The prime objective of the Hackensack Elementary Schools' Writing Program is to develop a workshop environment that features both formal and informal writing experiences. The formal program addresses the four stages of the writing process. Students in grades one to five participate in writing workshops on a daily basis. Students keep writing journals and reading logs.
Teachers also integrate writing activities into the social studies and science programs.
Formal writing focuses on descriptive, narrative, and expository paragraphs. Creative writing provides students with experiences within a variety of literature genres. These include nonfiction, fiction, biographies, auto- biographies, sports, poetry, drama, realistic fiction, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, mythology, legends, folk tales, fairy tales, fables, short stories, mysteries, and romance, all at the appropriate level of development. Informal, as well as formal writing experiences, are incorporated into various areas of the curriculum. While some children are writing, teachers confer with individuals and small groups of students to discuss their work.