Tag Archives: elementary

Slice of Life: Ridiculousness

I’m running a couple of writing clubs right now, one for each of the schools that I teach at. In my description of the class, I mentioned that we would have a mix of writing, creative games, and oral work on stories. And yes, there would be fun. Because otherwise, what’s even the point?

I want students to realize that no matter HOW ridiculous and far-fetched their stories might be, a reader or listener will be right with them, as long as the events make sense together and the story is well-told…

Slice of Life Tuesday: Dispatches from Fifth Grade

Every year, I ask my departing fifth graders to share what they’ve learned about language arts and about themselves throughout our time together. Every year, I tell them this is the last thing I will remember them by. I only give them two rules: letters need to be written in letter form, and I wantContinue reading “Slice of Life Tuesday: Dispatches from Fifth Grade”

Slice of Life: Testing, Testing

Standardized testing. It has me feeling some kind of way. I can’t be alone in this. I know we are legion, those of us wanting to teach in a way that aligns with our moral compass. We are legion, those of us in systems that say they are student-centered, that focus on the development ofContinue reading “Slice of Life: Testing, Testing”

Slice of Life Challenge Day 2: Once a Lovey, Always a Lovey

I’ve been teaching a while. Twenty-seven years, in fact. And when you’ve been teaching twenty-seven years, and you keep up with some of your former students, there’s something amazing that happens. You get to see them grow up. You get to see them step into their lives, into the world as adults and selves inContinue reading “Slice of Life Challenge Day 2: Once a Lovey, Always a Lovey”

Slice of Life Tuesday: Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda

This slice of life could have been about the daily wrestling match that gets fought at five a.m. between my alarm and my brain, or about the importance of having workout buddies who look out for me, who expect so much from me, who inspire me to do better, or about the way time. Slows.Continue reading “Slice of Life Tuesday: Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda”

Slice of Life 2021 Day 3: Story Has Her Say

Today marks the third day of March, the third day of the Slice of Life blogging challenge. I’ve committed to write each and every day during the month of March and – who knows? – maybe even longer. Join me! This entry was inspired by the conversation I had with my students this week after sharing aContinue reading “Slice of Life 2021 Day 3: Story Has Her Say”

Slice of Life 2021 Day 1: Looking

Today marks the first day of March, the first day of the Slice of Life blogging challenge. I’ve committed to write each and every day during the month of March and – who knows? – maybe even longer. Join me! A commitment to writing each and every day. Am I looking forward to it? DownContinue reading “Slice of Life 2021 Day 1: Looking”

On College Education

Well. Looks like I’m stepping back up on to my soapbox. What’s got me so fired up this time? My college son called me to chat about one of his professors. Things have gotten so bad that students banded together and complained to university higher-ups, so much so that the department issued its course evaluationContinue reading “On College Education”