These are three books I’m hoping to dig into a little more. If you click on the titles, it will take you to Heinemann’s website and sample chapters from all of the books. Falling in Love with Close Reading: Lessons for Analyzing Texts and Life Notice & Note: Strategies for Close Reading Text & Lessons for Content Area Reading Since Deb and I have been asked to encourage and support middle schoolers in annotating text and showing their thinking while reading content area material, I’ve changed my reading patterns a… Read more Reading Like a Writer →
Go Laundry is my nemesis. A few years ago, I decided that I should embrace it for what it is: a sign of a healthy family. That made laundry tolerable. This summer I wondered what would happen if I quit rushing every load and instead took my time. So I’ve been trying to enjoy laundry. I tell myself to be thankful for the dirty knees and the extra practice clothes. I tell myself to smile at the inside out arms because these arms won’t always be little. I tell myself… Read more {laundry} Five Minute Friday →
I’m afraid of writing. I’m thinking I don’t have anything worthwhile to say, that I’m completely inadequate, and who am I to think I could write a book that people would want to read? At the same time, my brain has been hijacked and my thoughts bump over each other, planning and percolating, and demanding to come out on the page. My pen freezes over my notebook and the thought of opening a Word document makes me catch my breath. Once I add a folder called just write in this… Read more I’m Afraid →
In the back southwest corner of our yard is a dump pile. It’s a place for grass clippings and watermelon rinds and leaves and trimmings from the flower beds. It… Read more Undeserved (SOLS) →
GoOrdinary is my favorite. Ordinary meals and ordinary clothes and ordinary evenings. I find myself craving ordinary. I think this is why my One Little Word for the year still scares me (even nine and a half months into the year). Even though I strive for ordinary, the mere word — shine — demands being set apart. I keep thinking if I learn to shine in the ordinary, maybe I can still blend in. Doing dishes and sorting laundry and steaming broccoli.Putting gas in the car and answering email and… Read more {ordinary}: Five Minute Friday →
Go I write to celebrate life. It’s Friday night and a whole long week is behind me. It was jammed-packed with opportunities that stem because I write. Speaking, video taping… Read more {write} five minute friday →
This parenting gig is not an easy one. Sometimes when I think it’s too big and I’m not going to make it, I remember this story. It’s a story of… Read more Reforming a Liar {+ a MOPS Giveaway} →
This week I was reminded that life is more about being than doing. Trevor Jones, our worship leader at church, asked us to remember that our purpose is linked to… Read more BE not DO →
The world tells us to want everything pristine and ship-shape and perfect. We go to great lengths in order to keep things whole. But what if it is in the… Read more where the story leads {for the Two Writing Teachers Community} →
Ruth Ayres Writes 