Writing Traits: Speaking the Same Language
I cannot begin to count the number of my former students who have come back to me years after taking my courses and asked for help. They...
A Good Example
I loved Show & Tell when I was little... not so much for what I took to show my classmates, but I loved seeing the wonderful treasures...
Wrap It Up
I rarely leave my driveway without knowing my destination. In fact, I often have it on my GPS to make sure I find the most efficient...
Writing with Purpose
"The grass is green." My beginning writers often make the mistake of stating a fact instead of staking a claim, and inexperienced writing...
Fun Remedy for Awkward Writers
As a middle school writing teacher, I see a lot of rickety word choice. Students will choose a big word because they naturally think...
Peer Review: We have it all wrong.
"Exchange your papers!" Every student cringes at this thought. Some other kid, probably the smart one, will sift through my paper and...
Diagramming Gets a Bad Rap
"I don't know why you teach diagramming. I've never used it in my adult life," so says about a gazillion parents who don't realize that...
Why Your Scholarly Writer Needs Creative Writing
"I just jumped out the window." I made this comment on a student's essay draft. I had been asking all year long for him to simplify his...
Why Your Creative Writer Needs Composition Structure
"Your writing rules are too restricting. You're holding my creative daughter back." This is a common email I receive at least twice every...
How to Homeschool Your Teenage Boy and Not Lose Your Mind
A panicked mom emailed me the other day, when she just realized her 8th grade son has been telling her everything is fine in my online...
