Nov 2nd - 12:03pm

I have been at Starbucks since 8am - that's 4 hours today added to the 8 hours spent yesterday. Now all 78 5th graders that I teach writing to have a personalized writing comment to be added to their DCPS Advisory 1 Report Card. Now when I meet with each parent before or after school for a conference this week, I have information to share. Needless to say, I am a bit tired of writing for 12 hours in one weekend. Next year I'll "get" this process and will space it out and manage it better. The pitfalls of being a newbie!

Here's an example of one comment:

___is a kind and thoughtful member of our classroom community. She participates actively and respectfully in our homeroom discussions and activities.

In Writing Workshop, your child grew as a narrative writer by completing the entire writing process (generate ideas, plan, draft, revise, and edit) to publish one small moment personal narrative story and one realistic fiction story. During the process, specific narrative techniques were incorporated into the writing so the reader of each story could see and feel what the character saw and felt.  ____ is a strong storyteller who attentively listens to the daily mini-lesson and willing tries to incorporate the techniques demonstrated into her own writing. ____ writing volume is so strong – her fiction story was told across 13 typed pages! She also is a very descriptive writer, Here is an example from her last personal narrative written about a visit with cousins: I showed her a fake phone which she loved and a light-up ball that when I turned it on, her eyes shown and she put on an adorable grin. I showed her a few more things and each time, her eyes shown in amazement. I knew this was going to be a good visit and I was absolutely right. 

and another:

_____ is a kind and thoughtful member of our classroom community. He participates actively in our homeroom discussions and activities. He is working on controlling the impulse to speak out loud at any time. He struggles most during transitions from one class to another. We will continue to help him understand how his actions affect the entire the class community which he is a member and to help him to make stronger choices.

In Writing Workshop, your child grew as a narrative writer by completing the entire writing process (generate ideas, plan, draft, revise, and edit) to publish one small moment personal narrative story and one realistic fiction story. During the process, specific narrative techniques were incorporated into the writing so the reader of each story could see and feel what the character saw and felt. We continue to work with ____ to build his confidence as a writer. In all his writing pieces, he has shown us strong writing techniques; yet, we see ____ not believing this or not wanting to work at his writing.  To help _____ sort out his story ideas and tell it step-by-step, we have him orally share his ideas during conferences. This time to talk it out helps him to organize his thoughts and then get them on the paper. Your support at home to have him orally practice his writing ideas helps. An example of his writing from his last personal narrative about playing baseball is: If I hit the runner on 3^rd/David in, we win. The first pitch comes in. Strike. 0-1. I step out of the box with so much pressure on my shoulders and take a practice swing and step back in. As the reader, I definitely want to read on to find out what happens!

Now I am going to enjoy what is left of this weekend. Tomorrow we will debate if the airport is a good or a not good place to live while reading Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting. Luckily, I have that all planned out!!