Engaging & Powerful Student Writing Display
How do you decide what to hang on the walls of your house? Does someone else pick it for you? Most likely you choose yourself and you pick things that you think look nice, make you happy, or that you are proud of having. Students deserve the same control and decision making over their writing display.
In my classroom, I have a student managed writing display. Each student has a spot with their name and they get to choose what writing piece will be displayed on the wall. I encourage students to share a piece of writing that makes them proud of themselves.
During our writing workshop students are continuously beginning new writing pieces and editing past ones as they learn new skills. This is encouraged by the Lucy Calkins writing curriculum that we use. So at any time they should have several in progress writing pieces in their writing folder.
You may also notice in the picture above that my students have the freedom to use a variety of paper while drafting their writing pieces. Our writing center is full of options for them to choose what most inspires them!
What makes the writing display student managed?
The students can ask me at any time to change out the piece that they have on display. There are paper clips attached to the decoration with their name so I can quickly and easily slip the paper out and put the new one in!
They are in COMPLETE control over what goes up on the wall. I would not prohibit them from sharing anything, of course unless it was not school appropriate.
We celebrate the editing process so students should have things crossed out and corrected on their writing display pieces. This means they are applying the writing skills that they are learning! We talk a lot about how our writing display represents our progress and growth, they should not look perfect (yet).
Some students decide to hang up a post it with an idea they are proud of coming up with for a new story. GREAT!
Our writing display is in our classroom, so that students can change out and access their writing pieces as often as necessary. When we finish a unit and have a published text, we hang those in the hallway! Now those, should have all of the words edited and correct, be neat, and look its best!
I make our writing display so open ended because I want them to feel pride in each of their accomplishments not just the finished writing piece. I consistently strive to increase my students’ writing confidence and their enjoyment of the process!
Learn more about how I run my writing workshop with my 2nd graders!
- Writing Workshop Overview
- Managing Writing Workshop
- Partner Writing Conferences
- Publishing Celebrations
