Some Exciting News

I'm proud to announce my second professional book with Stenhouse Publishers will be coming to you in the winter of 2016.

professional books · student teacher · teacher of writing · writing workshop

A Dozen Book Recommendations for New Writing Teachers

With so many fantastic books about the teaching of writing out there, how do teachers who are new to writing workshop know what to read first? Here are 12 books I think all teachers of writing should read.

authors · conferring · engagement · professional books

Keep Learning

Today I read a few pages from Peter Johnston's book, Choice Words. You know this book, right? If not, it is a small, powerful read that can change your teaching life forever. (If you click on the link, you can preview the book online.) In the excerpt I read, Johnston writes: Of course, if students… Continue reading Keep Learning

common core · preparing students for the 21st century · professional books

Common Core — Appendices

Many of us are digging into Common Core Standards. We are spending time reading the standards, figuring out what they mean, and noticing how they grow from grade to grade. Indiana (my state) adopted Common Core State Standards several years ago, so I'm familiar with the standards. What I'm realizing now is the usefulness of… Continue reading Common Core — Appendices

coaching · common core · conferences · professional books · professional development

Choice Literacy: Coaching the Common Core {Part 2 of 3}

The second portion of the Choice Literacy workshop, Coaching the Common Core was led by Heather Rader. Heather is the author of Side By Side: Short Takes on Best Practice for Teachers and Literacy Leaders. She is the senior editor for Choice Literacy and an instructional coach  I hope you know Heather's work. She is… Continue reading Choice Literacy: Coaching the Common Core {Part 2 of 3}