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Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Comical Relief for Reluctant Writers



MakeBeliefsComix is a terrific interactive site which will help to motivate even your most reluctant writers. Okay, so this isn't my usual "teaching with picture books" content. But lately, I've gotten a few emails from teachers looking for ways to get their hardcore haters excited about writing. "Picture books helped with the reading," one follower said, "but what about the writing?"

First, if you haven't checked out my small collection of Interactive Writing Sites, head over there now. We'll wait. You'll find some really good stuff that has proven effective in many classrooms. There's a poetry generator there that's just perfect for Poetry Month!

Then, check out MakeBeliefsComix. For our graphic novels generation, what could possibly make more sense? I won't spend long selling you on the site, because I think you'll see for yourself that it's well designed, highly intuitive, and very open-ended.


If you'd rather not unleash such unbridled freedom upon your young writers, there's good news for you. MakeBeliefsComix has just launched a printables section, with teachers and parents in mind. These aren't coloring pages! We're talking prompts, people!

If you try any of these activities in your classroom, let me know how they work out!

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Do you have any other suggestions for websites that will help people who have trouble with the simple things in the classroom. I am going to school to become a special education teacher and any suggestions you have for my future classroom would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Keith Schoch said...

A great place to visit for numerous, targeted web site recommendations is http://www.proteacher.net. This forum allows you to dialogue with hundreds of other teachers,a nd to take advantage of their expertise and experience. Check out the writing site I recommended above, and also my Interactive Math Sites collection at http://www.squidoo.com/interactivemathsites.

Unknown said...

Thank you very much for those sites. I am sure they will come in very handy in the future. Do you have any other advise that could help me in preparing for my own classroom. I am going to school for both elementary ed and special ed. Thank you for helping me out. It can be a hard job being a teacher, but I have done some field experience and I absolutely love it. Any advise you have would be great! Or if you have any suggestions about activities or things that have worked in your classroom, please let me know! Thank you very much

Theresa said...

Hello! I am an education student and I just happened to come across your blog. I recently worked in a classroom focusing on literacy in my small group. The sites you shared are amazing! I wish I had seen them before my in class experience. I really like how the printable section is not just coloring worksheets. They have enough illustration to get the students interested with the added bonus of the blank text boxes. I think this is a great way to get students thinking and becoming better writers! I found the other links you have posted very useful as well! Thanks for all of the tips!

Keith Schoch said...

Trust me, every teacher seems to find "just the right resource" just a day or two after they've taught the topic! But a good idea is to start bookmarking those sites now so when you're actually teaching you'll have them all at your fingertips. A site such as backflip.com or ikeepbookmarks.com will allow you to save and use your favorites from anywhere (plus search through other people's favorites). Good luck with your future career!