Here’s a snapshot of the grid that some writers plan with at the WNY Young Writer’s Studio. And here’s another of a bulletin board near it, which provides new writers very basic approaches to try as they get acquainted with making writing in this way. These aren’t my ideas. Studio writers shared most of them. And here’s something that’s hard to portray in those photos or in sketchbook shots: the MOVEMENT of the sticky notes.…
Like most who live in western New York state, I love spring for many reasons. The snow has melted, the robins have returned, and the lake is beginning to look inviting again. Spring is a special time for the writers and teachers I support, too. Many of them have devoted a year to improving their craft, and they’re eager to publish their pieces and connect with other writers who share their interests. These are the…
It’s important for young writers to share their work with audiences who are truly interested in receiving it, yet time for exhibition is often tight, and when it comes time to let something go, it’s this phase of the process that often falls by the wayside. During my conversations with middle school teachers this spring, someone asked if I could recommend a quick but fabulous approach for organizing a writing celebration. I can, and I’m…
I’ve really enjoyed working with animated shorts in a variety of ways this year, and I promised the teachers that I support that I’d share some of our favorites here, where they can access them easily. These are our three favorite ways to use quick clips like these in the classsroom, and for the record, my favorites are Lifted and Papa. If you have favorites to share, let me know. I’ll add them here. Text…
By now, quite a few of you who keep up with me here know that in January, Mark Barnes named me Senior Writer at his popular education site, Brilliant or Insane. I’ve enjoyed writing there several times each week, and I’ve been learning a ton about the technical and business side of blogging. Very grateful to Mark for that opportunity. If you enjoy the topics I write about in this space and have an interest…
“I love the idea of writer’s notebooks,” she sighed. “The problem is, my students begin using them with the best of intentions at the start of every school year, but by the end, they’ve been neglected. I send home empty writers’ notebooks nearly every year. It’s such a waste. I think I’ll just let the whole thing go.” Don’t do that. Notebooks are far too important to abandon, and it takes time to tap their…
In addition to facilitating professional development sessions for teachers, I’m also the founder of the WNY Young Writer’s Studio. Here, K-12 writers and teachers of writing meet throughout the year to learn, make, write, share and support one another by improving the quality of feedback they provide. This year, we’re celebrating our seventh birthday. Kids attend Studio to explore great writing, discover new forms, and tinker with craft. Teachers join Studio to participate in lesson…
I’m not sure if this is possible, but I’m starting to think it could be. I’ve been incredibly inspired by quite a few teachers who have been playing around with some very uncommon assessment approaches based upon the professional learning we’re doing together. Take Michele, for example. She’s a teacher in the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda school district, and she provides reading support to special education students. I’ve written about her before, and I remain compelled…
I don’t trust nice people in general, but if you’re truly kind, there’s a very good chance that we’ll become fast friends. Because here’s what I know: congeniality is the enemy of kindness. You might be pleasant to the point of charismatic, but the perkier you get, the more distrustful I become. Your validation of who I am only matters if you’ve been brave enough to disagree with me once in a while. If you…
I’ve been facilitating inquiry team meetings and helping teachers make meaning from standardized assessment data in New York State schools for well over a decade now. Experience has uncovered the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to understanding and responding to the information we’re provided. I know that certain protocols inspire the development of far better hunches than others, and establishing clarity about the purpose of the assessments and the limitations of…