Grading writing is kind of the worst kind of marathon. If you can teach your students to take responsibility for truly revising their essays prior to submitting them, it can shave a whole lot of time off the work you have to do. More importantly, when they become active revisers, their work improves far more […]

There are lots of reasons some kids don’t enjoy creative writing. One of the most common is: I don’t know what to write about.   The pressure of trying to come up with something creative and interesting on-the-spot is stressful. While that stress can sometimes lead to a great breakthrough, it just as often (more […]

You’ve gotten your students almost to the finish line of a persuasive or argumentative writing essay, when you realize some of them got it and some of them … not so much.  Revising — well, that was the trickiest thing for me to figure out when I started teaching writing. (If you’re just getting started […]

Real talk: are your students truly filled with wonder & curiosity? Do you sometimes feel like you’re battling an onslaught of flashing lights and dopamine-drip screens, vying for your students’ attention? It can be frustrating to want students to open their eyes and take in the wonder of the non-screen world around them, and feel […]

Which one sounds more familiar? My students look forward to writing every day, and frequently ask for more time to work on writing pieces. My students don’t write every day. When they are asked to write, many groan audibly in protest. In honesty, I’ve had both situations over the years.  Through trial and error, I […]