Writing Essentials

Writing Essentials Chapter 1: Consider the writing essentials listed on page 13. What is your response to these, as a writer and as a teacher? Which do you think are easy, and which are challenging? Does one strike you as being particularly powerful or problematic?

In my main placement, Mrs. S. teaches writing using much of Routman’s advice and addressing many of the criteria Routman lists on page 13. She models writing, and her thinking about writing, for the students. They look at books they are reading to notice what the authors do. They compose shared writing. They write every day about topics they choose. She has a sharing time at the end of writer’s workshop and the kids all want to share. Her kids are so excited about writing that when they had to skip writer’s workshop one afternoon because of an assembly, they were visibly disappointed. So, I can see how much of what Routman is saying really works in the classroom with kids of varying abilities. Everyone, from those barely reading to ELL students to those who are performing above grade level, is enjoying writing and being challenged in Mrs. S’s class. Still, I have a hard time thinking that even in K you could apply all 12 writing essentials to their work. It seems that it would involve a lot of leading by the teacher, when in K you just want to get them excited and confident about writing. Too much teacher re-direction could burst their bubble and take the fun out of writing.

For all grades, the writing essential I find problematic is authentic voice. I think it is tricky to define to kids and tricky to teach. While Routman says, “we need to be cautious that we don’t teach voice as an end in itself” (p.44), she does include it as one of her criteria, which implies that teacher’s must find a way to help students learn to bring voice to their writing. Routman says your voice will come through if you write about something you care about. I do not think this is always true for kids who are so worried about getting the right information down on the page. Also, this is much harder to do in some types of writing, such as expository writing, where voice may be frowned on. Routman also advises reading your writing aloud to help with voice. But if you strive to make writing sound like you talk, you will end up with all sorts of grammatical errors because we don’t pay attention to grammar as we speak. One thing I have seen Mrs. S. do is encourage students to include emotion in their personal narratives, which helps their voice come through. I can see how authentic voice is going to be one of the hardest things to teach my students. I hope Routman has some more advice later in the book.