Examines several pieces of writing (class assignments as well as writing done outside of school) by the author's 10-year-old daughter. Notes the different kinds of learning promoted in them, and maintains that school writing assignments should be as "real" as possible. (SR)

Describes how the author, when teaching dream poems and poem writing to older kids, uses Margaret Atwood's "Dreams of the Animals" to extend the discussion about dreaming and have the children think about dreams that have little to do with their own. Includes examples of students' poems about animal dreams. (SR)

Describes events in the author's journey toward living her life as a poet. Includes reminiscences of her childhood, and interactions with other teachers, friends, relatives. Includes samples of poetry written by children. (RS)

Illustrates the complexity of the issues of sexism, gender discrimination, and oppression by sharing some observations, conversations, and writings of elementary school students. Notes the value of including student-created literary characters in class discussion of gender issues. (RS)

Argues that the differences between the worlds kids live in and the worlds they are taught to desire (through television, movies, music, and magazines) can cause a desperate confusion that children long to have resolved. Describes how the author, a teacher of writing, has students think and write about reality. (SR)

Argues that silence has a remarkable presence, and that hearing silence is about stopping and not doing, letting the sounds of the world come to you. Describes ways the author has worked with elementary school students, asking them to think about and write about silence. Includes poems about silence. (SR)

Discusses how a professional writer and teacher of writing helps children write better by incorporating specific images taken from their "screens"--the places where they see things in their heads. Presents numerous examples of students' poems. Notes the "screens" can also be used in writing stories or essays. (RS)

Describes a number of poetry writing activities used with third and fifth graders in a week-long poetry project. Includes 14 poems by students. (SR)

Describes how, at the Alice Carleson School in Fort Worth, Texas, elementary school students have ongoing sources for meaningful writing tasks as they participate in the business of school. Offers examples written by students of in-house memos, letters organizing a conference, and solutions to school problems. (SR)

Describes the Peacemaking program at the Downtown Alternative School, an elementary school in Toronto, Canada. Provides a context of understandings about theory and classroom practices involving struggles with conflict and differences. (SR)

Examines how children's written work is enhanced through "teachable" lessons, where the teacher draws attention explicitly to aspects of literary texts and where children explore and evaluate literature through group reading and discussion. Explores the relationship between group evaluations of texts and children's writing development with…

Examines the creation of process drama and writing experiences in a second/third-grade classroom. Describes how the classroom teacher used process drama (involving students in imaginary, unscripted, and spontaneous scenes) as a context for learning. Notes how process drama provided a context for content area instruction along with writing…

Describes a method the author has used successfully with elementary school classes that enables students to enjoy the process of revision in their prose-writing. Notes that the exercises can be used in any time frame or circumstance. (SR)

This report examines a variety of ways that the QUILL program for teaching writing was realized in elementary classrooms. In particular, the report looks at the different ways purposeful writing was achieved using MAILBAG, the electronic mail component of QUILL. The analysis shows that innovations in education should be viewed as objects created…

Noting that Oregon has been a pioneer in developing assessments which require actual student writing, this booklet includes a collection of student essays and shows how they were evaluated by teachers. The sample essays in the booklet are useful in staff development activities and may also be shared with students, serving as models to help…