The 9 Rights of Every Writer: A Guide for Teachers / Edition 1

by Vicki Spandel

Overview

Writing instruction stands at a crossroads. Efforts to define and then assess the key qualities of writing have helped pinpoint what outcomes matter most and how to measure them, yet they threaten to become an end in themselves. Meanwhile, high-quality instruction seeks to create a safe environment that applauds risk taking by supporting students through strategies that are not readily measured. In this landmark book, Vicki Spandel takes on the immeasurable, opening an exciting discussion about the conditions writers need to achieve their full potential and offering practical applications for any writing classroom.

In The 9 Rights of Every Writer Spandel invites nine published authors into a discussion of what makes writing work. Well-known novelists, researchers, science writers, and teacher-writers join this dynamic conversation, and together they draw vital conclusions about teaching strategies that both lead to growth in craft and allow good teaching to flourish. Join Spandel and friends in discovering the personal and instructional importance of:

• reflecting
• finding personally important topics
• going off topic
• personalizing the writing process
• writing badly to unearth and clarify meaning
• observing other writers at work
• assessing constructively - and well
• experiencing structural freedom
• unearthing the power of each writer's voice.

As you will discover, The 9 Rights of Every Writer weaves the philosophical into the practical, offering powerful, ready-to-use lessons that jumpstart the progress of the writers in your classroom and help them reach writing standards.

Harness your passion for writing instruction, let go of rigid practices, and balance the needs of maturing writers with today's classroom realities. Read The 9 Rights of Every Writer, learn to trust your teaching instincts, and concentrate on what matters most: creating an instructional setting where writers can achieve success that soars beyond what can be measured.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780325007366
Publisher:	Heinemann
Publication date:	07/01/2005
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.38(d)
Age Range:	5 - 17 Years

About the Author

Vicki Spandel has spent her professional life working with students and teachers of writing - as a classroom instructor, online writing coach, journalist, editor, technical writer, and curriculum developer. She is the author of multiple books on writing, including Creating Writers, Creating Young Writers, and The 9 Rights of Every Writer. Visit Vicki online at http://sixtraitgurus.wordpress.com to see writing lessons based on contemporary literature.

Table of Contents

Preface The Right to Be Reflective
Reflection: The Path to Meaning by Christine Kling The Right to Choose a Personally Important Topic
School Rules by Tom Newkirk The Right to Go "Off Topic"
Help! I Need a Coach! By Bob Ornstein The Right to Personalize Writing Process
The Real Scoop: A Writer Talks About His Writing Process by Sneed B. Collard The Right to Write Badly
The Importance of Writing Badly by Bruce Ballenger The Right to See Others Write
Let's Be Honest by Jim Burke The Right to Be Assessed Well
An Open Letter to an Assessor by Samantha Abeel The Right to Go Beyond Formula
No Training Wheels by Steve Kramer The Right to Find Your Own Voice
Speaking As Renee by Barry Lane Bibliography
Index