Teaching Figurative Language with Mentor Poems

I was conferring with one of my students in Writing Workshop yesterday and quickly found, as I researched, my compliment (meaningful line breaks while drafting) and teaching point (using figurative language, specifically similes). I started to demonstrate what similes were by reviewing the concept of comparing two things with the words like or as. [...]

“Memoir Mondays” Inspiration

Is there a place you have been eating at for years… by yourself or with family? Is it a place you come back to for comfort food again and again? Have you celebrated special occasions at this place or is it just a local hangout?

Consider indulging your writing (and maybe your palette [...]

thinking things through.

The past week of my professional life has been dedicated to meeting with teachers and reflecting on their writing workshops. The gist of our meetings involves discussing successes and general good stuff happening in workshop, as well as goals and hopes for next year. I’m touched by how driven many teachers are in [...]

Poetry Friday: An Original

The Climbing Tree

Branches

sturdy

old

A deep hole

for your foot

As you hoist yourself

upwards

you can see

all the buds

blossoming

–Stacey, May 2008

This week Poetry Friday is being hosted at Wild Rose Reader. [...]

There Isn’t Time… The Gates Are Closing… Teaching ’til the End…

Next Week: Agh!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally uploaded by teachergal

Farjeon wrote a poem called “There Isn’t Time,” which has always resonated with me since I try to multi-task all of the time — sometimes successfully and sometimes I just don’t get everything done. At the end of every [...]

The Queen of Forms Page Led Me to Create This!

elementary school version of the end of the year reflection tool that ruth created

Originally uploaded by teachergal

I went to Ruth’s Queen of Forms Page, as per her earlier post today, to take a look at the Year-End Writing Evaluation that she has for middle school [...]

What Really Matters: This Post Was Inspired by My Amazing Co-Blogger RUTH!

Last summer I took a course at T.C.’s Reading Institute with Kyleene Beers. She gave us a copy of her book Adolescent Literacy: Turning Promise Into Practice. As I read parts of it, a section by Chris Crutcher resonated with me. Crutcher tells of a tough girl whose third grade teacher was the only one [...]

remember this.

From time to time I check in on Sara Holbrook’s blog.  Today I was shocked and saddened by the death of her 7 year old granddaughter earlier this month.  I was also touched by her genuine emotions and willingness to share these emotions with the strangers of cyber space.  I was reminded of the importance of being [...]

end of the year student reflection.

Last week I posted an end of the year refection for teachers to use to assess their writing workshops.  I also believe it’s important for students to do this same sort of work.  Although I have students complete writing analysis alongside each published piece, I also ask they do a more comprehensive reflection on themselves [...]

Read Alouds That Support the Writing Curriculum, IRA Books, & Touchstone Texts

I’ve been working on updating the list of books I’ve read to my kids this year since I think it’s good to keep a list, of sorts. I have the book covers photocopied and hanging from the clotheslines in my classroom, but there’s no substitute for a good list. Here’s a preview of [...]

Book-Borrowing Cards, Paint Stirrers, Binders… NOTHING WORKS!

Cleaned-Up Classroom Library

Originally uploaded by teachergal

Yesterday morning V came to me and asked, “Can I stay up at lunch with you to fix the classroom library?”
I paused. Was I really ready to give up my lunch time?
“Yes,” I responded. “That would be great.”
And [...]

what really matters?

I know teachers are not supposed to have favorites. Still, I have three. I wrote about one back in November and had plans to write about the others. Funny how time gets away, eh?
Anyway, one of these students is graduating in a few short days. I’ve not seen him [...]

Today’s Graduates: The Millennials

Found this clip from 60 Minutes on Lessons from the Scrapbook Page.  I think it’s quite insightful and would love to “hear” your comments.  Enjoy having your thinking pushed a bit. 
Here’s the link.

Writing Thank You Notes

The art of a thank you note… Miss Annechini, my sixth grade teacher, taught us how to write “Bread and Butter Notes,” which has stuck with me for years. However, for years before that, my parents always told me I had to thank someone when they gave me something.
In recent years, I’ve come to [...]

The Last SOLSC of May

It’s time to link your Slice of Life Story to this post by using this Mr. Linky Widget:

Invite someone new into the SOLSC Community this week by commenting on their blog and sending them here.

Ruth’s Memoir Monday: A Place

When we first started Two Writing Teachers, we kept it private for a bit.  We wrote and analyzed, wrote and discussed, wrote and tweaked and wrote some more.  Then we launched it.  One of my first entries was about a special place.  So when Stacey challenged a Memoir Monday about a place, I was reminded [...]

Ruth’s SOLSC: Keeping Company.

Sunday morning the little voice came to me through the monitor, “Momma, I’m uuuupppp.”  Since I was single-parenting-it (due to some massive sporting event in Indy that my husband was attending) and had just stepped out of the shower I thought, You’re going to have to waaaaait.
Then the knock at the door.  Just a minute, I [...]

SOLSC: Crepes

Yummy Crepe Toppings

Originally uploaded by teachergal

We were walking around Newport on Saturday and Marc started craving, of all things, a crepe, after we passed a small creperie. I said, “I’ll make them for you if you come and get ice cream with me.” [...]

Syllables, Diagramming Sentences, and Other Thoughts

I recall clapping out the syllables to words when I was very young. Did it help me as a writer? Probably? I mean, I know where to hyphenate a word when I’m actually writing with a pen (and not using a computer, which automatically breaks the word from line-to-line for me). [...]

Tomorrow’s Mid-Workshop Teaching Point will be about…

LINE BREAKS!!!!!
So important and so mystifying for kids who are just starting to write poetry. They see them all the time, they know what they are, but they don’t use them when they’re drafting!
I found “You can break a line” mini cards I gave my very first class a few years ago. [...]

A Memoir Monday Post in Pictures

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Want to read more Memoir Mondays posts? Just click here.

M.O.O.S.E.

A Moose in Alaska

Originally uploaded by teachergal

Someone who reads this blog has gotta know the answer to this question… If you do, then PLEASE leave a comment!
I recently heard of M.O.O.S.E. Books, which is a binder system to keep elementary school students super-organized. I’d [...]

It’s Memoir Monday!

Link your memory-related post to this post by using Mr. Linky.

Not sure what to write about today? Just click here for a dollop of inspiration.
We’re looking forward to reading all of your memoirs today. Thanks for participating!

Poetry: 50 Stories Above the Surface

Prudential Center: Skywalk Observatory

Originally uploaded by teachergal

The entire fourth grade went high on Friday.
What did we do?
We went up to the Skywalk Observatory at the Prudential Center in Boston. (We didn’t hit any traffic AND no one got motion sickness.)
Kate and I [...]

Memoir Monday Idea: A Special Place (Then & Now)

My best friend and I went to Newport in August 2004. Since then, I’ve been back quite a few times, including yesterday, with Marc (my husband). Therefore, this Monday, I’m going to reflect on how my attitude and feelings towards Newport have changed in just a few short years.

Make a Smilebox [...]