Just curious... What are some of your end of year traditions with your classrooms? Please share in the comments. 🙂
Category: writing workshop
Documenting Our Learning
Sometimes I think about the amazing work happening in writing workshops, and then wonder if anyone else notices. Sometimes the things that are most amazing are small bits that pack big meaning. Sometimes the most amazing work can be easily missed. Often young writers' (or even old writers') talk is ahead of their walk. We… Continue reading Documenting Our Learning
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The Weekly Slice of Life Story Challenge
Please link the slice of life story you write today to this post by leaving a comment. Be sure to check out other bloggers’ writing by clicking through the links in the comment section of this post. Come back later today (or even tomorrow) to read through the links of a few other Slicers who… Continue reading The Weekly Slice of Life Story Challenge
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The Book Stack
I have three gems for you. I. LOVE. These. Books. Love them. Micah Player previously worked for Paul Frank Industries. His illustrations and story are whimsical made me fall in love on the spot. Check out Chronicle Books website for more information on CHLOE INSTEAD. I'm looking forward to using this text in writing workshop for these… Continue reading The Book Stack
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Vote for Me + a Giveaway
If you're a political junkie like me, then you love presidential election years. Seriously, I live for election night coverage... it's my Super Bowl! (I'm not kidding. I have laid in bed late at night and checked my iPhone just to find out if returns came back from close-to-call caucuses and primaries earlier this year.) … Continue reading Vote for Me + a Giveaway
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Editing Wonderings
I've been thinking a lot about editing and conventions and writing workshop. My ideas keep twirling around and I'm trying to grab hold, but they don't seem to want to be pinned down quite yet. Or maybe I'm still looking for the thing that interests me the most. What I'm grappling with is the disconnect… Continue reading Editing Wonderings
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Procedures
Traditionally we think about writing workshop procedures at the beginning of the school year. We set the routines, organize the procedures, and launch writing workshop. I'm thinking, though, around this time of year, it might be a good idea to evaluate procedures. By this point in the school year, the writers in our classrooms have… Continue reading Procedures
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Mr. Stowlkey and Mr. Smith
Mr. Stowlkey and Mr. Smith were the teachers in one of the kindergarten writing workshops I was in today. They are incredible teachers. They are both six. (Normally I don't refer to students as Mr. or Miss...but since they were acting as teachers today, they wanted to go with this form of their names. I'll… Continue reading Mr. Stowlkey and Mr. Smith
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Writing Territories + Test Prompt Writing
One of the causes of anxiety regarding the writing prompt, is the unknown. We don't know what genre students will be asked to write. We don't know the topic. Test situations are stressful enough, but when we add in these unknowns, the stress levels skyrocket. Here's the deal, though. Students can have an idea of… Continue reading Writing Territories + Test Prompt Writing
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How much collaboration is too much?
There were a few times when I sat back at the end of a day of teaching and thought I don't know if I'd want to be a student in my own classroom. The reason for this horrible realization? There was just too much group work going on, especially in mathematics. I often felt as… Continue reading How much collaboration is too much?
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2012
Wishing you a very happy, healthy, and writing-filled new year!
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Writing Groups + Classrooms
My writing group is an important part of my life as a writer. It's more than just accountability, but feedback and camaraderie and, well, if I'm super honest, fun. When I was a classroom teacher, I didn't do a very good job of establishing writing groups, or crit partners, for my students. I see now they were… Continue reading Writing Groups + Classrooms
