Resource Book Review: A Writer Teaches Writing

A Writer Teaches Writing: A Complete Revision by Donald Morison Murray

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


hen immersed in reading about writing and the teaching of writing, the real McCoy stands out prominently. This book, clear about its focus from the beginning, is page after page after page of how anyone can transform their classroom into a writing classroom: activities, lessons, adjustments in classroom expectations or procedures, and even how to assess and comment. This is the book where you can access something easily and know that it is steeped in research and practice.

The meaty final few chapters may be of particular interest to you as they address three universal circumstances: problem writers, answers to questions you may ask yourself, and answers to questions others may ask you.

Some of the issues Murray addresses in these chapters are: the student who doesn't care; the student who can't spell, punctuate and aint got not grammar;the student who demands the formula; the student who simply loves to write--and write and write;should I accept papers from other courses; should I share my writing with my students; when do you teach grammar; what is the relationship between reading and writing; and does this work only in a creative writing course? And there are many more.

In addition to answering many of the questions teachers have, Murray also provides a very strong chapter on conference techniques for the teacher. This is worth the price of the book itself.

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National Writing Project Day 8: Immersion in Respect

My contribution today is acknowledging the collegial respect demonstrated at our workshop.

We all know that teachers teaching teachers can sometimes be an intimidating prospect.  I've heard colleagues comment even jokingly that teachers can sometimes make some of the worst-behaved students.

Have you ever been in a faculty meeting where rude behavior went unchecked?  Have you ever worked anywhere where cliques developed and colleagues fall prey to judgment and the earnest construction of walls to protect the fifedom of their room or hall?

This is not the case here and I do not think that that can go by unnoticed.

If you read anything about the founding of the NWP or its continued development of leadership,  you find that one of the seminal principles is affording teachers the time to immerse themselves in...reading? (yes) ...writing? (yes) ...conferring? (yes) ...but more to my point, immersion in respect.

So this is what respect feels like...

So this is what being trusted with time feels like...

These tenets of what should be the foundation of all schools, "ain't" always so across the nation.  Just read the news, you may not have to look too far.

I just want to say that I appreciate the foundation of respect found in our PAWLP workshop, and it has been a pleasure getting know different people and all of the unique perspectives and talent we bring to the group.

Hopefully, we can all take this with us and lay the balm of respect on our own families, colleagues, and classrooms.

Resource Book Review: Study Driven

Study Driven: A Framework for Planning Units of Study in the Writing Workshop by Katie Wood Ray

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What a gem.



I borrowed this book from the PAWLP library, was impelled to take notes as I read--thirteen full pages--and still have resolved to buy the book for myself for my classroom and a place near my desk.

As a reference and resource for pieces of writing or places to find pieces of writing for support in your classroom it is the best I've come across.

As a reference and resource for lesson planning ideas it is the best I've come across. Katie Wood Ray offers THIRTY thorough lesson plans or what she calls study possibilities. This is after 186 pages chock full of great ideas, support, and inspiration. Some of the study possibilities she offers span the range of memoir, historical fiction, and practical how-to fiction, to photo essay, how writers use punctuation as a crafting tool, and Editorials, Commentary and all Things Op-ed.

This is a seriously thorough and well-balanced book.

At the core of her belief is immersion. We can only hope to improve students we teach by immersing them in the texts and in their writing--teaching them to read like writes. Immersion affords us the possibility to read the type of writing we are going to do, talk about it, practice it, and share it.

One of the seminal questions we can help all students by asking is "what have you read that is like what you are trying to write?"

Her preference for the outline of a typical class period would entail: whole class gathering for teacher-led conversation, demonstration, or inquiry; independent writing and writing-related work (conferencing); talking and sharing about the process of writing.

Katie Wood Ray concludes this thoughtful book by covering the issue of time. We are all pressed for time in our schools and districts. I won't go into here, but she makes a very eloquent case for considering trying to make at least some part of these ideas work in your classroom.

We don't teach under the same rules, issues, or needs. But can reach the same texts and have the same conversations (which our colleagues) to, perhaps, begin to shift the pendulum back. As far as time goes, until something changes, we have what we have.

Read this book--even if nothing changes in your school or district or curriculum I am confident this will help you make at least some positive change in your teaching.

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