Writing Essentials : Raising Expectations and Results While Simplifying Teaching [With DVD]

A Note About Notes and Other Resources xvii Acknowledgments xix 0ne The Essential Writing Life 1 Simplify the Teaching of Writing 3(14) Why Writing Essentials? 4(8) Simplify Teaching and Increase Results and Enjoyment 5(2) Become More Knowledgeable About How to Teach Writing 7(1) Examine Your Beliefs 8(4) Teach What's Essential 12(71) 12 Writing Essentials for All Grades 13(6) Teach Writing the Way Real Writers Work 14(1) Be Explicit-Show Students How 15(1) Simplify 16(1) 2 Start with Celebration 17(18) Change the Status of Kids in the Classroom 19(4) Turn Kids into Writers 19(2) Make Sure Writing Is Meaningful, Not Just Correct 21(1) Meet a Writer 22(1) Start with a Story 23(6) Use Stories as a Springboard for Teaching and Learning 23(1) Ensure That All Your Students Hear Stories 24(1) Choose Your Topics Carefully 25(1) Keep Your Students' Attention 25(1) Write in Front of Your Students 26(1) Expand Personal Writing 27(1) Connect Home and School Writing 27(2) See What Writers Do Well 29(2) See Their Brilliance 29(1) Take a Leap of Faith 30(1) See the Light-Write Poetry 30(1) Make Enjoyment Central to Teaching Writing-Let the Fun Begin 31(4) 3 Share Your Writing Life 35(18) Bond as a Staff by Writing Together 36(4) Observe What You Do and Note the Teaching Implications 37(1) Make Time for Your Staff to Write Together 38(2) Examine Your Life as a Writer 40(4) Look at Your Writing Practices 41(1) Tell Students Why You Write 42(1) Connect Your Reading Life with Writing 43(1) Find Your Own Voice 44(10) Use Writing to Bond with Your Students 44(3) Be Realistic About Planning Before Writing 47(1) Observe Your Composing Process 48(1) Increase Your Writing Enjoyment 49(4) Two Teaching Essentials 4 Raise Your Expectations 53(30) Change the School Culture of Low Expectations 54(3) Take Action to Raise Writing Expectations 55(1) Expect Excellence 56(1) Nurture and Nudge 57(13) Establish Schoolwide Expectations for Quality 59(6) Remember That Quantity Matters 65(1) Raise Your Expectations for Conventions 66(1) Raise Your Expectations for Handwriting 66(3) Raise Your Expectations for Editing 69(1) Rely on an Optimal Learning Model 70(8) Decide What Support Learners Need 73(2) Include More Shared Experiences 75(2) Rely on Scaffolded Conversations 77(1) Focus on the Writer First 78(6) Build Early Success for All Students, Including Writers Who Struggle 78(4) Do Not Accept Failure As an Option 82(1) 5 Do More Shared Writing 83(36) Apply Principles of Instruction and Learning 84(4) Shared Writing Is Ideal for All Learners 85(1) Understand the Research That Supports Shared Writing 85(1) Link Shared Writing to Reading 86(1) Use Interactive Writing Wisely 87(1) Implement Shared Writing 88(1) A Framework for a Shared Writing Lesson 88(1) Teaching Tips to Go Along with Shared Writing 89(10) Use Shared Writing to Teach Writing Strategies 90(1) Keep the Major Focus on Content 91(1) Watch Your Language 91(2) Use Shared Writing to Do Important Word Work 93(12) Cut Up and Reassemble Sentences 93(4) Make Words with Tiles 97(1) Write a "Mystery Message" 98(1) Observe Shared Writing in Action 99(1) Create a Fiction Story Through Shared Writing 99(1) Teach Informational Writing Through Shared Writing 105(7) Tried and True Ideas for Shared Writing 112(7) 6 Capitalize on the Reading-Writing Connection 119(22) Link Writing with Reading 120(3) Integrate Reading and Writing in Teaching 120(1) Begin in Kindergarten 121(2) Ensure Students Read Quality Materials 123(2) Spend More Time Reading 123(1) Teach Students How to Reread Their Writing 124(1) Examine Written Responses to Reading 125(1) Be Sensible About Reading-Response Journals 125(1) Use Writing to Improve Comprehension 126(4) Do More Informational Writing 126(1) Teach Summary Writing 127(1) Lesson Snapshot: Summary Writing 128(1) Procedures in Brief for Teaching Summarizing in Shared Read-Alouds 130(11) Write More Book Reviews 132(1) Teach and Encourage Note-Taking 133(1) Use Writing in Guided Reading Groups 134(2) Ask Worthwhile Questions 136(1) Integrate Nonfiction Writing into All Writing 137(1) Prepare Students for Tests Requiring Brief Written Responses 137(1) Accelerate Literacy 138(3) Three The Essential Writing Day 7 Be Efficient and Integrate Basic Skills 141(32) Start with Meaning and Keep It Whole 142(3) Reduce Isolated Skills Work 142(1) Focus on Quality First 143(2) Include Audience in All Writing 145(2) Focus on Voice Through Meaningful Writing 146(1) Contrived Writing Stifles Voice 146(1) Teach Explicitly and Tell Students Why 147(2) Make Sure Your Demonstrations Include Why 148(1) Don't Assume Transfer Is Automatic-It's Not 148(1) Take Advantage of the "Efficiency of Context" 149(1) Shift the Focus in Teaching Writing 149(1) TEACHING BEYOND THE STANDARDS 150(5) Keep Standards in Perspective 153(1) Teach Useful Minilessons 154(1) A Sampling of Common Minilessons 155(14) Teach Students to Care About Revision 156(4) Help Students Develop a Revision Consciousness 156(1) Revise Your Writing in Front of Students 156(4) Focus on Editing After Students Can Produce Quality Writing 160(1) Make Sure Students Know Why Conventions Matter 161(1) Teach Spelling Well 161(4) Set Up the Environment for Teaching Spelling 162(1) Value Spelling Approximations 162(1) Raise Your Expectations for Spelling 163(1) Develop a Strong Spelling Consciousness 164(1) Use Word Walls and Other Resources Effectively 165(3) Construct Word Walls with Students 165(1) Highlight Words and Features of Words 166(1) Make Your Word Wall Flexible 167(1) Limit Dictionary and Thesaurus Use 168(1) Provide High-Quality Instruction to Writers Who Struggle 168(1) Proven Strategies for Writers Who Struggle-and All Writers 169(4) 8 Organize for Daily Writing 173(32) Broaden Your Definition of Writing Workshop 174(1) Find Time for Daily Writing 175(1) Value Writing and You Will Make Time for It 176(1) Set Up the Environment for Success 176(20) Provide More Choice Within Meaningful Structure 177(2) Tap the Potential of Choice Within Structure 177(1) Teach Students How to Choose Worthwhile Topics 178(1) Teach Sensible Planning Strategies 179(5) Expand Your Definition of Prewriting 179(1) Do More Freewrites 179(1) Limit the Use of Graphic Organizers 180(1) Do More Demonstration Writing 180(1) Have More Conversations About Writing 181(3) Establish Criteria for Writing 184(1) Make Excellent Management a Priority 184(6) Maintain a Predictable Structure 184(3) Build a Climate of Trust 187(1) Employ a Flexible Framework 187(1) Establish Daily Routines and Model Expected Behavior 188(1) Keep Records 189(1) Organize Student Writing 190(1) Put Genre Study in Perspective 190(6) Simplify Genre Teaching 192(1) Make Schoolwide Decisions About Genre Study 192(1) Focus First on Purposes of Writing 193(1) Start by Engaging Students 194(2) Teach Nonfiction Writing 196(1) A Framework for Teaching Writing Genres 196(9) Write and Publish More Short Pieces 197(7) Write Snapshots for Real Reasons 199(1) Write Lots of Letters 200(2) Use Writing to Perform Acts of Kindness 202(2) Do More Publishing 204(1) 9 Conference with Students 205(33) Know What a Writing Conference Is 206(1) Depend on Whole-Class Share 207(8) Use Whole-Class Share as a Venue in Which to Teach 211(1) Teach Students How to Listen 212(1) Manage Whole-Class Share Effectively 213(2) Tips for Successful Whole-Class Shares and Conferences 215(13) Use a Variety of Other Conferences 216(4) Try a Quickshare 216(1) Conduct Roving Conferences 217(1) Schedule One-on-One Conferences 218(1) Teach Peer Conferencing 219(1) Simplify Writing Conferences 220(3) Spend Time Frontloading 220(1) Rely on the Optimal Learning Model 221(1) Establish Routines and Procedures 222(1) What Makes a Productive Conference? 223(1) Put the Writer First 223(3) Assume the Child Is Making Sense 224(1) Give an Overall Response First 225(1) Be Generous with Your Praise 225(1) Make Important Teaching Points 226(1) Begin with Content Conferences 226(2) Use the Language of Helpful Response 227(1) What to Focus on in a Content Conference 228(6) Depend on Minilessons 229(1) End with Editing Conferences 230(4) Practice the Language of Helpful Response 230(3) Teach Students to Do More Editing 233(1) What to Focus on in an Editing Conference 234(29) Hand Over More Responsibility to Students 235(1) Use Language that Signals Students to Take More Responsibility 235(4) Aim for Student Independence 236(2) 10 Make Assessment Count 238(2) Become More Knowledgeable About Assessment 239(1) Put Rubrics in Perspective 240(4) Understand How Rubrics Work 240(2) Keep Your Focus on Effective Writing 242(1) Use Rubrics Judiciously 243(1) Put High-Stakes Testing in Perspective 244(5) The Best Test Preparation Is Excellent Teaching 244(1) Overpreparation Is Often Detrimental 245(1) Have Your Students Do a Lot of Writing 245(1) Encourage Students to Do Their Best 246(1) Help Your Students Visualize the Reader/Scorer 247(1) Prepare Students for On-Demand Writing 248(1) Reduce Test Anxiety 248(1) Put a Schoolwide Assessment Policy into Practice 249(4) Collect Useful Data to Improve the Teaching of Writing 250(1) Rely More on Classroom-Based Assessments 251(1) Assess Students' Writing Every Day 251(1) Be Realistic and Humane About Grading 252(1) Work Toward Student Self-Assessment 253(6) Aim High 255(4) Four Advocacy Is Also Essential 11 Build on Best Practice and Research 259(33) Advocate for Excellence 259(3) Take the Lead 260(1) Advocate for Saner Teaching and Assessment Practices 261(1) Be Knowledgeable About Relevant Research 262(1) Some Key Research Findings 263(5) Revisit Recent Research on Phonics 267(1) Build on Best Practices in Teaching Writing 267(1) Take Responsibility for Becoming an Effective Writing Teacher 267(1) Adopt Practices of Highly Effective Teachers 268(14) Make Ongoing Professional Conversations a Priority 269(1) You Achieve What You Believe 270(4) Develop a Schoolwide Vision 274(4) Be Cautious About Programs 274(2) Expect More from Your English Language Learners 276(1) Keep Struggling Learners in Your Classroom for Language Activities 277(1) Make Decisions About Homework 278(1) Teach Kids to Be Courageous as Writers 278(2) Teach Persuasive Writing 278(2) Include Parents as Partners 280(1) Use High Achievement to Promote Best Practice Teaching 280(1) 12 Make Every Minute Count 281(1) Connect Your Home and School Lives 282(1) Secrets of Good Writers 282(4) Look into Their Eyes 283(1) Conserve Your Energy 284(3) Reduce the Paper Load 284(1) Be Choosy About What You Read 285(1) Ask So What? 286(1) Important Timesavers 286(1) My Best Advice 287(1) Live Your Life 287(1) Conclusion: Write Your Own Ending 288(4) Five Teaching in Action: Lesson Essentials Five-Day Lesson Plans Secrets of Second Graders-Narrative Writing Lesson 292(13) Heart Poems-Poetry Writing Lesson 305(11) Procedural Writing-Informational Writing Lesson 316(7) Hero Writing-Lesson 323(7) Persuasive Writing-Lesson 330(6) Teaching Points: Conference Video Clips 336 Appendices A. Examining Beliefs About Writing A-2 Communications to Parents B. Letter to Parents About Raising Expectations (Grade 1) A-3 C. Suggestions for Parents A-4 Writing Forms D. Understanding Nonfiction A-5 E. Writing History A-6 F. Poetry Writing Rubric A-7 G. Word Work Sentence Worksheet A-8 H. Writing Strengths/Next Steps A-9 I. Writing Rubric A-10 Editing Expectations J. Grade 2, Editing Expectations A-11 K. Grade 4, Editing Expectations A-12 L. Genre Characteristics A-13 M. Favorite Poetry Books A-14 N. Weekly Professional Conversation Guidelines A-15 Brief Definitions of Terms A-16 Notes A-22 References A-46 Index I-1