what if kids wrote and published

What if kids wrote and published?

Authentic Writing Projects Transform Education

A Slidecast by Mark Gura – Creator of TCM’s Resource Kit for ePublishingCopyright Mark Gura 2010 www.resourcekitforepublishing.comwww.markgura.blogspot.com Sources of quotes are listed on the above site.

What if kids wrote and published?

What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid! Even kids don’t believe they could do it! How good could a kid’s book be? Kid’s don’t even have good spelling and grammar! If you let one kid do it, you might have to let them all write books! Kids would have to learn stuff before they could write about it! Who ever heard of a kid writing a book? Kids who write books will think they can do whatever they want! - What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid! Even kids don’t believe they could do it! How good could a kid’s book be? Kid’s don’t even have good spelling and grammar! If you let one kid do it, you might have to let them all write books! Kids would have to learn stuff before they could write about it! Who ever heard of a kid writing a book? Kids who write books will think they can do whatever they want! - What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid!

What?

What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid! Even kids don’t believe they could do it! How good could a kid’s book be? Kid’s don’t even have good spelling and grammar! If you let one kid do it, you might have to let them all write books! Kids would have to learn stuff before they could write about it! Who ever heard of a kid writing a book? Kids who write books will think they can do whatever they want! - What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid! Even kids don’t believe they could do it! How good could a kid’s book be? Kid’s don’t even have good spelling and grammar! If you let one kid do it, you might have to let them all write books! Kids would have to learn stuff before they could write about it! Who ever heard of a kid writing a book? Kids who write books will think they can do whatever they want! - What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid!

What? What would kids write

about?

What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t

studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid! Even kids don’t believe they could do it! How good could a kid’s book be? Kid’s don’t even have good spelling and grammar! If you let one kid do it, you might have to let them all write books! Kids would have to learn stuff before they could write about it! Who ever heard of a kid writing a book? Kids who write books will think they can do whatever they want! - What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid! Even kids don’t believe they could do it! How good could a kid’s book be? Kid’s don’t even have good spelling and grammar! If you let one kid do it, you might have to let them all write books! Kids would have to learn stuff before they could write about it! Who ever heard of a kid writing a book? Kids who write books will think they can do whatever they want! - What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid!

What?

What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid! Even kids don’t believe they could do it! How good could a kid’s book be? Kid’s don’t even have good spelling and grammar! If you let one kid do it, you might have to let them all write books! Kids would have to learn stuff before they could write about

it! Who ever heard of a kid writing a book? Kids who write books will think they can do whatever they want! - What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid! Even kids don’t believe they could do it! How good could a kid’s book be? Kid’s don’t even have good spelling and grammar! If you let one kid do it, you might have to let them all write books! Kids would have to learn stuff before they could write about it! Who ever heard of a kid writing a book? Kids who write books will think they can do whatever they want! - What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid!

What?

What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write!

Who would read anything written by a kid? How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid! Even kids don’t believe they could do it! How good could a kid’s book be? Kid’s don’t even have good spelling and grammar! If you let one kid do it, you might have to let them all write books! Kids would have to learn stuff before they could write about it! Who ever heard of a kid writing a book? Kids who write books will think they can do whatever they want! - What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid! Even kids don’t believe they could do it! How good could a kid’s book be? Kid’s don’t even have good spelling and grammar! If you let one kid do it, you might have to let them all write books! Kids would have to learn stuff before they could write about it! Who ever heard of a kid writing a book? Kids who write books will think they can do whatever they want! - What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid!

What?

What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid! Even kids don’t believe they could do it! How good could a kid’s book be? Kid’s don’t even have good spelling and grammar! If you let one kid do it, you might have to let them all write books! Kids who write books will think they can do whatever they want! - What

would kids write about? That’s a cute idea, but kids couldn’t’ write anything good, could they? Kids would have to learn stuff before they could write about it! Who ever heard of a kid writing a book? Kids who write books will think they can do whatever they want! - What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid! Even kids don’t believe they could do it! How good could a kid’s book be? Kid’s don’t even have good spelling and grammar! If you let one kid do it, you might have to let them all write books! Kids would have to learn stuff before they could write about it! Who ever heard of a kid writing a book? Kids who write books will think they can do whatever they want! - What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid!

What?

What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid! Even kids don’t believe they could do it! How good could a kid’s book be? Kid’s don’t even have good spelling and grammar! If you let one kid do it, you

might have to let them all write books! Kids would have to learn stuff before they could write about it! Who ever heard of a kid writing a book? Kids who write books will think they can do whatever they want! - What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid! Even kids don’t believe they could do it! How good could a kid’s book be? Kid’s don’t even have good spelling and grammar! If you let one kid do it, you might have to let them all write books! Kids would have to learn stuff before they could write about it! Who ever heard of a kid writing a book? Kids who write books will think they can do whatever they want! - What would kids write about? What do kids have to say? Who would read anything written by a kid? Kids can’t write! Kids aren’t experts! Kid’s haven’t studied writing! Kids don’t know how to write! How could a kid write a book? What would a kid write about? That’s a cute idea, but a kid couldn’t’ write anything good, could he? But kids don’t do that! Where would kids get the material for books? Kids don’t know enough to write books or articles! I’ve never seen a real book written by a kid!

What?

Wait a minute…

Wait a minute…

Maybe kids could learn a lot from writing and publishing.

That’s an important “maybe” because...

Poor student achievement in the essential skill of writing

remains one of our most pressing challenges!

In 2007 The Nation's Report Card showed that while 88 percent of American 8th grade students performed at the Basic level of writing achievement, only 33 percent performed at the Proficient level and a mere 2 percent at the Advanced level. Furthermore, the report showed very little improvement over the writing scores of 2002.

We’re talking about WRITING,

one of The 3 R’s, the most basic skills needed

to graduate!

GRADUTATE???

Only 68.8 percent of all public school students in the nation (US) graduate from high school with a regular diploma.

America produces a quarter-million dropouts every year!

Info from: Diplomas Count 2010, produced by Editorial Projects in Education

“Flexibility in meeting students' diverse learning

styles is crucial in diminishing TRUANCY!”

Source : US Department of Education report “Truancy: A Serious Problem for Students, Schools,

and Society”

Our truant students are voting with their feet. Countless others simply turn off and tune out – attending school, but not engaged in the processes of their own education!

Clearly, we are not being flexible in meeting their learning needs!

Can’t we do better in supporting our kids in learning?

We’ve GOT to do Better!

What if kids wrote and published real

books and magazines?

Hold on a second!

Can Kids write books?

If we support and encourage them… …why not?

"Nine-tenths of education is encouragement" ~ Anatole France

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”

~ Albert Einstein

Imagine how education would be transformed if

every kid wrote a real book, chapter, article, or

magazine as part of his education!

But…

Education Myth

Basic Skills must be mastered before more sophisticated ones can be tackled.

Education Myth

Basic Skills must be mastered before more sophisticated ones can be tackled. TRUE?

Real writers know that’s not true!

“Had my credentials been in order I would never have become a writer.”

Joan Didion Excerpted from Why I Write

Instead of laboriously learning a catalog of writing skills –

learning and practicing them just in case someday they

might need or want to write something real… kids can learn to write by writing!

…learn to write by writing!!!

Instead of boring our kids with exercises to teach them about writing…

Why not let them learn to write by writing real things they care about?

“Evidence indicates that when instruction draws on students’ preexisting understandings, interests, culture, and real-world experiences, the curriculum becomes more meaningful to them. “

SOURCE: Engaging Schools - Fostering High School Students' Motivation to Learn (2003) Board on Children, Youth and Families

It follows that if we want students to learn to write, we must establish a context in which this is likely to happen…

One that encourages students to draw on their interests, culture, and experiences, as they discover what writing is!

“Very few writers really know what they are doing until they've done it.“

Anne Lamottfrom Bird by Bird : Some Instructions on Writing and Life

Learning by DOing is powerful learning!

Learning by DOing is powerful learning!“I hear and I forget,

I see and I remember, I do and I understand.”

~ Confucius, 551 B.C.

What are we currently assigning kids to DO that will truly get them to understand reading and WRITING? Better

yet, get them WRITING?

Why not support them in writing real chapters and articles - publishing real books and magazines?

A nice Idea, but would anyone (besides Confucius) agree with it?

"Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go." ~ E.L. Doctorow

“If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.”

~ Margaret Atwood

"Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you're doomed.“ Ray BradburyBest Selling author of morethan 500 published literary works

"The secret of becoming a writer is to write, write, and keep on writing.“ ~ Ken MacLeod

“Find a subject you care about and which you, in your heart, feel others should care about.” Kurt Vonnegut

But don’t kids have to learn how to write, before they can write something that matters!

…little by little, itty-bitty baby steps first…

We’ve all heard or thought that.

But is it true?

Is that how people learn real things in the real world?

Is learning always a continuum of things that MUST be tackled

in a strict sequence?

Must we learn to dog paddle expertly before we even try to

swim the back stroke?

And what about Bloom’s Taxonomy?

It shows types of learning listed vertically. Creating is at the very top!

Yeah, but… a taxonomy isn’t a road map!

It’s a listing of parts of a whole – not an order by which

things may be addressed!

Skills and concepts need not necessarily be learned in a strict

sequence, only moving to the next after the previous one has been

mastered!

This notion, one that keeps students working on writing

exercises instead of WRITING real books and articles, is flawed

thinking – flawed learning theory – flawed education!

So, working on writing/publishing projects

for which they haven’t mastered every skill

involved could be a good way to learn those skills?

As Robert Browning said

“A man's reach should exceed his

grasp!“

What do we have our kids reaching for?

But real publications?

Won’t kids take false steps, have problems,

make mistakes?

Of course, but mistakes are part of

learning… an essential part!

“Mistakes are the portals of discovery.”

~ James Joyce

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”

~ Scott Adams 'The Dilbert Principle’

“I've learned that mistakes can often be as good a teacher as success.”

~ Jack Welch

“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.”

~ Buddha

We need to engage students in appropriate projects and give them the support they need to succeed by learning

from making mistakes!

But what about tests and scores and

preparing for them?

Well, what about them?If kids can write and publish real books and periodicals, wouldn’t they do well on

tests?

If not, maybe there’s something very wrong

with the tests!

OK - but HOW do we get kids writing and

publishing real books and magazines?

What’s needed is not to discard everything we’ve

done and are doing in teaching writing.

Much of it is really very good.

It’s not the content we need to change but…

the CONTEXT!

The Writing Process is a brilliant traditional

framework to support students in learning to

write. So are the 6 Traits of Writing.

But they will help students far better when applied as

foundational supports in writing and publishing

real books and magazines, a shift in CONTEXT!

This contextual shift is crucial in getting today’s students

engaged in writing!

Today’s students will “own” their writing when they work on REAL

PROJECTS and produce REAL PRODUCTS that they

present to REAL AUDIENCES!

That’s the context:

REAL PROJECTS – to produce

REAL PRODUCTS –for

REAL AUDIENCES!

Today’s information and communication

technologies make it do-able and easy, an

exciting and satisfying way to learn!

NO, teachers don’t need to learn a lot of technology, just user-friendly applications developed to support

and improve the experience of writing and publishing.

“Technology can foster an improvement in the quality and quantity of students’ thinking and writing…”

Educational Leadership Realizing the Promise of Technology – Volume 51/ Number 7

“Twenty first century readers and writers need to develop proficiency with the tools of technology…”

National Council of Teachers of English

NCTE Framework for 21st Century Curriculum and Assessment

But don’t our kids already know how to

use technology to write?

Our students may be sophisticated technology

users, but they don’t associate technology use

with “Writing.”

Even though they text endlessly “…teens disassociate e-communication with writing.”

“Moreover, teens are filled with insights and critiques of the current state of writing instruction.”

SOURCE: Writing, Technology and TeensThe National Commission on Writing

College Board - Pew Internet & American Life Project

Here’s HOW technology transforms

the experience of writing for students…

HOW technology transforms learning to write:

Students use Search Engines in focused ways to identify themes of personal interest to write about.


When properly supported and guided, they can

‘self-differentiate’ the subjects of their writing projects…

increasing interest, motivation, insight, and engagement!

Starting from a general theme…

Starting from a general theme…

…arriving at a personal topic.


Used imaginatively, word processing transforms the acts of writing drafts and

refining them, from drudgework to a fluid,

interesting process.


Outlines morph into first drafts, and these, in turn,

into polished, finished pieces.

Basic Outline to version with notes embedded

Notes embedded version expanded to version with full sentences

Remove outline from sentences to reveal DRAFT version


Students use spell, grammar, and punctuation checking technology to

render the writing process into a low risk, experimental activity. Content,

message, and voice become the focus, instead of writing mechanics…


AND they learn spelling, grammar, and punctuation FROM the

technology, as it supports and encourages thinking and creativity!

Choices to make. Decisions to reflect on.

Explanations, not just support!


Following guidelines, students use Search Engines and their own

creative intuition to collect individualized bodies of knowledge

on which to base their writing .


As a result, student pieces become truly personal and in the

process “ownership” of their writing deepens.


In addition to Web-based “library” research, students can use today’s Web 2.0 tools to gather original information on which to base their writing; surveys,

data gathering, interviews and oral histories, etc. are now easy to include

in the writing process.


Students enhance their writing with illustrations, photos, charts, timelines, puzzles, sidebars, and other ancillary

publishing devices.


Today’s most highly regarded publications make these an integral part of the writing/publishing process, and so should our students. Free user friendly

tech tools make it all easy and fun!


Students use the publishing design and organization functions of ubiquitous software to render their

writing projects into sophisticated publications.


Commonly available - or - FREE software enables them produce

books and magazines that resemble professional publications.

Students can produce these as handsome, traditional print

or ‘e’ Publications.


Students use free, easy to use Web 2.0 resources

to “publish” and distribute their work.

HOW technology transforms learning to write:Blogs, websites, document and media

sharing resources carry student publications….

Controlled and safe social networking and e-distribution resources can be

employed to attract an audience and distribute the work to them.

Digital technologies influence the processes, circulation,

and evaluation of writing, and students need to learn how to work effectively with them.

Source: Writing Now - A Policy Research Brief produced by the National Council of Teachers of English

The growing demand for good writers requires more time and

attention devoted to writing instruction in order to prepare

all students for a changing world.

Source: Writing Now - A Policy Research Brief produced by the National Council of Teachers of English

Inquiry-based writing connects writing practices with real-

world experiences and tasks; it also increases student

engagement.

Source: Writing Now: A Policy Research Brief produced by the National Council of Teachers of English

One of the greatest impacts of the advent of digital technologies is the transformation of the individual…


from Content Consumer


from Content Consumer to Content CREATOR!

Shouldn’t our students be creating

content, too?

Doesn’t it follow that supporting them in producing

the very types of published material they are surrounded

by is crucial to their development as literate

individuals?

Web 2.0 resources (technology for writing and publishing) make it

possible.

everything needed can be easily accessed in the

classroom…

When kids learn by producing real

publications, they learn so much more than just

how to write!

Learning across the curriculum

is fostered !

For instance… some examples from our

National Science StandardsPAGE 144 ... to present their abilities and understanding and to use the knowledge and language of science to communicate scientific explanations and ideas. Writing, labeling drawings, completing concept maps, developing spreadsheets, and designing computer graphics should be a part of the science education...

PAGE 176... ARGUMENT. Students in school science programs should develop the abilities associated with accurate and effective communication. These include writing and following procedures, expressing concepts, reviewing information, summarizing data, using language appropriately, developing diagrams and charts...

PAGE 192 ... THE PROBLEM, PROCESS, AND SOLUTION. Students should present their results to students, teachers, and others in a variety of ways, such as orally, in writing, and in other forms—including models, diagrams, and demonstrations....

Another things that’s impacted is

CREATIVITY!

Writing and Creativity go hand in hand.

For many innovators, writing is the medium of

creativity.

Increase fluency in writing and you increase

facility in innovation.

Improving our students’ competence as writers is a crucial way to increase our

society’s cohort of innovators!

Writing is especially important for 21st Century workplace creativity, which is social creativity, involving

groups and networks of people tackling challenges and problems

together.

“Obama says education is key to innovation “

AP Headline – Sept. 16, 2010

Q: But how? What can we teach our kids in school that will foster their capacity to

innovate?

A: WRITING!

” Creativity now is as important in education

as literacy, and we should treat it with the

same status.”

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

” Creativity now is as important in education

as literacy, and we should treat it with the

same status.”From his talk at the TED Conference “Schools Kill Creativity”Sir Ken Robinson - Professor Emeritus, University of Warwick and NY Times best selling author



By re-contextualizing writing instruction through

Authentic Writing Activities, we FOSTER CREATIVITY ….

\


By re-contextualizing writing instruction through

Authentic Writing Activities, we FOSTER CREATIVITY …. as we teach writing! –

\


And MOTIVATION?What about

MOTIVATION?

Our students will NOT learn to write until educators make

MOTIVATION to write the dominant element in the

instructional equation!

“Half (49%) of all teens say they enjoy the writing they

do outside of school… compared with just 17%

who enjoy the writing they do for school with a similar

intensity.”

SOURCE: Writing, Technology and TeensThe National Commission on Writing / The College Board - Pew Internet & American Life Project

“… teens report being motivated to write by

relevant, interesting, self-selected topics, and attention and feedback from engaged adults who challenge them.”

SOURCE: Writing, Technology and TeensThe National Commission on Writing / The College Board - Pew Internet & American Life Project

“Educators who teach reading and writing skills

without addressing student engagement are unlikely to

yield substantial improvements.”

SOURCE: Using Student Engagement to Improve Adolescent Literacy. NCREL quick key Action Guide 10

“As anyone who has spent time with high school students can attest, attempting to build skills of disengaged adolescents is a futile enterprise. “


So true, but what’s the key to engaging them?

Ah ha!“Relevance of curricular materials and topics is

essential to student success, requiring

teachers to know about their students’ interests.”


But how is the teacher to know what each student

is interested in?

Perhaps we should reconstruct the

experience so that students make their own guided, focused selection

of writing subjects !

Technology makes it possible, and if the teacher sets parameters to

ensure that student choices satisfy standards and

requirements, then the best of all possible situations is brought

about…

… students improving their writing by inspiring themselves

and others - writers and readers immersed in topics of

deep interest.

How many pages, chapters, articles, books, and

magazines will a student read between kindergarten

and graduation?

Besides the content these bear, what other message do students

take away? That literacy is passive? That their role is to read what others

write.. ALWAYS?

Do only professional authors have something worth saying, worth

reading?

Students should have a voice, too - should write

real books and magazines, should be

heard!

In her book Radical Reflections, famous Young Readers author, Mem Fox states:

“we’re currently wasting a lot of time by giving unreal writing tasks in our classrooms....You and I don’t engage in meaningless writing exercises in real life—we’re far too busydoing the real thing”

Who wants to write about things they don’t care about?

Let’s give our students the opportunity to write about what interests them, inspires them!

Reading books and articles is infinitely more meaningful to those who

write them, as well.

Isn’t this TRUE media sophistication?

Employers are desperate to hire employees who

can write!!!

By the way…

“The capacity to write well directly impacts success throughout

one’s career.”

SOURCE: The Nation’s Report Card

“People who cannot write and

communicate clearly will not be hired and are unlikely to last long enough to be

considered for promotion.“WRITING: A Ticket to Work or a Ticket Out –

A Survey of Business LeadersThe National Commission on Writing / The College Board

Employees Lack Writing Skills in the Workplace

“…a third of all workers fall short of

employers' expectations in written communication skills?”Sources: Western Carolina University + The College Board

Employees Lack Writing Skills in the Workplace

“remedying deficiencies in writing

costs American corporations as much

as $3.1 billion annually,"

Sources: Western Carolina University + The College Board

And because writing is a key, lifelong skill…

It follows that we need to support students in

developing as… “Lifelong Writers!”

To do that we need to make changes in writing instruction!

From The National Commission on Writing’s report:

“Writing and School Reform”

“Standardization and scripting of instruction threaten to undermine writing instruction.”



“Integrating writing into the reform agenda, while challenging, is integral to the success of both.”



“Genuine reform requires personalization of

instruction.”



“A climate to encourage writing must be created.”

“We will not make much progress in achieving

educational equity until we develop better

approaches for dealing with student boredom

and resistance!”

From article: Boredom in Class? Try 'Outrageous' Instruction Education Week July 13, 2009

So, what will we do with all the books

and magazines kids write and publish?

Read them; Use them to evaluate student learning ; Have other students read them to inform and inspire

their own research, learning, and writing; Use today’s student publications to inform ‘next step’ writing projects; Archive and index student publications

(digitally) so they become part of the global body of reference materials; Assign students to read them and

give the (student) author feedback; Have students learn by comparing one another’s work; Arrange for senior

citizens, retirees, and others interested in contributing to our society’s educational efforts to read them and communicate questions and feedback to the authors; Have students “build” on them as their learning and

communicating becomes more sophisticated during the course of their education; etc.



(digitally) so they become part of the global body of reference material; Assign students to read them and






(digitally); Assign students to read them and give the (student) author feedback; Have students learn by comparing one another’s work; Arrange for senior



Student publications are potentially valuable content; the more we regard them as such, the more students will

live up to that expectation when producing them !

What will we do with all the books and magazines kids write

and publish???

Now, won’t that be a great problem

to have!

Oh, and while we’re at it…

What about READING?

YES, Writing Can Improve Reading!

Writing to Read: How Writing Can Improve ReadingA Report from Carnegie Corporation of New York - 2010

Yet, another reason to reverse the long standing

problem of uninspiring teaching and learning in the

area of writing.

But currently…

“…Few Students Are Proficient Writers

About one-third of America’s eighth-grade students, and about one in four high school seniors, are

proficient writers, according to results of a nationwide test...”

NY TIMES - Education Section - 4/3/08

What about the other 75% of our kids?

Can’t we teach them to write too?

Can we afford to lose another generation to writing instruction that is fragmented and divorced from the urgency and energy of

doing real things for real purposes?

Authentic Writing and Publishing is an entry point for quick, deep, meaningful

improvement in the educational experience we

give our students.

Q: What would result If every kid wrote and

published?

“Books are for nothing but to inspire.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

A: Increased Interest & Engagement - Improved Learning Across the

Curriculum - Heightened Thinking & Creativity – Collaborative Learning

throughout Schools and Communities of Learners – AND Improved WRITING,

an Essential Skill for School, Career, and Lifelong Learning!

Free, easy to access and use

tech resources make it possible to support our

kids in writing and publishing… NOW!

YES, every kid should

write and publish!

If you agree, please check out the Resource Kit for ePublishing Created by Mark Gura forTeacher Created Materialsa low cost resource developed to support teachers (and others who work with kids) in getting them writing and publishing real books and magazines.

All ideas in this presentation are made easy and classroom-ready by the kit.www.resourcekitforepublishing.com