ABSTRACT
It is early April, and the children in Caitlin McArdle's kindergarten are writing. Most are writing stories in booklets of about five pages, and a couple are choosing to work in their Drawing & Writing Books, but whatever the medium, there is a happy feeling in the room, a sense of investment in meaningful work. The series of mini-lessons, presented in the spring of kindergarten, illustrate how one teacher tried to help her students move forward in their understanding of the craft of writing. What may be the most important element reflected in these lessons is that they were presented with a generosity of spirit, high expectation, and belief in students. These lessons illustrate one teacher's progression of thinking about teaching—her teaching her students. Mini-lessons come from the thinking about teaching. Because of their day-to-day living and learning together, teachers and students establish points of reference to which they turn throughout the year.
