Teaching Writing: The Benefits of Writing in Front of Students

In this week’s episode, I am sharing an amazing strategy related to teaching writing. I learned this strategy from attending a professional development led by Kelly Gallagher—writing in front of my students.  Instead of just showing students an example of the end product, this writing strategy provides students with unique insights into the thought process and struggles I go through as I write in real time.

This strategy involves modeling the entire writing process which gives students insight on how writers write and they become better writers in the process!  Writing in front of students means providing examples from my own experience, allowing students to watch as I struggle through writing and overcoming obstacles. Students learn how I question my writing, how I decided to make changes, and how I write and rewrite a section before moving on.

Additionally, I shared my thoughts on why this strategy works so well with students, and how it gave my students the confidence to make mistakes and engage in the writing process.  Writing is such a personal process that it is hard for students understand that mistakes and revisions are part of the writing process.

In this episode on teaching writing, I share:

• Showing students how to write involves demonstrating the thought process behind writing an essay rather than simply showing an example of the end product.
• It means providing examples from one’s own experience and allowing students to observe as one struggles through writing and overcoming obstacles. 
• It involves reading Kelly Gallagher’s book Write Like This in order to gain further insight into the strategy.

For more ideas on teaching writing? See episode #20 Engaging Students in Writing.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• Write like This by Kelly Gallagher

Be sure to join the Secondary ELA Facebook group where we will be continuing the conversation on writing instruction. 

Tune in on your favorite podcast apps Apple, Google, Amazon, Spotify, Stitcher, and more!  If you’re loving this podcast, please rate, review and follow!