Week 8

• Discuss the components of an effective writing program and why they are important. 
• 1. The three main components of an effective writing program include personal connections, conventions, and inventions. Personal connections get the students interested in their writing assignments. Conventions give students an opportunity to go back to their writing and use editing skills. Finally inventions also get students interested and allows them  to portray their writing in unconventional ways. 
• How might you rearrange your schedule to create more time for students to write in general and, in particular, for students to write about their personal experiences? 
• 2. I would allow students to write about their personal experiences in relation to the topics being covered in the different topic areas. When the students are given time to work independently and have finished their assignments they will either be required to read or write about the topic area they were previously working on. This will not only reinforce knowledge, but expand their knowledge and give them opportunities to share what they already know about a topic and experiences they have had with these topics.  
• How can you create ways for students to make personal connections in different subject areas through writing? 
• 3. Let students get creative all you need to do is ask the simple question what connections can you make to the text students will find something no matter how far fetched. Allow time for students to share and discuss as well as write their connections to the reading. 
• How can student work help you decide which conventions to teach?
• 4. Through reading students writing samples a teacher can keep a running record of the different conventions that their students are struggling with. 
• When can you promote student inventions and experimentation with different formats in writing
• 5. After students are familiar with the content and have made connections and know how to go back and use the conventions while writing students can invent. While invention is not a conventional way of portraying your writing the conventions used should always be consistent (except on the rare occasion there are different rules applied to the inventive writing for example different forms of poetry).