How do you lot instruct writing?
Do you lot receive got whatever thought how many people inquire me this query every week? I think they inquire thus frequently because writing is thus darn difficult to teach. Am I right? 🙌🏻
Everyone is hoping that I receive got some magic fairy dust that I tin sprinkle on their students' notebooks that volition magically do consummate sentences, paragraphs in addition to good thought out responses.
I receive got some bad news...
There is no magic fairy writing dust. #sosorry
But I do receive got some skillful news...
I receive got screwed upwards pedagogy writing for thus long, that I receive got learned a few things that genuinely improved my students' writing! Good intelligence for me, right?! Would you lot similar for me to share? #ofcourse
So hither is my version of the magic fairy dust...
Teach writing inward units of study. #seriously
Huh? What are you lot talking about, Jamie?
Let me explain...
Some teachers pass a few days working on an informational written report for science. Then they receive got their kids pass a duo days writing a missive of the alphabet to the local burn department. Next, they pass a calendar week on an take in projection that they institute on TpT. They become dorsum in addition to forth from ane genre of writing to the next.
Does this audio similar you?
Well halt it!!!
You don't acquire skillful at something past times doing it for a few days in addition to and thus moving on to a novel skill. That is merely teasing.
Students demand to practise a writing genre for an extended fourth dimension thus that they tin master copy the science earlier moving on. Every type of writing has dissimilar skills that are needed. For example: narrative writing requires dialogue, take in writing requires evidence, informational writing requires research. Some skills rest a constant, similar writing a lead, but others alter based on the style.
They demand lessons specific to that type of writing. They demand to encounter modeling. They demand guided practise in addition to they demand independent practice.
If you lot instruct it thoroughly, they are thus much to a greater extent than probable to recall how to do it when that nasty seek comes along.
Here is the companionship of the units that I taught inward tertiary bird inward a Common Core(ish) state:
1. Personal Narrative
I would showtime amongst this because everyone already knows a storey nearly themselves. It does non require whatever research. It is every bit good a bang-up agency to acquire to know my novel students.
2. Informational
I motion on to informational because I demand students to master copy this ane early. We volition do informational writing, reading in addition to enquiry all twelvemonth inward scientific discipline in addition to social studies.
3. Opinion or Persuasive
This is genuinely my real favorite type of writing. Kids beloved to write nearly their opinion! I do this later on the informational unit of measurement because fantastic take in pieces require enquiry in addition to I instruct that inward the informational unit.
4. Fiction Narrative
I destination my twelvemonth amongst fiction stories. I do this because they are super fun in addition to the perfect agency to destination the twelvemonth later on all of that dreaded testing.
Don't tell kids what they receive got to write about!
If you lot desire to encounter your students' writing ameliorate dramatically, halt telling them what they receive got to write about! Seriously, no ane likes to last told what they HAVE to do. Give them choice.
Story time...
I abhor snakes. I alive inward the desert, but I tin proudly boast that I receive got NEVER seen a ophidian inward the wild. (Knock on wood.) I abhor snakes thus much that I turn down to become inward the reptile exhibit at the zoo. I would post my kids inward alone. No Mom of the Year honour for me!
If you lot told me that I had to write an informational written report nearly snakes, I would pee my pants. I'm NOT looking upwards facts nearly snakes! There volition last pictures! I volition receive got nightmares!
Trust me...it's going to last ane distressing in addition to miserable report.
I beloved my Golden Retriever. Cash is the most handsome domestic dog ever. I know that you lot think your domestic dog is handsome, but he's non every bit handsome every bit my dog. For real.
He's thus intelligent in addition to I beloved the agency that he protects his family. I would totally geek out on a written report nearly Golden Retrievers. I would desire to read books nearly them in addition to await at every website I could find. I bet my written report would rock.
Your students are merely similar me.
Well non JUST similar me.... #thankgoodness
Your students receive got interests. When you lot permit them write nearly something that excites them, they volition create their best work.
My only dominion nearly writing topics is that the topic must check inward the unit of measurement of study that nosotros are currently working on. So the Golden Retriever written report would receive got to hold back until nosotros got to the informational written report unit.
Share in addition to Celebrate Writing ALL THE TIME!
Give your students a argue to desire their writing to improve!
First, writers demand to part their work. Otherwise, why write? I know that lots of teachers do an author part chair where ane kid comes upwards in addition to reads their story. I'm sorry to flare-up your bubble---but that's kinda deadening for everyone else. #truthbomb
Plus, only ane somebody is sharing. The others receive got to hold back a duo of weeks earlier they acquire to share. That is NOT motivating.
Let your authors part every day. They don't demand consummate published pieces to last able to share. At the destination of your writing time, receive got kiddos plough to a partner in addition to part something that they added to their piece. It tin last a judgement that they are proud of or fifty-fifty something they are struggling with.
Lots (not all) of students volition last to a greater extent than motivated to write if they know that they volition need/get to part their writing amongst someone.
Besides sharing, brand certain that you lot are genuinely celebrating your writers.
At the destination of a unit, receive got a writing celebration.
Maybe students tin last stars for the day! Have them come upwards dressed up. Roll out the carmine carpet. Students walk the carpet spell you lot receive got pictures. They volition receive got their house at the mic in addition to part their published piece. The crowd volition become wild! (Holding an applause sign volition ensure this.)
Maybe you lot tin invite families for an opened upwards trouble solid where writing is displayed for everyone. Or fifty-fifty invite a buddy bird in addition to part writing amongst each other.
Have you lot always thrown a writing pajama party? Everyone loves a bedtime story! Lay out some pillows in addition to blankets, dim the lights in addition to permit your authors last the readers.
The indicate is....have fun! If it is fun, students volition naturally desire to improve.
They volition last excited for the adjacent celebration! You tin count downward the days on the board in addition to occur the specifics a undercover until that day. Build it up!
The Secret Sauce
Although I cannot magically plough your students into honour winning authors, I tin acquire inward merely a tad combat easier to instruct writing inward your classroom!
I receive got writing units that include EVERYTHING you lot demand to instruct fun in addition to meaningful units of study.
- lesson plans
- anchor charts
- student printables
- mentor text passages
- task cards
- videos
- rubrics
- celebration ideas
All you lot receive got to add together is the excitement in addition to the sharpened pencils. No fairy dust necessary!
Have a Not So Wimpy day!
