reflections · Reflective Practice · Slice of Life Story Challenge · sundays for the soul · Write: It's good for you!

Sundays for the Soul: SOLSC Reflections

Here is a roundup of reflections from Slice of Life Story Challenge. Trust me, there's not much better than this for your soul. (My apologies if I missed yours. If you wrote a reflection and it's not on this list, pleasepleaseplease add it to the comments.) One of the common themes throughout the reflections is… Continue reading Sundays for the Soul: SOLSC Reflections

digital writing · Reflective Practice · slice of life · Write: It's good for you!

Processing My Learning (Ruth’s SOLS)

    One of my favorite parts of my job is I am privileged to a lot of professional development. Often when I travel to conferences, I attend with our district reading coach, Deb Gaby. Over the years, Deb and I have developed a comfortable routine of traveling together. I know she likes some alone… Continue reading Processing My Learning (Ruth’s SOLS)

reflections · Reflective Practice · Slice of Life Story Challenge

SOLS Challenge in the Classroom

I am thrilled to hear so many plans to extend Slice of Life Story Challenge to your classrooms. Thank you to those who have shared their thinking. My friend Ruth Metcalfe (she posts in the comments as "the other ruth"),  has generously shared her reflective thinking, anchor chart, and templates for a SOLS Challenge book… Continue reading SOLS Challenge in the Classroom

olw · Reflective Practice

How’s Your OLW?

I think choosing a OLW (one little word) for the year is a great way to embark on a reflective life. When I chose vitality for my OLW, I knew I was in for a lot of learning. I expected to learn about physical health and healthy eating, but I also learned about spiritual and… Continue reading How’s Your OLW?

giveaway · professional books · Reflective Practice · responsive classroom

An Inspirational Professional Text + A Giveaway

When I was a classroom teacher I had my fair share of challenging students.  Through the years I taught had quite a few students with social-emotional issues, learning disabilities, and discipline problems.  I've had students hide underneath desks, crawl on the floor of the classroom, and who've screamed at classmates when things haven't gone their… Continue reading An Inspirational Professional Text + A Giveaway

NCTE · Reflective Practice

NCTE: A Very Brief Reflection

Hugged.Home.Unpacked.Can't wait to talk with Andy.But first, a very brief reflection of NCTE. I promise more will come. Still, in a word, this is what I'm taking away from NCTE 2010:JoyYes, joy. I am joyful for the privileged work I get to do each day. I'm joyful to write alongside students, allowing my love for weaving words… Continue reading NCTE: A Very Brief Reflection

Reflective Practice

Feeling Stressed?

It's that time of year for teachers . . . everything is piling-up, we've passed the "honeymoon period," and our lists of things to do could stretch to the moon (and back). Add on top of that the shorter days of the season, as well as the upcoming holidays and it is no surprised many… Continue reading Feeling Stressed?

conferences · Reflective Practice

Will you be at KSRA?

Ruth and I will be presenting twice at the upcoming Keystone State Reading Association Conference in Hershey, PA this-coming Sunday and Monday.  Our presentations are scheduled for Sunday afternoon, October 24th at 4:00 p.m. and on Monday morning, October 25th at 9:30 a.m.  Both presentations are entitled "Refining Reflective Practice: Pathways to Building a Stronger… Continue reading Will you be at KSRA?

conferring · Reflective Practice

Conferring.

Tomorrow I get to meet with a book study group. We're going to read Conferring: The Keystone to Reader's Workshop by Patrick Allen. Deb Gaby, an incredible reading coach for my district is leading the study and asked us to reflect on a few questions before tomorrow. Write down what you hope to gain from… Continue reading Conferring.

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

Reflective Practice · writing workshop

What is MOST important?

This question has been tumbling around in my mind lately: What is most important when it comes to literacy instruction? It stems from state mandates, district expectations, curriculum guides, and instructional minutes being cut. More importantly, though, I believe it is a question each of us ought to answer. Years ago I read a book… Continue reading What is MOST important?

books · mentor texts · Reflective Practice · video

Words that are Speaking to Me

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you. --- Maya Angelou Remember awhile back when I shared about my YA reading life? I promised to share the way I'm closely rereading and studying a few of the books. One of the titles is Kristina McBride's (she's blogger!) The Tension of Opposites… Continue reading Words that are Speaking to Me