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A week ago, Kathleen Tolan, Senior Deputy Director of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, died peacefully in her sleep. Kathleen was the one who hired me, first as her own and… Continue reading →

Have you ever visited a colleague’s classroom or watched a video of a lesson and wondered, “How are those kids so perfect? How do they seem to know exactly what to do, the… Continue reading →

When I visit a classroom, one of the first things I often say to kids is, "Today, please don't erase. I want to see ALL the great work you are doing as a writer. When you erase, your work disappears!" Often, this is what kids are accustomed to and they continue working away. But sometimes, kids stare at me as if I've got two heads.

How do you support students with mid-workshop check-ins?

The one question that comes up again and again, no matter what part of the country I happen to visiting, is TIME.

Are you looking to make the most out of your classroom's meeting area? Find out how to create and maintain a meeting area that will function as the focal point of your writing workshop.

The six of us will be recharging our batteries, planning and brainstorming, coming up with even more great ideas to share with our lovely community of teachers and writers. But don't worry, we've got lots to keep you going in the meantime!

It’s been several months since I’ve written for Two Writing Teachers. In December my son was born, and I was on maternity leave until a few weeks ago. Then, in March I pushed aside all excuses… Continue reading →

We’ve all been there. Reading your own writing to somebody else can be scary. Even when I am teaching adults in writing institutes and graduate courses I often have to say, “Please don’t… Read More →

Several months ago I began meditating as a way of trying to achieve a greater sense of overall vitality. I started out by listening to a 10 minute podcast from a program called… Read More →

I think the thing that makes a writer is Habit. Yes, that’s habit with a capital H. (I go back and forth between whether it’s habit that makes a writer or belief that… Read More →

The very fist student day of school, Deb Gaby (the reading coach in my school district) and I stumbled upon a meeting between 5th and 6th grade language arts teachers. They were discussing… Read More →

Peppa Pig’s school roof needs repairing. Again. And poor Daddy Pig ends up having to buy his chair back at a fundraising fete. That was the gist of our daughter’s latest bedtime story. I’ve read “Peppa Pig’s Daddy Is Made … Continue reading →

Find out how to bring two classroom routines into the 21st century with QR Codes.

I’m a big advocate for writers to find a space that works best for them. I also think it’s important for students to learn to write anywhere. I’m productive as a writer because… Read More →

Interactive Modeling: A Powerful Technique for Teaching Children teaches us how to use interactive modeling to teach a variety of classroom routines, behaviors, and skills in an engaging way that shows students what to do while providing them with a safe space to practice.

Here’s what I’ve been thinking about lately: How do we provide both structure and choice in writing workshop? Both are essential to empowering young writers. Structure is necessary to lift the level of… Read More →

The first six weeks of school is about providing structure for students.  Teachers who are too lenient never seem to gain control of their class while teachers who are too rigid risk the… Read More →

At my school, today marks day four for students. We are nearing the end of the honeymoon period. You know what I’m talking about, right? The newness of starting  school is wearing off… Read More →

One of the things I realized about myself when I went to the Choice Literacy writing retreat is how quickly I speed through the day. I like to pay attention to the world… Read More →

In my last post, there was this comment: Heather on Saturday August 4, 2012 at 1:06 pm said: Thanks for these ideas! But I really can’t wait to read about your ideas on writer’s notebooks on… Read More →

This week we bought school supplies for our kids. Although there was a list and three excited children, I found it difficult to focus. Instead I was envisioning the possibilities for writing centers.… Read More →

I’m glad you are here (both August, and you, reader). It’s time to transition again. I will reclaim the joy of a schedule, while at the same time mourn the loss of summer… Read More →

As summer takes over, I’ve realized our routines are shifting with the season. Typically I write for 15 minutes in the morning and again at night. During the summer I write first thing… Read More →