A successful way to challenge students to become more independent writers is to task yourself as a listener. Help students learn what ideas and things in and about their lives are special to them. Encourage them to make discoveries and connections with those things in their writing. Students who are always supplied with outside ideas …
“Talk is the foundation of a child’s learning life. Through language meaning is built.” Lucy Calkins says in her book Raising Lifelong Learners. When children begin to converse it is crucial they feel heard. We must listen openly to them, “If you want children to talk with you, you need to accept what they say and …
“You can tell a good writing classroom by the presence of the child’s interests in the room.” This quote from Lucy Calkins book Lessons from a Child describes one of the features of a good writing environment. If the writing environment is arranged the right way children will be interested and want to write! Writing …
