So this got me thinking – there are plenty of great typing programs out there for students, such as the BBC’s Dance Mat Typing, but are there resources (books, software programs, etc.?) that help teach word processing conventions and formatting ‘rules?’ If you know of any, I’d love to hear from you! If I come across any, I may do some field-testing and review them for you here.

- Heather

Happy planting everyone!

- Heather

“Kristina White, 11, took a persuasive writing assignment so seriously this spring that today more than $72,000 worth of computers and technology will begin arriving at Sherwood Elementary. In her two-page letter to Todd Bradley, executive vice president of Hewlett-Packard’s $42 billion personal systems division, Kristina introduced herself, told Bradley she was aware of HP’s donation record, listed specific examples and then in her best prose, asked if he would consider donating to Sherwood.

“I told him that if everybody heard what he had done for our community, he would get more sales,” she said Tuesday from the couch of her grandmother’s home in South Memphis. “Always introduce yourself first,” she said. “You stand a better chance of getting what you want.” The letter was written in pencil on lined paper because the school does not have enough computers to allow every student to polish up and print their work.”

This story was compelling to me not because a well deserving school will now receive some great learning tools (that part is great too) – it is that, more than anything, this student and her classmates were able to be involved in, and witness, the power of the written word. They were taking on a lesson that was relevant to their school’s situation, they were writing to executives at real companies in the real world (that they reseached first). This lesson was authentic and obviously very motivating. The lesson that real power lies in the written word is worth much more than the $72K this school will receive. To educate is to draw out what is within, and writing is one of the very best ways to give life to what is ‘within’ so that it impacts the world. I am thrilled for this little girl and for her school. Way to go!

- Heather

- Heather

* ReadWriteThink is a website from the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English. It’s purpose is to provide educators and students with access to the highest quality practices and resources in reading and language arts education.

Enjoy!

- Heather

- Heather

- Heather

2. Remember, the writing process is cyclical – you can always go back to the brainstorming phase if you need to!

3. While writing a draft, leave wide margins, whether you are writing by hand or typing!

4. It is alright to use a ‘delete’ key – or an eraser!

Read the rest and download a .pdf for your kids to use at http://tinyurl.com/q89jmc.

I created this graphic organizer for folks to use with their kids. I’ll be using it with my 9 year old this summer (or sooner). It will be available as part of my free summer e-course, coming soon!

- Heather

PS – I just edited this blog entry to include a link to the .pdf version of the Word Genealogy Tree graphic organizer – hope it helps!

“My idea of innovation calls for a quieter revolution, one with fewer bells and whistles. It begins by envisioning a quiet but humming classroom, where busy heads bend over pads of paper and hands scribble rapidly with pens or pencils.

If I were running the education world, I’d ensure that every building contain, at a minimum, one teacher trained through the National Writing Project in the teaching of writing and the use of writing to learn. Planting that single seed could revolutionize the way we look at students and student work.”

I couldn’t agree more. If you want to see the rest of the article, check out Teacher Magazine.