There is power in knowing and understanding standards because within them, we can extract teaching points, learning targets, and even success criteria. In this post, we'll thing about how we can use the standards so set up anchor charts, as well as learning progressions in order to establish clarity and navigable pathways for writers.
Finding Purpose Before We Write: Making the Most of Planning & Rehearsal
Writers need a purpose. A foundation. Yet sometimes we rush kids through the planning and rehearsal phase of writing. What are some ways to support kids in heading into writing grounded in purpose? Read on to learn a few strategies...
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The Snap Word Train
Over the years, kindergarteners have shown me that the kinds of environmental tools that they will actually use are: ones which are at their level, ones which they have meaningful memories (or ownership) creating, ones which they can see themselves in (via photographs or interests), and ones which they can touch and interact with. Such… Continue reading The Snap Word Train
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SOL Tuesday!
Welcome to the first Tuesday in November!
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Conferring Notes: The Key to Unit Planning
Crafting a system for conferring notes can be a catch-all of sorts, a strategy for ensuring that teammates engage in the highest leverage instructional conversations before the unit begins—even if they haven’t had extended time to unit plan together.
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Trying It Out! Using Ideas From Professional Resources
How do you keep learning and growing as a teacher of writing? How do you apply what you've learned from reading professional texts? Today I am sharing the way I am applying my learning from professional texts with my third grade students.
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“Just-Keep-Swimming” Spelling Strategies
Just like Dory, in the movie Finding Nemo, young writers can easily lose their way and forget where they were headed, especially if they stop for too long and lose their momentum.
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Positive Feedback That Moves Writers
Specific feedback helps students replicate what you want them to do in their writing.
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IT’S TUESDAY! JOIN US FOR THE SLICE OF LIFE STORY CHALLENGE!
Welcome! Join today's Slice of Life Story Challenge by... writing a post, sharing the permalink in the comments section, and visiting at least three other slicers to leave a comment for them.
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A Book That Will Inspire Better Talk and Listening– and a Giveaway
Every now and then, a professional book comes along that has the potential to really change how I teach. You have a chance to win a copy of Unlocking the Power of Classroom Talk by Shana Frazin and Katy Wischow, and I know you will love this book!
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Putting Away the Deficit Lens in Culturally Diverse Classrooms
All students have stories to share. All of them. Our challenge may be to undo what has been done to have students believe they have nothing of value to share.
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On Rethinking the Publishing of Information Writing
When it comes to writing, a need for writers to have a clear vision is one of the big reasons we provide mentor texts in writing workshop. Kids need to see not only a goal or end toward which they may aspire, but I would add that they need to be provided models to become inspired. For we all know the effect inspiration can have on anything we are up to in life, right? It matters. It helps. And certainly, writing is no exception. Read on to learn about why making a big deal of publishing informational writing is worth considering...
