#routman

"[...] we teachers need to know how to teach writing well." (p. 173)

"Having a set of procedure in place is less important than your beliefs and philosophy about teaching writing." (p. 175)

You must highly value daily writing

"Students need to be able to choose most of their writing topics if they are to take writing seriously, take pride in their work, and write with strong voice." (p. 177)

Prewriting: the thinking by which students generate, plan, and organize ideas with the purpose of producing effective writing 

Freewriting: student write for 5-10 minutes without concern for grammar and structure

Limit the use of graphic organizers...it can make the students too tired to write

"Teach it first, label it later."

Students will be more engaged if the teacher if focused on THEM and less on the rigid procedures. 

Organize for Daily Writing

Value writing 

Teach students how to choose worthwhile topics

Expand your definition of prewriting (brainstorming, outlining, rereading, free writing, illustrating, discussing.....)

MORE FREEWRITES

Limit the use of graphic organizers

MORE demonstration writing

Talk about writing (teacher to student, student to student)

Establish criteria

Maintain a predictable structure

Build a climate of trust

Flexible framework

Organize student writing

Genre

Engage students

Nonfiction

Snapshots for real reasons

LOTS of letters

Use writing to Perform acts of kindness

- In kindergarten, start with shared writing and writing aloud short messages until students know how to form some letters and apply enough phonics to begin to write on their own.

- Those who write every day in a regular planned writing session produce about twice the volume and twice the number of ideas.

- Students need to be able to choose most of their writing topics if they are to take writing seriously, take pride in their work, and write with strong voice.

- Students need guidelines for knowing when they have chosen their topic well-or poorly.

- By prewriting I mean the thinking by which students generate, plan, and organize ideas with the purpose of producing effective writing.

- Freewriting (students write for 5 or 10 minutes without concern for grammar and structure) is a great way to build endurance, confidence, and writing fluency.

- Graphic organizers: gives the students planning and organizing options

- Have conversations about writing (critical)

simple and direct

include peer talk

- Criteria for writing: opening statement, information, summary

- Keep a predictable structure for your classroom while being flexible

Chapter 8: Organize For Daily Writing 

"Writing requires a daily commitment. Those who write everday in a regular planned writing session produce about twice the volume ad twice the number of ideas as writers who write when they feel like it...It is impossible to get a flow without revisiting and thinkig about writing everyday." 

Teachers need to value writing and make time for it in their classroom. May teachers say that they do not have time for their students to write, but they are not making it a priority. Teachers have to value writing. Students need to be given the time to write. They need to be given the motivation, the examples, and the practice. Writing will only help students in other areas and enhance their learning. Allow students to bring their experiences and interests into their writing. Children should enjoy writing and should feel positively about do so. 

Main Ideas:

Give students choices

Choose worthwhile topics 

Expand prewriting- with the purpose of producing effective writing

Free-write 

Limit graphic organizers

Demonstrate writing

Have conversations about writing

Establish criteria- what makes good writing? 

Maintain a predicable structure- keep writing workshops with writing 

Build trust- encourage students to take risks

Flexible framework- students should apply what they know 

Model expected behavior- show students what you mean

Organize student writing- folders and notebooks

Simplify Genre teaching

Decide wich genres you will be teaching

Purpose of writing- make meaningful writing

Engage students- present information to grab students hearts and minds 

Teach nonfiction writing

Write snapshots- short pieces introducing yourself

Keep in mind

establish a genuine purpose and audience for all writing

start by demonstrating (writing aloud, shared writing, sharing exemplary writing)

gradually release responsibility to students (a small group or partners conversing before writing or writing together, sustained writing with your guidance)

celebrate, respond, evaluate, teach and move forward (have conferences with students)

writing requires a daily commitment

students need to be able to choose most of their writing topics

prepare students by having them:

brainstorm writing ideas (orally or in a list)

talk about these ideas with you or with a classmate (scaffolded conversation)

state their intention for writing--purpose and audience (can be themselves)

submit a written plan (mandatory for a large project)

immerse themselves in the form or genre (read and study exemplars)

practice writing in the genre with your guidance (through a class exploration of poetry, fiction, whatever)

do more freewrites

limit use of graphic organizers

do more demonstration writing

have more conversations about writing

talk about their writing, before they write, while they are writing, after they write

teach students a variety of genres (short writing, letters, poetry, etc.)

Writing Workshop

Keys to Teaching Writing: 

Establish a genuine purpose and audience for all writing. 

Start by demonstrating

Gradually release responsibility to students

Celebrate, respond, evaluate, teach, and move forward

"You do, if you value it; if you don't have time, you're valuing something else more" (176). 

*Choice within structure*--children need to know something about the topic in order to write about it. 

Free Writing: writing for 5-10 minutes without concern for grammar and structure. It's a great way to build endurance, confidence, and writing fluency. 

Demonstration Writing: 

Writing aloud; shared writing; sharing examples; conducting scaffolded conversations before writing...

Chapter 1 (Simplify the teaching of writing): 

"Often teachers have been trained to use writing formulas and templates. The kids learn how to use these tools but aren't able to apply them to other kinds of writing. And, sadly, there is rarely any talk about making writing enjoyable for children or writing real for readers." 

"Unfortunately, most of us educators still don't trust that excellent teaching and assessing, daily writing, and writing enjoyment will translate to success on the writing test." 

"I have been taken aback by how little we really expect of students, how much time gets wasted, how little pride and enjoyment students take in their writing, and how much our testing culture has influenced how we teach writing." 

"Our beliefs drive our teaching practices...until we recognize our beliefs, question them, challenge them in the light of new information, research, and experiences, nothing much happens." 

Routman explains that she wants students to become motivated and confident writers. Writing should be an everyday tool. She wants students to be excited about writing and really enjoy doing it. Teaching writing to students gives them a lifetime gift. Teacher have made teaching writing far more complex than what it has to be. Teachers may make writing too difficult or overwhelming. This makes them become too frustrated and give up on writing all together. Teachers need to simply the process of writing. Teacher go wrong when they try to stick to these programs. They just need to teach and feed off of their students. Teachers should have their students writing every single day and should tell their students to think like writers. How can I explain what I want to? What do I want to say? How can I explain clearly? And teacher should be asking themselves...what skills should I be teaching?How can I make them understand? 

Writing Essentials:

Write for a specific reader/meaningful purpose

Determine an appropriate topic

Present ideas clearly

Elaborate on ideas

Embrace language

Create engaging leads

Compose satisfying endings 

Craft authentic voice 

Reread, rethink, and revise while composing 

Apply correct conventions and form

Read widely and deeply

Take responsibility for producing effective writing 

Show Students How:

Think aloud as we write

Think aloud as we read aloud

Notice what authors and illustrators do

Think and write with students

Analyze effective writing

Show examples of a particular writing genre

Establish criteria for excellent writing

Compare successful and unsuccessful writing 

Discuss and note what makes a piece of writing "work" 

Evaluate a piece of writing

Write for a specific reader and a meaningful purpose. 

Determine and appropriate topic; plan the writing

Present ideas lclearly, with a logical, well-organized flow; stay on topic

Elaborate on ideas; explain, support, create and develop characters

Embrace language: "fool with words"

Create engaging leads; attract the reader

Compose satisfying endings; make it original

Craft authentic voice: write with personality

Reread, rethink, and revise while composing

Apply correct conventions and form; make it legible with focus on grammar and formal rules of the genre

Read wisely and deeply--and with a writer's perspective; take note of what other authors and illustrators do