Today was the first day I checked my students' Idea Notebooks, using the rubric I adapted from Buckner's Book, since the school year began. The frequency with which the kids have been writing is amazing to me! One student even received a 4- on her notebook today and I gave her one of these to… Continue reading Paragraphing in Notebooks
Category: writing
This is the only kind of jogging you’re going to see me do!
Kevin, Creator of Day in a Sentence, used a new technology, Jog the Web, to showcase everyone's posts this week. I was fascinated with the ease at which I was able to navigate through the websites of the Day in a Sentence Contributors. In fact, I liked Kevin's Jog so much that I created a… Continue reading This is the only kind of jogging you’re going to see me do!
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PHOTO FRIDAYS: An Almost-“Seinfeld” Moment
The things I had to do for this challah! Originally uploaded by teachergal I was patiently waiting in line at the Hope Street Location of Seven Stars Bakery. I eyed the last challah, standing up on one end behind the counter. I stood there patiently hoping that the two women in front of me weren't… Continue reading PHOTO FRIDAYS: An Almost-“Seinfeld” Moment
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Day in a Sentence as an Interrogative
Kevin changed-up the "Day in a Sentence" Charge this week. He proposed reflected on your day/week as a question. So, here I am, trying to think about my week in terms of a reflective question. This is what I came up with: Will the technology I use in my classroom (daily) help my students become… Continue reading Day in a Sentence as an Interrogative
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Do you write in the morning, around noon, or at night?
Don Murray said: Write in the morning: Most writers write in the early morning before the world intrudes. They harvest the product of their subconscious. I realized, yesterday, that the homework assignments I'm assigning to my students are not heeding one of Murray's ten tips for why and how one should write (when you have… Continue reading Do you write in the morning, around noon, or at night?
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The Power of a Good List
Naomi Leon keeps lists. Lots of them. However, she's not real. Our students are real and quite frankly need to be taught the power in keeping lists. Over at my classroom blog, I'm suggesting that my students keep a variety of ongoing lists in their Idea Notebooks. Hence, if and when they get stuck for… Continue reading The Power of a Good List
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Stacey’s SOLSC & A Great Writing Conference Collide
SOLSC for 091608 - Knowing the Right Thing to Say Originally uploaded by teachergal I had one of the most amazing early-in-the-school-year writing conferences today. The student literally pondered what she was working on as a writer. She didn't tell me about her writing like most kids do during the first few weeks of school… Continue reading Stacey’s SOLSC & A Great Writing Conference Collide
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Preview Our NCTE Presentation
Ruth and I are getting ready for our presentation in San Antonio, which is just a couple of months away. We joined the NCTE 2008 Conference NING, where we're posting an abridged version of our presentation, which we'll give on November 22nd. Recently, Ruth suggested that we post the abridged presentation here at TWT. (The… Continue reading Preview Our NCTE Presentation
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Article About Characters Who Write
I just received the September 2008 Issue of The Reading Teacher. It's already accumulating sticky notes, tabs, and dog-ears since it's packed with a wealth of information. There's an article I highly suggest you read entitled "'To Be a Writer' Representations of Writers in Recent Children's Novels." Here's the abstract, which I took from the… Continue reading Article About Characters Who Write
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Teaching Kids How to Create Plan Boxes
Chart: Plan Boxes Originally uploaded by teachergal Thursday's the day I'm going to teach my kids how to create a plan box. I created this chart as a scaffold for visual learners who might not fully t internalize my "Here's how to create a plan box spiel." I'm also zooming-in on two sample plan boxes,… Continue reading Teaching Kids How to Create Plan Boxes
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Preparing for September 11th
Where were you on September 11th, 2001? It's a question that makes my heart tighten. I was in Manhattan, at a job interview in Midtown. I heard that a plane hit the Trade Center and I immediately headed home via surface transportation for fear the subways would be unsafe. When I emerged from the building… Continue reading Preparing for September 11th
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Photo Fridays: Captured by this Scene
Patriotic Farm in Lincoln, RI Originally uploaded by teachergal Lincoln, RI is one of the most rustic-feeling locations I've encountered since I moved to Rhode Island last summer. I had the chance to buy candy at a country store for just $.65 today! The man I bought my Reese's from was not only friendly, but… Continue reading Photo Fridays: Captured by this Scene
