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Creating a Safe Space for Classroom Writing

Jennifer Laffin

Sep 10, 2019
2 min

Creating a Safe Space for Classroom Writing

You may remember Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs from your teacher training. This hierarchy, shaped like a pyramid, reminds us that humans must have certain needs met before they can actualize others. At the base of the pyramid are the basic, life-giving needs: food, shelter, water, etc., followed by safety and community. Without these things, other growth needs cannot be met: self-actualization, confidence, creativity and so on. Photo source: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is

The Writing Round-Up {9.08.18}

Jennifer Laffin

Sep 7, 2018
2 min

The Writing Round-Up {9.08.18}

Welcome to the September 8, 2018 edition of The Writing Round-Up, a gathering of tips for teaching writing and for growing as a teacher who writes. We appreciate you stopping by! We've put together some great tips this week to get your writing year off right. Let's get started... Unpacking Students' Writing Baggage: What kinds of past writing experiences are your students carrying into your classroom this year? Now is the time to help your students unpack that baggage so they

Community: The Key to Unpacking Writing Baggage

Jennifer Laffin

Sep 4, 2018
3 min

Community: The Key to Unpacking Writing Baggage

How can you help your students unpack their writing baggage to do their best writing yet? Community is the key!

The Writing Round-Up {5.19.18}

Jennifer Laffin

May 18, 2018
2 min

The Writing Round-Up {5.19.18}

In the May 19, 2018 edition of The Writing Round-Up: Summer writing, peer critiques, authentic grammar instruction, getting to know notebook

5 Ways to Increase Writing Volume in Your Classroom

Jennifer Laffin

Apr 10, 2018
2 min

5 Ways to Increase Writing Volume in Your Classroom

We all know that the more we do something, the better we become at doing it. We are all looking for ways to help our students grow as writers. One of the most important things we can do is to make sure they are getting enough time to write every day and that they are using their writing time to actually practice writing. According to the US Department of Education, kindergarten students should get at least 30 minutes of writing time every day. Starting in first grade, this nu

One Teacher's Story: How Writing Helps Me Be a Better Writing Teacher

Jennifer Laffin

Feb 16, 2018
4 min

One Teacher's Story: How Writing Helps Me Be a Better Writing Teacher

Teachers who write make the best teachers of writers. Here's one teacher's story of how being a writer deepened her writing instruct

What is Good Writing?

Jennifer Laffin

Feb 7, 2018
2 min

What is Good Writing?

Want to raise the level of writing in your classroom or school? You must ask this one important question first!

The Writing Round-Up {1.27.18}

Jennifer Laffin

Jan 27, 2018
2 min

The Writing Round-Up {1.27.18}

Welcome to the January 27, 2018 edition of The Writing Round-Up! You may have noticed that we are now delivering the Writing Round-Up on Saturday, not Sunday. This is to allow you more time to read and reflect on some great ideas around teaching writing and being a teacher who writes. We hope you enjoy the change! For Teachers of Writers Growing Extraordinary Writers: What do students need to thrive as writers? What can administrators and teachers do to create a culture of wr

The Writing Round-Up {1.14.18}

Jennifer Laffin

Jan 14, 2018
2 min

The Writing Round-Up {1.14.18}

Welcome to the January 14, 2018 edition of The Writing Round-Up, a gathering of tips for teaching writing and for being a teacher who writes. Thanks for joining us! It's been a busy week and we've found lots of helpful tips for you so let's get started! For Teachers of Writers Going Deeper with Writing Instruction: Are you a teacher who writes? While it is certainly not a requirement, I can tell you that it sure makes teaching writing so much easier and meaningful. Think abou

Becoming a Teacher Who Writes: Getting Started

Jennifer Laffin

Nov 22, 2017
2 min

Becoming a Teacher Who Writes: Getting Started

Ready to become a teacher-writer but don't know where to start? Look no further! We've got some easy ways you can start building you

Why YOU Should Be a Teacher Who Writes

Jennifer Laffin

Nov 15, 2017
3 min

Why YOU Should Be a Teacher Who Writes

Teachers who write make the best teachers of writing. Learn why being a writer can give you an inside edge in your writing classroom and tak

Fast Drafting: Getting Ideas Down Quickly

Jennifer Laffin

Nov 8, 2017
3 min

Fast Drafting: Getting Ideas Down Quickly

Writers spend too much time in the drafting phase when working on a writing project. Rough drafts are meant to be just that - rough. Teachin

Five Myths About Teaching Writing

Jennifer Laffin

Nov 1, 2017
3 min

Five Myths About Teaching Writing

We highlight five outdated practices of the writing classroom and share the latest best practices for teaching writing.

Editing & Revision: Defining the Difference

Jennifer Laffin

Oct 25, 2017
2 min

Editing & Revision: Defining the Difference

Editing and revising are two of the most important stages in preparing writing for publication. Knowing the differences between them is the

The Writing Round-Up {10.22.17}

Jennifer Laffin

Oct 22, 2017
2 min

The Writing Round-Up {10.22.17}

Welcome back to the Writing Round-Up, a collection of some of our favorite finds about teaching writing and being a teacher who writes. We hope are ready to dive into some new learning because we've got some good things to share this week. Let's get started! For Teachers of Writers Who Are Your Students Writing For?: As a writer, keeping my audience in the forefront of my mind shapes the writing I do and motivates me to do my best work. Do students have this same opportunity?

Considering the Audience: Who Are Your Students Writing For?

Jennifer Laffin

Oct 18, 2017
2 min

Considering the Audience: Who Are Your Students Writing For?

Chances are good that when YOU sit down to write, you have an audience in mind. Is the same true for your students or do they only write for

10 Things I Believe About Teaching Writing

Jennifer Laffin

Oct 13, 2017
2 min

10 Things I Believe About Teaching Writing

What are your beliefs on teaching writing? Give it some thought. These are the ten things I believe. Would you agree?

The Writing Round-Up {9.03.17}

Jennifer Laffin

Sep 3, 2017
3 min

The Writing Round-Up {9.03.17}

Welcome to the September 3, 2017 edition of The Writing Round-Up, a gathering of some of our favorite tips for teaching writing and being a teacher-writer. I hope your first weeks of school are going well. I've settled both of my kids into their college lives and have spent the week adjusting to being an empty-nester. I'm looking forward to more time to write and to share some great writing finds with you in the days ahead. (Be sure to sign up for our mailing list to keep in

The Writing Round-Up {8.27.17}

Jennifer Laffin

Aug 27, 2017
3 min

The Writing Round-Up {8.27.17}

Welcome to the August 27, 2017 edition of The Writing Round-Up, a gathering of some of our favorite tips for teaching writing and being a teacher-writer. Let's get started... For Teachers of Writers What's in a Name? Do you teach a 'writing workshop' or a 'writers' workshop'? Have you ever stopped to think about the difference between these two phrases? Brian Kissel has and what he shares in his article, "Writing Workshop vs. Writers' Workshop" will explain the important diff

The Writing Round-Up {8.13.17}

Jennifer Laffin

Aug 13, 2017
2 min

The Writing Round-Up {8.13.17}

Welcome to this week's edition of The Writing Round-Up, a gathering of some of our favorite tips for teaching writing and being a teacher-writer that we came across this week. Let's get started... For Teachers of Writers: #TeachWrite Twitter Chat Awesomeness! Were you able to make it to the #TeachWrite Twitter chat this past Monday? If not, you will want to check out the Storify of the chat to catch up on all of the writing goodness that was shared. As you do, be sure to conn