Living Life Twice

  Writer identity is constructed with a growing consciousness of how writing actually works and how each writer fits into that space.  For this to happen the most proficient reader and writer in the classroom must demonstrate the decisions and actions that characterize a truly independent, self-directed learner.    If young writers are to feature as risk-takers in the classroom, the teaching they are exposed to needs to be bold and brave. Students will be more inclined to write their way beyond the limits of the comfort zone, if a teacher holds a torch that lights the way. What Donald Graves referred to as an ‘ego force’ is the vital spark driving our young writers to want more from the experience. This energy pushes them forward in pursuit of a stronger writer identity. I fondly recall two Grade 3 writers I   once taught who regularly got their heads together to write poetry on the classroom floor. They became known as the 'Floor Poets' and across that year, an...

    My Personal Journey To Claiming Writer Identity The development of my identity as a writer did not occur as some kind of overnight revelation. It was more like a gradual metamorphosis, resulting from a life-long immersion in writing and responding to the call of words. Words are something I love very much. A major influence in this area was my father who was not a writer, but, someone who certainly loved words and honed the art of playing with them. He was riddler, puzzler with a pronounced ability for wordplay He fostered my close attention to the power words possessed. I willingly took his gift and used it to drive my desire to write, which emerged quite early and never receded.   As a result, I have clung tenaciously to writing as if it were a safe harbour in a storm. Looking back, I was clearly a writer under construction. I just kept writing until the words got better. Many years later, calling myself a writer felt more comfortable. I still strongly recall writin...

  One of the great challenges we face as teachers of writing is learning to observe student writing with a view that encompasses instruction. The trick is to look closely at the writing of an individual to notice what that writer needs and at the same time consider other students who may also be faced with the same direct need in the development of their writing. Patterns of need frequently emerge as you confer with your students. When this happens you may find that you need to develop a teaching focus for the whole class, or a small group. It will not surprise you to learn that this is the perpetual challenge of the Writer’s workshop. Once your students are writing regularly and displaying some stamina for the task, you may find yourself asking the questions – What happens now? What should I do to most effectively move their writing forward? What do I say to them when I join them for a writing conference? It is easy to look at a student’s writing and immediately jump on the mechan...

  An extensive national survey of ‘Writing Practices in Australian Primary Education, Years 1-6 ‘ conducted by Malpique, Valcan, Pasternak & Ledger, and published in May 2022, revealed, among other matters, the following information regarding writing’s links to the home environment and current teacher practices. ‘ Results assessing reported teaching practices to extend writing to the home environment showed that the majority of teachers (64.8%) never asked students to write at home with the support of a parent/guardian.  The majority of teachers (77.4%) also reported that they asked parents/guardians to read/share their children’s written work as infrequently as once a year, or never.  The majority of teachers (63.9%) reported never, or infrequently encouraged writing, as a home task.  Communicating with parents/guardians to discuss students’ writing performance and needs, was reported as an infrequent practice by the majority of participating teachers (71.9%). ‘...

When introduced to the classroom,  the Writer's Notebook has the potential to exert a significant influence on the written efforts of all writers within that learning environment:  Fostering Creativity  Idea Generation:  The notebook serves as a repository for ideas, observations, and inspirations, allowing writers to capture and develop their thoughts. Used in this way the writer retains ownership over ideas.  The notebook becomes a gathering place for precious and fragile ideas; -Ideas that might need time to growin the writer's mind until such times as they are ready to be expanded upon. Used this way the notebook becomes a treasure chest for potential ideas.  Experimentation: The notebook provides a safe space for writers to try out new techniques, styles, and voices, promoting experimentation and innovation. The unique character of each writer has an opportunity to flourish. A true sense of agency develops.   Developing Writing Habits  R...

  Here are five of the most popular  Living Life Twice  posts for 2024. Thank you for your continuing support and interest in teaching writing and all it entails. Here's a chance to reconnect with writing ideas. Ideas you can easily carry forward into 2025. Just click the blue link... Advice and Inspiration For Young Writers After a lifetime engaged in a writing life as both teach er and writer/poet, I offer the following advice to young and inexperienced writers. Advice about developing good writing habits and thinking about your writing in ways that deliver some essential energy to continue writing.  May these words prove of value to you and you approach writing eagerly to write what matters, striving to build confidence and experience as teachers, students and authors. Emotional Responses To Writing Emotional response is critically important in writing.  It’s part of the total package. Our emotional responses manifest themselves in many ways. Sometimes it's t...

  There is much appeal in short stories. They provide tiny windows into other worlds. It is important to expose student writers to their charm. It serves to add an extra dimension to their writing options. Story 1 On Hold 'I’m standing in a crowded shopping mall waiting to order my lunch from a sandwich bar/deli; the kind where they build your sandwich from an assortment of fillings. My order is taken and I stand back waiting for the sandwich to be completed. A man standing beside me begins to order his lunch from the person serving behind the counter keenly awaiting his order. As he begins to relay his order, his phone rings. He dives into his pocket and extracts his phone of choice and holds up a hand to the woman before uttering ‘Hang on a minute.’ She immediately stops sandwich construction duties, and stands as if in suspended animation for what seems an eternity. Her serving tongs are held like a torch in the air while phone man attends to his phone message. The woman says ...

  Each and every time writing conversations are conducted with inexperienced writers the guiding question is commonly framed around –where do I begin? When a young writer is struggling to find a focus for their writing, teachers frequently seek to help the writer find a suitable topic by reminding them of their interest, or referring to their personal writing history. This approach generally works. Rather than taking this course of action let’s consider the writer in terms of the   future and what we as teachers can do to support and empower their decision making around writing. We could ask questions such as ‘What strategies do you think other writers use to find out what it is they might write about?’ If the young writers suggests they do not know the teacher could suggest some pre-writing strategies that could be employed to assist a writers to identify a writing focus Strategies such as: Reading/rereading Researching Listing   clustering  and brainstorm...

  After more than 50 years engaged in a writing life as both teacher and writer/poet, I offer the following advice to young and inexperienced writers. Advice about developing good writing habits and thinking about your writing in ways that deliver some essential energy to continue writing.  I sincerely hope my words prove of value to you and you go eagerly to the page to write what matters, striving to build confidence and experience as authors. Here Goes! If your words sound boring to you, they will probably sound boring to your readers. Write so the reader wants to turn the page to find out what happens next. Read your writing out loud before you share it with anyone. Imagine yourself as a reader hearing the words for the first time. Listen carefully. Develop a routine for writing and stick to it. A routine time for writing is more valuable to you than waiting for inspiration to visit you. Make sure you read a lot. Reading adds fuel to your thoughts. Books provide a launchin...