THIS WEEKEND: The Tucson Festival of Books is taking place this-coming Saturday and Sunday. Click here to learn more about the events for children. Plus, there is PD Credit available for this event. NEXT WEEKEND: The 78th Saturday Reunion at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project will take place on Saturday, March 20th. Click… Continue reading Two Exciting Events on Opposite Ends of the Country
Category: tcrwp
The Power of Three
When I was at the TCRWP's Writing Institute a couple of weeks ago, there was a buzz about the power of three. Funny how I've been in and around lots of writing-related professional development in the past five years and have never heard anything about the power of three until mid-August. I heard it first… Continue reading The Power of Three
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Living Like a Writer: Why do you read and write?
I had the absolute pleasure of listening to Pam Muñoz Ryan deliver the keynote address at the TCRWP Writing Institute this past Wednesday. (And to make things even better, she even signed my copy of Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride for me.) The topic of her keynote address was “Reading to Write, and… Continue reading Living Like a Writer: Why do you read and write?
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Professional Talk: Differentiation in Word Study
I recall hearing about differentiated spelling words, for students in Word Study, the first time I visited the school I taught at in Rhode Island. I was unsure of how it would be possible to differentiate for students. Once I began teaching fourth grade in Rhode Island, I quickly learned the easiest way to find… Continue reading Professional Talk: Differentiation in Word Study
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SOLSC: Internal and External Writing
This week I am immersed in professional development at the TCRWP Writing Institute. One of the many things Lucy Calkins eloquently discussed in yesterday's Keynote Address was the idea of writing in order to figure out the internal story, rather than just writing the external story. Therefore, I challenge you to try to bring out… Continue reading SOLSC: Internal and External Writing
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Some Handwritten Notes from the Sat. Reunion
Regular readers of this blog have probably noticed my absence this last week. I was feeling, for lack of a better word, lousy. I came back from last weekend's TCRWP Saturday Reunion raring to go, but got stopped by forces beyond my control. I don't like feeling under the weather (who does?), especially when there… Continue reading Some Handwritten Notes from the Sat. Reunion
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Soon… Reflections About the Saturday Reunion
I spent the earlier part of today at the TCRWP Saturday Reunion. I attended the keynote and four sessions back-to-back. I took 39 pages of notes. I spent time with Jen from A Teacher's Life, but missed Sarah from The Reading Zone. I finally met Katherine Bomer, in person, whose work I truly admire. It… Continue reading Soon… Reflections About the Saturday Reunion
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Back to Basics: Conferring (Part of TWT’s Big Picture Series)
I consider myself fortunate to have learned more about the art of conferring with young writers from some of the best folks out there: Carl Anderson, Lucy Calkins, and Jen Serravallo. As many of you know, I spent a week of my summer studying more about conferring with Carl Anderson at the TCRWP Summer Institute… Continue reading Back to Basics: Conferring (Part of TWT’s Big Picture Series)
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Back to Basics: Minilesson Parts (Part of TWT’s Big Picture Series)
So what are the basic parts of a minilesson? Here's a short list according to the Teachers College Reading & Writing Project at Columbia University: Connection -- The reason for teaching today's lesson. A great way to start out is with these words, "Yesterday I noticed . . . " Our teaching should be in… Continue reading Back to Basics: Minilesson Parts (Part of TWT’s Big Picture Series)
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Writing Behaviors & the Process
With the action research project I'm about to embark on, I'm trying to get a better hold on the writing behaviors my students, who do not write regularly, possess. I reached for M. Colleen Cruz's New Book from the Workshop Help Desk Series entitled A Quick Guide to Reaching Struggling Writers. This book is chock-full… Continue reading Writing Behaviors & the Process
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Five Shakes of the Rain Stick
Emily Butler-Smith, a staff developer with the TCRWP led an interesting session on classroom management structures at the July Writing Institute. At first, I'm pretty happy with the routines and procedures I've established (and honed) over the past few years. However, I truly believe you can always get ideas from others, so I went. And… Continue reading Five Shakes of the Rain Stick
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The Makings of a TRUE Mentor Text
I realize I'm a bit late to the "Those Shoes Party," which is a touching text written by Maribeth Boelts and illustrated by Noah Z. Jones. Those Shoes was published in 2007 and is the story of a little boy who desperately wants the shoes that nearly everyone else in school has. The catch? His… Continue reading The Makings of a TRUE Mentor Text
