Everyone who writes for Choice Literacy loves teaching writing, because we all write ourselves. We know it is "hard fun," as Donald Murray says - exasperating and exhilarating at the same time. The writing workshops you will read about here and see in our videos are busy, noisy, vibrant places. And most days, we wouldn't want to be anywhere else than in the midst of 'em! To get started learning about our latest discoveries, insights, and occasional bone-headed mistakes in teaching writing, click any link below.

Write Today Ruth Ayres I believe in being a teacher who writes. Today. And the next day and the one after that. I know there are reasons why this will never work. I've heard most of them, have claimed some of them, and understand, logistically, there just aren't enough minutes in the day. But what if we could become teachers who write? How might it play out in real time? What if instead of listing all of the reasons it's impossible to write daily, we come up with an opposite kind of list, a powerful list of possibility. . . . more Learning To Write Engaging Nonfiction: A Middle School Partner Writing Study Ann Marie Corgill This year I attempted to do something I had never tried before in my teaching career . . . planning and following through with a partner writing study, a study that I would teach and learn from with 125 sixth graders. In years past I had always supported children in their quest to write "partner books" or work with a partner on a single piece of writing, but I had never intentionally planned a unit where all students would think, talk, and write with a partner for the entire unit of study. . . . more Wild Facts Andrea Smith I love discovering high quality digital reading resources for my third and fourth graders to use in our classroom and for home reading. I love it even more when it is my students who discover a unique or useful website and take the time to share it with our classroom community. This unexpected discovery happened just last week, and it made a significant difference in the learning lives of both my students and me. . . . more Goldilocks and the 3 Writers: Targeting Common Spelling Needs (VIDEO) Katie DiCesare In this video of a first-grade guided writing group, Katie DiCesare works with three girls on spelling issues that have emerged in their writing. By grouping the students together, she is able to use her time well in addressing common needs among students. . . . more Classroom Changes and Birdhouse Gourds Andrea Smith In the past, kids took great delight in displaying work in progress and put published pieces on our Writers' Board. Each child routinely changed out his or her pieces, selecting writing projects they valued. In recent years, we started posting so many pieces on our blogs or holding them in our digital portfolios on PBWorks. Our Writers' Board seemed forgotten. Here it was December and our current space sat empty. How had I not noticed this? . . . more Three Rules Worthy of Spelling Inquiry Heather Rader Over the last five years, I've dug into teaching conventions with an inquiry-based approach which I define as: using correct text and artful questioning to get students to wonder about words and symbols that convey meaning. . . . more Spelling Rules -- Or Does It? Heather Rader I am a spelling nerd. How nerdy? When I hear a word I don't know, I ask someone, "Can you spell that for me?" Then I air-write it or copy it down in the notebook I keep in my purse. Yep, even at parti . . . more Organizing Writing Groups (VIDEO) Franki Sibberson Many times I'll form a writing group based on what I'm noticing as I observe children in writer's workshop. They will tell me what they need in conferences, or I'll see patterns across the class. I might ask kids, "Who's having trouble with their lead?" and pull a group based on student response. I might notice that three children are writing something with a sports theme, so I might pull those students together to look at sports writers. . . . more Pitching My Lesson Plans for a Day of Peace and Poetry Karen Terlecky One beautiful day in October, I arrived at school to see the most amazing work taking place in the side yard. Our art teacher and several parent volunteers were placing hundreds of pinwheels into the outline of a peace symbol. With almost 600 students in our school, all who had contributed pinwheels, the peace symbol was larger than a half basketball court. As I looked down from my second floor window to watch their progress and the multitude of colorful pinwheels moving in the gentle breeze, I knew that what I had thoughtfully planned for writing instruction that day was going to be pitched in an effort to capture the magic of this school-wide endeavor. . . . more Listen In: Writing in Math Heather Rader and Linda Karamatic "You've gotta see this," are Linda Karamatic's first words when I arrive in her second-grade classroom. On this particular day we marveled on how Maya had decided to make her math homework fun by adding a riddle-like quality to her math. Her "no peekie, peekie" innovation intrigued me. . . . more Writing Celebrations: A Podcast with Ruth Ayres In this podcast, Ruth Ayres chats with Franki Sibberson about the importance of writing celebrations in her classroom. . . . more Mentor Texts for Organizing Writing Aimee Buckner Sometimes organizing writing is like organizing coupons. Writers often have a lot of good ideas but they need help organizing them. When readers read our work, they don't want to have to sort through all the boring stuff they don't really need to know. They want to get right to the "good part" - and those good parts vary for every kind of writing. . . . more Voila! Best Writing and Entry Slips in Second Grade (VIDEO) Heather Rader The word "voila" in French literally means "see there." Linda Karamatic put time and reflection into creating a binder, or voila book, that will ease the bulging writing workshop folders and preserve the best of students' writing to celebrate their progression as second-grade writers throughout the year. When you hear people pronounce the word "voila" they say it with expression. And if they talk with their hands like I do, they may throw a kiss or make jazz hands - voila! Which is exactly the reason why Mrs. Karamatic and her students chose the name. . . . more Making the Reading-Writing Connection with Genre Studies: The "Must Have" Lesson Aimee Buckner In many classrooms today, teachers use genre studies as a springboard for teaching writing. Depending on the genre being studied, every student has to write a fable or a personal narrative or a nonfiction piece. Minilessons focus on teaching the children about the genre's characteristics. . . . more Preserving Student Writing as a Curator Heather Rader It's a Friday afternoon when I sit down with second-grade teacher Linda Karamatic. After teaching many years, she's tried different systems of preserving student writing. She's clear on what she wants: Clearing out the "finished" pocket of the writing folder once-a-month Sharing and celebrating student writing with families Reflecting on finished pieces When I asked her what hasn't worked, she's sure about that too. . . . more Scaring Up Better Narratives Part 3 (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this final installment of a three-part series, Aimee Buckner continues to confer with students and shares a great tip for nonfiction research. . . . more Mentor Texts for a Writing Study in Graphica Franki Sibberson Graphic novels have become part of our students' reading lives. It only makes sense that because of this, they'd want to write graphic novels. I am all for students trying out genres they've read in writing workshop, but I have had trouble supporting students to write quality graphic novels. I have access to several technology tools, such as the Comic Life software that helps students do this type of design on the computer. But whether they are creating comics and graphic novels by hand or on the computer, it is the story that matters. I have struggled with helping students tell a good story in this format for years. I have read countless student comics full of sound effects, but lacking plot. . . . more Writing Better First Drafts Aimee Buckner Building the gingerbread house (and rebuilding it) is how some students write. Their first draft is so structurally weak, that the time to spend on revising is actually spent rebuilding the story. As the deadline looms, the student gets more and more frustrated and finally just writes what she has attempted more neatly in a book just to be done. As a teacher of students like this, I'm just as tired and frustrated as they are with the writing. I'm relieved to be done with that piece and move on to another. . . . more Math Journals Julie Johnson When I was in high school, I absolutely adored math. I loved solving algebra problems . . .the more complicated, the better. I remember sitting with my dad at the kitchen table, poring over a problem, listening to him explain it, and thinking deeply about why the solution worked. . . . more Conferring: Stretching Words (VIDEO) In this conference with a second grader, Beth Lawson uses a visual aid and a hand motion to help a young English language learner understand the concept of stretching words in writing. . . . more Mentor Texts for Nonfiction Writing (VIDEO and BOOKLIST) Heather Rader with Beth Lawson When I was asked to help Beth augment her nonfiction library for fourth graders, I felt giddy. Who doesn't like to recommend books? I can't wait to hear how Beth has used the books with her students. . . . more Writing Models: A Podcast with Kelly Gallagher Kelly Gallagher, the best-selling author of Readicide and Reading Reasons, talks about the importance of teachers modeling writing for students. . . . more Weekend Headlines: Whole Class Share (VIDEO) Katie Doherty In this final installment of a three-part video series, Katie Doherty and her sixth-grade students continue the Weekend Headlines activity. The activity ends with a whole-class sharing and discussion of student writing. . . . more Putting the "Mini" Back in Minilessons Sharon Frost There was really only one problem with the lesson. It was supposed to be a minilesson. This minilesson lasted for 35 minutes. Only ten minutes remained in the workshop period for writing and conferencing. I was hoping that the teacher would steal time from another discipline and let the students continue writing. But ten minutes later, the students put away their writing folders, grabbed their learning logs, and scurried off to the science lab. Unfortunately, this kind of minilesson was fairly typical in this school. . . . more Listen In: Writing Reviews Heather Rader Real writing for real purpose ignites young writers. While a formal book report doesn't exist in grown-up literature, book reviews do. As Kincaid was passionately talking about his beloved series I wondered, how might a talented second grade writer like Kincaid write a book review? . . . more Notebooks, Journals, and Book Logs Across the Curriculum This cluster will help you consider new possibilities for using notebooks and logs in the language arts and other content areas. . . . more Listen In: Spelling Aids in the Writing Workshop (VIDEO) Addressing conventions with kids is an art. If done too early they will think correctness is what is most important. One risks inhibiting writers from taking their own risks. . . . more Grammar Insecurity: Coaching Editing Heather Rader ot long ago I was crafting an email and struggling with one particular sentence. Was it grammatically incorrect or just awkward and in need of revision? What's more important? I asked myself. Do I get the invitation out before the workday is over or do I fret about one gangly sentence? And so I sent the email. Five minutes later I got a call from an email recipient and colleague I'd never met. . . . more Writing Triage: Dealing with Dialogue Disasters Heather Rader Panicky emails regarding fledgling writers thrill me. Perhaps it's nostalgia for the pace of my former favorite Thursday night show: ER. Listening to the intro theme song, I tingled with excitement about the upcoming casualties and relationship drama. Like Dr. Kerry Weaver or Nurse Carol Hathaway, a writing emergency gives me a place to be, a patient to serve, and a problem to solve. . . . more Publishing in the Internet Age Heather Rader When I was eleven years old, I submitted a story to Young Miss magazine that I typed . . . yes, typed . . . on a Royal Typewriter that had been my grandfather's since the 1920s-30s. Sending off a yellow mailing envelope with my pages, I hoped to see my story inside that slick magazine someday. I never got a reply. . . . more The Sponge Summary Lesson (Part 5) In this sequence of videos, Heather teaches a fourth-grade class, using the analogy of a sponge to explain how summaries work. In this fifth video, Heather and students shift from "I do" to "we do" as students try test their summary writing skills with partners . . . more Writing Drafts and Stamina Heather Rader Stamina is defined as "staying power" or "toughness." Often when we think of staying power related to writing we think of the amount of time a writer generates at one particular sitting. . . . more Conferring with Emily: Moving from Questions to Content (VIDEO) In this conference with six-year-old Emily, Ruth Shagoury looks for a way into a conversation by using Emily's drawings, previous writing, and interests. Emily's first language is Hmong, and she is experimenting with Chinese characters in her writing. . . . more Off the Beaten Professional Development Path: What I Learned from the Teachers as Writers Group Heather Rader It's a Saturday and I'm pressing the norms chart up on the window of a sunlit room in a popular local coffeehouse. Two teachers are here early and smile a quick hello before they look back to their work - their writing. We call ourselves Teachers as Writers, and 12 of us gather once a month for three hours on Saturday for an unusual professional development offering. . . . more Rethinking Mentor Texts This cluster is designed to help teachers think about the ways that they choose mentor texts for literacy lessons. . . . more Revision Tools: Providing Options to Students (VIDEO) Franki Sibberson From old favorites like highlighters to new resources like kangaroo bags, this whole class session with Franki Sibberson's students highlights cool tools that will inspire learners to dive in and test out different revision strategies in writer's workshop... . . . more The Sponge Summary Lesson (Part 3) This is a companion video series to Heather Rader's article "A Sponge is a Summary." In this third video, Heather and students cull down a text into the important points needed for a summary. . . . more The Sponge Summary Lesson (Part 1) This is a companion video series to Heather Rader's article "A Sponge is a Summary." In this sequence of videos, Heather teaches a fourth-grade class, using the analogy of a sponge to explain how summaries work. . . . more Prewriting is a Party! Heather Rader "Does anyone here like parties?" The fourth grade classroom where I'm demonstrating a lesson is a forest of tall standing arms. Everybody likes parties. . . . more Listen In: Maya is a Chapter Writer (VIDEO) Heather Rader Maya is also a writer that likes approval, so I wanted to be sure I gave her several examples of what she is doing well before we considered a piece to revise. Here was the sequence of our conversation . . . more Books that Invite Students into Poetry Writing Franki Sibberson Students learn so much about crafting quality writing when they are immersed in a poetry writing unit. I often see big growth in students in terms of writing focus, word choice, and voice . However, a challenge I always have when inviting students to write poetry is their reliance on poetry that rhymes. . . . more Coaching Reluctant Writers Heather Rader I'm not sure I've ever met a reluctant writer. Oh, she may look reluctant or he may sound reluctant, but they rarely are. Take, for example, Eduardo. Eduardo slunk into his sixth grade literacy block every day. He rolled his eyes, put his head on his desk and often called out "I'm bored!" . . . more Listen In: Magnifying a Moment in Writing (VIDEO) When second-grade teacher Linda Karamatic pulled out Sammi's folder during our meeting, she commented on how delighted she was to see Sammi finishing some pieces. There were several workshops at the beginning of the year when Sammi needed reminders that it was writing time, not social time. We both acknowledged how she was showing more writerly behaviors, and that was something to celebrate. After looking at a few pieces, one of the trends we noticed in Sammi's writing was that she provided a great skeleton for her writing, but the details were lacking. . . . more Sense of Little Engines Heather Rader Recently I had the opportunity to put a sense of agency or little engines into practice while co-teaching in a third-grade classroom. Mr. Bruin (pseudonym) told me he has many reluctant writers, "They don't know how to get started writing. They wouldn't know a creative idea if it bit them." . . . more Writers, Choice and Independence (Part II) Aimee Buckner There is a difference between students quietly writing during workshops in classrooms, knowing the routines that are in place, and true independence. So what can teachers do to create environments where children learn the essential skills they need to navigate a world with so many choices they are almost overwhelming? Independent writing studies are a wonderful place to start. . . . more Writers, Choice and Independence (Part I) Aimee Buckner I had an observer in my classroom a few years ago who said, "I love how independent your students are during the workshop. They're such independent writers for fourth graders." I smiled and said thank you. My mother always taught me to accept a compliment by saying "thank you" and smiling. Then in your head say "I know!" But to be truthful, I didn't know. . . . more Lifting the Quality of Student Reading Logs with Quotes (VIDEO) If you're looking for a way to perk up student reading journals, try a lesson on adding quotes. Katie Doherty demonstrates for her middle school students how quotes can lift the quality of writing, using student and literary examples in this 11 minute video. . . . more A More Literate Show and Tell Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan Last week Tammy joined a kindergarten teacher, Vicki Haley, for her writer's workshop. As we all know, the reality of kindergarten is that even with the best-laid plans we can get a bit off schedule. When Tammy first arrived, Vicki apologized that she was a bit behind and shared that her students were getting ready for show and tell. We had planned to focus our time on strategies for generating important topics for personal narrative stories in writer's workshop. The level of excitement was too high to change direction, so we went with show and tell. Two sentences into the first show and tell, and we both knew that this was our opportunity for teaching. . . . more On Their Own (Almost): Coaching and Classroom Demonstrations Mid-Year (VIDEO) In this video filmed in mid-January, Jennifer Allen observes new teacher Jessica, and explains how she struggles to redefine her role in the classroom. . . . more Not That Into Me Heather Rader For the past 11 years during the holiday season my husband and I have watched the movie Trapped in Paradise with my brother. The movie stars Nicholas Cage, Dana Carvey and Jon Lovett as three brothers, Alvin, Dave and Bill Furpo, with a knack for stealing things and a Darwin Award intellect. We love it and laugh every time. It's not a spectacular plot; there are no unforgettable characters; the message is neither brilliant nor moving. It's simply familiarity -- we love what we know. . . . more The Difference Between Conferring and "Touching Base" Debbie Miller Sometimes when I talk with teachers about creating "the luscious feeling of endless time," they look at me like I've lost my mind. They tell me they love the idea, but with all they have to teach and all their kids need to learn, "There's no way," they say. Luscious feeling? Endless time? Come on girlfriend, get real!" . . . more First Grade Guided Writing Group: Targeting Common Spelling Needs (VIDEO) Katie DiCesare In this video of a first-grade guided writing group, Katie DiCesare works with three girls on spelling confusions that have emerged in their writing. By grouping the students together, she is able to use her time well in addressing common needs among students. . . . more Learning with Graphica: Class Discussion (VIDEO) This is the third of a four-part video series on using graphica in a 4th grade classroom. In this installment, Sarah Thibault confers with students during writer's workshop as they brainstorm character traits. Students will be creating their own comic books, after extensive preparation and multiple reading and writing activities. . . . more Persuasive Pamphlets (Part 1 of the Pamphlet Project Series) Erin Ocon As I watched the activists, I found myself wondering how many times during the past few months people had tried to hand me some kind of written material as I walked down the street. There were too many to count. I realized that despite the amount of information available on the internet, politicians (and businesses) still rely on good old-fashioned pamphlets to get out their message. And, with a practicality that would have made Ron Paul proud, I realized how cheap and easy it would be to reproduce this idea in the classroom. . . . more Learning with Graphica: Conferring with Students (VIDEO) This is the second of a four-part video series on using graphica in a 4th grade classroom. In this installment Sarah Thibault confers with students during writer's workshop as they brainstorm character traits. Students will be creating their own comic books, after extensive preparation and multiple reading and writing activities. . . . more Family History Inquiry Project: Integrating Technology with Social Studies in First Grade Julie Johnson Our first-grade curriculum calls for comparing the past and present. I wanted my students to do more than compare their lives to abstract figures from the past. I wanted them to make personal connections and be engaged in the process of finding out what life really was like in the past, as well as find similarities to their own lives. Because I had a guest researcher in my room that year, students were accustomed to investigating questions and engaging in thought provoking discussions about their results. . . . more Helping Children Build Notetaking Skills Heather Rader Effective notetaking involves a writer making meaning with his or her notes by distinguishing what is absolutely essential to know, good to know and nice to know. In other words, good notetaking involves thinking and decision-making. Verbatim notetaking is the least effective way to take notes . . . more Pamphlets on Books (Part 2 of the Persuasive Pamphlets Series) Erin Ocon I can never seem to make just a quick trip to a bookstore or library. I'm easily side-tracked from my initial purpose, and the thrill of discovery makes time seem irrelevant. The geniuses who organize these places have come up with several ways to get my attention - one of which is pamphlets. As I walk into the literature room at Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon, lists of prize-winning books are available, just calling for me to track them down. At my local library branch, the young adult section displays pamphlets by the bookshelves. Some of my favorites have contained lists of young adult mysteries, or ideas for further reading for people who love Harry Potter. . . . more Making the Most of Writing Conferences in First Grade (VIDEO) In this three-minute video from Courtney Tomfohr's first grade classroom, Courtney confers with a child during writing workshop. Courtney packs a lot into this brief conference - observing the child write and reinforcing elements of story structure as she records notes. Joan Moser and Gail Boushey ("The Sisters") provide background narration. . . . more Injecting Writing into Everything: Bringing the Outside In Heather Rader We talked about incorporating "pick-up" items on the science table. What if during workshop there were natural items available that a writer could bring back to his/her writing spot? It reminded me of how I have samples of student work, teacher quotes, and post-its of the brilliant things kids say sprinkled all over my workspace. They are the pick-up items that form and inspire my writing . . . more Injecting Writing into Everything: Cover-up Stories Heather Rader I have a teaching colleague who is blind. One day he stood at the threshold of my classroom and called out a greeting to me and then said, "Whoa, where is your furniture?" I had moved all my desks to the perimeter of the room so we'd have room for a class circle. "How did you know?" I asked. He explained, "Without my sight, I rely on my hearing. I could hear the difference of how our voices bounced off objects in the room." Using this idea of eliminating illustrations and heightening the imagination, I stumbled upon one of the most stimulating read aloud and writing activities I've taught. . . . more Revising Titles Minilesson (VIDEO) Franki Sibberson In this minilesson from Franki Sibberson's grades 3/4 classroom, Franki takes students through the process of selecting and revising titles. She uses the poem "Confessions of a Reader" by Carol Wilcox as a mentor text. . . . more "The Wrath of Guess Jeans": Debrief (VIDEO) In this third video in a three-part series, Katie Doherty leads her sixth graders through a response activity. The text they are reading was written by a middle school student over a decade ago, and its themes of popularity and belonging still ring true for students. . . . more Quick Takes: Using Timers in Middle School Writing Workshops from Katie Doherty In this video quick take, Katie Doherty explains why she finds a timer helpful in her middle school writing workshop. . . . more "The Wrath of Guess Jeans": Reading, Writing, and Cliques in Middle School (VIDEO) In this first video in a three-part series, Katie Doherty leads her sixth graders through a response activity. The text they are reading was written by a middle school student over a decade ago, and its themes of popularity and belonging still ring true for students. . . . more Word Choice Lesson: A Collaborative Coaching Session with a New Teacher (VIDEO) Jennifer Allen When I work with a new teacher in his or her classroom, it's a collaborative experience. We design and teach together over time, sharing what works and what doesn't. In this video, you'll glimpse a snapshot in time of the collaborative teaching Jessica and I are doing within a revision unit of study. On this day, we are teaching her fourth graders about the importance of word choice... . . . more Preschool Writing Center (VIDEO) In this video from Melissa Kolb's preschool classroom, children work in the writing center. Melissa explains how she routinely changes the supplies in the center to spark interest in students and make connections to their experiences. . . . more Injecting Writing into Everything: Prediction Stories Heather Rader Moving from teaching kindergarten to third grade, I noticed something suspicious about students' predictions. Ask five-year-olds about what might happen next in a story and they look like a mob scene at a rock concert. But not at eight. They were no longer falling out of their chairs pleading, "Pick me, pick me." They'd become reticent predictors; they were afraid to be wrong. . . . more From Questions to Drafts (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this video, Aimee Buckner shares the mentor text Could You? Would You? with her 4th grade students. Aimee explains how questions are a springboard to interesting writing topics, and models connections she makes to the text. . . . more Drawing to Words: Conferring with Luis (VIDEO) In this four-minute video, Andie Cunningham confers with Luis during writing workshop. Luis is a six-year-old English language learner whose passion is drawing. . . . more Injecting Writing into . . . Everything: Ellipsis Stories Heather Rader Ellipses allows picture book readers to trail off and kids to fill in what's coming on the next page. The layout of these books build suspense with each preceding ellipsis bringing forth a "Yes! I was right!" or "Whoa, I didn't see that coming." These are delicious as read alouds, but add even more as a writing response opportunity. . . . more 4th Grade Small Group - Writing Paragraphs (VIDEO) In this six-minute video, Aimee Buckner uses a mentor text to demonstrate how writers construct lively nonfiction paragraphs. The small group has been pulled together because the students need more practice in adding details to their writing. . . . more Conferring About Inferring (VIDEO) Katie Doherty During reader's workshop, my main goal is to have students reading and practicing some form of reading strategy with the text that they choose. At the beginning of the year, this is more structured. For independent practice of a reading strategy I have students read their choice book (a novel of their choosing which they bring to class everyday), and as they are reading I will have them complete the strategy activity. As the year goes on, I give the students more choice. Reader's workshop becomes just that; a place where students can work on reading skills and strategies together. Students have the option of reading their choice book or working with a friend or two with some picture books to practice their reading skills and discuss text. . . . more Fonts: Small Group and Conferring with Intermediate Writers (VIDEO) Franki Sibberson In this follow-up to a whole-class lesson and discussion on fonts, Franki Sibberson pulls together a group of third and fourth graders from her class who have asked to be a part of a small group on fonts. She talks about how these small groups fit into her writing workshop plans, and how she assesses the needs of each group as they emerge to determine her role in the group... . . . more "I Am the One Who. . .": Building Writing Skills and Community in Middle Schools (VIDEO) Katie Doherty In this 12 minute video, Katie Doherty leads her sixth-grade students as they try the prompt "I am the one who.." during writing workshop. This is an excellent activity for building classroom community. . . . more First Grade Guided Writing Group: Targeting Common Spelling Needs (VIDEO) Katie DiCesare In this video of a first-grade guided writing group, Katie DiCesare works with children to address common issues with spelling and conventions. By grouping the students together, she is able to use her time well in addressing common needs among students. . . . more Teaching Blogging to Second Graders Katie DiCesare Wikis, blogs, and social networking sites allow us to be creators and consumers of content - two roles that even younger students are ready to begin understanding using the Internet. I had an itch to explore more Web 2.0 tools in my classroom, wondered what it would look like to merge the use of a tool within the framework of writing workshop. I began by asking myself . . . more Literacy Rights and Responsibilities Katie Doherty Something bad was happening. I looked around the room during reader's workshop at my students who should have been eagerly gobbling up the pages of their choice books, and this is what I saw. . . . more Procedural Writing in Math Heather Rader Truly, I love a good story and interesting anecdotes, but only when I'm reading for that purpose. Right now what I'm interested in is accurate measurements, clear ingredients, and a step-by-step easy-to-follow guide. The word choice should be precise language of the discipline (in this case, culinary) and the voice should be clear and factual. Still, while procedural writing is "just the facts ma'am" simple, it's not as cinchy to teach. . . . more The Authentic Use of Notebooks This cluster is designed to help teachers who use notebooks and logs in their classrooms think more deeply about the purpose of this assignment. . . . more Creating a Model Writing School...Next Steps Julie Johnson Just like anything else that is new, our first steps in creating a model writing school were tentative. We took a few steps forward, stumbled a little, got back up and moved forward. Each step brought us a little out of our comfort zones, but what we learned and what we gained as a collaborative community was well worth the journey. . . . more They are from a Web 2.0 World Becky McCraw As a school-based literacy coach, I strive to offer teachers innovative ways to incorporate technology into literacy instruction. I recently had an experience with a young writer that illustrates how powerful the tools of technology can be in literacy development. . . . more Teaching Revision Strategies The purpose of this cluster is to help teachers develop new strategies for teaching revision. . . . more Creating a Model Writing School Julie Johnson This is our school's second year of being a model writing school. Our journey has been an interesting one that began with a summer literacy workshop. I always look forward to learning in the summer, when I have time to pursue my passion, reflect on my teaching practices, and grow as a teacher. I also can't wait to share what I've learned with my colleagues, and that's exactly what happened after I participated in the National Writing Project. It was there that I learned the importance of being a writer myself if I was going to understand the process of writing and help my students grow as writers. I left that workshop knowing that I wanted to share my learning and build a community of writers among the staff in our school where we could collaborate, create a shared vision of what good writing instruction looks like, and most importantly, become writers ourselves. My principal embraced the idea and we began the process of becoming a model writing school. . . . more Becoming More Purposeful with Writing Share (VIDEO) In this whole-class writing share session from Katie DiCesare's first-grade classroom, Katie talks about how she has become more purposeful in connecting student drafts with the minilesson from the start of the writing workshop. . . . more Envisioning Writing: Wow Words and Mental Images with 1st Graders (VIDEO) Katie DiCesare In this minilesson, Katie DiCesare uses the book My Cat Copies Me to help her first-grade students "envision" their writing drafts. The lesson focuses on creating mental images to conjure stronger verbs and adjectives while writing. . . . more New Notebook Essentials Aimee Buckner Sitting around a crowded conference table, eight of my colleagues and I discuss the merits of using a writer's notebook with our students. What started out as a study of how a teacher can use their own notebook to confer more effectively with students had turned in a new direction. As we talked, we discovered that we all had different ideas of what a writer's notebook is and how it can or should be used in a classroom setting. . . . more The Power of Wonder Questions Andrea Smith Wonder Questions are a critical part of my students' nonfiction reading. Debbie Miller has written and talked extensively about these questions in her book Reading with Meaning. Rooted in a respect for each individual's learning and interests, Wonder Questions honor the fact that each person views the world differently. Given time and support to identify interests and the freedom to consider "What do I want to learn?" children naturally understand how to create authentic, thought provoking questions. Wonder Questions help a teacher consider that fragile balance of support - knowing when kids need us, and letting them discover when they can move ahead without us. . . . more Writing Do-Overs: ERPs in the Classroom Heather Rader We loved do-overs on the playground, but young writers don't have the same enthusiasm for do-overs in writing. When I was teaching I thought maybe it was just my students, but now as a coach, I see the trend in many writers. When I go into a classroom to work on revision, I ask the students to answer three simple questions on a half-sheet pre-assessment. . . . more Extreme Makeover: Revision Edition Heather Rader Once upon a time in my third-grade classroom, I had an eight-foot pencil poster on my wall that listed the steps of the writing process from prewriting at the point to a publishing ferrule (the crimped metal band that connects pencil and eraser). About half-way down that pencil was the bold word "revising". It came after drafting and before editing and it was not, shall we say, beloved in our classroom. . . . more Infographics and Lists in Science Notebooks Andrea Smith "Did you ever think that a rotting log could be so interesting?" Pete asked as I sat next to him and Sam, his study partner. The two boys were sitting on a grassy patch facing a fallen apple tree. They had decided to study the life, systems, and relationships found in and around a decaying tree. The crab-apple tree, knocked down during a windstorm several years ago, had been purposefully left behind for exploration in our outdoor lab. . . . more Weekend Headlines: Introduction (VIDEO) Katie Doherty In this first of a three-part video series, Katie Doherty and her sixth grade students begin the Weekend Headlines activity. Each Monday, students listen to Katie share some of the headlines from the local newspaper, and then they share their "headlines" from the big events that happened to each of them over the weekend. These personal headlines provide a natural starting point for writing, peer response, and revision. . . . more What Goes in the Writer's Notebook? Aimee Buckner I start off each school year with good intentions. My files will be more organized, my newsletters more concise, and my time more productive. I'll read more about teaching math and social studies and reading and writing. I'll be a better teacher by staying on top of the newest research and going to conferences. But none of that seems to be as effective in improving my teaching as solid reflection and asking hard questions about what I do and why I do it. . . . more A Three-legged Dog and a Show About Nothing Jennifer Jones I've been in a real slump, a writing slump that is. It seems like it's been ages since I've opened up my writer's notebook, picked up a pen, and let loose on the pages; until today that is. . . . more The Over-Prompting of Young Writers Heather Rader I have been teaching long enough to remember a time before our large-scale state writing assessment when the word "prompt" wasn't connected to writing. Yet after receiving our first set of unfortunate writing scores years ago, my team bought a Book of 101 Everyday Prompts. Our well-intentioned assumption was if teaching kids to respond to a prompt helped, then having them practice more would really increase their success. Some teachers tell me their students respond to a writing prompt every day. Here are a few prompts I've read student responses to . . . more Writing Like a Scientist: Launching a Scientist's Notebook Andrea Smith When I transitioned from 18 years as a primary teacher to a 4th grade classroom, I started thinking about how I could use the same successful strategies for launching writing workshop to support my students as I introduced science notebooks. I wanted to find ways students could begin writing like scientists with authentic experiences and community support from their classmates and me. Children understand the world of fiction and see the benefits and results of writing through the work of their favorite authors and poets. But what did they know about the writing of scientists? How could I help my students gain an appreciation and understanding of scientists as writers? . . . more Overcoming Slumps: Principles for Student Writers Clare Landrigan I began this summer in two slumps -- a running slump and a writing slump. I injured my lower back in early May and could not run for about six weeks. At the same time, life became hectic and for many reasons I seemed to lose my writing momentum. I was feeling badly about both and wondering how I was going to get back in the saddle. I can now proudly say that eight weeks later, I am back on track with both! As I reflect on how I came out of my slumps, I am finding that in many ways my experience paralleled that of students who have writing slumps in the classroom. . . . more Living Words: Integrating Word Study, Technology, and Content Literacy (Part 1) Andrea Smith Blending nature, shared experiences, and common language, our ideas could best be captured and enhanced with a digital camera. Many people would consider a camera a common tool, but for me, using the camera to enhance our word work was a new idea. I wanted the camera to support my students' learning and enhance my teaching, using a familiar technology in a new way. We now live in a media ecosystem, so information with visuals is well received and makes lasting impressions. My simple digital camera could do more than capture special events in my classroom. I envisioned our pictures bringing our words to life. . . . more Our Daily Question: Building a Community Through the Data We Collect Andrea Smith Paying attention to details is valuable in a learning community. Knowing and understanding one's friends is important too. A Daily Question and Graph allows my students and me to get to know one another, to pay attention to one another, and to notice the hidden details. . . . more