Writing Together - getting started
Jenifer Smith & Simon Wrigley NWP UK
First published June 2014
This is the first of a series of booklets from the National Writing Project UK. The ideas give a flavour of some of the approaches that have been most commonly used in teachers' writing groups during the first 5 years of the UK project. For further support, as well as details of how to join an NWP group, please visit the website: nwp.org.uk
Contents
5. Why a teachers’ writing group?
8. Words
11. Freewriting
13. A writing scavenger hunt
16. Lists
19. Starting with pictures
23. Sharing and responding
25. Books and resources
Why a teachers’ writing group?
Most teachers of English read. They usually have favourite authors and like to discuss their reading. Many belong to a reading group. Knowing about reading in that important personal way is essential to their craft. Far fewer teachers of English write and yet the experience of writing informs the teaching of writing in the same powerful ways that being a reader informs the teaching of reading. That teachers of writing should write is a central tenet of the National Writing Project in the United States of America, New Zealand and the UK. We have found that teachers who meet and write together gain particular understandings of the nature of writing and that their subsequent confidence and personal knowledge has a powerful effect in their classrooms.
When they join a teachers’ writing group, teachers find a voice, both personal and professional. The writing group affords the opportunity to write in any way individuals wish and to explore ideas, memories, ways of being that are important to them.
They write together and, because they all work in education, the lessons they begin to learn about their own writing are often applied to their classrooms. In talking together, about their own writing and the writing that happens in school, individual teachers grow in professional knowledge, understanding and confidence.
Teachers apply the lessons they learn for themselves in the group to their classrooms. These lessons relate to attitudes and mind set and to thinking about writing processes. In conversation and exploration in response to each other’s’ writing, they develop ideas for working with writers.
Teachers who attend writing groups find they have a safe and supportive forum within which to share ideas and practice and to strengthen their own professional identities.
They also know that writing and sharing writing is of great personal value, emotionally, intellectually and in terms of wellbeing. Their deepening understanding of the nature of writing for themselves, each other and for those whom they teach is one of the most powerful reasons for being part of a group.
Groups throughout the UK meet and operate in different ways. Many meet at the weekend in public spaces. Others have the luxury of a monthly meeting in a designated space. Most groups begin by establishing their own writing practices. The very fact that all group members are teachers or TAs means that some talk will touch on teaching. Ideally, this should become a more formal part of the session. All groups should aim to engage with reading and research and to find ways of capturing what they are discovering and developing.
If you wish to start a teachers’ writing group, we recommend Peter Elbow’s book, Writing without Teachers. An important element of the writing group is the journal or writer’s notebook. We often begin workshop sessions by giving all participants a notebook. This personal space for writing is a crucial element of becoming a teacher who writes. This notebook is where you will collect ideas, write for yourself, write during group sessions. It is where you will write whenever, wherever, whatever you wish. In a booklet which suggests a number of exercises and ways in, it is important not to lose sight of the fact that we all, adults and children, will become better writers by writing, for ourselves, about things that are important to us. However that can include, both when alone and writing with others, some kind of structured prompts in order to get the words on the page.
We suggest that a two hour group writing session might look something like this:
Words (see p 3)
Freewriting (see p 7)
Provide time to start at least one longer piece of writing, using the kinds of idea that are presented in this booklet. Once groups are established they may decide to have time to write pieces of their own choice. A chance to read back and respond; the group can decide whether this is in pairs, a small group or to the group as a whole. There are many ways of organising this, some of which are in the section of the booklet, Sharing and responding (p 19).
Some groups prefer to devote the group meeting to responding, perhaps workshopping pieces of writing. This requires participants to bring sufficient copies of their writing for everyone to see.
Finally, there should be time to address issues arising from the classroom. Some groups bring children’s writing to each meeting. Group members respond to the writing and reflect on what the writer has achieved and the implications for teaching. Some groups choose to interview children or track individuals. They can report back to the meeting and compare their findings. Sometimes a group might stay with a topic for reflection and research over a period of time. They might, for example, want to focus on peer response or writing non-fiction. Not only does the person running the session bear this in mind when preparing the activities, but teachers bring related evidence from their classrooms. This kind of exploration is especially rich in groups where members are from both primary and secondary schools and from different contexts.
Often teachers groups begin with the introduction of writing journals. It is wonderful if they are able to introduce these to at least one class they teach. The development of ideas as both adults and children engage with journals is rich with possibility.
Jenifer Smith & Simon Wrigley NWP UK
First published June 2014
This is the first of a series of booklets from the National Writing Project UK. The ideas give a flavour of some of the approaches that have been most commonly used in teachers' writing groups during the first 5 years of the UK project. For further support, as well as details of how to join an NWP group, please visit the website: nwp.org.uk
Contents
5. Why a teachers’ writing group?
8. Words
11. Freewriting
13. A writing scavenger hunt
16. Lists
19. Starting with pictures
23. Sharing and responding
25. Books and resources
Why a teachers’ writing group?
Most teachers of English read. They usually have favourite authors and like to discuss their reading. Many belong to a reading group. Knowing about reading in that important personal way is essential to their craft. Far fewer teachers of English write and yet the experience of writing informs the teaching of writing in the same powerful ways that being a reader informs the teaching of reading. That teachers of writing should write is a central tenet of the National Writing Project in the United States of America, New Zealand and the UK. We have found that teachers who meet and write together gain particular understandings of the nature of writing and that their subsequent confidence and personal knowledge has a powerful effect in their classrooms.
When they join a teachers’ writing group, teachers find a voice, both personal and professional. The writing group affords the opportunity to write in any way individuals wish and to explore ideas, memories, ways of being that are important to them.
They write together and, because they all work in education, the lessons they begin to learn about their own writing are often applied to their classrooms. In talking together, about their own writing and the writing that happens in school, individual teachers grow in professional knowledge, understanding and confidence.
Teachers apply the lessons they learn for themselves in the group to their classrooms. These lessons relate to attitudes and mind set and to thinking about writing processes. In conversation and exploration in response to each other’s’ writing, they develop ideas for working with writers.
Teachers who attend writing groups find they have a safe and supportive forum within which to share ideas and practice and to strengthen their own professional identities.
They also know that writing and sharing writing is of great personal value, emotionally, intellectually and in terms of wellbeing. Their deepening understanding of the nature of writing for themselves, each other and for those whom they teach is one of the most powerful reasons for being part of a group.
Groups throughout the UK meet and operate in different ways. Many meet at the weekend in public spaces. Others have the luxury of a monthly meeting in a designated space. Most groups begin by establishing their own writing practices. The very fact that all group members are teachers or TAs means that some talk will touch on teaching. Ideally, this should become a more formal part of the session. All groups should aim to engage with reading and research and to find ways of capturing what they are discovering and developing.
If you wish to start a teachers’ writing group, we recommend Peter Elbow’s book, Writing without Teachers. An important element of the writing group is the journal or writer’s notebook. We often begin workshop sessions by giving all participants a notebook. This personal space for writing is a crucial element of becoming a teacher who writes. This notebook is where you will collect ideas, write for yourself, write during group sessions. It is where you will write whenever, wherever, whatever you wish. In a booklet which suggests a number of exercises and ways in, it is important not to lose sight of the fact that we all, adults and children, will become better writers by writing, for ourselves, about things that are important to us. However that can include, both when alone and writing with others, some kind of structured prompts in order to get the words on the page.
We suggest that a two hour group writing session might look something like this:
Words (see p 3)
Freewriting (see p 7)
Provide time to start at least one longer piece of writing, using the kinds of idea that are presented in this booklet. Once groups are established they may decide to have time to write pieces of their own choice. A chance to read back and respond; the group can decide whether this is in pairs, a small group or to the group as a whole. There are many ways of organising this, some of which are in the section of the booklet, Sharing and responding (p 19).
Some groups prefer to devote the group meeting to responding, perhaps workshopping pieces of writing. This requires participants to bring sufficient copies of their writing for everyone to see.
Finally, there should be time to address issues arising from the classroom. Some groups bring children’s writing to each meeting. Group members respond to the writing and reflect on what the writer has achieved and the implications for teaching. Some groups choose to interview children or track individuals. They can report back to the meeting and compare their findings. Sometimes a group might stay with a topic for reflection and research over a period of time. They might, for example, want to focus on peer response or writing non-fiction. Not only does the person running the session bear this in mind when preparing the activities, but teachers bring related evidence from their classrooms. This kind of exploration is especially rich in groups where members are from both primary and secondary schools and from different contexts.
Often teachers groups begin with the introduction of writing journals. It is wonderful if they are able to introduce these to at least one class they teach. The development of ideas as both adults and children engage with journals is rich with possibility.