Choice in Writing Workshop: Is it possible even though it’s necessary?

Another thing people’s comments on Ruth’s Post got me thinking about was the idea of CHOICE in Writing Workshop.  I wrote about it on this blog in 2007 after attending a session at NCTE with Fletcher, Johnston, and Ray. However, I never posted my raw notes from the session.  However, in light of what’s on [...]

Teaching Students to Master Conventions in a Modern Way

I read through the comments on Ruth’s latest post this morning.  It seems like many folks are feeling a little angst when it comes to grammar instruction.  You’re pulled between teaching kids grammar authentically and preparing them traditionally for tests, aren’t you?  I feel your pain.  We know that mastering conventions is crucial if we [...]

Poetry Friday

A lot of you have been leaving comments about your frustrations with regard to standardized testing taking away time from your teaching.  Hence, on this Poetry Friday, I wanted to share a Moore Poem with you.

I Left My Head
by Lilian Moore

I left my head
somewhere
today.
Put it down for
just
a minute.
Under the
table?
On a chair?
Click here [...]

Ruth’s Slice of Life: Heartmelting.

This little conversation took place just after six o’clock this morning.  We were getting ready to visit a pregnant friend:
Me:  So what’s happening to W.’s belly?
My son:  There’s a baby growing in it.
Me:  curious about what he would say, Did you grow in my belly?
Him:  Nope, your belly’s broken.
A slight pause, followed by . . [...]

What’s On Your Mind?

Just wondering what some of the issues are in our blog readers’ Writing Workshops.  Would you leave a comment and let us know what’s on your mind about Writing Workshop?  Don’t feel like commenting?  Then just take a second and click on the poll.

Wanna comment, but don’t know how?  Just click on the comments link [...]

A Blessing in Disguise.

Funny how sometimes when I post something, I’m tested on it the next day.  Following my post Why Memoir Monday?, fourteen out of fifteen students didn’t complete their homework on Tuesday.  The homework was to prepare for literature circle discussions and with the completed notes, discussion circles couldn’t happen.  Fourteen out of fifteen!  I usually [...]

The League

Know a high school senior who has been accepted to college and loves to write?  If so, check out this link about scholarships.  Essentially, kids reflect on their civic experiences, in one of three genres, and then submit their writing for consideration.  Do check it out!

Have You Ever Asked Your Kids for Feedback on YOUR Writing?

A few years ago I often began asking my students to tell me what I did well as a writer and what I could work on as a writer when I gave them a piece of my writing to read.  At first, this was hard for them.  Who wants to critique their teacher, right?  Well, [...]

Progress in the Writing Circle

Remember that group of kids I wrote about who I decided to take upstairs for weekly lunches on Tuesdays? Well, the five of us didn’t meet last week because the entire class watched the Inauguration instead. Hence, we met, after being “away from each other” for two weeks. (They’re in my class, [...]

The Last Slice of January

Please link your Slice of Life Story Post to this one by leaving a comment.
Also, we’re still looking for folks who are interested in participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge March Giveaway.  If you’re interested in having us consider something you sell for a giveaway, send us a “proposal” in one of two [...]

Why Memoir Monday?

When I giggle at my goal as a fifth grader to write a story a day, collecting thick purple folders of words and pictures, stapled into books, I remember the process of learning to live a creative life.  It was then that I realized the more I wrote, the more I had to write.  The more [...]

Time for Memoir Monday

Please leave a link to your memoir-ish post by posting a comment with the link.

A New Writer’s Notebook Rubric

Sometimes you have to let go of the reigns and allow your students to lead you, right.  Well, I’m preparing to do just that tomorrow when I work with my students, during Writing Workshop, to create a new notebook rubric. (I’ve been using one that is slightly adapted from Buckner’s Book since 2006.)
In [...]

Students and Standardized Tests

A Must-Read About Letter Writing!

Head over to the Choice Literacy Website to read an article Mary Lee Hahn wrote entitled “The Joy of Letter Writing: An Integrated Unit for Intermediate Students.”  It’ll surely inspire you to get going with letter writing, if you haven’t already.

The Language We Use When We Teach

I attended a workshop with Peter H. Johnston, Author of Choice Words, over two years ago.  He spoke a lot about the language we use when we teach.  A lot of what he said stuck.  Couple the Johnston Workshop with a week-long Responsive Classroom Training Institute and I have to admit that I needed to [...]

A Quick Reflection.

Stacey and I are big on reflective practice.  (It’s one of the main reasons for our blog.)  To encourage you to do a little on your own, there’s a little poll below.  Won’t you vote?  If you want to take it one more step, then leave a comment telling why you voted the way you [...]

Notebook Celebration: Reflection Sheet

I volunteered to create a reflection sheet for our grade’s Notebook Celebration next week.  I inserted quite a few “critical literacy” questions, which will hopefully help the kids to reflect as deeply as possible when they fill this sheet out at the end of the Celebration.
You can download the Notebook Celebration Reflection Sheet by [...]

Prizes Needed for the Slice of Life Story Challenge

Busy Adults Sometimes Need Incentives to Write!!!
Last March, when we hosted the Slice of Life Story Challenge for the very first time Ali Edwards was generous enough to give away a copy of one of her books to one of the people who wrote thoroughout the month of March.
We’re gearing-up for this March’s Slice [...]

Assessing.

Today my students turned in their narratives.  I couldn’t wait to read them, so I began today during my lunch.  I was touched by their writing, and impressed by the significant revisions many of them made. 
Tonight (as my kids were coloring) I looked over the narratives again and began to pile them according to strength.  [...]

Writing Across the Curriculum

I got pointed to the Michigan Dept. of Education’s Website by Deb earlier this week.  While I was there I found an interesting document about Writing Across the Curriculum in Language Arts.  If this is something you’re interested in trying to implement, or are looking for more ideas about how to make writing a priority [...]

Reading-Writing Connections: Focus on Conventions

Here’s a link to the final document that focuses on how to lift the level of your students’ conventions by using The Pencil by Allan Ahlberg.  (If you haven’t seen the draft I posted last week, then click here.)

Developing Realistic Fictional Characters

I was assessing my students in Reading in a colleague’s office today.  As a student was finishing up a passage silently, I began looking at her walls.  I found a great chart on character development.  Loved it so much that I turned it into a “worksheet” of my own.  (I also altered it a bit [...]

Slice of Life: Conferring

There’s a kid in my class that I’m continually impressed by.  His answers are straight-out honest and typically thoughtful.  He participates, even though at first glance I didn’t think he would.  And yesterday he asked me to help him with the dialogue in his writing.
“I took your advice and worked in some dialogue in this,” [...]

Inauguration Slices, Anyone?

Bonnie planted a seed in my head yesterday when she mentioned she was headed down to the Inauguration.  While I don’t want to stymie anyone, I think it would be neat if today’s Slice of Life Story Challenge had a theme for the U.S.A. Participants.  Perhaps everyone’s Slice can relate to the Inauguration, in some [...]