Teaching Writing Fast and Effectively!

Teaching writing involves teaching with the end in mind. When writing goals and expectations are clear, students do not perceive their writing assignments as busy work.

Here are THREE GREAT RESOURCES for learning how to see the end in mind in your elementary writing instruction:

The first resource is Stephen R. Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Habit #2 in this excellent book is “start with the end in mind.” Remember: Highly effective people make for highly effective teachers!

The second resource is Understanding by Design by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe. This book is an exciting new addition to understanding curriculum development though backwards design (also known as backwards planning). Once again, start with the end in mind!

The third resource for mapping out what you wish to accomplish in your writing instruction is the state standards for “English Language Arts.” The state standards may seem a bit dry, but they do explain where your students have been and where you need to take them.

Wishing you total writing success!

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.
Lewis Carroll

If you don’t know where you are going, every road will get you nowhere.
Henry A. Kissinger

VS.

You cannot be lost on a road that is straight.
Proverb