Reshana Britton
Teacher Training
Teachers College(Primary)
T A Marryshow Community College
Tanteen
St. George.
Thursday 17th October , 2025
💌 Dear Fellow Teachers and Writing Warriors,
You know that moment when you think you’ve got teaching all figured out
and then a single assignment humbles you? Yeah that was me this week in LIT
102. After fourteen years in the classroom, I’ve marked more compositions than
I can count. I came in confident, ready to spot every run-on sentence and
awkward phrase. But this exercise? It reminded me that teaching writing isn’t
about fixing everything it’s about focusing on what matters most.
And funny enough, it brought me right back to the 6 + 1 Traits of Writing the same core
principles I’ve taught my own students: Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word
Choice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions, and Presentation.
✏️ Ideas + Voice: Making It Real
Working in triads exploring a student’s writing was
fun but yet deep. The student’s story came alive when I stopped seeing it as “an
assignment” and started seeing it as their story. Instead of talking
about verbs like a grammar cop, we used the “Time Travel” metaphor keeping verbs
in the past as a shared adventure. Suddenly, grammar didn’t feel like rules; it
felt like storytelling. That’s the magic of Ideas and Voice when
the lesson connects to something real, kids lean in.
🧩 Organization: Where Structure Meets Thinking
Here’s my humbling moment: Viewing the students writing in our group we paid particular attention to the organisation, what was echoing in my mind or that head of mines was a reincarnation of myself in the classroom telling my students “Start a new paragraph for a new idea,” and they took it literally one sentence per paragraph. It hit me that “organization” isn’t just about format; it’s about thinking. So next time, I’m using a visual Beginning, Problem, Solution to make paragraphing concrete. Organization has to be seen before it’s understood. That left us with the conclusion the modelling is a very important part of the teaching an dlearning processes.
💬 Word Choice + Sentence Fluency: From Okay to
Wow
Once the structure is solid, that’s when the fun starts. I can’t wait to introduce a Sensory Word Bank to help students spice up their writing. Changing “a lot of noise” into “a deafening mechanical roar”? That’s where Word Choice and Sentence Fluency turn basic writing into storytelling.
🧠 Conventions + Presentation: Less Red Pen,
More Purpose
As teachers, we’re wired to fix everything. But this task
reminded me to slow down. Instead of correcting every single mistake, I zoomed
in on just two: paragraphing and tense. That focus to me will help the
students actually get it instead of feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes the
best feedback isn’t more it’s less, but intentional.
This exercise didn’t teach me new writing tricks it reminded me of
timeless teaching truths. Writing is built one layer at a time, just like
confidence. When we guide students using the 6 + 1 Traits not to judge, but to coach
they grow, and so do we.
Teaching writing isn’t about perfect papers; it’s about nurturing brave
writers. And that, I think, is what keeps us coming back, year after year.
With heart (and maybe a slightly dull red pen),
Reshana Britton✨
Writing Lesson - 6 Trait "Ideas"
A teacher still learning the craft
Dear Reshana,
ReplyDeleteYour reflection provides a thoughtful examination of how the 6 + 1 Traits of Writing support authentic writing instruction. I was particularly struck by your emphasis on shifting from correction to coaching, as this approach fosters student confidence and ownership.
Your “Time Travel” metaphor for teaching verb tense is an excellent example of transforming abstract grammar concepts into meaningful learning experiences. In my own classroom, I apply a similar strategy through a “Writer’s Workshop Corner,” where students focus on one writing trait at a time to guide self-revision. This practice encourages purposeful reflection and aligns with your view that writing is built one layer at a time.
Your insights reaffirm that effective writing instruction is not about perfection but about cultivating writers who think critically and write with intention.
Sincerely,
Niola Patrice
Dear Reshana,
ReplyDeleteYour post was a masterclass in humility, insight, and heart. I felt every word—especially that moment of realization when “Start a new paragraph for a new idea” turned into one sentence per paragraph. I’ve been there too, and your reflection reminded me that clarity in writing instruction often begins with clarity in our own thinking.
Additionally, I loved how you reframed grammar as storytelling and highlighted the importance of modeling in teaching organization. Your sensory word bank idea is brilliant—I’m excited to try it! Thank you for reminding us that writing instruction is about nurturing brave voices, not perfect papers.
Warmly,
Anique
Thank you both so much for your thoughtful and encouraging feedback. Reading your reflections reminded me that as emerging educators, we learn just as much from each other’s perspectives as we do from the course itself. I appreciate how each of you connected to different parts of my post from the Time Travel metaphor to the idea of shifting from correction to coaching. It amazes me how our experiences align even though our classrooms and approaches may differ. What stood out to me most from your comments is the shared understanding that writing is not just about mechanics, but about nurturing voice, confidence, and intention. That is the kind of writing classroom I want to build one where students learn skills but also feel safe to take creative risks. Thank you again for affirming my thinking and contributing to this meaningful dialogue. I value your insights greatly, and I look forward to continuing this professional journey together.
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