Writing Game

I make a terrible soccer mom. I forget water bottles, knee pads, and practice start times. I'm also terribly awkward when it comes to socializing with the other parents.

Since we're preparing for another out of state move, I decided to work on my social game at flag football practice the other night. My son had told me one of the boys (Bruce? Wayne?) had been on his soccer team last fall. So I approached his mom, introduced myself, and said, "I think our boys were on the same team last fall." Her response, "It's possible." Hmph.

Volleyball mom has been a little easier, if only because the moms are super friendly: "Hi! I'm Deb," "Good to meet you, I'm Debra." "Oh, are you new? Hi! I'm Debbie." However, my introverted ways got the best of me, and I was soon nose deep in a David Sedaris essay. Thankfully, one of the moms persisted and asked what I was reading. Lo and behold we discovered we both teach writing. This is her first year teaching, and so we were soon discussing rubrics, teacher training, and books about writing.

All this to say... here are three of my go-to books for teaching writing.

The Curious Writer by Bruce Ballenger - Ballenger is my superhero. He includes reader friendly explanations, critical thinking skills, engaging examples, and whole chapters on workshopping and revising.

A long-time fan of McSweeney's, I discovered 826 when we lived in Ann Arbor.  Don't Forget to Write (available in elementary and secondary versions) by 826 National has lessons galore to prompt even the most indifferent student.

Creating Writers by Vicki Spandel offers student examples and practical fixes for common problems. The best part? The companion website.

Go, team.