A meeting place for a world of reflective writers.
These tumbleweeds feel like a metaphor for the writers in our workshops: the times they dance freely across the landscape and the times they get stuck. As a teacher of writers, it’s prompting me to step back and reflect on those stuck places. I hope to offer you a similar moment of reflection on the tumbleweed-jams that might be forming in your own workshop(s).
Writing workshop is powerful because it is a consistent investment of time for writers to work with intention at their craft. It is sacred space. As teachers of workshop, we are intentional about teaching writers something every day. This is how growth happens—day by day over weeks and months and years.
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.
For the past two weeks, I’ve been immersing myself in some reflection. This book, TEACHING WRITERS TO REFLECT, has been an excellent tool as I pass along reflective practices to my students.
Do you make time for your writers to reread? Rereading is one of those pieces of the workshop we might be assuming our writers are doing but direction is needed to really make it a habit. Here are five tips to give rereading a place in your writing workshop this year.
As we approach the end of another school year, many of us begin making plans for outgrowing ourselves. But what might be some lenses to think through when taking on such a task? I have a few ideas . . .
Sometimes it’s the feedback our students — rather than our administrators — give us that help us become better teachers.
Here’s a preview about our upcoming blog series that will help you close-out your writing workshop in meaningful ways.
How do you respond to the recursive “I’m done,” and every other form of the phrase? Maybe it isn’t about them.
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.
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!
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.
Thinking back over the year, what do you hope to continue or change before students return in the fall?
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.
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.
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?
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.
Do your on-demand writing samples go into a folder or do they help you plan your next steps?
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?”
What goals will you set for your practice this year? Here are a few suggestions.
TWO WRITING TEACHERS 