Getting Students to Write- Helping Elementary and Middle School teachers improve student writing.

Melissa Morrison, Elementary, Middle School Writing Consultant, Literacy Coach
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Are you a K-8 Elementary or Middle School ELA teacher wondering how to get your students to write? This podcast is for teachers looking for a way to revamp and transform their writing time! You don't need daily lesson plans or prompts-you just need to understand what writers need! In this inspiring podcast, you will hear about the struggles, pitfalls, practices, and joy of teaching writing in a student-centered (workshop) model. Melissa guides you through the journey away from a more traditional, product-based writing time to a much more authentic, progress-based way of teaching writing. In each episode, you will gain insight into a student-centered model for writing instruction and receive bite-sized strategies that are able to be implemented right away. If you would like to feel more confident in teaching writing AND see your writers flourish, just press play! Let's begin your writing TRANSFORMATION! Melissa's Website: www.teaching-to-transform.com

  1. 22 HR AGO

    Replay: Am I Over Scaffolding My Writers?

    Episode Replay of one of my favorites! You want to help your writers, but often the more help you provide, the more you inhibit their learning. This can happen even more so with struggling writers. Listen in to hear how to provide support that truly helps! About Melissa: Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education.  Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources. Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.  Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction. If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below!

    20 min

  2. 10 MAR

    A Passion for Writing! An interview with Ana Siqueira

    What a fantastic discussion with a fantastic educator and writer, Ms. Ana Siqueira. Ana shares her journey of being an author and what is most important to her as a writer AND teacher of writers! We talk all about: -collaboration between writers -writing needing to be FUN -not being great the first draft -ways for writers to be inspired -the effectiveness of peer critique and how to get it started Ana provides practical and effective ways to support the writers in your classroom! ABOUT ANA SIQUEIRA: Ana Siqueira is a Spanish-language teacher and an award-winning children’s book author based in Tampa, Florida. Her books include Bella’s Recipe for Success (Beaming Books 2021), If Your Babysitter is a Bruja (S&S 2022), Abuela’s Super Capa/ La Supercapa de Abuela (HarperCollins 2023), Our World Brazil (Barefoot Books 2023), La Mala Suerte is Following Me (Charlesbridge 2024), Vera la Valiente is Scared (Beaming Books 2025), Sticky Hermana (Charlesbridge 2025), Mami’s Heart (HarperCollins 2026), If Your Abuelo is an Astronaut (Simon&Schuster 2026) among others. She also has a chapter book series coming out titled Carolina and the Creepy Creature Catchers. Ana co-founded Latinxpitch, a pitch event to promote Latin authors and illustrators. She is a global educator and PBS Media innovator. She lives in Tampa Bay with her husband and loves to play with her Cuban-Brazilian-American grandkids. Website: Ana Siqueira – Ana – The Teacher and the Writer About Melissa: Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education.  Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources. Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.  Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction. If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below! Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa TikTok Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction! YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!

    35 min

  3. 3 MAR

    Replay! Episode 60 What You Say Matters: The Language of Writing Instruction

    This episode holds the key to transforming your writing instruction from WRITING-focused to WRITER- focused! This is how we truly grow our elementary and middle school writers! What we say shows so much to ourselves and our writers about what we value. We want our writers to know that we value them and what they do as writers! What we say also forms what we think. Focusing our language on the writer will help you to focus your instruction on them as well! If we want to grow our students to be successful writers, we must make this change in our writing instruction. Grab the free resource mentioned in the episode HERE **Teachers! We want to hear from you! We want to hear your story, experience, aha moment or insights related to Getting Students to Write! The more we share, the more we learn together, the more we can accomplish for our writers! Click the link below and record a voicemail. Your story may be featured on the podcast:) Send a voice message to GettingStudentstoWrite About Melissa: Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education.  Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources. Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.  Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction. If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below! Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa TikTok Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction! YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!

    21 min

  4. 24 FEB

    More Freedom Equals Real Writers: Interview with Ralph Fletcher Pt 2

    The second half of my conversation with Ralph Fletcher is full of takeaways for every teacher of writing! If you have writers struggling to write or to grow as writers, Ralph shares several ideas for moving writers from reluctant to engaged and thriving. Listen in to hear: How more freedom helps reluctant writers more than increased structureThe case for writing for pleasureWhy differences in writing are a good thingThe keys to a great writing conference About Ralph Fletcher: Ralph Fletcher has been a mentor to teachers and young writers everywhere. He has helped hundreds of thousands of teachers understand the importance of letting go and trusting their writers. Ralph's professional books are part of this tradition. Ralph frequently works with young writers in schools, and speaks at education conferences in the U.S. and abroad, helping teachers find wiser ways of teaching writing. Ralph is the beloved author of many bestselling teacher professional books and resources including: Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide What a Writer Needs, Second EditionMentor Author, Mentor TextsCraft LessonsBreathing In, Breathing OutTeaching the Qualities of WritingLessons for the Writer's Notebook Students know Ralph as the award-winning author of more than 20 books for children and young adults, including Fig Pudding, Twilight Comes Twice, The Writer’s Notebook, Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid, and most recently Marshfield Memories: More Stories About Growing Up. www.ralphfletcherbooks.com Ralph Fletcher's newest book: Tapping the Writer Within (coming February 2026) **Teachers! We want to hear from you! We want to hear your story, experience, aha moment or insights related to Getting Students to Write! The more we share, the more we learn together, the more we can accomplish for our writers! Click the link below and record a voicemail. Your story may be featured on the podcast:) Send a voice message to GettingStudentstoWrite About Melissa: Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education.  Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources. Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.  Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction. If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below! Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa TikTok Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction! YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!

    28 min

  5. 17 FEB

    What Writers Need: Interview with Ralph Fletcher Pt 1

    "The best teaching comes when we teach at the point of our own learning."-Ralph Fletcher The one and only author and writing expert Ralph Fletcher joins us in this episode to share his beliefs on all things writing and writing instruction. In this first part of our discussion, Ralph shares many insightful ideas that help us support our students as writers. A few topics: Benefits of teachers as writersImportance of a writing communityChoiceLearning by writingWhy writers need to feel like writers There is so much to learn from this conversation about setting a foundation for writers that builds on writer's identity, community and the practice of writing. Every K-8 writing teacher will benefit! About Ralph Fletcher: Ralph Fletcher has been a mentor to teachers and young writers everywhere. He has helped hundreds of thousands of teachers understand the importance of letting go and trusting their writers. Ralph's professional books are part of this tradition. Ralph frequently works with young writers in schools, and speaks at education conferences in the U.S. and abroad, helping teachers find wiser ways of teaching writing. Ralph is the beloved author of many bestselling teacher professional books and resources including: Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide What a Writer Needs, Second EditionMentor Author, Mentor TextsCraft LessonsBreathing In, Breathing OutTeaching the Qualities of WritingLessons for the Writer's Notebook Students know Ralph as the award-winning author of more than 20 books for children and young adults, including Fig Pudding, Twilight Comes Twice, The Writer’s Notebook, Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid, and most recently Marshfield Memories: More Stories About Growing Up. www.ralphfletcherbooks.com Ralph Fletcher's newest book: Tapping the Writer Within (coming February 2026) **Teachers! We want to hear from you! We want to hear your story, experience, aha moment or insights related to Getting Students to Write! The more we share, the more we learn together, the more we can accomplish for our writers! Click the link below and record a voicemail. Your story may be featured on the podcast:) Send a voice message to GettingStudentstoWrite About Melissa: Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education.  Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources. Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.  Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction. If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below! Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa TikTok Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction! YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!

    48 min

  6. 10 FEB

    Independent Writing Series: Observe, Assess, Decide

    When starting to implement Independent Writing in your classroom for the first time, it is important to know what is really happening with your writers as a class as well as individually. This episode will provide practices for: Observing writers and gathering informationAssessing based on whole-class and individual needsDeciding next steps When combined with the ideas shared in previous episodes from this series, these practices will help solidify independent writing time for your students and help you to support students at a deeper level. If you are looking for ways to make writing time more engaging and productive, to support struggling writers, or to help writers grow, this is for you! **Teachers! We want to hear from you! We want to hear your story, experience, aha moment or insights related to Getting Students to Write! The more we share, the more we learn together, the more we can accomplish for our writers! Click the link below and record a voicemail. Your story may be featured on the podcast:) Send a voice message to GettingStudentstoWrite About Melissa: Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education.  Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources. Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.  Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction. If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below! Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa TikTok Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction! YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!

    18 min

  7. 3 FEB

    Independent Writing Series: Combating Common Obstacles

    In almost every classroom where independent writing time is implemented for the first time, the same few issues seem to occur with a few writers. This episode tackles what to do when: writers are lacking engagementthere are just too many paperswriters are lacking independence If you have implemented independent writing time in your classroom or are thinking of starting, this episode will help! **Teachers! We want to hear from you! We want to hear your story, experience, aha moment or insights related to Getting Students to Write! The more we share, the more we learn together, the more we can accomplish for our writers! Click the link below and record a voicemail. Your story may be featured on the podcast:) Send a voice message to GettingStudentstoWrite About Melissa: Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education.  Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources. Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.  Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction. If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below! Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa TikTok Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction! YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!

    25 min

  8. 27 JAN

    Exploring "The Writing Rope" with Pat Pollack

    Listen in to a thought-provoking discussion with literacy consultant extraordinaire, Pat Pollock. Pat shares a multitude of thoughts and ideas about teaching writing effectively by lifting up students as writers. Pat also helps us to look at the Writing Rope by Joan Sedita with a new lens as she provides her insights on its structure and components, helping us to stay mindful and critical of the resources made available to us. Another enlightening and helpful conversation with an expert in the field of literacy! About Patricia Pollack: Pat Pollack has been in education for over 40 years as a classroom teacher, Principal, Curriculum Director, Literacy Consultant and Partnerships Director. With degrees in Elementary Education, Literacy/Reading, Educational Administration, and Psychology, Pat's content knowledge and experiences have invited her to passionately advocate for student agency and learning, alongside her quest to empower teachers to believe in their abilities to inspire students as readers, writers and thinkers. A national presenter, and content writer of curriculum resources and professional books, Pat continues to partner with school districts to support their visions for developing thoughtful, independent and collaborative communicators, learners and citizens. **Teachers! We want to hear from you! We want to hear your story, experience, aha moment or insights related to Getting Students to Write! The more we share, the more we learn together, the more we can accomplish for our writers! Click the link below and record a voicemail. Your story may be featured on the podcast:) Send a voice message to GettingStudentstoWrite About Melissa: Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education.  Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources. Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction.  Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction. If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below! Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa TikTok Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction! YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!

    48 min
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Are you a K-8 Elementary or Middle School ELA teacher wondering how to get your students to write? This podcast is for teachers looking for a way to revamp and transform their writing time! You don't need daily lesson plans or prompts-you just need to understand what writers need! In this inspiring podcast, you will hear about the struggles, pitfalls, practices, and joy of teaching writing in a student-centered (workshop) model. Melissa guides you through the journey away from a more traditional, product-based writing time to a much more authentic, progress-based way of teaching writing. In each episode, you will gain insight into a student-centered model for writing instruction and receive bite-sized strategies that are able to be implemented right away. If you would like to feel more confident in teaching writing AND see your writers flourish, just press play! Let's begin your writing TRANSFORMATION! Melissa's Website: www.teaching-to-transform.com

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