Not so long ago, in a land called Connecticut... OR Once upon a time, when we were driving up to my in-law's home... Doesn't that sound tranquil? Well, it should've been, but it sure wasn't. Therefore, let me re-start my slice with some action! We pulled into the driveway with the brights of our car… Continue reading Stacey’s SOLS: Almost Skunked
Category: writing
REVISION, REVISION, REVISION
Some notes I took from Carl Anderson's Revision Class (first session) at the TCRWP Writing Institute. It's all about how to make revision more meaningful and useful for kids so that they don't dread it!
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Inspiration for Tomorrow’s M.M.
Looking for some inspiration to help you write a memoir-like post for tomorrow's MEMOIR MONDAYS Challenge? Well, here is something to think about... Think back to a time in your life when you accomplished something you thought was nearly impossible. (For me, it's the time I climbed Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast,… Continue reading Inspiration for Tomorrow’s M.M.
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Day in a Sentence
My Day in a Sentence: I cannot figure out why I ruined a perfectly good pedicure by walking over three miles in dressy sandals. Want to participate in Kevin's "Day in a Sentence" Challenge? Just click here.
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Sad… Sometimes it’s more precise than you think!
Last week, during the Writing Institute, Lucy stressed the impotance of writing with precise language since that enhances meaning. I was shocked when she said that sometimes "I felt bad," in a kid's writing MIGHT truly be exact. I sat there wondering about that for awhile since I've been teaching kids to "crack open" general… Continue reading Sad… Sometimes it’s more precise than you think!
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Where do you write?
Rick's post about writing and thinking spaces made me recall my college years in Washington. I used to go to the National Gallery of Art before every history exam (My minor was History.) to study in an atmosphere that was devoid of distractions. I bragged to my friends about how wonderful it was to have… Continue reading Where do you write?
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Heart Mapping & Writing Territories
I've been having my students map their hearts, to help them generate ideas for writing, when they're stuck, for as long as I've been teaching. However, last week when I was at the TCRWP's Summer Institute for the Teaching of Writing, the words "writing territories" seemed to be mentioned everywhere. I was familiar with this… Continue reading Heart Mapping & Writing Territories
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Qualities of Good Writing
I spent last week at the Teachers College Writing Institute. I was lucky enough to get into advanced sections with Carl Anderson and Lucy Calkins, who both pushed my thinking. With 103 pages of notes from five days at T.C., I'll be writing about what I learned as I synthesize it in the days and… Continue reading Qualities of Good Writing
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Stop & Look Around You: THAT’S WHAT WRITERS DO!
I attended the Teachers College Summer Institute on the Teaching of Writing last week. I'll be blogging about it A LOT in the days (probably weeks, since I have about 100 pages of notes) to come. One thing that strikes me is that nearly every instructor echoed the same message: you need to pay attention… Continue reading Stop & Look Around You: THAT’S WHAT WRITERS DO!
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Ad Copywriting: A (New) Unit of Study Possibility
Kids watch commercials on television all of the time. Most of the children I know can recite the jingles they hear on both television and on the radio. However, I've never thought of giving kids the chance to write advertisement copy until I was staring over a friend's shoulder today. My friend was showing me… Continue reading Ad Copywriting: A (New) Unit of Study Possibility
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The Truth is what matters when we write. (The “T” is capitalized for a reason.)
Ruth and I have were recently talking about the truth in our writing. We both recognized that honesty matters when we write. Writing is empty and vacant without the expression of honest emotions, isn't it? Yesterday, when I met up with my former student, Elaine, and her family we talked about having writing territories and… Continue reading The Truth is what matters when we write. (The “T” is capitalized for a reason.)
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Photo Fridays
I now participate in two challenges every Friday: Poetry Friday and Photo Fridays. If you would like to learn more about Photo Fridays, which is a new challenge hosted by Bonnie (on Flickr), then click here. (I'm putting my Photo Fridays posts over at my other blog.)
