Problem: It’s like pulling teeth to get my kids to edit their writing. They frequently turn it in, saying they’ve edited, and I still find lots of mistakes I know they could have corrected on their own.
Solution: Shake up your editing routine! Here are some ideas for making editing fun:
Rainbow Editing
Coloring coding makes everything more fun, right? Have your kids break out their colored pencils and use each color to check for something different.
Here is an example of student writing after it has been edited with rainbow editing:
Find-What’s-Right Editing
Instead of having your kids mark everything they got wrong in their writing, have them look for what they got right. When I use this technique I always see lots of frantic erasing and correcting because kids want to be able to mark everything right! It’s like taking the back door to editing.
Peer Editing
My kids always love to peer edit. Before we start we always have a conversation about constructive criticism vs. being mean. I usually guide them by giving them something specific to look for. One time they might just be double checking for capitalization and punctuation. Another time they might be helping their partner add in more descriptive words.
Follow my writing board on Pinterest for more great ideas!
If you’re looking for more help with writing, check out my Common Core aligned writing units. They include graphic organizers, posters, publishing projects, and integrated grammar and vocabulary. These units are perfect for 2nd and 3rd grade!
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Hannah Braun
Hannah Braun is a former teacher with 8 years of experience in the classroom and a master's degree in early childhood education. She designs engaging, organized classroom resources for 1st-3rd grade teachers.
Hannah Braun is a former teacher with 8 years of experience in the classroom and a master's degree in early childhood education. She designs engaging, organized classroom resources for 1st-3rd grade teachers.
I just love the rainbow editing!!