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When I started teaching, writing was the subject that excited me most. The interest quickly fizzled, however, when I was swamped with trying to manage the process smoothly.
Teaching writing has been a personal battle ever since.
We have parent-teacher conferences this week and in order to get everyone to publish a story, I cut out Author’s Circle from the process. What a difference it has made in my attitude!! I frequently look for excuses to skip writing time, but deleting this step has made it so much easier for me. I see value in Authors Circle (peer edit, conference, whatever you call it), but is it absolutely vital? Can I permanently bag it without damaging them?
(This post was actually written by Heidi but imported by Emily.)
I used to HATE teaching writing too. It's one of those hard things. I think it's because writing is art--it's creative and messy--but so worth the effort in the end. I love Lucy Calkins writing units and her predictable classroom management. She has some for younger and older grades. You should check it out. It has made all of the difference for me as a teacher of writing.
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