Get it Write

Writing is like learning to swim. Do you have your floaties on?

Writing. The struggle is real.

I think next to visiting the dentist, most teachers (and students) find writing difficult. As a District Instructional Coach, I have been in many classrooms and it tends to be a common Achilles heel. Writing is hard and hard (normally) isn't fun. Here are my tips and tricks.

Students MUST PRE-WRITE. In fact it should be a requirement. I can't tell you how many times I have sat with a student who has nothing written on a beautifully designed graphic organizer. Even if it's a one-two word outline. Even if they must tell you, and you write it down. It's there. It's a jumping off point.

Students NEED writing frames. Think of it like this. We are asking our students to dive into a metaphorical pool without a diving board. We want the poise, perfect form without any diving board. Except we are asking this of kids who are unable to swim with floaties. Yes, even big kids need this. Call it sentence frames or a writing template. Students need starters. I don't know about most teachers but I know writing is beast to grade. We spend our own personal time evaluating, grading. I want to read my students' best product. And you will indeed get that product if you provide them with structure. But I want to see their writing. You will. Just like the gradual release method. Each time you build one, you have more lines, more white space. You may never get to this.

Establish a short Rubric before you assign. What is your end goal? What is something you plan to teach and see if your students have mastered or attempted? I have fallen into the trap of grading every comma, every spelling error, every stinking period. And I basically wasted my time. Do students need grammar? YES. But we are not their editors. This is not going to be published in the New York Times. Remember our metaphor? Floaties. The problem with not having clear, small defined measures is that we get bogged down with grading and weeks (months) later our students receive feedback. And on top of that their paper is bleeding with corrections. Instead, tally the errors and address them as a mini lesson. Have students resubmit with edits highlighted for easy review. I even let them revise for partial points back.

Consider not grading. Okay stay with me. With Googledocs we can now see students' writing process live. Start by having each student share their doc with you. While they are typing, you are peeking in, asking questions, giving feedback. It looks like a coach standing by your side showing you how to dribble and shoot but in reality you don't leave your seat. AND this is done within the school day, not on your personal time. It's a win win. Students are receiving current, on demand feedback and you are not leaving your family to grading your hideous stack of essays. As English teachers, we love being the martyrs. We love carrying our ugly stack of essays to birthday parties and Starbucks. We need to use our billable hours.

Speaking of billable hours. Conferencing with students is another tool to give on demand feedback. Students receive immediate gratification from video games, why not with writing. Can you imagine if Steph Curry was coached weeks after a game? No. He most likely has a personal coach. "But I am only one teacher with 38+ students. How can I do that?" I always gave my students something high-interest and quiet. They worked independently while I called each student. I was able to explain my thoughts. It was beneficial and I absolutely saw improvements but even more, students had the chance to meet with their teacher. One on one. That never happens in a Secondary setting. It does take some management but I wasn't lugging around my monkey, feeling guilty every time I looked at the stack that seemed like it was breeding.

Writing doesn't have to be so painful. With support and simplifying the process, everyone wins. Tweet me how you support your writers.