Some of the questions that the teacher might ask that will lead to drafting are as follows: At the end of the story, the cow goes home happy, but I'm not sure why. Can we add why the cow goes home happy in there? At the beginning of the story, we talk about three girls, but at the end there are only two. What happened to the other girl? Our poem describes the sun as yellow and bright. Now, what are some things that the sun does for us? For the sake of this model, editing will neither be included in the revision process nor included in the program, as it takes the focus away from thinking and writing. This method will help children learn the revision process through modeling, a concept that has already been shown to be beneficial to children learning to write. In addition, it will help them learn the value of revision, not only as a tool in the writing process, but also as a means through which writing is a tool that helps them think. As they are asked questions, new thoughts enter their minds, and they realize how writing encourages innovation.
Third, teachers will begin to conference with their students individually or in groups as they begin to draft and revise. After a child completes a draft, he or she will be asked to meet with the teacher, who will ask him or her some questions that lead to revision. For each draft, the children will be given different colors of paper. Conferences will consist not only of questions, but teachers' praise for the students work. This praise, though required, should not be false. Instead, the instructor should focus on what the child has done well, and point it out. By conferencing,...
In this step, children not only become more aware of the writing process, but they also begin to take pride in their writing because of the praise they receive.
Finally, after the completion of all drafts, the instructor will help students assemble a class book. Students will submit works to the class book by picking their best drafts, and the teacher will help students decide on an order, cover art, and chapters for the class book. Finally, the teacher will bind the book with cardboard and string. Not only will the book be on display in the classroom, but the teacher will also pick a piece of writing to read each day. In this way, students learn the value of the hard work they have done. They also learn to have pride in their well-thought-out drafts. Seeing their work published, and hearing the teacher read it, allows them to realize that they should be proud of their writing.
Thus, sixth graders who complete this writing program will not only be masters of the writing process, having seen it modeled and having completed it themselves, but they will also understand that writing is a thinking tool, and be able to take pride in their writing. This can be accomplished through the teachers' allowing students to pick their own topics, instructing them to make choices, modeling, conferencing, and publishing. Through this method, teachers can hope to preserve some of the awe that comes with writing.
