Chapter 12-Make Every Minute Count
The teaching tip I found most helpful what letting students know that writing can be hard but that there are secrets that good writers know. These may include: thinking about their writing all the time, reread as they go, read the piece aloud to hear how it really sounds, read a lot, write everyday in quiet space, and stick with it even when the going gets tough. These are just a few but feel like these could help children that struggle each day with writing. I am going to make a poster in my classroom of the secrets of good writers. I think children could find this handy when struggling or for motivation. I try to motivate students by limiting the use of prompts that have no real audience as well. One thing we do is a family message journal. Each week, students write a letter to an adult at home. Parents write back and it is a continuous cycle each week. The children love to share what their parents have to say and get excited to write back to them. This is an example of writing to a real audience!
I have to say I’m guilty of giving my children writing prompts and they don’t know why I’m making them write it. This year, I plan to do a better job of making the writing purpose understood at the beginning of the lesson. Students will invest more in their writing and take more time if they understand the purpose.
Most importantly, students need to have writing modeled. The best writers have had good models to show them what it should look like. Students need to be motivated by picking a topic of their choice and keeping writing simple and short. It should not seem like a job, this should be an enjoyment!
I really think reading writing aloud is a great strategy for students, especially having them practice reading aloud before sharing.
ReplyDeleteMy students get writing prompts too, and several students have told me they wrote a journal using this response before (usually elementary school). I guess that is a sign to not use it!