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January 10th, 2012
How Would You RespondFrom this week's newsletter: Dear Colleagues, I’m eager to try something new this year. From time to time, I will present student writing in this newsletter. I'll demonstrate one way I might respond to the writer in a conference, and then list mini-lessons designed to help this student (and others Read more »
November 2nd, 2010
One School, One BookI have been thrilled to learn that two of my books have been chosen for One School, One Book programs (Andy Shane Hero at Last and the forthcoming Small as an Elephant)! I knew that my friend, author Jacqueline Davies, has had the opportunity to participate in these fabulous events and Read more »
November 1st, 2010
Good for you!Welcome to your first day of the YesWriWith challenge! I hope you all feel proud of the words you recorded today! Andrea, I can empathize with the challenge of fitting writer’s workshop into a half-day kindergarten program. Do you have learning centers? If so, have children move through the writing center, Read more »
September 28th, 2010
Does assessment mean grading?
Sometimes. But with writer’s workshop we assess our students’ application of skills on a daily basis. Here are some of the ways in which we assess:
1. We plan interactive mini-lessons where students show us what they know
2. Read more »
September 21st, 2010
Small as An ElephantCandlewick, March 2011 ISBN: 978-0763641559 Winner of Gold Fiction Award from Parents' Choice 2012 IRA Young Adults Choices reading list Maine Student Book Award list 2012-2013 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Master List Chosen as Spring 2011 Kids' Indie Next List — "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Read more »
September 21st, 2010
What about grades?This is a common question teachers ask when transitioning from traditional writing lessons to writer’s workshop. Let’s take a look at these two formats. Traditionally teachers have had students write many products (all students writing on the same topic) and graded most of them. Or, over weeks, teachers Read more »
September 14th, 2010
Nifty Organizing Tool
I recently spent two days with teachers at the Lakehurst Elementary School in New Jersey. It was an intense and enormously rewarding time, and I’m looking forward to future visits. While there, teacher Kathy Bixby secured this nifty gadget for holding her writing center supplies (as you Read more »
July 24th, 2010
List of Mentor TextsI recently spent a week in Omaha, Nebraska conducting writing workshop inservices. The Omaha teachers were fabulous and had so much to offer! It was a high-energy, roll-up-our-sleeves week in which I was definitely both the teacher and the learner. I was reminded of what a gift a two-day inservices can be. (I worked with teachers Read more »
June 28th, 2010
Writing CenterI am posting my article about Writing Centers from my weekly primary newsletter in hopes that you will share your list! What works well for you? (scroll down) Dear Colleague,
When considering what to post this week, I stumbled upon a wonderful article Read more »
June 1st, 2010
Andy Shane, Hero At LastIllustrated by Abby Carter Candlewick Press ISBN: 978-0763636005 There are two things Andy Shane wants more than anything — to win the contest for best-decorated bike in the parade, and . . . to be a hero. He has a great idea for the bike part, although high-strung Dolores is upping the ante Read more »
May 23rd, 2010
The Murky Middle
As promised, I want to share another lesson I presented at High Bridge Elementary. Lynn H. requested a lesson that would help her fourth graders write the middle of their stories or personal narratives. There are oodles of lessons for teaching beginnings and endings, but how do we guide students through Read more »
May 13th, 2010
The Power of the Mentor TextLast month I was back in High Bridge, NJ, one of my very favorite places to be, demonstrating writing lessons and student conferences in the classroom. Now here is a school (dedicated principal, talented and highly committed teachers, engaged students) that can’t help but make me look good. Nevertheless, I will admit it, I am always nervous Read more »
March 4th, 2010
Warm Welcome, Writing Principal, and New Contest for StudentsI’m recently back from presenting a school inservice and an author day at the Kateri School in the Kahnawake Mohawk Reservation in Quebec. Second graders in Ms Fran’s class created a stunning welcome banner — my first in the Mohawk language. I just have to share:
February 18th, 2010
Happy Pub Date!Tomorrow is the publication date of No More "I’m Done!" and I couldn’t be more excited. Thank you to all of who’ve written to express your anticipation. This book explores the ways in which we teachers, with the very best of intentions, train our young students to become dependent rather than Read more »
January 24th, 2010
DecalogueI just learned the meaning of this word, decalogue, this week. First I stumbled across the website of NNWP Teacher Consultant, Corbett Harrison who provides wonderful mini-lessons to use with mentor texts. He recommends reading chapter four of Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn Dixie, which contains a wonderful decalogue — a list Read more »
January 11th, 2010
SpellingI received an email from a teacher this week who wrote: I work with a great group of 2nd grade students who love to write. However, their spelling needs improvement. Do you have any suggestions?
Formal programs help students to see spelling patterns and to learn spelling rules Read more »
January 6th, 2010
Never underestimate the power . . .Oh, how we embraced publishing students’ work in the early years of writer’s workshop! Many schools had a “publishing center” where parent volunteers came to type and bind student work. Covers were cardboard, decorated with wallpaper samples, held together with duct tape. Although the school where I taught did not have its own Read more »
January 1st, 2010
New Year’s ResolutionsI have always loved January. I love the calmness after the holidays. I love that there are almost four solid weeks of non-interrupted teaching. I love that the month is all about setting and reaching personal goals. Perhaps one of your goals this year was to launch (or more fully Read more »
November 18th, 2009
The Complete History of Why I Hate HerAtheneum/Richard Jackson Books
ISBN: 0689878001 2010
Nominated for ALA Quick Picks
Nola wants nothing more than a summer of her own–and a job at an upscale Maine coast resort sounds ideal. She'll have plenty of beach time between waitressing, some freedom from stresses back home, and the Read more »
March 23rd, 2009
Voice: A hard trait to define“Teaching voice is easier than I thought,” a fourth grade teacher recently said after watching a modeled lesson. I knew exactly what he meant. Voice is the hardest trait to define, but even very young writers recognize it when they see it. I introduce voice through art, and begin with Read more »
February 15th, 2009
Show your loveOn Saturday, I participated in a "Kids Heart Authors" book signing at Children’s Book Cellar in Waterville, Maine. Also present was Maria Padian signing her first YA novel, Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress, and author/illustrator Kevin Hawkes who read from his newest book: Chicken Cheeks (written by Michael Ian Black). Read more »
January 17th, 2009
Organization: Pattern of 3 (Part 4)So once you’ve introduced students to the pattern of three in literature, and they come to you regularly pointing out the pattern in the books they’re reading, how do you help them to use this pattern in their own writing? I introduce this graphic organizer from Reading Response Read more »
January 6th, 2009
Reflective EndingsPerhaps you think of it as a circular ending, but one favorite technique for ending pieces – particularly short pieces – is by having the ending reflect the beginning. Here are three of my favorite examples. Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox Beginning: There was once a small boy Read more »
December 16th, 2008
Organization: Pattern of Three (Part 2)Second Installment Okay, so your students have come to recognize that, yes, story often begins with a character who wants something. Does this mean the character gets what he or she wants right off the bat? No way! (Not unless the character, like King Midas, is meant to learn to Read more »
December 9th, 2008
Organization: Pattern of ThreeAllow me to model my writing process for a moment. Every time I begin a new piece, I ask myself two questions: 1. What do I want to write about? 2. How am I going to organize my writing? Once I know the answer to these two questions, I can go confidently Read more »
November 19th, 2008
RevisionTime and time again, teachers tell me their students resist revision. Of course they do. Deep down all of us wish words flowed magically from our fingertips with no further work required. Unfortunately, it rarely works that way. Here’s what revision is not: Copying over a draft by hand. Read more »
October 27th, 2008
Kudos for JenniferYou 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 »
October 27th, 2008
Kudos for JenniferThank 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 »
October 27th, 2008
KudosThank 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 »
October 22nd, 2008
Program InformationIf you would like to learn more, or to arrange a speaking engagement or author residency, please contact me.
October 20th, 2008
DetailsI 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 »
October 20th, 2008
Author ResidencyAs 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 » |
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