Positive Effects of Creative Publishing Strategies 1

The Positive Effects of Creative Publishing Strategies

William Rigoberto Sanchez

University of North Texas

The Positive Effects of Creative Publishing Strategies

Positive Effects of Creative Publishing Strategies 2

Introduction

From a young age, writers are exposed to the writing process. As in middle

school and high school, elementary students follow a similar format throughout the

writing process. Students prewrite, draft, revise, edit, and finally publish their work like

great authors do. In essence, students constantly work towards one goal: publishing

their writing. Whether they share their writing with the teacher, parents, principal, or their

friends, they are motivated throughout the writing process as they know that they will

share their writing with a real audience. According to Tompkins (2012), Publishing

motivates them to improve their writing because they know theyll share it with a real

audience (p. 15). As a teacher, I understand that one of my responsibilities is to be an

innovator in the classroom. In writing, I will use multiple ways to publish students work. I

will use technology, biographical writing, and community building publishing activities to

keep students engaged, focused, and motivated as they work their way through the

writing process.

Technology and Digital Media

With the advancement of technology in the world and in education, it is important

to use it to enhance student learning. Veteran writing teachers and librarians, for

instance, use it to motivate students as technology is part of students everyday lives.

For instance, Sally Smollar, an elementary school librarian in Plumosa School of the

Arts in Delray Beach, Florida, shares in her article Student storytellers: One school

librarian's digital journey a variety of digital tools that she implements in her lessons.

One of the digital tools that she uses, and I have explored myself, is an application

called,StoryKit. StoryKit is an application that allows students to use text, audio, and
Positive Effects of Creative Publishing Strategies 3

photos to create different stories. According to Smollar (2016), When stories are

shared via online publishing platforms, students are excited about their own creativity

and collaboration and feel pride in their work (p.38). When students have the

opportunity to share their writing on the web, they become filled with excitement

because they can be creative in how they produce their writing. This directly aligns with

my philosophy of education in that part of the teachers role is to be an innovator. That

is, educators we must be persistent in creating publishing activities that keep students

motivated. Authors Mandeville and Stephens (2000) support the positive effects of

digital publishing by affirming that, The value of using computers to write and publish is

supported by the research that identifies level of skills and ability, cognitive

development, and emotional needs of school writers. Allowing students to share their

their writing on a safe website on the world wide web, gives them an opportunity to

reach a more global audience where they can interact with other young writers, parents,

or teachers across the world. Similarly, educators incorporate technology in specific

forms of writing. For example, teachers may use it during the narrative writing unit as it

enhances student engagement and motivation. Students may create digital movies to

publish stories they have written. Movies are usually two to five minutes and include the

narrated text with photos, video clips, and music. Sylvester & Greenidge (2009) explain

that, Digital storytelling boosts students motivation, fosters a new appreciation for the

power of stories, and helps them develop their own voice (Tompkins, p. 195). In

essence, technology integration in the publishing stage of the writing process keeps

students driven because it fosters and encourages them to be creative in how they

present their writing.

Positive Effects of Creative Publishing Strategies 4

Biographical Writing

Furthermore, like myself, students are also motivated when they are given

opportunities to learn and write about historical figures and celebrities that they look up

to such as Abraham Lincoln. Taylor explains (2002/2003), that this genre engages

students imaginations: When they read biographies, they step into other lives and

different worlds as they learn about people they know from television shows and movies

or men and women who have changed the course of history (p. 230). In addition,

students find pleasure when they write about themselves and share those moments in

their lives that are dear to their heart. Some effective publishing strategies in narrative

writing that I have seen in the classroom, used myself, and that I plan to implement in

my own classroom, includes Me Quilts. In Me Quilts students write about themselves

or about a historical they are studying about, such as Helen Keller, draw a picture that

represents their writing, and place it on the Me Quilt. The final product (Me Quilt) is

composed of all of the students writings and illustrations. I anticipate on using

biographical writing as an opportunity to incorporate publishing activities, such as the

Me Quilt, to keep my students inspired and engaged as they work through the different

phases of the writing process.

Community Building

As I think of myself as an elementary school writing teacher, I also think of my

beliefs, principles, and philosophy of education. Based on my understanding and

knowledge on the importance of student interaction, as it helps students build their

cognitive development, I will continuously strive to create learning environments that are

caring, productive, and that allow students to collaborate with others to support each
Positive Effects of Creative Publishing Strategies 5

others learning. Similarly, in writing, I will ensure to create community building activities

as they relate to the publishing phase of the writing process. Author Chihak shares in

his article titled Success is in the details: Publishing to validate elementary authors,

about a school-based publishing program called Panther Paw Press that was created

by teachers, parents, students, and through the support of parents. As part of the

publishing stage of the writing process, teachers submit students work for submission.

Students are then able to see their work published in a hardcover book that they

illustrated themselves. According to Chihak (1999), Panther Paw Press provides a

formal publishing experience that produces a quality book that our authors can

confidently share with their community: The thrill authors experience as they present

their work to others encourages them to continue writing and moving through the

authoring cycle. As a pre-service and aspiring elementary school teacher, I enjoy the

idea of creating a school-based publishing program for community building in my

classroom. Students go through the writing cycle and work with others to accomplish

their goal of seeing their writing published in a hardcover book. This is motivating for

students as they see and identify themselves as true writers. Other community building

ideas that I plan on adopting is one that I learned from the article, Group writing and

publishing: Building community. At this elementary classroom, students were placed in

groups based on similar interests. These students wrote independently, however went

through the writing process as a team. In the publishing stage, the group met to

proofread their writing. The group decided who would illustrate the front cover of their

book or whether they would all contribute to the front cover. At the end of the process,

each student was given a copy of their individual writing so they could take it home and
Positive Effects of Creative Publishing Strategies 6

one was printed of the entire group. This publishing method is motivating for students

because they are in a group that share their same interests and is supportive of each

other. According to Angeletti (1993), The community of writers that develops is

supportive and nurturing and transforms the teachers jobs into a real pleasure (p. 499).

Furthermore, students are encouraged and motivated because they want to publish a

book that they are proud of and consequently will encourage each other along the way

to reach their goal.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that as a teacher, my ultimate goal in writing is to foster their

creativity and love for writing. To accomplish this goal, I must be an innovator and be

creative in how students publish their writing to keep them engaged, focused, and

motivated throughout the writing process. While publishing students work is the final

goal of the writing process, it is important to create an environment where students feel

comfortable sharing their personal thoughts with the rest of their peers. According to

Lenters (2012), The question that must inform all practices localized in the classroom

writers workshop is one of how we might create flexible procedures and safe spaces for

all students to publish their work, so that all young writers may experience its potential

benefits. Therefore, while the publishing stage can be a driving force for students as

they work through the writing stage, educators must make a constant effort to create an

environment where students feel comfortable enough to share their writing. Maintaining

and integrating these ideas and strategies in my classroom, will help me reap the

potential benefits of the publishing phase of the writing process.

Positive Effects of Creative Publishing Strategies 7

References

Chihak, J. (1999). Success is in the details: Publishing to validate elementary authors.

Language Arts, 76(6), 491-498.

Group writing and publishing: Building community in a secon. (1993). Language Arts,

70(6), 494.

Lenters, K. (2012). Enhancing and displacing literacy practices: Examining student

publishing in a fifth grade writer's workshop. Language and Literacy, 14(1).

Smollar, S. (2016). Student storytellers: One school librarian's digital journey.Knowledge

Quest, 44(3), 36-45.

Stephens, L. C., & Mandeville, T. (2000). Wired and inspired: Publishing student writing

on the world wide web. Voices from the Middle, 8(1), 35-41.

Tompkins, G. E. (2012). Chapter 1. In Teaching writing: balancing process and product

(6th ed., pp. 15-16). Boston: Pearson.

Tompkins, G. E. (2012). Chapter 8. In Teaching writing: balancing process and product

(6th ed., pp. 194-195). Boston: Pearson.

Tompkins, G. E. (2012). Chapter 10. In Teaching writing: balancing process and product

(6th ed., pp. 230-235). Boston: Pearson.