Ever get the “I don’t have any ideas!” student? Not the ones who do it once in a while, but the ones who try it every single day! Here are some ways to combat the “I will do anything in the entire world, including making myself sick to my stomach to have to go to the office, to get out of writing.”
1. Student Choice
One thing we are working on in my classroom currently is opinion writing. The objective is “I can write an opinion paragraph” This includes being able to state an opinion, use reasons to support an opinion, using linking words, and providing a concluding sentence. These are all learning targets in themselves that we develop over time to reach the over-arching “I can write an opinion paragraph.” As long as students fulfill the objective, I don’t care what they write about, as long as it’s school appropriate and second-grade appropriate.
This week students were able to choose between, “Are Trolls or Dragons Better?” and “Are Sharks or Dolphins Better?” Also, by making topics relevant and fun, you will get more writers. Of course, they want to write about trolls because of the movie, or dolphins or sharks cause animals are all the rage in second grade. We also wrote about “Are Unicorns or Narwhals Better” this week, mainly because unicorns are all we talk about in second grade, and we all know what narwhals are from MooseTube Go Noodle.
I always lay them out at a back table, and students who are quiet can go grab their choice first. I always make enough copies so that everyone gets their choice, and I always give them time at the end to share, or you get them talking about their choice the entire time to their neighbors instead of writing about it.
Here’s where I got some of the choice sheets from above. They are for 1st grade, but can be easily used in kindergarten or second grade. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Writing-Prompts-Opinion-Writing-Picture-Prompts-3140513
For Elementary, middle school, and high school topics, you can always just google writing topics for your grade level or some can be found at
https://www.edutopia.org/article/50-writing-prompts-all-grade-levels-todd-finley.
2. Writing Notebook Decor
Have writing notebooks? You should! Then have students decorate the outside with pictures of places they have gone, photos of them with family, and pictures of memories. That way, when they say the infamous, “I have nothing to write about,” you point to a picture and say “How about you tell me about that?” They instantly want to start telling you about it, and then you say, “Nope, I don’t want to hear it, I want to read it!” Then walk away as they scramble to write as much as possible for you to learn a little about them.
It also helps to glue a topic list on the inside cover they can always refer to for topics, and have students write list at the beginning of the year of people, places, and things that matter to them that they can always use to generate ideas.
3. Authentic Writing
Publish a class book. Make the topics relevant to students. Have students connect to other students across the globe. Have parents come in to see presentations put on by students. There are millions of ways to motivate students to write. Make it important, and they will write.
We use Student Treasures to publish our books or make your own class book with the binding at school.
We write Flat Stanley letters to family members and friends and get them back with lots of neat information students share with the class. We had one go to Africa last year even, which led to us learning about endangered elephants with the souvenirs that were sent back. We also had one go to a city council member on accident in Kansas, but they did it for us anyway and sent a class book back to us and tons of information. We were even featured in their newsletter!
We did a career project where for informational writing, we learned about a career and put on a career fair for parents.
Here is our career fair writing fill-in-the-blank draft that is FREE. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Information-Writing-Career-Fair-Project-3539969
Make topics also authentic for students. “Should students have more recess?” Write a letter to the principal. “Should fidget spinners be allowed in school?” “Should there be more lunch options in the cafeteria.”
4. Fun Writing
My students have assigned teepee days, and on their day, they can write in the teepee. Do a write around the room that gets kids up and moving and learning new words.
Here is a Write Around the Room that is FREE: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Write-Around-the-Room-Freebie-387745
And if you don’t follow The Kindergarten Smorgasboard, you should. Here is an awesome source on write around the room. Even though I teach second, he is definitely part of my PLN. Follow him at @kindersmorgie or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kindergarten.smorgasboard.7/
Write The Room: https://thekindergartensmorgasboard.com/2017/08/write-the-room.html
5. Ask Questions
Oh, you don’t have a favorite food to describe using adjectives? How about you pick just one food you like? Oh, you don’t like anything? Then describe a food you don’t like.
Oh, you didn’t do anything over break? Not even sleep?
Oh, you don’t have a time when you were __________? Well I remember when you felt _______________ in our classroom when you were doing ___________________.
Oh, you hate writing? How about you write about how much you hate it?
You get the idea 😉
6. Freewriting and More
Ever hear of Freewrite Fridays? Ever let your students draw a picture to go with their final copy? Have students be able to write about what they want to write about. Have students write for 2-10 minutes depending on age about anything they want- it helps generate ideas. Show students that you write too!
I want to know, what ways do you inspire and motivate students to write in your classroom?
Teacher Station 