Writing Every Day

Book excerpt: Many of today's schools struggle with large class sizes, a continually evolving curriculum, and a wide diversity in the ability and background of their students. How best to build an effective literacy community in this constantly changing environment is an increasingly difficult challenge for teachers, new and experienced alike.InWriting Every DayKellie Buis demonstrates that sharing stories is a fun and engaging way to motivate children and encourage cooperative learning in K 8 classrooms. It proposes students writing letters every day as an efficient, effective, engaging and fun teaching strategy for organizing language instruction. Children s personal stories become the catalyst for language experiences that involve reading, writing, and all forms of communication. Teachers will find novel ways to: bridge the gap between the important principles of sharing stories and practical ideas on how these understandings can be translated into classroom practice; empower students to deepen and enrich their language skills by sharing their ideas, feelings, and experiences; show students how to begin to make sense of themselves, each other, and the world; create a strong partnership between school and home; give children the ability to express themselves and to be heard by others in their community. Student samples throughout the book illustrate the power of using their own life experiences to engage children in authentic reading and writing. Writing daily letters gives children a stronger voice and engenders feelings of self-worth, self-respect, and competence. This strategy reaps benefits beyond the language arts curriculum and helps students make connections and recognize patterns in everything that they read, write, and learn."