Growing Writers
Clear, explicit writing lessons for K-2
Is writing time overwhelming for you because so many kids need help?
Do your students lack basic writing skills?
Are you confused about how to teach writing?
Do you have students who get frustrated with writing?
Do you want writing lessons that work for all of your students?
Read on!
Welcome! I’m Sally Bergquist.
I help K-2 teachers who are striving to be the best in their profession by providing writing lessons that structured, differentiated and fun.
FREE GUIDE FOR TEACHERS
“The Three Biggest Mistakes to Avoid in Teaching K-2 Writing”
Ten years and counting!
“Growing Writers has been the most impactful resource I have used in the teaching of writing. It has been part of my daily writing routine for over ten years. It is a well designed product that provides a gradual guide to success with writing for little learners. The lessons provide explicit instruction with well defined expectations. The pacing and progression are just right for gradual growth that gives quality results.
My students become focused, engaged, and thoughtful writers with a love for the subject. I highly recommend this product.”
-Karen I., Tumwater, Wash.
The creative page activities vary. It is meant for sharing and does not have to be corrected.
The Growing Writers advantage
Each Growing Writers lesson has a basic skills component and a creative challenge. The differentiation lies in this: some children need more time on basic skills and others are mastering them quickly. This student finished the skills practice quickly and then got to write about his dog. Other students take longer on the skills page and less time on the creative side, but they get what they need without being in a separate small group. Writing is a whole group time, but there is no boredom or frustration.
Students get immediate feedback and correct the skills page the same day.
Learn more about how Growing Writers covers all the Common Core standards!
Here’s a quick bio of my writing journey!
1980’s: As a beginning teacher in a small K-3 school, I did “writing workshop” when the concept was just developing.
1990-1996: I became a mom and ran my own preschool, watched and nurtured the process of my daughter and other preschoolers learning how to write.
1996-2007: I taught kindergarten, got my Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education, and began experimenting with writing instruction that would meet the need for basic skills while being enriching for all students.
2007-2014: I taught first grade and started developing more of a full curriculum, sharing my work with colleagues and having others try out what I was creating so that I could get valuable feedback. I spent July of 2013 as a full time participant in the Oregon Writing Project (a branch of the National Writing Project, a program for teachers seeking to improve their writing instruction).
2014-2019: I began more intensive research, attended numerous conferences, published Levels K and 1 of Growing Writers, was trained in Explicit Instruction with Anita Archer, and worked on developing curriculum for second grade.
2020 to now: I published Level 2 of Growing Writers, and I’m becoming more public about my work, presenting at conferences, writing, and working with teachers who are using the program.
I think you will like the results of my teaching experience, research and training!
Kid friendly lessons that have been proven to work, and don’t need tweaking or supplementing.
Teacher friendly directions that are easy to leave for a substitute.
Built-in differentiation so that every student makes progress with each lesson and you don’t have to use small groups or spend weekend hours planning.
Workbook format that makes organization easy, and progress easy to see and share at parent conferences.
Standards are covered for both writing conventions and composition, so you don’t have to piece things together from different sources.
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