Two Simple Tips for Teaching Student Writers by Valinda Kimmel

“Writers deserve to write for real, to write the kinds of texts that they see in the world—nonfiction chapter books, persuasive letters, stories, lab reports, reviews, poems—and to write for an audience of readers, not just for the teacher’s red pen.” –Lucy Calkins

I agree that kids should write for an audience, but do we really know how to help them think deeply about how they’ll communicate with their readers?

Heartfelt agreement does not equal teacher proficiency, however. I’ll be honest. I struggled with how to help student writers catch a vision and develop strategies to write in compelling ways for their intended audience.

Two simple strategies have bolstered my confidence in being able to mentor, guide, and coach kids toward communicating effectively when writing.

Doing the Work Myself

It’s a bit difficult to teach someone to do something that you don’t actually do yourself with some regularity. The last three years I’ve committed to writing weekly for an audience. I blog.
It’s equal parts agony and ecstasy.

Now, after lots of practice, I know how to plan and draft, revise and edit. I’m familiar with choosing my audience and being committed to a purpose for writing a particular piece.

 I also know that I have to sit (derrière in the chair) and begin the task. #thehardestpart

Cultivating Your Writer’s Craft

When I thought about great writers, authors, poets, and screenwriters, I’d assumed that the writing process for them was akin to something mystical.

Once I began to study how writers write, I learned that many undertake writing in a systematic way. They think about story arc(s). They research and hunt down sources. They think about their reason for writing and they choose well-known, tried and true devices for communicating in powerful ways.
A resource from Units of Study for 6-8 Writers by Calkins teaches students about setting goals and employing techniques. It’s clear, systematic and age-appropriate.

      

These simple charts have also impacted my own writing. Now I’m thinking at deeper levels about audience, intent, purpose, and craft. I purposefully choose techniques for refining my message.
It’s simple, really.

Start by being a writer yourself. Cultivate Your Writer’s Craft.

I have much to learn as a writer. And as a teacher of writers. But now I have some powerful strategies.

Watch out world--I’ve got a lot to say and my student writers do too!


Valinda Kimmel began teaching three decades ago. She most recently worked as a K-6 instructional coach on an elementary campus in Texas and now has an educational consulting service collaborating with teachers, coaches and campus administrators. You can find her on Twitter @vrkimmel and on her site at www.valindakimmel.com/