During school
visits, I often show this slide and explain that it’s the three-page rough
draft for When Rain Falls.
Then I ask
the students if they can guess why there are red marks all over the paper.
What I’m hoping is
that they’ll come up with are the words “edits” or “revision,” and sometimes they
do. But more often they use language like “corrections” or “mistakes that need
to be fixed.”
that they’ll come up with are the words “edits” or “revision,” and sometimes they
do. But more often they use language like “corrections” or “mistakes that need
to be fixed.”
For a while, I
accepted these answers and gently guided them toward the words “edits” and
“revision.” But then I realized that the students had a misconception that I
needed to address.
accepted these answers and gently guided them toward the words “edits” and
“revision.” But then I realized that the students had a misconception that I
needed to address.
Writing isn’t like
doing math. When it comes to word choice and crafting sentences and paragraphs,
there are no right or wrong answers. Instead, writers
should focus on transforming their writing to make it better—clearer, more
concise, more engaging. Revision isn’t about fixing something that’s wrong.
It’s about IMPROVING a piece of writing so that it better meets the author’s
goals.
doing math. When it comes to word choice and crafting sentences and paragraphs,
there are no right or wrong answers. Instead, writers
should focus on transforming their writing to make it better—clearer, more
concise, more engaging. Revision isn’t about fixing something that’s wrong.
It’s about IMPROVING a piece of writing so that it better meets the author’s
goals.
Revising is like
doing layups until the basketball swooshes through the basket every time. It’s
like playing a clarinet solo over and over until the musician is sure he or she
will get it right at the concert.
doing layups until the basketball swooshes through the basket every time. It’s
like playing a clarinet solo over and over until the musician is sure he or she
will get it right at the concert.
This is what I try
to stress to the children I work with during school visits, and I hope it’s
what teachers are saying to students during writing workshop.
to stress to the children I work with during school visits, and I hope it’s
what teachers are saying to students during writing workshop.
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