Two of the sessions I attended at NCTE in Boston helped me think about ways two digital tools could be meaningfully integrated into early childhood and elementary school classrooms to engage young writers. The "Exploring Collaboration of Multimodal Literacies in Early Childhood: Digital Filmmaking, Designing, and Co-Authoring" panel discussed the way digital video cameras could enhance learning, while two of the presenters in "Writing Workshop Is for All Students: Using Visuals, Oral Language, and Digital Tools to Maximize Success and Independence for English Language Learners" suggested the incorporation of digital cameras.
Tag: writing workshop
Reflections on writing workshop: Sometimes when they say they’re “done” they’re really done
copyright: Bill Watterson - Calvin and Hobbes This is pretty much how Josh felt when I pulled my conferring stool up next to his desk yesterday and asked, "So, how's it going?" He had been working on his memoir for the past week, and making very slow progress. Most of our writing workshop class… Continue reading Reflections on writing workshop: Sometimes when they say they’re “done” they’re really done
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Close reading leads to close writing: “Falling in Love With Close Reading” in writing workshop
I have truly fallen in love with Falling in Love With Close Reading, the just-released book by Christopher Lehman and Kate Roberts. As with Kylene Beers and Robert Probst’s Notice and Note, this is a book that pushes my thinking about reading - my own, as well as that of my plot-crazy students… Continue reading Close reading leads to close writing: “Falling in Love With Close Reading” in writing workshop
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Setting Up Writing Partners for Success
We've all been there. Reading your own writing to somebody else can be scary. Even when I am teaching adults in writing institutes and graduate courses I often have to say, "Please don't cover up your writing and just summarize it; actually read your writing to your partner." Even then, there are always a few participants… Continue reading Setting Up Writing Partners for Success
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We’re Making Books!
Whenever I have the privilege of being in a kindergarten classroom, I'm fairly certain I missed my calling in life. Today was no exception. I am a believer in making stuff in writing workshop. I picked this term up from Katie Ray. It just makes sense. Writers make stuff and writing workshop should be no different. Therefore,… Continue reading We’re Making Books!
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Beginning Procedures
I'm a believer in routine. When writing workshop is predictable everyone is able to work more efficiently. It takes several weeks to build the procedures necessary to create the culture of writing workshop. Over the past two weeks I've collected some footage of routines in primary classrooms. One of the important things about developing routines… Continue reading Beginning Procedures
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the big picture.
The first day of school is tomorrow and I can hardly wait. Bags are loaded, clothes are pressed, lunch is packed and since this is my 9th first day of school (as a teacher), I know that I will sleep lightly and wake up well before the alarm clock. Going into the new year, I… Continue reading the big picture.
