These two chapters provide information on how to start and continue writing lessons with every elementary level. Graves suggests starting writing through simple conversations, such as what you did yesterday and lead the student to write about what they just had a conversation on. Drawing helps students write, "drawing often helps the child think about what might be said in the text that follows."This is true for my case study student, who is a kindergartener. Whenever I ask him to write, he always draws pictures. Students can also try writing in different forms such as lists or signs. Another helpful hint is to have students be reading as much as possible to help further their writing skills, Graves talks about communicating with students through handing them written messages that they have to read.
For older students, grades second through sixth there are more advance ways for a successful writing lesson. Students need to learn to listen to themselves as writers and learn from what they have written. Students can start experiencing different genres, such as fiction vs. non-fiction. Conferences should be turned into child initiated, let the child lead the conference. Finally, students should share their writing and learn from their classmates, this has to be done by student's learning how to receive the text that their peer's are sharing.
The classroom has to be set up a certain way for writing to be successful. The first thing that has to happen is for there to be a significant about of time to write. Grave suggests at least a half hour every day, but four out of five days if needed. During this writing time students should have the freedom to choose what to write about. "When students write everyday they don't find it as difficult to choose topics. If a child knows she will write again tomorrow, her mind can go to work pondering her writing topics." Once the class has written for the majority of the time, the class will have time to share their work and respond to others.
The teachers job in this writing lesson is very important. They have to model to the students what it looks like to live like a writer. They are showing the students what it is like to choose a topic, write about it, and revise their writing. While students are writing they have high expectations for them and are walking around the room guiding specific students throughout their writing.
