''They're All Writers'': Teaching Peer Tutoring in the Elementary Writing Center
''They're All Writers'': Teaching Peer Tutoring in the Elementary Writing Center
eBook
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Overview
“They’re All Writers” will help teachers explore the power of writing centers. In elementary school classrooms across the country, writing instruction (not grammar worksheets or spelling drills) is still the neglected “R.” In this book, classroom teachers will find foundational information about the writing process with everything they need to begin and facilitate a peer tutoring writing center. Student-led writing centers harness the social and instructional power of students working and learning together, and this book includes specific lessons to teach students how to be effective peer tutors and how to be better writers.
Book Features:
- A new, research-based approach to writing pedagogy that integrates both writing process theories and writing center pedagogies.
- Complete lesson plans to help teachers implement a writing center curriculum that meets Common Core and other quality standards.
- An approach that harnesses the power of social learning, develops students as leaders in their schools, and facilitates generative conversations around writing.
“Through the framework of peer tutoring, the authors show us how children can improve their own writing while also appreciating differing perspectives.”
—Anne McGill-Franzen, The University of Tennessee
“With lesson plans on preparing peer tutors, the authors have established a flexible framework for teachers interested in implementing writing tutoring in their schools.”
—Rebecca Babcock, University of Texas of the Permian Basin
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780807775608 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Teachers College Press |
| Publication date: | 01/30/2017 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 2 MB |
About the Author
Rebecca L. Damron is a former associate professor of English and writing center director at Oklahoma State University.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
1 Introduction: Writing Centers in the Elementary School 1
Peer Tutoring Lessons 2
A Percolating Idea: How Skyline Elementary Got Its Writing Center 3
The Skyline Writing Center 4
Powerful Practice Is Contagious: The Will Rogers Writing Center 5
Documenting Student Learning 6
Our Goals for This Book 7
A Note About Terminology 8
2 Building a Strong Foundation with Writing Process Theory Sheri Vasinda 10
Tenets of Writing Process Theory and Pedagogy 11
Conclusion 26
3 Writing Center Principles and Pedagogy 27
The Evolution of Writing Centers and Writing Center Pedagogy 27
Core Writing Center Principles 28
Collaborative Learning in the Writing Center 29
Peer Tutoring Versus Peer Response 32
Writing Center Pedagogy 33
Conclusion 36
4 Establishing, Maintaining, and Sustaining the Writing Center 38
The Writing Center Director 39
Building Your Background Knowledge 40
Developing an Instructional Framework 40
Figuring Out the Instructional Logistics 41
The Physical Space 42
Designing and Staffing the Writing Center 44
Creating a Writing Center Prospectus 48
Keeping Records in the Writing Center 49
Sustaining a Writing Center 51
Conclusion 54
5 The Social and Instructional Power of Peer Tutoring 56
Our Questions 56
Collecting and Analyzing the Data 57
The Students 58
What Did They Talk About? Students' Writing Center Conversations 59
Listening In on the Tutoring Sessions 64
Conclusions 75
6 Teaching Children to Become Writing Coaches 79
Connections to the Common Core State Standards 80
Peer Conferencing or Peer Tutoring? 83
A Teacher's First Attempt with a Writing Center: A Reflection by Heather Corbett 83
The Writing Peer Tutoring Lessons 85
Week 1: Metaphors for the Writing Process 85
Week 2: Learning to Peer Tutor with the WRITE Mnemonic 89
Week 3: Peer Tutoring Demonstration 93
Week 4: Content and Ideas-"Show, Don't Tell" 98
Week 5: Organization 103
Week 6: Word Choice and Sentence Fluency 114
Week 7: Grammar and Conventions 120
Week 8: Practice Peer Tutoring 124
Concluding Thoughts About the Lesson Plans 126
WRITE Mnemonic Chart 127
Content and Ideas Question Chart 128
Organization Question Chart 129
Word Choice and Sentence Fluency Question Chart 130
Conventions Question Chart 131
7 The End of the Beginning 132
Peer Tutoring as a Democratizing and Empowering Process 132
Peer Tutoring as Powerful Social Interaction 134
Shifting the Role of the Teacher 136
Final Thoughts 138
Appendix A Supporting Materials for Tutoring Lessons 139
Supporting Materials for Lesson 1 139
Extensions on the Metaphorical Introduction to the Writing Process 142
Supporting Materials for Lesson 6 146
Supporting Materials for Lesson 7 146
Appendix B Student Writing Samples for Tutoring Practice 147
References 149
Index 156
About the Authors 166
What People are Saying About This
"Sanders and Damron provide a guide for us—applicable across grades and developmental levels—for apprenticing children into authorship. Through the framework of peer tutoring they show us how children can improve their own writing while also appreciating listening, differing perspectives, and the satisfaction of doing good." —Anne McGill-Franzen, The University of Tennessee
“They're All Writers provides the world of writing centers with what it has long needed: a fully functional text on developing and implementing an elementary writing center. With lesson plans on preparing peer tutors, the authors have established a flexible framework for teachers interested in implementing writing tutoring in their schools.” —Rebecca Babcock, University of Texas of the Permian Basin
"They’re All Writers!" sheds new light on the concept of implementing a schoolwide writing center. From building the background knowledge of teachers to planning the center and providing authentic writing experiences, this book has it all. Sanders and Damron brilliantly but practically encapsulate the essence of building a community of writers. This is an invaluable resource that should be in the hands of every teacher, instructional coach, and administrator involved in teaching the content and process of writing." —Jayne Ann Williamson, instructional coach and literacy specialist, Guthrie Public Schools