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If you're an elementary writing teacher and you are looking to improve your knowledge of this area, make sure you tune into this series! Learn about the misakes you're making and how to fix them!
This one mistake is the difference between an organized and effective writing block and a writing block that is scattered and not focused!
What's the mistake?
Not scaffolding the lesson enough
Too often teachers will teach a lesson and try to cram all the information into one sitting. Students are then left to plan and write in one sitting. While this is standard and should be practiced, writing needs to be scaffolded in a way to support students through the process. In result, students are overwhelmed, stressed and frustrated with writing. So to make this more manageable here are some tips to help you from making this mistake.
Top 3 tips on avoiding this mistake:
Tip #1: Break down your lessons using learning targets
Learning targets are simple, student-friendly language in the form of an “I can” statement. These help to drive your instruction and keep you from straying during your lesson. Learning targets should be focused on the learning that is occurring, not the task.
Tip #2: Provide time for shared writing
Research shows a tremendous benefit in having your students share the pen! Find simple ways to encourage your students to help fill in organizers, templates, or even writing. Ask questions like: What word should I put here? How should I start the sentence?
Tip #3: Give plenty of feedback
Writing is a challenging subject. Give your students plenty of feedback that on the tasks they are completing. If you wait a day or two between learning tasks, a lot of the learning has either been forgotten or learned incorrectly. Give feedback during class!
Want to learn about the 3 other mistakes you might be making as a writing teacher?
You can check them out here:
Mistake #2: Clear Modeling When Writing
Mistake #4: Writing Is Not Linear
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