On Thursday, May 2, 2019, #G2Great welcomed Paul Bourque to chat with our PLN about the powerful impact quick writes can have on young writers. As I reflect on the chat and on my own writing identity, it is becoming very clear to me how true this is, not only for young writers but for writers of all ages. Writing is a chance to open up thinking and to focus on developing a perspective on things. Quick writes are a light tool that opens up the writing process in an invitational way. This is so important because the more writers write the more confident and skilled they become. When it comes to writing, volume and stamina matter a great deal:
As we prepared to have Paula be part of #G2Great, we asked her what her intentions were for writing this book. Spoken like a true writer, and teacher this is what she said:
I know to get better at something we need to practice it–a lot. As I have seen curricular requirements heaped upon schools, teachers, and students I have witnessed writing frequently becoming confined to a unit of study or a workshop block of time in a school day. I didn’t think this narrow window of writing was enough practice for our students to grow as writers and it certainly wasn’t giving them the opportunity to write for a wide variety of purposes.
I also knew teachers could not add more to their plates that needed extensive planning and assessing, so I wanted to find a way to ‘sneak’ more low-stakes writing into our school days. It had to be quick and it had to be painless. I found that inviting our students to quick write for 5-10 minutes at different times of the day for different purposes was a powerful way to get that extra practice and stimulate more thinking. These short bursts of writing could spark curiosity, explore and express opinions, encourage gratitude and mindfulness, and even foster appreciation and awareness.
I wanted to share this work we were doing with our K-6 students so I pulled together a collection of our “sparks” to help kindle hearts (with appreciation, gratitude, and empathy sparks) and minds (with metacognition, mindfulness, and mindset sparks). I hope that these small sparks ignite a flame of passion for more writing opportunities in classrooms everywhere and an appreciation for the power of writing to foster deeper thinking.
– Paula Bourque
Paula’s words seem to whisper in my ear, as they inspire me to continue to shape my own core beliefs about what it is to teach writing. One thing that I believe is that when teachers actually practice writing themselves, their instruction becomes greatly enhanced by their real-life experiences – not as teachers, but as writers. But many teachers (and students) are reluctant to write. Paula and the #G2Great PLN shed some light on this problem. Here are some thoughts that explore entry points for writing…
I encourage you to go back to the Wakelet to either catch up or revisit Paula’s appearance on #G2Great to learn more. I was excited to write this post because I believe that Paula’s book is sure to generate more writing for your students and will inspire you to consider the many ways to leverage this approach. There are so many ways to use quick writes, from Informational Quick Writes that spark wonder and curiosity, to Social Emotional (SEL) Quick Writes that help all writers get in touch with themselves in ways that will generate real authentic writing. Her book is also a treasure trove of resources, like video files, and prompts to get you started. It’s just that good. When it comes to writing, getting started is half the battle, and when we lower the stakes we open the door.
Lower The Stakes, Raise the Risk Taking: Our students need opportunities for more low-stakes writing. Without the worry of grades or evaluation, students can feel free to take more risks and explore their thinking, free to reflect on their own words without the filter of someone else’s lens of expectation. They’ll overcome the anxiety of getting started when they initiate multiple pieces of writing each day/week and reduce their incidents of writers’ block. It may not happen right away, it takes time to build a habit and to stop worrying about what others may think so our students can discover what they think. There is no “right answer” to a Quick Write!
Guest bloggers Brent Gilson and Roman Nowak with Mary Howard
On 4/25/19, #G2Great welcomed the second half of the newly reorganized #BOWTIE students back to the chat table to discuss the important topic chosen by our eighteen guest hosts: Building Meaningful Relationships with Your Students. On 3/14/19 eighteen other #BOWTE students engaged us in dialogue for Creating Environments that Work for Kids. This new addition makes the ninth time that #BOWTIE students have graced our chat as honored guests: 12/13/18, 4/26/18, 3/8/18, 5/25/17, 3/6/17, 12/17/17, and6/9/16 (Sam Fremin).
Anyone who has ever participated in our #BOWTIE chats are astounded to experience the insight these middle school and high school students bring to the professional thinking table. They study the teaching/learning process, write blog posts and present at national conferences like NCTE under the support of their teacher, Jason Augustowski. The #BOWTIE acronym (Bringing Our “Why” (because) Teachers Include Everyone) is an accurate reflection of their chosen role of professional co-conspirators since their wisdom affords understandings that gently nudge us to look at our own teaching from their perspective.
The commitment #BOWTIE students demonstrate to our profession is apparent each time they join #G2Great. We literally turn our chat over to them as they choose their own topic of discussion, write the chat questions and lead our chat family in an always engaging dialogue. This week seventeen students and their teacher, Jason Augustowski, posed questions in teams of three including
As you can see in this photo taken just before #BOWTIE chat go started, they were all ready to rock the #G2Great chat house…. and they surely did!
This time, we invited two #G2Great friends who believe as much in these remarkable young men and women and we do to guest blog. We are so grateful to Roman Nowak and Brent Gilson for sharing their thoughts around five questions:
Why are meaningful connections with students a professional imperative?
Roman
As educators, we must recognize the importance of having meaningful connections to support student learning and student success. We cannot hide behind “traditional ways” or lack of time. If we acknowledge the truth that students learn more and learn more deeply when they have that connection, we need to prioritize the connections we make with students. Building trust is a two way street, let us never ask of them what we would not be willing to do. If we want our students to be open, honest & authentic, we must show our willingness to be the same with our students. Let us strive to follow Spencer’s advice in building that trust with students.
Brent Gilson
How do we know our students without meaningful connections? How do we serve our students without knowing them? I don’t think we can do our job to the fullest without having that person to person connection. My kids know that I care about them, that I want to know their stories and because of that connection I can get more from them. The feeling of safety that comes from that group connection creates a classroom culture that promotes sharing, curiosity and a sense of community. Without the connection, just like a string of Christmas lights with a bulb burnt out, we don’t have that functioning classroom.
What could educators do to create more meaningful connections with students?
Roman
Connections are often made by simply taking the time to talk to our students. Learn about their family, their passions, their interests. Show students that they are seen and heard. Students want to feel that they are important and contributing to their class. It is up to us, as educators to let them feel that way. Some first steps in creating those connections includes greeting students at the door, having their pictures and their families throughout the class, having lunch with them, including them or their stories in project types or assessments. Sometimes it doesn’t take much, but that connection that you build with a student will create a lasting impact.
Brent
Treat them like people instead of products would be step one. Often the work (outcomes, assignments) become the focus and we forget that our kids are kids and that they should be our top priority. By no means do I think we should push the “work” aside but the stuff the really matters, how they are doing, family life, stresses, fears, learning what makes our kids tick and them knowing we actually care, is so much more important. Educators that focus on their kids and connections over the work seem to get the results on the work too. The same can not be said for those that do not see the value in connections.
What are some “meaningful connection” take-aways” you learned from our chat?
Roman
This chat has given me amazing reflection from soul. As an educator, whenever we have the chance to hear thoughts and ideas directly from students, there is immense power in those words. I absolutely love this take-away from Chris Myslenski (below). In life, we often talk about the importance of balance: balance in our personal and professional lives, balance with our hobbies/interests and our families, etc. When creating connections with students, as important as it is to learn about students, we also have to be willing to share about ourselves. Be proud of your own story and do not be afraid of sharing important parts of your life with your students. When you can use personal examples to consolidate learning, this becomes not only an important learning strategy but an important human strategy. Students learn more than knowledge about subjects, they learn how to be people from us.
Brent
I look at the idea of class discussions and how we as teachers need to be more aware of how to build our students up but also respect their individual personalities. It is odd that we condemn things like Round Robin Reading (because it is archaic and puts striving readers on the spot) but often will try to drag students who prefer to sit on the edge into a conversation out of their comfort zone. Discomfort is ok, growing pains are a real thing but in the classroom, we need students to know that we respect the time it takes for them to grow and that what that growth looks like will be different for everyone.
What is one way that #BOWTIE students have inspired you as a professional?
Roman
Ryan Beaver (below) has given me great inspiration and a huge dose of reflection. When we understand that day to day, year to year, our experiences will not be the same with our students. When we understand that we need to constantly adapt to the hearts before us, we will know that we will creating better learning experiences for our students. Including students in conversations and feedback for strategies, lessons and assessments will help us improve as educators. We know that students do not have the knowledge about metacognition that we do, however, they are the reason we are in the classroom. When we change our vocabulary from being in front of our students, to being in class with our students, we show them that they are an important part of the class. I will definitely be listening to Ryan and finding ways of including discussion about learning and strategies with my students throughout the year. My students deserve the best and I deserve to have that formative feedback to grow as a learner and educator.
Brent
The biggest piece for me has been the smashing of stereotypes. So many voices tell us students don’t really care about school. They just care about Fortnite and partying. The #BOWTIE crew probably do these things but they also advocate for educational excellence, they share how important it is for teachers and students to work together as a team. Our jobs as teachers are not to command but to connect. The #BOWTIE kids and their teacher have shown us the possibilities when this is the focus.
What advice would you offer #BOWTIE for using their voices to enhance the educational process in the future?
Roman
Never stop using your voice. Our voice is part of our identity and it is important to stand up with our values and convictions. I not only applaud #BOWTIE for taking the risk and sharing their thoughts with so many people around the world, I encourage them to never stop sharing their voices. Keep pushing and challenging the status quo; keep sharing the parts of you that are important. Your stories need to be heard, your stories will help transform education.
Brent
I would be more comfortable with them giving me the advice. All I would say is keep up the work, keep those voices strong but also make sure that you make room for all the “other” fun stuff out there. I don’t think they need advice in sharing their voice, they are already making education better for so many kids.
Mary’s Closing Thoughts
Your #G2great co-moderators (Fran, Val, Jenn, Amy and Mary) are dedicated to this professional learning space where an invitational culture of joyful twitter style dialogue has been celebrated since our first chat January 8, 2015. #BOWTIE students bring our spirit of shared learning and engaging dialogue to life. They understand that the quality of their learning opportunities are dependent upon the quality of our daily professional choices. Their questions inspire us to take a closer look at those choices with students in mind as they encourage us to envision our teaching in a new light.
The educators who return to our #G2Great chat week after week are dedicated to this professionally responsive process. We are all inspired by #BOWTIE students’ generous sharing of ideas that allow us to envision the impact of our teaching from their side of the learning experience. They encourage us to contemplate the intentional shifts that would maximize our efforts so that we may contemplate the richest possible learning opportunities.
And so, for the ninth time, we are grateful to our #BOWTIE students and teacher, Jason Augustowski for inspiring our thinking as we consistently strive to become the best version of ourselves in honor of students everywhere.
This week #G2great was delighted to highlight a much-needed topic that has been a recurring theme over the past four plus years of our existence. On 4/18/19, we engaged in enthusiastic collaborative dialogue for Keeping Students at the Center: Shifting Our Professional Responsibility. Your co-moderators (Fran, Val, Jenn, Amy, Mary) are committed to our collective responsibility for ensuring that children are given a seat of honor center stage of our professional priorities. Judging by the #G2great Twitter response, it seems clear that this is a common sentiment expressed by many educators.
I was thrilled to be afforded the opportunity to write this after-chat reflection on a topic near and dear to my heart. Keeping students at the center of all we do is challenged in an age where programs, agendas, mandates or personal desires compete for attention. Too many schools are the poster child for how not to keep children at the center; a model for what happens when actions confiscate values and our unwavering desire to put kids above all collides with reality. When things compete for our focus on children, a professional tug of war invariably thwarts our efforts to awaken a “child first” spirit.
As I perused the inspired tweets following our chat, I kept returning to question 1 that epitomizes this spirit. I realized that in order to put children first so that we can keep them at the center, we must use the language that reverses our sense of priorities with the “YOU” that breathes life into this spirit. When our practices are riddled with a ME-WE mentality of personal or schoolwide agendas, we turn a blind eye to those who should be the central informant for all we do – children.
The more I thought about this idea, the more I realized that this YOU-centered question warranted my reflection focus. I returned to my lengthy collection of tweets and centered my thoughts solely around those based on question 1. In this post, I will spotlight twelve tweets followed by my brief refection.
12 IDEAS TO KEEP STUDENTS AT THE CENTER
Kim highlights the starting gate of YOU. Before we can bring YOU to life, we first build relationships to demonstrate that we value our children. Kasey reminds us that YOU is a invitational event that connects us both. Through these shared experiences, wonderful realizations come into view.Laura recognizes that we could learn much about children if we celebrate the daily agenda free writing about reading that illuminates who they are.Cara emphasizes that giving writing a public audience within a personal blog space offers insight into the thinking that rises from this experience.Valinda shows us that teaching and learning are a collaborative event. If we are brave enough to changes sides with our children, we gain so much.Mary Anne continues the student as learner perspective by using their reading and writing as visible references to support instructional choices.Mollie illustrates that being a learner is about our history of experiences. This history can help us by looking back so that we may ponder next steps.Jenn points out that our carefully selected learning tools can enhance this learning. Scaffolds offer supportive stepping stones from NOW to NEXT.Derrick underscores that we teach with our sights on empowering our children. Independence is seen as the ultimate goal of our focus on YOU.Julie asks us to look squarely at the core of YOU. When we respect that learning is closely linked to confidence, we make that our daily priority.Fran extends the role confidence building plays by demonstrating that enthusiastic kidwatching with feedback can elevate our focus on YOU.
MY CLOSING THOUGHTS
I don’t normally share my own tweets in my posts, but as I came to the close of this reflection, I realized that this is the way it was meant to end. The day after Christmas 2018, I wrote a facebook post on something a wise teacher did for my niece Kendall that brought her YOU to the surface. If we truly want to keep students at the center of all we do, then we must make it our professional imperative to notice the remarkable gifts children carry with them within and beyond our four walls. Once we do, we then let them look into the proverbial mirror every day as we celebrate their YOU from both sides.
In closing, thank you for keeping students at the center as you thoughtfully sharpen your own lens by gazing through the oh so wise eyes of our children.
Thursday, April 11, #G2great hosted a Twitter chat entitled, Balanced Literacy: What’s in a Name? We had a powerful discussion around the balanced literacy framework with #g2great veterans and some first-timers as well. Let’s revisit the framework and some of the thoughts from the chat.
Balanced literacy is a framework that delivers extended reading
and writing support in varied environments within the classroom applying
instructional methods that differ by level of teacher support and child control
(Fountas and Pinnell, 1996).
Through this framework “children are explicitly taught the
relationship between letters and sounds in a systematic fashion, but they are
being read to and reading interesting stories and writing at the same time” (Diegmueller,
1996).
Originally, balanced literacy was focused on both a skills-based
approach and a meaning-based approach in the literacy block. There is a renewed
effort to include the systematic teaching of phonics along with a focus on
comprehension–all within and around rich and meaningful literature-based
experiences (Asselin, 1999).
The optimal balanced literacy program consists of literacy
events, such as read alouds, guided reading, shared reading and independent
reading and writing (Fountas & Pinnell, 1996). Most recently, some
educators have included book clubs as an integral part of the framework.
It is important to note that a highly successful balanced
literacy framework includes teacher directed instruction (direct instruction
and modeling of skills, strategies, dispositions, procedures and processes by
the teacher) along with student centered and student directed work.
When planning, teachers can strategically design instruction,
modeling and practice for students in each of the components listed above. For
instance, when thinking about the practice readers need in applying knowledge
of letters and sounds, it makes sense that the instruction and application
would take place during the phonics, word study and spelling portion of the
language arts block. But, in fact, it would also make sense to include quick
instruction and group application in a day’s lesson included during shared
reading.
In
addition, emerging patterns observed in benchmark assessment and progress
monitoring are not only reserved for instruction during guided reading.
Teachers can strategically plan to include modeling of the observed gaps during
an interactive read aloud or the reading mini-lesson. You can see that readers’
needs can be addressed through instruction and modeling in any or all of the
components of a balanced literacy approach.
A balanced
literacy framework provides a system whereby instruction in reading and writing
is delivered and supported in contexts that are connected and designed to meet
student needs. It’s well worth our time to continue to learn and perfect the
components and their interconnected systems to grow readers and writers in
authentic ways.
The #G2Great chat on Thursday, April 4, 2019 welcomed writing workshop aficionados near and far as a powerful duo, Stacey Shubitz and Lynne Dorfman, joined us to chat about Welcome to Writing Workshop: Engaging Today’s Students with a Model That Works. It was an hour of celebration as well as an hour of learning and affirmation of basic principles of writing workshop practices.
Welcome to Writing Workshop was lovingly written by expert writers, expert writing teachers, and expert writing coaches. As you enter the book, whether you are a novice to writing workshop or an experienced teacher, you will find that Stacey and Lynne’s words linger in your brain and you will return to pictures, pages, and charts to consider your own alignment with the expectations outlined. Kelsey Corter said it well on TWT:
“Welcome to Writing Workshop is not the kind of book to read and shelve. It needs an accessible home, perhaps at a favorite writing spot, or perhaps in the classroom, alongside a conferring toolkit. Keeping Welcome to Writing Workshop nearby means never being in it alone. Stacey and Lynne are there, every step of the way.” TWT Blog
In this blog post, you are first going to see Stacey and Lynne’s responses to three questions about their goals and messages for Welcome to Writing Workshop. And then you will view some curated tweets that are representative of just a small portion of the tweets generated during the #G2Great chat, followed by some additional resources available to support your learning. Stacey: Write alongside your students no matter how uncomfortable it feels at first. Keep doing it. Day after day, it will become easier. If you’re writing, then you’re part of the classroom community of writers and that is the secret to being a great teacher of writing.
Lynne:Make time for writing every day. Writing is the most valuable tool we have for thinking aloud on paper. Writing instruction and time to write daily is absolutely essential. When our thinking is there, we can organize it, layer it, and revise it. We can let other people’s thinking in because we are not worried about forgetting what we wanted to say. After we listen to others, we can revise our thinking. Expressing our opinions, sharing information, and telling our stories. Human beings are storytellers. Every day is a new page to write on. The stories of our lives are important!Stacey: We hope teachers will listen to children’s ideas when they confer and help them create pieces of writing — across the genres — that hold meaning and value to them. Most of all, it’s my hope that teachers will treat kids like real writers. Kate and Maggie said it well in the foreword, “The promise of writing workshop is that if we help every child become a writer, they will write and think well. This book shows us ways we can thread that needle—how we can reach for high standards yet not at the expense of the heart and soul of our classrooms.”
Lynne:Of course, that a teacher of writers has to be a teacher who writes. Writing is not a spectator sport – you have to jump in and play the game! Modeling with your own writing and thinking aloud so you can make your process visible to your students. So, an understanding of the importance of writing process. Also, we talk about the importance of the physical and the socio-emotional environment. Our workshop should look like, sound like, and feel like it is student-centered where our young writers have a voice and lots of choice. Another big takeaway is daily time for writing which involves good planning so we can move through a literature hook, modeling, active engagement, and on to writing. Closing with reflection is also essential.Stacey: There were two motivations for writing this book. First, we were both adjuncting and noticed there hadn’t been a new, stand-alone book on the fundamentals of writing workshop in quite some time. I was teaching online and had grad students in my classes from across the USA and around the world (e.g., India, Peru). Many times my international students were unable to get print copies of books and wished there was an ebook they could purchase on writing workshop. Therefore, we thought it would help if there were a new book, that would also be an ebook, about writing workshop. Second, through the consulting work we do, we noticed that many teachers are given a curriculum to teach writing, but they are unfamiliar with the guiding principles that make writing workshop work. Therefore, we wanted to write a book for people who were new to teaching writing workshop so that they would have a solid foundation on which to implement the curriculum they were given.
Lynne: I have wanted to write this book for years and years! My interest in writing began in elementary school. I was inspired by my sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Steinberg and even tried to write songs. I loved playing folk guitar. Later, I became an NWP fellow through the PA Writing & Literature Project. As I began teaching graduate courses on writing and presented at conferences, I realized how many teachers were uncomfortable with their own writing and with teaching writing. When Stacey and I got together to talk about the possibility of writing a book about writing workshop, we realized that the last book that discussed workshop essentials was a book by Ralph Fletcher – Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide. Ralph’s book was not available as on online publication. It was a 2001 copyright, so we thought there was room for our book. Our goal was to provide video clips as well so teachers could have a glimpse into writing workshop classrooms.
Curated Tweets
In Welcome to Writing Workshop, teachers will find tips to enhance their writing instruction including how to manage time, choice, environments and the socio-emotional supports to engage ALL learners. A teacher who is interested in “re-invigorating” or making their workshop more joyful will find the essential information in this text and supporting materials and videos. The pause at the end of each chapter in the “When You’re Ready” section provides the time and space for the reader to reflect and consider how to best use their new learning. Check it out! You won’t be disappointed!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: #G2Great Wakelet Link Stenhouse Book preview Link Kelsey Corter’s Review on Two Writing Teachers Link
On March 21, 2019, Lester Laminack and Katie Kelly joined #G2Great to begin a conversation around their book, Reading to Make a Difference. I have to say, I just love that title, Reading to Make a Difference. There are so many ways that reading can make a difference that it boggles my mind and stirs my soul. It makes me dizzy to think about the endless potential for positive change that is possible when teachers view reading as a call to action. The chat began with meaningful reflections as teachers celebrated book choice, writing, and the sheer joy that comes with intentional learning:
As I read these tweets I am struck by the varied perspectives and I kept thinking about how Lester and Katie’s work was inspired by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s piece, Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Glass Doors.
Mirrors
We look to books to help us understand ourselves and the world. Books are indeed a mirror, they reflect a reader’s own story back to them as they read to find clarity and validation. These are the important moments for readers, this process is part of forming a secure identity. As they journey down this path to self-discovery, it is only natural that they begin to question: How am I different? How am I the same? What can I learn from all of this?
Windows
The windows we shape in our classrooms are constructed by the libraries we keep. It is time that we all ask ourselves, am I willing to take a stand for equity? Will I expand my classroom library to greet and embrace all my students? There are so many stories to tell and it is vital that we provide access to them. Children are broadening their understanding of the world as they look to find new possibilities and greater awareness for the complexities of life. Trust that the books we offer them can help with this work.
Sliding Glass Doors
Books are here to inspire us. They are foundational for opportunities to grow. They can unlock the potential for new experiences. We can teach our students to seize these opportunities through the relevant work that can come with reading a great book. What can I do with my learning? If we live the life of an authentic learner we can show them how to slide that glass door open, to step through and create something substantial. This is how we lift the words off the page and into our hearts and minds. Literacy is transformative.
Thank you, Lester and Katie for your beautiful book. It is a great resource for teachers to read, reflect, and create. I hope you will all continue to dig deeper into this work and continue grow your practice. Here are some helpful links that can keep the learning going:
Guest bloggers Kitty Donohoe, Brent Gilson, and Jill Davidson with Mary Howard
#G2Great was once again abuzz with excitement when our good friends and newly reorganized #BOWTIE students took the seat of honor at the #G2Great guest host table for the eighth time: 12/13/18, 4/26/18, 3/8/18, 5/25/17, 3/6/17, 12/17/17, 6/9/16 (Sam Fremin). They have been our guest hosts more than any other guest in our four year chat history, which tells you how much we think of them. On 3/14/19, we gathered together to explore Creating Environments that Work for Kids
#BOWTIE are middle school and high school students who write and talk about education under the support of teacher, Jason Augustowski. They share their ideas about education at national conferences like NCTE, write blog posts and read professional texts to extend their understandings. It’s fitting that #BOWTIE is an acronym for Bringing Our “Why” (because) Teachers Include Everyone since they have become professional co-conspirators who offer reflective insight about the teaching/learning process.
For our eighth #BOWTIE – #G2Great thought merger, we invited friends who think as highly of these young men and women and we do. We are so grateful to Kitty Donohoe, Brent Gilson and Jill Davidson for sharing their thoughts around five questions:
What could educators do to create an environment that truly works for kids?
Kitty Donohoe
After engaging in conversation with the inspiring #BOWTIE students, I recollected a favorite quote of Oscar Wilde: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” It is easy to conjure an image of the proverbial old-fashioned teacher who doesn’t smile until winter break. However, as in all things, there needs to be a balance in life. The students talked about how much they loved hearing stories from their teachers about what life was like for them at the same age. Humor and a sense of mutual respect that needed to be earned was important to the students. On that first day of school, dynamic relationship building has more merit than a static syllabus. After all, what transcends is the relationships built, not a set of rules and a grim-faced teacher.
Brent Gilson
This past week we discussed creating environments that work for kids and I am grateful to have the chance to reflect back on the chat and my own thoughts on what we as educators can do to create the best environment for our students. When we are looking at classroom culture and creating a space that works for our students to feel safe to learn and collaborate I can’t help but think the first steps should always be hearing from our students. Being vulnerable enough as an instructor to admit that we don’t have all the answers allows our students to feel like partners in creating the best classroom environment. Collaboration with peers and with students and teachers will increase if we show this vulnerability (Suzy Rolander) It reminds me of how Pernille Ripp asks her students to tell her about what makes reading fun and what makes it suck. Their thoughts inform her practice and her example has helped me to take the same leap. What we learn from our students is priceless. I recently blogged about giving my students a chance to reflect on reading practices and it was eye-opening and helpful to me in creating an environment that is working for my students.
Jill Davidson
For me, the key word here is “create.” Creating an atmosphere that supports and engages all the learners in a classroom requires intention and reflection. We cannot develop an environment that works for all learners without inviting students’ voices into the conversation. Ask students for input on designing both the space and the learning that will take place within it. Regular debriefs on what is working and what needs to change give students an opportunity to identify their learning needs and articulate how the environment can help meet those needs. The learning environment encompasses much more than the physical space. Educators can actively participate in creating and sustaining a supportive atmosphere for learning by modeling the kind of learning that will happen in the classroom: sharing their own learning, taking risks as a learner, and being open about their curiosities and interests. One key theme that emerged from the chat was how much students appreciate a teacher who interacts with them as a collaborator and fellow learner.
What are some “environment take-aways” you learned from our #BOWTIE chat?
Kitty Donohoe
The relationship building environment is the heart of what matters. Thus, a teacher conveying the verbal and nonverbal messages to students of being present to them and that they matter, should be foremost in a classroom. The physical environment also has importance. Are desks clustered to foster collaborative learning? Is the classroom one that invites student choice in projects? Are partnerships encouraged so that students can learn from each other, thus making the whole greater than the sum of its parts? Is inclusivity modeled by all? Can students see their faces reflected in classroom libraries? All of these and many more components matter.
Brent Gilson
As we discussed the classroom environment the idea of balancing the fun-loving freedom with purposeful workspace came up often. I hope in my classroom that a foundation of mutual respect will take us much further than any “rules” will. A common thread among posts came up in that students need clear expectations and the sense that there will be follow through. Students need communication and clarity in what the expectations are. Reducing expectations only to then have to come down harder later is only going to serve to disrupt the space and the relationships that we have with our students. After the chat this week I really sat and thought about where my line is and how much I erase it in an effort to give infinite chances. It led to some tough conversations and hopefully, the concerns I had Thursday evening will be a thing of less frequency going forward.
Jill Davidson
Throughout the chat the importance of safe, equitable, and inclusive spaces came out loud and clear. Students value classrooms and schools where they feel they have a say in their own learning and where all voices and perspectives are valued equally. They want to learn in environments that make them feel seen and heard. The importance of using reading, writing, speaking, and listening to learn about others and ourselves surfaced over and over during the conversation. Another key take-away for me was the reminder of how educators set the tone for the environment. Students appreciate having teachers who take the time to get to know them and who make relationship-building a priority.
How do educators benefit by viewing our teaching from a student lens?
Kitty Donohoe
I remember that when I was a first year teacher, a parent asked me where I bought my shoes because her daughter wanted a pair just like them! I was so surprised. But then I thought, of course, it is all about viewpoint. My primary aged students sat on the rug in front of me and my shoes are front and center. If my shoes were front and center, well then certainly there were even more important things that I needed to think about from their perspective. Teachers need to always remember what it is like to be a student. We have more power over a young person’s life than we sometimes realize. It is a sacred trust. Educators always need to understand that for a certain part of their life, these young people are a primary responsibility for us. This can never be taken for granted. And, it is easy to overlook their perspective. By hearing from the Bowtie students, it was a lovely reminder about how by building trust, teachers can give students more agency in the classroom. The more responsibility students have, the more their confidence can grow, and the more engaged they will become in the learning community.
Brent Gilson
When we take the time to look at things from a student lens I think we can really, if we are truly open to it, change the way we teach. So often in University, we were told to have all these intricate plans to make sure we keep our students captivated but too often they are just captive. When we look at the tasks we assign, or even do them we see if the activity is worthy of our students. We start to see the points that might get them caught up and can be proactive versus reactive.
Jill Davidson
Viewing teaching (and learning) from a student lens helps us be responsive and empathetic educators. We often talk about “authentic learning,” and to be truly authentic classroom activities must reflect the lives of the learners. Do the texts students are reading and creating reflect their world outside of the classroom? Are students writing about topics that are meaningful to them for an audience beyond the teacher? Is the use of technology purposeful in that it extends and expands learning rather than being an add-on? Considering the learning environment from the student perspective encourages us to find opportunities to increase engagement and agency. We can look for the places where we are making decisions for students’ learning that they can be making for themselves. We can reflect on where student voice and choice can be amplified. It is essential that students have a say in what they will learn and how they will learn it.
What is one way #BOWTIE has inspired your professional understandings?
Kitty Donohoe
It is always important to reflect on one’s practice as an educator. And what better way to do this than by hearing from young people? The BOWTIE students are remarkable. During the chat and afterwards, as I was thinking about their insights, I was struck by how much wisdom these young students have. They made me think about how important dialogue is with students. By listening with an open heart, a teacher truly can have more impact. Student voices are important to reflect back to teachers what works from a younger perspective. So in essence, it made me think about always going back to the source. In my case, I am working with second graders. Their thoughts matter. They are more aware of what it is to be seven or eight than I am, thus, go to the experts for insights!
Brent Gilson
I have had the pleasure of joining in on a number of chats that the formerly #bowtieboys now rebranded as #BOWTIE have hosted on Twitter and attended a few of their sessions at NCTE this year and am always impressed by their passion and dedication to taking steps forward in education. This #bowtie chat really helped me to see that I am not really doing my students favours by constantly moving the goal line closer. I have read articles about lawnmower or snowplow parents that just get everything out of their students way and through this chat I see that I at times do that for my students when they reach a tough spot. Seeing these students discuss topics that are important to them in such an open and educated way makes me see that my students don’t need me to guide them as much. That we need to look at learning as even more of a partnership where I provide them with support and guidance but also step back to let them problem solve more.
Jill Davidson
The themes of relationship-building, collaboration, and community that surfaced from this discussion have reinforced my passion for using talk as a way to grow learning. The majority of talk happening in the classroom should be from the students. They want to discuss important topics, share ideas, develop new understandings, and consider alternate perspectives. Again, establishing an environment where student talk is at the forefront takes careful planning. Everything from the physical set-up to the curricular materials must be selected with student talk in mind. Students need time and space to gather and discuss, but they also need engaging texts that give them something to talk about!
What advice/feedback do you have for #BOWTIE as a result of our chat, perusing their blogs or personally seeing them present at a conference?
Kitty Donohoe
To quote Bob Dylan: “May you stay forever young.” Your wisdom, courage, and dedication shine through in your Twitter conversations. You are our future and because I know that, I am at peace. Stay close to that vibrancy and tenacity that you exhibit your whole life for really, that is what life is all about. Thank you for letting me learn so very much from you.
Brent Gilson
Having participated and witnessed live the magic that is #bowtie first I would like to say that I think all teachers need the experience. They opened my eyes to the potential my students have to use their own voices and advocate for themselves. The passion in promoting voice/choice and helping educators take into account a different perspective is admirable. We often talk about stakeholders in education and I believe that to truly have a conversation that places all stakeholders as equal partners we need to fully listen and the #BOWTIE kids are speaking loud and clear, and teachers should be grateful.
Jill Davidson
Don’t stop putting your voices into the world. We have so much to learn from our students! Thank you for posing questions that invite us to reflect and for sharing your insights and experiences.
Mary’s Closing Thoughts
Since our first #G2Great chat January 8, 2015, co-moderators Fran, Val, Jenn, Amy (and Mary) have been committed to creating a space for learning in the company of others. Our goal from the beginning was to nurture an invitational culture of joyful dialogue where we could grow side-by-side twitter style. It’s apparent when looking back on the chat dialogue that these amazing students epitomize that vision. They understand that our day-to-day professional choices matter and that the quality of our choices rises from deep professional reflection that often leads to intentional shifts in thinking with students in mind.
One of the things that inspires me about our #BOWTIE friends is how generously they are willing to make their thinking public so that we can see our teaching through their wise eyes. Using their words, they hold up a reflective mirror for each of us so that we may design (and re-design) the best possible experiences for our students possible so that we can see our teaching in a new light.
We are so grateful to #BOWTIE students and teacher, Jason Augustowski for helping us to be the best version of ourselves. (Note: Please join us on 4/25/19 when they return to #G2Great)
Your enthusiastic #G2great co-moderators, Fran, Val, Jenn, Amy (and Mary) have long held the topic of read aloud very near and dear to our collective hearts. Our excitement was once again elevated as first grade teacher Maria Walther joined another read aloud celebration as first-time guest host on 3/7/19. An engaging conversation quickly ensued as soon as we opened the #G2Great twitter gate to celebrate her new book, The Ramped-Up Read Aloud: What to Notice as You Turn the Page (Corwin, 2018)
When I first held Maria’s book in my hands, I opened to the first page where the heading in bolded caps reached out and grabbed me by the heartstrings:
READ ALOUD = JOY!
My eyes moved excitedly down the page as I happily highlighted her words:
First and foremost, a read aloud should be a joyful celebration for all. For you, for your students, and indirectly, for the author and illustrator who toiled over each word and every image that lies on and between the covers of the book. (Maria Walther, p 1)
Already held in joyful readerly captivity, Maria’s next sentence elevated my state of being:
In my mind, a picture book is a piece of art created to be cherished and applauded. Right from the start, I give you permission to simply READ ALOUD–no questions, no stopping, no after-reading conversations.
Well that didn’t take long. I hadn’t even left the first page and already JOY was the emotional hook that kept my face glued to each page that followed all the way to the end.
Before our chat began, I asked Maria to reflect on three essential questions. Her responses to those questions are so connected to my heartstring theme of READ ALOUD = JOY! that I’m going to approach this post a little differently. First, I’ll share Maria’s response to each question followed by my own reflection that keeps the joy theme at the center and then share one tweet. Before I share the joy path I’m taking in this post, let me start with a tweet from Maria that reinforced my chosen direction and made my joyful heart go pitter patter:
Ahh, the joy of Maria’s carefully crafted words reminding us to walk along a path that is not riddled with thorns of compliant dissemination but one that is lined with “a well-chosen read aloud surrounded by rich conversations.” And so we continue along a joyful read aloud journey through Maria’s words.
What motivated you to write this book? What impact did you hope that it would have in the professional world?
In the 1980s, I stepped into Estelle Von Zellen’s children’s bookstore housed in the basement of her DeKalb, IL home. The first book I purchased for my classroom was The Napping House by Audrey and Don Wood. I love reading that book aloud to show children how Don Wood uses shifting perspective and changes in light to enhance Audrey’s cumulative story. Since that day, I’ve been hooked on picture books and have spent my 33-year career reading them aloud to children. I’m fascinated by the artistic process of creating a picture book and believe that if we give children opportunities to notice and discuss books, we can enrich their reading and writing lives.
I was motivated to write this book to give busy teachers an inside look into picture books and the ways they promote thinking and conversations. For each of the 101 featured books, I share the insights I discovered while reading, rereading, and researching each book so that teachers, librarians, or caregivers can pass those tidbits on to young listeners.
I’m hoping that Ramped-Up will remind teachers (and their administrators), librarians, and perhaps some parents that read aloud experiences are a necessity for every child. I want this book to nudge them to carve out time every day to read aloud.
READ ALOUD = JOY! Reflection from Mary
Mission accomplished, Maria! Simply acknowledging that we value read aloud is not enough. To view read aloud through the lens of JOY requires us to give it a place of honor in every day as we refuse to allow both real and perceived outside demands to thwart our path forward. When we are so “hooked on picture books” that we can’t let a single day go without reading them, we demonstrate joy through our actions as we keep read aloud at the center of our efforts on a daily basis. It is then and only then that this joy becomes so contagious that it spreads from child to child. Our gift to children of this shared book love will deepen with each new picture book we read aloud that follows where joy continues to grow across the learning year. On page 1 Maria shares an image of her read aloud tally so I was excited to see this tweet below. This visual reference illustrates a constant reminder that we do indeed champion read aloud not just by our words but by making a conscious choice to celebrate read aloud in the company of children day after day.
What are your BIG takeaways from your book that you hope teachers will embrace in their teaching practices?
Read Aloud=JOY. I want teachers to embrace joyful read aloud practices and add their favorite titles to the ones I’ve included in this book. I hope that they view read aloud as one of the many ways they can promote books and reading. I want them to spread the word that read aloud is the mainstay of a vibrant literacy community. During read aloud, I hope teacher notice that it only takes a few open-ended questions or invitations to question, think, or notice in order to surround read aloud with rich conversations.
READ ALOUD = JOY! Reflection from Mary
There’s that phrase I have come to love followed by her desire that teachers will ‘embrace joyful read aloud’. Maria is a master “noticer” of what authors and illustrators do to bring the picture book experience to life and how this artistic process can inform our read aloud choices. Maria shares her thoughtful insights with us through 101 picture book conversations in two-page spreads of joyful possibilities that offer a stepping stone for breathing new life into the read aloud experience. In an age where scripted read alouds suck the very life force out of beautiful books, Maria’s flexible open-ended insights offer a gentle nudge that invite teachers to enter the book experience as a thoughtful read aloud decision-maker. She shows us options to draw from but then respects our choices as we view books from our own insightful lens as we too become master noticers of any picture book.
What is a message from the heart you would like for every teacher to keep in mind?
We have many children in our classrooms who, as my colleague Janet Mort says, are “unlucky in literacy.” Perhaps they haven’t snuggled on the lap of a caregiver and listened to stories read aloud or they don’t live in a home filled with books and conversations. As educators, we have two paths we can take. We can choose to ignore this fact and march on with our instruction or we can embrace our roles as the “storygivers” and invite children to join us for one book, after another, after another . . .
READ ALOUD = JOY! Reflection from Mary
I doubt that there is a teacher reading these words who can’t name children who have been “unlucky in literacy.” Maria’s response to this question is riddled in joy as she reminds us that the only way we can create a collective spirit of lucky in literacy opportunities is to savor our role as joyful “storygivers” who believe deeply in our responsibility to read aloud to every child. We want to join Maria in taking our rightful place as invitational picture book advocates from the first day of school to the last. I lost count of how many times I read and reread that paragraph where joy oozed from her words with each and every reread. How could any teacher read her words and falter in making a committed decision to choose the path to read aloud joy every time we sit in front of children and joyfully open the covers of a carefully chosen picture book? Imagine how this commitment could spread this lucky in literacy invitational culture that will embrace collective joy across our respective learning spaces. Isn’t this what every child deserves?
Mary’s Final JOY Reflections
As I pause to reflect on Maria’s repeated message of READ ALOUD = JOY! I challenge each of you to take our shared words in this post, read her book for the first time or yet again, and then soak in the wisdom of every tweet in our #G2Great chat. Then step into your learning spaces with children hopefully surrounding you, open your chosen picture book, and watch read aloud joy reverberate across the room again and again.
Thank you for reminding us of the power of picture books to awaken read aloud magic in each learning day, Maria. We are so honored to stand beside you as picture book joy ambassadors.
I’ve always had an affinity for word work in the classroom, but I know not all students (and teachers) share that love of words. Pam clearly and creatively shares with teachers numerous ways to make words come alive for kids through discussion, exploration and inquiry. Pam was kind enough to answer some questions about how the book found its way into teachers’ hands.
What motivated you to write this book? What impact did you hope that it would have in the professional world?
This book was spurred
by a unique set of stars aligning:
Personally:
Growing up, I was an
avid reader and writer. I loved learning and did well in school, but this
“success” required great time and effort. I didn’t recognize that my process
was so different from others because I somehow figured out my own set of
strategies that compensated for letters that sometimes flipped, bounced, and
reversed. It was only when I started working with students that I began to
notice and understand my own hurdles-and feel quite impressed with how I
managed to compensate all those years! This realization made me wonder how,
even though I was surrounded by amazing, caring teachers, no one spotted this
earlier. This led me to think more about what was valued- or even asked of me
in school- and how little things had changed.
Socially:
I love reading about
and hearing other perspectives, and also love engaging in conversation with
people with whom I share passions and beliefs. Now more than ever, I think of
words as a conduit for sharing who we are and what we believe. Words connect us
with others and enable us to consider a multitude of perspectives. Words helps
us feel seen, understood, and a part of a community. Words are also a catalyst
for necessary change. The urgency to empower students with word competency is
incredibly relevant and real.
Professionally:
As I made shifts in
some of my own instructional practices (2 parts motivation and 1 part very
informal action research), the positive outcomes were exhilarating. Reading,
writing, and math transformed. I then looked at word study- and realized that I
was using the same old practices. And these methods had the same old feeling-
the same old outcomes- and were not cutting it. I knew change was needed, but
didn’t know what else to try. So again… curiosity led me to research, tinker,
and try. Later, as I traveled to schools and connected with educators, I
discovered my experiences were far from unique. Teachers didn’t love what was
in place and were concerned with lack of engagement, ownership, and transfer.
Educators were craving structures that were more responsive to students and
less one-size-fits-all. They sought practical and flexible ideas that could
bring joy to word exploring and yield fruitful and lasting results.
This intersection of
these personal, social, and professional reflections inspired me to share some
of what I had tried in K-6 classrooms in a variety of communities.
I hope that this book makes sense to educators and the approach described seems inviting and possible. In my heart, this is a book by a teacher for teachers. I want readers to know that my own “figuring some of this out” journey has been filled with both frustrating and delightful twists and turns, and that I do not imagine anything I suggest will be carbon copied in classrooms. I hope this book gets teachers’ mind-wheels spinning, imagining how this kind of playful learning could look and feel in the settings they work in each day. End goal: colleagues near and far (we are all colleagues!) look to students, and respond with robust, jubilant instruction that matches the values, goals, and readiness of everyone in the learning community- teachers included!
What are your BIG takeaways from your book that you hope teachers will embrace in their teaching practices?
Word study is not one thing: A developmentally appropriate, balanced approach to studying words includes phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling, meaning/vocabulary- and high frequency word work.
Word study does not exist in isolation: So much can be done in even a few, consistent minutes spent exploring words. However, learning sticks when we make concerted efforts to integrate and embed word study throughout the day… just as consistently. Knowledge is a stepping stone- we also want students to understand the infinite whys, hows, whens they can apply and use word learning.
A robust approach to word learning starts with the people in the room. As with all learning inside and outside of school, there’s not one right way. One exact, “every student, every time” scope and sequence (or set of methods) will not work for everyone. When we use what we know about students, get curious about finding out more, and actively invite and encourage learners of all ages to be active drivers of their own learning, we will find more success than we ever could have imagined.
It is possible to integrate different styles learning— and methods of instruction— into a cohesive approach to word study. Inquiry and more direct instruction can co-exist. Collaborative discussion can be balanced with more introspective thinking time. Joy is at the heart of meaningful, authentic, research-based best practices.
What is a message from the heart you would like for every teacher to keep in mind?
Instead of focusing on
the scary or challenging “what ifs” – begin to imagine the energizing and
exciting possibilities “what ifs.” Small shifts yield powerful results. A few
key reminders to keep in your mind and heart:
Word study is worthy of our time and attention. It is not a dull, drab “extra thing” to put us over the edge. Word study is active and gratifying -and although so important, it radiates a lighthearted, ahhhh feeling.
Trust in your students. Learners of all ages are incredibly capable and can do this.
Trust in yourself. Set a small goal, commit to a shift- putting a realistic and feasible plan in place, and then get going! Monitor progress and celebrate all along the way. Share with others- and try your best to laugh and learn through the “dip” that often happens when we try something new or different.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
If you have not yet read Word Study That Sticks, I hope you’ll buy it and put it at the top of your TBR (To Be Read) stack. Be looking for the Companion Guide from Corwin Press that is available June 2019.
Pam, thank you for sharing your book on word study with teachers. I hope all who read it will embrace the opportunity to move from a “have-to” instructional task to a “heart-felt” commitment that grows young readers and writers in their prowess as logophiles.
On Thursday, February 21, 2019, Donalynn Miller and Colby Sharp, creators of the #NerdyBookClub and successful authors, were first time guest hosts on the #G2Great chat about their book, Game Changer: Book Access for All Kids.
Interest and excitement was off the charts due to our rock star authors and because of the topic: Books and Access for ALL Kids! Many themes surfaced during the chat, but this post is going to focus on three. Three big themes that apply to ALL students at ALL ages and in ALL communities: Access, Choice, and Equity as well as focus reflection questions to guide future actions.
Book Access in ALL Classrooms
In order to be readers, students need access to books in their classrooms. Access in all classrooms – not just English Language Arts classrooms. How many books? Some authors suggest up to 2,000 books. Take inventory. Consider which books students are actually reading. Then gather books from the school media center, public library or inter-library loan systems during particular curricular studies to supplement your library as a bonus for all students.
Reflection Questions: a) What if every classroom in our school had a class library, whether it was ELA, math, science, art, music or PE, provided and provisioned by the school?
b) What if students had access to a reading class at every grade level in school?
Book Access in the Media Center and to a Librarian
Classroom libraries provide immediate access for books for students, but even the best classroom libraries can be supported with rich media centers and full-time librarians. How extensive is the media center collection? How are new books chosen? Displayed? How does the media center support the curricular needs of all content areas? What policies and routines are in place to maximize student access to books? Are students restricted in the number of books they can have checked out at one time? Are students allowed to go to the media center one day per week or cycle?
Reflection Question: What policies, procedures and practices increase student access to our media center and which ones do we need to STOP because they are counterproductive?
Book Access at the Public Library
School book access can be supplemented with access to book collections at the approximately 9,000 public libraries across the U.S. Variations exist from community to community in the basic requirements for library cards. This may include forms of identification, proof of residency, or references before a card will be issued. The ability to use public transportation to physically access the library may also be a hinderance. Other access issues may include the hours that the library is open – are those outside the school/work day? Is there a limit on the number of books that can be checked out? Another consideration with public libraries may be the school staff’s normalization of the use of the public library. Do school staff routinely use the public library to extend their collections? Do teachers routinely share their use with students? Is public use of the library seamless and easy to access for all patrons?
Reflection Question: Have we had whole staff conversations about the complementary services of our public library?
Book Access at Home
Access to books cannot be limited to the six or seven hours per day that students are at school. Reading is a habit – for life – not just for school.
“Research suggests that children whose parents have lots of books are nearly 20 percent more likely to finish college. Indeed, as a predictor of college graduation, books in the home trump the education of the parents. Even a child who hails from a home with 25 books will, on average, complete two more years of school than would a child from a home without any books at all. (Evans, M. D., Kelley, J., Sikora, J., & Treiman, D. J. (2010). Family scholarly culture and educational success: Books and schooling in 27 nations. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 28(2), 171-197.)
Access to books in the summer through books from school or public libraries can help prevent “summer slide” and continue to develop life-time reading habits. Year-round book access is critical.
Reflection Question: Who is coordinating conversations with families so our message is coherent across all grade levels and buildings and also HELPFUL for families?
Book Access in the Community
Students need access to books everywhere and anytime in the community. Access to rich texts that they want to read, that compel them to read, and that result in conversation with peers and adults is vital. Books need to be visible everywhere in the community as well as available year-round in order to fill in summer, school breaks, and holiday access gaps from schools.
Reflection Question: How have we initiated conversations with our community stakeholders to increase access?
Students deserve to choose what they are reading. Force-feeding specific texts day after day, year after year equates reading as a chore. Not fun. Not pleasurable. Not enjoyable. And then, of course, not likely to be sustained outside the school day. Nice collections of engaging, relevant books on shelves may look good, but just admiring books is not enough! Books need to be read in order to be savored and thoughtfully digested. And the best books are the books that students choose to read themselves. You have already read about access, but another feature of choice is time . . . Time to read. Not just reading “when your work is done.” But instead, time that is regularly scheduled when students are reading a book of their own choice.
Reflection Question: How do we ensure that students have choice in their book selection as well as time to read?
Equity means several things. One meaning would be ensuring that all the access issues above are “equitable”. Not equal. Equitable. A second meaning is beyond students “getting what they need” but that students deserve to see themselves in the books that they have available as reading choices. Teachers and librarians need to know the authors and books that represent their students and families in their community. How does one collect the diverse books that are needed? #diversebooks is one source.
Reflection Question: What do we as a staff know and believe about equity, what sources do all staff use, and then how are those sources communicated?
Another reliable source is diversebooks.org
https://diversebooks.org/resources/where-to-find-diverse-books/
What was the purpose behind Game Changer?
Meaningful and consistent access to books.
Reading . . . What is it good for?
Absolutely everything!
You may remember this video from Ocoee Middle School in 2009 that has had 883,395 views: Gotta Keep Reading. How do we keep that passion for reading? How do we encourage a love of reading?
It truly takes ALL of us working together as a literacy community!
Why was this extra special for #G2Great?
This chat was extra special because you can find both Dr. Mary Howard and our newest team member, Valinda Kimmel, in Game Changer! This book needs to be physically present and discussed in every school building across the country.
Where will you begin? How will you change the system?
Stacey: Write alongside your students no matter how uncomfortable it feels at first. Keep doing it. Day after day, it will become easier. If you’re writing, then you’re part of the classroom community of writers and that is the secret to being a great teacher of writing.
