The Rogue Scholar

My JOYS of 2020 During the month of November I wrote 30 #gratikus about the people, place and things for which I am grateful. I featured some of my poems in a previous post.  I enjoyed writing these haikus every day, because I learned to slow down, pay attention, and capture moments in time (in the present) that made me be present in the moment. For the month of December I am reflecting on 31 days of JOY-filled moments from throughout 2020. I have looked back through notebooks and scrolled through photos to recollect and relive the excitement and joy felt at that time. Despite all that COVID has brought with it in 2020, I am choosing to end this year reflecting on all that is and was good.  One of my greatest JOYs from 2020 was becoming a member of the #100daysofnotebooking Facebook group, because I developed a daily writing habit. I wrote a notebook entry every day for the first 100 days of 2020 and beyond, and I have continued to this day. I am proud to be ending this year t...

  TeachWrite, LLC. I think most would agree that once November roles in each year, many people begin to focus on what they are grateful and thankful for. I have seen the evidence over past few years in various versions of 30-day thankfulness challenges on social media.  I have never participated in those thankfulness challenges, because I knew I'd probably miss a day or two since I'm not on social media every day. I knew missing days would totally mess with my need to be perfect, so I just quit before I even began. This year, however, I was presented with a 30-day challenge that really intrigued me, one in which I have been more than excited to partake. This challenge is called #Gratiku. Every day for the month of November, possibly longer since I love this idea so much, I am writing a haiku-ish style poems about the people, places, and things that I am grateful and thankful for. I love the challenge of writing haikus or other types of poems filled with gratitude. I also love ...

As a teacher-writer and a teacher of writing, I enjoy learning as much about writing instruction as I can. I recently found out about an amazing podcast called Writing Matters with Dr. Troy Hicks. Dr. Hicks presents the who's-who of writing experts, each bringing a unique perspectives to each conversation. So far, I have come away inspired by the knowledge, strategies, and insight the interviewees highlighted below share with Dr. Hicks. Jennifer Laffin - September 1 Jennifer currently runs TeachWrite, LLC, an education consultancy company, she started to help teacher-writers become teachers who write and thus becoming better writing teachers. In her interview with Troy, she recounts being a 4th and 5th grade teacher, not really knowing how to teach writing, and how she sought out the resources to learn on her own. She quickly came to realize that writing teachers needs to be teachers who write. Listed below are the changes she describes that occurred in her classroom as a result of...

On August 25, I published a blogpost about an amazing podcast called, "Design Lessons with Dr. Michele Schmidt Moore. I hope you have taken the time to listen by now. I find her strategies and resources invaluable and I know you will also. Recently, I had the pleasure of listening to the latest episode called "I'm a Teacher Who...3 Steps to Saying Yes to Opportunities That Will Help You Grow". Staying true to form, this episode has proven to be just as insightful as the others. I was drawn in the moment I read the title. So, I decided to take notes as I listened. I am very glad I did. In this episode, Dr. Schmidt Moore walks listeners through a 3-step strategy for refining their teacher identities by defining what they stand for, identifying what is important to them, and providing a plan for growth. Teachers who follow these steps will be well-equipped to  "say no to opportunities that don't align to who they are/what they believe and yes to those that do...

If you are an educator who loves to listen to podcasts that offer practical insights and strategies you can quickly and easily implement with your students, then you need "Design Lessons with Dr. Michele Schmidt Moore" in your life. Even if podcasts aren't usually your thing, Design Lessons is a great podcast to start listening to podcasts.  Each episode is packed full of strategies that can be incorporated in the lessons and learning experiences you are currently designing for your students. They  range from 20 to 45 minutes in length, which is shorter than most commutes.  Dr. Schmidt Moore has a smooth and calm speaking voice that will totally draw you in and capture your attention. Whether personally modeling the use of specific instructional design strategies, or interviewing educators who are having success with "all the things" that work, Dr. Schmidt Moore roots each episode in one, or all, of three "Touchstones": 1. mindset and relationships 2. ...

In just about 2 weeks from now, teachers in my school district will return to work and begin planning for the start of the school year. Throughout the summer months, I usually spend a lot of my time doing some preparing and preplanning of my own. However, due to the uncertainty surrounding schools reopening and what delivery of instruction will look like, in-person versus virtual, I have not spent much time planning at all.   But, back in June, I came across an article called 5 Strategies for Independent Learning , written about how Kim Voge, a 5th grade teacher, uses EduProtocols, created by Marlene Hebern and Jon Corippo, to " create a culture of student-centered, independent learning in her classroom." As I read about the EduProtocols Mrs. Voge described, I was intrigued and started wondering if they could be used with my 2nd grade Scholars. I reached out to Ms. Voge, who graciously put me in contact with Meghan Cannon-Johann, a 2nd grade teacher who uses EduProtocols in h...

    Two weeks ago, I wrote a short introduction to this blog, The Rogue Scholar, welcoming readers and inviting them to join me on the next leg of my writing journey. After I clicked "Publish", I shared it on every social media platform. I have committed to challenging myself to be vulnerable with my writing, and for me being vulnerable means putting it out there.     I was very proud of myself for finally getting it done. I had let fear stifle me for a bit, for a myriad of reasons. Primarily, I didn't and in some ways still don't feel adequate enough to write a blog. I was pleasantly surprised by the encouragement and support I received from those who read it. Their comments and feedback reminded me that I can do the "hard-to-me-things", because I surround ourselves with people who believe in me.       "Being Surrounded By A Community Of Writers Can Help Build Writing Confidence"     In a blog post, written for TeachWrite.org , I ...