writer identity · writing workshop

Living the Writerly Life in School

We say to kids, "Here's your notebook! Now you are writer!" We want kids to write in school and beyond. Maybe there are things we can do in school to keep their writerly lives going--even when our units of study and minilessons have moved on to other aspects of the work.

paper · progressions · strategic conferring · Teachers who write · writing workshop

Intentional Practice In Our Writing Classrooms

Intentional practice leads to better performance. Writing instruction follows a similar pattern, and by about six weeks into the year, teachers know their students. Just like soccer coaches, teachers can start to develop some responsive instruction, both from the figurative sidelines, as well as through direct instruction.

A Peek Inside Conferring Toolkits Blog Series · conferring · strategic conferring · writing workshop

Questions to Reflect, Expand, and Select

If we are not intentional, we can easily rush into many teaching points, instead of only one. We can overwhelm ourselves and our students. If we are not careful, we can miss the most important reason we sit with a student―the opportunity to listen and learn.

growth mindset · writing workshop

A Writer’s Mindset–Part Two

The mindset of our writers has a direct impact on the progress and success of our writers.

conferences · conferring · strategic conferring · writing workshop

How to Name a Transferable Teaching Point in a Writing Conference

Conferring with young writers is far too complex to boiled down to just one important aspect. But... if you had to name the most important part of a writing conference, what would it be?

curriculum planning · process · writing workshop

Three Ways To Increase Instructional Clarity

Teaching is an art, and sometimes tweaks don't work as we hope or envision. However, I hope that these three ideas do increase the clarity of instruction in ways that help all students learn to be independent confident writers.

assessment · conventions · craft · editing · spelling · writing workshop

Every Child Can Write Blog Tour: Focus on Spelling and Conventions (Giveaway)

Welcome to the next stop on Melanie Meehan's Every Child Can Write blog tour! Today's focus is on Chapter 8, which has excellent ideas for educators when it comes to teaching striving writers about spelling and conventions. Be sure to comment on this post for a chance to win your own copy of Every Child Can Write! (You are going to want a copy of this book ASAP! It is THAT good!)

back to school · community · digital writing · family · homework · parent involvement · writing workshop

Back to School Themes and Reflections

What are the themes that you come back to each school year? Today I explore the topics that I come back to each new year and share links from previous posts. Please share your ideas in the comments!

homework · notebooks · writing workshop

Dear Kids… A Post You Can Share With Your Students on How To Use Writing Notebooks Home

Inspired by a recent conversation I had with some fourth graders, today I want to share a post with you that is also something you can share with your students. Feel free to read, display, or otherwise share with your third fourth, fifth graders, and middle schoolers.

writing workshop

The Good-Enough Writing Workshop

When we're new at doing something, we try to achieve perfection too soon. Greatness isn't something that can be achieved when we begin teaching writing using a workshop approach. It helps to extend ourselves some grace and accept being "good enough" when we start.

NCTE · writing workshop

It’s Tuesday! Welcome to the Slice of Life Story Challenge

Write your post. Share it with the community. Comment on at least three other posts.

minilesson · repertoire · writing workshop

The Importance of Repertoire for Teachers

We can change up how we are teaching depending on the situation and circumstances, but in order to do that, we have to know some choices and moves we can make. Knowing this, there are a few quick ways we can think about repertoire within our whole group instruction.