How Do I Get Them To Write? by Karen Filewych – Professional Book Review

Written by Jon Sorokowski and Carol Hryniuk-Adamov

The Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg will host Karen Filewych for MTS PD Day, October 22, 2021. An Edmontonian, Filewych has been a classroom teacher, school leader, and consultant. Her two books, How Do I Get Them to Write? (2017) and Freewriting with Purpose (2019), are available through Pembroke Publishers.

How Do I Get Them to Write? Explore the Reading-Writing Connection Using Freewriting and Mentor Texts to Motivate and Empower Students equips teachers to implement an effective Kindergarten to Grade 6 writing program. Filewych offers new teachers a treasure trove of ideas and routines, and veteran teachers will encounter helpful tips to invigorate their instruction. Ready-to-use line masters are provided in many chapters. We agree with Filewych’s belief that students should write something every day; as she says, “teaching students the skill of writing is a gift of empowerment: words change worlds” (p. 10).
 
In nearly every chapter, Filewych recommends mentor texts, many written by Canadian authors. Because so many high-quality and culturally responsive texts are published each year, we recommend that educators supplement these lists with newer titles. Filewych’s active blog can help – she regularly often new books, which could be highlighted with parents in a newsletter for potential read-alouds at home.

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