I'm sure you've heard that saying: Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime. I realize it's a stretch, but I see writing in a similar way. When it comes to writing ability and performance, incoming third graders run the whole gamut. The reasons for this variance are many and varied. For some students, English is their second language. Other students may struggle with small motor skills. Still, others may need to work on building their writing muscle through deliberate practice and time on task. Clearly, there are several reasons why students differ in writing ability and performance. 

        Regardless of whether students are or are not at grade level, as their teacher, I am tasked with moving them further along the spectrum than when they first stepped foot into my class. Meeting all my students' needs so they can experience growth is no easy feat. Success will depend on determining instructional needs by looking at my students through the following lenses: as a whole class, as small groups with similar needs, and as individuals. Additionally, I need to remember that these groups are fluid; I need to be alert to changes in need. 

        Here's a way that has served me well over the years. On the very first day of school, I have my students respond to a prompt about themselves. This year I asked them to tell me how they've changed over the past year. I steer away from content-related questions because I don't want content-area knowledge to be a barrier. In addition, I tell them to not worry about spelling. I don't want them to not use a word just simply because they don't know how to spell it. (There will be plenty of time to focus on spelling later.) Finally, I don't give them any precise directions because I don't want to influence them in any way. At this point, I want raw data. This assignment will serve as my baseline data. Looking at their writing through various lenses referenced in the previous paragraph will enable me to sort out groupings. 

        I realize that all teachers have different ways of teaching writing. In fact, I would venture to say that their approaches are as individual as the teachers themselves. Although the ensuing list of questions is certainly not exhaustive by any means, it can serve as a starting point: Do students 1) understand what a subject is? 2) what a verb is 3) know the difference between proper nouns that need to be capitalized and common nouns? 4) need to work on adding details? Taking anecdotal notes as you review students' daily writing can prompt mini-lessons for individuals, groups, or perhaps even the entire class. Of course, not every student is going to be a professional author. Still, every student needs to be a proficient enough writer to be able to skillfully convey information, ideas, and thoughts in whatever situation they find themselves in the future. 

       This quote captures how I feel about writing. I hope I can inspire my students to feel the same way!