| What inspires you to write??? Maybe seeing a | | | | excite children about writing. |
| gorgeous sunset or hearing your favorite song on | | | | 3.Brainstorming Board |
| the radio... | | | | Once the class has chosen a writing topic, take |
| What might inspire a classroom full of children to | | | | the time to brainstorm ideas about the subject. |
| write? | | | | List all ideas on a brainstorming board and leave |
| Interesting music? | | | | them up as students begin their organizing and |
| Amusing pictures? | | | | writing. The list of words helps students with |
| Creative story prompts? | | | | spelling and offers them ideas for their writing. |
| Colorful lighting? | | | | This board might be a specially decorated white |
| Teachers often get very creative inventing ways | | | | board that the class only uses for writing time. |
| to get children in the mood to write. Depending on | | | | Try hanging a creative border around the board |
| the writing assignment, children may not need | | | | or taping lists of vivid verbs around the border of |
| much encouragement, but there are times when | | | | the board. Anything you can do to make the |
| writers need to be inspired. | | | | board unusual and fun will excite the kids to want |
| Creating a writing atmosphere in the classroom | | | | to use it. |
| can be as simple as assembling a Writing Time | | | | 4.Published Writers Poster/Bulletin Board |
| Basket full of writing motivators such as | | | | Once a student has written a story, edited and |
| mechanical pencils, colorful erasers, journals, a | | | | revised it, ask him to "publish" it and hang it up in |
| timer, etc. Students will know that writing is a | | | | the classroom for all to read. On the Published |
| special time when the teacher pulls out the Write | | | | Writers Board keep a record of how many |
| Time Basket and hands out unusual materials to | | | | published writings each child has completed. |
| use for writing. | | | | Challenge each student to publish 2-3 writings per |
| Other simple items in a classroom can help to "set | | | | month. Make it an honor to display your writing on |
| the mood" for writing: | | | | this special board. |
| 1.Writing Time Item | | | | 5.Publishing Center |
| Have something special that students wear during | | | | Designate an area of your classroom as the |
| writing time to get them focused - maybe a hat, | | | | Publishing Center. In this center include items such |
| a badge, a bandana, or a vest. As students put | | | | as colored lined paper, paper cut into different |
| on their writing time item, they will begin to | | | | shapes, fancy pens, a typewriter, a hole puncher |
| concentrate on their writing subject and to form | | | | and yarn, a stapler, etc. Think of any items that |
| ideas and plots. Keep the writing time item in a | | | | can be used to assemble books or decorate |
| special place in the classroom so that as you pull it | | | | covers and include them in the center. |
| out to give to children, they know it is writing | | | | Writing can be such an enjoyable, creative time |
| time. | | | | for children and teachers. Design your classroom |
| 2.Writing Time Pencils | | | | to reflect and encourage this happy mood for |
| Find unique pencils (unusual designs, different sizes, | | | | writing and your students will not only look |
| mechanical) that are only used during writing time. | | | | forward to writing time, they will discover the |
| Store them in a special place and give them out | | | | writer in themselves! |
| at the start of writing time to motivate and | | | | |