Parent Resources

Dodge Writing Center 978.526.4500 ext. 6335

LIVING THE WRITERLY LIFE

KINDS OF WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE

WRITING CONFERENCES BETWEEN PARENTS AND CHILDREN

"...authorship does not begin in the struggle to put something big into print; rather, it begins in living with a sense of awareness." - Lucy McCormick Calkins The Art of Teaching Writing

LIVING THE WRITERLY LIFE

There are many ways to invite children into writing activities in the course of daily life. Here are some ways to create a family culture which values and supports literacy.

Allow Time

If children show an interest in writing, you might build a quiet time into your everyday life.

Twenty minutes after breakfast, a half hour before an afternoon nap, in the evening when dinner is over -- a brief time for calm, reflection and creativity. Some families make time for writing on hikes, during gardening, in the course of trips, and even at special events, such as family reunions.

Offer choice

At home, especially, it is important for children to be able to choose their own topics and genres, materials and forms of publication. A sense of ownership is vital for young writers.

Model a "Writerly Life"

The best motivation for young writers is to feet that they are part of a family or community of people who write for real, purposeful reasons. Every time you make a list, compose a letter, talk about a book you are reading, make up a silly song or story, you are teaching your child that writing has meaning.

Value and Praise Accomplishments

When we keep the focus on all a writer has accomplished, rather than all he has yet to learn, we raise morale and motivation. When we truthfully recognize and honor a success, however small it may seem to us, we do a lot to help a child develop a comfort level with written self-expression.

Make the Reading/Writing Connection

Let your favorite authors be your writing teachers and your favorite books provide inspiration. Read for pure pleasure, but also reinforce the idea that the stories you love are writing. Talk about what writers do that makes you laugh or feel sad. Use published works to launch your own works.

Provide an Audience

"Share" at home as your child loves to do at school. Read aloud from your journals or stories.

(Everyone has the right to "pass.") Send children's work to distant relatives by mail, email, tape or video. Establish extended family pen pals. Enter contests (carefully). And simply be ready to listen when young writers are ready to share.

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE

Writers need predictable structures and engaging materials in order to be inspired and free to create. Here are some ways to provide those at home.

• Together, create a writers' corner in your house where family members can find what they need when they need it. Make this an orderly but dynamic space in which people can feel pleasure and pride. You may need to find a system for maintaining your writing center; think of this as a household privilege (rather than a chore.)
• As a group, make a list of what writers might need in order to engage in various projects. Gather these from around the house, or shop for them together. This list may include such things as:
• different types of paper (plain, lined paper, colored, card stock, poster board, story boards, child-made blank books, journals)
• folders
• binders
• clipboards
• pencils
• pens
• pencil grips
• markers
• colored pencils
• scissors
• hole punch
• stapler
• paper clips
• tape
• glue sticks
• various art materials
• If you travel, pack a writers' bag, with materials for writing.
• Talk about great places for summer writing, and how to make them even more "writing friendly." Keep a jar of special pencils and a dream journal next to the bed. Store a clipboard in the mud room or a notebook in a Baggie in the treehouse. Replenish paper and watercolors in a Ziplock in the beach bag.

WRITING CONFERENCES BETWEEN PARENTS AND CHILDREN  Top

1. 1. Sit beside the writer.

• Children tend to feel more comfortable if we sit beside them, rather than across from them, when we confer about writing.

1. Use "predictable language."

• It's a good idea to start conversations about writing in the same way, so that children know what to expect when we talk with them. This increases their comfort level and allows them to anticipate what to say and do during conferences. Many effective conferences begin with the words, "How's it going with your writing today?" Or, "What kind of work are you doing as a writer today?"

1. Ask the child to read the writing aloud.

• This is a good way to hear the words the way the child intends them. Also, it helps the writer hear mistakes and omissions. And it is an opportunity for decoding as well!

1. Be comfortable with silence.

• When we talk with children about their writing, it is helpful to allow them plenty of time to think before they speak. We adults have a tendency to jump in to fill silences, so this can be a challenge

1. Teach the writer, not the writing.

• Our conferring goals are long term, rather than short term. That is, we care more about helping the student to grow as a writer than we do about perfecting a single piece of writing. When this is our focus, we are better able to celebrate the learning that takes place, rather than feeling discouraged about flaws in the composition.

1. Speak with a writer's voice, as well as a parent's voice.

• "When I'm writing about what something looks like, I close my eyes and try to see it in my mind. You might try that now."