The Slice of Life March Challenge is hosted by Two Writing Teachers.
"As a writing teacher, one of the most important things you can do is practice, practice, practice your own writing. Every time you sit down to write you are gaining insider knowledge about what writers do–so that you can share that knowledge with the kids you teach."
Little did I know when I read Beth's post yesterday on Two Writing Teachers about using our own writing as a teaching tool, I would be putting it to use so soon.
I had scheduled my post to publish at 6:00 am yesterday morning, but did not get a chance to link to TWT until later on in the day. Before I linked, Michelle from the Literacy Learning Zone had already read it and posted a comment.
The way she read my slice and the message I wanted to convey were not the same. She left a comment, and I realized that my writing was unclear.
The revision process began.
I started asking myself questions about my intended message and where the message broke down. Where was I not clear and concise? Where did the confusion lie? What revisions did I need make?
I started with the title and then made some other changes. I asked her to come back and read it again. You can read our "comment conversation" here.
I know revision is a key issue for my student writers. Many don't want to do it; many don't like to do it; and many don't see the need to do it. But my post needed revising in order for my readers to understand what I wanted to say.
This is an authentic lesson in which I can share with my students ~ which is exactly what Beth was talking about.
