Feedback That Moves Writers Forward
How to Escape Correcting Mode to Transform Student Writing
Foreword by Katherine Bomer
Corwin Literacy
“Patty McGee should be called the 'Writer Whisperer.' She offers brilliant advice for helping struggling writers, accomplished writers, and all those in between.”
—Debbie Silver, Co-author of Teaching Kids to Thrive
The number one challenge of student writers today isn’t word choice, logic, voice, or even grammar and spelling—it’s buy-in. In Feedback That Moves Writers Forward, Patty McGee shares how to’s for teaching that changes the writing-as-obligation vibe for good. She demonstrates the way feedback can inspire students to reach new heights as writers. With Patty’s help, you learn to:
- Resign from your position as Corrector-in-Chief and be amazed as students eagerly take over responsibility for refining their writing
- Apply the research on growth mindset and goal setting, whether you use a writing program or a workshop model
- Use tone, trust, and language to quicken students’ discovery of their writing identities and take risks when they are stuck
- Use student work to deliver clear, just-in-time feedback during planning, drafting, revising, and editing
- Use the online printable forms for delivering customized feedback with just the right wording
- Balance grading and feedback
- Help writers reflect so they are better able to apply what they learned about content, craft, and style to their future writing
One of the bravest things we can do as teachers is to admit when a long held practice isn’t working. Error-focused feedback is one such practice. So put down the red pen, pick up this book, and learn to say the right thing at the right time to develop fearless, original, and intentional writers—in any content area.
Free resources
Writing Feedback Fundementals
Use these tools from Feedback that Moves Writers Forward to strategically structure how you provide feedback to students in a way that supports their writing development—without diminishing their enthusiasm.
“Anyone who teaches ANY sort of writing (ahem, social studies and science teachers too) must read Feedback that Moves Writers Forward: How to Escape Correcting Mode to Transform Student Writing and take Patty McGee‘s ideas to heart as she explores the language teachers can use to motivate students in the classroom.”
“I’ve always believed that true success in the classroom relies heavily on relationships. If you aren’t connected to a student, you don’t have much. In [Feedbck That Moves Writers Forward] Patty McGee says, ‘Essential to effective feedback is to know our young writers-who they are, what makes them tick, and how they identify their strengths.’ She goes on to say that this identity is so important because ‘when a writer possesses a positive and strong writing identity, he or she is more inclined to invest in writing with passion and engagement.’ The book has many suggestions for ways to get to know your writers and even examples that show the power of knowing a writer’s identity.”
“Writing identity, growth mindset, and ownership and agency are central themes throughout the book. What stood out to me is the way Patty McGee makes the case that teacher language about students as writers and student writing is one of the biggest factors in a student’s growth. . . . If you’ve ever found yourself unsure of what to say in a conference, [Feedback That Moves Writers Forward] is the book for you! McGee offers helpful language for teachers to use with writers in all situations. I was struck by how supportive and strategic the words she suggests were- tweaks in phrasing that will make all the difference.”
“[Feedback That Moves Writers Forward] changed my mindset from teaching writing to teaching writers. It’s a subtle difference, but an important one.. . . Planning scaffolds, real world examples, prompts will all become part of our regular learning. Students loved the JK Rowling example of planning for one of the Harry Potter books (Order of the Phoenix). The practical processes, reflection, conferencing, and feedback that Patty describes in the book have already helped me begin to meet students where they are with their writing.
I loved seeing them struggle with planning timelines, the collaboration and sharing of ideas, and actual writing that has been evident in our first few days back for term (or trimester) three. They value what they are writing because it has meaning to them, and because they themselves will be self-assessing, students are carefully editing as they go.”
Sample Materials & Chapters
How This Book Works for Writing Teachers of All Stripes
Chapter 3: Feedback Fundamentals
