Essentials Write Away Academy

One of Mrs. Spencer's favorite topics, this week Mrs. Larson and Mrs. Spencer share personal experiences coupled with strategies for our young writers on how to read with the purpose of enhancing writing. This week focuses on how to read like a writer. If you have no idea what this means, you have to listen in to hear the difference between how we typically read and how we can improve our writing by focusing on how the professionals do it. Writing is a process, a difficult one, no less, but when we turn to the professionals, we have a lot to learn.

Most kids are reading books this summer assigned by their teachers. Although the books may be excellent reads, students sometimes feel the pressure of reading them and struggle getting started...or finishing. This week, Mrs. Spencer and Mrs. Larson tackle this problem with some tips for parents that involve using writing as a tool to help the issue. Listen in for more ideas on getting kids to write more this summer.

Summer camp is one week away and Mrs. Larson and Mrs. Spencer are excited to spend two weeks guiding kids through the writing process. This week, they are discussing what to write about and some practical activities for parents to help their children build new ideas for writing. Listen in for easy and practical ways to incorporate writing into your daily lives.

After spending a week in Kentucky grading papers from all over the country, Mrs. Larson and Mrs. Spencer are back! And excited about a new adventure for parents to advocate at their schools in the Fall. Spending a week talking with college professors, high school teachers and others in the profession of writing instruction, the two came back with new ideas to facilitate more writing instruction and practice for the classroom. Listen in to hear more about the benefits of starting a writing center at your child's school.

In the studio this week, we have Melissa Galvan sitting in for Mrs. Larson. Mrs. Galvan comes to us from Oxford Academy, Cypress. She has experience teaching 7th grade through 12th grade and has a love for teaching like no other. Mrs. Spencer and Mrs. Galvan share stories of reading and experiences with kids to encourage more reading this summer. If you are looking for ways to help the kids get reading, listen in and share your family adventures in reading. We can't wait to hear from you!

Summer is here, or almost here! As parents, we all want to know our kids are learning and growing in school. One of the greatest differences in a writing class is that we have solid evidence of what is happening in our classes. This week, Mrs. Larson and Mrs. Spencer share practical ideas on how you can look at the year in review and share in the celebration of growth in writing with your child. Listen in and let us know what you learned from your child and their writing this year.