Writing

Whenever you start something new, you have to start with "baby steps". You just take a small piece at a time, and start with what you think you know. (Also work in "pencil", so if you need to erase, you can!)

When I started Benchmark Literacy, I just started with the Core Lessons. Each week, I pick a new goal to add. One week, I added the Word Work. Another week, I added the technology, pulling the posters up on the Smart Board or being able to post the paper students are using to learn on the board. I "tweak" and improve my previous skills each week. Another week, I started the Writing.

This doesn't mean that students were missing out on "technology" or "writing", I just was using what I knew and what I had used previously to teach fourth graders. There was writing in the daily work, for Student of the Week, the "Constructed Written Response", and the "Write to Sources" within the Reading Core lesson. There is a whole other LEVEL of writing that uses the writing process (prewriting, rough draft, editing and revising, final draft, publishing), the six traits (ideas, organization, word choice, voice, conventions, and sentence fluency), and teaches students to write specific genres. The writing also has mini lessons for Grammar that the students immediately use IN their writing (not just a worksheet that is out of context from the writing).

To start the Benchmark Literacy Writing, we start with the "first 30 days". This is setting up the writing workshop, the procedures, practicing, and setting up the expectations.

The BEST part of this 30 day process ... our students are itching to write and share their stories. Music to a teacher's ears!!

Coming soon ... your