Posts Tagged ‘writing’
How
When I was in the 2nd grade, our class got in trouble on the playground, and our teacher had us come inside and write an essay on how we would act the next day. She was mad. And she was not from North Carolina. She was from somewhere up north where they wore heavy coats…
Read MoreChoose Joy
“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day!” – Henri Nouwen From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . Learning should be a joy-filled experience, but the demands of each school day can put a damper on things, so the joy vanishes as the…
Read MoreBreathe In – Breathe Out
“Reading is like breathing in. Writing is like breathing out.” – Pam Allyn From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . “If you can say it, you can write it. If you can write it, you can read it.” I don’t know who first uttered those words, but they have become a mantra in…
Read MorePunctuation Power
From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . I just read this example of the power of punctuation: An English professor wrote these words on the board and tasked his students with applying the correct punctuation. a woman without her man is nothing The males in class wrote, “A woman, without her man, is…
Read MoreSnow Day Joy
Children have built in radar when it comes to snow. Just the mention of that frosty “S-word” seems to create an energetic burst to bodies and brains. Actually, I have to admit that I am still filled with joy when I hear the words “snow day” too. So, let’s channel that flurry of excitement…
Read MoreFake News is Not New
From the desk of Alice, I was consuming my daily dose of social media and came across this post from the Washington Post. The general gist of the article is that kids are having a hard time understanding what is real and what is not real in the news. This is one of many pieces…
Read MoreFor the Love of Writing
One part of Writing Workshop that many of us have failed to follow through on is the sharing portion usually held at the end of the workshop. Many times we’re in such a rush to get on to the next subject that we leave it off. Some students are relieved while others are disappointed. There…
Read MoreLove These Organizational Writing Charts
Many people consider writing one of the hardest subjects to teach. Writing Workshop has released some teachers from the fear of teaching writing, but writing workshop has some problems of its own if we’re not careful. One of the biggest obstacles I hear teachers talk about is keeping up with who is doing what. I…
Read MoreThe Bear Did What???
Well, he might have eaten your sandwich. Then again he might not have. You’ll have to read the picture book, The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia Sarcone-Roach, to find the answer. This is a delightful book which provides many entries into teaching vocabulary, comprehension, and writing. The story is told by an unseen narrator…
Read MoreWriting a Message
Writers like Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series, don’t know where their characters are going or what they are going to do when they begin writing. They simply let the characters take over. Very few children are able to accomplish this though many try. Usually these stories end up rambling and without a purpose.…
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