Embracing Imperfection: Ideas to help build on the strengths of imperfect writing

1. Ruth Ayres rayres@wawasee.k12.in.us http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com Embracing Imperfection:Ideas to help build on the strengths of imperfect writing

2. Writer’s Notebook Entry Write the name of a teacher who influenced you. Jot down a list of everything you remember about him/her.

3. Perfection is Overrated “One of the things I share in my workshops is the idea that it is OK to let go of that high-school English teacher who lives in your head. The one who's always correcting your sentence structure, making sure you have a proper noun and verb in every sentence, reprimanding you when you don't follow the 'rules.' Maybe it's even time for you to have a short conversation with that teacher (in your own mind, of course). “Mr. Or Mrs. So-and-So: Thank you for your time, but I am done with your services now.” -- from Life Artist by Ali Edwards

4. Invite Imperfection What can you do with the physical space in your classroom to make it a refuge for your students? How can we make students feel that they are okay just the way they are?

5. Physical Space Stacey Shubitz’s classroom

6. Student Choices Stacey Shubitz’s Class Writing Center

7. Conscientious Conferring WN Entry (Part One): Take a moment to write down one thing you do really well as a teacher of writing. WN Entry (Part Two): Now what are the things you would like to improve? Reflecting on both sides of this list, what is the most important thing to recognize on the positive side and what is the most important to thing to improve?

8. Conscientious Conferring Seventh Grade Student Sample: “Teens Tell” Chart: +/-

12. Make a Chart All the things this writer does well (+)‏ Things this student could do better (-)‏

13. Conscientious Conferring Of all the things this student does as a writer, what one quality should be appreciated? Of all the things this student needs, what is the one lesson that will impact him the most?

14. Conferring Charts Find these at -- http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/presentations OR Email me: rayres@wawasee.k12.in.us Use your handout to note which charts you would like to print!

15. Status of the Class

16. Conferring Record Boxes

17. Conferring Record Columns

18. Stacey Shubitz’s Conferring Record

19. Individual Conferring Record

20. Physical Space Stacey Shubitz’s “Student Tracker”

21. Writer’s Notebook Entry Think of the last time you shared your writing with another person. What kind of feedback were you wanting? Jot down a quick list.

22. Peer Conferring Explicitly teach how to confer: Listen Compliment Suggest Peer conferring forms should help students work through the process – they should not hinder the process.

24. Peer Conference + Rubric

25. Physical Space Stacey Shubitz’s Conferring Center

26. Writer’s Notebook Entry Write down three wishes you have when it comes to assessing student writing. Disclaimer

27. Assessing Imperfection Assess the process of your students. Have students complete writing analyses. Assess the content. Assess the conventions Balance writing opportunities Rubrics can be found at – http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/presentations OR Email me: rayres@wawasee.k12.in.us

28. General 3 Grade

29. Stacey Shubitz adapted this rubric from Calkins & Martinelli’s Launching Writing Workshop

30. Writing Analysis + Example

32. Primary Writing Analysis

33. Rigor + Freedom We can have both! Value the thinking behind the writing Value the product Value the children who are taking risks to become better communicators.

34. Physical Space Interactive Process Chart Exit Slips

35. Exit Slip

36. ~Ayn Rand Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours.