I have to face facts: February is a SLOG for me as a writing teacher. We’re just past the point of knowing the expectations and settling into our routine, but we’re just not quite to the point where all of the pieces start to fall together. There’s magic in the works, but oh! I’m just waiting for it to happen. Now is about the time of year when I’m looking for something - anything! - to get us out of the rut we’re in, spark our creativity, and work on some of that classroom magic I’m seeking. And for me, one of my favorite sources is wordless texts. Animated shorts, wordless books, you name it! They’re perfect for so many reasons. Today, I’ll share some of the ways I love using wordless texts for writers of all strengths and levels of readiness.
Engagement and the Writing Workshop
I had the opportunity to hear Cornelius Minor speak at the CCIRA Conference earlier in February, and I cannot stop thinking about it. He defined engagement in a way that is both conceptual and precise. I may have stopped breathing as my brain short circuited in response.
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Slice of Life Tuesday
It's the third Tuesday in February, which means we're rapidly approaching our month-long writing challenge. Gear up by sharing a slice of life story with our writing community today.
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How do I confer with ALL students regularly?
In many classrooms, it's hard to equitably distribute one's time among the students. There are always a few kids who need more attention. Here are seven ways you can use to ensure all of your students have the opportunity to confer with you on a regular basis.
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Wait Just a Second!
What if I told you that you could drastically improve student engagement and learning in just a matter of seconds and with little to no prep time? You can with the power of WAIT TIME!
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Quick & Fun Lesson Closures? Yes, Please!
Embrace the thrill of trying something new. Know that doing so doesn't require abundant time, energy, or preparation. Small shifts have a real impact on classroom energy, enthusiasm, and engagement. How do you add variety, joy, and/or playfulness to lesson closings?
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We’ve Got Anchor Papers…Now What?
Have you ever found yourself with student anchor (exemplar) papers and not known what to do with them? Today's post provides several ideas for using student writing in powerful ways for assessment, instruction, and communication.
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Slice of Life Tuesday
It's Tuesday! Please join us for Slice of Life. Write your slice of life story, share it by posting the permalink on TWT, and leave comments for others.
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ICYMI: Amping Up Agency Blog Series Recap
Today's post wraps up our week of learning from the Amping Up Agency Blog Series and announces the winner of the book giveaway!
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Transferring Agency from School to Home: Amping Up Agency Blog Series
If you are looking for ways to increase a young writer’s agency at home–either as an educator or as a parent–here are some things you might want to consider.
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Empowering Students with a Kid-Friendly Tool for Self-Assessment: Amping up Agency Blog Series
When students can articulate how they have grown as writers and can name the strategies they’ve used, we help see that they can do it again next time.
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Tools and Resources That Support Student Agency in the Kindergarten Writing Workshop: Amping Up Agency Blog Series
You've probably heard a young child say, "I can do it all by myself!" in one breath, and then in the next breath they are asking you for help. As children make sense of the world and learn how to do more things for themselves, they crave structure and support from adults. Providing children with a variety of tools and resources and teaching them how and when to use them, supports students in developing a sense of "big kid-ness" and agency over their own writing.
