Prompts to PublishingMy Life... My StoryPrompts to Publishing - Every idea has its genesis, every book has its beginning. The seed for this project was planted years ago. I still remember as a young student struggling with composition essays, in large part because I couldn't think of anything to write about. I now teach in a very small farming community, the same school that I attended growing up. A small, yellow pocket knife that Mom used to bribe a reluctant first grader on that "first day", forty years ago, has paid great dividends. I haven't missed an opening day of school since, either as a student or teacher. Thirty years as an educator, with classroom experience spanning five grade levels, has served to strengthen my belief in a very important principle of learning.
Any skill is best learned,through consistent and meaningful"Time on Task"How do you make practice time consistent and meaningful? That's a question asked (at one time or another) by every parent, teacher, coach, and tutor! When a child understands that a particular skill is important (to them) and can be fun (right now), their motivation to participate increases dramatically. Key components necessary for "quality time on task" are then in place and real learning happens naturally. Establishing a program that helps a student love writing, while producing quality content is not easy. These "prompts" have been the first step toward making it happen for me. A SolutionOnce young authors have something meaningful to write about, they welcome the opportunity to share their work with others. An invitation to "publish" creates confidence among students and a desire to produce good work.The focus of my efforts as a teacher, has long been in the sharing of students' work. The walls of our classroom are literally covered with art and writing. By year's end, students leave with a nice portfolio. This is the final, and most important step, in creating a positive atmosphere for writing within your learning environment. This website creates a free and open classroom for students, teachers, and parents all around the world. It may be simply used as a resource for great ideas, or as a publishing platform from which students can share their best work.
Participating studentsshould publish with adult permissionand supervision!Activity on this web site, just like any other, needs to be closely monitored. Everyone involved with your educational community should become familiar with, and feel comfortable visiting, our online classroom. Tips for TeachersStudents fortunate enough to have regular internet access, may access the site directly and select a prompt that appeals to their particular interests. Have them work through the writing process, with a focus on quality and detail.Writers should be able to save draft copies (if done on a computer) and continue work another day. Upon completion, the final draft may then be submitted online (see teacher's guide). It is important that students are given many opportunities to publish and share their work with others. A "hard copy portfolio" is strongly encouraged. Students (of any age) who know their writing will be read by others, are more likely to take pride in the way it looks. Some Final ThoughtsIn my class, students spend up to an hour each day working on their published writing and art projects. The "prompts" are simply a tool to help them get started. They are always free to work on a project of their own choosing and often enjoy doing so. Students never use the excuse "I having nothing to write about", because they always do.The importance of editing should be taught within the context of "sharing work with others". Students generally take more pride in what they do if they know others will be viewing it. Once they take pride in the final product and experience the satisfaction that comes from publishing it, the writing process will become a pleasure for everyone involved. That is the ultimate goal of "Prompts to Publishing".
Trait Based Writing Instruction * The Write Tools * Make a Big Difference!
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