Making Writing Meaningful

From the desk of Carol C. . .

I love to teach writing!  From the thrill of seeing students grow as writers to the reading of their work each day, it’s all exciting to me.  I’m not a great writer, but I enjoy reading my personal writing to students to show them the struggles and rewards I’ve experienced in my writing journey.

Through the years one thing I’ve discovered is one of the benefits of teaching writing is much of it is not based on a strict preset writing curriculum.  Therefore, it’s easier to differentiate to meet the needs of students.  Writing lessons are guided by what students need.  This is what makes them meaningful and moves the writer forward.

Now the question is how we differentiate the teaching of writing based on the needs.  What does a differentiated writing classroom encompass?

Mini Lessons-I teach a concept to the whole class in a short lesson called a mini lesson. These lessons are based on what I notice all my students need.  I might use a book as an example of what I wanted to teach (mentor text) or my own writing.  At the end of the lesson I would ask my class to try to incorporate what they just learned into their writing that day.  It’s important to remember the purpose of the mini lesson is to introduce or reinforce an important concept to everyone.

Individual Conferences-These are probably the highest form of differentiated teaching.  They are tailored to meet the individual needs of each student.  In these conferences I talk with the writer to see what he is writing and how he wants me to help him.  It’s important not to do the writing for him rather to model what you’re trying to teach.  Again I would use a mentor text or my own writing.  I want the writer to walk away from our conference feeling valued but also being stretched as a writer.

Small Group Meetings-If I see that several children are having the same difficulty I call them together to talk to them as a small group.  After I explain what we are going to do, I model what I want them to try.  Then I have them change one part of their writing to incorporate the skill I modeled.  For example if I want them to use more conversation in their writing, I have them choose one place they could add conversation.  Some children are able to add several while others struggle to add one.  My only objective is to have each child attempt to add conversation.  Their attempts don’t have to be perfect as they’ll continue refine this skill.  By basing these small groups on the needs of the writers, it creates an authentic need for instruction.

Good writing instruction starts with the level where the students are.  When they are given ample time to write, and we model, scaffold during conferences, and differentiate our instruction, we create a more meaningful writing experience.  It is these experiences that create better writers!