Podcast appearances and mentions of ralph fletcher

Hear about four new books for youth, from picture books to a YA novel, from Carol Roberts, head of Young People's Services at Troy Public Library. Books discussed include: "How to Tantrum Like a Champion: Ten Small Ways to Temper Big Feelings" (Allan Wolf, ill. Keisha Morris; 2024); "The Ballad of Darcy and Russell" (Morgan Matson, 2024); "The World's Loneliest Elephant: Based on the True Story of Kaavan and His Rescue" (Ralph Fletcher, ill. Naoko Stoop, 2024); and "Golden Gate: Building the Mighty Bridge" (Elizabeth Partridge, ill. Ellen Heck, 2024). For more details on books and activities, visit www.thetroylibrary.org. To find other libraries in New York State, see https://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/libs/#Find. Produced by Brea Barthel for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

We delve into the challenging subjects that often arise in elementary school writing workshops, ranging from bodily functions and violence to mental health issues. We explore the non-negotiable aspects of topic choice and discuss establishing clear boundaries in the classroom, emphasizing the importance of creating a safe space for young writers. This conversation unpacks the various reasons why people write, highlighting the benefits of self-expression and examining audience awareness's crucial role in navigating sensitive topics. Drawing inspiration from Ralph Fletcher's book Boys Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices, we offer insights on encouraging passionate writing while addressing concerns about violence, humor, and other potentially controversial themes in student work.*****Thanks to Our Sponsor, Factile!Listeners who want to try out Factile should head over to playfactile.com. When you sign up, you'll get 500 free tokens to use AutoGen. You can buy 15,000 tokens for just $5. *****GO DEEPER:Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices by Ralph Fletcher"I saw them at Sinai"Press Start Series by Thomas FlinthamTWT Help Desk: What If a Child's Topic Makes Me Uncomfortable?Uncomfortable Topic Choices in Writing WorkshopVisit TWTBlog on 11/20 for a mentor text post that will list books that deal with burps, farts, and poop. (Stacey is working on it now.)*****Send us a textPlease subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. Melanie Meehan: meehanmelanie@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.com Email us at contact@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

If you're as passionate about reading and teaching as I am, you won't want to miss this podcast. Join me as we explore seven incredible professional development books to elevate your middle school ELA classroom.In this episode, we'll discuss gems like Notebook Know-How by Aimee Buckner, a fantastic guide to setting up and maintaining writer's notebooks. Discover actionable strategies adaptable to middle school settings and effective methods for notebook assessment.We'll also dive into Ralph Fletcher's Boy Writers Reclaiming Their Voices, a timeless resource for engaging all students in the writing process. Unearth the secrets of making writing enjoyable and finding every student's unique voice.Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide by Ralph Fletcher and Joann Portalupi offers a practical outline for an effective writing workshop, with valuable takeaways that apply to the middle school classroom.But that's not all! We're massive fans of Kelly Gallagher, and we'll share why his books are essential for your professional growth. From Deeper Reading and Reading Reasons to Write Like This and Teaching Adolescent Writers, these resources cover everything from reading comprehension to real-world writing skills.Don't forget to share your favorite professional development books with me on Instagram @annotatedela. Mentioned in the episode:Episode 18 Seven of My Favorite Professional Development Books for ELA TeachersBooks:Notebook Know How Strategies for the Writer's Notebook by Aimee BucknerBoy Writers Reclaiming Their Voices by Ralph FletcherWriting Workshop The Essential Guide by Ralph Fletcher and Joann PortalupiDeeper Reading Comprehending Challenging Texts, 4-12 by Kelly GallagherReading Reasons Motivational Mini Lessons for Middle and High School by Kelly GallagherWrite Like This Teaching Real-World Writing Through Modeling and Mentor Texts by Kelly GallagherTeaching Adolescent Writers by Kelly GallagherShow notes: annotatedela.com/episode29Follow along on Instagram @annotatedela**Links are affiliate links. By clicking on the links to the books I will receive credit for the purchase at no extra cost to you.

The pleasure of storytelling is the entry point for everyone into writing, as well as what propels the writer as they move into different genres. Today we'll hear from Tom Newkirk about his new book Literacy's Democratic Roots: A Personal Tour Through Eight Big Ideas. Tom is interviewed by fellow Heinemann author Ralph Fletcher. In this delightful conversation between two old friends Tom and Ralph discuss the importance of narrative, the resources students bring to any curriculum, and how the marriage of the two is imperative in facing the current challenge to democracy—to bring everyone in, to make everyone welcome.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's the season three finale.  I've compiled the top ten writing tips from this season's guests to help get listeners psyched up for a creative, productive summer. Tip Number Ten: It's Gotta Be Fun with Linda Urban, Torrey Maldonado, and Jessica LanderTip Number Nine: Set a Schedule with Andy J. Pizza, Sally Engelfried, and Ruth BeharTip Number Eight: Get Organized with Tracey Baptiste, Ralph Fletcher, and Erika Thulin Dawes with Mary Ann CappielloTip Number Seven: Get Outside with Susan Edwards Richmond, Nicole D. Collier, and Jessica LanderTip Number Six: Read Craft Books with Sally Engelfried and Sandy Stark McGinnisTip Number Five: Create Community with Andy J. Pizza, Cindy Rodriguez, and Hanh BuiTip Number Four: Get Specific with Tracey Baptiste, Linda Urban, Stacey Shubitz and Melanie MeehanTip Number Three: The Beginning Holds the End with Kyle LukoffTip Number Two: Write for the Unseen Reader with Chris Baron, Torrey Maldonado and Hanh BuiTip Number One: Writing Starts with You with Chris Baron, Michelle Cusolito, and Emily FrancisSupport the show

It's the season three finale.  I've compiled the top ten writing tips from this season's guests to help get listeners psyched up for a creative, productive summer. Tip Number Ten: It's Gotta Be Fun with Linda Urban, Torrey Maldonado, and Jessica LanderTip Number Nine: Set a Schedule with Andy J. Pizza, Sally Engelfried, and Ruth BeharTip Number Eight: Get Organized with Tracey Baptiste, Ralph Fletcher, and Erika Thulin Dawes with Mary Ann CappielloTip Number Seven: Get Outside with Susan Edwards Richmond, Nicole D. Collier, and Jessica LanderTip Number Six: Read Craft Books with Sally Engelfried and Sandy Stark McGinnisTip Number Five: Create Community with Andy J. Pizza, Cindy Rodriguez, and Hanh BuiTip Number Four: Get Specific with Tracey Baptiste, Linda Urban, Stacey Shubitz and Melanie MeehanTip Number Three: The Beginning Holds the End with Kyle LukoffTip Number Two: Write for the Unseen Reader with Chris Baron, Torrey Maldonado and Hanh BuiTip Number One: Writing Starts with You with Chris Baron, Michelle Cusolito, and Emily FrancisSupport the show

Ralph Fletcher, a member of the NWP Writers Council, has been a long-time mentor to teachers and young writers and has helped generations of teachers understand the importance of letting go and trusting their writers.Ralph Fletcher has written over fifty books for writing teachers and young readers including Joy Write, Nonfiction Craft Lessons, What a Writer Needs, Focus Lessons: How Photography Enhances the Teaching of Writing, and The Writing Teacher's Companion. His most recent books are The World's Loneliest Elephant, a picture book illustrated by Naoko Stoop, and A Writer's Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You. Ralph visits schools and speaks at educational conferences around the world, helping teachers find wiser ways of teaching writing. He also has a passion for nature photography.Tracey T. Flores is an assistant professor of Language and Literacy at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Flores is a former English Language Development (ELD) and English Language Arts (ELA) teacher, working for eight years alongside culturally and linguistically diverse students, families, and communities in K-8 schools throughout Glendale and Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Flores is the founder of Somos Escritoras/We Are Writers, a creative space and writing workshop for Latina girls (grades 6-8) that invites them to write stories from their lived experiences using art, theater, and writing as a tool for reflection, examination, and critique of their worlds.

Ralph Fletcher, a member of the NWP Writers Council, has been a long-time mentor to teachers and young writers and has helped generations of teachers understand the importance of letting go and trusting their writers. Ralph Fletcher has written over fifty books for writing teachers and young readers including Joy Write, Nonfiction Craft Lessons, What a Writer Needs, Focus Lessons: How Photography Enhances the Teaching of Writing, and The Writing Teacher's Companion. His most recent books are The World's Loneliest Elephant, a picture book illustrated by Naoko Stoop, and A Writer's Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You. Ralph visits schools and speaks at educational conferences around the world, helping teachers find wiser ways of teaching writing. He also has a passion for nature photography. Tracey T. Flores is an assistant professor of Language and Literacy at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Flores is a former English Language Development (ELD) and English Language Arts (ELA) teacher, working for eight years alongside culturally and linguistically diverse students, families, and communities in K-8 schools throughout Glendale and Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Flores is the founder of Somos Escritoras/We Are Writers, a creative space and writing workshop for Latina girls (grades 6-8) that invites them to write stories from their lived experiences using art, theater, and writing as a tool for reflection, examination, and critique of their worlds.

On today's episode, Ralph Fletcher talks about how writing is a process of self-discovery, how the writer's notebook is a place to honor students' voices, and creating idea treasure maps.For homework, be sure to read Kyle Lukoff's Newbery Honor book, Too Bright to See.Happy listening!Support the show

On today's episode, Ralph Fletcher talks about how writing is a process of self-discovery, how the writer's notebook is a place to honor students' voices, and creating idea treasure maps.For homework, be sure to read Kyle Lukoff's Newbery Honor book, Too Bright to See.Happy listening!Support the show

If you have been in the education world for a minute and taught writing, chances are high that you know of Ralph Fletcher. He is the author of Craft Lessons, Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide, and What a Writer Needs. Not only does he write books for teachers, but he has also written picture books, and chapter books-one which is one of Jen's favorite read alouds-Flying Solo, He has written books for young adults and poetry books.We were thrilled to have the opportunity to talk to Ralph, but we are saddened that this interview came about because one of his poetry books: A Writing Kind of Day is being challenged in Franklin County, VA schools because of his poem Bill of Sale that is included in that book. Someone came before their board asking that it be banned-saying that the last line encouraged white children to commit suicide.We talked about book bannings and all things writing. We really could not be prouder of this episode. We were both in tears at the end when we reflected on the interview. Go and live a writing kind of life.Ralph has some resources he would like to share:  1) Get Focused. This is a series of videos produced by Heinemann in which I speak directly to kids. These short videos (about 5 or 6 minutes long) are like mini-lessons. In the end I send the kids off to write. I think teachers will enjoy having high-quality writing instruction they can plug into their own instruction. Here's the link:  https://www.heinemann.com/products/e13524.aspx 2) New picture book--The World's Loneliest Elephant. I've attached the cover. It's about Kaavan, who was locked in a Pakistan zoo for 35 years. Many people---ordinary citizens and celebs like "the" Cher--worked together to get him released. I'll attach the cover. The illustrator did a fabulous job. This picture book is coming out in late summer. 3) New edition of A Writer's Notebook. (See attached cover)  I have added seven new chapters (including "Writing in the Digital Age") to update the book. This book will come out in January Twisted Teachers Podcast wants to hear from you!Website-Twistedteacherspodcast.comLINKTREE :https://linktr.ee/twistedteacherContact us via email: Twistedteachers2@gmail.comInstagram: @twisted__teacher; @inked_educator68Tik Tok: @inkededucator @teacherwholeftFacebook: @TwistedTeacher

What are the makings of a good mini lesson for writing? Today on the podcast we're talking with author Ralph Fletcher about the effectiveness of a good writing mini lesson in particular the value of having a visual in your mini lesson. Ralph is the author of a new digital resource called Get Focused, a series of 23 On-Demand video writing lessons with an accompanying PDFs to help students start putting the lessons into practice. Ralph likes to think of it as utilizing this resource as a co-teacher. As always you can find a transcript of this podcast and more at blog.heinemann.comFollow Ralph on Twitter @FletcherRalph© Heinemann Publishing 2022See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you have been in the education world for a minute and taught writing, chances are high that you know of Ralph Fletcher. He is the author of Craft Lessons, Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide, and What a Writer Needs. Not only does he write books for teachers, but he has also written picture books, and chapter books-one which is one of Jen's favorite read alouds-Flying Solo, He has written books for young adults and poetry books.We were thrilled to have the opportunity to talk to Ralph, but we are saddened that this interview came about because one of his poetry books: A Writing Kind of Day is being challenged in Franklin County, VA schools because of his poem Bill of Sale that is included in that book. Someone came before their board asking that it be banned-saying that the last line encouraged white children to commit suicide.We talked about book bannings and all things writing. We really could not be prouder of this episode. Kim Eversole and I were both in tears at the end when we reflected on the interview. Go and live a writing kind of life.Ralph has some new resources he would like to share:   1) Get Focused. This is a series of videos produced by Heinemann in which I speak directly to kids. These short videos (about 5 or 6 minutes long) are like mini-lessons. In the end I send the kids off to write. I think teachers will enjoy having high-quality writing instruction they can plug in to their own instruction. Here's the link:  https://www.heinemann.com/products/e13524.aspx 2) New picture book--The World's Loneliest Elephant. I've attached the cover. It's about Kaavan, who was locked in a Pakistan zoo for 35 years. Many people---ordinary citizens and celebs like "the" Cher--worked together to get him released. I'll attach the cover. The illustrator did a fabulous job. This picture book is coming out in late summer. 3) New edition of A Writer's Notebook. (See attached cover)  I have added seven new chapters (including "Writing in the Digital Age") to update the book. This book will come out next January   Ralph

Many teachers want to improve student writing but feel like they're drawing on the same routines to teach - what's the text type, what's the structure, where's the planning template, what's the topic and where's the link to the curriculum (trying to find purpose and audience), how do I fit it into a 5-6 weeks ... the challenges go on.It can be hard to move on from here without having a toolkit of instructional strategies. So in this episode, Sharon and Phil explore high impact instructional strategies that can be drawn on to model the writing process - to enable  students to see writing in action and for teachers to better understand what we are asking our writers to do.This is the active teaching we do in a writing workshop mini lesson and throughout the workshop to move from showing to independent practice, and how we engage our students in the practice of thinking, exploring and experimenting before they move to their own writing.It is important for teachers to be clear about what they are modelling and teaching. This episode covers:Excellent ACARA guidance on creating textsThe four high impact instructional strategies (used in the Mini Lesson): Modelled Writing, Interactive Writing, Shared Writing and Quick WritingDiscussion on their purposes, level of support, when to use and the materials involved:and discussion on what follows the Mini Lesson: Independent Practice and Reflection/ShareAnd much more!Enjoy the episode, and let us know thoughts and feedback in our Facebook Group. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast player. JOIN SHARON CALLEN'S NEXT LIVE WEBINAR!Find upcoming events here and previous webinars (online video courses) here.Other matching PDF resources can be found at Teachific. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODETEACHIFIC High Impact Instructional Strategies for Writing: Use this wonderful resource to work out how you are going to craft your Mini Lessons in writing. Know the precise purposes of each instructional strategy, when to use it and what tools will support you.Good Reader Posters: Every Child, Every Day - A simple set of posters to remind learners of the strong and positive actions they can take to grow as readers.Anchoring the behaviours we are teaching our students to take is a positive way to remind and motivate students to be in charge of what they can do to grow.BOOKTOPIACraft Lessons - Teaching Writing K-8 by Ralph Fletcher and JoAnn PortalupiMarvelous MiniLessons for Teaching Intermediate Writing by Lori Jameson RogSTENHOUSEMarvelous MiniLessons for Teaching NonFiction Writing K-3 by Lori Jameson Rog Connect with us!Join our community on Facebook for exclusive resources, Q and A, discussions, insights and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/teacherstoolkitforliteracyGot any questions? Feedback? Thoughts? Email Phil: phil@cuelearning.com.auThe Teacher's Tool Kit For Literacy is the free podcast for motivated teachers and school leaders who want the latest tips, tricks and tools to inspire their students and school community in literacy learning. Hear from literacy experts and founders of Cue Learning, Sharon and Phil Callen, and special guests.At Cue Learning, our literacy specialists draw on over 30 years of teaching and international consulting experience to deliver world-class learning solutions. We equip, empower and support teachers to become their authentic selves. To find out about upcoming events, and about how Cue can help you and your school, visit the Cue Learning website http://www.cuelearning.com.au/ and sign up to our newsletter https://cuelearning.com.au/contact/And you can get even more amazing teaching resources, right now, at Teachific https://www.teachific.com.au/.To make sure you don't miss any literacy learning tips and insights, please subscribe to our show on your favourite podcast player. MORE INFORMATION AT A GLANCE:Visit cuelearning.com.auSubscribe to the Teacher's Tool Kit For Literacy podcasts  or join on Apple  Podcasts hereContact Phil  phil@cuelearning.com.auJoin our Teacher's Toolkit facebook groupFind connected resources on TeachificSee upcoming online eventsSee our online video courses hereAnd finally, read our insightful blogs hereProduced by Apiro Media https://apiropodcasts.com

Hello everyone! Now more than ever, joy is something we, and our students, need. It seems like every time we turn around, there is more bad news, more terror, and more uncertainty in our world. So why not let the classroom be a joyous place? Why not let kids write for meaning, purpose, and fun, in our classrooms? Last week, we began our talk on the joyous writing workshop, but this week, we are diving into how responding to the readers in front of you is the key to a successful workshop for all involved.  Ralph Fletcher has been a mentor to teachers and young writers everywhere. He has helped hundreds of thousands of teachers understand the importance of letting go and trusting their writers. Ralph’s professional books are part of this tradition. His newest book, Focus Lessons, helps teachers use the natural links between writing and photography to enhance their instruction. Another recent title, Joy Write, explores the value of giving students time and autonomy for the playful, low-stakes writing that leads to surprising, high-level growth. Pay attention to THE END of the podcast to find out how you can win a copy of Focus Lessons or Joy Write!       This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Risk. Fail. Rise. A Teacher’s Guide to Learning From Mistakes by Colleen Cruz. You’ve likely heard the adage, ‘Everyone makes mistakes.’ But knowing why we make mistakes can help us learn from them and improve situations once we’ve made them. In Risk. Fail. Rise. teachers will learn how to address their own teaching mistakes, model with their own mistake-making, and improve their responses to others’ mistakes. Colleen Cruz shares what research says on mistakes as part of learning and what that means for teaching. If we can create school cultures where we talk honestly about mistakes, then we can grow and create opportunities for children to grow in all the ways they deserve. And we deserve those opportunities too. Risk. Fail. Rise. is available as a book and ebook. Look for the audiobook in early 2021. To learn more visit Heinemann.com. 

Hello everyone! Now more than ever, joy is something we, and our students, need. It seems like every time we turn around, there is more bad news, more terror, and more uncertainty in our world. So why not let the classroom be a joyous place? Why not let kids write for meaning, purpose, and fun, in our classrooms? To tell us that this is not only possible, but necessary, is one of my teaching inspirations Ralph Fletcher.  Ralph Fletcher has been a mentor to teachers and young writers everywhere. He has helped hundreds of thousands of teachers understand the importance of letting go and trusting their writers. Ralph's professional books are part of this tradition. His newest book, Focus Lessons, helps teachers use the natural links between writing and photography to enhance their instruction. Another recent title, Joy Write, explores the value of giving students time and autonomy for the playful, low-stakes writing that leads to surprising, high-level growth. Pay attention to THE END of the podcast to find out how you can win a copy of Focus Lessons or Joy Write!       This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Risk. Fail. Rise. A Teacher’s Guide to Learning From Mistakes by Colleen Cruz. You’ve likely heard the adage, ‘Everyone makes mistakes.’ But knowing why we make mistakes can help us learn from them and improve situations once we’ve made them. In Risk. Fail. Rise. teachers will learn how to address their own teaching mistakes, model with their own mistake-making, and improve their responses to others’ mistakes. Colleen Cruz shares what research says on mistakes as part of learning and what that means for teaching. If we can create school cultures where we talk honestly about mistakes, then we can grow and create opportunities for children to grow in all the ways they deserve. And we deserve those opportunities too. Risk. Fail. Rise. is available as a book and ebook. Look for the audiobook in early 2021. To learn more visit Heinemann.com. 

Analyzing Funeral by: Ralph Fletcher

To help a grieving friend starts with being present and joining God in comforting those going through difficult times. Hello everyone and welcome to episode no. 71, where today we discuss how to help a grieving friend. Before we get into that, I have some listener feedback to share with you from episode 69, When our Kids Go Off to School for the First Time. Hey John, I have enjoyed the past two weeks and happy for your new season.  This is a bright spot in the middle of the pandemic.  I am wondering if I will ever get out of England.  ~ Dorcas Great podcast John!  I love your action step of writing a notecard to parents who are sending their kids to school for the first time.  Well done!  ~ Teri On to today’s episode. We’ve all been there. A friend loses someone important to them through death. We care, but we don’t know what to do. Today’s episode is about what happened to me recently when a friend died, and what I did to help a grieving friend. Hopefully it will give you some ideas for what you can do when you find yourself in the same situation. Because sooner or later, you will. Our Friends, Martin and Suzanne We met them at a missions conference a number of years ago. Martin was from Germany, Suzanne from Chicago. They met in China were they served as missionaries for 11 years. When my book, THEM, came out in 2016, they heard about it and invited Janet and me to come down to their home in Chicago to talk about it. Janet couldn’t make it. So I just went. Suzanne shared similarities in her background and mine. Both of us born to unwed mothers, both of us found Jesus in College through Campus Crusade. My time with her and Martin was just delightful. They would come up to Milwaukee for our GermanFest. Martin would translate the beer-drinking songs into English for us. We last saw them about a year ago when they came to our home. And they invited us to come down to Chicago to do some fun things there. As they were leaving we didn’t know it was to be the last time we would ever see Suzanne. Martin gave me permission to share his story in this podcast, trusting that it may help someone. I’ll start by sharing the sequence and Martin’s texts. Saturday, August 8, 2020,  4:23pm. Suzanne, the love of my life, heart and soul of our small family just went to be with Jesus. The machines keep her body going so she can donate some of her organs. Likely Monday evening! Thank you for everything! The new shocked Janet and me. What do I do to help a grieving friend? 5 minutes later I texted back: Oh no, Martin! I didn’t know she was ill! How terrible. I will pray for you, Serena, and her mom. I will call you at some point in the near future after you have notified everyone. Hang in there brother. A minute later Martin replied: A sudden brain aneurysm on Thursday. So that was Saturday. Monday August 10th, 5:24am Martin’s text: Good morning, Serena and I together with a friend from church will return to the hospital at 7:30 am as Suzanne will go to the OR at 8 am. Serena wrote a statement which will then be read by a staff member. Please remember us during this moment. Thank you, Martin Apparently Suzanne was declared brain dead early that Saturday. And they were keeping her alive until Monday to harvest her organs she was donating. Later that Monday afternoon Martin sent me the viewing and funeral information to take place the coming Friday and Saturday. We couldn’t go - out of town company that weekend. The next communication from Martin was 2 days later on Wednesday August 12th. It was a text with a photo of a blackboard Suzanne kept on the wall in their kitchen. She periodically wrote scripture verses to encourage her daughter Serena and Martin. The last one she ever wrote was from Isaiah 41:10. Martin included a link to a Gofundme campaign that 5 people from his church took on to pay for the funeral, cemetery expenses, and something to replace Suzanne’s lost income to help pay for Serena’s college expenses next year. He also shared the text of his daughter Serena’s donor letter to the medical staff and the recipients of her mother’s organs, her heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. Imagine this 17-year-old girl who just lost her mother, writing the following to 4 unknown people who would be caring parts of her mother’s body in their bodies for rest of their lives. Serena's donor statement Dear Medical Staff & Recipients, When I think of Mom, I think of giving. There would never be a time where she would go empty-handed anywhere. It would be what can we bring or what would make them smile. Giving to others was what she was born to do ever since she was little. She gave to others all over the world not only with gifts but her precious love and time. It was always her wish to become a mom and give everything she had to that little human. After a couple years of praying and hoping she had me. She told everyone I was a gift from God and her little miracle baby. She gave me the most wonderful life that anyone could imagine having. When things weren’t perfect, she made it perfect when things weren’t ok, she somehow made them ok. Since she gifted me this life I am gifting you all parts of her. She will carry on and live on in the lives of others. Even when she’s no longer with us she’s giving and will forever be. So with that, be gentle and accept these gifts that she is giving because she is smiling with joy. May she forever be known as the most loving and giving person out there. Be gentle with these parts of her because these will be the best gifts she’s ever given. With lots of love, her daughter Serena. Then on Friday, the public viewing was held, followed by the funeral on Saturday. Only 50 people were allowed in, all masked. It was live-streamed. I watched and saved the link and emailed it to a mutual friend in Germany who was very close to Suzanne. A week later I texted Martin and asked if he’d like to talk. He couldn’t at the time, but we set a time to chat a few days later, on August 24th in the evening. We talked, or I should say, he talked for about an hour. “I can’t believe this has happened. “I don’t know if we have any money. Suzanne took care of all the finances here in America. I did the same thing when we lived in Germany. I don’t know how things work here. Do we even have any money? I don’t know. “The only reason we moved to Chicago was to care for Suzanne’s mother. We spent several years in Germany caring for my father before he died, and now it was going to be Suzanne’s turn to care for her mother. How am I going to do this? “Why would God allow this to happen?” Martin later in the evening texted me with “Thank you for reaching out. Still remember our visit with you!!!” About a week later Martin texted me on September 3rd, late in the evening: "John I would like to come up to New Berlin someday and talk to you if you are available. I just don't know whether I have someone to stay with Jo for a couple of hours. Unless you would be able to come to Chicago and we could talk here at our place. Just wondered. Thinking about my life story and generational issues." I went to bed with this on my mind. The next morning I woke up and told Janet about Martin’s text. I said, “I think I need to go down there. It would so much easier for Martin.” Without hesitating, Janet agreed. So I texted Martin and we arranged a time for me to drive the 85 miles down to Chicago to meet and talk. I didn’t know what I would do, or what I would say, except to just be there with him and listen, and then take it from there. No plan, except to listen. So my answer to the question and title of today’s episode of how to help a grieving friend is this: Just show up, be present, and listen. In next week’s episode I tell you what happened, and what I learned from my grieving friend that could help you the next time one of your friends goes through grief. If you forget everything else, here’s the one thing I hope you remember from today’s episode. God is at work in the lives of our friends, and there are times, especially the difficult times, when we have the privilege of being used by God to be part of that work. It pleases and honors him when we accept the invitation to be part of the story he is writing. It starts by just showing up and listening. What you can do in response to today’s show? When someone you know is going through loss, be part of God’s story of working in their life. Be open to the possibility that God may want you to join in the journey of grief your friend is going through. Ask God what role he wants you to play. He may not want your significant involvement, but he would at least like you to ask him. As always, another thing you could do is let me and your fellow listeners know what resonated with you about today’s episode. By the way, did you know this podcast and our blog posts are sponsored by Caring for Others, a missionary care ministry?  It is through this organization that we first met Martin and Suzanne. Closing I hope your thinking was stimulated by today’s show, to both reflect and to act. So that you will find the joy God intends for you through your relationships. Because after all, You Were Made for This. Now for Our Relationship Quote of the Week In my book THEM I wrote about our daughter’s friend Kellie, who lost her child within hours of birth. One year after this tragic loss she posted this quote on Facebook by Ralph Fletcher from his book Fig Pudding, “When someone you love dies, you get a big bowl of sadness put down in front of you, steaming hot. You can start eating now, or you can let it cool and eat it bit by bit later on. Either way, you end up eating the whole thing. There's really no way around it.” That’s all for today. See you next week. Bye for now.

The War on MenShow The War on MenThis ACU show consists of 6 selections on the War on Men.  Bill Burr on Feminism and Marriage. To watch the entire extended video visit-https://youtu.be/vUXCSivoobs Recommended but explicit.  Bill Burr Goes on an Epic Rant on a mather that makes Jimmy Fallon Very Nervoushttps://youtu.be/_MqjYdXHfI4  MEETING THE ENEMY A feminist comes to terms with the Men's Rights movement | Cassie Jaye | TEDxMarinhttps://youtu.be/3WMuzhQXJoY Published on Oct 18, 2017By facing long-held assumptions, one woman reevaluates her own gender biases. Documentary Filmmaker, The Red Pill Cassie Jaye founded Jaye Bird Productions in 2008, which has since produced a collection of documentary films that have been praised for being thought-provoking, entertaining and respectful in representing multiple competing views within each film. Jaye is known for tackling complex and often controversial subject matters. Her latest film is The Red Pill. http://theredpillmovie.com/about-the-... ~~ This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx "The Red Pill" documentary extended sneak previewCassie JayePublished on Oct 12, 2015Watch the official "The Red Pill" movie trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLzea... Please support Cassie Jaye on Patreon so she can continue making video content: https://www.patreon.com/cassiejaye Make a one-time donation to Cassie Jaye via PayPal: http://bit.ly/2wcWVoA BEST PLACES TO WATCH "THE RED PILL" MOVIE: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mB13... VIMEO: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/theredpill Amazon Prime Video: http://amzn.to/2uCUVWa Amazon DVD US: http://amzn.to/2vwaIm6 * Amazon Blu-Ray US: ttp://amzn.to/2uCDcy0 * Amazon DVD Canada: http://a.co/88bdB7f * Amazon Blu-Ray Canada: http://a.co/92WKbUI * iTunes US: http://apple.co/2l4MsWm iTunes Canada: http://apple.co/2l0sOev iTunes UK: http://apple.co/2lc4NBm iTunes Ireland: http://apple.co/2jUQUTn VUDU: http://www.vudu.com/movies/#!content/... GOOGLE PLAY: https://play.google.com/store/movies/... XBOX: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store... Also available on Hulu in select territories. Members of a school, university, or public library can watch on Kanopy: https://www.kanopystreaming.com/produ... * All of the DVDs & Blu-Rays have Closed Captioning in English. The discs are Region 0 which means they will play on any player in the world! Our distributor is working on getting more VOD platforms to supply the film and in more countries, in multiple languages. www.theredpillmovie.com Cassie Jaye on Twitter @Cassie_Jaye The Red Pill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RedPillMovie/ Cassie Jaye's on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cassiejaye Make a one-time donation to Cassie Jaye via PayPal: http://bit.ly/2wcWVoA closed captioning / subtitles are included in this video in: English, Spanish, Turkish, German, Italian, Russian, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Greek, Arabic, Swedish and Polish. If you are able and would like to translate this video into another language for us, please email us at: info (at) theredpillmovie  War on Boyshttps://youtu.be/OFpYj0E-yb4 PragerUPublished on May 19, 2014What ever happened to letting "boys be boys?" Take these two cases: In one, a seven-year-old boy was sent home for nibbling a Pop Tart into a gun. In another, a teacher was so alarmed by a picture drawn by a student (of a sword fight), that the boy's parents were summoned in for a conference. In short, boys in America's schools are routinely punished for being active, competitive, and restless. In other words, boys can no longer be boys. Christina Hoff Sommers, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, explains how we can change this. Donate today to PragerU! http://l.prageru.com/2ylo1Yt Joining PragerU is free! Sign up now to get all our videos as soon as they're released. http://prageru.com/signup Download Pragerpedia on your iPhone or Android! Thousands of sources and facts at your fingertips. iPhone: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsnbG Android: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsS5e Join Prager United to get new swag every quarter, exclusive early access to our videos, and an annual TownHall phone call with Dennis Prager! http://l.prageru.com/2c9n6ys Join PragerU's text list to have these videos, free merchandise giveaways and breaking announcements sent directly to your phone! https://optin.mobiniti.com/prageru Do you shop on Amazon? Click https://smile.amazon.com and a percentage of every Amazon purchase will be donated to PragerU. Same great products. Same low price. Shopping made meaningful. VISIT PragerU! https://www.prageru.com FOLLOW us! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prageru Twitter: https://twitter.com/prageru Instagram: https://instagram.com/prageru/ PragerU is on Snapchat! JOIN PragerFORCE! For Students: http://l.prageru.com/29SgPaX JOIN our Educators Network! http://l.prageru.com/2c8vsff Script: Being a normal boy is a serious liability in today’s classroom. Boys tend to be disorganized and restless. Some have even been known to be noisy and hard to manage. Sound like any boy you know? But increasingly, our schools have little patience for what only a couple of decades ago would have been described as “boyishness.” As psychologist Michael Thompson has aptly observed: “Girls behavior is the gold standard in schools. Boys are treated like defective girls.” As a result, these “defective girls” are not faring well academically. Compared with girls, boys earn lower grades, win fewer honors they’re are far less likely to go to college. Boys are languishing academically, while girls are prospering. In an ever more knowledge-based economy, this is not a recipe for a successful society. We need to start thinking about how we can make our grade school classrooms more boy-friendly. Well, here are four reforms that would make a very good start. 1. Turn boys into readers. In all age groups, across all ethnic lines, boys score lower than girls on national reading tests. Good reading skills -- need I say? -- are critical to academic and workplace success. A major study in the UK discovered, not surprisingly, that girls prefer fiction, magazines, and poetry while boys prefer comics and non-fiction. Boys whose eyes glaze over if forced to read Little House on the Prairie may be riveted by the Guinness Book of Records. Boys will read if given materials that interest them. If you’re looking for suggestions for books that have proved irresistible to boys go to guysread.com. 2. Inspire the male imagination. Celebrated writing instructor Ralph Fletcher contends that too many teachers take what is called “the confessional poet” as the classroom ideal. Personal narratives full of emotions and self-disclosure -- these are stories girls commonly write -- and these are prized; whereas action stories describing, say, a skateboard competition or a monster devouring a city, these are not. I recently read about a third-grader in Southern California named Justin who loved science-fiction, pirates, and battles. An alarmed teacher summoned his parents to school to discuss the picture the 8-year-old had drawn of a sword fight -- which included several decapitated heads. The teacher expressed grave “concern” about Justin’s “values.” The boy’s father was astonished, not by his son’s drawing which to him was typical boy stuff, but by the teacher’s overwrought -- and female-centered -- reaction. If boys are constantly subject to disapproval for their interests and enthusiasms they are likely to become disengaged and lag further behind. Our schools need to work with, not against, the kinetic imaginations of boys. For the complete script, visit https://www.prageru.com/videos/war-boys 'War On Men' Rush Weighs In On Suzanne Venker's Piece On FoxNews.comPublished on May 17, 2014Find More @ http://www.DailyRushbo.comhttps://youtu.be/qByT2jhHTtc

Jennifer Laffin Writing Matters with Dr. Troy Hicks is a Writable podcast. Learn how to grow great writers at https://www.writable.com/ Like and subscribe to Writing Matters on: ∙ Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2HcOcaP ∙ Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2XA5wwl ∙ Soundcloud: bit.ly/2SFbrwr ∙ Google Play: https://bit.ly/2SOrUOM ∙ Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/writable/writing-matters Learn more about Dr. Troy Hicks at hickstro.org and follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hickstro About Jennifer Laffin: I am a former 4th and 5th-grade teacher from southeast Wisconsin. I began my teaching career like many teachers -- without a clue as to how to teach writing. My teacher prep courses did not cover writing instruction and I didn’t have a school writing curriculum to offer guidance so you can imagine how lost I was. My first year of teaching, my students wrote ONE time -- a poem for Mother’s Day in May of that school year. Determined to make things better, I began to research the best practices for teaching writing. I read everything I could get my hands on and was lucky enough to come across Ralph Fletcher’s The Writing Workshop. I devoured this book in one weekend and was excited to bring more writing time to my classroom. After a few years of having a classroom writing workshop, I felt better but still felt like something was missing. My students were definitely writing more, but I was struggling with helping them move forward as writers. In the summer of 2012, I participated in the National Writing Project’s Summer Institute at UW-Milwaukee. It was here that I had an important revelation -- that teachers who write make the best teachers of writers. If I wanted to become an effective writing teacher, I needed to write. As a teacher-writer, I experienced firsthand how writing works. How to push through the hard parts. How a writer’s writing process is unique to every writer. How struggle is something ALL writers experience. I brought all of this experience into my classroom and it made a HUGE difference. Once I became a teacher-writer, I became a member of my classroom writing community. I wrote alongside my students. I conferred with them writer-to-writer. They saw me doing the work of a writer so they pushed themselves to do the same. In 2017 I left the classroom and began Teach Write LLC, a writing education company that helps teachers and their students grow as writers. I work with individual teachers and schools to support writing instruction that is grounded in the work of teacher-as-writer. My Time to Write workshops offered through my Teach Write Academy brings together teacher-writers once a week on Zoom to write together, to talk about writing and our writing-classrooms, and to cheer each other on in our writing endeavors. Our monthly #TeachWrite Facebook Slow Chat (formerly Twitter chat) focuses on the life and work of the teacher-writer and has connected hundreds of teacher-writers across the country and world. For more information on Jennifer Laffin: * Twitter: https://twitter.com/TeachWriteEdu * Website: https://www.teachwrite.org/ * Newsletter Sign Up: https://mailchi.mp/0e130a60ad9d/teach-write-news * The Time to Write Online Writer's Workshop: https://www.teachwriteacademy.com/ * Teach Write Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/348136095622823/ * Teach Writer Slow Chat on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachwritechat/ **************************************************** Join the Writable community: ∙ Twitter: https://twitter.com/getwritable ∙ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getwritable/ ∙ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/writ... ∙ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getwritable/ ∙ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/getwritable/ ∙ Medium: https://medium.com/writable

Photography literally means 'light-writing' so it's no surprise that photography and writing go hand-in-hand. Used together, the possibilities of artistic expression are endless.Support the show (https://educationcloset.com)

Tammy Breitweiser, the “accidental inspirationalist,” is a master at taking self-imposed challenges and transforming them into new habits and massive productivity. From her own 100 Rejections Project, to her participation in various online challenges available to all of us, Tammy shows us how to turn be writers with a capital W! Ready to join the Happy Campers Club for only $30 -- one dollar a day https://mailchi.mp/be83521f036a/happycamperclub Mentioned in this episode: Tammy Breitweiser on Medium https://medium.com/@tammybreitweiser  Tammy’s Twitter https://twitter.com/tlbreit?lang=en  Tammy’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/runnertammyz/?hl=en  Tammy’s Reading/Writing Life https://tammysreadinglife.wordpress.com/  Weekend Coffee Share https://medium.com/the-partnered-pen/weekend-coffee-share-5c6970b1406f  Ralph Fletcher http://ralphfletcher.com/  Windy Lynn Harriss https://windylynnharris.com/  Jenna Britton https://www.jennabritton.com/  Story a Day https://storyaday.org/  What No One Tells You About Writing https://medium.com/@tammybreitweiser/what-no-one-tells-you-about-writing-c52d143b038e  Sandra Cisneros https://www.sandracisneros.com/  THE ARTIST’S WAY https://juliacameronlive.com/  Keep App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.keep&hl=en_US  BIG MAGIC https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/books/big-magic/  Sign up for Happy Campers Club: https://mailchi.mp/be83521f036a/happycamperclub Two Sylvia’s Press https://www.twosylviaspress.com/index.html Sarah Selecky https://www.sarahseleckywritingschool.com/daily-prompts/ The 100 Day Project https://www.the100dayproject.org/ Creative Life Scholars https://creativelifescholars.com/ Typewriter Tarot https://www.typewritertarot.com/  NV Rivera YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpPlp1EVzQhDFPdGp5w2KoQ?view_as=subscriber  Stay connected to learn about all Stop Writing Alone stuff -- get on Nicole’s email list: https://mailchi.mp/ff8df93e57dc/penpals  Buy Nicole a coffee (AKA support the podcast!) https://ko-fi.com/stopwritingalone   Places to connect to the STOP WRITING ALONE community and introduce yourself: Stop Writing Alone FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/stopwritingalone/ Join the Stop Writing Alone with Nicole Rivera FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2205774733034348/ Stop Writing Alone website: https://stopwritingalone.com/ Join the Stop Writing Alone email list: https://mailchi.mp/ff8df93e57dc/penpals  Stop Writing Alone Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/stopwritingalone/  Nicole’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/nv_rivera  The Stop Writing Alone voice number (call to introduce yourself!): (646) 907-9607    When you find a group of people who lift you up on a daily basis, it is important to share their awesome. Here are links to the women in Nicole’s Mastermind group (currently going by the name The Voxer Vixens!). Please support these women who do so much to support Nicole on a daily basis! Kim A. Flodin https://www.howinthehellpodcast.com/ Lisa Murray https://ihavedreamsdammit.com/ Claire Oldham West https://slimmingstories.podbean.com/ Johanna Jaquez-Peralta https://www.instagram.com/latina_livin_keto/ Emma Isaacs https://www.instagram.com/emmaisaacsdesign/ 

Today on the podcast we’re examining the relationship between photography and writing.Ralph Fletcher, most recently the author of Focus Lessons, believes that the language of writing has a natural link with photography. He writes that “photography can illuminate the craft of writing and help us understand it in a whole new way.In this episode, Heinemann author Carl Anderson sits down with Ralph to discuss Focus Lessons, and how educators might start to regard the camera as an integral part of the writing classroom…

This is the second part of chapter 9 when we find out more about a family secret.

Ralph Fletcher is a pioneer when it comes to teaching writing to both teachers and students. He began his teaching career at Teachers College as a student of Lucy Calkins in the early days of The Writing Project, and he popularized the Writer's Notebook. To date, he's written over 40 books ranging from getting boys to enjoy writing to craft lessons. Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with Ralph Fletcher about his entire career, beginning with his interest in taking careful notes while traveling to the South Pacific as a college student to his latest interest in photography- which is sort of like a Writer's Notebook as described by Ralph.

On today’s podcast, putting the fun back into writing. Ralph Fletcher says nothing helps writers grow like practice, but not just any kind of practice will do, you’ve got to bring the joy! In his new book, Joy Write, Ralph shares the whys and the how of giving students time and autonomy for the playful, low-stakes writing that leads […] The post Joy Write with Ralph Fletcher appeared first on Heinemann Blog.

Author Ralph Fletcher wrote the book on Writing Workshop, literately. Heinemann published Writing Workshop, the Essential Guide, from Ralph Fletcher and Co-author JoAnn Portalupi in 2001. In it they wrote: “Students who learn to write well truly have one of the most powerful tools imaginable." We talked with Ralph about the early weeks of Writing […] The post Ralph Fletcher on The Writing Workshop appeared first on Heinemann Blog.

Laura Robb  Author, teacher, coach, and 43-year veteran of teaching  (Virgina)            Resource of the Week: New York Times most emailed articles   (email me your favorite resource talkswithteachers@gmail.com)    Segment I – Background and Inspiration Tell your story. Where are you from and how long have you been teaching? What classes have you taught?  – Laura taught for 43 years, yet she still teaches about three months a year and does consulting and workshops because she loves being in the classroom. She loves seeing kids as they begin school (kindergarden or 1st grade) and loves seeing them at the end, before they embark to high school (8th grade). She had worked in advertising in New York City after graduating Queens College with a Bachelor's in English and French. When her husband took a music job in Virginia, she moved with him and she obtained a teaching job in a rural school in Virginia. Laura was the only faculty member not related to the principal.  Who has helped you in your journey to become a master teacher? – Laura has all of Donald Graves' books. In her opinion, Donald trusts the children. It defies the concept of the sage on the stage. Graves shows the true collaboration of teaching that exists between teacher and student. She recommends to read his work. He has such respect for teachers and children and in today's climate we have lost a lot of that.  In Testing Is Not Teaching: What Should Count in Education, he argues that learning is not about a test but about creativity and encouragement.    It is important for other teachers to know that we all have had setbacks in the classroom. Identify an instance in which you struggled as a teacher and explain what you learned from that experience. – Laura had a string of lessons that didn't go as planned. It happened when she transitioned from being a 5th grade teacher to a middle school teacher. She lost a lot of reading time in the transition. She had to manage ways to get students to read during class and resulted in a  book, Differentiated Reading Instruction.  What do you love about the Language Arts? – Literacy is about communication and it is about learning and Laura can't imagine life without either one. These are essential qualities to get a good job, be a productive citizen. The Language Arts holds our stories and we are a species that is all about stories.  We think in terms of story, we a re programmed in terms of stories. It is what helps us learns about others. What is one thing that you love about the classroom?  – She loves the energy in the room, especially when kids are doing different things and they come together to share what they've been working on.  Segment II — Digging into the Teacher Bag of Goodies    What book do you recommend to a developing teacher? -- Ralph Fletcher's book on writing workshop, Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide is outstanding.  The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child by Donalyn Miller is a great book about choice in reading. You should read that before reading her new book, Reading in the Wild: The Book Whisperer's Keys to Cultivating Lifelong Reading Habits. Laura believes it is all about choice.  What is one thing a teacher can do outside the classroom that can pay off inside the classroom? –She read children's literature, discovering authors that she loved. It allowed her to brings books into the classroom. She also saw the importance of taking care of herself. She has always enjoyed hiking and being active. Laura emphasizes nurturing your own soul.  Is there an internet resource that you can recommend which will help teachers grow professionally? – Laura uses the web more for students than for herself. She had her students create blogs and develop podcasts. She reads Edutopia, Middle Web,

Renowned Heinemann author Ralph Fletcher is with us 

As part of our workshop on May 8th, the participants created a group poem based on the picture book, Twilight comes Twice by Ralph Fletcher. twilightpoem.mp3