Time to Tell Your S.T.O.R.Y. -A Guide to Narrative Writing

For 7th graders in Texas, March means prepping for the STAAR Writing Exam.  Fortunately, our kids write consistently throughout the year, so the idea of writing a couple of one-pagers doesn't phase them.  However, the specific expectations of the state require that students demonstrate some key skills in their responses.  

Though I'm an interventionist who works with kids every day, I also am in a supportive role as the D.C. We all have a common planning period, so I plan with each of the three grade-level teams once a week, plus we have a department meeting most Wednesdays.  I've worked as a campus-based strategist/coach in the past, so I've rather settled into that role once again; as a result, I help to plan a lot of lessons, which is one of my favorite parts of teaching!  

My principal allowed me to attend the Texas Council for Teachers of English Language Arts conference this year, so I wasted no time implementing my favorite takeaways.  Before I even left, I found a great expository acronym in the TCTELA journal that I shared with my team via a Prezi, which they, in turn, shared with our students.  While they felt like it allowed from some great AHA! moments for expository writing, they naturally requested a narrative equivalent.  

Disclaimer (of sorts):  Let me state right off the bat that this is not an intervention, but rather a tool for first-time instruction.  So many times we beat the proverbial dead-horse trying to reach that last 10% that just aren't getting it, that the average or advanced kid doesn't get any new tools for their own tool kits.  Whole-group writing instruction tends to be among the worst offenders.  We can't just relax when we get reluctant writers to write; we have to create an environment where all writers can grow. <steps off soapbox> 

So that's why I wrote a guide that assumes a basic level or writing ability (coherence, organization, conventions) and that hopefully challenges all writers to improve their craft.  

Here's what I came up with for the acronym S.T.O.R.Y.:

See my Prezi from the website HERE

S: Start Strong, Stay Strong:

Your intro should hook your reader, it's true. But don't stop there! Any story can have ONE good part, but great writing is well-developed throughout. Include only key details, descriptive language and precise word choice. (But don't abuse the thesaurus!)

Six Traits Foci:  Idea Development and Word Choice.

This "slide" reminds students that they must remain consistent throughout the entire paper in order to be considered "satisfactory". We revisit Gretchen Bernabei's BA-DA-BING  strategy.  We "Prove It".  We "SMAPHO".  We practice "hooks".  I love to include this clip from Friends of Joey abusing the the-saurus.  NOTE:  Please trim it or start at :14 to avoid an inappropriate reference!

T: Transitions Save the Day:

Transitions are the words and phrases used to keep the story moving at an brisk pace-to keep your reader interested. Connectors are the cousins of transitions. These conjunctions, pronouns and prepositions connect ideas within sentences while transitions connect ideas sentence-to-sentence.

Six Traits Focus:  Sentence Fluency
For such small little words, transitions pack a huge punch in terms of polishing a piece of writing.  Middle school readers are learning to develop their ideas but often lose their reader while moving between them.  We teach them to identify relationships between sentences to pick the most appropriate transition or conjunction.  

O: Originality is Key:

No one can tell your story as well as you can. Likewise, you cannot tell a made-up tale with as much detail and conviction as you can your own true, authentic story. Why? Because you are writing what you know! Narrative writing should be expressive and significant. Your reader should have zero doubt as to why you chose to write about this event over any other life event you could have chosen.

Six Traits Focus:  Voice

Middle school writers are generally insecure, so their comfort zone extends only as far as they sound like everyone else.  Voice is an abstract concept, undefinable but clearly recognizable when present.  Mentor texts provide published exemplars for young writers. We think through the models pointing out attributes as the logical next step in the process.  Many times voiceless writing lacks specificity, so we practice including thoughts and imagery among plot events.  

R: Revise Wisely:

When you read back over your own writing, chances are you are either in love with what you've written so far or you are so sick of the process that you just want to be done. Either way, you're draft likely gets published fairly untouched. NOT WISE! Drafting involves writing from the heart while revising is writing with your brain.  YOU NEED A PLAN! Use the D.R.A.F.T. process to revise each part of your paper and watch it come alive!

Six Traits Focus:  All 

Revision is another intangible for students who often confuse it with editing for errors.  At that TCTELA conference, I forewent waiting in Christopher Paul Curtis' book-signing line to attend Jeff Anderson's and Deborah Dean's workshop named after their new book Revision Decisions.  They define the acronym D.R.A.F.T. as a plan for revising sentences. I scooped up that book, came home from the con on Sunday, and began implementing it on Monday. For the first time, struggling and average writers understood what they were supposed to do during revision. The recognize choppiness, repetition and wordiness. In a recent reflection exercise, the vast majority of students declared it the year's most valuable strategy and one they intend to use on future writing.  Here's a link to Jeff Anderson's website where you can purchase the book.-No, I don't get a kickback; I'm not that kind of blogger.  But you should get this book, like yesterday.    

Y: Your Story is a Gift, So Wrap It Up

Pay particular attention to how you conclude your story. Thoughtfully consider the final impression you wish to leave on your reader. A reflective conclusion is when the narrator thinks back to how he or she felt at the of the time of the event but then reveals current thoughts and feelings as his or her older and wiser self. This further emphasizes the reason you wrote this in the first place.

Six Traits Focus:  Organization

Plenty of resources exist to help readers choose a great "hook", but conclusions don't get quite the same treatment.  Many middle schoolers just end their stories abruptly devoid of ceremony while others add a generic statement which makes their story sound like an expository essay with an anecdote.  Writers need to learn to transition from the moment to their present minds in order to reinforce the story's relevance and bring closure.  

In conclusion, 

Well-meaning decision-makers will often over-emphasize tested subjects and de-emphasize those that are only tested intermittently, such as writing.  The caveat of these choices is that students lose their writing confidence and forget their best strategies in these off-years.  The best writing instruction is consistently self-selected reading that are natural mentor texts for impressionable writers.  Additionally, authentic writing tasks and abundant opportunities to play with written language further serve to strengthen student mojo.  Occasionally, they will still benefit from specific, common sense reminders of simple improvements they can aim toward.  

What letter (strategy) would you have added to my acronym?