teacher-as-writer

It’s not Magic (but it IS): The Power of Being a Teacher who Writes

Kids are savvy. They can tell when a teacher really writes versus when a teacher talks about writing as a hypothetical endeavor (that only exists in the real lives of people still in school). There is a distance that can only be closed when it is two writers side-by-side, talking the talk (and walking the walk) of writers.

Slice of Life Story Challenge

SOL Tuesday

Join us every Tuesday for our weekly Slice of Life Story Challenge!

blogging · Slice of Life Story Challenge

Tips for New Slicers

Whether you're new to our annual March writing challenge OR are expanding this community of writers by inviting your friends or colleagues to join in March, then you'll want to check out this post filled with tips and answers to FAQs about the Slice of Life Story Challenge.

celebration · checklists · goals · informational writing · writing workshop

Keeping the Energy In a Unit of Study

A six to eight-week writing unit may not be the equivalent of running a marathon, although some may beg to differ this year, but it still requires some creativity for strong and energetic finishes. As I work with several teachers who are in the final third of their information writing units across a variety of grades, here are a few ideas for maintaining energy.

Slice of Life Story Challenge

Sign up for the 15th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge #SOL22

Attention new and returning Slicers: Please fill out this year’s participant information form. Filling out the form takes less than five minutes and helps us stay organized during the Challenge.

Slice of Life Story Challenge

Tuesday Slice of Life Story Challenge

Join us every Tuesday for our weekly Slice of Life Story Challenge!

literary essay

Essay Writing, Bootcamp Style

Several years ago, I would drive past my local park and see a group of people that met weekly for an all-body Bootcamp. Inspired by their dedication to fitness, I tried it out for myself.  On the first day, I was uncoordinated and moved much slower than the other members. When the coach said, "step… Continue reading Essay Writing, Bootcamp Style

Maximizing Writing Time Blog Series

Recap: Maximizing Writing Time Blog Series

Here’s a round up of the posts we shared during last week’s blog series we created to help you maximize writing time in writing workshop.

content-area writing · Maximizing Writing Time Blog Series

Content Comes to Life: Maximizing Writing Time

Learning content should be joyful and lead to inquiry and creativity...and increased writing time! How do you incorporate writing into content areas? Comment for a chance to win our blog series giveaway!

charts · Maximizing Writing Time Blog Series · scaffolding charts · strategy charts · writing workshop

Making the Most Out of Charts: Maximizing Writing Time

Surprising tips for getting the most out of your charts as visual support!

Maximizing Writing Time Blog Series · small group · writing workshop

Minimizing Transition Time: Maximizing Writing Time Blog Series

When it comes to working out, there are definitely times when I appreciate the break I get during the transition times, and I’m sure that students, maybe even unintentionally, have figured out that longer transitions lead to shorter working time. Yet time on task is critical to move forward on goals, no matter what the goals are. Maximizing time-- in exercise or writing-- leads to progress.

Maximizing Writing Time Blog Series · minilesson

Six Tips to Keep Minilessons Short: Maximizing Writing Time

Keeping minilessons succinct, engaging, and brief is one of the best ways to maximize time since it never feels as though we have enough of it.