My philosophy is, published work is perfection. Students publish one article a week from their journals. Each day I lead a Writer's Response Camp with four children bringing their journals and pencils. I begin the group by explaining one rule of grammar, one concept of writing and reading and ask children to check their papers for these rules and ideas. Students and teacher read their favorite response to the group with the group responding with one thing they liked and one thing they wonder.
Children then exchange papers for editing of punctuation, spelling, and complete sentences.
After peer editing, children move to Writer's Corner to complete their first draft of edited work, placing work in the Homework Box for me to edit later in the day. After final teacher editing children publish their work the next day and enter it in their Writer's Folder. Motivating, modeling, and encouraging students in writing proves to be the key to excellence not only in writing, but in thinking, self-esteem, and discovery. This provides ownership for the students and builds on invidual values. Teacher and peer modeling provide reinforcement and taps into the creative well we have dammed up for too long.