partnerships · sharing · student engagement · Talking · work space · writers · writing space · writing workshop · writing workshop routines

Three Keys to Writing Partnership Success

There can be many moving parts in the writing workshop. Partnerships can be a driving force in the growth and goal setting of writers within your classroom. In my experience, there are three areas I work to strengthen within my writers to ensure partnerships foster this growth and development across the year.

goals · lesson plans · student engagement · Student ownership

Questions as Learning Target Prompts

Learning targets, Post-Its, and I Can statements live in classrooms everywhere. Consider building those together through questions and prompts!

greenbelt writing · hopes and dreams · independence · independent writing · independent writing projects · informal writing · motivation · publishing · student engagement · Student ownership · writer's notebook · writing workshop

Ten Possible Minutes: Sacred Writing

Every year brings with it new surprises. I was delightfully surprised by just ten minutes this year. Ten minutes made a big difference.

coaching · engagement · management · routines · student engagement · writing workshop routines

I Love Watching You Write: Research from the World of Sports Applied in the Classroom

Research on effective sports coaching suggests adults would do well by kids to cut down on criticism and focus more on the joy simply playing.

back to school · observations · student engagement

Our Job: Noticers-in-Chief

Whether or not you have started school already or you are taking those final deep breaths before your first day, let us remember one thing that sets us writing workshop teachers apart from other methodologies, curricula, programs, and/or approaches to teaching writing: we NOTICE.

feedback · independent writing · inspiration · Looking Back and Moving Forward Blog Series · student engagement · Student ownership · writing workshop

Our Most Powerful Tool- Our Words: Looking Back And Moving Forward

In Visible Learning For Literacy, Fisher, Frey, and Hattie, explain “When feedback is delivered in such that it is timely, specific, understandable, and actionable students assimilate the language used by their teacher into their self-talk. (2016, 100)” These words stopped me. When our words become the self-talk of our students, they become the most influential tool we have as teachers.

guest blogger · high school · student engagement · student work · writing

Engaging High School Students in Writing — A Guest Blog Post by the #BowTieBoys

Ryan Hur, Tam Mandanis, Kellen Pluntke, Rishi Singh, Christian Sporre, and Dawson Unger are six of the Bow Tie Boys who are a group of high school students from Northern Virginia. Today they take on the topic of student engagement in secondary writing classes.

Beyond the Fundamentals Blog Series · scaffolding charts · small group · student engagement · Writing Workshop Fundamentals blog series

Student-Led Small Groups: Beyond the Fundamentals of Writing Workshop

Small group instruction allows for efficiency and strategy sessions with more than one student. Allowing students to lead these groups and sessions gives purpose and opportunity to not only further the understandings of the leader but impacts your community of writers as they grow.

Brooke Geller · inspiration · student engagement

What’s the Keynote of the Unit?

Hurriedly making my way through the front door of the majestic Riverside Chapel on Manhattan's Upper West Side, I glanced at my watch.  Late, I thought to myself.  Oh well, I'm sure I can still find a seat.  To my surprise, I was politely directed not to the actual main body of the chapel, but… Continue reading What’s the Keynote of the Unit?

strategies · strategy charts · struggling writers · student engagement · writing workshop

What Are They Looking At? Tackling Slow Starters

Helping students take back their writing time when they are a slow starter.

aimee buckner · demonstration · don graves · professional books · professional development · student engagement · writing workshop

When Writers Drive The Workshop: Review and Giveaway

When Writers Drive the Workshop is a book with heart. Brian Kissel writes with passion, voice, humility, conviction, and wisdom. The stories he shares from the student writers he worked with are stories that will stay with you, reminding you why doing this work matters so much. Read the rest of the book review and leave a comment for a chance to win your own copy of When Writers Drive the Workshop! (You will want to win!)

genre · ideas for the future · inspiration · strategy charts · student engagement · writer's notebook · writing workshop

Got Stuck?

What option can you give your students when they just get stuck?