Slice of Life Story Challenge · the persona of a writer · writer identity · writers

Sign up for the 16th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge #SOL23

Attention new and returning Slicers: Please fill out this year’s participant information form. Filling out the form takes less than five minutes and helps us stay organized during the Challenge.

writers

When The “Help Desk” Fails: Rethinking Support for Writers

The Setup: Help Desk, Open for Business It started out like any other writing workshop time. Kids were settling into their work spots, some grabbing keyboards, others tapping away on their iPad screens. There was a certain level of productive noise as students figured out what projects they wanted to work on and how, and… Continue reading When The “Help Desk” Fails: Rethinking Support for Writers

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.

community · teacher of writing · teacher writing · Teachers who write · Write: It's good for you! · writer identity · writers · writing · writing process · writing workshop · young authors

Writing Takes Guts: My Writing Backstory

The realization of this moment gave me chills and led me to share my writing backstory with Dana. Dana listened and encouraged me to open my presentation with this story. I was hesitant, the experience had halted my inner writer for years. What if sharing it again had the same result?

BLOG SERIES: Starting with What Matters Most in Writing Workshop · blogging · writers · writing · writing workshop

We Are Writers Here! Starting with What Matters Most

When I think about what I first want my students to know, what matters most to me as a teacher of writing, more than capital letters or topic sentences or punctuation, I want them to believe they have ideas worth sharing and stories worth telling. I want them to know their voice matters and their words can make a difference. I want them to believe they are writers, right now, whatever their reading proficiency, whatever their language background, whatever their home circumstances. WE ARE WRITERS HERE. We all matter, we all belong, we all can and should write.

drafting · editing · growth mindset · independent writing · mistakes · notebooks · process · publishing · revision · risk-taking · routines · writers · writing · writing process · writing workshop

An Eraser-Free Workshop and the Language We Use for Talking About It

When I visit a classroom, one of the first things I often say to kids is, "Today, please don't erase. I want to see ALL the great work you are doing as a writer. When you erase, your work disappears!" Often, this is what kids are accustomed to and they continue working away. But sometimes, kids stare at me as if I've got two heads.