I stepped back and put my kids in front of their learning about six years ago. It has changed how I teach and deepened my respect for students and who they are as individuals.
Category: writing workshop
Engaging Writers: Solving Predictable Problems
If we want engaged writers, and not simply compliant students going through the motions and counting the minutes until writing time is over, we need to find ways to capture their attention and their hearts.
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Transferring skills from unit to unit: Solving Predictable Problems Blog Series
When one of my daughters was switching from playing soccer to playing field hockey, we had several conversations about the similar skills each sport required. It didn't take us long to figure out that her understanding of passing, moving to space, and cutting off pathways would be helpful as she transitioned, not to mention her physical… Continue reading Transferring skills from unit to unit: Solving Predictable Problems Blog Series
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Overview: Solving Predictable Problems Blog Series
Once fall arrives, most writing workshops are well underway. Depending on when your school year started, you're likely teaching your second or third unit of study. Most of you are probably prepping for parent-teacher conferences, which will take place in the next couple of weeks. This is a predictable time of year. As a result,… Continue reading Overview: Solving Predictable Problems Blog Series
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Narrative Writing Makes a Beautiful Gift
The students wrapped their writing in an array of wrapping paper, and they left my classroom eager to share their gifts – the gift of words.
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Teaching Digital Tools in Writing Workshop: Plan, Purpose, Model
By blending the choice of digital tools into our lessons, we are showing students how they can purposefully use devices and keep the thinking where it belongs, on the writing, not the tool.
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Keeping Narrative Alive
By the middle of October, many students in our district are nearing the end of their first writing unit, and in almost all grades, that first writing unit has a narrative focus. Students are gearing up for information writing, and then later in the year, opinion writing. Sometimes, when we leave a genre, we forget… Continue reading Keeping Narrative Alive
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National Day on Writing: Last Minute Ideas!
It's not too late to plan a celebration of National Day on Writing. NCTE celebrates on this day each year the importance and most of all the delight that writing can bring to our lives using #WhyIWrite as a common theme. Take a look at some quick ideas to get your celebration rolling if you didn't set a plan in motion for this special day.
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OLW Check In
What was your OLW and how did it treat you so far this year?
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Sticky Notes, Arrows, and Margins, Oh My!
Sharing strategies to prepare for revision later can set up students for success.
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What Are They Looking At? Tackling Slow Starters
Helping students take back their writing time when they are a slow starter.
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It’s Not All About Blog: The Work Before The Blog
Take the first step together; write, read, and comment on blogs as a class. These first steps will help your students learn the feel and expectations of a blogging community.
