How do I deal with final drafts? I don’t. Well, mostly. Let me explain.

As I have suggested before, I don’t teach writing. I teach writers. As such, I focus on the process not the product. Yes, there’s a product, but it’s simply a function of the process, a by-product of the process.

But process is more than the stages of the writing. Process, I believe, is what we do during the stages. I call it the feedback/response process, and it is here where my writers and I meet. It is here where learning happens.

My writers and I meet in three places along the way, regardless the mode of writing: Focus/Purpose, Organization, and Elaboration. As writers, this is what I want them taking along with them as they continue to grow after they go. For, they will continue, unlike the products, which I wrote about back in October with “Trash Talk” (http://www.letschangeeducation.com/trash-talk-project-180-day-41/). Most of their products will end up in the trash. So, with that in mind, I don’t worry so much about polishing the products as much as I care about “polishing” the people by engaging with them in the feedback/response process along the way. Here’s a rough look at that way in my class.

Down Draft

After the brainstorming and idea-gathering. I just ask the kids to get it down. Really it’s a discovery draft of sorts. It gets the process started. It emphasizes the necessary evolution and shows that down is not done.

Developing Draft: Focus/Purpose

Here we step into finding and establishing focus and purpose for the piece. Often times, this will take the form of a traditional introduction, but our writing journeys often take us into different modes and forms, so I have to be flexible with this. Last quarter, many of my kids had to write a separate introduction to their pieces to provide a place for us to meet, which is the goal for all of these developing drafts, an opportunity for the feedback/response process.

Developing Draft: Organization

Here, as the name suggests, we look to discovering an effective organizational approach. Really it comes down to what form the kids are writing in. If it’s outside the the conventional intro-body-conclusion realm, I ask them to do some independent research on how their selected-genre is usually organized, and this creates a starting place for our collaborative work.

Developing Draft: Elaboration

More. This is the word that I ask kids to think of when they hear the word elaboration. More details, more evidence, more information. More.

Note: I use the word elaboration very generally here, but when kids think of “more” along with the idea of adding flesh to the bones of their organizational frame, it seems to click. Again, here, much depends on mode/form.

Due Draft

Dang out of time this morning. I will continue here tomorrow. Sorry, all.

Happy Monday.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.