I've been percolating some ideas for the Celebrating Writers book Christi Overman and I are working on and expect to have out later this year with Stenhouse. We pretty much had it drafted, but then, looking back after letting it settle realized (due to the insight of our editor) that it just wasn't quite right.… Continue reading Celebrating Versus Publishing
Category: Reflective Practice
Another Way to Launch a Review Unit
Yesterday in Mr. Gause's third grade class, some incredible thinking was happening. This week we launched into reviews. Earlier in the week, he asked students to test different toy cars and then select the one they thought was the best. Then they met as a group and talked about their choice. Yesterday, during the minilesson,… Continue reading Another Way to Launch a Review Unit
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REVIEW Unit Launch
This week I launched a REVIEW UNIT in several third grade classrooms. On the first day I asked, "Have you ever heard of a review?" Heads shook. "Okay, then, let me show you some," I said. We spent time looking at some reviews I pulled up via the internet on the SmartBoard. We read reviews… Continue reading REVIEW Unit Launch
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Ruth’s OLW: Reflection 2011 + Word 2012.
First a little reflection on OLW '11... I chose this word because I felt like it encompassed everything in my life. The list of words in the tape along the bottom of the image, shows the connections I was interested in making. I was surprised to find the online connections I make just as integral… Continue reading Ruth’s OLW: Reflection 2011 + Word 2012.
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Writing Groups + Classrooms
My writing group is an important part of my life as a writer. It's more than just accountability, but feedback and camaraderie and, well, if I'm super honest, fun. When I was a classroom teacher, I didn't do a very good job of establishing writing groups, or crit partners, for my students. I see now they were… Continue reading Writing Groups + Classrooms
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A Blogging Secret
I have a little secret about blogging. Sometimes I don't feel like blogging. Sometimes I want to avoid the little post box. Sometimes, like right now, I'm so far behind on my email that I wonder if I will be eaten alive when I do open my inbox. But I blog anyway. I've realized I… Continue reading A Blogging Secret
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QR Codes
My kids are junkies when it comes to QR Codes. They love spotting them. They are addicted to the thrill of scanning. They like the possibility of where the QR Code might take them. Today in the Tech Workshop (which should be renamed to Taking Time to Tackle Technology), we talked a little about QR… Continue reading QR Codes
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What are you writing?
Short post since my internet is slow at best, although nonexistent is more accurate. My school was canceled today. I spent a lot of my day writing. I've been revising my query letter and my first novel. So far the first 38 pages have been revised into 18. It's hard work. Hard. Hard. Work. Not to mention… Continue reading What are you writing?
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Word Count
I've had a daily word count for awhile. I'm not sure exactly when it started, but I think it was while writing Day by Day. However, it was while becoming serious about writing fiction that my word count became as much a part of my day as brushing my teeth. I think this is true… Continue reading Word Count
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Filling Needs.
I have this job that I'm incredibly thankful for. It gives me a chance to focus -- really focus -- on the teaching of writing. Naturally I'm interested in all areas of literacy, as well as other content areas (for those of you who don't know I'm a licensed biology and chemistry teacher), but my… Continue reading Filling Needs.
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Forty Years.
Happy anniversary Mom and Dad! Forty years ago today they were married. It's kinda a big deal, you know, to be married for forty years. It gives me pause and makes me think about what it takes to have that level of commitment. Like usual, my thoughts swirl around to teaching writing. What does my… Continue reading Forty Years.
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Storytelling
One of the ways Martha Horn suggests launching workshop is to spend a significant amount of time steeping the workshop in storytelling. In fact, she suggests every child tell a story aloud to the entire class. She shares this approach along with Mary Ellen Giacobbe in their book Talking, Drawing, Writing (Stenhouse, 2007). She also… Continue reading Storytelling
