Show the Way to Write: Modeling, Mentors, and Exemplars

It can be hard for kids to write.   There’s a tremendous amount of mental energy involved with writing.  It’s also very vulnerable.  The writer’s thoughts, choices, and skill level are all on display.  There’s no way of hiding it. The fear of judgment is very, very real with writing.  This is why it can be so hard for adults to write, too.   But for many reasons, we know  it’s important for our students to write.  Which makes it our job to figure out how to help them want to do it.  Or at least feel more comfortable with it.  And it’s up to us to show them the way to write well.  

Motivation for writing is a critical piece in terms of helping our kids want to write, and I wrote about several impactful ways to do that in a previous post.  

Motivation is critical, but not enough.

Most people, students included, feel more comfortable when they can see how it works.  I don’t mean just displaying an example, either.  This is pretty much what you’ll find in scripted curricula (if writing is addressed at all).  Simply displaying an example of a finished product and then saying, “look kids, here’s what you’re aiming for” will absolutely not get them far.  That completely obscures the in-the-head work that must take place in order to get that result.

So when I say kids need to see how it works, I mean truly showing how.  The whole process needs to be modeled, from idea generation to drafting to elaborating to revising and editing–in every genre you want your students to be able to write.

Unless you’re teaching students to use a very formulaic, lock-step structure (which absolutely can have a place), writing is messy.  There’s a whole lot of mental work involved with thinking through each and every decision, and then more mental work to revise it to make it better.  It’s the nature of authentic writing.

How do we show them how to write if we’re uncomfortable ourselves?

Let’s address the fear of modeling their own writing so many teachers have.  When we ourselves get more comfortable with writing in front of our students, not only does it help our students, it also helps us.  Students, of course, get to see how it all works.  They get to see that it can be and often is messy – and they get to see that that’s a very normal and expected part of the process.  That’s an important takeaway for students.  It’s something just showing a finished piece will never reveal.  And the more we do it in front of kids, the more easily and naturally it will come to us.  Writing, for all of us, takes practice.  

But…modeling our own writing process is crucial, but it’s not the only method to show kids the way to write. 

Sharing beautifully written books, articles, and the like with kids to unpack what the author did to craft it so well also goes a very long way.  I’m a superfan of interactive read alouds for a million reasons – and this is one of them.  They’re amazing for building background knowledge, vocabulary, and just about every reading skill you can think of.  When we then turn to them for writing lessons, now those books become mentor texts.  Literally mentors – teachers – of writing.  We can use them to teach everything from word choice, text structure, introductions, character development, and even grammar and conventions…and so much more.  These mentor texts give both kids and teachers ideas to try out in our own writing.  Just as it works for kids, when we learn from mentor texts alongside our students, it makes our models that much stronger.

But don’t stop there!  There’s one more important key to showing kids how to write.  

And that’s using exemplars.  Exemplars might be other students’ writing, examples from your curriculum or from your released state assessments, or even our new friend Chat GPT.  Student examples might include pieces from years past, current students, students from another class, or samples from online resources.  

Where our modeled writing and the mentor texts we use are more high level, these exemplars are more “kid versions.”  We use them to give kids clear examples of strong writing.  Through modeling and unpacking mentor authors’ work, you provide the language to name the skills used.  For example, you might notice that a writer included an introduction that began with a description of the setting. Or maybe the writer began with dialogue to jump right into the story.  Naming what the writer did gives kids the language they need to set them up to try the same thing.    This means that students are able to point out where the exemplar writer applied the very same things you’ve been teaching your students.

They’ll also be able to name what’s missing in weaker pieces of writing.  So along with great exemplars, you’ll also want some examples that are not as strong.  

Why?

Because before kids are ready to notice what’s missing in their own writing they have to practice noticing and naming what’s missing in other people’s writing.  Remember that writing is very vulnerable.  It’s not just skill that’s involved, it’s mindset. When egos get in the way, it becomes a major roadblock.  

Practice with reading and picking apart the elements of other people’s writing, where there are no emotional stakes, takes the ego out of it.  Then, after they’ve experienced this work several times and can name what to look for, they’re much more apt (and equipped) to apply it to their own work.  This then makes goal-setting during your small group or conferring a natural next step.  

Which means your students are now well on their way!

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Who is Coach from the Couch??  I’m Michelle, a 25-year veteran educator, currently a K-5 literacy coach.  I continue to learn alongside teachers in classrooms each and every day, and it’s my mission to support as many teachers as I can.  Because no one can do this work alone. I’m available to you, too, through virtual coaching calls! 

Writing instruction is my favorite thing to talk about, too.  If you could use some help with showing kids how to write, simply email me at [email protected] or reach out for a coaching call! I’m here to partner with you to build that foundation of student motivation for writing so your students can realize greater success.

Or, consider joining my Facebook community–a safe, supportive environment (really–no blaming or shaming is allowed!)  where you can ask questions, learn ideas, and share your thoughts among other literacy-loving educators!