Content Category: Choice Literacy

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Conferring with Children: Principles and Procedures

Just for fun, when we're in a new classroom of young children together, we often introduce ourselves and begin by asking the class a question. "Who do you think is...

Opening Classroom Doors

The role of the reading specialist in elementary schools has shifted so much in the last ten years. Many specialists have gone from working solely with students to serving, at...

The Porch in August: Letting It Be

Chris told his fifth-grade students last week that when he is inside a good book he just cannot put it down. He is caught in the vortex of the story...

Learning with Intensity: A Study Group Discussion Prompt

"I came to our meeting this week dog-tired: preparing for Back to School Night, designing new curriculum, adjusting to changes in our schedule," Lena confided. "But after our discussion tonight,...

Creating Structures to Sustain Our Work

I wish I could bottle the inspiration I felt after listening to Bruce Morgan, Debbie Miller, and Ellin Keene at a recent NCTE presentation. They spoke about professional learning experiences...

Ode to a Sweet Snowy Day for Two

[You can download this month's poem from Shirley, Ode to a Sweet Snowy Day for Two, by clicking on this link.] Recently I attended Poetry Week in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico....

Messengers

I believe Ezra Pound when he said that "Literature is news that stays news," but we don't often get to hear our poets bring the news. When we do, we're...

Collecting Literacy Stories Icebreaker (PRINT DOWNLOAD)

I enjoyed Ruth Shagoury's icebreaker activity "Collecting Stories" posted some time ago at Choice Literacy. I decided to adapt it to use with my work with literacy leaders here in New...

Assessing Spelling in Writing Workshop Part 2: Noticing Patterns in Individuals, Small Groups and the Whole Group

Regie Routman writes about assessment in her book, Teaching Essentials: Expecting the Most and Getting the Best from Every Learner K-8. She says, Teachers have to develop a mindset that views...

Reflecting on the First Six Weeks of Word Study

Going into word study with a different plan is always a little scary. With the first six weeks of school finished, it feels like it is time to see where...

Meeting Areas (Design Photo Essay Series)

We never used to have meeting areas in our classrooms, because students spent most of their time at desks, facing us as we taught lessons using an overhead or blackboard....

Teaching Themes Through Keywords

I have a friend who is a whiz at online dating. It turns out you can go to these various websites and put in a 'keyword' and out pops Romeo!...

Strong Girls (BOOKLIST)

I have become more committed to finding good books for boys over the last few years. So much has been written about the crisis in boys and literacy that I...

Short Units, Big Messages

Some years ago, I moved from a 5th grade classroom to an intermediate multiage classroom with grades 3 and 4 students. I realized quickly that my writing workshop would be...

Root Metaphors for Teaching: Learning from Our Passions

Franki Sibberson's recent Choice Literacy essay "Fitness Boot Camp Helps Me Understand Struggling Readers" caught my interest, and I found myself returning to her ideas. While I am (fortunately!) not immersing...

Tight Spaces Part I: Maximizing Room for Literacy Learning (PHOTO ESSAY)

When we first began teaching, our students all sat in desks, row by row. The constant sound of chairs and desks scraping together, and the continually jostling of students against...

Wall Displays (PHOTO ESSAY)

  When we were new teachers, we used to have a different background colorfor each bulletin board or wall display, as well as numerous borders. We would even change those...

Forming Teams to Help Struggling Readers:A Pilot Project (TEMPLATES)

Teachers are like rock climbers, pushing themselves to take risks and accepting new challenges. Daily life in a classroom is like the thrill of facing a new climb. Teachers approach...

The Rolling Pin: Looking into Things

Julian looks long at the slipper shell, one he has brought to school from his collection. When I kneel next to him at writing time he is turning it over...

I Believe . . . Some Thoughts on Marathons and Sustained Professional Development in Schools

I believe that professional learning communities such as teacher study groups are the key to sustainable instructional change. When teachers are given on-going opportunities over time to explore new ideas...

Connecting Language and Hope: A Study Group Activity

For the past three months, a group of teachers and I have been exploring words in our classrooms. To help us clarify how language affects us, some teachers listened to...