Jess
@wordcraftwithjess.bsky.social
ELA Teacher | Storytelling Creatrix & Word Weaver 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ ally
Guiding young minds in the art of words, stories, & self-expression. Believer in the magic of language & the power of stories. ✨📚 #TeachWithMagic #Storytelling #ELA
Guiding young minds in the art of words, stories, & self-expression. Believer in the magic of language & the power of stories. ✨📚 #TeachWithMagic #Storytelling #ELA
I am to grateful (and privileged) to work in a district who sees and values its students, and a district who stands firm in these beliefs.
Today I spent the day refining my allyship knowledge and skills, and planning how I will host my school’s first middle school GSA.
Today I spent the day refining my allyship knowledge and skills, and planning how I will host my school’s first middle school GSA.
October 28, 2025 at 5:46 PM
I am to grateful (and privileged) to work in a district who sees and values its students, and a district who stands firm in these beliefs.
Today I spent the day refining my allyship knowledge and skills, and planning how I will host my school’s first middle school GSA.
Today I spent the day refining my allyship knowledge and skills, and planning how I will host my school’s first middle school GSA.
It’s my favorite time of the year - Weird Writing Wednesdays. When scholars remember they’re innate storytellers and rediscover their love for writing.
October 1, 2025 at 12:52 PM
It’s my favorite time of the year - Weird Writing Wednesdays. When scholars remember they’re innate storytellers and rediscover their love for writing.
August 31, 2025 at 3:04 PM
When your first week activities not only establish routines & expectations, but also model & assess core skills, you really discover how your scholars approach both learning & collaborating.
My bold AND my quiet leaders, my creative AND analytical thinkers get to shine!
My bold AND my quiet leaders, my creative AND analytical thinkers get to shine!
August 27, 2025 at 4:00 PM
When your first week activities not only establish routines & expectations, but also model & assess core skills, you really discover how your scholars approach both learning & collaborating.
My bold AND my quiet leaders, my creative AND analytical thinkers get to shine!
My bold AND my quiet leaders, my creative AND analytical thinkers get to shine!
🎤✨ POP STAR ERA, BUT MAKE IT TEACHING ✨🎤
Teaching is not just a job. It’s a sacred art - a practice shaped as much by the kids in front of us as by the lessons we plan. It is a living, evolving body of work.
💚 This week on Substack, I’m unpacking what “The Life of a Teacher” really means.
Teaching is not just a job. It’s a sacred art - a practice shaped as much by the kids in front of us as by the lessons we plan. It is a living, evolving body of work.
💚 This week on Substack, I’m unpacking what “The Life of a Teacher” really means.
August 14, 2025 at 4:06 PM
🎤✨ POP STAR ERA, BUT MAKE IT TEACHING ✨🎤
Teaching is not just a job. It’s a sacred art - a practice shaped as much by the kids in front of us as by the lessons we plan. It is a living, evolving body of work.
💚 This week on Substack, I’m unpacking what “The Life of a Teacher” really means.
Teaching is not just a job. It’s a sacred art - a practice shaped as much by the kids in front of us as by the lessons we plan. It is a living, evolving body of work.
💚 This week on Substack, I’m unpacking what “The Life of a Teacher” really means.
My newest Substack, Dangerous Words, Sacred Truths is live on Incantations & Ink.
In a time of censorship and fear, choosing what we teach is an act of defiance and devotion.
Read the full post & reclaim the power of the narrative. 🔥
open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
In a time of censorship and fear, choosing what we teach is an act of defiance and devotion.
Read the full post & reclaim the power of the narrative. 🔥
open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
August 7, 2025 at 3:27 PM
My newest Substack, Dangerous Words, Sacred Truths is live on Incantations & Ink.
In a time of censorship and fear, choosing what we teach is an act of defiance and devotion.
Read the full post & reclaim the power of the narrative. 🔥
open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
In a time of censorship and fear, choosing what we teach is an act of defiance and devotion.
Read the full post & reclaim the power of the narrative. 🔥
open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
New school year, new magic ✨
Start the year leading with your heart and create rituals that foster trust and connection. Episode 1 of Incantations & Ink, the podcast is live now.
Listen here: open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
Start the year leading with your heart and create rituals that foster trust and connection. Episode 1 of Incantations & Ink, the podcast is live now.
Listen here: open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
August 4, 2025 at 11:28 PM
New school year, new magic ✨
Start the year leading with your heart and create rituals that foster trust and connection. Episode 1 of Incantations & Ink, the podcast is live now.
Listen here: open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
Start the year leading with your heart and create rituals that foster trust and connection. Episode 1 of Incantations & Ink, the podcast is live now.
Listen here: open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
Coming soon to a Substack near you.
Subscribe. It’s free. 🖤
Subscribe. It’s free. 🖤
August 4, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Coming soon to a Substack near you.
Subscribe. It’s free. 🖤
Subscribe. It’s free. 🖤
Help stock our 6th grade classroom! 📚✏️
a.co/8hWmtZy
As a Title I school facing budget shortfalls & defunding fears, your support means the world to our students. Every item helps! 💛
#SupportTeachers #Title1Schools #ClassroomWishList #AmazonWishlist #BackToSchool #EdEquity #FundEducation
a.co/8hWmtZy
As a Title I school facing budget shortfalls & defunding fears, your support means the world to our students. Every item helps! 💛
#SupportTeachers #Title1Schools #ClassroomWishList #AmazonWishlist #BackToSchool #EdEquity #FundEducation
July 7, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Help stock our 6th grade classroom! 📚✏️
a.co/8hWmtZy
As a Title I school facing budget shortfalls & defunding fears, your support means the world to our students. Every item helps! 💛
#SupportTeachers #Title1Schools #ClassroomWishList #AmazonWishlist #BackToSchool #EdEquity #FundEducation
a.co/8hWmtZy
As a Title I school facing budget shortfalls & defunding fears, your support means the world to our students. Every item helps! 💛
#SupportTeachers #Title1Schools #ClassroomWishList #AmazonWishlist #BackToSchool #EdEquity #FundEducation
Teaching students to determine the truth from noise is an act of empowerment. Check out our newest Substack:
open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
June 10, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Teaching students to determine the truth from noise is an act of empowerment. Check out our newest Substack:
open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
“…what I love about this combination of my witchiness and my muggle job - is that it is a beautifully authentic way to intertwine both my craft of magick and my craft of teaching.”
open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
May 18, 2025 at 11:40 PM
“…what I love about this combination of my witchiness and my muggle job - is that it is a beautifully authentic way to intertwine both my craft of magick and my craft of teaching.”
open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
open.substack.com/pub/incantat...
3 days before spring break, we absolutely need to get out of our seats.
With 4 instructional days before PSSAs we can’t let up, so station rotations it is!
Word sorts to review root words.
With 4 instructional days before PSSAs we can’t let up, so station rotations it is!
Word sorts to review root words.
April 9, 2025 at 2:10 PM
3 days before spring break, we absolutely need to get out of our seats.
With 4 instructional days before PSSAs we can’t let up, so station rotations it is!
Word sorts to review root words.
With 4 instructional days before PSSAs we can’t let up, so station rotations it is!
Word sorts to review root words.
1 HUGE pushback I tend to experience is that I spend too much time & energy on Weird Writing Wednesdays & just having my scholars tell their own stories & read whole novels not enough instructing TDAs.
My WHY is just this:
Thanks Dr. Curcio for the reinforcement #storytelling #readwholebooks
My WHY is just this:
Thanks Dr. Curcio for the reinforcement #storytelling #readwholebooks
March 19, 2025 at 2:23 PM
1 HUGE pushback I tend to experience is that I spend too much time & energy on Weird Writing Wednesdays & just having my scholars tell their own stories & read whole novels not enough instructing TDAs.
My WHY is just this:
Thanks Dr. Curcio for the reinforcement #storytelling #readwholebooks
My WHY is just this:
Thanks Dr. Curcio for the reinforcement #storytelling #readwholebooks
Final product work for our novel study is a good indication of who has locked in for quarter 3 and who has some intense work to do over the next few class meetings. It’s all about growth - so we’re taking a lot of deep breaths, having a lot of one on one meetings. Feedback loops are crucial.
March 14, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Final product work for our novel study is a good indication of who has locked in for quarter 3 and who has some intense work to do over the next few class meetings. It’s all about growth - so we’re taking a lot of deep breaths, having a lot of one on one meetings. Feedback loops are crucial.
It’s the little things in Spring that keep us motivated - Student Envoy’s are preparing their Summit presentations for next week. This is a crucial point of reflection for me as a facilitator, too. I’m intensely aware of how much work we still have to do but so proud of our first year!
March 13, 2025 at 3:48 PM
It’s the little things in Spring that keep us motivated - Student Envoy’s are preparing their Summit presentations for next week. This is a crucial point of reflection for me as a facilitator, too. I’m intensely aware of how much work we still have to do but so proud of our first year!
Working together to survive a hypothetical plane crash - working on collaboration and argumentation.
March 4, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Working together to survive a hypothetical plane crash - working on collaboration and argumentation.
Chatting about the evolution of technology and the need to adapt as we move forward in time. Thanks to Louie Bates for joining us today!
February 28, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Chatting about the evolution of technology and the need to adapt as we move forward in time. Thanks to Louie Bates for joining us today!
Community partnerships for the win today. Thanks @duquesneuniversity.bsky.social for hosting Education day!
February 26, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Community partnerships for the win today. Thanks @duquesneuniversity.bsky.social for hosting Education day!
50 scholars earned honor roll or high honor roll for Q2. That’s up 100% from Q1! 🎉
12 out of 45 of our 6th graders were up there. 🥳
I’m so proud of the hard work these kiddos are putting into their education!
PS our goal for Q3 is 100 scholars! 💙💛
12 out of 45 of our 6th graders were up there. 🥳
I’m so proud of the hard work these kiddos are putting into their education!
PS our goal for Q3 is 100 scholars! 💙💛
February 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
50 scholars earned honor roll or high honor roll for Q2. That’s up 100% from Q1! 🎉
12 out of 45 of our 6th graders were up there. 🥳
I’m so proud of the hard work these kiddos are putting into their education!
PS our goal for Q3 is 100 scholars! 💙💛
12 out of 45 of our 6th graders were up there. 🥳
I’m so proud of the hard work these kiddos are putting into their education!
PS our goal for Q3 is 100 scholars! 💙💛
This time of the year it is HARD to be in education. We’re tired. They’re tired. We’re done. They’re done.
It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that these kiddos are just kiddos trying to make it all make sense (just like us).
I wholeheartedly encourage a cookie making day to refocus on the joy.
It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that these kiddos are just kiddos trying to make it all make sense (just like us).
I wholeheartedly encourage a cookie making day to refocus on the joy.
December 19, 2024 at 4:32 PM
This time of the year it is HARD to be in education. We’re tired. They’re tired. We’re done. They’re done.
It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that these kiddos are just kiddos trying to make it all make sense (just like us).
I wholeheartedly encourage a cookie making day to refocus on the joy.
It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that these kiddos are just kiddos trying to make it all make sense (just like us).
I wholeheartedly encourage a cookie making day to refocus on the joy.
Flexible seating is both my favorite and least favorite element in my classroom. I’m struggling a bit to get kids to settle in more quickly as I introduce more opportunity for flexible seating during collaborative work. Any advice, #edusky?
November 21, 2024 at 3:34 PM
Flexible seating is both my favorite and least favorite element in my classroom. I’m struggling a bit to get kids to settle in more quickly as I introduce more opportunity for flexible seating during collaborative work. Any advice, #edusky?
Collaboration is KEY in my classroom. Learning to both work together and respect one another while building knowledge is a keystone in building a well/rounded learner and citizen outside of the school environment.
Today scholars worked to create their own definitions for vocab words.
Today scholars worked to create their own definitions for vocab words.
November 20, 2024 at 3:08 PM
Collaboration is KEY in my classroom. Learning to both work together and respect one another while building knowledge is a keystone in building a well/rounded learner and citizen outside of the school environment.
Today scholars worked to create their own definitions for vocab words.
Today scholars worked to create their own definitions for vocab words.
SCHEDULE CONSISTENCY matters greatly in classroom management. When kids know what to expect everyday, they are more willing to take academic risks and hold one another accountable.
What does your classroom schedule look like?
What does your classroom schedule look like?
November 19, 2024 at 2:34 PM
SCHEDULE CONSISTENCY matters greatly in classroom management. When kids know what to expect everyday, they are more willing to take academic risks and hold one another accountable.
What does your classroom schedule look like?
What does your classroom schedule look like?
TDA prep doesn’t have to be worksheets and independent work!
Westinghouse Scholars are collaborating to determine text evidence to support their analysis of a character’s emotional state throughout a story, and they’re CRUSHING it.
Westinghouse Scholars are collaborating to determine text evidence to support their analysis of a character’s emotional state throughout a story, and they’re CRUSHING it.
November 15, 2024 at 12:25 PM
TDA prep doesn’t have to be worksheets and independent work!
Westinghouse Scholars are collaborating to determine text evidence to support their analysis of a character’s emotional state throughout a story, and they’re CRUSHING it.
Westinghouse Scholars are collaborating to determine text evidence to support their analysis of a character’s emotional state throughout a story, and they’re CRUSHING it.