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Elisa Waingort

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A Teacher Musing Out Loud

  • Writers’ Notebooks and More

    As I walked around the room during writing workshop, I noticed most of the children had no sense of what they were writing about and why they were writing about that topic.  In fact, many of them seemed aimless in their writing with little energy and interest to write.  Instead, they were drawing or cutting… Read more

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  • Writing Club

            Yesterday we had a meeting of the children interested in writing club.  There were about 70 children present from grade one through grade four.  Although I shouldn’t have been surprised, I was.  This year we’re starting late.  Normally, we start in October but the start of 2011 was fraught with atypical… Read more

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  • Writing from My Soul

    First, let me say that publishing one’s writing can be a soul changing experience that exposes the writer to harsh criticism and/or lavish praise. At least, that is how it is for me as a writer.  Whether you are a teacher blogger or a contemporary novel writer, the act of going public is about bearing… Read more

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  • A Slice of Life Story: Wishin’ and Hopin’, A Christmas Story by Wally Lamb

    I normally only write about teaching related issues on this blog.  But, I’ve decided to make some changes in the New Year.  One change I am making is to start posting book reviews, or posts prompted by books I’m reading, that are in some way connected to teaching, learning, schooling, or education in general.  I… Read more

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  • Little Words

    In a recent post, Stacey at Two Writing Teachers, wrote about choosing one word to live by during the coming year and challenged her readers to consider one word for themselves, as well. Go to http://bit.ly/tkIFle to read her post and to add a comment. I wrote that my little word for the coming year… Read more

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  • The KISS Principle

    I know all about the KISS Principle. I know that it’s best to keep things simple at first so that you can go deeper later on. I know that kids need time to play around with ideas long enough to figure things out on their own. I know all of this and yet… I forget… Read more

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  • Brain Dump

    Over the years I have observed that the Monday morning transition from home to school can be difficult for some children. Heck, it is difficult for me, too! I find I need a few minutes to myself after the children have come in to clear my head and make space for being back at school.… Read more

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  • Commitments

    I reflect on my teaching practices in order to make new commitments to improve these so that they are better aligned with my belief system and not someone else’s. Alternatively, I recommit to continuing or extending a routine or habit that has worked well or that I know is beneficial to learning. This recommitment issue… Read more

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  • Teaching Math

    If one thing is constant for me as a teacher it is this: nothing is ever the same from year to year. I often spend my summers reflecting on the previous year and on the lessons I learned with my students. It is on this basis that I make changes or adjustments in September. Often,… Read more

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  • Press Release: Out of the Box Doll Project (July 27th, before the SOS March and Rally in Washington, DC)

    Press Release: Out of the Box Doll Project (July 27th, before the SOS March and Rally in Washington, DC). Read more

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