The Revision Toolbox: Teaching Techniques That Work [Paperback]

Georgia Heard (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0325004609 | ISBN-13: 978-0325004600 | Publication Date: October 8, 2002

"How can I get my students to revise their writing?" If this is one of your most frequently asked questions, then this is the book for you - a guide to specific strategies you can teach to enable your students to re-see and re-shape their writing on multiple levels, from word choice to organization.

Longtime writer and writing teacher Georgia Heard knows firsthand what a daunting task revision can seem to both students and teachers. First, she addresses students' confusion about the differences between editing and revision. She shows you how to reassure your students that revision is not an indicator of bad writing, but an integral part of the writing process. Then Heard provides ready-to-use strategies that take the mystery out of teaching revision and help even the most reluctant writers revise.

Using three main Revision Toolboxes - Words, Structure, and Voice - she offers dozens of specific revision tools to inspire students to revisit their work. In addition, Heard includes:

• a "Revision Lesson" for each tool to show you how to teach that strategy
• techniques to help students reread their writing from different points of view
• conferring techniques to guide you when instructing individual students
• revision examples from students and from Heard's own writing
• "Revision-at-a-Glance" - a quick-reference sheet for students on every revision tool.

Make revision inviting. Make it a part of your students' writing process. Then watch as they fine tune and improve-and the real pleasures of writing and teaching begin.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Georgia Heard is a founding member of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project where she worked as senior staff developer in the New York City schools for seven years. She is currently a frequent keynote speaker at conferences, and a consultant and visiting author in school districts throughout the U.S, Canada and around the world. She is the author of numerous professional books on teaching writing including her most recent A Place for Wonder: Reading and Writing Nonfiction in the Primary Grades (Stenhouse, 2009) and Awakening the Heart: Exploring Poetry in Elementary and Middle School (Heinemann) which was cited by Instructor Magazine as "One of the Ten Best Books Every Teacher Should Read." She has also authored many children's books including her most recent Falling Down the Page: A Book of List Poems (Roaring Brook Press, 2009).

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Heinemann (October 8, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0325004609
• ISBN-13: 978-0325004600
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #364,792 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Revision Is Not A Bad Word!, July 22, 2003

By 

Kelly Oakes (San Diego, California USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Revision Toolbox: Teaching Techniques That Work (Paperback)

Georgia Heard has created an exceptional guide for teaching students the revision process of writing! Her knowledge and skill are clearly apparent as she leads you, the teacher, through what can be an otherwise overwhelming task. With "The Revision Toolbox," Georgia Heard makes it easy to see how her ideas make sense and how they will work. This text is extremely teacher friendly. The book design can be easily implemented into classroom mini-lessons, one-on-one conferences and centers that students rotate to. Heard provides reference guides for student use, she also uses many examples from student writing and her own in order to model the instructional ideas. This book can enable you to empower your students to enjoy the writing process!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't Find Better, May 5, 2007

By 

Marco Polo "Bruce" (Brooklyn, New York) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Revision Toolbox: Teaching Techniques That Work (Paperback)

I took many courses with Georgia Heard when I was a graduate student at Columbia University. She changed my life as a teacher and writer. I cannot stop writing poetry and fiction because of her. Nor can I squelch my desire to work with students (primary school through adult ed) on their own poems.

The products of my students' writing and my own writing knock the pants off practically anyone who has a heart. Thank you, Georgia, for helping so much fantastic stuff to blossom.

All of her books are jewels. This book in particular is a steamer trunk packed with a zillion ways one can look at the revision process.

Buy the book and use it. See Georgia in person when she speaks at conferences. Write your hearts out, then re-read this book and write some more.

It's why we're here on earth.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource!!, January 9, 2007

By 

Jessica P. Looney (Plano, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Revision Toolbox: Teaching Techniques That Work (Paperback)

I have used this book so many times with my third graders. Heard has some fresh, creative ideas on the different types of revisions that come up in Writers Workshop. If you love writers workshop this is a great addition to your library!