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.
Category Archive: reflective practice
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Preview: Looking Back and Moving Forward Blog Series
Here’s a preview about our upcoming blog series that will help you close-out your writing workshop in meaningful ways.
Do You Ever Wonder?
How do you respond to the recursive “I’m done,” and every other form of the phrase? Maybe it isn’t about them.
The Power of Language Revisited
When it comes to the teaching of writing in a writing workshop, language is everything. It is through the words we teachers choose that writers are created, built up, encouraged, and inspired.
The Intentional Educator Planner (Giveaway)
I’ve always wanted to keep a reflective journal about my teaching but in the hustle and bustle of a busy school day, that seemed to be the first thing to go from list of “to-do’s.” I’m hopeful that having a place to reflect right in my plan book will encourage me to take time to write down my thoughts and ideas each week. The 2017-2018 Intentional Educator Planner will be just the place!
Learning From Student Reflections
I’ve been thinking a lot about my year teaching third grade and the writing my students did. I had thoughts, opinions and ideas about what went right and where I still needed to make changes, refine my practice, be more strategic. Then, it dawned on me: I really need to ask my students what they think.
Five Questions for Reflection
Thinking back over the year, what do you hope to continue or change before students return in the fall?
How Do We Help Students Find Their Why?
At first, pride filled my heart, but as I continued to watch, I realized the work ethics I was watching at that moment hadn’t been as clear nor intentional throughout the year. The day’s show of teamwork could have been the culmination of a year’s work, but I knew it was something more.
Pausing to Reflect: Personal Essays
My third graders are wrapping up their unit on personal essay. While some have grasped the structure and have articulated reasons and examples to support their argument, others have struggled to understand the concept of an essay. I want to take some time to think about what went right when teaching this unit and where the breakdowns occurred.
Writing: A Path to Become an Intentional Educator
What if there was a way to build in opportunities to reflect, in writing, about my teaching right in the place where the lesson plans reside? And what if that place could also offer daily inspiration and opportunities to set positive intentions for the week ahead?
If Your School Year Were a Book: Endings
As the end of this particular school year draws near, you might think about the qualities of your favorite stories to help you plan an ending that is meaningful for your students.
Where Do We Go Next? Use a Checklist!
Do your on-demand writing samples go into a folder or do they help you plan your next steps?
Reflecting: What kind of writer am I?
Before you plan to ask your students to reflect on the kinds of writers they are (for their end-of-year self-assessments), be sure you ask yourself “What kind of writer am I?”
Beginning a Year of Teaching Writing with Reflection
What goals will you set for your practice this year? Here are a few suggestions.
Ending a Year of Teaching Writing with a Group Reflection
One thing I love so much about being an educator is the cyclical nature of the school year. The beginning of the year brings promise, renewed energy, and a certain mania. The middle… Continue reading
Teaching Reflective Writers
Dana Murphy shares some thoughts about the expectations we place on students when we ask them to reflect on their writing.
I survived my first Twitter Chat!
Reflections on my first Twitter Chat: what worked well, what overwhelmed me, and some silly things I tweeted.
Writing Matters
Today Deb Gaby and I finished leading the third day of a three-day Foundations of Writing Workshop training. At the end, we asked for reflections. Teacher after teacher commented on the impact of… Continue reading
Friday Favorites
Unfortunately I don’t have a photo from Favorite #1. Christy Rush-Levine and I met for a walk + dinner on Tuesday. Christy is one of those people who help me feel grounded and… Continue reading
This Quote
I love this quote. It is one of my favorites to share in a workshop. I read it today with an epic-cool group of teachers at Southbury School. (I learned epic-cool from a… Continue reading