Ruth just convinced me to sign up for a free online course called "Stories in Hand," which you can read more about by clicking here. The course is a hybrid: art and writing. If you're passionate about capturing the small moments of your life, similar to what we do every Tuesday with the Slice of… Continue reading Stories in Hand
Category: writing
I Love to Write Day… on a Saturday?
I got so excited about I Love To Write Day when I heard about it!!!!!! However, when I went to the organization's website, I discovered that this year's I Love to Write Day, November 15th, falls on a Saturday, which is not a school day around these parts! Hence, I'm trying to figure out how… Continue reading I Love to Write Day… on a Saturday?
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Getting Motivated
This is my final post for this week's Big Picture Series on Genuine Writing. Therefore, I wanted to leave you with a draft of a handout I'm planning to hand out when I present at the 2008 NEATE Fall Conference next week-end. The conference's theme is “Who Is Responsible? Literacy and Education for All.” This… Continue reading Getting Motivated
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Start Photocopying Student Work Before Its Published!
Sometimes I think we forget to preserve our students' writing work as they're going through the writing process. Too often, I've forgotten to photocopy a great timeline or a first draft in which the child goes back, using revision strategies, adding more or taking huge chunks away with scissors or a thick marker. So this… Continue reading Start Photocopying Student Work Before Its Published!
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Thoughts About Working with a REALLY Reluctant Writer
Ro asked: I have a student in my class who is on the spectrum and is extremely reluctant to writing. He doesn’t think anything is important or worth writing about. It’s extremely difficult even getting him to write a few sentences because he is so defiant. My next step is getting him to try writing… Continue reading Thoughts About Working with a REALLY Reluctant Writer
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“So What?”
Ruth and I spoke at-length this summer about the benefits and detriments of starting off the school year with memoir, as opposed to beginning with personal narrative. While my colleagues and I have chosen to start with personal narrative, there's one piece of my conversation with Ruth that makes me think it's possible to really… Continue reading “So What?”
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Writer’s Craft à la Jane Yolen
Jane Yolen published Take Joy: A Writer's Guide to Loving the Craft in 2006. However, the book just made its way into my classroom a few days ago. I perused it to see what I could use from it with my kids before I put it into the reference section of my classroom's Writing Center.… Continue reading Writer’s Craft à la Jane Yolen
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Peek In!
Peek into two a strategy lesson and a conference I had during today's Writing Workshop. 1. Strategy Lesson With Ruth's Blessing, I printed out her the Slice of Life Story (SOLS) she wrote about Sam's Nighttime Secret. I gathered four of my students together on the small rug of my classroom and handed them a… Continue reading Peek In!
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Lessons I Learned by Listening
In the past 48 hours, I've attended several services in synagogue and one by the banks of the Seekonk River (for Tashlich). I've spent time sitting and standing and sitting and standing and sitting and standing in synagogue. I've prayed with kavanah. I have listened to three sermons, delivered by Rabbi Flam and Rabbi Franklin,… Continue reading Lessons I Learned by Listening
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Inquiry Stance.
Many of the classrooms I'm working in are launching into a personal narrative study. I've encouraged all of them to approach their study from an inquiry stance. Meaning, get lots of personal narratives and have students read, read, read them. Then choose a couple and have students study them as writers. I've been reading Study… Continue reading Inquiry Stance.
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Document a Week in the Life
Challah #1 came out perfectly. Originally uploaded by teachergal Ali Edwards is hosting a week-long challenge to document your life in photographs and words. If you're interested in taking part in this challenge, then click here to learn more about it. My first set of photos for this Challenge can be found by clicking here.… Continue reading Document a Week in the Life
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Thinking About the 5.75 with the Lens of a Teacher of Writing
The Jewish New Year of 5769 is rapidly approaching. (Hence the reason you won't be reading much from me over the course of the next few days.) Therefore, I've been steeping my mind in reflection about the year that has passed. Therefore, when Ruth posted a link to the Five Big Questions Video, I watched… Continue reading Thinking About the 5.75 with the Lens of a Teacher of Writing
