Since this phase represents the end of the process and everything that occurs after the paper has been completed, I like to call this phase the “after party.” It really works, too, if you think about because the accomplishment of writing should be celebrated!

1 – Meaningful feedback is key in teaching students to truly look at what they’ve written after the fact.  I want my students to know that I’ve read what they’ve written, and taking the time – yes quite a bit of time – to write something meaningful on each paper is part of that process.  I always try to leave notes for both strengths and targets for students throughout the essay.   Those notes are tailored to each student’s abilities, too.  For some students, I’ll ask a question to prod more thinking, but with other students, I’ll be more direct.

I also include a note at the end that is personal and lets students know that I appreciate the work they’ve done. This is also a good place to let students know that you’ve noticed their growth.  The of end-of-essay “letter” serves as a mini conference that gives students a little boost of confidence for the next task.

2 – Student self evaluation is another piece of the process that I believe produces amazing – if not the best – results for growth.  We, as writing teachers, all know that we spend hours grading, scoring, and commenting just to have students glance at the grade when we hand the essays back and then shove it in their binder or file it away in some random Google folder.  I needed students to read what I wrote and take an honest look at what they had done, so I developed self-evaluation forms for writing.  I’ve blogged about these little jewels before because I believe in them so much.  On the day I hand the essays back, I make class time for students to fill out the forms. Sometimes I give a grade for the forms, and other times I give a few extra credits points on the essay grade.  Students to respond really well to the forms, and I love seeing them dig back through their work learning to look for triumphs and issues.

3 – Sharing successes and student exemplars when possible builds morale and confidence.  (The process must be done tactfully, and anytime I share student work from within the class I always take the names off, of course.)  I always try to choose a different student’s work each time, and even if it’s not an entire essay, – maybe just the opening or a paragraph that was done particularly well – it is still very beneficial for the entire class to see how different students responded to the task.  If it’s an argumentative task we just finished, I try to choose responses that were well done from each stance.  I always explain specifically what was well done about the paper I’m showing.  Often I choose different traits to focus on in the exemplars when I’m sharing throughout the semester.   I also remind students that they may see those same traits in their own papers, and if not, then they know what they need to work on next time. I don’t hang up student essays in my room or hallways, but students are required to keep the tasks in their writer’s portfolio. That satisfies the “publishing” feel of the process for high school students.

4 – Keeping a chart of writing scores is an excellent exercise for those math-minded students, and it makes the perfect organic data collection evidence for you.  My writing curriculum has the tools you need in it to make this part of the process a staple.

5 – Allowing students to revise every essay for a fresh, new grade can seem like a huge task, especially if you have 100+ students. You spend hours grading through them the first time around, so how could you possibly consider grading them again?  Many colleges encourage professors to develop a revision policy, and I think it is another piece of the process that does produce growth.  After students have completed the self-evaluation form, and they know what to look for in terms of issues, their revisions really can be worthwhile. When I taught at the college level, I allowed students to revise and resubmit one essay.  I know others who allowed students to revise and resubmit all of them.  I kept the revise and resubmit one essay policy when I moved to high school.  Along with that essay, they had to submit their original essay and a cover letter explaining what changes had been made and why.  Also, I always score grammar separately from the content, and while they should make changes to the grammar in the revision, I never change that grade. I do, however, see improved grammar scores as we go.  Lastly, when students submit a revision, I completely replace that new grade.  Other caveats of my policy include *no late essays can be revised *essays not meeting word requirements cannot be revised, etc.  I like giving students a chance to put those commitments from the self-evaluation forms into practice, but I also know I can’t drive myself crazy with so much grading nonstop.  The more revising, the more growth, but you have to protect yourself in the process, too.

I hope this writing series has provided you with the tools and direction you need to get started on a healthy and effective writing program in your own classroom. Just joining me for this post? See the others in this series here:

You can see Post #1 of this series here (Teacher Prep Planning).

You can see Post #2 of this series here (Writer’s Portfolio). 

You can see Post #3 of this series here (The RACE paragraph).

You can see Post #4 of this series here (The Writing Process).

Sign up for my monthly newsletter – “Teaching Tidbits” – that is delivered directly to your email inbox each month.  Each month you’ll get announcements, tips for teaching, updates on new and revised resources, and, of course, an email-only exclusive FREEBIE!

The writing process itself is, of course, what we’ve been working up to during this series. This is show time. This is game day. This. Is. It.  During the writing process, students really have to show what they know.  The process itself takes time, and hopefully, you’ve allotted for that.  In my writing curriculum, I include a pacing guide for the resources included with it.   Here are the steps I follow with my students. (It’s important to note here, too, that I am discussing in this post a writing assignment and not a writing assessment.)

1- Model Paper: Before students take off down the road of composing their own essays, I like to have them see an exemplar first.  I usually don’t show them an essay on the same topic on which they will write, but definitely in the same mode.  It’s a pretty in-depth look that we do with the exemplar paper because we really take time to break it down. I really like to use my model paper analysis task cards during this step because it helps guide students in the direction of how to effectively analyze an exemplar.  Multiple exemplars are included in my full writing curriculum, and I always save excellent student essays each year, too, for future reference.

2 – Planning and Prewriting:  In this step of the process, students receive the prompt and stimuli (if they aren’t looking for the researched materials on their own). I also like to have students write from an outline, especially if they are new writers.  All of my students, though, are given an outline to consider.  I think that an outline helps tremendously if you are preparing students for timed writing assessments, so they can get used to a clear plan of action in that time-restricted setting.  The biggest part of the prewriting for me, though, is the thesis statement check. Once I assign the prompt, and students have time (usually over night or one class period) to work with it, I require them to submit a thesis statement.  We use Google classroom, and that has been an amazing tool for conferencing during the writing process.  Students typically submit an entire intro, but the thesis is what’s required in this first phase.  Since the thesis statement is the road map to the entire essay, it’s critical that they are on the right track immediately.

3 – Drafting and Conferencing – When possible, I schedule time for students to work on writing assignments during class because I want to see how they are doing.  Maybe it’s kinda English-teacher nerdy, but I like to watch them work. Some dive right in and just get words down. Others will sit and think and ponder before they put pen to paper. Plus, requiring them to get something done right there in front of helps with both plagiarism and procrastination.  I think that’s why it’s important, too, to give them the tools they need and then just step back and let them go.  If it’s a longer assignment, I’ll do another check point after a day or so where they submit a draft online and I give feedback. I always keep that door open, though. If a student wants me to read his/her paper during the process, I always do. I tell them I’m not a proofreader, but I will most certainly read the content and give feedback.  Guided conferencing sheets are included in my full writing curriculum.

4 – Workshopping – Once students have a had a chance to dig into the body of texts they will be using and have composed several paragraphs of their essay, it’s a good idea to stop and gauge their progress. If you have done a draft check at this point, consider what has been working and what students are struggling with.  If you’ve not done a draft check but you know students are going to need work in a certain area (citations, sentence variety, words, etc.), during this step, you’ll be pausing their writing to conduct a short lesson on that topic. To me that’s what a writing workshop is:  a short, focused lesson on one area of writing that students practice and then apply.  Depending on your students’ level, you may need a full-blown lesson on the topic, or if students are more advanced or just need a refresher, then you could just do a mini workshop.   I have both types of materials available in my full writing curriculum. During an assignment, I do one workshop for sure, and sometimes I do two.  I really believe that doing focused lessons allows flexibility in planning and instruction, and it chunks the information for students.   That’s why, for me, writing is a process all year long. I don’t teach it all at once.  That sets unreasonable expectations on my students and me.

5 – Revising and Editing: Once students have participated in the writing workshop, it’s time for them to head back to their papers and begin revising.  I call this “revising your live paper.” In other words, I’ve looked at them, give feedback, helped with how to make the paper better BEFORE they are turned in… I actually say, “Before I get out my red pen.” (But I guess that can be a topic for another day.)  In some cases, especially with new writers, I’ll use my revising and editing task cards, so students are sure to work through the process genuinely and accurately.  Young writers aren’t the most adept at going back through their work to check for errors and make general improvements, so these cards ask questions to point them in the right direction. 

I also encourage students to use an online software or program that edits like Grammarly or Paperrater.  These will give students free and fast information about what they should correct.  I also worn students that there is nothing better than the human eye, so it’s important they do their own proofreading and maybe have our early morning English tutor look over it, too.

Remember that the process is just that – a process. That process can look different for each student and each classroom. It’s the struggle through that is productive and produces great writers.

You can see Post #1 of this series here (Teacher Prep Planning).

You can see Post #2 of this series here (Writer’s Portfolio). 

You can see Post #3 of this series here (The RACE paragraph).

Sign up for my monthly newsletter – “Teaching Tidbits” – that is delivered directly to your email inbox each month.  Each month you’ll get announcements, tips for teaching, updates on new and revised resources, and, of course, an email-only exclusive FREEBIE!

The next stop on my formula for successful writing instruction is the easy-peasy RACE formula.  (You can see Part 1 here and Part 2 here.) Stay with me now… you’ve probably seen the RACE strategy done before.  You may even have something similar to it.  Whatever works for you and your students is awesome.  I, however, go about it a tad differently because when I am teaching basic paragraph writing, I do like to give something for students to use from start to finish.  Plus, this method reminds them of the key ingredients AND can easily be branched into a full essay because it functions like a “mini” essay in and of itself.  I like to start small so students can sink their teeth into something before they tackle a larger assignment. I even review and use the RACE strategy near the beginning of the semester with my junior honors English students. There’s nothing wrong with review, and I feel more comfortable knowing they have a solid foundation for structure.  Here’s what my RACE writing strategy looks like:

Step 1: Teach the process. I almost never assume students know what I want and require. It just works out so much better when I tell AND show them my expectations. The same is true with writing – especially with writing.  To teach the RACE formula, I go full out with a PPT slide show and cute sketch notes. It helps define the terms and gives students something to use as reference when they are on their own.

Step 2: Look at samples and annotate and discuss. This step goes back to making sure students understand expectations. Giving them an exemplar helps them know where they are going. I also show them errant and emerging paragraphs, too, so they can see the entire spectrum. Take a look at my video tutorial for my Red-Light Green-Light strategy  for analyzing model student papers.

Step 3: Practice together and annotate and discuss.  Choose a prompt from a text you’ve been reading in class, or if you are using my teaching pack, use the provided stimulus and prompt.  Sometimes I’ll have students attempt the first sentence alone. Other times I’ll start it by modeling my thinking aloud. I’m always modeling aloud, come to think of it. (Or maybe that’s just talking to myself LOL)!  Sometimes, I write the parts of the formula on slips of paper and randomly give them out to students, so they have to chime in when it’s their turn.  It just depends on where my students are and where I need to meet them. Then we just spiral and go with the flow from there.  It really does take a lot of patience and time to write a paragraph together in class. It also takes a lot of willingness to step back on my part and let students work through it. Many times I am putting them on the spot, so they have to feel comfortable speaking out and making mistakes.  I give them time and space to think.  Then as we are working back through what we’ve written, I model revision, and we come to conclusions together about what worked and what didn’t.  I take it one step further right then, too, and we brainstorm how to fix those mistakes and just improve what we’ve done.

Step 4: Write individually. With a fresh prompt and stimuli, it is important for students to take everything they’ve learned now and compose their own paragraph. Again, I give them time and space to think and write.   It is important to note here that this method is designed to work for constructed responses with a text.  Students see that modeled all the way through the lesson, so be sure to choose material for them that aligns with that process.

Step 5: Review and reflect and revise.  Lastly, I always give my students feedback on what they’ve written. My RACE teaching pack comes with a rubric, but you could even just do a check list.  Sometimes I do that, too.  Again, it just depends on what my students need.  Occasionally, we will take one of our previous RACE paragraphs and revise it.  That is a critical part of the learning process as well.

If you are looking for an entire writing curriculum, take a look at my full writing curriculum that is flexible and complete enough for any ELA classroom!

Be sure to get this blog straight to your email, so you won’t miss the next post in this series: The Writer’s Notebook. (Find the big SUBSCRIBE VIA EMAIL button up top on the side!)

And….. sign up for my monthly newsletter – “Teaching Tidbits” – that is delivered directly to your email inbox each month.  Each month you’ll get announcements, tips for teaching, updates on new and revised resources, and, of course, an email-only exclusive FREEBIE!

We’ve arrived at stop two (See Post #1 here and Post #3 here) of my formula for successful writing instruction, and that is the writer’s portfolio. It’s important for this post to come second in the series because it requires some prep work and proactive planning.  To have the writer’s portfolios as a staple and routine in your classroom, you’ll want to have them ready and set up the correct way from the start. It can be done midstream, but it will be easier and more effective to get going with it up front. In this blog post, I’m going to explain the portfolios with a Q/A style format.

What are the benefits of having these portfolios? Tracking and feedback are two huge pieces of a successful writing program – and devoting space and time to these two elements will set you and your students apart! Administration loves to see that you are tracking your students, and it’s not always easy to do that in a streamlined and simple way.  With the writer’s portfolio, students do their own tracking based on their scores and feedback that you give right in the notebook.  Their charts and work samples are all in one place.  Plus, parents can see their children’s growth at a glance, too.  When my students set up their portfolio, right after the table of contents is the “Chart Your Writing Scores” sheet.  Then, as we add paragraphs and essays, they keep track of their scores. Every time we have a writing assignment, students take time to reflect after scores have been returned. We always chart the scores, and sometimes I even have them insert a self-evaluation form behind the essay for further reflection on the feedback.  Usually, I do that for major writing assignments.  Either way, it really helps to have all of this material in one place, and it really isn’t that big of a time investment for you or your students.  Once they are set up, they just really take care of themselves.  Additionally, organizing the teenager is a beast in and of itself… outside from trying to have a successful writing program.  That said, given the way I teach writing, with vocabulary, notes, sample essays, etc., it is a nightmare if students can’t find all of that material and have it all at their fingertips at a moment’s notice.  Nothing we do in my class is ever put away to be forgotten. One thing always builds on another.  Therefore, it is imperative that we keep it in all one place.

How will this help my students be better writers?  Writing is a process, and part of that process is learning the pieces and parts and seeing how we grow and change.  Facing challenges and celebrating triumphs gives students the confidence they need to keep writing.  I also think seeing everything in one place gives them a sense of accomplishment because it’s something they created.  It’s certainly only one piece of the puzzle, but it’s the piece that holds it all together.  The writer’s portfolio becomes the literal toolbox for students with everything they need to pick up and get started building their essays.

What do I need to get started? Plan to provide or require your students to have a simple one-subject spiral notebook.  It’s as simple as that! No fancy binders, sheet protectors, etc.  Just a simple $.50 notebook.  You’ll also need some large paper clips and ribbon to make bookmarks.  Students mark the page of where I need to flip to grade their current writing piece, and it saves so much time and eliminates the page flipping!  Of course, scissors and stick glue will be required as well!

What goes in the writer’s notebook? Everything.  Again, very simple! Everything related to writing.  I do like to have my students arrange the notebook by the units we do, which are by the modes. Typically, the first unit is the narrative mode.

Why not just have it all in the regular binder they use for the class? While writing isn’t a separate part of the class, I think the writer’s notebook does need to be, so when students need to begin writing, their space isn’t cluttered. Disorganization can be a stumbling block for writers, and we want to create an environment as free from distractions as possible.  Virginia Woolf said to be a successful writer, she needed “a room of her own.”  This writer’s portfolio is a space set aside for students to be adventurous, to make mistakes, to try new things, to have successes, to brainstorm, and to create.  It is a “room of [their] own” to be successful student writers.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter – “Teaching Tidbits” – that is delivered directly to your email inbox each month.  Each month you’ll get announcements, tips for teaching, updates on new and revised resources, and, of course, an email-only exclusive FREEBIE!

It’s a snow day down south, so I’m at home ticking off my to-do list and staying warm. This got me to thinking about cozy layers. Here are a couple of outfits I’ve pulled together this winter so far to keep warm and comfy!

1) Black cotton knit blazer from Matilda Jane. It’s called the All is Calm Jacket. It is unbelievably soft.  Pink top is the Character Top from Matilda Jane as well. It is long sleeves and super, super soft.  Gray pink pin-striped trouser pants from New York and Company. I did end up putting on black shoes ;).

2) Purple and navy striped top is the Matilda Jane No Limitations top. It is so soft and swingy. Gray shag vest is from H&M. Navy dress leggings/pants Style & Co. brand from Macy’s with tall brown boots.

3) The dress/tunic is the Write It Down tunic from Matilda Jane. Long mustard cardigan is from Charlotte Russe.  Brown knit leggings are New Directions from Belk. Lucky brand booties.

4) The yellow and navy cardigan is the Copper Cardigan from Matilda Jane. Layered with a denim top and jeans.  Ugg fringe booties. Love that these are flat for teaching.

5) Aztec poncho. Long-sleeve denim top. Black dress leggings/pants Style & Co. brand from Macy’s. Tall cognac Frye boots.