Author: Gail Desler

  • NWP 20, Hmong 40

    NWP 20, Hmong 40

    Twenty years ago, I started on an amazing, ongoing professional development journey by applying for the Area 3 Writing Project’s Summer Institute (SI). I knew from the opening day that my SI experience would provide me with exceptional best practices in teaching writing and, equally important, with an incredible professional learning community. But in 1995, I certainly…

  • Helping Students Flex Their Reading Level/Lexile Muscles

    Helping Students Flex Their Reading Level/Lexile Muscles

    I grew up in a home with books. In the room we referred to as the “den,” an entire wall was lined with my parents’ books and book collections. There was also a small glass three-shelf bookcase that did not require any climbing and reaching on my part and that held “the book.” It was The…

  • Change Writers – The Journey Continues

    Change Writers – The Journey Continues

    The Communications Director for my school district contacted me last week. She had Googled my name (while writing a press release for the superintendent) and was very intrigued by a link that appeared from the Digital Is website: On Becoming Change Writers, a reflective piece I co-authored on engaging students, teachers, and community activists in…

  • #UnfollowBullying – Recognizing the Power of Student-Created Content

    If you are planning to submit nominations for the 2012 Edublogs Awards, I hope you will consider #UnfollowBullying as a candidate for the Best Twitter Hashtag category. #UnfollowBullying, a student-created, student driven initiative, is in recognition that students are the ones who will lead the charge in their online communities to ensure that all students…

  • The Power of Two

    A Shared Reflection from Gail Desler & Natalie Bernasconi Good things are bound to happen when National Writing Project teachers have an opportunity to team up and attend a 2-week technology institute (as part of a year-long program), in a state-of-the-art setting, with all expenses paid. The two of us were already sure that would be the…

  • Teachers Teaching Teachers – Connected learning for educators

    Note: Cross posted from Blogwalker I have a folder in my file cabinet marked Teachers Teaching Teachers. In it are notes I’ve jotted down from various Teachers Teaching Teachers shows – snippets of inspiring quotes from teachers across the nation or sometimes the world, titles to insightful books and  articles, links to thought-provoking websites, and…

  • Gearing Up for Digital Learning Day

    I’m starting the countdown to California’s February 1 Digital Learning Day celebration and feeling very fortunate to be attending the event with three outstanding teachers from my district. Lesley McKillop, 4th grade teacher at Prairie Elementary and Area 3 Writing Project colleague, will share how her students use filmmaking as tool for transforming their writing…

  • Feb 1 is Digital Learning Day

    Reposted from Blogwalker Digital Learning Day – what a great way for schools to head into the New Year! If your district, like mine, is experiencing the weight of PI (Program Improvement) pressures, requirements and walk-throughs sucking the creative juices right out classrooms, Digital Learning Day will provide a much-needed celebration of innovative teachers and…