Dear Deb Lund, I was wondering if you would help me. I am writing a story that has to do with a talking dog but I don’t know how to end it. All the things I try my critic says that is so lame! Will you help me? That’s the email I got from a [...]
Attention all Teachers! On Monday I’m leaving for Japan with my 12 year old son Kaj for three weeks. We’ll both be blogging, but Kaj’s will focus not only on Japan (until we get home), but on reading. Books have been his escape, his food for his imagination, and talking about books has been a [...]
I love using the writing of others to trigger new writing by students, whether it’s prose or poetry. “Ode to my Socks” by Pablo Neruda is one of my favorites to use. It’s also my favorite when we talk about similes. Start a collection by looking through poetry for children that has a pattern or [...]
I love school visits. I spent a good chunk of my life in education, and nothing gives me a rush quite like being in front of a big group of kids again. When I’m presenting, teachers appreciate the chance to sit back, enjoy, and maybe even dream up follow-up activities, instead of constantly scanning the [...]
This morning a friend said she’s pulling her daughter out of her fourth grade reading class. Serena is struggling with reading (according to the teacher), but is working her way through the Harry Potter books at home. It’s her attitude, says the teacher. She’s not motivated, so she’s not learning. My friend’s plan is to [...]
“You start your story at the point of no return — when your character forsakes their old path. ” I write something like that on my friend Meg’s paper. We’re at a workshop, but a few of us are having our own reflection time. She says she’s going to keep it. Asks me to sign [...]
My daughter says she wants to be a model. That’s a foreign language to this former northern Minnesota tomboy, though I did get my ears pierced this year and bought my first high heels. However, I’ve been a huge supporter of modeling for decades. The modeling I’m talking about is writing with your students. We [...]
I’m between kid shifts this morning (the middle school kid off, the younger two about to get up), and I had a plan for a post. That shifted as I got an email from a teacher who heard me present at a librarian conference. She said… I attended your morning session. Thank you for presenting [...]
I’m not one who loves organizing. I know it helps, and I’m actually quite good at it, but it’s painful. So I find shortcuts, develop checklists, use templates, and delegate. I’ll share those as we go, but let’s start right at the beginning. I can’t tell you how many teachers have talked with me about [...]
When I was little, I hated black licorice and watermelon. Adults handed them over like they were treats. Could I have ice-cream instead? Nope. So I stared at these “gifts,” picked at them, tried to like them, and grew to hate them even more. Writing from someone else’s idea is about as appealing to me [...]
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