But How Do You Teach Writing?: A Simple Guide for All Teachers

by Barry Lane

Packed with practical ideas teachers and students can try instantly and experience immediate success with writing. The book is divided into three Out of the Gate contains easy ideas to help you get started, More Reasons to Write shows you how to teach across genre, both fiction and nonfiction writing, and Refining Writing addresses everything you need to know about revision, grammar, punctuation, and assessment. In every chapter you'll find two running 1) “Try This”, ready-to-use lessons for you and your students; and 2) “Yeah But” where Barry answers the real questions and concerns he's collected from teachers around the country.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Teaching, Writing, School

240 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2008

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

An invaluable resource for teachers. Armed with my multiple flagged pages I yearn to teach writing. Lane is extremely personable, his ideas terrific. Years ago I read Why We Must Run With Scissors and was reluctant to return the copy I had borrowed to its rightful owner. I would love to own the entire collection of Barry Lane writing curricula. I find his exercises far, far more useful than anything I learned in my teaching credential program or in mandatory writing workshops. Ironically, in one of the chapters on revision (Grammar Got Run Over By a Reindeer) I noticed several grammatical errors and typos. Which just goes to further my argument that this is a great book for teachers: just hand over copies of those pages to students and have them try to find the mistakes, no worksheets required!

[Melissa Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stock full of great ideas, Barry wove together an excellent blend of tips, tricks, ideas, stories, and rebuttals to those who say good teaching can’t be done within the constraints of curriculum. Greatly enjoyed this book. 📝

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Barry Lane for a decade or more, ever since seeing him present a day-long workshop. He's such a decent, kind, playful man and it all comes through in his writing. This title distills ideas from many of his other books, so it is a good primmer for the uninitiated and a reminder for adepts. For those teachers who want to implement a writers workshop, but find Nanci Atwell too daunting. It is more of a pastiche and less of a step-by-step map.

I disagree with an earlier reviewer who didn't like Lane's political comments, perhaps because I agree with him, but also because he is overt and honest about his proclivities. If you're a fan of 'Testing' and 'Standards' movements, Lane's is a challenging book. He asks teachers to, "be the best, most passionate, loving, caring, creative, tough, humanizing teacher you can be. Be a high priest or priestess of 'real' education. Be the most glorious teacher you can be." (p. 200) I hope to live up to this challenge.

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot sing enough praises for this book. Entertaining, inspiring, revolutionary. Whether you plan to teach writing or just want to improve your own, Lane's experience and insight is priceless.

[Tine Putzeys · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good basic content, though less relevant for me. It's mostly focussed on people that are already teaching some other subject and how they can incorporate writing into their existing classes and how to rebut arguments against teaching writing (in this way) from higher-ups. This in no way applies to me. The essence of the advice was good, but surface level for anyone that's more at home in the creative writing world.

I very much disliked the negative comments about "oh no, what if the boy write about superheroes or video games". God forbid a kid writes about things that actually interest them...

Conclusion, good book for the target group, but not for me.

[Jennifer DuBose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Barry Lane resource!

[Meghan · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a homeschooling mother, writing is one of the basics I want to instill in my kids. I write myself, and love to do so, but (maybe unfortunately) writing has always come very easily for me. However, for all my experience doing it, I could not figure out how to teach it.

This was one of numerous book I read on the subject, and I find this advice too sparse and a bit old-fashioned (what he suggests seems nearly torturous for kids who aren't avid writers), his examples and stories too wordy, and I just wasn't overly impressed. I also didn't see as much actual die-hard advice... but maybe that's the point.

There are a few tidbits in here, but generally this book was underwhelming.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I took several pages of notes when reading this one. Really liked and have implemented several of his ideas including starting the day with 7 minutes of writing in a personal journal for my son. Did not appreciate the back-handed political statements, just not necessary.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to Lane again at NWP Summer Institute and appreciated his presentation. The book is helpful for teachers at any stage in their careers. Lane reminds me that learning should be engaging, and there are significant ways to encourage students to participate.

[Tia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every teacher must read! Simply wonderful!