Write, Write, Write!
Part of this Vero Beach School’s Gifted & Regular Curriculum

 During the 6 - 8 grades, students are asked to write regularly as part of our regular and gifted school curriculum here in Vero Beach. Through daily practice of actual writing, our students writing fluency rapidly improves.

Writing is a daily activity at Willow.

Writing at Willow is interdisciplinary and students are encouraged to write daily, making it a meaningful part of the classroom curriculum.  Daily practice also builds students' fluency through continuous, repeated exposure to the writing process, organization and thought required to create a story or to write about a favorite topic.

Students are encouraged to explore multiple genres of writing and begin to create their own style, expressive abilities and voice.  Students write 3 – 4 times each week in their journals and are encouraged to share these with the class.

Power of Choice

Because students are often allowed to choose the topic on which to write, they are motivated to create and complete works to read to classmates.  Students are also invited to share aloud from their journals.  This both builds confidence and provides inspiration to other classmates.

Each semester, students will also be required to publish a 10 - 20 page “book” of their favorite essays, poems and journal entries.

Writing is also shared one-on-one with fellow students in “partner conferencing”. These conferences give students the opportunity to share and critique each other’s work, while requiring them to explain and make suggestions for improvement.

 The 6 – 8 Grade Writing Program is Made up of Seven Parts:

• 1. Journal writing
  2. Essay writing
  3. Partner Writing Conferences
  4. Illustrated Books
  5. Grammar Mini-Lessons and Work Sheets
  6. Weekly Vocabulary Tests
  7. Writer's Workshop

  Vocabulary: 

Students will be required to memorize the meanings of words commonly found on the SAT college entrance exam as part of this Vero Beach’s gifted and regular school curriculum. Each week students will be tested on ten to fifteen words. They will be required to spell the word correctly and demonstrate their understanding of the word by using it correctly in a sentence.  We also review and memorize words frequently misspelled i.e. words with irregular patterns and irregular verbs.

Handwriting:

         All 6 - 8 grade students are asked to use cursive writing during in class writing assignments unless a disability precludes this. Students are also encouraged to develop their keyboarding skills and are given ample opportunity to work on them during essay writing, another part of our regular and gifted school curriculum here in Vero Beach.

Writer’s Workshop - Writer's Workshop is one of the techniques we use to inspire our budding writers.  Initially developed by Lucy Caulkins at Columbia's Teachers College, writer's workshop is a free writing time which enables children to move through the writing process and 'publish' their stories. 

Writer's Workshop is designed to help children realize the joy of the written word.

The format includes:

• story planning
• revision
• teacher editing
• direct instruction in the mechanics of grammar.

Each session consists of 45 minutes of quiet writing time. The only requirement is that students express themselves to the best of their ability and try to find joy in that expression. Sessions end with a sharing period for all those who wish to read their writing aloud to the group.