Thank you for exploring Joy Write

“Writing is fun! I think the element of fun in the writing classroom has gone AWOL in recent years.”
—Ralph Fletcher

Read a sample from the introduction and chapter 5 of Joy Write. In it, Ralph introduces the idea of “greenbelt writing,” a type of informal writing that is raw, unmanicured, and uncurated…and that can lead to tremendous growth (and joy!) in writers.

You’ll read about:

• how a greenbelt (something from the world of land management) has anything to do with helping writers grow
• how the writing workshop has, at times, been co-opted as a test-prep vehicle or catch-all term used by commercial writing programs
• why children need opportunities to write freely, on topics and in genres completely of their own choosing, to truly grow as writers.

Greenbelt writing is explored more deeply throughout Joy Write, offering examples of this type of writing, and answering questions like, “How should a teacher respond to this kind of writing?”