What do you think?
Rate this book
Feedback That Moves Writers Forward: How to Escape Correcting Mode to Transform Student Writing
Student writing is only as good as the feedback we give
In this remarkable book, Patty McGee shares research-based how-to’s for responding to writers that you can use immediately whether you use a writing program or a workshop model. Put down the red-pen, fix-it mindset and help your writers take risks, use grammar as an element of craft, discover their writing identities, elaborate in any genre, and more. Includes lots of helpful conference language that develops tone and trust and forms for reflecting on writing.
In this remarkable book, Patty McGee shares research-based how-to’s for responding to writers that you can use immediately whether you use a writing program or a workshop model. Put down the red-pen, fix-it mindset and help your writers take risks, use grammar as an element of craft, discover their writing identities, elaborate in any genre, and more. Includes lots of helpful conference language that develops tone and trust and forms for reflecting on writing.
- GenresProfessional Development
396 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 3, 2017
17 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 8, 2022
Another book i am reading for my MFA. It has lots of useful activities on using positive feedback. I will just put the rough draft of my annotated bib entry as my review.
Patty McGee hits the teacher right off the bat with the removal the dreaded red pen from the writing process. The red pen represents more than the physical marks on a page but all the negative so many beginning writers feel they receive from instructors. Patty continues to instill more effective and useful ways to give new writers proper feedback on their papers. She also insists on giving timely and specific feedback geared toward the individual author. One way she stresses the authentic writing experiences is that the author themselves is included in every step of the process with stated goals the author is trying to achieve. The book is full of testimonials where students have said one of the best parts of working under Patty’s program was, they got to select the topic that they wanted to write on. She achieves this through students exploring what kind of writer they think they are by listing their strengths and areas they find challenging. She also has them answer many other questions, such as do they right outside of school, and what compels them to write? She grafts an entire list that students should use to self-examine before they get started. Once the student understands their writing identity, Patty encourages students to take risks. Knowing that the kind of feedback they get will help guide them positively students tend to take on more challenging writing projects. Patty provides chart after chart allowing the instructor to use and create a complete individual feedback plan for each student based on the goals of the individual author allowing students to take ownership of their work and their feedback process. This creates stronger authors who feel better about themselves and will continue to work forward on their writing. As part of her final session with these young authors she asked them to state their favorite mistake, which again encourages growth and shows that errors they make can be used to learn from and make them stronger writer.
Patty McGee hits the teacher right off the bat with the removal the dreaded red pen from the writing process. The red pen represents more than the physical marks on a page but all the negative so many beginning writers feel they receive from instructors. Patty continues to instill more effective and useful ways to give new writers proper feedback on their papers. She also insists on giving timely and specific feedback geared toward the individual author. One way she stresses the authentic writing experiences is that the author themselves is included in every step of the process with stated goals the author is trying to achieve. The book is full of testimonials where students have said one of the best parts of working under Patty’s program was, they got to select the topic that they wanted to write on. She achieves this through students exploring what kind of writer they think they are by listing their strengths and areas they find challenging. She also has them answer many other questions, such as do they right outside of school, and what compels them to write? She grafts an entire list that students should use to self-examine before they get started. Once the student understands their writing identity, Patty encourages students to take risks. Knowing that the kind of feedback they get will help guide them positively students tend to take on more challenging writing projects. Patty provides chart after chart allowing the instructor to use and create a complete individual feedback plan for each student based on the goals of the individual author allowing students to take ownership of their work and their feedback process. This creates stronger authors who feel better about themselves and will continue to work forward on their writing. As part of her final session with these young authors she asked them to state their favorite mistake, which again encourages growth and shows that errors they make can be used to learn from and make them stronger writer.
July 14, 2017
This book is an important reminder of the impact our words have on young writers. As a teacher I am often saddened by the echoes of the students who claim they can't or won't write because of one teacher indelicate approach to teaching and coaching them. While I found it packed with important reminders about giving effective feedback--feedback that pushes students to reflect, to question, to examine, to praise, and to move forward. If you are a early-career teacher, I especially recommend this important work of heart.
July 30, 2018
I found some useful ideas in this book study but not as much as I had wanted. The emphasis on growth mindset is great! And phrasing for feedback also useful. It’s a book worth reading. A good foundation for putting writers workshop into action. Now what’s next?
October 13, 2017
I thought this book had a lot of good advice for teachers. I have already implemented a couple of techniques, and I am pleased with the outcomes in my own classroom. It makes you think about how to be a better teacher without making you feel badly if you have been doing it a different way. There are videos so you can watch the author conduct conferences with young writers and there are lots of examples of students' goals and reflections so you can see how real students are using her strategies.
June 25, 2019
Providing students with practical, useful feedback on their writing that makes them better writers would be fantastic! I haven't found that dynamic yet, so when this book came on my radar I was looking forward to reading it with great anticipation. I like the emphasis on strength based response vs correcting. I also appreciate all the "what to say when" charts. I look forward to using some of this material next year.
August 22, 2021
This book had some good tips (e.g. focuses on giving supportive feedback, stimulating a growth mindset in students). However, these tips were hidden between many, many examples & general thoughts. The examples mostly related to young children's writing, though the book appears to be aimed at coaching writers of all ages. An overview at the end of each chapter with the key points would have been helpful, as would a clearer demarcation between how to coach different age groups.
October 14, 2019
Every teacher of writing should read this book. It helps you see the need for responding to writing rather than just grading writing. McGee gives so many tips and ideas on how to help teachers help writers. Highly recommended.
February 19, 2025
3-1/2 stars
I think this text focused more on the philosophy of feedback than on the practical application. It was almost overwhelming to consider the variety of topics with little framework for how, where, or when to implement. Much of the focus is also geared for elementary classrooms.
I think this text focused more on the philosophy of feedback than on the practical application. It was almost overwhelming to consider the variety of topics with little framework for how, where, or when to implement. Much of the focus is also geared for elementary classrooms.
December 30, 2018
Making marks on a student's paper is NOT feedback. Learn how to give practical feedback with this book!
August 11, 2021
The book is more relevant if you teach a writing class, but I definitely found some useful ideas about helping my struggling writers.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews