Motivating Middle School Writers
Kate Roberts presenter 8/11/09 (Notes from Megan-a colleague who teaches 6-8 in a Middle School in The Bahamas)
There are three things needed:
- To demonstrate motivation
- To create a community of writing
- A genuine response
We want our students to practice 18th century literacy in the 00’s.
There are some ways we hold them back…
- By giving the same prompts all students
- Ex. “Write about a time you were scared” vs. “Write about a time you felt big emotions”
- By giving too many directions or teaching too many points at once
- By not taking their work seriously
Ways to Create an Audience
- Have them check in with their partner about regular HW assignments
- Share with each other everyday
- Try out different partners (a speed-dating approach to finding a buddy)
- Don’t wait for celebration
- Use student work as your demonstration text
- Quick publish
- Even before the end of a unit, say “Find your best piece, let’s publish it. Get it on looseleaf for tomorrow.”
- Publish dramatically across the school
Accountability and Rigor
- Set high goals for volume
- At the beginning of the year, do a stamina assessment. Have them write for ten minutes and keep that page to show them how much (or how little) they could write.
- Draw an X at the bottom of the page. Tell them to write to the X
- Teach elaboration
- Give them a list of phrases like “I think, for example, this is important because”
- Have them orally tell a story and have the partners throw out a phrase when they are struggling
