Choice Lit Topic: 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.
Results
Practical Revision Strategies
We started a recent conference with Kyra by asking a typical question: “What are you working on in your writing?” Kyra pointed to her memoir and responded, “I’m revising for...
5 Strategies for Engaging Boy Writers
I was ashamed. I have spent a good too many years since—too many, I think—being ashamed about what I write. ...
Analyzing Voice: Conferring with Griffin
Gigi McAllister helps fourth grader Griffin reengage with his writing by pointing out some of the unique qualities of voice and style in his piece.
The Importance of Correct Examples
I have not had many struggles with spelling and conventions in my life. That being said, there are a couple of words I know are hard for me. Embarrass is...
Practical Advice for Dealing with Messy Handwriting
Do struggles with handwriting matter? They do when a student can't even decipher his own words. Katherine Sokolowski confers with fifth grader Sauvi to help him find solutions to the...
Building Habits with Short-Term Goals
During the first two of weeks of writing this school year, we were busy teaching “gathering” minilessons to help students fill their heads and notebooks with writing. Since our first...
When Students Set Intentions
One of the things my yoga instructor always says at the beginning of class is “Set an intention.” Our intention could be to focus, or maybe to work on a...
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...
Sharing Writing in a Class Celebration
Does celebration matter? Is celebration essential to the business of developing meaningful, conventional, and powerful writers? When there is more to teach and meeting all the needs of students as...
Past Midnight
—remembering Eva she rides a river of words like a floater in a rip tide. Rogue waves strain for space outside the breaking zone. ...
The Power of Similes
Write a good simile for me. Go ahead; I’ll wait. Not so easy, right? You can come up with a bad simile in a minute or two or rattle off...
Hidden Treasures
Bruce Howdle was an unofficial ambassador for our small city of Mineral Point, Wisconsin. A local artist and university instructor, he was often seen walking up and down our main...
Being a Teacher Writer Is More Than Being a Teacher Who Writes
I began writing alongside students so I could experience the work as a writer. I was doing the writing work because I needed it for the thing I cared about...
Evidence Claims in a Middle School Small Group
Christy Ruth-Levine leads a small group of eighth graders as they explore how to include textual evidence in their literary analysis essays.
Readers’ Guides: Helping Students Think About Informational Text
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.5With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. Teachers are often waging a small...
Teaching Tone: Deal Me In
Supply List for AP Literature: Sticky Notes Binder Composition Notebook Deck of Cards I’m sure that many of my students were surprised to see a deck of cards on their...
Planning a Student-Led Minilesson
Franki Sibberson helps Lucas plan his minilesson for his fifth-grade classmates on how to connect words and facts from two different sources.
Student-Led Minilesson: Connecting Facts from Different Sources
Lucas leads a minilesson in Franki Sibberson's fifth-grade class on connecting facts from different sources.
Does the Pencil Still Have Power?
All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered. The point is to discover them. Galileo Galilei An enormous supply of graphite was found in northern England in...
Reader Response as an Entry to Conferring
“How often do you confer with readers?” I get asked this question a lot. In fact, I work with a close friend of mine who, before I can answer that...
Organizing for Middle School
Ask any middle school teacher what they hope to accomplish with their students every year, and you will likely find “organization” somewhere in their top five choices. Ask a sixth-grade...
