Nancy Atwell

Question: What was Nancy Atwell’s message to students from her book In the Middle?

Answer/Quote: “At the beginning of the year, I pass out the expectations for reading and writing workshop that I modeled after Atwell’s expectations from In the Middle. The reading workshop expectations include: ‘Find books, authors, subjects and themes that matter to you, to your life, to who you are now and who you want to become’ (Atwell, 1998, p. 113). The writing workshop expectations include: ‘Find topics and purposes for your writing that matter to you, to your life, to who you are and who you want to become’ (p. 111).The simple meaning in these words is the foundation on which all of the work in my classroom is based.”

Comment: Those words from Nancy Atwell clearly express what is meant by a student-centered classroom. RayS.

Title: “Growing Literate Beings.” Christy L. Rush-Levine. Voices from the Middle (March 2011), pp. 33-36.