Tips From an Author

Sometimes I think I kind of know how to teach writing, and then there are those moments when I'm reminded of how much I don't know about teaching writing. One of those latter moments occurred last week when Gary Hogg, a published author of children's books, visited my school. He shared his expertise during an assembly, writing workshop session with my class, and a family night event. During his 45-minute writing workshop session with my class, I actually saw what my top few writers could actually do. Ahh man. Time to step up my game.

Here are some quotes and thoughts I wrote down and immediately added to my writing workshop mini-lessons.

• Details make you sound smart. Details make you sound like an author.
  
  
• 10 pt details vs. 50 pt details - Don't use easy words.
  
  
• "Big" is an easy word. “Enormous” makes you sound like an author.
  
  
• When you feel shy say, “I can be brave.”
  
  
• Don’t write “One day” or “One time” - What day was it? What time of day was it?
  
  
  
• Put names on everything. What kind of dog, car, flower, etc. Don't just say "mom." Instead say "my mom Nancy."
  
• Use colors but don’t say light or dark. That's too easy.
  
  
• Use size words but don't say small or big. Use smarter words.

• The most important part of writing is revising.

• Revising makes you sound smarter.
  
  
• Pretend your story is a video game. Pick up your controller. Go back to the first sentence. When you revise, you go to level two.
  
  
• Details make your writing sound like this (raise arm high in the air, touch fingers to thumb several times, and say "ding, ding, ding, ding, ding"). Easy words make your writing sound like this (lower arm, open up fingers in the hand, and say "wah-wah).

I've seen Gary Hogg three times now. He does an excellent job of sharing his love of books, writing, and storytelling with students, teachers, and parents. I'd highly recommend a visit, and kids love his books. (I especially enjoy Spencer's Adventures.)

Saturday Sayings: I Am the Teacher

I am the teacher...

who was interviewed on a podcast

who is determined to write a book

who was asked to write a classroom vignette for a book that's been currently published

whose idea was published in the Instructor Magazine 

who posts opinionated thoughts on a blog

who professionally tweets on Twitter

who provides writing PD for other teachers 

who has a solid reputation in her district  

And yet I am the teacher...

who messes up on a fairly regular basis

who reads professional books that have yet to find a way into her practice

who struggles with engaging all her learners

who doesn't stay on top of the newest children's literature

who has the largest range of abilities she's ever experienced and knows she's not reaching everyone

who doesn't handle every conflict in the classroom with grace

who recognizes that she allows the clock too much influence in her room

who is embarrassed to even speak about some of her struggles

And the list goes on.

The bottom half of this list can be so very suffocating at times that it's difficult to even breathe in the possibility that I can be both teachers at the same time.

When I am in a state of feeling overwhelmed about the teacher who still battles with what seems like the most basic concepts, I have difficulty acknowledging all that I have accomplished. 

When others sing my praises, the voice inside whispers, "If you only knew." 

I'm reminding myself, and maybe someone else, to acknowledge and celebrate. Regie Routman says that celebration is at the heart of her best teaching, and maybe it's possible that teachers need to celebrate themselves too. 

I hope to always be the teacher who does extraordinary things, but I will also always be the teacher who must grow beyond what I know. 

Today, right now, I strive to be okay with the difference between these two teachers, because they can and do coexist.

Teach to the Heart

I was admonished many years ago to teach to the heart, not just the head. (Thank you Roberto Bahruth for those wise, wise words.) I've tried to do just that...

on a daily basis,

all throughout the day,

starting on day one.

Below is a list of many of the ways I teach character, in the order that I teach them, with links attached leading to more information. Many of these lessons might be taught in one sitting, but the key is repeated daily reinforcement and recycling of content. In other words, over-learning. 

You are full of greatness
Beautiful things
One classroom rule
Can't is illegal
Civil Rights
Words are not for hurting
Ugly Words
Who do you want to be?
I'm sorry
Peacemakers and Peacebreakers class book
I am full of greatness - flag salute
National Positive Thinking Day
It's Okay to be Different book
Respectacles and class book
Have You Filled a Bucket Today class book
Character sign
Greatness with shaving cream
Listen to your heart
Self-control bubbles
Cooperation vs. conflict
Don't sweat the small stuff
G journals
RACK
One Word
The Secret
20 Things We Should Say More Often


Here's to hearts, not just heads.

20 Things We Should Say More Often

This year I feel an even stronger urge than normal to teach to the heart as well as the head, which is why I created this lesson. It was inspired by the Kid President and this video.

1. I showed it to my kids a few different times without providing any kind of forewarning about what was to come. I just wanted them to enjoy it and take it in.

2. Eventually we talked about how cool it would be if we made our own lists, and I asked the question, "How could we share our lists with the whole school?" I got a great answer - make posters.

3. I purposefully divided them into teams of 3 or 4.

4. Each team brainstormed their own list of 20 things we should say more often. Not every team got to 20, but I wanted them to at least reach 10.

5. Each team chose their favorite 10 from their list. 

6. I edited for free. (It saved me time with these little people. This lesson took several days anyway.)

7. After agreeing on some important requirements, each team wrote their 10 things on large construction paper with pencil.

8. Then they traced with marker.

9. We brainstormed appropriate and highly visible places throughout the school where the posters could be posted.

10. Each team wrote a letter to the person who would need to give them permission to use that space.

11. The teams delivered their posters and letters and up the posters went.

I loved this lesson for several reasons.

* It took a lot of cooperation. A lot!
* It required them to think about character.
* It allowed them to practice many different essential literacy skills.
* It was oozing purpose and audience.
* It's been an important foundation for teachable moments. ("Oops, that's not on our list. How would you say that differently?")
* I often use the lists as front-loading tools before conflict can even begin.

Thank you Kid President for the inspiration!

#FlyHighFri Podcast of Me

On the whole, I'm a fairly quiet sort, but in the right setting I have a lot to say about my profession. I wouldn't have ever thought that being interviewed on a podcast would qualify as "the right setting," partly because it never crossed my mind that it would ever be an option and partly because I think I sound much more intelligent on paper than out loud.

Low and behold though, I was surprised last Friday when I was nominated by sweet Simon Miller, a talented educator from Kellogg, Idaho, to be interviewed as an Inspiring Educator by Sung Lee for his weekly #FlyHighFri moment.

If you have 17 free minutes and are interested in hearing my voice and my thoughts on what I believe is important in the classroom, click on the graphic above. Then you might want to listen to future #FlyHighFri moments like I plan to. (And I can guarantee you won't want to miss next week's!)


P.S. Thank you Simon for so sweetly nominating me (you bless me completely), and thank you Sung Lee for celebrating educators. Regie Routman says that celebration is at the heart of her best teaching, so I believe in your crusade. By celebrating us, even though we're not looking for it, you remind us that what we're doing is beyond important and you nudge us to continue that work. Thank you for letting me be part of the celebration. It was truly an honor.

My January Reads

Here's a little look at what I read in January. I've included my Goodreads star ratings.

4 stars

4 stars (I'm a big Baldacci fan.)

5 stars

4 stars

5 stars

My favorite of the month was Everything Everything. It's a YA read and so clever. I highly recommend it. My second favorite was The War That Saved My Life which, I believe, is considered juvenile historical fiction. It's an engaging read with characters I grew to love. Happy reading!

Do You have Big Dreams for Your Teeth?

I think I've done a fairly decent job over the years of covering all my bases when teaching dental health. The missing piece has been how to thoroughly convince little people that they really must take dental health seriously, which is kind of an important missing piece. I suppose I could have created some type of kid-friendly spreadsheet that parents checked off each night and returned to school for a sticker or prize, but that felt artificial. After some deliberation, this year I devised a plan that I think drives home my point in a real life kind of way that will hopefully stick for a long time. 

I started off my unit with a short slide presentation and a big question. Do you have big dreams for your teeth? 

My second slide showed pictures of teeth that were not in the best of shape and asked, "How did this happen?" 

I was planning on putting small groups to the task of writing down their thoughts, but my crew was struggling this day with things like cooperation and character, so individuals wrote down their ideas on whiteboards. Then I collected their ideas on the board. 

The third slide showed a perfect set of teeth and the question again of "How did this happen?" Individuals once more wrote down their thoughts which we then added to the board.

Everything we've talked about since has come back to these slides, pictures, and big question... 

Do you have big dreams for your teeth?

A mom recently told me that her daughter asked her older brother if he had big dreams for his teeth when he ate two scoops of ice cream instead of one. I think my plan might be working. :)