Feature Friday - Across the Curriculum with Colleen Bergin

 
I am Gina of the PerfettoWritingRoom, One Word, One Store, Welcome to another edition of Feature Fridays, with your host Gina, @ PerfettoWritingRoom, One Word, One Store, One Blog, and ALL things writing!!
     TODAY, we're talking that catchiest of catch phrases - writing across the curriculum, or cross disciplinary writing.
     Just as math, social studies, science, (etc.) teachers are being encouraged to incorporate writing in their curricula, so too should English teachers be spreading our student's wings and asking them to write about topics OTHER than Jane Eyre, Shakespeare, or whatever poet or author we are working on. I know, perish the thought. 

Once students are out of school they will continue to use social media and research, but will grow in other areas, including proposals and other types of business writing. 
      They will be expected to have knowledge of the world outside the strictures of the English classroom and so any way we can reinforce other disciplines through writing will better prepare students for their future lives. I was half-joking when I said it was a catch-phrase. 

Writing across the curriculum was a movement started in universities to stave off the "massacre" of time loss that was happening when students came in as freshmen and sadly didn't know how to properly write at the college level. The fact that writing is now strongly encouraged in as many courses as possible at the lower levels is absolutely essential. Written expression is essential. I don't think I need to go on about this. 

OH MY GOSH! I ALMOST BURNED THE COFFEE AND COLLEEN IS ON HER WAY!!

Get yourself a cup. Relax. What is wrong with me today? And let's introduce the intelligent, thoughtful Colleen Bergin. Our guest for today!

Visit Colleen Bergin's Store - Now, her new logo! 
Click on EITHER! 

LIKE ME, Colleen Bergin also is a strong proponent of  writing across the curriculum. I asked her about it and she said:

"I am a strong advocate of Writing Across Curriculum.  Students need to write whenever they can and learn Academic English.  Restricting writing to only one course does not help as writing is a huge aspect of life whether students realize it or not."

Colleen, or Ms. Bergin,  always brings world events to forefront in English class. She adds that "It's current and interesting for students as they can learn about it in real-time. Students prefer to do informational texts on current events rather than something that happened 50 years ago.  If it's anything to do with anywhere in the world, I find students like to learn about the culture and compare to the culture here in the USA. It's a great way for students to see that world events can fit in anywhere, not just history class."

YOU CAN'T KEEP THIS TRAVELER DOWN!  BIO TIME!!

It's little wonder Colleen loves current events as she's a little bit of a traveler and lover of adventure and travel herself. Colleen Bergin Attended Title I school in Connecticut through high school and is the only deaf child of six siblings. She uses hearing aids and lip reading over sign language though she is fluent in ASL. 

     Ms. Bergin graduated Roger Williams University in Rhode Island in 2010 with a BA in English and Education and rather than letting any dust collect, moved to North Carolina six months later with nary a job or apartment lined up! 

    She worked hard in an ELA all boys 7th grade class for one year before moving on to where she teaches NOW. . . High School English baby, because it's the BOSS APPLESAUCE!

Like ME Colleen  loves traveling - unlike me, she is actually getting to do a backpack-through-Europe trip this summer! (ugh am I jealous, but I am also 40, 41 come June 29 and frankly in no shape for camping or "hostel hopping" anymore, but still, very great for Colleen! Sad for me.). She loves the Outer Banks, the beaches of Rhode Island, spending time with family and friends, READING (can I get an amen on reading and family please?), and you can find her playing tennis in the park. You can find me trimming the hedges in the back yard. I'm chubby. It is process. . . 

And Ms. Bergin likes Grey's Anatomy, Once Upon a Time, Bones....

Me? Grimm, Cosmos, and shows they will be cancelling like Believe, Almost Human, Resurrection. The horror.

 HOW CAN WE IMPLEMENT WAC???

Writing across the Curriculum is connected to READING. Don't let anyone tell you different. here's a great, sad, fantastic, awesome Facebook picture I saw yesterday. 

1. 
   

   

THIS IS relevant to Writing Across the curriculum. How is reading NOT related to writing?
Those who regularly read are better able to organically write and write properly, without exhaustive instruction, and they usually require less intensive editing, simply because they internalize structure, vocabulary, organization and more as they read.  This is not unlike how how infants pick up new words from listening. Reading much will silently TEACH you to be a better writer. (Sadly, if you read too much Truman Capote you may write JUST like him, but that is a different argument for a different day). 

EASY TIPS
1. Read in class
2. Create incentives for reading at home
3. Read literary but also popular and current literary books that students enjoy.
4. Assign nonfiction reading that is connected to lessons they will be required to participate in the next day or day after.
5. Students read in order to teach others.

The SAME RULES APPLY for WRITING

1. Write in Class

2. Make incentives for writing in the home

3. Make writing connected to literary works, and to current literary works that are popular to increase 

the desire and willingness to write

4. Make writing of the nonfiction variety, and also applicable to lessons they will be learning tomorrow (and the next day...) so it is necessary for them to write and be prepared for class.

5. Have students write that specifically have to job with JOB SKILLS, science, Math, teaching others, as well as the forms we are already doing (how to, narrative, argument), but expand current events to include other disciplines. 

WHAT DOES COLLEEN BERGIN HAVE UP HER SLEEVE??? SOMETHING COOL!!

                 Colleen Bergin's Best Seller

It's never a good idea to give away too many of your great ideas.

Colleen Bergin's "What's Going on in the World Today" is just fantastic. 

-It encourages students to delve into the real world, 

-write in a way that develops critical thinking (for themselves and 

   those who read or listen)

-think outside the classroom to issues and events that matter

- Use writing as a tool to express what is going outside this 

   classroom.  

- Rigorous in challenging students to use proper sources.

So What Does it Include?

• With a POWER POINT
• Helpful links for research into different countries
• Directions
• Rubric
• Annotation Guide
• Research Guidelines

In short it's nothing short of an INTERNATIONAL current event Presentation Project that challenges students but makes the set up a whole lot easier for teachers. I also like that it is an ongoing project!

Do you have ANY OTHER IDEAS?? 

WELL SURE!!

Don't get me started on how important creative writing is to critical thinking skills. But that is not quite writing across the curriculum, is it?

How about Debate, Argument, History and Quotations of Abraham Lincoln in your English Class?

                         Writing Across the Curriculum with Abe !!

T

What is great about this two-week unit is that it is completely balanced for speaking, listening, and writing. 

There is a journal component, and argument and debate component, a recitation, a major in-class writing activity, as well as small one-day activities that are all based on some of the best of Abraham Lincoln's quotes. 

Of course as you'd come to expect from the best items on TPT, this item comes with a rubric, Common Core standards, directions, and it easy to follow. You can of course make it your own and use what you want or rearrange it. And there is more material than you need. Though there are five journal days, there are ten choices, for example.

This product can be used any time of year but supports social studies teachers and can be used in a cross-disciplinary way. Because of the debate element, many current events can be discussed as well. Consider

visiting my store !

Visit PerfettoWritingRoom for TPT TIPS FOR TUES and every FEATURE FRIDAY. We'll keep the Coffee hot and ready for you, and we're always here to talk: TPT; Tips for sellers; great new products; and wonderful sellers like YOU!

Have you not joined TpT? Let me refer you!



TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!!!! ANSWER BELOW! . . .
1. What is a fantastic cross-curricular or cross disciplinary lesson you've done YOURSELF?

2. What is a fantastic idea you wish you'd come up with?

3. Is there any trend in this Writing Across the curriculum, cross-discipline movement YOU WISH they's STOP doing?

We Love hearing from you!

TPT TIPS FOR TUESDAY!! We're talking Templates!!

 

Today for TPT Tips for Tuesday, (or Teachers Pay Teachers for the uninitiated), I want to provide you with information and then ask you for your opinion. See the following:

Jessica Lawler 
(click to visit her store)

"Develop your own style and then create templates that you can adjust for different topics and subjects - that way you're not reinventing the wheel each time you sit down to your computer."


Meredith Anderson
(Click link to visit her store)
"Templates! I spent a lot of time up front creating templates for task cards, bingo games, create-a-books, interactive journals, product covers, answer keys, and teacher binder covers. That means all subsequent products take a LOT less time! I would say I actually have more like 40 products, and the rest are all variations on a theme."

THAT'S RIGHT - We're Talking Templates
Let's make this quick:

PROS of Making a Template
- Time saving once you are finished with the template
- Enables multiple product creation
- Can produce that signature look, or "Brand" recognition for your
   business - See last week's post!
- Can be very freeing

CONS of Making a Template
- Requires up front labor
- Requires you to know in advance the look you want
- Requires you to know in advance the structures and forms needed
   in that template.
- Can be potentially reductive

What Can a Template be Used for?

Whether you are a science, math, geography, or English teacher, you can use a template. Just consider that a series of pages with open text boxes for answering questions is a template. You just go back in and write your questions in each time, and WOWSA! New product!
      Any graphic organizer is a template. To the degree you are able - and this is thinking far ahead - if you can organize and structure one PowerPoint presentation in the way you want it to look, you can save it as a template for a series of presentations. The same is true if you wanted to make a board game, flash cards or task cards, and I could go on. And Hey! Couldn't you make a template of a cover page, provided it was going to be one of a series? You could change the color slightly. . .

Does PerfettoWritingRoom(c) Use Templates? 

A Brain Discussion for ALL READERS

 I haven't used templates yet, and I am beginning to think they have a lot to do with brain organization and each person's own creation process.
      There is no arguing that a template makes future resource creation easier once the template is made. However, if you are an "organic creator" who always makes items from scratch, or, if you have not yet hit upon your own niche or that great series of products you want to make, it can be counterproductive to make templates. (Are you hearing this, new folks?)
     In the end, you may force materials into a structure you normally might create differently. This is the old graduate school "form versus structure" debate. In fact, despite overwhelmingly obvious evidence that making templates is time-saving and helps the look, branding quality and long-term efforts involved in product creation, as this blog has made clear numerous times, you can only be yourself.
      So try to make templates, but if you are feeling like they are not helping you or don't match how you plan, think, or where you are right now, maybe wait a little while and revisit it. 

Can PerfettoWritingRoom(c) 

LEARN to Love the Template?

Like many of you I can make and then save a template for one of my writing products, "just in case." And I'll go so far as to say that if I found I needed it and used it, I would be overjoyed. For me,  I only know how to work one way, and it's through the process until it is finished. Sadly this is the more difficult route. But hope springs eternal that I can avail myself of this great method.

One item I will REMAKE, and then "TEMPLATE" is 

"900 Situations" Writing Flashcards to Cure Writer's Block!
And just in time for the end of the year. Writing is perfetto this time of year, and the students love it!
Check me out!!!!

The cover is simply NO GOOD, but, the inside uses a simple table, easily saved as a template and reused. Get as involved and advanced as you wish.

NOW IT's YOUR TURN!!!

1.  What type of product or PART of a     
    product really works well as a template and 
    helps YOU save time?

2. What have your most successful products or 

   series been that have created from templates

3. What do you love best, love least, about 

   using templates?

4. Do you recommend them for newer creators?

   Why or why not?

Visit PerfettoWritingRoom every Tuesday and Friday to catch up on an exciting TIPS Tuesday or FEATURE Friday. There's always something Brewing!

Have you Joined TPT? If not,
Let me refer you!

Visit my STORE!
 

TpT Tips Tuesday - Finding your Niche and Branding!

I'm back and it's almost time to go to press. A word or two about Branding and Finding Your Niche.

FIND YOUR NICHE!!!

1. How do you find your niche? We've talked a lot about two things: being yourself, and about giving the customers what they want. This may sometimes be at odds. It is a struggle. I sell high quality, challenging, writing products. Many of these are fiction writing materials. I have to accept that these may not sell as quickly as the items in other people's stores. My most popular item ever is my "Teaching the Writer's Workshop" product. If I do more of this type of product, I may stumble upon my niche.

 Take Away - Do What You Love, but, 

                      Do more of what sells best

                     

2. Be prepared to be patient. Is there anything more painful than how wonderful February was (fill in the month of your own choosing that has been your best selling month so far), only to see the next month slump and stagger to its knees? What went wrong? You advertised, pinned, blogged, so what is the deal?

Take Away - Yes, when top sellers go onto the forum and tell you it's a process and it doesn't happen overnight, it may also apply to you despite your protestations to the contrary. Sometimes the sales are slack because of what you are or are not doing right, or enough of (perhaps you are not doing a linky or a frenzy and it might be time). Sometimes, it might be because of a holiday or the weather, so it is no use feeling bad. Patience and redoubling your efforts is the way to go. 

3. When it finally happens! When you find what you are great at - poetry, crafts, organizational items that truly fit the needs of teachers in a unique way, you will know it, because people will respond. If it happens overnight, God bless you. If you like many of us have been working and you stumbled upon that eureka(!) moment where it all clicks, that is sometimes even sweeter. It doesn't mean you won't have another brilliant "line" of best sellers, either. But it is a great sign that you're on to something that affects people in a positive way, and it feels very affirming. 

Take Away - Though it may happen right away or take awhile, it is worth it to find and then develop and strengthen your niche of products. It becomes what you are known for.

The Importance of Branding 

 Believe it or not, the photos inside the picture banner you see below you was my first attempt at a banner. It is a picture of my writing room - well, my bookshelf anyway, - that makes PerfettoWritingRoom what it is. This long photograph of books was very cool in my opinion, and in many respects I still like that picture of my books. It was the banner I used to open my store at teacherspayteachers.com. The PROBLEM was that it said NOTHING about me. Oh yeah, and it wasn't very memorable.

What you see above was my SECOND ATTEMPT. It's tre Fifties. How cool. Notice I kept the books. I really was stuck on those books. Do you know that I love books? I I liked the retro vibe, because retro is very NOW-TRO. But you cant really read my store name. I changed the background to a light gingham check to make it even more cute and easier to read. But this brings me to the point.



What is Branding? Why is it Important?

Love or hate Coke, you know it. You know so well in fact, that people you know may ask for a "coke" whenever they want ANY generic dark-colored soda pop. THAT is the branding power of Coca-cola. That is its advertising might and ubiquity in our society. I'm not here to tell you whether that's a good or bad thing.
     I am here to tell you that when you start out as a teacher, or a gardener, or a circus performer, if you want to be the best you can be and make people remember you, you need to differentiate yourself. You can be great, but it isn't worth much if you don't stand out. (my books for example?)There are BILLIONS of people on the planet.
     I'm sorry, out of all the hamburgers in the world, do you need to eat at Mcdonald's? How many places just might be doing it a little better than they are? But you recognize those golden arches I bet. You sure know who Ronald McDonald is. Are those burgers really more delicious than Smashburger, Fuddrucker's, Five Guys, or any of the other more "curated" burger joints popping up that are little less "fast-food-y"? But somehow, because McDonald's is so recognizable, people still eat there. They go there, cram their face, say "I don't why I eat here, the burgers are really just OK," but they are still eating the burgers! 

                The entire experience comforts them. The arches are absolutely a part of it.


TAKE AWAY ONE -  I'm not suggesting your products can or should be mediocre, but if you just look around at "sold on TV" items  (the snuggie or slanket, anyone which let's be frank, were just robes you wore backwards? Is anyone going to tell me that no one knew this?) and the fast food examples, mediocre products make millions everyday, and amazing products LANGUISH and go out of business. If you want to succeed, when you are ready, get a brand idea together that is cohesive and advances who you are and what you offer.
     
Take Away - If you make great products, a Brand or Logo makes people remember you and your great products. This means they can buy from you again and again. Give them this opportunity. YOU choose what they will remember and what your niche will be. 




What should I Do?
This is your decision. But know that 
Branding May Include:

1. Photo you consistently use
2. Logo you consistently use
3. A combination of both in a square or circle
4. The way you choose to consistently design your cover pages
5. The way you choose to consistently design your Terms of Use
6. The way you run your company (what does brand and brand loyalty mean and how will you develop your brand and your top-selling lines?)
7. A consistent sign-off you use in your product descriptions (just like mama made, from our classroom to yours, for ex.)
8. A subtitle under your store name that is always there.

Remember consistency is KEY. Just like at a chain store, your products must instill comfort and confidence because all of the attributes on one product are then on the other products. 

Photo or Logo?? And What About Color?
Many companies use an official logo, and then use a human spokesperson for other things to add an element of warmth. Wendy's and E-Harmony are two examples that do this.  One of the vacuum cleaner companies just started to feature a member of the family in the commercials.  
 But there are many more companies who use an acronym or a decorated logo for branding with a very consistent color palette. 
      When you see that color palette (gosh Fedex, but that isn't a good thing), you know what company it is. The flower company FTD is pretty memorable as is Edible Arrangements.
       Once you really know what your business is, what it does, and what you want it to look like, you can settle on a logo and a color palette. If you have more than one line of products, the colors may be different, though your logo will be your logo. 
       Just as BANDS shift over time, you might do that too. We all evolve after all. It's all good.

Take Away - When you first begin, you may want to use your own picture, get to know and interact with buyers and fellow sellers. Only once you have some solid ideas will you get your plans together for a unified plan which MAY include: logo; where you will choose to use your own picture (if at all); color palette; a unified design choice for your product line.

Are There Any Downsides to This?
When I started I wanted everything perfect, right away. I didn't even know what I didn't know. Of course if you have a business background, hit the ground with your running shoes. Otherwise, you may end up making a "brand" that isn't true to what you ultimately will sell or what you want your store or products to look like. Wait until you have time to think about it.


Did I Follow This Advice?
Each time, I thought I was done. And each time I get better. Here is my latest. You let me know and visit my store. Congratulate me on my Liebster Nomination. I accept! and visit my store. Follow for even more goodies to come, and best of luck to all on the sale. 

Here's my latest attempt,   MY STORE!

JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
What do you have to say about 
Photos,
Logos
Branding
Successes and Failures
Advice to Readers
Finding YOUR NICHE (and what is it?)



       

Nomination for the Liebster?? Whoa!

I just got nominated for the Liebster Award. This is an award that honors new quality blogs on the block with less than 200 followers! I am very happy and not a little shy about it . . .I guess it means I'm doing something right. And that always feels good.
      Thanks to all the readers and supporters, and to Colleen Bergin who has nominated me. It's been a lot of writing and research, but I'm glad to do it if it helps others love teaching, writing, English, education, and do their jobs better at teacherspayteachers.com, or at whatever they do.
Colleen sent me some questions to fill out and so I'd be delighted to answer them, even though I don't normally go on about myself (at least in a serious way; if you read this blog you know what I mean). So without much further ado, here's a little Q & A session in which I answer questions posed to me by Colleen Bergin. Thanks Colleen!


First of all, Thank you to Collen Bergin, who nominated me. Be kind and see her rockin' blog, Adventures in English! 


1. Question:  Why did you go into teaching? I really do think I saw "Dead Poet's Society" too much in high school and, combined with my personal love of language and books, thought teaching would be the best job ever. In retrospect, I realize teaching is one of the most difficult jobs in the world though one of the most challenging. I feel really blessed by some of the experiences I've had.

2. Question:  If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you vacation? I would love to go to Thailand, India, Italy, many states in America like the redwood forests in Oregon and upper California plus Alaska during the summer. 

3. Question: What is your favorite food? Indian, Greek, Ethiopian

4. Question: What do you like to do in your free time? Go to gardens, play with my cat Dude, see places nearby with my husband, and catch up on small house projects

5. Question: Share a funny moment from teaching. When we left the window open because we didn't have air conditioning and a squirrel came in the window. Of course this was the frightening thing that could ever occur. So I and the most brave student stayed in the class while the rest of the class ran out faster than any fire drill and together we "pied piper'ed" the squirrel through the classroom, across the hallway, INTO the teacher's lounge and out the next open window in that room. Everyone erupted in cheers - including the religion teacher who was sitting in the teacher's lounge watching it, and the students who were "so scared" in the hallway, but followed us in to lounge to watch the "grand escape."  This isn't really teaching, though I did set a poetry assignment based on the experience. And the students (grade 10) willingly complied.

6. Question: Why do you blog? I am a writer of fiction and a former reporter/journalist. I am published and so Blogging is a natural extension of how I express myself. I use my blog to talk about English and writing subjects, classroom topics, resources on teacherspayteachers.com, as well as selling tips depending on the day!

7. Question: What is your favorite topic to teach and why? I love Shakespeare, language, and words, so any close reading work makes me very happy, and I'm good at it. I also love teaching fiction and poetry writing. Students love doing it and they gain mastery in many more skills than what you think they do. There are a lot of critical thinking skills needed in writing a story. 

8. Question: What is your biggest pet peeve? Unclear pronoun reference. That person that takes up two parking spaces because - you know - his or her car is that important. Or the person who pretends that he has no idea the line started five miles back and then just as the merge starts he "realizes" that that is the lane he needs to be in. I think the word is lack of consideration or selfishness. 

9. Question: Where do you find inspiration? Tricky, Tricky, it's never in the same place twice. I read that taking a walk increases your creativity though so I might try it. I like taking a drive, too. Also conversations with others helps as does nature.

10. Question: What is the latest book you've read? JUST got George R. R. Martin's first book. . . the book based on the cable series "Game of Thrones"? I don't know how it is yet, though it seems great so far. I also constantly am using reference books, Norton's Anthologies, "Best of" books etc. This is not reading in the traditional sense but standard research. 

11. Question: What words of wisdom would you give a new teacher. "You care, you are doing your best. Keep organized, keep doing your best, and find ONE person you can rely on. It gets easier."  


Some Facts About Me:

1. I was a Peace Corps Volunteer - I taught English in Ethiopia
2. I lived in San Diego for about a year (loved it)
3. I love ginger, red bean and green tea ice cream
4. Have a penchant for research and will look up things on a whim but will get involved and stick with it for months (edible fruits of the world, anyone?)
5. Enjoy taking on hobbies (bread making, spice growing and making, scrap-booking)
6. I have a replica poesy ring from the Shakespearean era as my wedding ring
7. Enjoy origami and miniature sculpture when I have the time
8. Must've been crazy when I enrolled...in acting school at Mason Gross school of the Arts? I am quite shy, which is why I prefer writing to acting.
9. One of my published stories was published via audio recording.
10. I love Teachers Pay Teachers and love selling my writing, fiction and other teacher resources to middle and high school teachers.
11. I also enjoy blogging TPT Sellers' Tips on Tuesday, and a Secondary English Language Arts Feature on Friday. I'm happy that other people are responding so positively to it too!

God Bless, and Thank you so much!!!

                                                                Visit Me!

Tips for Tuesday - Branding TIPS for YOU SELLERS!!

It's only Monday, but Tuesday is tomorrow and I'm just TOO excited, so here's a hint, get ready to  FIND YOUR NICHE!!!

How do you find your niche?

How long will it take?

What is branding?

The pros and cons of logos versus photos?

And really, what's YOUR stance on all of this?

I'm getting the Keurig ready, or the Mr. Coffee (we're all friends here). Be prepared to turn on the computer tomorrow morning, relax, drink a hot cup, and

            read,
                     rave about it,
                                         and then write, Write, WRITE, in the comments section below.


YOU COUNT TOO!

Tell us YOUR POSITION AND STANCE and let's have a good old conversation!!!!

It's Branding, Baby, yeah! Tomorrow can't arrive fast enough!!

FEATURE FRIDAY 5/2 - Crushing Customary Common Core with Julie Conlon

Gina, Your Host of PerfettoWritingRoom,
RIGHT, my new friend Julie Conlon and
beautiful daughter Rory!

Has May actually come again? Here at the PerfettoWritingRoom, it's Friday once again. The time when we get to do some of our favorite things: talk secondary English, classroom joys and challenges, make new friends and discuss great ways to improve our classrooms. 

Before we do much of anything get your morning cup of coffee ready. I just made some banana bread with raisins because my husband hates nuts (so why'd he marry me? Am I right?) Should I give ya a minute? Let's get this place percolating!

1. Odd and Brilliant Ways to Use the Common Core in May, when, you know what? The student just aren't having it . . .!

                              visit my store    

 I LOVE nothing more than a great writing prompt that PROVES the inestimable value of poetry or fiction writing. I also love nothing more than proving all those nosy parkers, extra chefs in the kitchen, or spoon stirrers who want to say that such writing is fun, "has its place," but otherwise is useless and is without rigor, or that say there aren't many common core applications.

I know for a fact that after disciplined and targeted poetry and short fiction writing, students often feel an ease in the essay format, as if there is somehow "more room" for them to write, and it is suddenly a simpler format than they remember. This is true across the curriculum, whether students write in history class or art class or in biology.
      I put out a product called "Story Starter Prompts with Research and Argument Tie- Ins" - I love this product because it proves that while going through a fiction writing activity, you can use and have students gain mastery in common core standards usually reserved for essay writing. Let's be honest - a type of writing they just don't want to do in March, April, May, and June.
Please look at it here.

I'll do ya one better, and argue that rigorous poetry and short fiction writing can actually be more difficult than some types of essay writing. I'll accept the hate mail, but in the meantime, consider the difficulty involved in organizing a story that FAR from being a formulaic "list your three points and your three reasons with a graphic organizer" (I know that I am simplifying, so forgive me) must consider spelling and grammar just as they would in any other writing assignment, plus organization, back story, realism or purposeful lack of realism, possibly research, logic, cause and effect, explanation and argument all in one story depending on the needs of the particular elements within. Let us not even begin to talk about symbolism, or characters, pacing, believable dialogue. . .should I go on? Is this NOT critical thinking? Are there not applicable common core standards?

ANY poetry of writing prompt you do can have caveats in them. These caveats can be guidelines. And yes these caveats can be aligned with the common core, but I guarantee you that the students will be motivated.


Fickle, Fickle May - And Wonderful New Friend and Lifesaver Julie Conlon
2. How Does Julie Conlon Use Common Core?
When Julie isn't at Disney World or at dance class with her daughter Rory, AND, when she isn't working very hard on Pinterest, she is cooking up really unbelievable lifesaving literacy assessment items like this one. Have you never been to her store? Here's what it looks like and I do ask you, please go for a little visit. Click, Like, download a freebie, say hi. Be neighborly!

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The more I write these articles, the HAPPIER I am to do them. I so deeply enjoy having the opportunity to learn and grow as a result of meeting new secondary English teachers.

The Common Core - a Metaphor!
The common core is a BEAR. A lumbering, clawed, not very sophisticated beast.  To work around the bear you don't have many options. You can run, play dead, but only the truly great come up with something original. The great Bill Cosby joked about killing one with a loose leaf notebook. But then I met the great Julie Conlon who killed it with ingenuity and a great resource. 


 Much like my Story Starter Prompts that use the Common Core Standards through an unexpected creative writing activity,

Julie Conlon's Formative Assessment Exit Slips are so much more than what you think they are. In terms of making a FUN, usable and flexible Common Core Product, these exit slips hit the mark. They bring down that bear right in the belly (with honey everybody - I love animals!).

What they are not: 
- One dimensional or one-note (write what you don't understand)
- Obligatory (As you walk out, hand these over!)
- Rigid (Here is how they must be used)
*There's nothing wrong with any of those above, but take a peek at the review below.


Let's look at little at this tamed animal. 

See me in Julie's Store so you can look at a preview.

What This Product IS: 
- Based on literacy strategies (Julie was a literacy coach)
- for middle or high school, in any subject where you want to assess
   for understanding and nuances in understanding and critical 
   thinking
- Created and intended as exit slips with unbelievably simple print
  and go forms for you to fold and make into your own little "brain 
  station" anywhere in your classroom and students.
- BUT, respectfully, in my opinion, can be used AS YOU see fit, as
   part of a lesson, or as the lesson (it really is that rich with ideas). 
- Ideal this time of year, but absolutely can be used all year long.
- All common-core aligned reading assessments, with a handy 
   reference guide for the teacher. You know what standard each 
   slip will address. How genius is that. How much less work for 
   you?

Chatting with Julie after I had actually reviewed this resource, what most struck me was the thought, care, and love that went into the product. The multitude of students' learning needs, thinking strategies, and forms of expression seemed to all be accounted for on these slips. It seemed to address all the different learning styles, while helping students show what they know and explain where they got confused. Of course there is more, all the subtle nuances: predicting, pro and con, summarizing, making inferences, and so much more. 
     The more I looked the more impressed I was. I saw how indispensable this would be in any classroom where reading took place (is there a classroom where reading doesn't take place?).  Instead of each week laboriously tackling a new Common Core standard, it was all there on little slips.

Question: How did you do it? 
Answer: The "first draft" of the product (also still available in my store) was my reading strategy exit slips.  I used these to monitor my students' independent reading progress--they were all reading different books, so I needed a way to evaluate their progress that would work for any text.  I based them off of the reading strategies in Strategies That Work by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis (making connections, questioning, predicting, making inferences, etc.). 


Question: When did you first come up with the idea for a resource that would cover so many literacy assessment needs?
Answer: This set was created when I found myself in my new role as a literacy coach.  Teachers of all subjects were asking for ways to monitor their students' reading comprehension.  I adapted my "fiction-based" exit slips and added more general strategies to create this product.  In the product, you'll see that I give suggestions for using each of the 20 different slips--most instructions include ways to use it with reading or with general classroom lessons.  I even use them in professional development workshops to gauge participants' understanding!   


Question: I hope we have regular workaday teachers and some TPT teacher-sellers reading today, too. Do you have any advice for making products?

Answer: Thanks, Gina. One thing I realized by exploring other stores is that everything is an option. I forget sometimes that ideas/products that are just part of my everyday routine as a veteran teacher could be very useful to a new teacher. I'm trying to look at my files from the perspective of someone new to the profession--what can I share that will make their lives easier than mine was in those first few years?

So whether you are a NEW TEACHER, a BUSY one, or even a TPT seller yourself, pop in to Julie Conlon's store. See her best-selling product. Just click on the live link above. JULIE will be having a SALE. There is no better time than to give your students the gift of learning!

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JOIN US! Come back Tuesday for TPT Tips for Tuesday, where you can learn tips from the $1000 dollar club. Learn how to own your own success and do better.

JOIN US! Come back every Friday for Feature Friday where wonderful Secondary Sellers unite and talk shop! The coffee's always hot and ready for you! (tea optional!).

Visit Me! See my Common Core Story Starters!

Do you want to become a seller? Oh come on, let me refer you!

BEFORE WE GO. . .

QUESTION FOR ALL YOU READERS - 

WHAT IS THE BEST, most intriguing and fun or unexpected way to use the Common Core Standards in your secondary (or Middle School) classroom? How do YOU kill that bear??