Artwork for podcast Getting Students to Write!/ Helping teachers transform writing time and grow writers who thrive!
Episode 61 Why You Should Write Too:)
Episode 61 • 16th April 2024 • Getting Students to Write!/ Helping teachers transform writing time and grow writers who thrive! • Melissa C Morrison
00:00:00 00:20:55

Share Episode

Shownotes

Ok- Hear me out!

I am going to share 5 convincing reasons why taking time to write for yourself will truly benefit you as a teacher of writing as well as your students as writers.

I know you are so very busy, and I promise that even a little bit of your own writing will go a LONG way!

If your students aren't enjoying writing or are stuck in one spot, this strategy will help!

Listen in to this episode and you will be moved to start writing and share it with your students!

Sneak Peak of the Benefits:

Understanding what happens with students as they write.

More easily identifying what your students need.

Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa

Instagram Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction!

YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa



Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 18 years experience in education.  Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources.

Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction. 

Transcripts

Speaker:

Hey there, fabulous teacher.

2

:

Have you been wondering how to

make writing time in your classroom

3

:

more effective for your students?

4

:

Do you want your students

to love writing time?

5

:

If so, I think it's time for you

and I to start transitioning.

6

:

Transforming your writing instruction.

7

:

I'm Melissa Marson and I have a

passion for helping teachers to feel

8

:

confident in teaching writing and

help them grow successful writers.

9

:

I've worked with numerous teachers to

guide them through this transformation

10

:

and in this podcast I bring you the

practical strategies you need to make

11

:

writing the best time of your day.

12

:

Let's get going.

13

:

Microphone (Yeti Stereo Microphone): Hey,

they're a fabulous teacher and welcome.

14

:

I hope you're having a wonderful day,

morning, afternoon, weekend, whatever

15

:

it might be as you're listening.

16

:

Um, I am excited about this episode, but

I'm wondering how many of you are not, um,

17

:

I'm actually wondering how many of you.

18

:

Or how many out there didn't even

push play because they don't like the

19

:

title and they don't want to hear it.

20

:

And I would completely understand that.

21

:

So, thank you so much for clicking play.

22

:

Because when I first started teaching.

23

:

Especially when I got into teaching,

writing in a workshop model and I heard.

24

:

People say you need to

write with your students.

25

:

You need to share your writing.

26

:

You should be a writer.

27

:

I.

28

:

Didn't want to hear it.

29

:

I was like, no, I don't,

I don't need to do it.

30

:

I don't want to do it.

31

:

And I'll have time to do it.

32

:

That is the honest truth.

33

:

That's how it was.

34

:

I was busy.

35

:

I didn't want to think about it.

36

:

So I get it.

37

:

I get it, if that's what you're thinking.

38

:

And if you're like, I really don't want

to know what she has to say, because

39

:

they think she's going to tell me,

and she might even convince me that I

40

:

should be writing, but I don't want to.

41

:

So I understand.

42

:

But yes, I am here to try to

convince you that you should be

43

:

writing as a writing teacher.

44

:

And I really do feel.

45

:

All of these things

and I'm about to share.

46

:

I believe them.

47

:

Wholeheartedly.

48

:

And I wish I, and I did

eventually do some writing.

49

:

I really, truly did.

50

:

Um, and I enjoyed it.

51

:

I just didn't do it as

much as I should have.

52

:

And teachers that I've been working

with, some of them are doing it

53

:

and some of them are not, um, the

one, there was one teacher, I just,

54

:

oh my gosh, I absolutely loved it.

55

:

I watched him one day after not working

with her for very long writing time.

56

:

You know, this kind of writing

had just been going on for me.

57

:

I don't know, two months, three months.

58

:

And she went to do her mini lesson one

day that I was observing and she pulled

59

:

out her own little writing folder.

60

:

And this is in first grade.

61

:

Her own writing folder that

she had, um, you know, I put

62

:

her name on and everything.

63

:

And she had her pieces of writing

in there on the same paper that

64

:

the students were working on.

65

:

And it just was amazing.

66

:

It just where my heart and she shared

it with her students so authentically.

67

:

Um, and it was just amazing.

68

:

So.

69

:

Let me just go down the list.

70

:

First, I'm going to

name the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

71

:

Although one of them, two of them are

very similar, but five reasons why.

72

:

You should write to, and

then I'll explain them.

73

:

Okay.

74

:

So number one.

75

:

You will actually enjoy it.

76

:

Microphone (Yeti Stereo Microphone)-1:

Number two.

77

:

Your eyes will be open to what actually

happens when your students right.

78

:

Number three, you will see all aspects

of writing when, because you are writing

79

:

all the behaviors, all the skills,

everything are going to come to like.

80

:

For you will build a

relationship with your students.

81

:

When you are writing and

sharing the writing with them.

82

:

And finally your modeling

will inspire students and it

83

:

will make it so make writing.

84

:

Relevant to them.

85

:

.

Microphone (Yeti Stereo Microphone)-2: Okay, so more about the first reason.

86

:

Microphone (Yeti Stereo Microphone):

I really do think you will

87

:

like it because writing, Ugh,

it's just so much for people.

88

:

It.

89

:

Gets out feelings that you

didn't even know were there.

90

:

Um, it helps you truly remember

things that have happened to you.

91

:

It helps you really think

about what is important to you.

92

:

When you are writing for

yourself, which we should do.

93

:

It's just so beneficial.

94

:

And I think that's something that's

important for students, even young,

95

:

young writers to know that they

can get feelings out by writing.

96

:

And even when we start in kindergarten

and pre-K, and they're drawing

97

:

pictures, you know, we can do that.

98

:

Um, and also it helps

us process our learning.

99

:

So.

100

:

If I'm.

101

:

You know, in a class or I'm

trying to figure something out.

102

:

Um, you know, for my business

or whatever it might be.

103

:

If I write about it, I

write the steps down.

104

:

It's going to help.

105

:

To my son is in sixth grade and he's

really, um, Kind of like struggling

106

:

or battling with this one class it's

social studies and how to study for it.

107

:

And we have found that for him writing

some things out, and this is probably true

108

:

for almost everyone, but writing things

out is going to help him remember it.

109

:

Um, there is that

connection bringing an ma.

110

:

You know, mind in hand, um,

that doesn't sound right, but

111

:

the connection between the two.

112

:

It's so helpful.

113

:

So.

114

:

Whether you are writing.

115

:

What the students are writing.

116

:

You know, the scene kind of, um, genre

or the same mood that you're, you're

117

:

having them work on and you're writing it.

118

:

Somewhat like they would, and that's

going to feel different if you're

119

:

in kindergarten, first grade, second

grade, if you're in the upper grades,

120

:

you're going to feel like you can

write a little bit more like yourself.

121

:

But whether you're doing that or

just spending time writing at home

122

:

and writing, not maybe the same

thing that they are writing, it's

123

:

still going to benefit you in ways.

124

:

And I will talk about that.

125

:

But I really do think

that you will enjoy it.

126

:

Okay.

127

:

And I just want to put out there that

this does not have to happen all the time.

128

:

Yes.

129

:

The more you do it, the better.

130

:

And I will explain why in some

of the other reasons, it doesn't

131

:

have to happen all the time.

132

:

You can just every so often, you

know, once a week or twice a unit.

133

:

Do some sort of writing and I'm

telling you the more you do it.

134

:

That when you try it, you're going

to want to do it more and more.

135

:

I really do think that

you will enjoy it now.

136

:

Well, we enjoy it every single time.

137

:

No.

138

:

There are going to be times, especially if

you're, you know, battling with a feeling

139

:

or struggling with a worry, or something's

upsetting you, or it's something about

140

:

yourself and you're writing it down.

141

:

You're not gonna love it.

142

:

You're gonna, you know, I remember

not wanting to have a diary at

143

:

sometimes when I was little,

because I didn't want to hear it.

144

:

I want to read what I was

thinking or, um, what have you.

145

:

And, but, and this is going to

jump into one of my other reasons.

146

:

But it will open your eyes to what

your students are dealing with.

147

:

Microphone (Yeti Stereo Microphone)-3:

Which is number two.

148

:

You will truly see what happens

when your writers, her writing.

149

:

I have found that we tend to.

150

:

Tell our students to do certain

things or write in a certain way or

151

:

writing time should be, this should

be that it should look like this.

152

:

And we, you know, just like, keep

your head down and keep going.

153

:

And that's just not real.

154

:

That's not what we do.

155

:

Um, we also expect they're always

going to come up with an idea.

156

:

Their idea is always going to be

great, or they're always going to

157

:

have, you know, this many reasons

in their, um, opinion piece or.

158

:

All these different things.

159

:

And it's just not the way it works.

160

:

And so when you take time to write

on your own, even if it's like five

161

:

minutes, when your students just get

started, which by the way is a great

162

:

thing to do, because they will not, um,

stop and ask questions and they will.

163

:

Just, they see you writing and those

first five minutes or so and say,

164

:

okay, this is what I need to do.

165

:

Oh, wait, you're showing them what to do.

166

:

You're modeling it for them.

167

:

So anyway, even if it's

just for five minutes or so.

168

:

You weren't going to find things

happening and think, oh gosh,

169

:

I really make them do this.

170

:

And that's really, I didn't just do that.

171

:

Right.

172

:

Or.

173

:

If you do sit down and try to write for

a little bit longer, whether it's in

174

:

school, when there are, or on your own.

175

:

You're going to notice the things

that pop in your head when you

176

:

were trying to rank and you're not

focused, or you have to stand up.

177

:

Because you're uncomfortable or you

realize that what you've started to

178

:

write is not going to work and you

really need to start over and maybe you

179

:

don't allow your students to do that.

180

:

Um, or don't even realize sometimes

what's happening for them.

181

:

And so you just, you know,

push them on to keep going.

182

:

You're finding a way to sit.

183

:

That's more comfortable for you when

you know, you find that you're usually

184

:

just having your students write in.

185

:

You know, sit in handwriting position.

186

:

So many things will come up.

187

:

I go realize, oh, I should

allow my students to do this.

188

:

Or, oh, sometimes they need a break or.

189

:

I just didn't do any

planning or I plan this way.

190

:

When I keep asking them to only

plan this way, there are so many

191

:

things that are going to come up.

192

:

Um, and.

193

:

It really, it's just the, one of the

biggest reasons why you should do this.

194

:

So again, that doesn't take you

writing every day for it to happen.

195

:

It only takes for you to

do this every so often.

196

:

Try writing in a different genre

of writing for a different purpose.

197

:

And see what happens so that you can know

what's going to happen for your students.

198

:

Microphone (Yeti Stereo Microphone)-4:

Then number three, you will see all

199

:

aspects or behaviors of writing.

200

:

So I've already kind of touched on that.

201

:

That's why two and three are

the ones that are very similar.

202

:

Um, I feel, but when you realize that when

you do some writing and you think, gosh,

203

:

I just don't have any ideas for this.

204

:

Or man, I am not into this.

205

:

Right now.

206

:

Or I'm really not into this at all, or

I don't see the connection for this.

207

:

This isn't meaningful for me.

208

:

Or.

209

:

When you have written a few

times, and then you notice

210

:

this is something I always do.

211

:

And it's kind of preventing me

from elaborating mortar or it's

212

:

preventing me from organizing

my thoughts in the right way.

213

:

When you, you notice all of these

things, you start to see that there's

214

:

more to writing than just following a

planner and putting words on the page.

215

:

There's actually.

216

:

So many other things.

217

:

And I I've spoken before about

Jennifer Serravallo, his hierarchy

218

:

of writing goals, which comes from

her, the writing strategies book.

219

:

Um, and the first one is composing with

pictures and then it goes to engagement.

220

:

So engagement to me means, well,

engagement means that they want

221

:

to write that you want to write.

222

:

But it's confidence for me.

223

:

It's um, It's risk-taking

it's meaning it's connection.

224

:

All of that.

225

:

And if students are not there, if

they're not being success successful with

226

:

engagement, for whatever reason, that's

the thing that needs to be worked on.

227

:

So whether they need to find

meaning in writing or whether they

228

:

just need more things that are.

229

:

Choice for them.

230

:

So it's connected to them.

231

:

It's meaningful for them, or if they

need to understand how to engage.

232

:

So like, if your mind is going

elsewhere, how can you kind

233

:

of get engaged in your work?

234

:

Um, So when you experienced that, you

realized, Hmm, maybe this is what's

235

:

really going on with this Raider.

236

:

So it's not that I need to work

with them on their word choice.

237

:

I need to work with them on engagement.

238

:

So that's what I mean by seeing

all aspects and behaviors,

239

:

when you're doing it.

240

:

And you notice things that are going

well or going wrong, then you think,

241

:

Hmm, maybe I need to address this with

my writers or with some of my writers.

242

:

So, yes, your eyes are being open to

what actually happens when you're right.

243

:

But then in combination with that,

It's really showing you all the

244

:

different things that can happen.

245

:

What are the different aspects of writing?

246

:

Um, even, you know, So engagement

behaviors with even moving through

247

:

the process and how that can work.

248

:

Microphone (Yeti Stereo Microphone)-5:

So number four is about building

249

:

a relationship with your students.

250

:

And this is not necessarily just

writing beast, although it is going

251

:

to help of course, with writing.

252

:

But, you know, we know that we

learn better from someone who cares.

253

:

We learn better from

something that we've respect.

254

:

And in order to feel like someone cares

or in order to get to know someone and

255

:

build that relationship, you have to,

um, get to know things about them, right?

256

:

They have to be willing to share.

257

:

And so, no, you're not going

to share every single thing

258

:

that you are going to write.

259

:

Some things might be very personal.

260

:

Of course.

261

:

But when you share even just a little

story, Or you share something, you

262

:

know, a lot about, um, because therefore

you're probably interested in it.

263

:

You're building a relationship with

your student and that just is enormous.

264

:

In your learning environment with them

and not just in writing, but in all areas.

265

:

So being willing to share even,

um, your work is showing your

266

:

vulnerability, like, you know, especially

showing it when it's not so great.

267

:

Even showing messy handwriting.

268

:

Um, the other day I was in a class

room, it was a third grade classroom.

269

:

And I just kind of noticed that although

the students were complying, you know,

270

:

they were all doing some writing.

271

:

They were all very, like, just hesitant.

272

:

And even though they were writing

a draft in their new book, everyone

273

:

was writing soon neatly and

like just one thing at a time.

274

:

And the teacher had talked to

them a lot about, okay, you're

275

:

going to open with an opening and.

276

:

And I just thought, man,

we need to shake this up.

277

:

Right.

278

:

Students need to know that like it's

messy and that it's not going to be right

279

:

the first time, you know, and I told the

teacher, you can't expect that they're

280

:

all going to start with a great opening.

281

:

That's not how true writing works.

282

:

I almost never start with a great opening.

283

:

I always have to go back

and figure out how to begin.

284

:

Um, and so I said, all right, guys,

this is what I want you to do.

285

:

Yeah, I'm going to write with you.

286

:

And I want to show you, first of all,

that, when I write it is so messy, his

287

:

most mostly because I think so fast and

then I write fast and then it's messy.

288

:

And I misspell words.

289

:

I leave letters out, even though I know

how to spell them, it's just a mess.

290

:

And I'm not going to start the way

I really want to, although sometimes

291

:

maybe it'll work and all these things,

and I'm going to show you that.

292

:

So I said, we're going to write for

five minutes, we're putting up a timer.

293

:

I want you to get, you know, your,

they were already kind of knowing

294

:

what they were writing about.

295

:

I said, I want you to like start

over and I just want you to write,

296

:

don't worry about your handwriting.

297

:

Don't worry about the sentences.

298

:

Just write.

299

:

And then I showed them my

notebook and it's awful.

300

:

No one else could read

most of my new book.

301

:

It's really sad.

302

:

Um, and I'm not even writing in cursive

or it just, yeah, it's not, it's rough.

303

:

But it was so helpful.

304

:

Oh my gosh.

305

:

It was so helpful.

306

:

So not only was I showing

them, look, this is okay.

307

:

Or look, I misspelled a lot of words,

you know, so modeling those kinds of

308

:

things, but also just being willing

to show them that helps them to maybe

309

:

be more willing to show it as well.

310

:

So it's just so helpful when you

write and then share that rating

311

:

to really build a relationship.

312

:

Microphone (Yeti Stereo Microphone)-6: And

finally, if you're not convinced already,

313

:

we have one more that your writing

and the modeling of your own writing.

314

:

Will not only inspire students,

which is so important, but

315

:

also make writing relevant.

316

:

And.

317

:

I'm going to go backwards because

making irrelevant has become so

318

:

clear to me in my work with other

teachers and in new, you know, reading

319

:

and, and listening to podcasts and

things that I've done recently.

320

:

And it was not such a big.

321

:

Um, idea in my mind when

I was teaching, writing.

322

:

I did know I wanted it to be

relevant in the fact that it

323

:

would, was meaningful for them.

324

:

So they had, you know, they

chose their own topics.

325

:

So it was something they

wanted to write about.

326

:

Yes.

327

:

But I also think it's so important

for them to know why we do this, why

328

:

we write and how it is useful for us.

329

:

And that's going to look different in

different grade levels as everything does.

330

:

But I do think it starts

in the very beginning.

331

:

And then you have to continue on in the

upper grades, especially knowing that

332

:

when you're in fourth grade, fifth grade,

seventh grade, and these writers have

333

:

only been ever assigned writing before.

334

:

They don't know why it's meaningful.

335

:

They don't believe that it's meaningful.

336

:

And so not only do we want to start

that with kindergarten, but we want to

337

:

make sure they understand that leader.

338

:

If they haven't been taught that before.

339

:

Because.

340

:

You know, they go through school thinking,

I'm just doing this for someone else.

341

:

I'm doing it to get it done,

but why are we really doing it?

342

:

And so.

343

:

It's going to be necessary in life to be

able to write things, to write to, uh,

344

:

emails to people, whether it's for work

or for your children or for yourself.

345

:

To apply to a job.

346

:

Um, if you want to have a career that

has a writing heavily involved, if

347

:

you were a teacher, if you're a police

officer, you have to write reports.

348

:

Um, but then also for yourself,

like why do I just want to write.

349

:

And it could be to write songs.

350

:

It could be to write poems.

351

:

It could be to write a book.

352

:

It could be to write.

353

:

Um, informational pieces to

help people build a business.

354

:

Like there are so many reasons

why we would write on our own.

355

:

And that I think is severely missing.

356

:

In school and for students, and that

understanding makes them want to do,

357

:

I mean, it's, it's true for everything

you always say, they need a purpose.

358

:

They need a connection to

real life in order to learn.

359

:

And it's true.

360

:

Um, but I really think

that's often missing.

361

:

Um, not only because writing

doesn't even look authentic.

362

:

So if you're giving first grades or

first graders, second graders, this

363

:

like just lined paper all the time.

364

:

And you're never making a book

for them, then that's not real.

365

:

That's not what they see.

366

:

They read books, they read graphic

novels, they read storybooks,

367

:

they read picture books.

368

:

They read chapter books.

369

:

And so you want them to make

things that look like that.

370

:

So I think that relevancy comes

with how they produce their pieces,

371

:

but also with understanding why.

372

:

And it starts from the beginning and

kindergarten and could be as easy as,

373

:

you know, I needed to remember something.

374

:

So I made a list.

375

:

Or I was really upset about something and

I didn't know, you know, I didn't want

376

:

to talk about it, but I wrote it down.

377

:

Um, there are so many ways that

you can share that with them.

378

:

And then back to the inspiring

part, you know, I when I was

379

:

reading, um, Donald Greaves book.

380

:

I talked about in my last

episode, it's called rating

381

:

students and teachers at work.

382

:

I believe it was written in

:

383

:

Every page I read how relevant it is

today, except for when he talked about

384

:

the microcomputer becoming more relevant.

385

:

And us using them more in

the eighties and nineties.

386

:

Um, it was interesting to hear the

word micro computer, but for the most

387

:

part, everything was so relevant today

and still needed to be heard today.

388

:

Um, and one of them was about

how they do not learn how to,

389

:

um, generate ideas in a vacuum.

390

:

They do not learn how

to revise in a vacuum.

391

:

They have to see happen.

392

:

They have to collaborate with

their peers and with you.

393

:

And so when you model your writing,

you will inspire them in so many ways.

394

:

You'll inspire.

395

:

Them by, um, the way you write

in the craft moves you use, but

396

:

also the topic ideas and the voice

that they hear you writing with.

397

:

So many things are going to be shown.

398

:

And not just because you're modeling a

piece for them in your lesson, you know,

399

:

or, or doing a piece of writing with them.

400

:

That's yes.

401

:

I mean, kind of, but for them to

see that you actually own your own

402

:

took time to write for a reason.

403

:

That is going to help

inspire your students.

404

:

Microphone (Yeti Stereo Microphone)-7:

All right.

405

:

So I would love to know

how I did convincing you.

406

:

Are you convinced?

407

:

Are you ready to try it?

408

:

Are you going to do a little

writing in your class?

409

:

If so.

410

:

Let me know, reach out on

Instagram, send me an email.

411

:

I would love to hear it.

412

:

Um, and if there's anything

else that you would like to

413

:

hear discussed on the podcast?

414

:

Let me know.

415

:

I, I, especially if you've been

listening here awhile, I want

416

:

to know that I'm giving you

information that is helpful for you.

417

:

So please reach out and I

hope you have a fabulous day.

418

:

Hey, again, I am so happy to have

had you listen in again today.

419

:

I would like to ask a little favor.

420

:

If you're enjoying the podcast, could

you take a moment to go wherever

421

:

it is that you listen and write

a review and tell others what you

422

:

find so great about these episodes?

423

:

I would love to be able to share

it with more teachers to help them

424

:

in their writing instruction, just

as hopefully I've been helping you.

425

:

So thank you so much.

Links

Chapters

Video

More from YouTube