The Write Way

The Best-Laid Plans of Mice and Men Often Go Awry

You know that feeling when you plan the perfect lesson and everything is going great and then, out of nowhere, something goes wrong and the lesson just falls apart?

Well, we had that feeling last week.
 
We had planned and prepped for our October release for months. We ran endless diagnostic and load tests and tested the software for weeks to check for any bugs and issues. We even postponed the release for a week to ensure that everything would go off without a hitch. Just like that perfectly planned lesson, everything was looking exactly how it needed to be. But then we started the lesson

A New PEG Writing

PEG Writing has a brand new look to go along with its new name, MI Write! We’ve freshened up the website to make it more user-friendly and modern. But don’t worry! You don’t have to learn an entirely new process. Nearly all of the functions remain the same.

What’s new?

• You may notice the tabs in a more logical order at the top of any course page. We also added icons for each tab to give them a bit of character.
• Speaking of character, you now have the ability to add an avatar to your account. Go into “My Account” and add your own photo there. These avatars will show up next to your name in

Kick Your Year off the Write Way

Get to know your students through writing
The first day(s) of school can be overwhelming with information, procedures, and expectations for teachers and students. There’s a lot of focus on the teacher. To shift that attention to the students, give them opportunities to introduce themselves to you, even if you already know them. Give them choices on how to express their introductions. Create a few different prompts in PEG Writing that will get your students writing, reflecting on themselves, and showing you something new about them. We have included several prompt ideas below.

Even though PEG

How to Rock Open House

Open House. Back-to-School Night. Meet the Teacher Night. Whatever you call it, it’s not just about meeting your students and their parents. This is your opportunity to make the best first impression. Even if you already know these students from other classes, in the hallway, clubs and other activities, or seeing them in the cafeteria, this is your chance to meet them as their future teacher. This is a new interaction for them, and it’s important that they see you in this new role.

Your impressions on and of your students are important. However, don’t miss the opportunity to make a great

Writing Assignments: A Student's Perspective

By: Melissa Young, guest writer

As a recent graduate from high school, I was able to reflect on the past four years as a whole and consider what I found helpful, or detrimental, to my performance in school. One of the most important skills students establish in high school is how to write effectively. In my experience, there are four main elements of a writing assignment that will make or break it.

The first factor is the subject matter. Almost every class includes a writing assignment at one point or another, so subjects can vary greatly. Most teachers provide some sort of content for

A Teacher's Summer

Take in a deep breath and let it out slowly. 

You can do that now that summer is here! We know that the end of the school year can be a bittersweet time for both teachers and students. You spent the whole year pouring yourself into your kids and watching them grow. They’ve driven you crazy and made you proud, sometimes simultaneously. You’ve, likewise, had encouraging moments that outshine the times that you lost your cool and had to show them what “tough love” looks like. You are, without a doubt, exhausted.

Before you start planning next year and spending hours upon hours making sure that