Description
Book SynopsisIn recent years, educators have become increasingly concerned about the writing skills of students in elementary, middle, and high school. They wonder what can be done to build proper writing skills, particularly in a generation of students who may consider text messaging to be the only writing a person needs to do. Extreme Writing describes how teachers can build upon the eagerness and skills that students apply to recreational, social, and friendly writing, bringing enjoyment back into writing for students. The Extreme Writing approach is not a precise formula for student achievement; rather, it is a shared discovery of the process, the adventure, the wonder, and the liberation inherent in writing.
Trade ReviewBabbage's insights apply to teaching any course involving writing—even at the college level. Extreme Writing encourages teachers to bring life to academic writing assignments. He is in tune with cultural and social issues facing students today and advises teachers how to integrate those issues into writing assignments. -- Jessica Coleman Hastings, director of regional advancement and part-time instructor, Eastern Kentucky University
Babbage helps teachers tap into the interests, experiences, and background knowledge of their students in order to engage them all in practical, authentic writing tasks. He presents a refreshing, real-life approach that will help teachers create higher quality assignments which will lead to improved student writing. -- Marty Dixon, middle school/high school language arts specialist, Lexington, Kentucky
In this educational text, the longtime history and political science teacher at Henry Clay High School in Lexington guides teachers on taking students’ skill at and eagerness for social writing, such as text messaging, and applying it to more formal writing. * Lexington Herald-Leader *
As a college professor who teaches writing-intensive courses, I enthusiastically endorse Extreme Writing. Regardless of your subject field or grade level, Babbage skillfully and successfully provides practical ways to transform mindless writing assignments into meaningful ones. By connecting to students’ real lives, this book will help you nurture the writer in every student, as well as energize your classroom. That is extremely good! -- Paul H. Jones, professor of religion, Transylvania University, Kentucky
Overall, this book is recommended for teachers and principals searching for a way to make writing assignments more interesting to students by connecting the assignment to students’ interests while maintaining the academic integrity of the assignment....Teachers and principals looking for the answer to the question, “When will I use this writing assignment in real life?” are encouraged to read Extreme Writing: Discovering the Writer in Every Student. * Education Review *
Table of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 The Idea of Writing Chapter 3 Students Love to Write; Students Hate to Write Chapter 4 Real Writing Chapter 5 Academically Valid School Writing That Fascinates Students Chapter 6 Writing across the Curriculum; Writing within the Curriculum Chapter 7 What Can Go Wrong and What to Do about That Chapter 8 It Is Not the Best Writing Until It Has Been Revised Chapter 9 Writing as Liberation Chapter 10 Epilogue
