Then read my common sense approach to help you avoid the red pencil blues, while challenging and improving your students' writing . . . Setting the Stage Begin by establishing a writing corner in your classroom.
Some teachers prefer to arrange the student's desks in a hollow square or circle.
You may decide to do this later when the students are spending more time discussing and reading drafts aloud. Then discuss the various sources, e.g. observation of the world around them, feelings, opinions, and personal experiences. One good way to begin is with ten-minute free writing exercises. The students have already discussed pre-writing activities the day before. Now she tells them they will be writing their stories, feelings, or experiences in their pads.