Cue the Rocky Theme Music!

I used to be a pretty avid runner. Currently I'm on a two year hiatus that I keep telling myself will end any day now, but that's another topic for another day. Getting up early on a weekend for a long run requires a certain amount of mental prep. My husband will tell you that when I am training for a race, he is often annoyed at 5am by the sounds of Survivor singing, The Eye of The Tiger. Yup. You heard me. It's my theme music. It makes me feel like I can win the day. I will own that run.

If this blog post could have music attached to it, I would totally play some Eye of The Tiger for you. 

For all of my Dallas area friends, here is a list of local trainings coming straight to you guaranteed to stir up your inner Rocky. Climb those steps, girlfriend! Punch the air. Raise your hands in victory. Get your learn on. 

Gretchen Bernabei's Grammar and Writing Development Through the Year and For STAAR

Suz, Gretchen, and me: a living pitchfork!
(You'll get the joke if you go to the training!)

October 23rd and 24th

Our favorite Texas writing teacher will be hosting a two day workshop at the Richardson Civic Center. You'll receive the two books that I use most on any given week--Fun Size Academic Writing and Grammar Keepers. You'll learn so much, and this training can honestly change the way you think about writing instruction. 

Writing Reboot with the Amazing Barry Lane

November 15th

Join Barry (also at the Richardson Civic Center) and recapture the joy in teaching writing and help kids succeed on STAAR while still writing with an authentic voice. It sounds like a tall order, but if anyone can do it he can!

This is me as a complete fangirl, standing next
to a VERY tall Jeff Anderson.

Jeff Anderson's 10 Things Every Writer Needs To Know

October 25th

You will absolutely fall in love with Jeff Anderson and his approach to grammar instruction and the way that he values the writing that kids bring to the table. His invaluable book 10 Things... will anchor the learning for the day, but I'm sure you'll walk away with way more than 10 things!

Dallas friends, if you can make it to any one of these trainings, let me know how it goes! Suz and I will likely be at the October Gretchen conference and we would LOVE to see you! #EyeOfTheTiger

On Your Campus

by road trip lovin' Suzanne

This summer, Lori and I had the opportunity to buckle our seat belts, gather our car snacks and hit the road to spend the day with our friends in Van ISD.  A sweet reader, Amanda, asked us to come and share tips for interactive notebooks.  We were more than happy to oblige!  (We love meeting readers in person!)

We enjoyed a day of paper foldin', page turnin', essay kernelin' fun!  And pizza...I can't forget the yummy pizza!

This is when my stealthy candid picture taking got busted. :)

Most teachers report a need for content specific training.  And let's face it, who couldn't use a few new tools in their toolbox?  Lori and I would love to answer that call.  We design a custom training to meet the specific needs of your campus and/or district.  Talk to the powers that be, and let's start talking about the where and when we can come to your campus.  To start this conversation, click here!  We hope to see you soon!

Show Me

your visual visionary, Suzanne

I learned how to change the hubcap on my car from an eleven-year-old boy on YouTube.  It doesn't stop there, I've learned how to better apply my eye make-up (don't look closely), tone my arms (again, don't look closely), and more efficiently fold laundry all thanks to the wonders of YouTube.  I'm the kinda girl where I need you to show me how to do something and then I've got it.  

Last Friday, we had a visitor at school, Dr. Marcia Tate of Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites notoriety.  Get this- she came to teach a lesson...to our students...in our classrooms! *Insert instant street cred.*  A group of teachers and I watched her teach a 30 minute mini-lesson to 4th graders, and then we met to discuss.  Her model came from her experience teaching in Singapore.  There teachers regularly get together to watch, reflect, and improve the lesson cycle.  After a lesson, teachers answer the following four questions:
1.  What did you notice in the lesson? (practices and strategies)
2.  What were the lesson's strengths?
3.  What were the lesson's weaknesses? Or how could it be improved?
4.  Questions and Answers

I love this!  Our job is 90% marketing.  When I attend a training or conference, I notice not only the strategies that are used.  Many times I think or say aloud to myself, "I like the way she said that!"  I might also pick up on the sequencing or pacing of the lesson.  The bottom line: I'm gaining so much more than if someone were merely telling me about the practice.

What an impact this practice would have on our own PLCs and learning communities!  I offer you this challenge- make modeling a regularly part of your planning.  Even better, invite team members into your classroom to see strategies in action.  I learn more when you show me.

Friendly Faces

your curly co-author, Suzanne

This is belated but too good to let pass.  We were thrilled to be able to spend a Saturday earlier this month with our friends at Midlothian High School.  One of their teachers reads the blog and arranged for us to be able to come and spend the day.  Can I just say, it is SO fun to meet blog readers in "real life"!

They knew their areas of interest and communicated them, so we were able to target favorite classroom activities and ideas to meet their needs.  They were awesome participants and shared great ideas with us both during the training and afterward via email.  To our Midlothian friends- we have laughed at the videos you pointed us toward and researched the resources you mentioned.  Thank you again for sharing your Saturday with us!  

We would love to share some time with you too!  Keep us in mind for professional development opportunities at your school.  We would be happy to present more about ideas that have been presented on the blog or would love to customize our training to meet your data-based needs.  Click on our 'Contact Us' page and email for more information. 

We welcome participants of all ages!

We seriously have the best readers!  Lindsey in Virginia emailed us this week and had this to say about our Shared Readings:

When I say that I love them, it's an understatement.  They have changed the way I teach.  I am so excited that students are getting exposure to many varied texts in short bursts with short and focused lessons attached.  They love it, too!

To all of you who have emailed with tips, questions and kindness- thank you!  We love hearing from you and it makes our purpose here much more real.  

Remember that you can receive a FREE set of Shared Readings for your grade-level and learn more about how to use them in your classroom by joining us at The Curly Classroom's Birthday Party.  Register today!