Today I spoke at the Conference for Tennessee First Grade Teachers and had a great time talking about writer’s workshop. And as I told the teachers in my session, I used to believe that establishing a writing center in the classroom was simply an opportunity for me to indulge my Read more »

Welcome to Growing Writers! I chose the blog title for several reasons. As teachers, we nurture the writing growth of our students. As students, we learn more about the writing process and consequently grow as teachers. And as fellow writers . . . well, hopefully we never stop growing.

I’ve had Read more »

You have no idea how much we loved having you visit our school. You have single-handedly excited our staff and motivated us to teach children in such a positive way. I learned more from you in three days than all our other workshops put together! You have also given our Read more »

Thank you for what you have brought to my staff this week: the gift of renewed enthusiasm and love for teaching. So many teachers have come up to me and told me this is the best workshop they have ever participated in. I agree. — Paul Nigro, Principal (read more Read more »

Thank you for what you have brought to my staff this week: the gift of renewed enthusiasm and love for teaching. So many teachers have come up to me and told me this is the best workshop they have ever participated in. I agree. — Paul Nigro, Principal

 We Read more »

On the day Ms. Janice introduces Lark Alice Bell to the class, Dolores is proud to be the new girl’s helper at recess. But Dolores is not so glad to see her friend Andy scribbling LAB inside a Read more »

Graphic Organizers & Mini-Lessons: 20 Graphic Organizers With Mini-Lessons to Help Students Respond Meaningfully to Any Nonfiction book and Build Key Comprehension Skills

2008. Scholastic. ISBN-10: 0439572959

Help students learn to comprehend nonfiction with 20 engaging graphic organizers! They’ll navigate text features, make connections, compare and contrast, and more. Interactive mini-lessons introduce each organizer; Read more »

Graphic Organizers & Mini-Lessons: 20 Graphic Organizers With Mini-Lessons to Help Boost Students’ Word Power to Become Better Readers and Writers

2008. Scholastic. ISBN-10: 0439513731

Help make new vocabulary stick with 20 engaging graphic organizers! Designed for flexible use, they can be used to reinforce any words. Interactive mini-lessons introduce each organizer; then photocopy Read more »

Graphic Organizers & Mini-Lessons: 20 Graphic Organizers With Mini-Lessons to Help Students Respond Meaningfully to Any Fiction Book and Build Key Comprehension Skills

2008. Scholastic. ISBN-10: 0439572940

Help students build reading comprehension skills with 20 engaging graphic organizers! They’ll predict, make connections, identify story elements, and more. Interactive mini-lessons introduce each organizer; then photocopy Read more »

Graphic Organizers & Mini-Lessons: 20 Graphic Organizers With Mini-Lessons to Help Students Brainstorm, Organize Ideas, Draft, Revise, and Edit

2008. Scholastic. ISBN-10: 0439572932

Guide students through the writing process with 20 engaging graphic organizers geared toward the traits! They’ll generate ideas, select just-right words, develop voice, and more. Interactive mini-lessons introduce each organizer; then Read more »

2007. Scholastic. ISBN-10: 0439609712

Designed for flexible use, these 25 graphic organizers for the overhead boost key reading and writing skills. First, use the transparency for a whole-group lesson; then provide students with the reproducible version for independent use. Great for trait-based writing, responding to fiction and nonfiction, making connections to text, building Read more »

Bank Street's 100 Best Books of the Year

Junior Library Guild Selection Scholastic Book Club Selection

The school Culture Fair is coming up, and Andy Shane has to pick an African country to learn about. Deciding isn't easy for Andy, so he's glad when Granny Webb gives him a scarab Read more »

Illustrated by Alissa Imre Geis Nominated for Young Hoosier Book Award Nominated for Iowa Children's Choice Award        ISBN: 0618472770

"Zoe's the smartest," said Vanessa, "I'm the best actress, and you, Winifred Fletcher . . ." she said, turning to Winnie. "You are the best- " Winnie waited to hear Read more »

If you would like to learn more, or to arrange a speaking engagement or author residency, please contact me.

Overhead Teaching Kit
2004. Scholastic.
ISBN: 0439513871

12 Transparencies, Reproducibles, and Fun, Interactive Lessons for Teaching Essential Reading Skills

2003. Scholastic.
ISBN: 0439471141

12 Whole-Class, Super-Fun Games That Teach Addition & Subtraction, Place Value, Simple Fractions, and More

2003. Scholastic.
ISBN: 043947115X

12 Whole-Class, Super Fun Games That Teach Phonics, Sight Words, Reading Comprehension, and More

Overhead Teaching Kit
2003. Scholastic.
ISBN # 0439387728

12 Transparencies, Reproducibles, and Fun, Interactive Lessons for Teaching Essential Grammar Skills

Give students a visual structure for essential grammatical understanding: Parts of speech, punctuation, sentence structure and more.

Grades 2-4.

2003. Scholastic.
ISBN: 043938527X

Give students a visual structure for a variety of spelling skills and strategies: competent speller’s web, word family sorting charts, phonemic awareness and more.

12 Transparencies, Reproducibles, and Fun, Interactive Lessons for Teaching Essential Spelling Skills

For grades 2-4.

1999. Scholastic Books.
ISBN # 0590378848

50 Great Templates to Help Kids Get More out of Reading, Writing, Social Studies, and More.

A treasure trove of templates that will be a valuable addition to your professional resources.

What to Expect and How to Help

1998-2000, Simon & Schuster ISBN #s 0684854384, 0684854392, 0684857189, 0684857197, 0684847140, 0684847159

A series of books, co-authored with Dottie Raymer and Nancy Richard. The series is a tremendous resource for parents who want to be involved and learn more about their child’s education. Educators will look to this series Read more »

Publisher’s Weekly Best Children’s Book Texas Young Adult Round Table Reading List ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 2006 Maine Lupine Award for Juvenile Title New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age Kansas State Reading Circle ISBN #068986745X

Jocelyn has two boys in her life. And a priest.

Read more »

Runes for the Creative Journey

1997. Simon & Schuster. ISBN # 0765544717

Developed in cooperation with Emily Herman, Jennifer Jacobson has brought readers (writers and all others who wish to develop their own creativity) an exciting new perspective on the creative process. The offering features a delightful, one-of-a-kind book and kit which utilizes Read more »

Andy Shane does not want to go to Dolores Starbuckle's birthday party. It's on the same day as Halloween! Plus, Dolores is always ordering Andy around, making Andy lists on a clipboard, or squealing over Andy's Read more »

Andy Shane doesn't like school. In particular, Read more »

Illustrated by Alissa Imre Geis Nominated for the 2004 Rhode Island Children’s Book Award Chosen by the School Library Journal for their annual Children’s Curriculum

It’s off to camp for Winnie: sunny days of rock climbing, cascading down slippery falls, floating in a cool lake—and meeting a fascinating new Read more »

I can do up to 4 presentations during a school day and enjoy combined classes, but I suggest that you limit the number of children for a session to 60. I am happy to sign books during the day or after school.

I’m also available for virtual visits (through instant messaging) with Read more »

As anyone in schools will confirm, the one-time-only professional inservice is seldom effective. Single day programs can introduce, inspire, and help bring staff to a common understanding. However, they rarely affect school change. For genuine growth to occur, teachers (like students of every age) require time to process and ideally, Read more »

For the first time since they were five, the girls didn't know how to be with one another. It Read more »

Illustrated by Benrei Huang Now out in paperback! ISBN# 0807540714

Rafferty wants to play with his mom, but Mrs. Fox is too busy painting. So Rafferty packs up his things and heads off in search of a new mother. Along the way he encounters some of his friends and their fun Read more »

Illustrated by Greg Shed ISBN #   0803720874

Etta just knows this is the year she’ll be brave enough to ride the Ferris wheel at the midway fair — she’s even told her brother and sister. But when she tests herself on top of the chicken coop and finds she’s too Read more »