About
Ruth Ayres and Stacey Shubitz are the authors of Day by Day: Refining Writing Workshop Through 180 Days of Reflective Practice, which is available from Stenhouse Publishers. They live 565 miles apart and have been blogging about the teaching of writing together since 2007. To read more about Ruth and Stacey, please scroll down this page.
Ruth Ayres has been in education since 2000. Her first years were spent teaching seventh graders language arts. Currently she is a writing coach for Wawasee School District, located in northern Indiana. Ruth has a M.S. Ed. in Educational Leadership and a B.S. in Secondary Education, both from Indiana University. She has gleaned much knowledge from the professional development offered by the All-Write Consortium. When not in schools, she is home with her husband and three young children.
Stacey Shubitz lives is a certified literacy specialist and a former classroom teacher. She taught fifth grade at P.S. 171 in East Harlem, NY and fourth grade at The Learning Community in Central Falls, RI. In addition to her work as a literacy consultant, she has worked as an adjunct professor at Penn State – Harrisburg. Stacey has a M.A. in Literacy Education from Teachers College at Columbia University, a M.S.Ed. in Childhood Education from Hunter College of the City of New York, and a B.A. in Communication from The George Washington University. She is on the editorial review board for The Language and Literacy Spectrum, the New York State Reading Association’s Journal. A Kappa Delta Pi Teacher of Honor, Stacey presents at local, state, and national conferences and has had articles published in Instructor Magazine, the Responsive Classroom Newsletter and in Statement. Stacey resides in Pennsylvania with her husband and daughter.






I really wanted to participate in the Slice of Life Challenge, but I am a little late to the party. I am a middle school math teacher with a passion for my students and a commitment to daily blogging…I also have a medically-fragile son who puts another spin on things…Please stop by my blog The other side of the equation: A story of life, love and math! Excited to be a part of this community!
http://theothersideoftheequation.blogspot.com/
Shannon
As an educator passionate about writing and a writer who loves to share my craft, this site provides a place for me to mingle with other like-minded people! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful resource!
Your blogs help me be a better coach. You always seem to be one step ahead of me and know just when I’m going to need an extra tidbit to support a teacher.
We are a new education website (www.stageoflife.com) looking to grow our resources.
We would love to discuss education trends. Recently, we quoted Troy Hicks, English professor at Michigan University and author of The Digital Writing Workshop, on our “digital literacy” page as we look to help teachers use blogging in the classroom. It would be an honor to quote you as well.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Megan
P.s. Our site has a variety of education resources including: national monthly writing contests, free lesson plans, mentor texts, etc. We are working to enhance our education pages; any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Dear Ruth & Stacey:
You have a GREAT site!!
Was hoping you can give me some direction. . ..I’m looking for some kind of list or article that identifies what are the characteristics of effective reading and writing classrooms. Do you happen to have any leads?
Thanks!!!
Hi Vincent,
I’d suggest looking through the citations in recent professional books on the teaching of reading or writing to find relevant journal articles.
Hope that helps,
Stacey
I love your site!
What an incredible site. Someone mentioned it on my English Companion Ning (www.englishcompanion.ning.com) the other day. I would love to have you join us over there so people can learn more about your site and benefit from your resources. Thanks again for all you provide here. I’ll be back (pronounced the way my governor (of California) would say it…)
Jim
I just came across your site when googling Katie Wood Ray. I’ll definitely be checking back often!
I am beginning a daily writer’s workshop with my PK-K students in a public Montessori school. Today, we were practicing the routine of the workshop (I was planning on beginning Monday) and one student said “can we just do it now?” I asked, do we want to start now? I received a resounding YES!!!!! Anyways, for the following 40 minutes, I had 22 4, 5, and 6 year olds who were completely engaged in creating books! Really really great books! It was amazing! Brought tears to my eyes…can’t wait to continue!
I am glad to find your website and will check back frequently for writing tips.
Thanks!
I just came across your blog and it made me so happy! I am a staff developer at the Reading & Writing Project (this is my sixth year) and seeing this was incredibly inspiring. This is what it’s all about!! If you come to the April reunion at TC let me know!
I’m a former teacher turned writer. I found your site to be great. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Dustus
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I am so glad I stumbled onto your blog today. You gals are awesome!!!! I will keep reading for more perals of wisdom!
Fellow teacher,
Monica Dietz
this is a great blog for teachers good to read and get motivated a lot of information we too promote and encourage teachers to use technology . we also show them how they can use technology for the benefit of students and their financial gains
I am so excited to come across your blog. Thank you for taking the time to share your thinking and resources. I was a part of a school district that was moving forward with balanced literacy, reader’s workshop, writer’s workshop and word study, but I moved and no longer work in a place where this type of teaching and pedagogy are the norm. I greatly miss it. I am hoping to post one of my units of study up in the next week. Thanks again!
Stacey:
WOW! What a tremendous resource. I was very fortunate to meet you during Lucy’s small group session. Sorry I was unavailable to say good bye on the last day but I cannot wait to share this new resource with our teachers. Please stay in touch.
Glynn
New Haven Schools
Union City, CA
Lovely Blog! We need more education blogs of this quality. Great work and thanks for the link to Teaching Heart!
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Dear Ruth & Stacey,
I just wanted to make sure that you were invited to our education “Blogger Summit”. We hope you can make it and feel free to share this invitation with any other bloggers in the area that might be interested. The invitation is attached below.
Alex
ED In ’08 Blogger Summit
——————————–
Strong American Schools is excited to announce the ED in ’08 Blogger Summit. Conference details are as follows:
May 14th – 15th
Palomar Hotel, Washington DC
Registration is Free!
An opening reception is scheduled on the evening of Wednesday, May 14th. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served before the screening of a new documentary film on education, Two Million Minutes. A Q&A session with the filmmakers is set to follow.
Then join us for an all-day conference on May 15th. Nowhere else will you have an opportunity to meet and network with fellow education bloggers, participate in panels, attend workshops, and help tackle some tough questions on the state of education in America.
Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP today!
Register at http://edin08.com/bloggersummit/
I am thrilled that you alerted me to your blog. It has tons of useful information, and it’s also fun to read. I will definitely pass your site information on to educators throughout the country when I do my “dog and pony” presentations at state and regional IRA conferences.
Thanks for reaching across the miles to each other, and for sharing your wisdom with the rest of us.
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I’m thrilled to have found your site. I never knew I loved teaching until I did a work-study stint teaching poetry in grades 1-8 at P.S. 75 in NYC with Teachers and Writers. As a result, eight years ago I left a career as an editor and reporter to teach poetry to teen moms. I blog about that at http://www.dontcallitpoetry.wordpress.com … come visit sometime
Hello
I’m building a blog on children’s poetry which you might find useful.
http://jakethecake.wordpress.com
Please place it in your blogroll if you feel others might make use of it. Several teachers in the UK have used it in their classrooms.
Paul
Dear Ruth and Stacey,
I am pleased to announce that the first online issue of Launch Pad has now been published. The issue is freely accessible (open access) on the magazine web site. Our January/February “Animals” issue features creative works by talented young authors and illustrators from eleven states and from Australia, New Zealand, Wales, and England. You will find creative fiction, folktales, poetry, and nonfiction, complemented by imaginative illustrations by young artists using a variety of colorful media and artistic styles. I know you will enjoy reading our first issue!
Launch Pad still needs contributors. We are looking for works for our upcoming issues about Fairy Tales & Fantasy, Sports, Summer Fun, Mysteries, and Heroes. If you are a teacher, librarian, or parent, please encourage young people to submit their work! We still have space in all of our upcoming 2008 issues, and Launch Pad especially needs young artists. I hope you will share this announcement with the members of your blog. Enjoy the magazine!
Paul Kelsey
Editor and Publisher
Launch Pad: Where Young Authors and Illustrators Take Off!
editor@launchpadmag.com
http://www.launchpadmag.com
I’m enjoying your blog.
Any chance you can post what your schedule looks like for a week or two? Showing how you manage writing conferences and reading conferences as well as content?
Thanks!
Mindy
This is indeed a wonderful chance find for me, tripping across the cyberspace in search of something new to do for the new year!!
Keep up the good work and keep young people writing!
Your postings would further inspire me . thanks.
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I just wanted to let you know that I’ve enjoyed reading your blog and have added you to my site’s blogroll. Thanks for all your thoughtful work!
Thanks Megan!
Thank you.
Yes, I researched your book a ton before buying it because I couldn’t exactly figure out where to buy it. Or actually I was trying to find the most convenient place to get it.
Good luck in future ventures in writing.
Megan:
Thanks for your support of my students’ book. All of the proceeds go to P.S. 171′s Visiting Author Fund. Hence, you’re purchase will help bring published authors to the students of P.S. 171. Thanks!
Checked out your blog… it’s great!
Best,
Stacey
I was recently introduced to your blog by A Year of Reading. I am glad to have found it! I recently purchased Deal With IT! and it is exciting to find this site to supplement my love of that book.
Please visit my blog any time.
http://www.5thgradereads.blogspot.com
Megan Germano
I just got on your site! HOLY MACACHAROLI ..you two are great! You both inspire me!