Review
“With enormous pleasure and pride, the students in
Rain, Steam, and Speed are writing more, faster, and better than they have ever written before. How to make, or let, that happen with our own students in our own classrooms is what Gerald Fleming and Meredith Pike-Baky have to teach us.”
--William Slaughter, professor and chair, Department of English, University of North Florida, Jacksonville.
“Reading this book helped me stay positive in my teaching. I had constant access to the inner thinking of an accomplished teacher. And the prompts are an incredible resource.”
--Cathryn Bruno, teacher, English and academic workshop, Tamalpais High School, Mill Valley, California and teacher consultant, Bay Area Writing Project
“This book offers a new approach to sustained writing that will bring journals back into the classroom. Students will actually enjoy the connections they make to the often confusing world around them.”
--Brian L. Massegee, English teacher, Irving High School, Irving Independent School District, Texas
From the Back Cover
This book shows how adolescent students at all skill levels, including English learners, can be engaged in systematic writing practice, enabling them to communicate quickly, confidently, and thoughtfully on a variety of topics. In describing their innovative approach, the authors:
- Show how to introduce timed writing exercises to build fluency and thinking skills
- Provide 150 powerful writing prompts on provocative topics
- Offer strategies for enabling students to overcome writing blocks
- Include assessment, grading, and motivational guidance
The approach has been extensively tested by a master teacher, takes about one hour of instructional time per week, and can be used over an entire school year.
