Quote that has me thinking...Writing Workshop

Last week, I had the pleasure of working with 20+ amazing educators in the Chicagoland area...each with special talents to bring to his/her community, school, students and education as a whole.   Not only am I a 2nd grade teacher, I am an Illinois Writing Project Leader.  I love this unique work I get to do.  Each summer, I am reminded of how much I love being a teacher by the chance to facilitate difficult and in-depth discussions with these talented educators.  During the course of this week, this quote struck me.

"To help our students become writers, we need to write side by side with them." - Rebecca Alber

There are many similar quotes out there that you might stumble upon.  However, this one strikes me as one that I need to continue to remember.  One of my all time favorite moments of the school day is the mini-lesson for Writing Workshop.  Every single person in the classroom looks forward to this special time.  The students, me, and special guests in the classroom that day.

Writing in front of the students gives me a chance to play with some word choice and semantics, as well as it give me a chance to show the students the entire writing process as a think/write aloud.  I have to remember that not only do I want to continue to write in front of students, I want to also do my own writing on my own and show students that I am writing and show them the importance of writing.  How impactful for the students to see the real work application!!  I need to remember to bring in my own Writer's Notebook, just as Ralph Fletcher recommends.

I hope this quote will resonate with you as it has resonated with me.  <3

If you are interested in the Illinois Writing Project, please check out our website.

http://illinoiswritingproject.com/

We Want to Hook You In!

Boy, has it been wayyyyyy tooooo longggggg!  I find myself posting on Instagram or Facebook about exciting things that happen in my classroom, but I have been forgetting about my special place where I can share my thoughts, pictures, and not have to worry about limiting my characters!  :)

Today we worked on writing fabulous leads in Writing Workshop!  The kids want to HOOK YOU IN!  :)  I love watching these little writers blossom!  :)  Below are two of my favorite writing transformations!  I wrote in front of the kids last week (as I do every day!!!!), and today we went back to that piece.  We modified the lead sentence to my piece, and then the kids went back to their seats and picked one piece they wanted to make better, they brainstormed some different leads, and then they picked one they wanted to use.  Honestly, the kids did awesome for the first day!!  I will share more transformations once they happen in the next few days!  :)

Tomorrow, we will look at mentor texts that give us amazing leads!  I will post tomorrow to show you how that goes and give you some ideas!  :)

New Lead:  You are never going to believe this!  :)

New Lead:  Guess what!  :)

Writing Workshop Often Melts My Heart

Who here LOVES to teach Writing Workshop?  My hand is up...way up in the hair after hearing this question.  Helping kids gain a voice is so powerful and one of my favorite things about my job.  Here are two examples right here!  For number one, the little munchkin wrote about her brother and had such powerful voice.  She even used the phrase, "Guess What?  Are you ready?"  Just like I modeled during my Write Aloud.  :)  Get ready for some extra cuteness.  :)

My second kiddo wrote a longer story her new baby brother or sister.  She even wrote this, "We do not know if it is a boy or a girl yet, but I know this for sure.  I will love the baby and it will be so lucky to have a big sister like me."  Awwwww!!!!!

If you think you are done, you have only just begun.

Writing Workshop!  I love teaching Writing Workshop!  It is one of the times during the day where kids truly learn more about me as their teacher.  I love telling them more about me and my life through my Writing Aloud.  :)  During one of our first Writing Workshop lessons, I like to teach kids the familiar Lucy Calkins quote, "When you think you are done, you have just begun."  This teaches the students that even when they think they are done with a piece, they can add to the pictures, add to the words, or start a new piece!  :)  I love how Writing Workshop empowers students as true writers!!!  Do you use Writing Workshop in your classroom?!
*Get this for free at my TpT Shop!!!

Proud Moment

  

I know I have said this almost every day someone asks me, "How is your writing class going?"  My response each and every single time has been the same.  "I am amongst the most talented, creative and thoughtful educators.  I am proud to be one of their leaders in this Summer Leadership Institute.  I am learning soooo much for them!!"

Today, was the last day of our institute, and honestly, I feel like it was the end of an era.  Yes, we will see each other for a follow up meeting in October.  Yes, we will connect virtually.  But, it won't be the same.  I have truly enjoyed the 12 days we spent together and will take back so many new and fresh ideas to my classroom.  I now have 20 more resources to reach out to when I have questions, ideas to bounce around and fine teachers to admire.

Today as we shared our own pieces of writing, it was as one of the participants said, "like a therapy session" where we cried together, smiled together, laughed together and clapped together.  When it came to my turn, I was pretty nervous to share my Where I'm From poem, but my group members who listened to my poem last week, reassured me that I had this, and I had great things to share.  In the big group, instead of giving verbal feedback, we wrote out a sentence or two on post-its and handed them to the authors.  I would love to share some of my feedback from my fellow participants, my friends.

I enjoyed the poem.  Very descriptive and delightful.  Your writing brings a smile to my face.  It's easy to identify with your words.  You are a delight.

I love getting to hear this poem again!  I love it and I can't wait to share this with my students.  I feel like we learn so much about you!

You are from what sounds like a beautiful childhood.  It truly reflects why you are the lovely woman you are today.  Thank you for sharing.  So pleasant.

I enjoyed the details you shared:  New Kids on the Block to Coke Slurpees.  It makes me think about my own childhood.  I'd like to write one of these.

Very cool.  Love all the description - "the most manicured lawn on the block."

You are from names written with a heart over the i!  :)   Love your poem!

I am so glad you did not become a nun.  Your joy and effervescence have been a gift to our group, as I'm sure they are to your students and family.

I love the line about you sitting with your dad talking about Prince Charming.

I love this piece, Kari.  The structure afforded us great glimpses into important pieces from your part that have helped you become the wonderful person you are!  :)

I loved that poem just as much today as I did the first you read it to the quad.  It's honest, beautifully written and heart filling.  So great!

I am from a place that connected to a lot of what you mentioned.  So cool!

I love this.  A lot of memories were brought back when I heard it!  I can see using this as a beginning of the year activity!

Thank you for sharing your life.  Your word choice and the way you described your life drew me in and kept me waiting for the next piece.

Beautiful piece and so are you!  Your voice is loud and your enthusiasm shines through.

So...can you see why I absolutely loved working amongst these creative, dedicated and talented teachers?  I am proud.

I also want to thank each and every one of them for the beautiful flowers and the very generous gift card to Barnes and Noble.  I cannot wait to pick out amazing new mentor texts to use in my Writing Workshop!  :)

#IWPsli2015

We Read it Wednesday: In My Heart - A Book of Feelings

We Read it Wednesday...well not really.

So, obviously I did not read this in my 2nd grade classroom today.  ;)  However, I did share this with my amazing group of educators we are working with in this year's Summer Literacy Institute (SLI) for Illinois Writing Project (IWP).  Lots of acronyms.  ;)  Check out out on Twitter!  #IWPsli15
We have a few tweeters, so there is some pretty good stuff on there.  :)

I am so excited to share this book with my team, as well as my adorable upcoming 2nd graders in the fall.  This is the perfect mentor text for brainstorming about topics/ideas that they want to write about.  The author, Jo Witek, does an outstanding job of showing students that our hearts feel all different things at all different times, and that is ok.  Witek gives new vocabulary to new students with feelings such as:  delicate, fragile, twirl, frighten, bob, calm, etc.  I attached the Amazon link to the pic to the left, but I found mine at Target.  I snagged the last copy!  #gottalovetarget




Witek writes,

Sometimes my heart feels like a big yellow star, shiny and bright.
I smile from ear to ear and twirl around so fast,
I feel as if I could take off into the sky.
This is when my heart is happy.

Students will all know times they felt happy, and this mentor text will allow them to remember times they felt this way and will give them ideas to write about.

Witek also writes,

Some days my heart feels as heavy as an elephant.
There's a dark cloud over my head, and tears fall like rain.
This is when my heart is sad.

 All students can remember a time they felt sad.  These are also topics they might want to write about.


So, do you have a mentor text you would like to share?!?!  I love picture books, and I love finding classroom application even more.  :)  I am working on compiling a book on mentor texts for all aspects of literacy!  :)  Please contact me at teachingwithsmiles@gmail.com if you have some ideas!!

Writing Workshop

Do you use Writing Workshop in your classroom?!

Thoughtful ideas
Perfect word choice
Strong voice
Daily revisions
Editors
Sharers
Publishers
Smart writers
Proud students

I owe it all to Writing Workshop because all of these occur in our 2nd grade classroom.  :)  I could not ask for more energy, determination and focus in our room during Writing Workshop.  If I could store in a jar the excitement and learning that happen every day during Writing Workshop, I would be a millionaire!  :)

If you are not doing Writing Workshop, please consider it!  If you need help with any resources to get your started, please do not hesitate to ask!  I LOVE talking about Writing Workshop, and I love teaching Writing Workshop even more!

Ummmm...I think I just said WRITING WORKSHOP 15 times!  :)

During my time in Hinsdale with the Illinois Writing Project two summers ago, one participant in my workshop asked me if I ever considered consultation work.  Woah.  What an honor to have been asked that.  I am doing consultation work right now with the Illinois Writing Project.  I am living the dream.  :)

These books are new for me through Heinemann Publishing.  I hope my order comes soon!  I cannot wait to incorporate more anchor charts in my classroom this coming school year!!  I have always had students be included in the process of creating the anchor charts that they will be referring to in the classroom, but these books have amazing strategies that I need to know about!!  Do own these in your library??