We’re hunched over a table, sitting in chairs made for kindergarteners. The sun hasn’t fully risen yet, and the hallways are still quiet. There’s a typed piece, a draft, laid out between us. On that draft is black chicken scratch, the initial thoughts, and suggestions made by my writing partner, Dawn. One line at a… Continue reading Partners in the Process
What’s the Big Idea?
Ever get lost in the details of a writing unit? Ever get overwhelmed by the "bigness" of your vision? Plan for that and shift: from details to the big idea and back again.
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Editing Along the Way…Often in 5 Minutes or Less
The other day, I did it again. I drafted an email to my bosses. Read it. Reread it. Hit send. Got distracted. Then… saw it. The error. These moments of regret keep me humble! And so, when I notice students not applying taught spelling and grammar concepts, I remind myself that they are not defiantly… Continue reading Editing Along the Way…Often in 5 Minutes or Less
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Bring on the Fun with Sentence Construction
Who says grammar can't be fun in a third-grade classroom? And who says young writers can't understand complex concepts like dependent and independent clauses? And who knew I'd be using poop, sentence structures, and a variety of clauses in the same sentence in front of a room of third-graders?
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It’s Tuesday! Welcome to the Slice of Life!
It's Tuesday- join us for Slice of Life. Write your slice, share it, and leave comments for others.
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Boost Morale in Winter Months
Teaching starts to feel tougher this time of year. Learn six tips to inspire yourself and writers this season.
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Thank You, TWT Community
While I am signing off from the TWT team, my heart is full of gratitude for this experience and the friendships and lessons learned.
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PBL in the Writing Classroom
Real world, authentic opportunities to engage in writing with the goal of enacting change is something all students can really sink their teeth into. PBL and writing workshop go hand in hand.
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Listen to the Children
I've been thinking a lot lately about how my Kindergarten students perceive themselves as writers, so I decided to interview my class in order to learn more about their perspectives on writing and what it means to them as five and six year old emergent writers. Their responses have given me quite a lot to consider!
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It’s Tuesday! Welcome to the Slice of Life!
It's Tuesday- join us for Slice of Life. Write your slice, share it, and leave comments for others.
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Shake Up the Structure of Workshop
Writing workshop is not about playing someone else’s setlist. Workshop is a flexible set of practices that are meant to be improvised. The structure of workshop is one more way teachers can customize learning for those currently in the room.
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Overview of the 11th Annual Classroom Slice of Life Story Challenge
It’s the middle of January. Where I live, that means blustery weather, dreary forecasts, and ALL the snow gear. It’s also a good time to think ahead to spring, which promises warmer temperatures, more sunshine, and – of course! – all the stories our students will share in the 11th Annual Classroom SOLSC! In this post, I’ll answer some frequently-asked questions about the Classroom Slice of Life Story Challenge.
