Teach the writing process through Workshop and Circles.

I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means.  What I want and what I fear. 

-Joan Didion

     "I would like students to understand that writing is a method of building something.  Good writers have to identify with their OWN VOICE.  Then, structure their writing with the voice they have discovered within themselves."  -High school english teacher I spoke with over the summer.

      There is a VOICE inside us all that speaks to us when we feel strongly about something or react to something we think or read in our external environment.  VOICE comes in many forms.  VOICE comes as an idea.  VOICE comes as a feeling.  VOICE comes as thought.  VOICE comes as a memory.  VOICE comes as a reaction to a stimulus.  VOICE COMES AS AN OPINION.  VOICE comes as an interest.  VOICE COMES AS A WHISPER!  One does not hear voice.  YOU FEEL IT!!

Writing is like ARCHITECTURE.  There is a form, a structure to writing and although the structure a writing piece takes on is flexible; it gives it shape.  There is an art to writing, and there is also a science to it. 

Step	Description	Strategies
Prewriting	An activity that causes the writer to think about the subject.  The writer organizes his thoughts before he begins to write.	Drawing Talking Brainstorming Graphic organizers Research Listing Field Trips
Drafting	The process of putting ideas down on paper.  The focus is on content not mechanics	Taking notes, Organizing thoughts into paragraphs, Writing a first draft
Revising	The process of refining the piece of writing.  The writer adds to a writing piece.  The writer reorganizes a piece of writing.  The writer shares his story and gets input from peers or teacher.	Peer editing Conferencing Share Chair or Author’s Chair
Editing	Mechanical, grammatical and spelling errors are fixed in the writing piece.	Checklists Rubrics Editing Checklists Proofreading
Publishing	The writing piece is prepared in final form, including illustrations.  The writer shares his writing with others.	Reading aloud Reading to a group Displaying in the room Printing the books Web publishing