As an aspiring ELA teacher, there are many things I'm excited about and just as many that make me really nervous. I've felt a calling to teach English for some time now, as I want to genuinely help the youth of my community. I feel that there are many gifts I can give students, but none are more powerful than the ability to write effectively. As Gallagher says in the first chapter, we are witnessing a "literacy stampede" (3) like no other time in history. The amount of information surrounding us today is unnerving, and if you want to succeed, there's no choice but to jump in and run with it. At no other time has writing been so critical to success, and attaining the right tools is a must. As an ELA teacher, it's my responsibility to supply students with these tools, and my biggest question is where to even start. This is something I've been wrestling with since I made the decision to teach, and Kelly Gallagher has worked to alleviate my fears. I was introduced to his works this year, and I absolutely love them. Teaching Adolescent Writers is yet another in a series of solidly written books, and may prove to be the most beneficial of all. Like his other books that I've read, it's set up with chapters dedicated to certain topics. Within the chapters are information, prompts, examples of student and teacher writings, and most importantly variety of ways to approach each topic. This book is centered around six "pillars" that he feels that successful writing should be built upon: practice, modeling, reading other writers, choice, authentic purposes and audiences, and feedback (13). The book takes each pillar and suggests plans for how to approach them, ultimately creating better all-around writing. I read this book as part of a personal growth project in an ELA methods course and not only did it help me from the vantage point of a teacher, it made me a better writer as well. Gallagher is able to do something that most writers can't-create total clarity with simple ideas and language. This book is just further proof. ( )

#bookaday Having only skimmed this book previously, I enjoyed reading this professional resource in depth in preparation for my return to work this fall. Gallagher highlights many excellent strategies for engaging writers in meaningful, daily writing activities. I fully agree that teacher modelling, assessment (including co-construction of criteria), examinating writer's craft, accepting failture and providing choice are important building blocks in ensuring that all students improve as writers. Although Gallagher draws on his experiences as a high school teacher, this is an excellent resource for any teacher who works with students in Grade 5 and up. ( )

Lots of helpful ideas here about how to get students motivated and to care about their writing, modeling writing (not just showing students your polished drafts as an example, but also your bad first drafts, and even writing them in front of them), how to manage essay grading in a way that is both meaningful to students and less stressful for teachers, etc. ( )