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Developing Independent Writers
When I first started teaching (and for more years than I'd like to admit), this is what it sounded like when it was time for independent writing time to begin:...
Encouraging Agency
One of the refrains I think people in my district will remember me for is that you never want to teach a child that the only way they can write...
Six Journaling Ideas for Teacher Self-Care
About 10 years ago I began writing and journaling. I found that not only did my teaching of writing improve but so did my personal well-being. My notebook became my...
Learning from Our Favorite Illustrators
Last year our first-grade team was brainstorming ideas for a short unit of study for writing workshop. Usually if we find ourselves with a week or two between units, we...
Writing Graphic Novels
After an opinion essay unit followed by a text-heavy information writing unit, fourth-grade students were ready for a change of pace and a change of genres for many reasons. We...
Graphic Engagement
Earlier this year, I found myself in the midst of a fourth-grade class, most of whom were reading at or above grade level. They enjoyed reading and devoured books one...
Picture It: Pebbles in Our Shoes
Sometimes there is tension during professional learning sessions. This is particularly true for school-wide sessions that are developed to propel change. It isn't a surprise that change is met with...
The Joy of Learning Something New (or How Trying Something New I Totally Stank at Helped Increase My Understanding of the Learning Process)
It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment I decided I wanted to play roller derby. It could have been while growing up in the '80s and seeing the over-the-top derby...
The Language We Use and How It Strengthens Understanding
What works for small things, works for big ones. —Lauren Wolk, Echo Mountain, p. 184 I am married to a high school physics teacher, and during the virtual-teaching days of...
What’s Your Point of View?
Michael De La Pena presented at Bank Street College’s Teaching Kindergarten Conference. He started by asking, “What’s your point of view?” He paused, then continued, “We always go into a...
Energizing Yourself
I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance...
Alert! Mistakes in Progress
As we sang our class song, I realized I had made a mistake on the chart paper in one part of the first verse. When we finished singing, I said,...
Overcoming Challenges in Writing Workshop with Trauma-Informed Practices
I was in a first-grade classroom during a writing workshop. There was a student, Gerald. The teacher told me, “He only copies text. I’ve never seen anything like it. He...
Uplifting Students’ “Ordinary” Stories with Mentor Texts
As I scroll through social media at the end of each summer, I see pictures of friends in beautiful places—European landmarks, families in a glee-filled heap in front of...
Picture It: Highlight the Strengths in Student Writing
Students select a portion of their writing they are proud of and mount it on colored paper. These are displayed on a bulletin board in a high-traffic area of the...
Young Author Celebrations
As an instructional coach for an elementary school, I've learned that some of my favorite events to plan are the young author celebrations. Each year I can’t wait to create...
It’s Time to Admire: Sharing in the Beauty of Students’ Writing
I admire anyone that has the guts to write anything. E. B. White “What is this young writer doing?" I asked encouragingly to the team of teachers gathered around for...
Making Learning Visible from Coaching Cycles
Sometimes I feel the need to reach a wider audience while working in an instructional coaching cycle since I often work with a small group of teachers for an extended...
Opinion Writing in Primary Grades: Layers of Support
The Struggle Is Real I’m going to be completely honest. I used to find myself groaning every year when it was time to plan our opinion writing unit. Although my...
Taking a Stance: Supporting Opinions in Primary Writers
When young writers are given an opportunity to share their opinions, the world becomes a better place. The opinions of young writers span from the perils of tripping over misplaced...
Classroom Library Elements in School Library Design
I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library. —Jorge Luis Borges “I have a vision of a student-centered library where there is student writing on signs...
