Learning in Playful Environments

I've been writing alongside my Grade 6 students in their personal narrative unit. The Writing Workshop approach we use (from Columbia University's Teachers College Reading and Writing Project - TCRWP ) encourages teachers to model writing for their students. It's fun sharing writing with kids. I like the way they're so engaged by the fact that I am a writer, too. TCRWP cleverly encourages me to integrate particular skills into my writing just when students are ready to engage with them. In this story, I am writing about an event from my childhood - when I was about 10 - which I hope inspires students to think about similar times in their lives. We have been looking at how stories look to deeper themes to become more powerful. The kids told me they enjoyed this story but they want something a bit happier next time. Christmas Dinner My Uncle is holding the goose by its feet. It's upside-down and it's strangely calm as its head weaves around like an inquisitive sna...