Don’t Forget the Writing Celebration!

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 30 seconds. Contains 492 words

Primary Audience: K-8 classroom teachers, literacy coaches

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on writing practices that are not done as robustly in my school as they once were. One of those practices is writing celebrations, and I’ve decided it’s time to restore them to their former glory!

Why It Matters: Authors write for a reason. We teach this to our students during reading lessons as we analyze an author’s purpose and intended audience, and in our writing lessons as we explore the purposes for writing in different genres. Writing celebrations give our young authors an authentic reason to write by giving them a purpose and audience. Plus, they are fun and bring joy to the writing process! Who doesn’t love to celebrate their accomplishments after putting in some hard work?

Writing celebrations don’t have to be complicated or a lot of work for you, though. Here are three easy ideas to try for your next publishing party.

Compliment Gallery Walk

How it Works: Students put their published writing out on their desks or tables along with a compliment sheet. Students and guests go around to read the students’ writing and leave a compliment for the author. This can be done in your classroom or in a larger space (library, cafeteria, common area) depending on how many classes and guests are involved.

Favorite Page/Paragraph/Part Open Mic

How it Works: Students read their favorite page/paragraph/part of their writing to the whole group. Sharing one part instead of the whole piece prevents the celebration from lasting too long and students from becoming disengaged. Let students read into the microphone system if you have one in your classroom, or hold the celebration in your school’s auditorium/meeting area where there is a sound system for an easy upgrade in the celebration wow factor.

Partner Party

How it Works: If you want students to read their entire published piece, pair them up with a partner to share. Play background music while partners take turns reading their writing and complimenting each other. When the music stops, it’s time to find a new partner and share again. Do as few or as many rounds as your time allows and students remain engaged. This format is especially good to use when inviting an older or younger class to listen.

Writing Celebration Tips

Tell students early in the writing process who their audience will be so that they are writing with a purpose and aren’t surprised when it’s time to share their published piece.
Invite guests: administrators, coaches, other classes, and families would all love to celebrate with you.
A simple snack (think 1 cookie/student) makes it really feel like a party!

The Bottom Line: Don’t skip the writing celebration! They are a small but important part of the writing process, the exclamation point at the end of the sentence. Without the celebration, the writing process isn’t quite complete.

What are your favorite ways to host a publishing party? What are you planning for your next writing celebration? Share your ideas in the comments below.