Doing the really challenging work of teaching writing can be so lonely when, day in and day out, you seem to be making things more complicated for yourself while everyone around you is doing stuff that just seems, well, so much easier. ---Katie Wood Ray
From the Past: Keep Embracing Imperfection
The power of workshop teaching is the focus on individuals -- not products. It's an essential shift for us to make as teachers of writing. Our energy is behind students -- where they are today as writers and helping them to get better. (Our energy is not on posting perfect pieces in the hallway.) We know our… Continue reading From the Past: Keep Embracing Imperfection
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Conferring? Please Help!
So first, Wow! Thank you for the comments on the last post. You have no idea how comments fuel me as a writer. Thanks for taking the time. And second, I think this is an important comment to highlight in its own post. Ashlee, on Wednesday February 16, 2011 at 8:34 pm said: I am… Continue reading Conferring? Please Help!
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Conferring: Knowing when to walk away
Conferring is arguably the most important part of writing workshop. It is definitely more important than the minilesson, although I'm not sure it is more important than sharing. That's not the point of this post, though. I've noticed sometimes I don't teach in a conference. Yes, yes, I know I'm supposed to have a teaching… Continue reading Conferring: Knowing when to walk away
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C’mon & Join Us!
Only two more Tuesdays until the month long Slice of Life Challenge begins on March 1! If you are considering joining the challenge, I'd like to invite you to give it a whirl today or next week. It helps to make sure all of the kinks are worked out. It is important to link your… Continue reading C’mon & Join Us!
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I {Heart} Writing Workshop
In honor of Valentine's Day, let's make a luscious list of all the reasons we love writing workshop. I'll start the list here and you add to it in the comments. Sweet! Writing workshop helps writers see the world differently. When people live like writers, they have more compassion and mercy and acceptance of others.… Continue reading I {Heart} Writing Workshop
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Nonfiction Writing Celebration
I've just gotta tell you, I attended an incredible writing celebration today. Not only was the celebration itself cool, but the way it evolved rocked too. It was a true collaboration. It is teachers like Gretchen and Christi who push me to become a better teacher. So the celebration . . . how do I… Continue reading Nonfiction Writing Celebration
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From the Past: Change the World
Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round heads in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can't do… Continue reading From the Past: Change the World
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Voices Matter
It's been striking me recently how self-confidence and independence as a writer hinges on knowing your voice matters. When young writers know their words make a difference, then they are more confident, are willing to take risks, and are motivated to write. I also believe this is a difference in classrooms where students are encouraged… Continue reading Voices Matter
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Slice of Life Tuesday
My apologies Early Bird Slicers . . . I fell asleep super early last night & woke up super late this morning. I'm fighting a cold. Still, I can't wait to read your slices -- link away.
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It’s a Choice
This spoke to me from my Twitter feed today: As educators standing in this place in our field, we have a choice. We can look out and see problems and despair or possibility and promise. --- Lucy Calkins, quoted in Tweet by Katie Keier Katie wrote Catching Readers Before They Fall (Stenhouse, 2010) with Pat… Continue reading It’s a Choice
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Sundays for the Soul: Together We Can End Modern Day Slavery
Did you know most of the world's chocolate is made from cocoa beans picked by workers who do not receive a fair wage? Sometimes the workers are children and they are hurt if they don't work fast enough. Other times the workers are not paid at all, making them slaves. With Valentine's Day a little more than a… Continue reading Sundays for the Soul: Together We Can End Modern Day Slavery
