You Are The Author Of Your Own Life Stories : Becoming Writers

My Students

"Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go", E.L Doctorow said. My students have not yet discovered the power behind writing. Being a writer is so much more than answering a prompt. My students have brilliant imaginations that are just waiting to make their way onto paper

My 24 diverse, young authors are currently in the 3rd grade in Indiana.

Our elementary school currently has over 95% of the students on free and reduced lunch. Many of my students come from low income, single family homes. Families rarely have money for school supplies and our school budget is extremely limited. These writers are extremely imaginative. However, many of my students view writing as answering a writing prompt or answering a short answer question to prepare for testing. These young writers feel their voices are limited to what they are expected to write about. Through their notes, or general commentary with each other, I have found that the majority of my students have many writing ideas and stories that they are waiting to publish, yet use their writing notebooks for other subjects. Because of the lack of resources, many pieces of their writing are done on loose leaf paper due to lack of resources. A large majority of their writing is misplaced and left uncompleted.

My Project

These writing resources would help my students tremendously. These resources would give my students the opportunity to write in a notebook simply devoted to their own stories. These resoureces would provide students with a place to neatly place their work as they continue on in the writing process. I also believe that by using these resources, students will be excited about their writing and enjoy writing their own personal stories. I will use these resources during Writing Workshop as well as during students' literacy stations. These resources will allow students to learn the writing processes, from pre-writing, editing to publishing. They will also learn that as authors, they should take pride in their writing and not rush through their work. Students will be able to take accounatability for their writing and make their stories their own. These resources will allow students to have all necessary materials to make their stories come to life.

Supporting this project will provide students with necessary materials to come alive as writers.

By donating to this project, students will be given the opportunity to create and publish their own personal stories. This project would demonstrate to students the importance of writing, its processes, and help them to view writing as exciting and fun, instead of montonous and routine. Donating to this project will help bring the joy back into writing!