Celebrating Writers: From Possibilities Through Publication

by Ruth Ayres

Writing begins before students even pick up a pencil, but there are many reasons to stop and rejoice between the idea and the finished project. By helping students celebrate each stage of the writing process and applauding success, we help our students persevere through what can be an extended and challenging process. In their innovative new book, Celebrating Writers , Ruth Ayres and Christi Overman discuss dozens of ways to respond, reflect, and rejoice along the journey to a finished project. This type of celebration nurtures students, makes them better writers, and helps them recognize that writing is a process filled with notable moments, not simply a result where publication is the only marker of success. From traveling notebooks to lunch-table writing, from author interviews with a writing partner to silent reflection, from swapping stories around a campfire to tweeting favorite lines, Ruth and Christi share dozens of fun and effective ways for you and your students to commemorate their progress as writers. As the authors write, It's time to expand the idea of celebration to include the process of writers and the products they create. Let's build an approach that weaves celebration into the heart of all writers. Be ready to learn to refuel the writers in your classroom, even on the tough days.

Genres: Writing, Professional Development, Education

100 pages, Paperback

First published September 28, 2013

Reviews

[Donalyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruth Ayers honors children and their writing lives in this wonderful book full of rituals and celebrations for young writers. I cannot wait to implement many of these ideas in my classroom (love the family notebook) and share Ruth's book with colleagues.

Every time I see Ruth, she asks, "What are you writing?" She assumes everyone is writing something. If they aren't, they should be.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little book with some great ideas for celebrating with writers of many ages. I gleaned a few things I'd like to try in a future classroom, a few thoughts I'd like to share, and a few points I'd like to write about myself.

[Ricki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know a professional development text is a good one when I feel compelled to get out of my bed to nab my highlighter. There are many flag-worthy passages in this book. My focus is Secondary English Education, and even though this book seems to be primarily focused on Elementary Education, I plan to share some of the ideas from this text with my students tomorrow. The true audience of this book is all teachers of writing. Ayres and Overman provide a plethora of ideas to help students celebrate their writing. They state, "When we celebrate throughout the process, we help students become people who know their words can influence, encourage, and incite change" (p. 7).

While I always thought I celebrated my students' writing, this book taught me so many MORE ways to help them rejoice in order to truly nourish them as writers. Some of the ideas the authors include are methods for students to respond to their peers' writing, ways for students to formally assess and reflect upon their own writing, ideas for students to examine their own strengths and weaknesses as writers, and numerous modes for students to share their writing with online communities. There are a variety of handouts that are all downloadable from the companion website (a HUGE plus for busy teachers). The fifth chapter of this book is my favorite---it details forty formal celebration ideas. These are ideas that are much more clever than asking students to bring in cupcakes.

[Holly Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Every person has a story worth telling. These stories are worthy because they foster connections, creating empathy for others, and give us a stronger understanding of ourselves. " Ruth Ayres and Christi Overman have written a wonderful and practical book about celebrating writers in your classroom. Ruth is all about celebrating - I, along with many others, have joined her weekly celebration link up every week because it is a place where we can all read about the positives that are going on in our lives and classrooms. It's changed the way I think about my weeks - I'm always looking for something to celebrate. She and Overman tell us to do that for our students. Celebrate the process and not just the product, be specific in our responses to their writing, and become writers ourselves, sharing our struggles and successes. I was thrilled to meet Ruth at a Choice Literacy dinner because she is an inspiration. You will want to have this book on hand!

[Guida Al·lès · Rating 2 out of 5]

El vaig veure recomanat com un dels llibres més votats pels mestres americans, però m´ha decebut. La primera part són reflexions generals (on es repeteixen idees) sobre la necessitat de valorar l´escriptura i d´ensenyar als aprenents a donar-se feed-back entre ells.
La segona part, més interessant, explica com formar parelles d´escriptors i comparteix un munt de fitxes per la coavaluació i la reflexió. Recomana molt la comunicació online i la feina amb xarxes socials però les activitats no aporten massa novetat.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

With children, as writers, at the heart of this powerful book, Ruth Ayres and Christi Overman provide a plethora of ways teachers can improve confidence in student writers, provide joyful means for feedback in a safe environment, create authentic audiences, and build in celebrations throughout ones writing process. A must read for any elementary-middle school teacher interested in the idea of writing as ongoing joy & renewal!

[Abbie (Taylor) Irwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read, inspiring, and full of great, simple ideas!

This book has inspired me to celebrate not just the big moments that we look for as teachers, which coincidentally are far between , but also the tiny but exciting growth and effort made by our students each day. Now, I will focus on the everyday joys of writing . Thank you for writing a book that includes so many different, simple, and wonderful ideas on how to celebrate writing every day !

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and marked many ideas to try in my classroom this year. Of the ideas that were too young for my kids, I could think of ways to adapt them to my not-beginning-but-not-advanced third graders.

[Kevin Hodgson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about noticing the writers in the room.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing is a celebration no matter what stage of the writing process we're in. Ruth Ayers illustrates this concept beautifully in this short (less than 100 pages) professional text.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

So important to consider. Expanded my thinking in meaningful ways.

[Mary Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reminders to celebrate all through the writing process.

[Mandy Robek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love this book! It's about the journey and not the end of writing.

[Colby Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tons of great tips for the classroom in under 100 pages: priceless.