Writing in the schools - what I have seen

In my main placement my master teacher is focused on teaching the kids to write. It is her mission. Because the school does not have a consistent literacy curriculum, what my teacher is trying to accomplish in one year is astronomical. Students come through her door with understandings about alliteration and similes and parts of speech, but with little experience with writing ideas or practicing writing. The teacher is compelled to catch up and teach pre-writing at the same time as the Six Traits.

When I read the Spandel chapter on support the writing process, I experienced a big AHA! In separating the the process from the Six Traits I could see the importance of setting up the process of thinking about a topic and research a topic before writing. Elevating the activity to what real writers do is critical. Writing becomes more than an activity, but a way of being and seeing. Until I personally understood that so much writing happens before the first sentence is written, I took no joy in writing. it was just work, but that was because I was trying to do too much at one time. I compressed the pre-writing into the first draft. A rookie error that I see my fourth grade students do every time they write. They have no patience for organizing their thoughts.

Given this "race to the finish", it is no wonder that the the students can't apply the Six Traits of writing. The part that is the most painful for me is that their writing is missing "voice". These kids have vibrant personalities and many different experiences that color how they view the world. Yet, the writing is mostly a list of sentences.

Currently there is a Writer-in-the-Schools program that our classroom is a part of. I have not been a part of those days, but I look forward to seeing how a writer will help my students to learn to write. And the Six Traits stay posted on the rolling board, for everyone to see, and hopefully use.