After grappling, for months, about what I would submit to The National Gallery of Writing, I finally wrote a piece about my transition to teaching from working in public relations. I submitted my piece to the Pennsylvania Council Teachers of English and Language Arts (PCTELA) Gallery last week. It's called "Transition to Teaching." It's not… Continue reading There’s Still Time!
Category: writing
Would you like to be a better writer?
Ruth and I have completed about 25% our manuscript. We’re in the midst of working on the section of Writing 180 that deals with conferring. Even though we’re in the thick of writing, we’re both constantly trying to make our writing better by reading books about writing. I’m unsure of which professional book Ruth’s reading… Continue reading Would you like to be a better writer?
Share this:
Share this:
It’s Saturday.
I think Saturday is reason enough to celebrate here at Two Writing Teachers. On Wednesday, Ashley left this comment: I have had a lot of false starts getting the writing workshop started. My students have never been in a workshop format so we are not doing well with independence. Now Ashley's frustrations are not the reason… Continue reading It’s Saturday.
Share this:
Share this:
Believing In Them…
I've been going back-and-forth over e-mail with one of my former fourth graders for the past week. She started sixth grade last week -- middle school. I can hardly believe she has a locker & a free period! After all, it feels like just yesterday that she was sitting in the front row of the… Continue reading Believing In Them…
Share this:
Share this:
Back to School Week: Bursting With Excitement About Writing
Last week Literacy Spark posed this question: I’m always interested in how I can reach the kids at the two ends of the writing spectrum. i.e. addressing kids who struggle with writing, or the freedom of the writer’s workshop format, as well as those kids who are so far above grade level expectations that I… Continue reading Back to School Week: Bursting With Excitement About Writing
Share this:
Share this:
Living Like a Writer: Goals for the Upcoming School Year
Raise your hand if your administration makes you do goal setting at the beginning of the school year? Okay. Now raise your hand if your administration collects the goal setting you do as a way to help you monitor those goals throughout the school year. Did you raise your hand both times? It's great to… Continue reading Living Like a Writer: Goals for the Upcoming School Year
Share this:
Share this:
Professional Talk: Shared Writing 2.0
I recently received a review copy of Teaching the New Writing: Technology, Change, and Assessment in the 21st-Century Classroom, which is edited by Anne Herrington, Kevin Hodgson, and Charles Moran. The text is comprised of short texts by a variety of teacher-authors who have mastered the art of using technology in their writing classrooms. The… Continue reading Professional Talk: Shared Writing 2.0
Share this:
Share this:
Memoir Monday: Origins of Writing
I've been thinking a lot about the questions Pam Muñoz Ryan posed to the audience at the TCRWP Writing Institute last week. There are many reasons I write: to communicate with others quickly, to persuade, to record family stories, to venture to new worlds, etc. However, none of those quick reasons really get at the… Continue reading Memoir Monday: Origins of Writing
Share this:
Share this:
What Should A Child Write About Over the Summer?
Annie tackled a question many parents ask teachers at the end of the school year yesterday on her blog. Here's an excerpt of her post, which she has authorized me to reprint in this forum: Parents often ask me what they can do to make sure their children continue writing over the summer. Some children… Continue reading What Should A Child Write About Over the Summer?
Share this:
Share this:
Writer’s Block
Ali Edwards just blogged about breaking out of a creative rut. I think many of the tips she provided work really well if you find yourself having writer's block. Click here to read her post loaded with fantastic tips, which are sure to help you the next time you're in a writing rut.
Share this:
Share this:
Stimulus Dollars + Writing Instruction
I, clearly, love the idea Mary Tedrow proposes in her article about investing money in quality writing instruction for our Nation's students. Please read this article about spending stimulus dollars on writing instruction. Then, let me know what you think by posting a comment. Is this where you think a lot of stimulus dollars should… Continue reading Stimulus Dollars + Writing Instruction
Share this:
Share this:
SOLSC Inspiration
Looking for ways to get your class inspired about the upcoming Slice of Life Story Challenge? Here are a few ideas: 1. Send a letter home like I posted on Sunday. Be sure to have it translated so your students' parents are fully aware of what's going on. (You may encourage them to participate too!)… Continue reading SOLSC Inspiration
