This past Tuesday, the LPS literacy coaches led teachers in grades 2-5 in a morning of PD on writing about reading, and it was my favorite PD ever! As always, we used the Workshop Model structure, so that teachers had the most time to explore their choice of resources. So after a twenty minute minilesson to build some background knowledge on writing about reading, they floated from station to station as needed. The stations we planned included unpacking literacy resources like the Literacy Continuum and the Learning Progressions from the Units of Study, thin slicing student work samples, calibrating assessments, analyzing student work, and making a writing about reading toolkit. I, of course, left their 3-2-1 reflections in my car before I left for Seattle, but I can’t wait to review their reflections, provide feedback, and begin our coaching follow-up work.

Here is this week’s roundup of literacy links for some quick inspiration, tips, and refreshment:

• “When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left, I buy food and clothes.” -Desiderius Erasmus
• 3 Reasons Why We Need Children’s Books on Grief and Loss by author, Brian Lies
• One teacher’s journey with books as windows and mirrors
• Perfect
• Mental health break