Reflections on Teaching Writing

It seems like many educational speakers were in the classroom for a few years and then wrote a book and now have the glamorous job of traveling and sharing their tricks of the trade. Am I over generalizing here? Yes, probably. However, Kelly Gallagher cannot be lumped into this generalization. He is a current teacher in a low-income high school in Anaheim, California.

Through his skills as a writing teacher he shares examples and ideas that he uses on a daily basis. Gallagher said, “There is a big difference between assigning writing and teaching writing.” And in this workshop we were taught how to teach it. Gallagher emphasized the strategies of using mentor texts and modeling writing for students. According to Gallagher, students need to see and discuss examples in the form of mentor texts. For example, he uses articles from current magazines, newspapers, and videos. These examples show students what well-developed writing is once it is complete. This shows students where they are headed. According to Gallagher, “Writing well is not an option, it is a necessity.” Students need deliberate practice in writing everyday if possible. As a writer, students should analyze and emulate what they see in mentor texts. After introducing students to a particular mentor text, Gallagher will emulate that text in front of the students and think aloud as he writes. Then the students emulate him with their writing. Another interesting idea that Gallagher shared was the 4:1 ratio of writing produced in the classroom. Students should write four times more pieces than the teacher could possibly grade. This gets students practicing their writing every day. The students will then learn the skills of honing down to what is truly important, “The smaller the writing the better it becomes,” Gallagher said at the workshop. Students should be specific and intentional with their writing. This is the main goal. Photo: cc licensed