Experienced adult writers are intimidated by the NaNoWriMo project, which entails writing a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. Who thought up such an event when writing is usually a much longer labor of love? Now imagine the faces of 8th graders when presented with this project? A teaching veteran of 30 years, […]
Think Function Not Form: Stop Teaching Students Structure Supersedes Message
In other words: Ditch that five-paragraph essay right now! Yes, I’m talking to you, elementary and middle school teachers. (Apparently, some high school teachers are “guilty” as well, to I’m including you, too!) Nothing is more frustrating for me as a writer and a writing teacher than to spend hours encouraging classrooms full of students […]
Students: How To Write Essays With #EdTech
It’s happened again. That crazy English teacher of yours (the one who makes you write every day, expects you to focus on your work during class instead of making eyes at that cute guy at the next table, and knows what Wattpad is) has assigned yet another essay. Your hand is cramping at the very […]
The Writing Process: Creating A Flip Chart For Our Interactive Notebook
As a writer, I use the writing process every single day — when writing a blog post for this or another site, when texting, Facebooking, or when responding to a writing prompt I have given to my students. It’s a process I internalized through many years of writing in school, but was never really taught […]