Category Archives: Writing Instruction

Retracing Our Digital Footsteps

“But what about technology?” that little voice at the back of my head was nagging while I was working with Cheektowaga writers last month. “Teach the writer, not the writing,” a different one reminded me. This bit of wisdom from Lucy Calkins continues to transcended time, in my experience. If someone were to ask me, [...]

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Where Are They Going? Where Have They Been?

Every winter for the last few years, I’ve been invited to spend some time with about 70 middle school writers at Cheektowaga Central School. These are some of my favorite days of the entire year, and why wouldn’t they be? I easily learn as much as I teach on those days. I’m smiling just remembering [...]

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Week Two of the WNY Young Writers’ Studio Blogging Bootcamp

…..is happening over here today. Join us!

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Calling All Bloggers and Wanna-Be Bloggers: Join the WNY Young Writers’ Studio Blogging Bootcamp

This year, WNY Young Writers’ Studio writers and teachers have taken a deeper interest in blogging for personal or educational purposes. A handful of us have been blogging for a while, and others are eager to begin. In an effort to supplement what we do face-to-face and enable others who may not be a part [...]

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Join the WNY Young Writers’ Studio for Blogging Bootcamp

When I was in the classroom, I had the hardest time facing the end of the year. There was so much more I wanted to be able to learn with my students and there were so many things left to create and so many questions left unanswered. Don’t get me wrong: the days moved slowly [...]

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13,542 Words and Counting

Here’s a quick shout-out to the fellows of the WNY Young Writers’ Studio who are participating in NaNoWriMo this year and posting updates in our ning each day! We’re at 13, 542 words as a group and on track to hit our target word counts for this month. What’s NaNoWriMo? How can you or your [...]

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Digital Is…..

….the domain of the National Writing Project and under investigation at their new website, which offers news, resources, and spaces for conversations to unfold. Go see!

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Seeing With New Eyes

This video has gone viral in my facebook community and for good reason: Buffalo is a fantastic place to live and work and raise a family. I love it here, and I guess the proof of that lies in the reality that each time my husband and I consider moving out of state, the only [...]

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Ideas at Play

Where do great writing ideas come from? They’re often inspired by our own experiences, the things we read or hear or see, or the thoughts and feelings that are stirred up in response to those we connect with each day. Still, defining an idea worth investing yourself in can be challenging, and that’s why it’s [...]

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Writing in Every Content Area

Over the last few weeks, I’ve found some great resources for supporting writing in the content areas. These may be particularly helpful for those who are very new to doing so and those who are less tech-comfortable, although all can and should be integrated with the use of tech tools, whenever this is possible and [...]

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