How to Make Modeling Writing Easier

For so many reasons, teachers are uncomfortable with teaching writing. Most of us don’t do a whole lot of writing on our own, so we are out of practice. Many of us did little of it when we were in school, outside of formulaic, five-paragraph, “hamburger” essays or responses to texts. And I’ll venture a guess that very, very few of us have ever written a story. Most likely, even fewer of us ever really had great writing instruction ourselves. I can recall only one single teacher, my high school English teacher Mrs. Welty, who truly taught writing. I mostly remember just being assigned writing.

Is this you, too? It’s no wonder, then, why so many teachers balk at the idea of modeling writing in front of students.

I get it. There’s a real fear there.

What if I get it wrong? What if I mess up in front of them? What if I don’t know what to do?

But modeling writing, just like modeling anything, is critical.

Just as we’d show students step by step how to solve a math problem, we also must show them how to be writers.

The published books we read aloud are the product of loads of work–work that no one sees. So although it’s very helpful to show students the moves mentor authors make, it’s not enough. There has to be a bridge that uncovers the real work–the thinking process–of going from a blank page to those finished moves.

Teachers are that bridge.

And my friend, modeling writing is not nearly as hard as you think it is!

First, keep in mind that you don’t have to be a Pulitzer-prize winning author. You just have to be a step ahead of your kids. Your role is to just move them from where they are right now to the next step.

Want to know how to make modeling writing easier?

More approachable?

Faster?

It’s easier to explain this through video rather than typing it all up…so click the video below to find out exactly how!

And if you do make some mistakes?

Good! Those are wonderful teachable moments. You’ll model how to fix up and move on, just like you want your kids to do!

A quick word on Chat GPT here.

While you could ask it to create a piece of writing as a mentor text example, and it would take just seconds, it won’t help you here. Why? Because the whole inner thinking process of how to craft that piece of writing never actually happened. Which means you’ll still end up standing up in front of your students, still unsure where to go and how to say it. It won’t help you become more comfortable showing kids how to make writing more approachable. In this case, it won’t really help you. It’ll keep you right in the same uncomfortable place you’re in now.

So while I’m a huge fan of Chat GPT, I’d save it for a better use.

Was this post helpful? I’d love to hear your thoughts–share a comment! When will you try this “unpeel the layers” method for modeling writing in your classroom?

Want to try it out but could use some support? Reach out! I’m just an email, Facebook message, or Instagram DM away–and I’d be more than happy to to help you get it going. I’m here as a thinking partner to help YOU be the most confident literacy teacher you can be!

Tagged: writing

How to Make Modeling Writing Easier

But modeling writing, just like modeling anything, is critical.

Just as we’d show students step by step how to solve a math problem, we also must show them how to be writers.

And my friend, modeling writing is not nearly as hard as you think it is!