How closely do your students read their writing? What are the implications for those who do and those who don't? During her work in classrooms, literacy coach Paula Bourque noticed that students who read their own writing closely are engaged in their work, write fluently, are able to produce lengthy drafts, and incorporate teaching points from mini-lessons into the day's writing. In this comprehensive book, Paula shows you that no matter what structures or lessons you use in your writing c...

The act of writing helps shape our thinking and is an important life skill we need to nurture in even our youngest students. In her new book, Spark!: Quick Writes to Kindle Hearts and Minds in Elementary Classrooms, author Paula Bourque recommends making writing a daily habit through enjoyable quick writes - short, frequent bursts of low-stakes writing that lets young students think and play with ideas on paper.Bourque believes that "quantity produces quality" and suggests...