5 Worst Research Habits Kids Have and How to Fix Them
Researching online is easier than ever. But, thoughtlessness is easier than ever too! Classrooms are transforming. They are spending more and more time learning online....
Teach Argumentative Writing Through Video
Students are glued to their media...YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat are the top apps used by secondary kids. As educators our job is to engage our students in...
5 Steps Students Should Take After Googling
Okay, let's be honest here. Everyone Googles everything. Am I right? Hence, the need to teach students how to "Google" properly. Googling has taken over past...
Fifteen Holiday Writing Activities to Save Your Sanity Before Break
Before your pants are covered in green glitter and your classroom floor is littered with candy cane wrappers, make sure to check out these holiday writing activities!...
Five Must Teach Mini Lessons
Many teachers think mini lessons are a way to teach writing or reading skills. THAT IS NOT TRUE! We should all be teaching behavior mini lessons too. Go directly to...
Why You’re Probably Teaching Information Writing WRONG
Most secondary teachers I know, wonderful teachers who are friends of mine by the way, teach information/expository writing using essay assignments. Here's how it...
5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Writing Units
Planning a unit can be time consuming but it doesn't have to be. Planning a unit can actually be quite simple, especially if you plan as you go, based on the needs of...
How to Create Student E-Porfolios
Student E-Portfolios are an easy and engaging way to demonstrate growth and learning. But, what exactly are they and how do you make them happen in your classroom?...
31 Mini Lessons for the First Month of School
What do you write in your plan book the first month of school, how about the first week? If you took a peek at my plan book you'd find mini lesson titles, mentor text...
Realizations About Teaching Writing
Don't have time to read? Listen to this article instead! I've been teaching writing workshop for four years now with no formal training. Last week I attended the Summer...
How to Support Your Writing Haters
Welcome back! This is part three of a series revealing the truth about writing with mini lessons! In each blog post I provide a mini lesson you can use with your...
Ten Places to Find Mentor Texts
What is a mentor text anyway? A mentor text is any text used to model the type of writing your students are learning. Mentor texts are the backbone of writing workshop...
The Truth About Writing Part Two
Welcome back for part two of this three part series revealing the truth about writing with mini lessons! In each blog post I provide a mini lesson you can use with your...
The Truth About Writing Part One
This is a three-part mini lesson series that will help you reach for the truth about writing with your students. Each post will include a mini lesson, not for the faint...
8 Ways Teachers Kill a Love of Writing in Their Classrooms
Are you a writing teacher who wants to instill a love of writing in your students but aren't sure how? Yes, teaching standards is important and students need to be...