Quick Write to Essay
The quick write to essay component of the model can look be developed in different ways. The first element that we've focused on is quick write to expository essay. This instructional task focuses on inviting students to utilize their shorter quick writes as early drafts that they can expanded upon to resopnd to a longer, related expository writing prompt. The second element is quick write to narrative essay. This instructional task focuses on students working through the entire writing process to craft a narrative essay that tells a story about each students' identity. Students begin with some pre-writing that gets expanded to quick writes. The quick writes are then expanded upon to create a full narrative essay draft.
Change Package: Quick Write to Essay
Impact on Teaching
Utilizing student-centered routines to support writing allow students to use writing to express what they know in connection with what they learn from the text. In other words, it creates space for students to engage in conversation with the text, individually and with others. The process leads to more equitable access to the text, to the conversation about the text, and to the writing process, which over time leads to a greater expression of student agency. For example, a first-read comprehension task might move students from independent work, to partner work, to whole group share, and finally to independent reflection. The quick write to essay process asks students to work from their initial comprehension quick write to draft a longer related essay. The expectation is that students work to build on writing they have already started – they don’t come into the essay cold, having to come up with a new idea or opinion. And they don’t come to the writing task without talking about and getting feedback on their ideas from peers and getting a chance to add to their initial thinking and revise.
Impact on Students
When using quick write to essay tasks, teachers have noticed that students no longer hesitate when asked to compose an essay. They grab their quick writes and jump into the work. Teachers see more agency and empowerment in students as they write. The confidence they have built over time is reflected in their writing.ir writing.
How do you plan a quick write to expository essay task?
Planning
Working from your comprehension or analysis high-level task, create an open-ended, text-based essay task that will invite students to use their quick write as the initial draft of their essay. Planning for the essay should invite students to reflect on their initial thinking about the big ideas in the text and the conversation they’ve had with their peers about those big ideas. Students should then revise or add to their quick write about the big ideas to capture their thinking.
Students should then be asked to expand their quick write into an essay. Success criteria for students' essay might be similar to the following:
A statement in direct response to a high-level question
Evidence to support student’s response
An explanation of how the evidence supports student’s thinking (not just a restatement of the evidence)
Resources
Practical Measures
How do you plan a quick write to narrative essay task?
Planning
Narrative writing is foundational to other writing genres. Inviting students to meaningfully engage in a narrative writing task not only helps them build their writing muscles, but gives students the opportunity to disrupt the narratives that get told about them and the communities our students are a part of. Some things to consider as you begin to plan your task:
Begin planning your narrative writing task with the end in mind. What is the prompt that students will be responding to?
Plan pre-writing activities that will help students generate ideas for their story and give them an opportunity for receiving peer feedback prior to writing.
Plan how you will help students work from their pre-writing to generate a quick write
Plan how you will help students move from their rounds of quick writes and feedback into making decisions about a draft
Be comfortable with letting go of formulas and templates. Plan for allowing students to "freestyle" with their writing.
Provide students with an opportunity to reflect on their process and where they are as writers.