This topic was both challenging and rewarding for learners. It allowed them to combine their motivation to foster the literacy development of their children with the opportunity to explore different kinds of children's literature. This unit aimed to create a climate which enabled learners to call on personal experience and creativity in writing for children. At first parents were somewhat daunted by the prospect of writing a book. However, after engaging in the initial writer's struggle to find a theme that was personally meaningful, learners became keen to see and share their final products.

Conferencing was a key element of the instructional approach used in this unit, with some students requiring more frequent conferences than others. Nevertheless, practitioners introduced learners to the process of prewriting (thinking), making drafts, making quick notes (for character, plot), and proofreading. After the unit summary for this topic, additional discussion on conferencing and portfolio use will follow.

Goals

• identify different kinds of children's literature based on shared reading in class (rhyming books, fables, fairytales, concept books, etc.) use the creative writing process in selecting a topic of interest to one's children
• develop a storyline
• edit preliminary drafts of the story
• write a dedication page
• share illustrating the book with children engage in shared reading of story with children appreciate that writing is a creative process involving initial uncertainty followed by satisfaction through persistence