Search Results for “instruction” – Page 4

In Writer's Workshop

Registration Now Open: Writing Workshop–A Simple Start and Advancing the Art

May 27, 2017 3 Mins Read

In response to multiple requests from teachers I support in virtual and face to face professional learning networks, I am thrilled to announce this affordable summer session! Are you new to writing workshop or teaching a whole new grade level? Are you a seasoned workshop practitioner eager to elevate your practices and attend to the emerging needs of those who continue to dislike the process or struggle? I’ve designed this day for you. Take a peek at the detailed description, and click on the date of your choice below to register:

Monday, August 7, 2017 OR Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Sessions will run from 10:30 am-3:00 pm at the Town of Tonawanda Library Kenmore Location.

The $25.00 registration fee covers only the cost of materials, as this event is not for profit. All participants will also receive a copy of my book, Make Writing.

In Change

Organizational Story Writing: Defining a Clear Purpose and a Powerful Message

April 13, 2017 5 Mins Read

This post is the fourth in a series on organizational story writing: The first post defined why organizational story writing matters. The second included the interest survey and listening session protocol that I use with new clients during the pre-writing phase of the work. My third post framed story writing as a learning opportunity that can inspire improved leadership and organizational growth. Each of these posts includes links out to other helpful resources and tools…

In Data

Documenting Learning in the Makerspace: A Peek Inside Our Process at Roy B. Kelley School

January 22, 2016 5 Mins Read

The Backstory: I’ve spent the last week helping Heather Bitka and Rachel O’Sheehan launch a brand new makerspace in Roy B. Kelley School in Lockport. This project began with solid visioning work that challenged all of us to think about and then rethink about what would happen in that space, how, and most importantly: why. This week has been an incredible learning experience for me, as I’ve tested new professional learning approaches and protocols while…

In Data

Three Moves Learners Should Make Visible

May 26, 2015 3 Mins Read

I’ve learned a great deal about visible learning and documentation beside the teachers I’ve supported this year. Rather than lifting and dropping a handful of previously conceived best practices into their instruction, many have begun moving through action research cycles that look much like grounded theory. This has empowered them with new insight and instructional approaches that are tightly rooted in the learning and the work that their students are doing. It’s producing powerful results…

In Data

Design Better Interventions for Your Students by Dumping Your Guiding Questions

May 19, 2015 3 Mins Read

This post continues a conversation that I started last week about visible learning, documentation, and the use of Grounded Theory methodologies. My thinking and work has evolved over time, in response to the learning I’m fortunate enough to do at the WNY Young Writer’s Studio and inside of various western New York school districts. Studio teachers use these approaches to fuel independent action research as they strive to uncover instructional practices that truly meet the…

In Common Core Standards

Three Characteristics of Teachers Who Succeed with the Common Core Learning Standards

May 7, 2015 5 Mins Read

Over the last four years, I’ve provided sustained support to 5 rural, 2 suburban, and 3 urban school districts as they’ve aligned curricula, instructional practices, and assessments to the Common Core Learning Standards for English Language Arts. Last week, as I began work in a new district, I was invited to chat informally with teachers, administrators, and parents about all of those experiences. They wanted to know where things went well, where things went off…

In Learning Communities

The WNY Young Writer’s Studio: Teacher-Centered, Job-Embedded Professional Learning That’s FREE

May 5, 2015 2 Mins Read

Registration for the upcoming season is now open at the WNY Young Writer’s Studio, and while I often share the work of the kids in our community, I don’t often speak to what teachers do there. Why is that? Well, our teacher groups are kept intentionally small because the commitment teachers make to our program is HUGE, and the work that they do there is their own. Whenever I blog about Studio teachers, I do…

In Revision

Revision Points for Primary Writers

April 30, 2015 3 Mins Read

Primary teachers know that drawing is writing and that even our littlest writers have wonderful and very important stories to tell and opinions to share. It’s important to mention that the anchor chart below, which I’ve shared before, is one that is typically constructed one lesson at a time, over the course of days or even weeks. How fast you move depends on the needs of your writers and the time available for instruction. This…

In Publishing

A 5 Step Process for Revising Bit by Bit

April 27, 2015 5 Mins Read

During conversations with teachers last week, one mentioned how overwhelming it is to move writers through the revision process and how, all too often, what comes from the effort is more a reflection of the teacher’s thinking and work rather than the writer’s. “If I don’t do the work for them, their revisions are never deep enough. Their final drafts are still pretty weak,” she said. Truer words are rarely spoken, and this is why…

In WNY Young Writers' Studio

This Weekend Only: Join Our Birthday Celebration by Enjoying 50% Off Studio Sessions!

April 18, 2015 3 Mins Read

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…