Sarah J. Donovan, PhD (s/her)

August: 3/5-Day Writing Challenge

Inspiration Childhood is a magical time for many of us, but certainly not all of us. Write a poem in which you paint a picture of your childhood for the reader. Process What was your childhood like? How would you describe your hometown to someone …

August: 2/5-Day Writing Challenge

Inspiration A blackjack poem is simply a 3 lined poem comprised of 7 syllables in each line for a total of 21 syllables. Unlike a haiku which is normally about nature, blackjack can be about anything. Process When I think of the word blackjack, I …

August: 1/5-Day Writing Challenge

Inspiration All of us make lists, right? Grocery lists, to-do lists, playlists, top-ten lists, lists of goals, and so on. Some lists are more insightful than others. Kwame Alexander’s poem, “Ten Reasons Why Fathers Cry at Night” offers us a peek into his mind as …

Protected: Riverfield: Writers’ Workshop for Middle and Upper Grade Writers

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First Days of School: Learning Names & Making Friends

Names matter. As one of eleven children, I had to be patient while my father recalled my name to ask for more iced tea: “Cathy, not Chris, Sue, not Tom or Joe, Mary, Julie, Clare —- ” And I’d remind him. “Sarah! Yes, Sarah! More …

July: 5/5-Day Writing Challenge

Today’s writing inspiration comes from Kimberly Johnson, Ed.D. She is a literacy coach and media specialist in a public school in rural Georgia. A former public school classroom teacher for 20 Years, she taught all grades except 4th and 12th, and she is the author …

#ELATE19, Arkansas

ELATE, English Language Arts Teacher Educators, is a professional community engaged in the preparation, support, and continuing education of ELA teachers. Members meet yearly at NCTE and every two years for an intensive 3-day ELATE conference to share research and stories of effective English teacher …