AJ, Jackie, Min, and I made our way down to Tainan right after our field trip to the ICDF with our global health class on a Friday. It took us around 4 hours to get to the Tainan bus stop from the Taipei Main Station bus stop. After the long drive, we were starving, so we went to the night market in Tainan!
The next day we went to the Chimei Museum, which was incredible. My favorite part of the museum was definitely the musical instrument collection. Then we grabbed some lunch and headed to the first Confucius Temple in Taiwan. After visiting the temple, we decided to browse the old street before heading back to Taipei.
This weekend we had a makeup day class for the long break that we would have the following weekend. Many of our classes for CLD (Chinese Language Division) had a scavenger hunt field day around Datong District, one of the first areas to be known as Taipei City. The area had many traditional medicine markets, tea shops, and temples. It was really cool to see this side of Taipei.
On Sunday, Olivia, my housemate Colm, and I visited the National Palace Museum. The museum was absolutely incredible. My favorite sections of the museum were the ceramics and jade sections. Seeing Himalayan art there was nice since it made me think of home.
Semi-house trip to Yilan, my housemates Olivia, Julian, Colm, and our local roommate Nana planned to head to Yilan after class to stay the night and go to Waipao Beach and Lanyang Museum the next day. Once we got to Yilan, we all headed to the closest night market, Dongmen Night Market. The scallion pancakes with eggs and the peanut ice cream roll was my personal favorite.
My friends Kemal, Sam, Olivia, and I went to Yuan-Dao Guanyin Temple in Tamsui. This was a very special weekend since April 5th is Tomb Sweeping Day, so they had a special Guanyin collection in the lower level of The Thousand Hand Thousand Eye Guanyin Bodhisattva Establishment that is still under construction.
We headed to Jiufen, which looks like it is straight out of Spirited Away. We grabbed tea at A-Mei Teahouse and then got soup dumplings for lunch. Afterward, we headed to Houtong Cat Village and checked out some of the coal museums and, of course, the cats! Taiwan has made me like cats. Finally, we headed to Shifen to check out the old street and Shifen Falls. However, we could not see the falls because we got there a bit late.
Learning about Inge made my corner of Kansas feel important. Our class took a field trip, looking at the homes in the historic areas of Independence to gain inspiration for our set. The professors at ICC opened the Inge home for our class to tour. It was then used as a home for their Playwrights in Residence program, and we saw the staircase and landing which likely inspired scenes in The Dark at the Top of the Stairs. We visited the Inge cemetery plot, paying our respects while marveling at how a literary giant rose to fame from our tiny corner of the lower Midwest.
However, the place I associate most with Inge is a small picnic spot by the Verdigris River, which can be accessed down a slight ravine beyond the larger picnic areas at the Riverside Park and Ralph Mitchell Zoo. A lone concrete table was nestled in the bottom of the ravine, time wearing it down to a pocked finish, but the area was well-kept and mown for park-goers.
Now, all that remains of that concrete picnic table is the base that anchored it to the ground. The bridge has been reduced to its pillars, likely worn down by flooding and the passage of time. Despite the rubble and debris dotting a ravine along the bank, the area remains a serene spot to enjoy views of the park to the west and the tangled woods around the river to the east.
Autumn Finley grew up in Altamont, KS, but has lived and studied in various communities across Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. She is currently an Associate Professor of literature and composition at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO.
The New Territory Magazine is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization on a mission to advocate and foster love and protection of the Great Plains, Ozarks, and Lower Midwest through publishing art and narrative journalism focused on personal, natural and societal stories. Federal Tax ID: 92-1020750
In New York, our spring break would have been from April 9-April 17. Spring break was canceled as Governor Cuomo asked the schools to continue delivering instruction during this time. My third grade colleagues and I wanted to create something fun and different for our students during this time period. We decided to present them with a new virtual field trip each day.
Students can decide which virtual field trip they want to take from the menu of choices. After exploring the trip, they click on the menu of writing options and choose one or more, depending on what you as the teacher ask them to do.
While I would never try to paint the current situation as one that has a silver lining, I will say that remote teaching and learning has pushed me to learn new tools, technology and ways to create experiences for students. Knowing how to create menus like these will help when I am back in real time with students. I can see this being very helpful for small group instruction and for allowing student opportunities to find the lesson they need when they need it, as Melanie Meehan described in her post on creating videos for students.
You are so awesome! Thank you for sharing this fabulous freebie! We are doing paper packets, but we want to have some online stuff, too. I tried to get my students on Google Classroom, but only a small handful have visited. I am hoping a virtual field trip will lure them to try it out. Next school year, we as a school have decided to get our students on Google Classroom from the beginning so if something like this happens again, they will know how to use it!!!
I am really glad this will be helpful to your students! My students really enjoyed the field trips. It was funny how kids had different favorites. Some loved Paris, others chose Disney and still others loved the zoo. Washington DC had some fans too! We are all learning so many lessons right now. I am sure getting your student into Google Classroom early on will be helpful!
Hi Iris! Thanks for your kind words. I am so glad this can help you and your students. The virtual field trips came together in pieces. My sister-in-law told me that on Youtube there are rides that make you feel like you are right there for Disney World. She said her class had taken a virtual field trip to Disney. That made me think of the Disney rides. I searched on Youtube for virtual rides and found a bunch. I made a Google Doc for The Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Animal Kingdom. I used a table and then typed the name of the ride. Then I hyperlinked the name of the ride to the video. After I did all that, I used the platform Buncee to make a sign about the trip and hyperlinked it to the Google Doc page that had all the rides. For the other trips, I just made a Buncee and linked the different places they could go within that one page. If you need more information, feel free to email me at mrs.sokolowski(AT)gmail.com. Good luck!
Send us a Text Message.It's the final episode of season two, so we're discussing some of the best practices for writing instruction. We cover the importance of a thriving writing community and the writing process, and we explore the role of oral language in boosting writing stamina. We also discuss the importance of dedicated and intentional writing time, the reciprocity between reading and writing, and the thrill of writing for an authentic audience. This episode will tee you up for the next school year!***Many thanks to this episode\u2019s sponsor, Texthelp!\u00a0Visit text.help\/cowriter to learn more about Co:Writer prediction in Read&Write because everyone deserves the power to read, write, and understand.***Go Deeper:- Answers to Your Biggest Questions About Teaching Elementary Writing by Melanie Meehan
- Collaboration and Community in the Writing Workshop
- Craft Moves: Lesson Sets for Teaching Writing with Mentor Texts by Stacey Shubitz
- Exploring the Power of Oral Language: A Conversation with a Colleague (with Lainie Levin)
- Exploring Voice Typing During Writing Workshop
- Family Resources for At-Home Learning
- Research Round-up (Build Your Expertise Blog Series)
- The Editing Minute
- #TWTBlog Posts about Audience
- Writing Instruction Considerations by Carl Anderson & Matt Glover***Thank you to our affiliate, Zencastr.Use our special link (https:\/\/zen.ai\/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.\u00a0***Please 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: meehan...@gmail.com
- Stacey Shubitz: sta...@staceyshubitz.com Email us at con...@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.","title":"Exploring Best Practices and Research in Writing Instruction: A Digging Deeper Dialogue","image":"","guid":"Buzzsprout-15160296","publish_date":"2024-06-02T07:00:00+00:00","duration":"39:02"},"id":"podcast-track-3","link":"","src":"https:\/\/pdcn.co\/e\/www.buzzsprout.com\/2027003\/15105295-plan-your-summer-learning-a-tip-for-tomorrow-from-melanie.mp3","type":"audio\/mpeg","description":"Send us a Text Message.Melanie explores critical strategies to help you plan for your summer learning. Discover practical tips for organizing your classroom, finding or forming a study group, curating mentor texts, and engaging in personal writing. You'll leave this episode invigorated to try one or more ways to enhance your teaching skills for the upcoming academic year.Go Deeper:Join a hybrid book study and writing group led by #TWTBlog co-author Lainie Levin this summer. Learn more at this Summer Writing Refresh: A Grown-up Writing Circle.Simple and Functional Classroom DesignThe 9th Annual TWTBlog Author Spotlight SeriesThanks to our affiliate, Zencastr!Use our special link (https:\/\/zen.ai\/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.\u00a0Please 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: meehan...@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: sta...@staceyshubitz.com Email us at con...@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.","description_html":"Send us a Text Message.Melanie explores critical strategies to help you plan for your summer learning. Discover practical tips for organizing your classroom, finding or forming a study group, curating mentor texts, and engaging in personal writing. You'll leave this episode invigorated to try one or more ways to enhance your teaching skills for the upcoming academic year.Go Deeper:
- Join a hybrid book study and writing group led by #TWTBlog co-author Lainie Levin this summer. Learn more at this Summer Writing Refresh: A Grown-up Writing Circle.
- Simple and Functional Classroom Design
- The 9th Annual TWTBlog Author Spotlight SeriesThanks to our affiliate, Zencastr!Use our special link (https:\/\/zen.ai\/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.\u00a0Please 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: meehan...@gmail.com
- Stacey Shubitz: sta...@staceyshubitz.com Email us at con...@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.","title":"Plan Your Summer Learning: A Tip for Tomorrow from Melanie","image":"","guid":"Buzzsprout-15105295","publish_date":"2024-05-26T07:00:00+00:00","duration":"08:14","id":"podcast-track-4","link":"","src":"https:\/\/pdcn.co\/e\/www.buzzsprout.com\/2027003\/15044702-co-create-writing-goals-a-tip-for-tomorrow-from-stacey.mp3","type":"audio\/mpeg","description":"Send us a Text Message.Stacey explores the importance of co-creating goals with students to help them grow as writers. She discusses how collaboration during goal-setting enhances students' ownership, motivation, and personalized learning. It also allows for individualized growth and fosters collaboration and communication with the teacher. If you haven't tried co-creating goals with your students before, this Tip for Tomorrow will inspire you to do so with future groups of students.Go Deeper with These #TWTBlog Posts:Aim Higher: Conferring and Student GoalsCreating Clarity for WritersHow Many Stars? Tools for Self-Assessment and Goal-SettingICYMI Aim Higher: Outgrow Old Goals and Set New Ones (Blog Series)Setting Goals with StudentsStudent Agency, Self-Assessment, and Small Group InstructionStudents and Goal Setting: My Choice, My Growth, My ResponsibilityThe Power of Goal-SettingWhen Your Reality Doesn\u2019t Match Your ExpectationsWriting Checklists: Tools for Independence and Goal-SettingThanks to our affiliate, Marley Spoon! Get $235 off through 5 boxes. This makes the first box portion price start at $4.99. Click here or copy and paste this link into your browser: http:\/\/www.awin1.com\/awclick.php?mid=6988&id=1261005.\u00a0Please 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: meehan...@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: sta...@staceyshubitz.com Email us at con...@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.","description_html":"Send us a Text Message.Stacey explores the importance of co-creating goals with students to help them grow as writers. She discusses how collaboration during goal-setting enhances students' ownership, motivation, and personalized learning. It also allows for individualized growth and fosters collaboration and communication with the teacher. If you haven't tried co-creating goals with your students before, this Tip for Tomorrow will inspire you to do so with future groups of students.Go Deeper with These #TWTBlog Posts:
- Aim Higher: Conferring and Student Goals
- Creating Clarity for Writers
- How Many Stars? Tools for Self-Assessment and Goal-Setting
- ICYMI Aim Higher: Outgrow Old Goals and Set New Ones (Blog Series)
- Setting Goals with Students
- Student Agency, Self-Assessment, and Small Group Instruction
- Students and Goal Setting: My Choice, My Growth, My Responsibility
- The Power of Goal-Setting
- When Your Reality Doesn\u2019t Match Your Expectations
- Writing Checklists: Tools for Independence and Goal-SettingThanks to our affiliate, Marley Spoon! Get $235 off through 5 boxes. This makes the first box portion price start at $4.99. Click here or copy and paste this link into your browser: http:\/\/www.awin1.com\/awclick.php?mid=6988&id=1261005.\u00a0Please 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: meehan...@gmail.com
- Stacey Shubitz: sta...@staceyshubitz.com Email us at con...@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.","title":"Co-create Writing Goals: A Tip for Tomorrow from Stacey","image":"","guid":"Buzzsprout-15044702","publish_date":"2024-05-19T07:00:00+00:00","duration":"06:09","id":"podcast-track-5","link":"","src":"https:\/\/pdcn.co\/e\/www.buzzsprout.com\/2027003\/15011502-developing-paragraph-structure-a-tip-for-tomorrow-from-melanie.mp3","type":"audio\/mpeg","description":"Send us a Text Message.In this episode, Melanie guides you through the art of crafting concise and well-structured paragraphs that are easy to follow and understand. With her expert tips on oral rehearsal and the use of sentence frames, she empowers young writers to hone their writing skills and develop a unique voice. Tune in to learn how to help students move from writing formulaic paragraphs to composing authentic pieces that truly showcase their writing talents.Thanks to our affiliate!Libro.fm: Use the TWTPod CodeReceive 2 audiobook credits for $14.99 USD with your first month of membership.\u00a0Check out Stacey\u2019s audiobook playlist.Please 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: meehan...@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: sta...@staceyshubitz.com Email us at con...@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.","description_html":"Send us a Text Message.In this episode, Melanie guides you through the art of crafting concise and well-structured paragraphs that are easy to follow and understand. With her expert tips on oral rehearsal and the use of sentence frames, she empowers young writers to hone their writing skills and develop a unique voice. Tune in to learn how to help students move from writing formulaic paragraphs to composing authentic pieces that truly showcase their writing talents.Thanks to our affiliate!
- Libro.fm: Use the TWTPod Code
- Receive 2 audiobook credits for $14.99 USD with your first month of membership.\u00a0
- Check out Stacey\u2019s audiobook playlist.Please 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: meehan...@gmail.com
- Stacey Shubitz: sta...@staceyshubitz.com Email us at con...@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.","title":"Developing Paragraph Structure: A Tip For Tomorrow from Melanie","image":"","guid":"Buzzsprout-15011502","publish_date":"2024-05-12T07:00:00+00:00","duration":"09:21","id":"podcast-track-6","link":"","src":"https:\/\/pdcn.co\/e\/www.buzzsprout.com\/2027003\/14939931-unlock-strategies-for-task-initiation-a-tip-for-tomorrow-from-stacey.mp3","type":"audio\/mpeg","description":"Send us a Text Message.Task initiation is one key to student success, particularly in the context of writing instruction. The episode highlights some students' challenges with executive functioning skills and how they struggle to begin tasks efficiently. The host provides nine effective strategies to help students overcome task initiation challenges, such as normalizing task-avoidant behavior, emphasizing work quality, preparing materials, using visual aids and organizers, breaking tasks into smaller steps, employing backwards planning, facilitating getting started, limiting distractions, and incorporating planned breaks. The episode also references Admiral William H. McRaven's \"Make Your Bed\" speech, emphasizing the significance of small tasks and their impact on productivity and motivation.GO DEEPER:Plan Boxes Will Inspire You: A Tip for TomorrowConversation with a Colleague Episodes (with Lainie Levin)Addressing Perfectionism in Writing InstructionExploring the Power of Oral LanguageUniversity of Texas at Austin 2014 Commencement Address and Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World\u00a0 both by Admiral William H. McRaven \u00a0What Is Executive Function? And How Does It Relate to Child Development? from Harvard University\u2019s Center on the Developing ChildWork Quality ContinuumTHANKS TO OUR AFFILIATE!Zencastr: Use our special link (https:\/\/zen.ai\/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.\u00a0Please 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: meehan...@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: sta...@staceyshubitz.com Email us at con...@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.","description_html":"Send us a Text Message.Task initiation is one key to student success, particularly in the context of writing instruction. The episode highlights some students' challenges with executive functioning skills and how they struggle to begin tasks efficiently. The host provides nine effective strategies to help students overcome task initiation challenges, such as normalizing task-avoidant behavior, emphasizing work quality, preparing materials, using visual aids and organizers, breaking tasks into smaller steps, employing backwards planning, facilitating getting started, limiting distractions, and incorporating planned breaks. The episode also references Admiral William H. McRaven's \"Make Your Bed\" speech, emphasizing the significance of small tasks and their impact on productivity and motivation.GO DEEPER:
- Plan Boxes Will Inspire You: A Tip for Tomorrow
- Conversation with a Colleague Episodes (with Lainie Levin)
- Addressing Perfectionism in Writing Instruction
- Exploring the Power of Oral Language
- University of Texas at Austin 2014 Commencement Address and Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World\u00a0 both by Admiral William H. McRaven \u00a0
- What Is Executive Function? And How Does It Relate to Child Development? from Harvard University\u2019s Center on the Developing Child
- Work Quality ContinuumTHANKS TO OUR AFFILIATE!Zencastr: Use our special link (https:\/\/zen.ai\/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.\u00a0Please 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: meehan...@gmail.com
- Stacey Shubitz: sta...@staceyshubitz.com Email us at con...@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.","title":"Unlock Strategies for Task Initiation: A Tip for Tomorrow from Stacey","image":"","guid":"Buzzsprout-14939931","publish_date":"2024-05-05T07:00:00+00:00","duration":"12:48"],"playerId":"jetpack-podcast-player-block-59093-1"}Follow Blog via EmailEnter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.
c80f0f1006
