Writing Process

We believe that the most dramatic improvements in writing occur at the first steps in the writing process, and that is where we will focus our efforts.  Have your students concentrate on many activities where they brainstorm & organize, and then write out a draft.  This draft might be several sentences, a paragraph, or an essay, or it may be an entry in a journal, a shopping list, a love letter, a poem, a rap, a set of song lyrics, or another type of writing.

That's not to say that editing, proofreading, and publishing are not important;  on the contrary, these are vital steps for students AFTER they have mastered the first two steps.  As a teacher, you don't have to take every assignment to a final form.

Its similar to sports.  You want to practice your fundamental skills in basketball before trying to play a game.  The same is true in writing.  Have your students practice the various skills of writing many times before you expect an awesome, polished piece of writing from them.