Stacey (who, in my opinion, is properly hooked on {A}) referenced Ali's words + photo week in a previous post today. I love how different blog posts and thoughts resonate inside of different people. Stacey was inspired to document her day via words and pictures. I, on the other hand, was inspired to look at old scrapbook pages &… Continue reading words + photos reflection.
Category: writing
Process Log Gets My Mind In-Motion Again
When Lucy had us keep Process Logs for each piece we wrote for one of her classes, I (at first) thought it was a waste of time. I wondered how it would help me as a teacher. But, I trusted my professor, so I kept them. By the end of the semester I realized how… Continue reading Process Log Gets My Mind In-Motion Again
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Getting Students Published
I've had four of my former treasures (I'm borrowing a Jen Barney word here!) get published in New Moon Magazine for Girls and Their Dreams. However, I don't just teach talented female writers; I have some exceptional male writers in my classes too! Hence, I have been looking for places where they can sent their… Continue reading Getting Students Published
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Trusting Me With the “Stuff” of Their Lives
I was out due to the extreme amount of neck pain I had yesterday. Therefore, when I returned to school this morning, I found the students' work trays brimming with papers waiting to be checked. I sorted them into my file tote folders and started making my way through them about two hours ago. I… Continue reading Trusting Me With the “Stuff” of Their Lives
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Poetry Portfolio Guidelines
My colleagues and I met during our Common Planning Time today and solidified this year's Poetry Portfolio Guidelines, which is an adaptation of what my fifth graders did last year. We're going to have three sections: mentor poems/texts, original poetry writing, and responses to poems that the kids love. I'm pretty happy with it and… Continue reading Poetry Portfolio Guidelines
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WN ENTRY: What do we do when we find ourselves repeating history?
"Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it." My high school History Teacher, Tom Wilcox, didn't originate that phrase, but he repeated it to us quite a few times during tenth grade. It stuck with me. I remember this phrase each and every time I have to teach something difficult from our nation's… Continue reading WN ENTRY: What do we do when we find ourselves repeating history?
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Who Is Responsible?” Literacy and Education for All
This weekend has been about me floating on Cloud Nine! First we heard about NCTE. Then, this evening I found out my proposal to present at the Fall 2008 NEATE (New England Association of Teachers of English) Conference was accepted. The Fall 2008 Conference theme is: "Who Is Responsible?" Literacy and Education for All." Similar… Continue reading Who Is Responsible?” Literacy and Education for All
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Mini-Course: Handmade Card Making
Our school is having mini-courses for the kids on three Mondays in May. I signed-up to do handmade card making mini-course with second, third, and fourth graders who are interested. I started creating samples over the weekend: I'm debating how to structure the classes. Part of me wants the kids to just write their own… Continue reading Mini-Course: Handmade Card Making
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WE’RE PRESENTING AT NCTE IN NOVEMBER!!!!
I just got off of the phone with Ruth, with whom I shared the great news. Our conversation session proposal, "INSPIRING CHILDREN TO WRITE: TEACHING WRITING WORKSHOP WITH OUR NOTEBOOKS WIDE OPEN" was accepted for the 2008 NCTE Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas. My speech title is "Teaching With My Notebook Wide-Open," while Ruth's… Continue reading WE’RE PRESENTING AT NCTE IN NOVEMBER!!!!
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Poetry Pass in Interactive Read Aloud
We did a Poetry Pass for the first time during Interactive Read Aloud yesterday. I wanted to do it so that I could get the kids writing about a 'heavy' poem I presented them with, which is one of the texts in our voice/silence text set. They did a simply amazing job with responding, in… Continue reading Poetry Pass in Interactive Read Aloud
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Today’s Lesson Was Inspired By One of My Former Students
Fall 2006. One of my talented former students, who was part of the Extended Day Program, decided to undertake an independent writing project similar to Lisa Meyer's Book Quotes for Kids: Today's Interpretations of Timeless Quotes Designed to Nurture the Young Spirit. My student's interpretations of a variety of quotations (and overheard things she heard… Continue reading Today’s Lesson Was Inspired By One of My Former Students
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Reading and Writing Their Way Through Summer
Last week I blogged about summer writing loss. This is because I'm starting to get anxious about the school year ending since I feel like there isn't enough time for me to do everything I want to do with my kiddos before I send them off to fifth grade. Jen Barney contacted me with some… Continue reading Reading and Writing Their Way Through Summer
