Hello colleagues--happy summer! Just recently I had the pleasure of collaborating with Dr. Carla España on a blog post for The Educator Collaborative's Community Blog. It is a response to a gorgeous new book for all ages by Minh Lê and Dan Santat called Drawn Together (2018) that I highly recommend you ask your school librarian to… Continue reading My Latest #TheEdCollab Blog Post
Category: writing
Teacher Appreciation Week Giveaway!
Hello, friends! We've all seen the posts and the memes: "Teachers Are Rock Stars!" "I'm a Teacher; What's Your Superpower?" But do any of us ever really feel like "rock stars" or superheroes? I know I don't. Like, ever. That's why I want to do a giveaway for Teacher Appreciation Week that just celebrates teachers for… Continue reading Teacher Appreciation Week Giveaway!
[REBLOG] Spellbound by Comic Creation
Hello fellow writers! Today I am excited to be featured on the #TeachWrite chat blog, where I was asked to share my writing goals for 2018. Hope you enjoy. Spellbound by Comic Creation by Shawna Coppola
Your New Favorite Form of Writing, Revealed
If you, like me, have ever clicked on a social media post with a headline that reads, "5 Reasons Your Eyes Are Puffy," "10 Ways to Look Less Like a Frumpy Mom" or "50 Times Judge Judy Proved She's Our Bae," you've engaged with a form of writing that can be found virtually everywhere these… Continue reading Your New Favorite Form of Writing, Revealed
“Getting It Write” on the Dr. Will Show
This week, I was lucky enough to be interviewed by Dr. Will Deyamport for his podcast/vlog, "The Dr. Will Show," which focuses on issues around learning and education and has featured such incredible educators as Rafranz Davis, Christina Torres, Pernille Ripp, and Sarah Thomas, among many others. In this episode, Dr. Will asks me about… Continue reading “Getting It Write” on the Dr. Will Show
What It Means to “Write”–and What We Teach Students
Here's a quick exercise for you. Take a few minutes to write, sketch, doodle, or jot your answer to the question, "What does it mean to write?" Think about what we mean--what we really mean--when we refer to this act of writing. Next, take a moment to jot down the writing units you teach, have taught in… Continue reading What It Means to “Write”–and What We Teach Students
Stages of Edu-Twitter: A Comic
When I get (what I consider) a good, solid idea for a comic, all I want to do is work on it. Dinner prep be damned! This particular idea came to me during a workshop I gave this past week through the UNH Professional Development & Training program on using comics, picture books, and graphic… Continue reading Stages of Edu-Twitter: A Comic
Comic: “What’s For Dinner?”
Hi friends--happy Spring**! If you follow my (somewhat inane) Twitter feed, you might be aware that I am currently knee-deep in a comic/graphic novel inquiry with a group of second and third graders. Most of these students had never tried writing a comic before this particular exploration, and yet they continue to blow me away daily with… Continue reading Comic: “What’s For Dinner?”
The Power of Revision
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
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
My So-Called Literacy Life 