S.E.E. (the Statement, Evidence, Explanation Model), by Shawn Northfield

Gadzooks! 'Zounds! (Are you Crazy!), Exceptional Shakespeare in the Exceptional Classroom, by John Bell.

The Strategic Planning Process, by Barry Russell, Alix MacDonald, and Leslie McKernon

Writing Class? Where to Start?, by Margann MacGregor

Writing Class? Where to Start?
(printable PDF version)

After years of teaching English and Language Arts, I enrolled in a writing class as part of my Master's Degree. I thought that this would be interesting and would compliment my teaching experience. Part of the pre-session study was to write a short story. First, panic set in! A short story that someone would read and grade! I reflected on all those years of assigning stories and assuaging students' fears:

"Oh, you can do it; write about something you know, something you like."

It is amazing how suddenly, once I was faced with The Assignment, I didn't feel that I knew or liked anything. This wasn't fun; it exceeded my comfort zone. This was not reflecting in my journal, nor writing short examples for my students. I was the student. My creative work would be judged. I approached the task methodically. I followed the advice that I had proffered in the classroom for years and it worked. However, after that experience, I viewed the writing process and writing instruction quite differently.

I previously thought that by involving students in a community of writers where they would share and learn together, that students would become better writers and actually like writing. Many did. Many didn't. Then I asked the ugly questions, "What am I doing wrong? What do I need to do differently?" I realized that what had caused me grief with the thought of writing a short story was not a lack of ideas or even knowledge; it was a lack of confidence. I also realized that if someone with my experience could be panicked by a simple assignment, then many of my students must be overwhelmed by what I ask them to do in the classroom.

In order to help my students develop more effective writing skills I put together a number of exercises. Each exercise assists the students to better understand the process of writing. The students gain confidence in their abilities as they apply their newly acquired writing skills. I have used this process in grades five, six, seven and eight. However, students at other grade levels could also use the exercises.

Within a community of writers, writing confidence can be increased as students brainstorm together, peer edit, and peer and self-evaluate. However, teacher directed writing instruction with overt, highly structured models, is essential to further increase confidence.

The structured activity and the stylistic suggestions that follow, give students an opportunity to practice writing with reduced risks. Often teachers indicate that highly structured writing lessons curtail creativity. However, I believe the opposite. An analogy may help illustrate. Young basketball players may zealously scan NBA tapes to study their favorite super star - Michael Jordon. From this they may get ideas about footwork, dribbling and "slam dunking"! However, in physical education class, students are taught correct passing, dribbling and shooting. They spend part of the class on highly structured drills, and then they play a short game at the end of each class to try to incorporate the new techniques.

This is how they acquire new skills. In writing class, the "NBA tapes" might be well written novels from which some students borrow stylistic ideas, but students need to practice the skills in order to incrementally acquire the necessary tools. However, if they practice skills over and over (grammar class), without an opportunity to implement the skills - they often fail to apply them in actual compositions. A blend of structured skill practice and ample application will allow students to explore and develop their creativity and systematically acquire and develop writing skills.