I’ve been coaching in several districts over the last two weeks, beginning conversations with teachers who are thinking deeply about what student-centered learning communities are and what they can do at the start of the school year to begin establishing them. We’re realizing that transformation can begin to happen in simple ways. For instance, consider the different approaches taken by each of the teachers below. Which leverages the collective expertise of the group and enables…
The 6+1 Traits of Writing gained momentum in the field and a respected place within many classrooms because it provides a framework through which writers (and teachers) might begin to define craft. We rely on the Traits in Studio, and I work in a number of schools who have made the Traits a part of their core curricula, but becoming a powerful writer requires expertise in far more than this, and great writing teachers know…
The Beginning of a Writing Process, WNY Young Writers’ Studio 2010 It happens every year. “We’re only here because our moms made us come,” they told me. “We hate writing. Seriously.” Seriously? I wonder if most kids are given much of a chance to consider what writing really is anymore or why they would even want to do it outside of the classroom. And so I suggest that writing isn’t just about linear text. It…
Just a reminder….because June 5th is rapidly approaching! The WNY Young Writers’ Studio Celebration of Writing is a free event that is open to the public. Join us on June 5th as our fellows lead informal sessions on writing strategies, ideas, and technology tools. A few highlights from the draft of the day’s events: Teachers from Alden, Lockport, and Depew will be leading sessions on the use of writer’s notebooks in the classrooms, service-learning and…
Sending positive energy to all of you administering and taking the New York State English Language Arts Assessments this week! Here’s a little treat to reward your efforts. I know many Amy VanDerwater fans. Did you know that she is blogging? Take a peek at how she is celebrating National Poetry Month. Beautiful stuff here!
On Saturday, I had the privilege of watching the middle and high school interns from the WNY Young Writers’ Studio guide small groups of writers through the next phase of our collaborative digital storytelling project. The last time we met, writers finished story boarding. On Saturday, they came prepared with props and ideas and spent a portion of the morning capturing digital stills. We plan to “wrap this up” at our Celebration of Writing on…
The WNY Young Writers’ Studio celebrates its third anniversary this summer! Thinking about joining us but haven’t just yet? Well this year, we’re opening up greater opportunities for you to do so. Studio is not a camp. It isn’t a workshop or an institute either. It is a learning community comprised of teachers and students who have been writing and learning together over time. Many of our fellows have been a part of our program…
How are you celebrating National Poetry Month? Some ideas: Bud Hunt is publishing a photograph a day on his blog as a means of prompting poets, and if you haven’t visited the comments section to see what has transpired as a result, I highly recommend. The New York Times invites readers to celebrate poetry with them in 11 different ways. New and timid poets often begin by mimicking the work of their favorite poets or…
The teachers that I work with often tell me that conferencing with writers overwhelms them because they aren’t certain what to look for in student writing or what to say when they find it. This is why the coach in me appreciates books like this one and this one. Calkins and Culham never suggest that conferences are scripted events, and they certainly don’t suggest that teachers limit their work with writers to the prompts and…
I’ve used this video to begin conversations with writers about the development of great ideas in writing. It could also serve as an interesting example of metaphor. I’m sure that every teacher could come up with a different approach for using it. Videos like these can be used in a multitude of contexts and for various purposes. Sometimes, I find myself reconnecting to the videos I’ve bookmarked in some pretty unexpected ways. A couple of…