Teaching Writing
Everyone who writes for Choice Literacy loves teaching writing, because we all write ourselves. We know it is "hard fun," as Donald Murray famously said—exasperating and exhilarating at the same time. The writing workshops you will read about here and see in our videos are busy, noisy, vibrant places. And most days, we wouldn't want to be anywhere else than in the midst of 'em! Here is where you'll find our latest discoveries, insights, and occasional boneheaded mistakes in teaching writing.
Latest Content
Conferring in Kindergarten: Drawing to Learn
Hayley Whitaker confers with a kindergartner and helps him make meaning through drawings.
Gratitude Week
Gigi McAllister shares the tradition of Gratitude Week. It gives students an authentic writing experience that has a ripple effect of spreading joy and gratitude throughout the school. It also shows them the significant impact that their words can have on others.
The Hermit Crab Essay: Finding a Shell to Share a Vulnerable Story
Gretchen Schroeder introduced the hermit crab essay as a creative nonfiction genre to her high school students. What began as an intriguing writing invitation led to realizing that students want to process these events through writing and that the hermit crab essay gives them a way to do so that is less daunting than just a blank page.
Using Fiction Writing to Change Attitudes About Writing
Katherine Sokolowski encourages teachers to take time for students to individualize the writing process and enjoy fiction writing by engaging in National Novel Writing Month. Download the story bible as a place for students to plan their stories.
Managing Independent Projects (SHORTS)
Tara Barnett and Kate Mills continue their series on independent projects with nuts and bolts advice on management.
Jose the Late Bloomer
Stella Villalba has practical advice for reaching a young English language learner who is reluctant to write and often frustrated.
Writing as an Act of Resistance and a Source of Strength
In this beautiful personal essay, Stella Villalba reminds us that writing is a source of strength, and developing a community of writers is essential in post-pandemic classrooms.
Trusting the Letting-Go Moments
Mandy Robek writes a powerful essay about giving her students more decision-making power in sharing their learning. In the release of letting go, she found ease in the joy of learning.
Talking Through Characters
Melanie Meehan shares activities that help students talk about their characters before writing about them in a realistic fiction unit.
Lifting the Quality of Peer Response
Tony Keefer discovers that his fourth-grade students need focused instruction and support to strengthen their peer conferring skills. Tony shares tips and two video examples from his classroom.
Writing Partner Feedback in Fifth Grade
Fifth-grade writers in Franki Sibberson’s classroom encourage each other and suggest revisions to their opinion-writing drafts in partner teams.
Writer’s Workshop: Planning for “Dips”
We love seeing growth, but how can we plan for plateaus or even dips with young writers? Aimee Buckner finds it's all about commitment.
Finding Topics in Writer’s Notebooks Minilesson
Sean Moore shares the importance of using a writer’s notebook to discover topics in this minilesson with his second-grade students from early in the year.
Collecting Ideas in the Writer’s Notebook
Ruth Ayres confers with third grader Jade about the importance of the “collecting” phase for writers.
Conferring with Spencer: Writing Notebook Topics
Katherine Sokolowski helps fifth grader Spencer brainstorm topics for his writing notebook.
First-Grade Writing Conference: Celebrations to Suggestions
Katrina Edwards begins her conference with first grader Allen by celebrating all he is doing well in his writing. She highlights his language and details in writing, before moving on to new strategies to try.
Giving Writers What They Need
Tara Barnett and Kate Mills are inspired by their own writing retreat experience to give students exactly what they need to thrive as writers. Take their advice to help writers thrive in your classroom, too.
Avoiding Implementation Through Lamination
Jennifer Schwanke questions the routines of how wall displays are used in classrooms.
Maximizing Instructional Time at the Start of a New Unit
Time is precious in classrooms, so Melanie Meehan shares strategies to ensure it isn't wasted at the start of new writing units by teaching skills students may already possess.
Writing Workshop Teacherisms
Jennifer Jones reflects upon the “teacherisms” in writing workshops — the language we use that defines our values and routines.
Test: Weekly Poetry Response
Ruth Ayres cautions us to not let our pet peeves get in the way when working with student writers.
Inside and Outside Views Minilesson
Ruth Ayres leads a minilesson in second grade on inside/outside views — what’s happening objectively (on the outside) vs. emotions (on the inside). The terms are a good starting point for helping young students distinguish between facts and opinions.
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