Spring into Writing Wrap-Up
As we teach students to write, we aren’t just mentors; we’re writing architects. Instead of rulers we use the Writer’s Checklist, in place of a drafting table we pen rough drafts, and where architects create art out of concrete and…
Last Call to Enter our Giveaway!
We are down to the close of our Giveaway! It’s NOT too late to submit. Enlist your students to choose a favorite polished draft from this year’s work utilizing Blackbird & Company curriculum, submit the work to our journal of student…
What’s an ABCeDarian?
Of course how I stumbled upon this concept is poetry. The ABCeDarian is actually a very, very old form where every line, or each stanza starts with the first letter of the alphabet, depending on which alphabet is being followed—obviously…
Sentences that Shift Gears
To shift gears in a car, you need to press down on the clutch. To go from room to room, you walk through a doorway. To travel from floor to floor, you take the stairs. To get from one place…
“No Dropped Quotes”
“What do we want?” “No dropped quotes!” “When do we want it?” “Now!” This is a frequent exchange I have with my students. As an essay teacher, dropped quotes are one of the banes of my existence. A dropped quote…
Let’s SPRING!
winter SPRING, summer, fall Welcome Spring! John Muir reminds us: “Spring work is going on with joyful enthusiasm.” Think about it. Every time a child picks up a pencil, this is a courageous act. And like John Muir, I believe…
When You Don’t Know How to Write
I’ve never met a child who doesn’t have imagination. But, tragically, I’ve met many a child who is deprived of the tools that allows the imagination to play via pencil on paper. I occasionally cross paths with older students struggling…
Why the Writer’s Checklist
“What’s your big idea?” The purpose of writing is to communicate an idea. In order to accomplish this goal, students need to develop the skills and confidence that will prepare them to communicate that idea well. Teach your students early…
Spring into Writing: Introducing The Writing Mentor
Style is one of the most important elements of writing—but how can you teach something that’s so personal, so impossible to quantify? It can feel like trying to explain Yosemite to someone who’s never seen a mountain or forest. Or…
Just Sit Down and WRITE!
“The BEST thing is just to write; to sit down and write, to begin doing it and not to be scared by the blank page.” …