Writing Instruction- Here We Go Again!
One of the hardest areas I have faced as a teacher is teaching students to write. I can’t tell you how many years this has been part of my professional development plan. And even after all these years it just hasn’t felt as if I have gotten my students to the place I wanted them with writing at the end of each year.
Last summer I did a whole blog series on planning for writing. I was ready to go and then…my district decided to change our writing portfolio and the things that were required. So once again I felt as if I was just trying to get by with writing but not feeling as if I was an effective writing teacher.
Time for a Writing Revolution!!
The Writing Revolution is a teaching method developed by Judith C. Hochman that emphasizes the importance of explicit instruction in grammar, sentence structure, and writing strategies to improve students’ writing skills. The method is based on the premise that good writers are made, not born, and that students can learn to write well with the right guidance and instruction.
In the past I had always used the method developed by Lucy Calkins which is the Writing Workshop Style. Calkins Units of Writing takes a more holistic approach to teaching writing, which aims to help students find their voice and tell their stories. The Units of Writing focuses on providing students with a series of lessons through which they can explore different genres of writing, such as memoirs, persuasive essays, and poetry. The approach prioritizes creativity and critical thinking over the technical aspects of writing.
And there lies the problem with the Workshop Method!
Our district writing portfolio requires students to write a personal narrative and either an opinion or informational piece. This year they also added quick writes in different subject areas each 9 weeks. The problem with this is most students come in without basic understanding of basic sentence writing structure. They don’t even understand what makes a sentence. So every year I feel frustrated trying to get these writing pieces done with hardly any time I can allot to writing in my schedule knowing that what they really need is to drill way back before we even begin to think about writing these pieces required for the writing folder.
I have only just begun reading The Writing Revolution by Judith Hochman and Natalie Wexler and it has already began to shape what I want my writing instruction to look like next year. I know I will have to get those writing portfolio pieces done but I know I have to start with the basics this next school year.
I love how Hochman and Wexler explain the importance of starting at the sentence level for instruction.
" if i wanted my students to write good paragraphs and compositions, I was going to need to start building a solid foundation first - just the way I would start building a house."
So once again I plan to write planning for writing again. But this time I feel as if I finally have a real guide for how to do this. So if you are ready, let’s try this again and really get ready for a year of real writing instruction!! Come back soon as I dive into this book and share what I am learning!
