Modernizing Mentor Texts Blog Series

Students as Creators: Modernizing Mentor Texts

I also believe young writers can and should take guidance from one another. In my classroom, student mentor text falls into three general categories. In this post, I’ll share how I gather that text, when I use it, and why it benefits our community of writers. 

agency

“Is This Good?” Building Self-Reliance in Student Writers

Picture a writing workshop. Students hum along on various pieces. Inevitably, a student approaches to ask: “Is this right?” “Is this good?” My experience and wisdom matter as a teacher. My support and guidance are critical. Still, I’d hope that students’ sense of pride and accomplishment wouldn’t depend on what I think of their work. I’ve discovered some conversational tools and classroom strategies that help me foster students’ sense of confidence and trust in themselves. I’m sharing them with you here.

academic choice · agency · authentic writing · choice · freedom · Resetting Our Workshop Practices Blog Series

Graphic Organizers Limit Creativity: Resetting Our Workshop Practices

Many teachers assign graphic organizers to help students learn about structure and organization. But do these organizers actually impede authentic writing and student agency? Read about why Leah chose to stop mandating graphic organizers, and some tips for letting go!