Hearts

We encourage each other when we share the stories that hurt our hearts. - Ruth Ayres

Reflection

Reflection is thinking about what you do and how you feel about it. - Ruth Ayres

Unsaid

Sometimes leaving things unsaid is more difficult than knowing what to say. - Ruth Ayres

Linger

The longer we linger, the more we see. - Ruth Ayres

First Day

I still like the first day better than the last day of a school year. - Ruth Ayres

Journey

It's a journey we are on. We are always taking steps, backing up, starting again. - Ruth Ayres

A Teacher Who Writes

I think being a teacher who writes is THE most important thing we can do as teachers of writers. - Ruth Ayres

Write

Some days are just hard, but I write. - Ruth Ayres

Our Stories

[Our stories] belong to the Lord, and He wants to use them to inspire and strengthen and encourage and make the world a better place. - Ruth Ayres

Read Alouds

There is something unexplainable that happens to people (not just kids, but people) when they are surrounded by the words of powerful writing. I was reminded that reading aloud may just be the most powerful tool in a teacher’s repertoire. Read alouds calm, inspire, teach, empower, and refresh people . . . not just students, but people. - Ruth Ayres

The Hard

Sometimes if the hard doesn't happen, we won't get to the celebration. - Ruth Ayres

Our Stories

Life is not easy. Your hard probably doesn't look like mine --- it shouldn't look like mine. We each have our own stories, but they don't belong to us. They belong to the Lord, and he wants to use them to inspire and strengthen and encourage and make the world a better place. This is why they aren't always easy. If they were, we wouldn't see Him. He weaves our stories together. - Ruth Ayres

Putting Words

Keep putting words on the page even when there isn't enough time. Your story matters! - Ruth Ayres

He Overcomes

It doesn't matter who you are, life gets hard. Sometimes the hard comes and there's nothing we can do about it. Sometimes the hard comes because of choices we make. Sometimes the hard comes because of a calling. No matter how the hard comes, it doesn't have to win. When we position ourselves to stay in the Light, God can overcome the hard. - Ruth Ayres

Celebration

Celebration isn't about waiting until everything is just right, rather celebration is about finding joy right now. - Ruth Ayres

Feedback

It matters when people comment on our writing and it makes us want to write more. Our students need others to react with emotion to their writing. - Ruth Ayres

Becoming a Better Writing Teacher

One of the most powerful ways to become a better writing teacher is to write. And one of the most essential things to write is what we expect our students to write. - Ruth Ayres