Writing the Future: Three Lessons I’ll Carry into My Classroom

Introduction:

        In our semester-long project, we were tasked with reading articles from various sources regarding both teaching writing and being a writing student. After reading each piece, we had to fill out a Note-Taking Organizer, in which we included the name of the source, article, and authors, as well as a paragraph reflecting on the implications of the teaching techniques for both writing teachers and student writers. This blog post is being written to reflect on my experience throughout this project, highlighting three techniques, lessons, or themes that stuck out to me across the readings. 

1. Creating A Comfortable Writing Environment

        One of my first takeaways from the readings is how important it is, especially in a writing classroom, to create a welcoming and comfortable environment. We can't expect our students to write work they are proud of in an environment they don't feel comfortable in. The first article I ran into this idea was all about AI in the ELA Classroom: Bringing Student Voices into the Discussion. The author, Jessica Hrubik, created an interesting unit in her classroom that tasked students with a project doing research about AI, and if it's fair to allow it in the classroom. At the end of the unit, 78% of her students agreed that AI should be allowed, but there should be limitations and guidelines. Then, Jessica Hrubik allowed her students to work together with her to create a class list regarding what they deem acceptable and unacceptable use of AI. In middle school I had a teacher who allowed us to create the class rules all together and it really did create a welcoming and comfortable environment, which is why I hope to use this technique in the future, especially regarding AI. When students have the opportunity to work with the teacher regarding rules and expectations, it's a great way for students to feel respected and that their voice matters in the classroom, which in turn helps their comfort levels in that particular environment.

        Another idea that I found in an article was all about The Persistence of Memory: Time Travel, Authentic Writing, and Chicken Nuggets. In this article, the authors, Jessica Cira Rubin, and Paul Romanelli discussed the importance of taking our students' writing seriously. They had shared a story from their childhood in which they wrote a letter to their superintendent requesting that their school switch back to their original chicken nugget vendor. Their letter was heard loud and clear and the original chicken nugget vendor was reinstated at their school. Although the issue of chicken nuggets may seem silly to some people, the authors mention how empowered and encouraged they felt to continue advocating for themselves after that one instance where their writing, about something they were passionate about, was taken seriously. Creating a comfortable writing environment in which students know they will be taken seriously no matter their writing topics, can have such a positive impact on student engagement and excitement to write when they feel confident that they will be heard. 

2. Allowing Creativity to Flow

        Another takeaway I took with me from the readings is the theme of creativity. Structured writing and prompts are key aspects of a writing setting. However, we must give our students a break to write creatively. We can't expect our students to find joy in writing and explore their writing identities if we don't give them the opportunities to practice creative writing. One article I read that discussed this topic was all about finding A Writing Mindset for Life. The author of this article, Kristen R. Strom, was struggling along with her students to work through writing resistance. One technique she implemented in her classroom and found plenty of success with was creating time for free writing regularly. Allowing free write in the classroom is a great way to create a comfortable environment which we discussed before, as well as helping students find and foster their own writing identities. It allows students to engage in writing without the pressure of specific prompts, rules, or limits on what they write, allowing them to create pieces they can be really proud of. We can't expect students to feel confident in their writing if they haven't been given any opportunities to find their writing identity first, which is why I really enjoy this technique. 

        Another article I read that discussed this topic was all about Healing Through Expressive Writing. In this article, the authors, Jennifer Chauhan and Christine DeMarsico discussed the importance of allowing room for expressive writing in an ELA classroom. One of the techniques they discussed in this article was the Spoken Word Project, which essentially consisted of giving students a thought-provoking prompt and allowing them to write about it any way they would like. As a writer myself, I like being given thought-provoking prompts without any expectations of what I'm supposed to write about. This technique is nice because it gives students minimal structure with complete creative freedom for their actual writing. In a writing environment like this, students are given the freedom to creatively write about different questions, which can give them the lasting confidence to express themselves and find joy in their writing.

 

3. Still Providing Structure for our Students 

        The last takeaway I took with me from the readings was the idea of structure. I know I just discussed how having less structure is a great way to get students excited to write. However, providing structure is still very crucial in a writing classroom and is something some students need. One author, Marilyn Yung had to remind herself that structure can be a positive in classrooms in her Note to Self: Don’t Fear Structured Writing Prompts. Marilyn had mentioned one of her students and how they specifically shine with the provided structure. The student was mentioned to be a stronger thinker who struggles to turn work in. Marilyn then began to notice a pattern that this student would turn in wonderful work when a structured prompt was provided. We must give students opportunities to feel a sense of freedom in their writing. Yet, we must remember that some students have trouble articulating their wonderful thoughts without structure. One idea I had after reading this article was to meet in the middle. You can still offer free writing time for all students while also including possible prompts or questions to consider to provide structure and help students start articulating their thoughts. This way the students who thrive with structure have it, and the students who don't need it can avoid the prompts or questions to consider, and write as they please. This article has opened my eyes to recognizing the common fear of structured prompts doesn't have a negative in the classroom, and instead can be viewed as a tool to help our students be successful. 

Final Thoughts

        Overall, I was extremely pleased with how much I ended up enjoying this project. I liked hearing different perspectives from authors who have been both teachers and writers themselves and hearing techniques that have helped them. They did a wonderful job using real-life examples of their tricks and techniques that have helped me visualize how I can use them in my future classroom. Keeping my three takeaways in mind in my future classroom will help me as the teacher to get students comfortable and engaged in writing activities. While also helping students find confidence and joy in writing. Reflecting back on this entire project, I am grateful to all the authors I have included in this post and the techniques they have shared for future teachers in my position!

References

New Jersey English Journal | Vol 13 | Iss 2024. (2024). Montclair.edu.                         https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/nj-english-journal/vol13/iss2024/

Note to Self: Don’t Fear Structured Writing Prompts. (2019). National Writing Project.         https://www.nwp.org/blog/note-to-self-dont-fear-structured-writing-prompts

tppwriterswhocare. (2024a, November 14). A Writing Mindset for Life. Writers Who Care.         https://writerswhocare.wordpress.com/2024/11/14/a-writing-mindset-for-life/

tppwriterswhocare. (2024b, December). The Persistence of Memory: Time Travel, Authentic Writing, and     Chicken Nuggets. Writers Who Care. https://writerswhocare.wordpress.com/2024/12/01/the-                    persistence-of-memory-time-travel-authentic-writing-and-chicken-nuggets/

tppwriterswhocare. (2025, January 13). AI in the ELA Classroom: Bringing Student Voices into the             Discussion. Writers Who Care. https://writerswhocare.wordpress.com/2025/01/13/ai-in-the-ela-    classroom-bringing-student-voices-into-the-discussion/        

Exploring Our Guilty Pleasures Through Creative Writing

Lesson Overview:

        This week I had the opportunity to present my final teaching demo to my entire class. Creating my lesson, "Guilty Pleasures," was fun but also challenging! This was the first lesson plan I was tasked with creating that I knew would have to be presented in front of my whole class. Knowing I had to present, I had a difficult time, feeling the pressure of trying to pick a topic that would both excite and engage my classmates. The idea to ask students to write about guilty pleasures came to me while performing my own...shopping. Almost everyone has at least one or two guilty pleasures that they indulge in every once in a while. So, I figured it would be the perfect topic for my creative writing lesson plan! I was also excited to complete a creative lesson plan because of the inspiration I gathered from one of my course readings this semester: "There is, indeed, a place for many genres of writing in the classroom, including academic writing, but we should create moments for students to explore creatively as well." (Hicks, Creating Confident Writers, pg. 29) I think it's extremely important that as teachers we take the necessary time every once in a while to give our students a break from academic writing, and give them the chance to explore creatively. While performing a guilty pleasure of my own, shopping, I figured it would be the perfect opportunity for students to have fun and engage with some creative writing of their own! 

The Making of the Lesson:

        When designing my lesson I had to make sure I completed a lesson plan, slideshow, assignment sheet, graphic organizer, model assignment, and rubric. Once I had figured out my topic and felt confident to start working, the required materials seemed to come out all at once. I finished all of the work within a few days and I felt ready to present. However, after being a student for four of my classmates the week before my presentation, I noticed that some of the graphic organizers were designed in a way that limited our class, as the students, from typing directly on them. Witnessing this, I decided to go back to my graphic organizer and recognized my classmates would have the same issue with mine. So, I was able to remedy my organizer so my classmates/students could easily copy, paste, and write on it when it came time for my presentation. I was grateful to have the opportunity to change my organizer before my presentation this time, although I know when I am in my own classroom in the future I won't have that privilege. My classmates did a wonderful job quickly fixing the issues and offering solutions!

Takeaways:

During/After the Presentation:

        The lesson itself went very smoothly. I had no issues with technology which was a big relief because I had never shared my screen on Zoom before. One moment I was happy about was that my graphic organizer worked for everyone after my initial editing of the document before my presentation. I was popping in and out of everyone's documents throughout writing time and everyone seemed to be able to write directly on the organizer without any issues. My presentation of the subject, guilty pleasures, went smoothly. The students seemed engaged throughout the lesson and did a wonderful job volunteering when I asked questions. One critique I would give to myself, although I am very proud of my presentation, would be to slow down. I have a tendency to talk fast and I especially noticed it during the lesson, although it had a lot to do with nerves. One thing I tried to challenge myself to do throughout the writing time was to reassure students that I was there for them if they needed any help and give praise to students who were working hard. I think it's important for teachers to praise students when it is deserved because it can make all the difference in their performance in the future and even encourage their peers to do the same! 

Mini Lesson: 

        When designing my mini lesson, I could only find one area that seemed like it could be useful for my students to strengthen their writing. I decided to add a mini lesson on descriptive language to my lesson plan and presentation! Although some students included it, descriptive language seemed to be the one aspect that was slightly lacking throughout the students work. One example of where more descriptive language could've been used was from my focal student who stated, "When I was a kid my mom made us waffles for breakfast a lot. I fell in love with them." I had included in my feedback that descriptive language could be used here to describe what the waffles tasted like...were they warm? soft? etc. One student who did a wonderful job of using descriptive language stated, "I'd think so too, but the forbidden taste test brought an explosion of flavors that pleasantly surprised me!" The use of "forbidden" and "explosion of flavors" really brought the sentence to life! 

Focal Student:

        My focal student completed the optional graphic organizer that I had created in its entirety. Although it was optional, I was happy to see the completed version and be able to connect it to their final writing piece. This helped me feel confident about my organizer and let me know it was a good format to use for future lessons! It's important to provide structure and means for students to get inspired to write, which is why I'm happy the organizer was so successful across my whole class. I also made sure to include both marginal and end comments in my focal students feedback. The idea came from another one of my course reading which read, "marginal comments are the evidence that their drafts have been read closely. Without such responses, students conclude that their readers merely glanced at their words." (Sommers, Responding to Student Writers, pg.16) I wanted to make sure that my focal student felt heard and that I really took the time to read and engage with their work.  My focal student received a 16/16, as they painted a wonderful picture of their guilty pleasure through their writing. My only "grow" that I could think to include in their feedback was to utilize more descriptive language. They had used some throughout the writing, but I mentioned how you can never use too much! However, all aspects of the assignment were completed and well thought out which earned itself the 100. 

Final Thoughts:

        Overall, I have to say I'm extremely happy with how my materials and presentation turned out. I was overwhelmed by how engaged the students were during both the presentation and writing time. I looked at everyone's work both during and after the presentation and I was really happy with the responses. The students did a great job at helping me understand what their guilty pleasure is and even got me excited to potentially try some of them myself. I got some really creative food and movie recommendations through their work! Reflecting on my experience, I am extremely thankful for everyone who participated during my lesson and for all the hard work that was put into everyone's writing!

Links

Materials: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSIjVuCbexKu9XZwrbyzm5T2ieiqdn4AvMhhGpVaC-U-vDKMfN_JTzvNeK0tLhv9KX6NPwGPSJ45EFQ/pub

Slides: 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQa3rzxxYmF4s63VXZVH9nH20VyK1Qc8DAneAmfrHhf78RnDokNIqmMWFyI8GCAKxsbFE6BsdgsR-Z2/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000

Blood Moon: Blackout Poetry

"Blood Moon"

Don't worry,
another chance,
a stunning event. 
The "blood moon" amazed,
the moon and sun opposite.

A partial eclipse,
twice a year,
a shadow falls.
"Blood moon,"
red when covered by the Earth's shadow.

The moon,
a period of darkness. 

        My blackout poem, "Blood Moon," has been drawn from a newspaper article I found about the lunar eclipse we experienced last night. My goal in writing this piece was to challenge myself by writing a new piece of work within an existing piece. What I hope you can take away from this method of poetry is to read closely and try to be creative when attempting to write your own blackout poetry. It's okay if your piece doesn't make sense to everyone. The goal of this exercise is to find what sticks out to you and make a piece of writing out of it. I thought this process was a little challenging because it was hard at first to imagine the page blacked out with only a few select words remaining. However, as I started blacking out some words, the poem started to come to me the more I read. I thought this was a nice and engaging way to get excited about poetry since it's the one English related topic that I'm not normally interested in. I think this would make a really fun activity in any English classroom! 

Inspiring Writing Through Poetry

 

        Poetry is a powerful art form that can be used to express and even explore different emotions. I choose Jim Daniels's American Cheese (Poem 028) and Cecilia Woloch's Slow Children at Play (Poem 112) to help inspire writing. The two poems are presented in a light-hearted story telling approach through poetry, which is why I think they are a perfect example to show any students. Poetry seems to be a daunting idea for many students whenever it is mentioned. So, showing them examples of how poetry can be fun is a good way to get your students excited to engage in writing their own poetry. 

        Daniel's poem does a good job of selecting a topic, American cheese, and using it to express emotions through storytelling. This poem can be inspiring for young writers as it showcases how personal experiences, even something as small as cheese, can hold a deep meaning and transform into wonderful poetry. Daniel's poem is a good way to showcase how powerful exploring memory, identity, or even family can be in evoking emotion through imagery. This poem is a wonderful example of how writers can capture complex emotions in simple, everyday moments.

        On the other hand, Woloch's poem does a nice job of inspiring writers by creating a sense of nostalgia. The poem uses the example of rushing adults and slow children to explore the complexities of relationships and moments. Through the use of imagery and rhythm, this poem invites readers to capture the fleeting moments in life that typically go unnoticed. 

        My hope in showing students these poems is that the typical feeling of nerves and dread regarding poetry can be lifted off their shoulders. Poetry doesn't always have to be a difficult puzzle that must be constructed when writing and understanding it. It is possible to express and explore emotions through poetry without all the complexities. By showing these poems to students, I hope it can show them that poetry is what you make it and it's not something they should be afraid to write and explore on their own. 

Here is a link to the website where you can access the below poems and many more! 

https://www.loc.gov/programs/poetry-and-literature/poet-laureate/poet-laureate-projects/poetry-180/all-poems/

Poem 028: American Cheese

At department parties, I eat cheese
my parents never heard of—gooey 
pale cheeses speaking garbled tongues.
I have acquired a taste, yes, and that's
okay, I tell myself. I grew up in a house
shaded by the factory's clank and clamor.
A house built like a square of sixty-four
American Singles, the ones my mother made lunches
With—for the hungry man who disappeared
into that factory, and five hungry kids.
American Singles. Yellow mustard. Day-old 
Wonder Bread. Not even Swiss, with its mysterious
holes. We were sparrows and starlings
still learning how the blue jay stole our eggs,
our nest eggs. Sixty-four Singles wrapped in wax—
dig your nails in to separate them.

When I come home, I crave—more than any home
cooking—those thin slices in the fridge. I fold
one in half, drop it in my mouth. My mother
can't understand. Doesn't remember me
being a cheese eater, plain like that. 

—Jim Daniels

Poem 112: Slow Children at Play

All the quick children have gone inside, called
by their mothers to hurry-up-wash-your-hands
honey-dinner’s-getting-cold, just-wait-till-your-father-gets-home-
and only the slow children out on the lawns, marking off
paths between fireflies, making soft little sounds with their mouths,
ohs, that glow and go out and glow. And their slow mothers flickering,
pale in the dusk, watching them turn in the gentle air, watching them
twirling, their arms spread wide, thinking, These are my children, 
thinking, Where is their dinner? Where has their father gone?

—Cecilia Woloch

Putting on the Shoes of a Teacher: Lesson Plan 1 Reflection

Brief Assignment Introduction

        In this post, I will be discussing our class's most recent assignment, a lesson plan. This assignment tasked us with creating a lesson plan revolving around argumentative writing. We were asked to find standards, create student learning objectives/goals, write an opening script, as well as create a model of the assignment for student clarification. Once completed, we were then in charge of presenting our lesson to small groups, consisting of our peers, to gain some practice with teaching and receiving feedback. 

Reflecting On My Own Lesson

        The argument topic I decided on for my own lesson was: "Should schools switch from five to four day school weeks?" I selected this topic because I figured it was something the students would be really interested in, which would help them stay engaged and excited to write their arguments. Throughout my lesson planning process, I wanted to make sure that I was being clear about my expectations for the assignment while also engaging the class. In past classes I have had to write several lesson plans, so I didn't find much difficulty in completing this one. However, I have never had to present a lesson I have created so that was very nerve-racking for me at first. Although I was nervous, I was pleased to receive positive feedback from every member of my small group. One nice comment I received was that I presented in a casual way that made them feel more comfortable to speak up and stay engaged. My group mates also liked how I shared my own personal opinion on the argument topic because it made them feel confident to share their own. One challenge I faced during the presentation was that my screen sharing was not working, so I had to come up with a new way of explaining my article on the spot, and it ended up being fine. Ultimately, I actually really enjoyed presenting one of my lesson plans for the first time and I'm excited to practice more in the future!

I have included a link to my lesson below in case you want to check it out:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRMMdTyY1m5G7sckEDHkSFOfhb-lS1l6TBRrmlKgvSBuuAP7BzUiN5gCmW461RCxbxpI-NDx6uMd7KV/pub

Reflecting On My Experience as a Learner 

        As a learner during the presentations of my small group, I noticed some teaching moves that were effective for me as a student. During one of the lessons, a teaching move I liked was how the instructor had everyone raise their hands for the side they were taking and then went around and asked students to explain. This was completed before any articles were introduced, so it gave me as a learner an opportunity to present my prior knowledge and initial thoughts on the topic before potentially being persuaded by the article. Another teaching move I liked was the engaging questions at the beginning of everyone's lessons. Each teacher at the time would start off asking an engaging question related to the argument topic of their lesson plan and have us respond to the question. I really liked this approach because it got me excited as a learner to share my thoughts and learn more moving forward. During my group mates' presentations, there weren't any moments that I found challenging. Each of my group mates did a great job at presenting interesting topics and keeping me engaged the whole time!

Diving Deeper Into One Lesson

        Out of respect for the privacy of my peer, I will not share their name. However, the lesson I wanted to dive deeper into was centered around the question of if the death penalty should be abolished. I really enjoyed this lesson because my classmate gave us multiple opportunities to ask questions throughout their time sharing, which I think is really important in classrooms. I also wanted to note how they went into depth of fully explaining every step of what was required of students, which provided clarity and didn't leave room to question what needed to be done. There was also a moment open for a class discussion so students could get a feel for arguments and how to go about writing them. Something I included in my own lesson plan that was also included in this one was questions to consider. I think these are really important to include when expecting students to write because it gives them questions to fall back on if they are feeling stuck and don't know what to write about. Overall, I think this lesson plan was well organized and the topic was very engaging, which is what drew me to dive deeper into it. 

Harnessing the Power of Workshops and Temporal Landmarks to Fuel Student Growth

         In English classrooms, it is essential to find various strategies that not only engage students, but also develop their skills. Two strategies that I've encountered so far in my course readings that have stood out to me are writing workshops and temporal landmarks. By combining writing workshops with key moments for reflection, English classrooms can create a supportive environment that fosters confident writers, enhances writing skills, and helps students keep track of their progress. Writing workshops, which Steve Peha spends some time discussing in Welcome to Writer's Workshop, help develop stronger writers. In writing workshops, students have more opportunities to actively engage with their writing rather than completing repetitive class work. Between the mini-lessons, status checks, writing time, and sharing, students have several opportunities to learn new strategies and apply them authentically over time. As Steve Peha puts it, "They spend more time applying what they've learned authentically. They spend time writing and sharing-- two things they enjoy--instead of doing things they find boring and meaningless" (Peha, 1995-2010). When students are constantly pressured to take a test or fill out a worksheet applying their new knowledge, they sometimes forget to actually take in the new knowledge and apply it in their own writing. With writing workshops, that pressure is lifted off of students since they have the opportunity to apply it on their own way, on their own terms. 

         On the other hand, temporal landmarks, as discussed in Chapter 2 of Troy Hick's, Creating Confident Writers: For High School, College, and Life, highlight the necessity for individual reflection. These temporal landmarks, or "checkpoints," serve as a moment for students to pause and reflect on their progress, assessing any personal writing goals they've set for themselves, and creating any new ones they find fit. Troy Hicks puts it perfectly when he quotes Hengchen Dai, Katherine Milkman, and Jason Riis, "temporal landmarks interrupt attention to day-to-day minutiae, causing people to take a big picture view of their lives and thus focusing on achieving their goals" (Hicks, 2020). When students are finding themselves rushing to get work done on time, they sometimes forget to pause and reflect on the quality of the work they are doing, and making sure they are achieving their writing goal they set out for themselves in the first place. By implementing time in our classrooms for temporal landmarks, we are giving students a chance to make sure they are writing something they are proud of and reaching their writing goals. 

        One potential drawback to writing workshops is that some students may struggle with time management within their writing time. With free writing time, students may feel stuck at times, or fail to reflect on their progress. One potential drawback of temporal landmarks is that students may fail to be completely honest with themselves. Students may feel lazy at times, or like they did "enough" when doing the bare minimum during their personal reflection time. This can prevent students from going the extra mile and putting in the work to make their writing stand out. However, both of these drawbacks are easily remedied by implementing writing workshop and temporal landmark techniques together in classrooms. When it comes to potential time management struggles for students with writing workshops, temporal landmarks being implemented can help students manage their time. By setting aside time for these reflections, students can make sure they are achieving their writing goals as their writing is progressing. Writing workshops remedy the potential drawback of temporal landmarks because of the sharing aspect. During these moments, students are asked to share with the teacher and their classmates who can offer feedback. This can help students see a new perspective they may not see on their own during their reflections. In conclusion, blending writing workshops with temporal landmarks creates a supportive classroom environment that fosters confident writers and skill improvement. Would you consider using writing workshop and temporal landmark strategies in your classroom?

Sources:

Hicks, T. (2020). Chapter 2 Setting Goals. In Creating Confident Writers: For High School, College, and Life. essay.

Peha, S. (1995-2010). Welcome to Writer's Workshop. Teaching That Makes Sense, Inc. https://ttms.box.net/shared/static/18htc7rcb2.pdf

Fostering Better Writers Through Workshops

         

        After reading some excerpts from Welcome to Writer's Workshop by Steve Peha, it is evident that writing workshops are crucial in building better writers. Writing workshops are a flexible way to teach students without immense pressure. One way they are vital in building better writers is through the mini-lessons. Mini-lessons are flexible and don't need to be presented whenever you want to engage in a writing workshop. However, due to their brevity, mini-lessons provide focused support on a topic that students may be struggling with and plan to use in their writing. Mini-lessons are also beneficial in building better writers because they remove the intimidation that comes along with normal lessons. Typically, students feel pressure when listening to a new lesson because they know a test of some sort is going to follow. However, mini-lessons are quick and straight to the point for the benefit of more time dedicated to writing and less pressure for students. 

        Another way writing workshops are crucial in building better writers is through the status of the class checks. These checks, which are very flexible and only need to occur every once in a while, help keep students and teachers on track. With writing workshops, every student is welcome to go at their own pace. Status of the class checks are also beneficial for both the teacher and student as they allow progress checks and can encourage time management skills for students who want to set goals for themselves and their writing. These moments are also vital in building a sense of community in the classroom since students will be interested in where their peers are in their writing, motivating students to continue their own work. 

        Writing workshops are also crucial in building better writers through sharing with an audience, whether that's with peers or the teacher. Students tend to really value their peer's opinions, sometimes even more than the teacher's. No writer is going to improve their writing without receiving feedback, whether it's good or bad. Hearing different perspectives and ideas is imperative in building better writers as it opens the door for new ideas, possibilities, and improvements. Ultimately, writing workshops are critical in building better writers because they allow, "Students spend less time on worksheets, fill-ins, repetitive drill work, and other sub-skills of writing. They spend more time applying what they've learned authentically. They spend time writing and sharing-- two things they enjoy--instead of doing things they find boring and meaningless" (Peha, 1995-2010). When students are allowed to apply what they've learned in an authentic way rather than worrying about a test or worksheet, they are more likely to absorb the knowledge and use it more organically in future writing. Based on your knowledge of writer workshops, do you find them to be crucial in building better writers? 

Sources: Peha, S. (1995-2010). Welcome to Writer's Workshop. Teaching That Makes Sense, Inc. https://ttms.box.net/shared/static/18htc7rcb2.pdf

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! My name is Jody, and I am currently a junior at Montclair State University. I am studying English, as well as Secondary Education! Here is a place where I will reflect on my thoughts about learning how to teach writing! I hope you enjoy reading my posts throughout the semester!