Eventually the time will come when we ask our students to self-reflect and/or assess their writing. Sometimes in the form of a rubric - sometimes in the form of a checklist - two stars and a wish, whatever you want... Continue Reading →
Born out of lack of success in having students independently use their class word wall, high frequency word lists, or personal spelling dictionaries to edit their writing my co-teacher @YYteach and I decided to give the Don't and Do spelling strategy... Continue Reading →
One of the key components of any writing mini-lesson is modelling what we expect of our students. Often this takes the form of "guided" writing. However, over the years I have found that this wasn't always as effective as it... Continue Reading →
My conundrum is that in the classroom I use my computer to take anecdotal notes, look at student data on the fly, etc (especially during conferring for reading/writing). Oftentimes however my computer is connected to the projector cable and so... Continue Reading →
Every year the struggle is the same. Eager second grade writers pour their hearts out into their "small moment" personal narratives but without much to show for in terms of word choice or elaboration. In the spirit of sharing, one... Continue Reading →
March 2019 found us exploring Siem Reap - a destination that had been on the family bucket list for some time. We spent three days there and loved every minute of it. Siem Reap has a special mix of old... Continue Reading →
Friday afternoon with the promise of an eventful weekend looming I started scrolling through my "Chill Essentials" playlist to get me in the mood. I was looking for a particular song and much to my surprise it was greyed out. ... Continue Reading →
This year in conjunction with our TCRWP Poetry Unit we launched "World Poetry Cafe." The idea behind it is simple. Solicit other members of the school/broader community to come and share a poem they love. It can be from their... Continue Reading →
December 2018 saw the family head to Sri Lanka for a two week trip. The general break down was to start with the "cultural sights" then cool down in the hill country before finally chillaxing by the beach. What follows... Continue Reading →
