Hello friends! I wanted to share the piece I wrote for the March/April 2017 edition of the International Literacy Association's bi-monthly magazine, Literacy Today, called "The Power of Revision." We often talk about the value and the power of revision in regard to our writing practice--but what about harnessing that power in the context of our teaching practice? This… Continue reading The Power of Revision
Category: learning
The Limits of Primary Writing Journals
Two years ago this April, I wrote a post for The Educator Collaborative's Community Blog that articulated my feelings about the need for educators to offer their student writers more "freedom" in their compositional work. It was called "Math, Literacy, and the Need for More Blank Paper," and, upon rereading the post, I'm happy to… Continue reading The Limits of Primary Writing Journals
When We Want to Believe So Badly…
Many of you have likely seen, read, and/or shared this recent attention-grabbing headline from Time magazine that has dominated our social media feeds over the last 48 hours: "Boys Who Sit Still Have a Harder Time Learning to Read." If you haven't, you may want to take a few minutes to peruse it before you read… Continue reading When We Want to Believe So Badly…
Curating Your TBR Stack: A Primer
Those of you who write for educators can probably relate to the fear that what you have to say hasn't already been said a thousand times over; that your thinking is trite; that in your quest to support and inspire your colleagues, you're actually being patronizing by telling them things that they already know. While this may… Continue reading Curating Your TBR Stack: A Primer
Your First Inquiry: Design a Collaborative Learning Space
One of the finest aspects of being an educator is the opportunity to begin anew each school year. (That, and our annual pilgrimage to the dollar bin at Target. Helloooo, notebooks!) In what other profession does the end of summer bring with it a chance for a full-blown reboot, an occasion to annually re-invent ourselves? For many, this renewal starts… Continue reading Your First Inquiry: Design a Collaborative Learning Space
Have You Joined the #DoodleRevolution?
Hello friends! I was recently interviewed by Holly Korbey for a fantastic series she is writing for Mind/Shift called Books Teachers Share. It was so fun to talk to her about how Sunni Brown's The Doodle Revolution has shaped my thinking, both professionally and personally. It truly is a book that has changed my life for the… Continue reading Have You Joined the #DoodleRevolution?
#Upstander #Truth
Being an upstander--someone who stands up, who speaks out, and/or who takes action on behalf of others--is noble. It's commendable. It's the right way to be. Being an upstander is also freaking hard. Let's face it: standing up to injustice is tough. Speaking up about something you know is wrong is scary. It makes your… Continue reading #Upstander #Truth
(UPDATED!) Expecting Too Much–and Too Little–of Literacy Teachers
I was reading a professional text recently that, in many ways, moved me to nod my head so frequently as I was reading that I looked like one of those bobble head turtles that you find at every craft fair and flea market. There was so much I loved about what the authors had to say about… Continue reading (UPDATED!) Expecting Too Much–and Too Little–of Literacy Teachers
For Your Consideration: 5 Educational “What Ifs”
It's no secret that Erika Christakis' book The Importance of Being Little: What Preschoolers Really Need from Grownups is currently blowing my mind. I've texted the cover of the book to approximately three dozen friends and family members, I've posted about its "must-read"-ness on both Facebook and Twitter, and I've attempted to record all of my favorite lines… Continue reading For Your Consideration: 5 Educational “What Ifs”
Join Me at #UNHLit16 This Summer!
Hello everyone! I'm writing this brief post to let you know that I will be teaching a week-long class (July 18-22) this summer at the NH Literacy Institutes on the UNH campus in Durham, NH. For those of you who haven't yet had the amazing experience of participating in this summer institute, it is a fantastic way… Continue reading Join Me at #UNHLit16 This Summer!
My So-Called Literacy Life 