Getting Students to Write- Helping Elementary and Middle School teachers improve student writing.

By Melissa Morrison, Elementary, Middle School Writing Consultant, Literacy CoachEducation How To

Getting Students to Write- Helping Elementary and Middle School teachers improve student writing. episodes

February 03Independent Writing Series: Combating Common Obstacles
In almost every classroom where independent writing time is implemented for the first time, the same few issues seem to occur with a few writers.
This episode tackles what to do when:
writers are lacking engagement
there are just too many papers
writers are lacking independence

If you have implemented independent writing time in your classroom or are thinking of starting, this episode will help!
**Teachers! We want to hear from you! We want to hear your story, experience, aha moment or insights related to Getting Students to Write! The more we share, the more we learn together, the more we can accomplish for our writers!
Click the link below and record a voicemail. Your story may be featured on the podcast:)
Send a voice message to GettingStudentstoWrite

About Melissa:
Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education. Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources.
Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.
Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction.
If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below!
Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa
TikTok Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction!
YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa
LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!
26 min
January 27 Exploring "The Writing Rope" with Pat Pollack
Listen in to a thought-provoking discussion with literacy consultant extraordinaire, Pat Pollock.
Pat shares a multitude of thoughts and ideas about teaching writing effectively by lifting up students as writers. Pat also helps us to look at the Writing Rope by Joan Sedita with a new lens as she provides her insights on its structure and components, helping us to stay mindful and critical of the resources made available to us.
Another enlightening and helpful conversation with an expert in the field of literacy!
About Patricia Pollack:
Pat Pollack has been in education for over 40 years as a classroom teacher, Principal, Curriculum Director, Literacy Consultant and Partnerships Director. With degrees in Elementary Education, Literacy/Reading, Educational Administration, and Psychology, Pat's content knowledge and experiences have invited her to passionately advocate for student agency and learning, alongside her quest to empower teachers to believe in their abilities to inspire students as readers, writers and thinkers. A national presenter, and content writer of curriculum resources and professional books, Pat continues to partner with school districts to support their visions for developing thoughtful, independent and collaborative communicators, learners and citizens.
**Teachers! We want to hear from you! We want to hear your story, experience, aha moment or insights related to Getting Students to Write! The more we share, the more we learn together, the more we can accomplish for our writers!
Click the link below and record a voicemail. Your story may be featured on the podcast:)
Send a voice message to GettingStudentstoWrite

About Melissa:
Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education. Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources.
Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.
Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction.
If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below!

Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa
TikTok Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction!
YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa
LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!
49 min
January 20 Independent Writing Series: Anchor Lessons
The Independent Writing Series continues with lessons that will support all writers in this beginning phase.
In this episode, Melissa shares a variety of lessons for all grade levels that will help writers to build their independence during writing time.
Melissa also give advice on using this time for honoring writers as they are and learning more about their strengths and needs before worrying about the product of their work.
**Teachers! We want to hear from you! We want to hear your story, experience, aha moment or insights related to Getting Students to Write! The more we share, the more we learn together, the more we can accomplish for our writers!
Click the link below and record a voicemail. Your story may be featured on the podcast:)
Send a voice message to GettingStudentstoWrite
About Melissa:
Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education. Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources.
Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.
Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction.
If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below!

Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa
TikTok Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction!
YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa
LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!
26 min
January 13 Honoring Joy, Skill and Purpose in Writing with Kate and Maggie Roberts Pt 2
Part 2 shares valuable advice for teachers who lack a robust curriculum for writing instruction as well as Maggie Robert's new book (with co-author Melanie Meehan)!
Kate and Maggie share the importance of teachers engaging in their own writing, finding mentors, and utilizing professional texts.
Techniques such as using a writer's notebook and focusing on foundational writing skills are explored.
As soon as you hear from Maggie about 'Foundational Skills for Writing' you will be ready to push that "pre-order" button!
About Kate and Maggie:
Kate and Maggie began their teaching careers as middle school teachers in city centers — Kate in Brooklyn, Maggie in Chicago. They both felt a natural fit in the energy, intensity and humor of early adolescence. After their graduate education at Columbia University’s Teachers College, Kate and Maggie became literacy consultants and worked with teachers in classrooms all over the country.
For the last fifteen years, Kate and Maggie have worked across elementary, middle school, and high school grades, focusing on skill and strategy-based literacy instruction, literacy across the content areas, differentiated teaching methods, and optimizing teaching schedules and structures.
Over time, Kate and Maggie have become known for their concrete solutions to tough situations, their humor, and their strong curricular, pedagogical and personal support of teachers, administrators, and students. These strengths shine through during their presentations and social media presence, such as on their blog, Instagram and TikTok accounts, and their video series for their latest book together, DIY Literacy.
Books:
The Heart of Non-fiction by Kate Roberts
Foundational Skills for Writing: A Brain-Based Guide to Strengthen Executive Functions, Language and Other Cornerstones for Writers

**Teachers! We want to hear from you! We want to hear your story, experience, aha moment or insights related to Getting Students to Write! The more we share, the more we learn together, the more we can accomplish for our writers!
Click the link below and record a voicemail. Your story may be featured on the podcast:)
Send a voice message to GettingStudentstoWrite
About Melissa:
Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education. Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources.
Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.
Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction.
If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below!
Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa
TikTok Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction!
YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa
LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!
18 min
January 06 Honoring Joy, Skill and Purpose in Writing with Kate and Maggie Roberts Pt 1
You just can't miss this episode with the amazing authors, consultants and passionate educators Kate Roberts and Maggie Beattie Roberts!
We discuss the biggest needs of the young writers in classrooms today including a balanced approach to writing that includes both fun, creative low-stakes writing and rigorous skill-building.
We also explore the importance of choice, authenticity, and emotional engagement in the writing process, and offer practical advice on how to integrate these elements into the classroom. You will hear about the significance of daily writing practice and the role of executive functions in writing.
For teachers seeking to boost student writing engagement and build confident young writers, this episode is a treasure trove of valuable insights and strategies.
About Kate and Maggie:
Kate and Maggie began their teaching careers as middle school teachers in city centers — Kate in Brooklyn, Maggie in Chicago. They both felt a natural fit in the energy, intensity and humor of early adolescence. After their graduate education at Columbia University’s Teachers College, Kate and Maggie became literacy consultants and worked with teachers in classrooms all over the country.
For the last fifteen years, Kate and Maggie have worked across elementary, middle school, and high school grades, focusing on skill and strategy-based literacy instruction, literacy across the content areas, differentiated teaching methods, and optimizing teaching schedules and structures.
Over time, Kate and Maggie have become known for their concrete solutions to tough situations, their humor, and their strong curricular, pedagogical and personal support of teachers, administrators, and students. These strengths shine through during their presentations and social media presence, such as on their blog, Instagram and TikTok accounts, and their video series for their latest book together, DIY Literacy.
Books:
The Heart of Non-fiction by Kate Roberts
Foundational Skills for Writing: A Brain-Based Guide to Strengthen Executive Functions, Language and Other Cornerstones for Writers
About Melissa:
Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education. Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources.
Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.
Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction.
If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below!
Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa
TikTok Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction!
YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa
LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!

26 min
January 01 Replay! Ep 102 Help! I Don't Know What to Teach Them!
When I first began using the workshop model, I felt very unequipped to help my writers.
I wasn't a writer myself and certainly had not had any training in writing or how to teach writing. So, when I sat next to my little ones and read over their pieces, I felt like I didn't know how to help them.
The truth was, I knew so many things about writing that would have been exactly what my students needed to hear! Not only that, but I was able to learn FROM them as they showed me what THEY did as writers.
In the years that followed, I also learned from many resources along the way.
Listen in to hear more of what you already know and a few of the tools that have helped me become an even better teacher of writing.
**Teachers! We want to hear from you! We want to hear your story, experience, aha moment or insights related to Getting Students to Write! The more we share, the more we learn together, the more we can accomplish for our writers!
Click the link below and record a voicemail. Your story may be featured on the podcast:)
Send a voice message to GettingStudentstoWrite
About Melissa:
Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education. Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources.
Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.
Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction.
If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below!
Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa
TikTok Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction!
YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa
LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!
19 min
December 16, 2025Independent Writing Series: Just Get Started!
This series is all about Independent Writing: The why, the what and the how!
It can seem overwhelming and almost impossible to allow students to write on their own, but you can do it and so can they!
This first episode in the series goes over my definition of independent writing AND shares how to jump in and get started including:
supplies (not many!)
ways to introduce to students
what to expect the first few days
how to keep writers going

I'd love to hear your thoughts and questions on this topic so reach out with a message (it can be anonymous!) Check below!
**Teachers! We want to hear from you! We want to hear your story, experience, aha moment or insights related to Getting Students to Write! The more we share, the more we learn together, the more we can accomplish for our writers!
Click the link below and record a voicemail. Your story may be featured on the podcast:)
Send a voice message to GettingStudentstoWrite
About Melissa:
Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education. Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources.
Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.
Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction.
If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below!
Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa
TikTok Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction!
YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa
LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!
16 min
December 09, 2025Episode 132 Time Stealers turned Time SAVERS
I know there is not enough time for writing instruction. That means we need writing time to be as efficient as possible!
This episode shares my top tips for making writing time the best for your students.
Time stealers:
Too much teacher talk
Too much student talk
Lack of writer independence
Keeping writers all together
Editing for your writers

I hope you will choose one writing instruction time-saving strategy to level up your writing time!
**Teachers! We want to hear from you! We want to hear your story, experience, aha moment or insights related to Getting Students to Write! The more we share, the more we learn together, the more we can accomplish for our writers!
Click the link below and record a voicemail. Your story may be featured on the podcast:)
Send a voice message to GettingStudentstoWrite

About Melissa:
Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education. Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources.
Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.
Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction.
If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below!

Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa
TikTok Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction!
YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa
LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!
18 min
December 02, 2025Episode 131 Writing Together, Growing Together with Authors Irene Latham and Charles Waters
Listen in to another fantastic conversation with authors Irene Latham and Charles Waters.
Both share their experiences and strategies for making writing an effective an enjoyable activity for both teachers and students.
The discussion includes:
personal journeys as writers
the significance of collaboration
the importance of creating a safe and encouraging environment for student writers.

Irene and Charles highlight their upcoming book 'For the Win,' which focuses on contemporary athletes and pivotal moments in their careers.
This episode is a valuable resource for teachers seeking to inspire and improve their writing instruction methods.
Books mentioned:
Dictionary for a Better World
Can I Touch Your Hair?
For the Win
About Irene Latham:
Irene Latham is the author of many books for children, including novels, poetry, and picture books. Winner of the 2016 ILA Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award, she writes poetry inspired by nature, art, and the experience of being human. Together with Charles Waters, she's written Dictionary for a Better World and Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes and Friendship, which was named a Charlotte Huck Honor book and a Kirkus Best Book of 2018. Irene lives on a lake in Alabama where she does her best to "live her poem" every single day by laughing, playing the cello, and birdwatching. Read more about Irene on her website.
About Charles Waters:
Charles Waters is an author, children's poet, anthologist, actor and educator. His book Mascot (co-written with Traci Sorell) won many awards including the the American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor and the Jane Addams Children's Book Award Honor. His books (co-written with Irene Latham) include: Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes and Friendship; Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes and Anecdotes from A–Z; African Town; winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction; Be a Bridge; and the anthologies The Mistakes That Made Us: Confessions from Twenty Poets and If I Could Choose A Best Day: Poems of Possibility.
He believes poetry for young people is one of the world's greatest inventions alongside the creation of fire, the wheel and various breakfast foods.
About Melissa:
Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education. Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources.
Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.
Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction.
If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below!
**Teachers! We want to hear from you! We want to hear your story, experience, aha moment or insights related to Getting Students to Write! The more we share, the more we learn together, the more we can accomplish for our writers!
Click the link below and record a voicemail. Your story may be featured on the podcast:)
Send a voice message to GettingStudentstoWrite
43 min
November 18, 2025 Episode 130 Struggling Writer Should Not Equal Limiting the Writer
It often seems that with writing, the first instinct for teachers when seeing a writer have difficulty is to hold them to what they are able to do correctly-to limit them to what they can do well.
But isn't that only preventing them from making progress as writers?
In this episode, I discuss the importance of placing your focus on the writer, not the product by allowing students to experience productive struggles in their writing journey and have the opportunity and room to grow instead of being boxed in to a small area of perfection.
If you are an elementary teacher or middle school teacher wondering why your struggling writer isn't growing, this may be the episode for you!
**Teachers! We want to hear from you! We want to hear your story, experience, aha moment or insights related to Getting Students to Write! The more we share, the more we learn together, the more we can accomplish for our writers!
Click the link below and record a voicemail. Your story may be featured on the podcast:)
Send a voice message to GettingStudentstoWrite

About Melissa:
Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education. Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources.
Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.
Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction.
If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below!

17 min

About Getting Students to Write- Helping Elementary and Middle School teachers improve student writing.

From the publisher's feed

Are you a K-8 Elementary or Middle School ELA teacher wondering how to get your students to write? This podcast is for teachers looking for a way to revamp and transform their writing time! You don't need daily lesson plans or prompts-you just need to understand what writers need!