Things I Remembered Today, Things I Forgot Today

This week is crazy busy. I feel like I keep saying that, but it keeps happening. I keep thinking “Just get through the week.” I do my giant to-do list but always have more. I came home from work and did more work for hours. I made dinner (it’s my…

Day 29 of the SOLSC: Classroom Challenge Sunday!

Post your slice and cheer our student writers down the homestretch!

Day 22 of the SOLSC: Classroom Challenge Sunday! Share your slice, then read and comment on student slices!

Share your slice, then read and comment on student slices!

Baby Blankets

Place-Based Writing Write outside your door! Place-based writing encourages creativity by connecting writers to their environments.

Write outside your door! Place-based writing in partnership with the Gateway Writing Project encourages creativity by connecting writers to their environments.

Feeling Crummy

Road Trip

Enlisting Adults for the Classroom SOLSC

The SOLSC is really (and finally!) taking off at my school. Fifteen classes are participating (in notebooks- unfortunately you can't read their slices). This year, I wanted to get more adults involved, so I tried an idea from Jess Carey. I hung up a March…

How the Classroom Challenge Works In Kindergarten In honor of our first Classroom Sunday, I'll share how it's going with the Kindergarteners after 1 week of the Classroom SOLSC. In Print We are once again slicing in notebooks. I prepare and print the notebooks ahead of time, writing the date on each page and adding a section for comments. There are lines for writing and space for drawing.

How the Classroom Challenge Works In Kindergarten

In honor of our first Classroom Sunday, I'll share how it's going with the Kindergarteners after 1 week of the Classroom SOLSC. In Print We are once again slicing in notebooks. I prepare and print the notebooks ahead of time, writing the date on…

Day 8 of the SOLSC: Classroom Challenge Sunday! Post your daily slice and share some comment love with student writers today for our first Classroom Challenge Sunday!

Post your daily slice and share some comment love with student writers today for our first Classroom Challenge Sunday!

Before That

I found something to write about! Kandace Connor wrote this post using the “before that” format. Before that, I was staring at a blank Wordpress page. “Start typing…” The page invited me. Easier said than done. Maybe if I go read some slices and give some comments, I’ll get an idea.…

Almost Forgot

I almost forgot. A sudden spring out of bed. On day 5! The shame.

Slice of Lunch Since the 2nd - 5th grade students in our school's Author's Club are participating in the Classroom SOLSC, they have the option for "Wednesday Writers' Lunch" in my classroom this month. It got a little loud, but in the best way.

Slice of Lunch

Since the 2nd - 5th grade students in our school's Author's Club are participating in the Classroom SOLSC, they have the option for "Wednesday Writers' Lunch" in my classroom this month. It got a little loud, but in the best way.

How’s It Going? Year 3 of Author’s Club Leah shares an update on Author's Club in the hope that these reflections might inspire others to create a space for passionate young writers of their own.

Leah shares an update on Author's Club in the hope that these reflections might inspire others to create a space for passionate young writers of their own.

Collaboration Brings Clarity: Practices of Great Writing Teachers The collective expertise of teachers working together to problem-solve and respond to learners is what brings any curricular resource to life.

Collaboration Brings Clarity: Practices of Great Writing Teachers

The collective expertise of teachers working together to problem-solve and respond to learners is what brings any curricular resource to life.

Overview and Sign Up for the Classroom Slice of Life Story Challenge Students of all ages love the March Classroom Challenge and connecting with young writers from around the world. Just like exercise, writers get stronger the more they work their writing muscles. By the end of the month, students will be able to reflect on their growth as writers! Learn about how to make the Classroom SOLSC work for your class!

Students of all ages love the March Classroom Challenge and connecting with young writers from around the world. Just like exercise, writers get stronger the more they work their writing muscles. By the end of the month, students will be able to reflect on their growth as writers! Learn about how to

Proactive Pathways for Engagement At my NCTE presentation, I shared strategies for boosting writing engagement, using the ICEL Framework as a guide. Some key recommendations include increasing involuntary student participation, being flexible with curriculum demands, fostering a supportive writing community, and getting to know students as writers and people.

At my NCTE presentation, I shared strategies for boosting writing engagement, using the ICEL Framework as a guide. Some key recommendations include increasing involuntary student participation, being flexible with curriculum demands, and fostering a supportive writing community.

Ending the conference at the National Writing Project brunch!

Thanks to my co-presenters, Jen Scoggin, Hannah Schneewind, and Ellin Keene for an inspiring presentation about engagement in literacy. We discussed proactive instructional design that centers students' voices and identities as readers and writers. #NCTE25

Shape the Trajectory of Writing Units: A Digging Deeper Dialogue promo image for the Two Writing Teachers Podcast. Cream background with red audio shapes surrounding a podcast screen with audio buttons.

Explore the writing process every unit follows! Learn teaching strategies, immersion tips, co-creating charts, and ways to boost students' purpose, planning, drafting, & revising. Plus, ways to celebrate & reflect on writing success! 
Listen now! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2027003/episodes/18149681

Join us today!

New episode of #TWTPod. I chat with Melanie and Sarah about inspiring writers beyond the classroom: contests, challenges, clubs, and more! Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Kindergarteners aren’t too little to do BIG work! These writers co-created a learning progression, analyzed sample texts and placed them on the progression, then set their own goals and worked to improve their writing.

The Conferring Notes System That Finally Works for Me: Google Forms Taking conferring notes shouldn't feel harder than the conference itself, but for me, it often does. Finding a system that lets you focus more on students and less on note-taking makes all the difference.

Taking conferring notes shouldn't feel harder than the conference itself, but for me, it often does. Finding a system that lets you focus more on students and less on note-taking makes all the difference.

On the first day of Author’s Club, we decorate our notebooks!

The Two Writing Teachers Podcast is back for the fourth season! Listen to the first episode wherever you get your podcasts.

Thanks!

The Rights of a Writer A short belief statement inspired by Daniel Pennac.

A short belief statement inspired by Daniel Pennac.

The first day of Kindergarten = First day being writers = First name written on our author’s chair!

Yay, Kindergarten!