"My Kinders Can't Write!" The Importance of Independent Writing

I have used three different programs to teach writing in Kindergarten. Before the start of every school year, I ask myself how I am going to approach writing in my classroom. And how I can make it better. And how I can make them more successful. And how I can do writing justice. And how I can connect it to something meaningful for them. And how I can make it relaxing and empowering- not stressful and hard. And how I can do all of this without getting overwhelmed.

When we ask Kindergartners to write, we are asking them to do an amazing feat. Most children at 5 or 6 are just mastering- or even maybe beginning to GRASP- the letters of the alphabet. Let alone what those new symbols mean. Let alone how they sound. Let alone connecting the sounds in common words to their written symbols and to their varying fine motor skills and to their ATTENTION SPAN. By now, we've forgotten what we wanted to write and we need to begin again. Que movement, noises, pencil eating, scribbling. Que frustration. This, my friends, is why writing and Kindergartners make both teachers and students squirm.

It is also the reason why we give our Kindergartners starter sentences, or god forbid- have them copy sentences we have pre-written. I am of the belief that writing is always a creative endeavor. The argument is that sentence starters are easier for young children. Less questions, less movement, more quiet. However, writing isn't about finishing a sentence. We write to share an opinion or inform others of something worthy of knowing. We write to share our feelings and help others work through theirs. Writing is not about perfectly crafted sentences, dictionary spelling, and uniformity. Writing is, as a wonderful quote once explained, "a painting of the voice."And with our youngest students, it can be just that- a drawing, some labels, or a full blown paragraph. All of it must be considered writing.

Why I Almost Never Give Sentence Frames (and the rare instances when I do)

For my average, never-written-more-than-my-name Kindergartner, I do not provide sentence frames.
Why?! How do they start? Don't they cry? No. Here's my reasoning:

1. Sentence frames can, and often do, turn into a crutch, not a scaffold. Students who begin using sentence frames learn how to write the second half of sentences. They learn how to finish someone else's thought. They focus on spelling, sight words and letter and sound relationships. But writing isn't about adding the finishing touches. Not everyone starts their sentences the same way. Writing is about sharing your ideas in your way. If a child has age-appropriate speaking skills, in English or another language, and appropriate motor functioning, he or she can formulate a sentence from their own ideas. Writing is not about finishing a sentence. It is about creating an idea, organizing it in a way that makes sense, and transforming it down on paper. This is what students should be practicing when they write. Many children, when the sentence frame is no longer provided feel just as overwhelmed and unsure as a student just beginning to write at the start of the year. Is it possible to wean the student off of sentence frames? Yes. Is it unnecessarily hard for many? Definitely. 
2. We need to model that the goal of writing is sharing your voice, not just answering a question. Taking away the sentence frames allows students, because it forces them, to THINK.  We need to get back to the basics and think about why we teach writing to our students. We need to think about why writing is an important skill to learn. The process of writing should be introduced and reiterated to students each day as a way to share what is in your head on paper. Its a way to make your ideas permanent and gives you the ability to share them with many people over and over! We need to make sure we do not stress appropriate grammar, spelling, and form during the writing block. Writing topics and abilities are as unique as the person who creates it. That is what makes it so amazing.
3. Analyzing writing from students who do not use a sentence frame gives the teacher so much valuable information. We can see, of course, how our students are understanding grammar, spelling, word order, and word choice. We can see how they use punctuation. Yet, when students are writing totally independently, we can also see their idea formation, ability to stay on topic, amount and type of detail, ability to display their voice, excitement, or lack thereof, story organization, the list is endless. You can choose to look for specific traits each time you review their writing or you can see what "pops out at you." Because with independent writing, something will pop out at you. Sentence frames are limited, independent writing is unrestricted. 

When To Provide Sentence Frames

Like anything in teaching, there are exceptions. For children who are below grade level in speaking, motor functioning, and/or language skills, the sentence frame provides a model of appropriate speech patterns on which to build off of. It also allows this student to respond to questions on the same level of his or her peers but within his or her ability level- avoiding frustration. For these students, the sentence frames help them perform above their independent level; for students with age-appropriate speech and motor functioning, it provides an easy way out. 

Just keep this in mind:

We are providing sentence frames when necessary because their presence provides students that display below-level language and motor functioning with an avenue to share their ideas and participate in the curriculum successfully. 

Asking students with language and or motor challenges to create, organize, and then write down a sentence independently would create extreme stress and is likely to lead to a hatred towards writing. Point being: it is TOO HARD. Writing is a way of effectively sharing, not a struggle with letters and translation and grammar. Using sentence frames for these students allows them to participate in sharing their ideas and thoughts with others. Use your best judgment; you know best.

Isn't Writing Stressful for the "Average" Student Too?

The quick answer is, of course! Isn't it stressful for YOU? When you need to organize YOUR thoughts and pick the right words and phrases to make it sound just right? There is a certain, productive amount of stress related to writing.

This productive stress is what helps us to ask ourselves the questions: Who is reading this? What would they like to hear? What do I want to say? Which words should I choose? Is this sentence making sense? Will this make the reader laugh? Should I add more detail? This is the good stress. This is the stress that creates a writer who understands his or her audience and can tailor their writing to be the best that it can be. This is the writer that is proud of his or her work.

But can Kindergartners really do this? To their own degree, yes. We can model these questions as we teach the children how to write in our mini-lessons. Maybe for a week, the students will focus on the question, "who will read this?" They will then learn to tailor their writing for peers, authority figures, younger children, etc. 

My point about stress is this: If a student isn't ready to use letters and words in their writing, they shouldn't be doing it. It doesn't take away stress to copy a sentence frame. They will be copying someone else's words without meaning. Doing something we don't understand can be stressful. Their writing should reflect what they can do: pictures and a few labels. If the student is ready to use letters and words in their writing, they should be doing so at their level. That may mean choppy, hard to read sentences. But they are their sentences. They reflect this author and his or her abilities. 

I understand the use of sentence frames to reduce stress in students, especially in the beginning of the year. But we have to make sure we know when and when not to use them. Is it just because we want this project to be uniform, cute, and readable? Wouldn't we rather have work reflecting the abilities of the children, so we know what needs to be taught next to advance their skills? Is the sentence frame even helping students who cannot yet read or use those words in his or her own writing or speech? On the other hand, is it necessary or just restrictive for students who can already write? Take time to think about that and how it relates to your own students and classroom environment.

So Now What?

First, you have to be prepared to see some pretty dicey writing pieces. And not just dicey- varied. Incredible variation. And like mentioned above, they will shock you! Some of the "average" students will shine like a star in their creative endeavor of writing. Likewise, some of the "above average" students will piece together a very bland, short, and feelingless piece due to anxiety or disinterest. I call this not knowing just what writing is for and the power that it has! Now you know what you need to teach your students, even the ones who can "already write." Writing, actual writing, in a Kindergarten will take time, much positive support, a quiet and relaxing atmosphere, clear directions and high expectations, and a clear and uncomplicated mini-lesson. MOST OF ALL, it takes your confidence. They can do this, so they will. Your confidence will reflect on them and they will believe in themselves! Whatever their writing pieces have to look like to represent their ability, so be it. But they can do it!

Here's K using finger spaces between her words
in her free-write journal!

Here's my friend B sounding out beginning sounds!

There will be more specific posts on writing to come! 

It is such a valuable and magical time of the day. 

Share your thoughts in the comments and stay tuned!