shared writing · writing workshop

Shared Writing: A tool to come back to

For many writers, myself included, completing a piece of writing is a major accomplishment. For some writers, it's hard to even envision a completed piece of writing. Shared writing can be a really useful strategy for inspiring these writers!

blogging · mentor texts · Slice of Life Story Challenge · writing workshop

Blogging to Build a Writing Habit

Preparing for a presentation on how blogging can help you build a writing habit, I've been reflecting on the power of blogging. The rewards are many. How has blogging shaped your life?

choice · community · Distance Learning · Freewriting · guest blogger · Voices from the Community · writing workshop

Becoming Writers Together: The Joyful Writers’ Club

Carving out space and time for experiences that honor student agency and their diverse writing lives is not only empowering but also gifts them with the habit of writing and the identity as writers. We can write our way through this pandemic, together and emerge as writers.

At-Home Learning · Distance Learning · independent writing · kindergarten · rehearsal · writing workshop

Deconstructing the Rehearsal

Intentionally putting a focus on rehearsal took me on a deeper exploration of its importance in my remote classroom.

writing workshop

Getting Ready for Literary Essay

Immersion Work I first learned about immersion work from a former staff developer at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, Annie Taranto. Annie led a 3-day institute on the Coaching of Writing at the Ovington School in Brooklyn, New York. One of the most impactful methods I learned that week was immersion. I remember… Continue reading Getting Ready for Literary Essay

social justice · writing workshop

Activism, Achievement, Abundance: Celebrations of Black Excellence

Through the variety of resources, the widening of access points, the flexibility of expression, and the inclusion of art as a mode for interpretation and analysis, all students- especially students who have been historically marginalized- have additional opportunities for impactful instruction and participation.

independent writing projects · inspiration · writing workshop

Words Matter: Using Affirmations in Writing Workshop

Our words to our students matter. What our students say to themselves matters. We can inspire and uplift the conversation by using affirmations throughout our teaching and in writing workshop.

month-long planning · plan · process · process log · writing process · writing workshop

Personal Writing Calendars for Each Student

With a personal writing calendar, each kid can see what is going to happen in the unit of study, and has the power to adjust it.

how-to writing · kindergarten · remote instruction · writing workshop

Horse-Sitting and How-to Writing

A silver lining of teaching remotely has been opportunities, like this one, to elevate authentic reasons to read and write. Kids are curious about how others do things, and they have so much real-world expertise to share. A strategy such as this one gives our youngest writers access to topics that might otherwise exceed their emergent writing skills.

writing workshop

Seeking Prize Donations for the 14th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge

Two Writing Teachers offers prizes to participants of the Slice of Life Story Challenge. At the present time, we are seeking readers of our blog who are willing to donate a prize for the participants of the Slice of Life Story Challenge .

writing workshop

What Now? Pause. Observe. Reflect.

There is a freshness in a new year that can feel like an opportunity to evaluate our practices. In this post, I'm sharing what I'm doing to determine where I am and where I want to go. Maybe you want to come along too!

writing workshop

How do we give permission?

At the start of the pandemic, a teacher friend of mine noticed his students weren’t quite as independent as he thought they were. Students who were working from home, specifically, those who had access to technology seemed a bit helpless. It caused him to reflect and wonder about the levels of independence students experienced in… Continue reading How do we give permission?