We spent part of last month’s Studio sessions talking about creative theft. Many agree that this is one of the most important skills that we can teach young writers. How do we do this, though? The tool below supports this simple approach: select multiple texts, study them with a very distinct lens, illuminate just this aspect of each text, and capture what you learn about craft. Then, use what you discover to inspire your own…
Austin Kleon’s books have had a huge influence on Studio writers of all ages…whether they know it or not. In Steal Like an Artist, he validates everything I’ve ever said to parents who worry when their kids begin writing fan fiction. “My daughter just ripped off J.K. Rowling,” a concerned mother will tell me, and I’ll find myself pulling on some version of Kleon’s words in response. Nothing is original, he reminds us. Everything is…
How often do you invite the writers you support to reflect, and for what purposes? In my experience, it’s common for teachers to place reflective work at the end of the process, when drafts are complete. It makes sense to ask writers to look back at their work and their processes in order to define critical learning moments and set new goals. This is a great way to help writers develop a relationship with reflection,…
On the first two Wednesdays of every month, I get to hang out with some of the friendliest and most talented writers in Buffalo. These meetings of our adult writing group at the WNY Young Writer’s Studio have become very important to me over the last two years. Writing can be a lonely endeavor, and a good peer review group is hard to find and sustain. I’m fortunate and so very grateful for the company,…
I founded the WNY Young Writer’s Studio eight years ago. A community of writers and teachers of writing, Studio is a place where writers of all ages and experience levels come together to study and produce real things for real audiences free from the constraints that schools typically impose. This makes it a phenomenal place for teachers to study writers and the development of writing, and over the last four years, I’ve had the opportunity…
Many say that the mini-lesson is the heart of writer’s workshop. I’ve always felt that reflection is equally important, though. Perhaps more so. Coaching writers to reflect is tough stuff, but I find that when I prompt writers well and provide them the time to do so, they discover very important things about themselves, their needs, and how we can work together to meet them. They also identify their strengths, and this helps me position…
This chart often takes center stage in the primary classrooms I coach in. Drawing is writing at any level, but this is especially true in pre K-2 classrooms. Each point on this anchor chart is a critical mini-lesson, and I don’t typically teach them all at once. The chart is typically built over time, as teachers define and model these strategies for very new and inexperienced writers. I’ve learned that using shapes helps little writers…
“A notebook is a very special thing,” I told them. “It’s so special that we should take care to plan the cover carefully. No pictures of pizza please, and don’t just scribble your name across the front. Take your time. Think on it for a while. You will want to create a cover that will inspire your writing ideas. Your cover can help others understand who you really are and what matters to you.” WNY…
I designed this document yesterday for intermediate level teachers who are leading their students through a narrative writing unit. It includes the best of what we all know about adding great detail to this particular type of writing, and it was inspired by another document that always fabulous Amy Ludwig Vanderwater designed specifically for teachers. This is a kid-friendly version, and it includes guidance, slices of mentor text, and prompts to support young writers. Once…
This year, I’m supporting teachers across several districts as they work to implement the new Units of Study in Opinion, Information, and Narrative Text created by Lucy Calkins and her colleagues at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project. In each district, it’s been important to bring teachers together regularly to unpack each unit and plan for future instruction. Debriefing has been just as important. The chart below is one that I used…