Everyday Editing : Inviting students to develop skill and craft in writer’s workshop

Description

Editing is often seen as one item on a list of steps in the writing process – but too many times daily editing lessons happen in a vacuum, with no relationship to what students are writing. In Everyday Editing, Jeff Anderson asks teachers to reflect on what sort of message this approach sends to students. Does it tell them that editing and revision are meaningful parts of the writing process, or just a hunt for errors with a 50/50 chance of getting it right – comma or no comma? Instead of rehearsing errors and drilling students on what’s wrong with a sentence, Jeff invites students to look carefully at their writing along with mentor texts, and to think about how punctuation, grammar, and style can be best used to hone and communicate meaning.