I'm Beth Holland, writer at #EdTechResearcher & @Edutopia, instructor w @EdTechTeacher21, & a TA for my dissertation advisor. I spend most of my life writing or editing, so I'm thrilled to be here with all of you. #TeachWriting
Of course, Beth - sorry that we didn't spread the word as much as usual. Had our big zoo field trip today, and that made everything crazy. . . #TeachWriting
So many great ways to integrate Science with reading and writing! Just presented @NSTA for the literacy strand! Would love to hear what you’re doing with it. #teachwriting
A1 - It's also well-supported with materials. There are tons of resources out there that - directly or indirectly - encourage, support, and/or enable this structure. (The hamburger organizer, for example.) It's a well-worn path. #TeachWriting
A1. It helps students understand the idea of finding evidence to support their thinking and their claims. Even working with higher ed, some students need the structure to find supporting details. #TeachWriting
I listened to sessions from both of these educators and bought their books and I don’t even actually teach Science but they were phenomenal!! #teachwriting
A1 - It's also well-supported with materials. There are tons of resources out there that - directly or indirectly - encourage, support, and/or enable this structure. (The hamburger organizer, for example.) It's a well-worn path. #TeachWriting
A1 it can help some kids write towards an expectation and it introduces the idea of structure BUT still it has limited reach as an authentic/meaningful writing experience which it is often cast as. #TeachWriting
Still helps those struggling newbie writers. However, I would like to build from strong sentences to paragraphs next year versus paragraphs to essays. #teachwriting
Chats like these are why I love twitter. To think there are other people out there who want to discuss the teaching of writing besides me! Wonderful! #teachwriting
A2 - It's a crutch. It helps when you need it, but after a while it starts to smell and you outgrow it and it hurts your armpit. When you try to manipulate your evidence into three neat chunks, and try to summarize cleanly in one concise thesis, always, it's bad. #TeachWriting
A1 The five paragraph essay has been unfairly criticized as too structured or too formal, but really, it's an example of providing clear guidance to budding writers, who often don't know how to organize their thoughts without a structure to follow, at least to start #teachwriting
A2. It can start to limit thinking. All arguments suddenly try to conform to three supporting details instead of a more nuanced discussion #TeachWriting
A2: It can be limiting. Ss just start churning them out without deeper thinking of the work. They just know- this will get me the grade. That is the pitfall to me. #teachwriting
A2 it can limit students exploration of presenting ideas in engaging ways. It can stifle student voice and can create a false illusion of what good writing is. #TeachWriting
A2 - It's also too much or too restrictive for some things. I think a lot of young writers would take more risks and have more fun writing - even nonfiction writing - if they could let go of this structure. #TeachWriting
A2: predetermining specific length of argument seems counterintuitive. If a S makes a point and backs it up, why repeat it later in a conclusion. Get to it and move on #teachwriting
You make some great points! There are times when structure is necessary. Creativity can also come from limitations, so it can be really helpful for asking students to frame their thinking #TeachWriting
A2 - There are many fun ways to write nonfiction. I think a 5-paragraph essay is not usually considered "fun." It's boring (usually). Some really good student writers get into a kind of rut with them, too - they stop growing as writers because they rock 5 par. #TeachWriting
But many won’t —unless it is modeled for them. My goal this year is to complete every writing assignment before offering it to my Ss—go through the process and I can own it too. #teachwriting
A2b: 5 paragraphs can also lend to redundancy as Ss struggle to find more support to further bolster the argument they’ve already argued 😜#teachwriting
Sure - I'm not going to steal crutches from a kid with a broken leg. I am going to invite him to leave the crutches at home when his leg is healed, though. I think the problem is that too many kids never "break out of it." #TeachWriting
I totally agree! It's like taking dance lessons - you start with a structured dance until you are good enough to put some freestyle spin on it! Need to understand the building blocks first! #teachwriting
A2- It's SO STINKING HARD to break away from the 5 paragraph rut. Ss want to give me 2 pg paragraphs to fit the 5 mold. Also, conclusions that are just reworded intros. #TeachWriting
That's a cool idea - and very #NationalWritingProject - good luck! (It might help you to take notes or make a video about your process - cool tool to use with kids later, too. . . . #TeachWriting
A1 And while we're at it, why not teach them others structures, as well, such as the argumentative essay with a more complex thesis, followed by a section right after the intro, to acknolwedge the opposition, before building the argument they support for the rest. #teachwriting
Q3. There have been a lot of articles and tweets focused on the structure of writing, but what is the greater purpose of writing instruction? #TeachWriting
A1 As for creative writing, plenty of opportunities to work that in,with a compelling introduction that conveys an anecdote, a descriptive setting of the scene, perhaps an enticing snippet of dialogue -- to lure the reader in & "sell" him on reading the rest! #teachwriting
A good starting point, true. Not sure if Dostoyevsky or Twain had a “structure” but hopefully a basic structure would lead to that kind of *originality* #TeachWriting
In reply to
@laurarfarmer, @brholland, @Ed_Stories
A3: I’m encouraged when Ss put themselves out there with their writing. They’re vulnerable to criticism and interpretation. If they are confidently willing to do that, polishing the work becomes that much easier #teachwriting
I’ve been diving into the @TheWritingRevol and it focuses on building strong sentences first. It’s really made me think differently for building better writers. #teachwriting
A3 - The purpose of writing instruction should always be about the writer, not the writing. (Feel like I heard that somewhere. . . ) If kids write a great essay or story for you, but walk out of your room and never write anything good again, isn't that a failure? #TeachWriting
A3. We teach writing to help students process and communicate their thoughts clearly, creatively, effectively. It’s a labor of love for me. ❤️#teachwriting
A3. I've been really wrestling with whether writing is about writing or is it more about persuading, communicating, describing, enthralling, imagining, creating, etc. where the "writing" is just the mechanics #TeachWriting
A3- Writing clearly and concisly ultimately gives my students power. Getting a specific message across to a target audience is challenging and a key skill for all learners. #TeachWriting
A3 - For me, when I take my official teacher hat off, I want kids to see writing as useful. (I've preached this sermon a few times - sorry.) I want kids to be able to use it to do things. Not just get good grades. For life. Themselves. Everything else. #TeachWriting
.@brholland I would argue that the teaching of writing is, at its foundation, the teaching of critical thinking. Students, and adults, too, rehearse and organize their thought processes through the excercise of writing. #teachwriting
A3 - I tell the story (in my head) of a middle school kid (me) who tried writing novels to channel some of his middle-school wackiness and emotional roller-coaster-ness. (They were pretty much garbage, and they're gone, but it was the process, right?) #TeachWriting
Valid question. Ss also seem to have to write for a teacher and rarely for themselves/personal interests. Maybe they need less structure and more freedom to be encouraged to just write for writing’s sake at first. #teachwriting
I agree with you. Been thinking about how audio/video could achieve the same purpose through a different medium. Makes me wonder about medium vs message. #TeachWriting
#TeachWriting... I spend too much time UNteaching the 5-paragraph essay because it's been drilled as an absolute. If it's offered as one organizational scheme among others, fine. In both reading and writing #nonfiction#kidlit I find great possible beginning middle ends: models.
A3: To build literate adults who can think critically in order to make better decisions in life which in turn builds better communities. Or at the very least be productive citizens. Reading and writing well matters. #teachwriting
Valid question. Ss also seem to have to write for a teacher and rarely for themselves/personal interests. Maybe they need less structure and more freedom to be encouraged to just write for writing’s sake at first. #teachwriting
I view igniting interest in writing as part of my job or at least one of my goals as an ELA teacher ... because of my answer to your question which is ... NOT ENOUGH! #teachwriting
It is the core of written argument of any length or level of complexity. The hydrogen atom relative to all of chemistry. The fractal pattern that can be reproduced as five sentences or five chapters (or any number of sentences or chapters). #teachwriting
I see writing as a process toward reaching higher goals. If someone is an engineer and he has built something that can help society he needs to be able to communicate that in some way. I see writing, speaking, listening as a way to support everything else. #teachwriting
Absolutely - students need an audience in order to write with purpose. Lots of ways to do this. Speech contests, debate prep, mock trial opening statements or preparing "testimony" by characters, newspapers, scripted podcasts. #teachwriting
A4 - There are many. Mostly, they worry that their Ss will get that mean old history or whatever teacher who demands that they write 5-paragraph essays or they fail. That somehow, not teaching this will hurt kids' preparation. #TeachWriting
I agree. The audience is essential. Writing that gets graded by only a teacher lacks powerful purpose and risks feeling like a hoop to leap through. #teachwriting
A4 - I also think that the 5-paragraph essay is easier to grade than other formats. Lots of teachers don't want to grade essays. Many would also not want to grade unpredictable, messy, unstructured, "creative" essays. #TeachWriting
In my current research I see again and again teachers who have been told not to think. They r forced to follow writing process scripts and mime already written words. They read parts of books in order to do close reading w 5 years olds. #teachwriting
A4: There is no time. It takes a lot just to be ready for the standardized tests or the benchmarks along the way. It places pressure to only teach certain types of writing. That is the biggest fear that I see- it’s not easy. #teachwriting
A4: some Ts fear letting go of the steering wheel. Control/authority matters to some Ts but Ss deserve the freedom to make choices and express their voices in a variety of forms. Move, T, get out the way!!! #teachwriting
A4 - I think it's also one of those things that lots of teachers don't think they're good at, so they reach for pre-packaged materials, and those are often . . . SURPRISE! The five-paragraph essay! (Not knocking the use of prepared materials - we all do that.) #TeachWriting
A4- Structured writing is predictable and therefore easy (or easier) to grade. Giving back feedback is often a stumbling block in classes of ever increasing size and getting Ts onboard for new writing could be seen as something else to check off a standards list. #TeachWriting
Structured writing takes less time to grade. You can scan for the highlights. I’m excited to give feedback on sentences first this year by hand (no chromebooks) and get to know my students better. #teachwriting
A4. The issue is not fear of writing. It's far more fear of employment ending. So long as we allow teachers to be told, 'Don't think just say what this writing guru wrote'--children will be ill served. #teachwriting
While we're at it, I just want to give a shout-out to a highly structured and very successful writing program that my daughter has been fortunate to experience. @JudithCHochman writing program taught at @Windward_School. Teachers can learn the program @WindwardTTI#teachwriting
Here I think we can critique AP and Standardized tests. That writing is rather formulaic and speed graded. #teachwriting I think that bleeds over to other assignments in schools.
Control/Compliance/Form all matter to certain Ts. It becomes stifling to add or they figure out how to please the T and get nothing out of the exercise for themselves. #teachwriting
.@shawnMcCusker On the flipside, AP writing, at least when it comes to the DBQ essay, can be extremely helpful for students to learn and apply across disciplines. #teachwriting
I’m digging through her book now! Love it so far!! It is not a workbook or prescription but can be applied to what a teacher is already doing. Excited to use it next year. #teachwriting
In reply to
@Ed_Stories, @JudithCHochman, @Windward_School, @WindwardTTI
Q5. How might we help students understand the balance between academic writing - such as the 5 paragraph essay - and writing for the real-world? #TeachWriting
Let the Ss do the cooking and see what they concoct! Then we can look at the product and provide constructive feedback. They’ll own it and look forward to next iteration. #teachwriting
I only wish I had known about it when I was actively teaching English. It would have saved me a lot of time and been a helpful resource when I was searching for ways to make the teaching of writing more explici; for many, it's not something they learn via osmosis. #teachwriting
In reply to
@laurarfarmer, @JudithCHochman, @Windward_School, @WindwardTTI
And I will add, helps them to quickly process sources and docs. BUT there are many ways to write. And not all of them are highly structured. #TeachWriting#mixitupalittlehuh
A5 - I think they're already "writing for the real world" in many senses - through social media, texting, etc. They write a good amount - they often don't call it "writing," though. We need to connect with that more, IMO. #TeachWriting
A5- Writing needs to be a part of every class, every day. Small and large. Formal and informal. For outside audiences, themselves, and each other. Look at the different ways adults write in different jobs. #TeachWriting
A5: Create some relevant assignments. Collaborate with the Science or History teacher on your hall. How can you solve a problem together? Eng classes help with the writing piece. #teachwriting
Why is the 5-paragraph essay even valued? It so often seems like one large mistake. The logic that ideas flow paragraph to paragraph is faulty and lacks elegance. There are curves in good writing, leaps that tangle. Think of the essayist you love to read. #teachwriting
Q5. How might we help students understand the balance between academic writing - such as the 5 paragraph essay - and writing for the real-world? #TeachWriting
A5: it’s a skill to learn when to get something done as a means to an end but we owe it to Ss to help them take risks and put their work out to more audiences and share their opinions in healthy ways. Self-esteem building goes a long way for our Ss #teachwriting
A5 - I think they need to see other kinds of writing. There are many other kinds that people do, and not just social media. We need to teach them how to write an effective e-mail, for example. #TeachWriting
A5. We have to give students the opportunity to wield the power of writing. #PBL can help. Service learning can help. Simple letter writing can help. #teachwriting ✍️
A5 For starters we tell them that what we are teaching is a hyper-stylized form of writing for a specific purpose. Acknowledge that. #teachwriting#ownit
A5- Two formal papers a year, or one every 6 weeks, simply isn't enough writing. My software engineer husband writes everyday. So does my SAHM sister. Acknowledge and work towards their futures as writers. #TeachWriting
There's definitely something about knowing someone else might read your work. I've spent more time on some blog articles than papers for school #TeachWriting
A5. I've been thinking about the idea of "be a student of the writing.' Students need more opportunities to study the craft of others and then emulate #TeachWriting
A5. If we broaden our definition of writing to composing then video and image rise. The logic when writing an essay can be realized when composing a post for your Youtube channel. #teachwriting
This is so true. Nothing improved my writing so much as when people started reading it. The words mattered, and the writing was more enduring. It seemed more worth the time I spent. #TeachWriting
I feel bad when I see Ss look at a T and want to be told what to write in order to get a satisfactory grade (usually an A) We must stop this! #teachwriting
Many of our students are extraordinarily adept in text-speak, emojis, memes. Code-switching is something I want to spend more time on. I love when I learn slang or nuance from my students. They don’t even realize how expert they are sometimes! #teachwriting
.@brholland Yes, absolutely. Teaching via the use of models can be very powerful. I select modelscarefully for interest and impact; then we analyze, discuss what's effective and why, pick a few things to focus on and emulate, and get to it! #teachwriting
. . . until someone like me tries it out. Yes - good point. This is powerful stuff, and a cool way to engage them in explanatory writing. #TeachWriting
Writing should be part of most classes. Not just ELA classes. I think our elem friends do a good job of this, but it drops off somewhere in or after middle school. #teachwriting
We need to be in the know!!! Too often Ts are behind the teams and pull Ss backwards. We need to remain current and tailor experiences to their real world #teachwriting
Q6. What are some of your favorite ideas or examples that provide students with really extraordinary writing opportunities? What makes them extraordinary? #TeachWriting
Interesting points. Perhaps they could study a well-done @NYT@Instagram post, for instance, study technique, craft their own based on a news or feature item, and see what they produce! #teachwriting
In reply to
@morgetron, @bkuhl2you, @NYT, @instagram
Q6. What are some of your favorite ideas or examples that provide students with really extraordinary writing opportunities? What makes them extraordinary? #TeachWriting
Q6: In truth, in recent years many of my students started writing children's books for their Passion projects. They are great because the message is focused and their info is distilled. They are super thoughtful. #TeachWriting
Tech helps a ton. Audio feedback is easier than writing. Maybe assign in smaller batches and rotate who is turning in what and when. Let Ss curate from their own stuff and self select. #teachwriting
Yes. This is why it doesn’t happen. Or it happens and isn’t treated seriously ... As in “research” papers are contests in copying/pasting with a list of URLs as a “work cited” page. #teachwriting
A6: find audiences that are not just the T. Write for younger Ss, pitch a concept (shark tank) write letters for employment, develop your own brand/philosophy as learner...be creative. Ask the Ss what they want to write about!!!! #teachwriting
Thanks so much for joining us tonight! We appreciate your time - and thanks, Beth, for being our leader tonight! We appreciate you finding the time to make this happen in your busy schedule! #TeachWriting
