"This guide to teaching writing to students in grades four through eight provides mini-lessons on all aspects of the writing process, from the basic elements of a story to editing and revising. Sixteen new lessons are added to this edition, which connect technology with the writing process—using wikis, podcasts, and digital media, for example—and allow for more differentiation and personalization, in addition to expanding instruction. New activities have been added for the upper-elementary grades to reflect the increase in testing on the narrative in many states. The guide comes with a CD that contains about 70 transparency masters and reproducibles, along with 18 new student stories and a new how-to section on using technologies. No index is provided. Baldwin is a freelance writer who has developed the book from materials she has used in different classrooms."
-Book News Inc. Portland, OR ©2009

"This is the most user-friendly, well-organized guide I've found for teaching writing to students. Carol Baldwin cuts out the clutter and goes directly to the nuts and bolts of crafting short stories. Her mini-lessons fit seamlessly into established curriculum, and the reproducible activities help even teachers who aren't writers themselves make creative writing fun for their students."
-Laura Backes, publisher of Children's Book Insider, The Newsletter for Children's Writers

"This book is a really helpful resource of mini-lessons for grades 4-8 that has assisted both my undergraduate and graduate students in their preparation and planning of lessons, ideas, and strategies. Many of the lessons focus on the writer’s workshop approach, are literature based, and are full of brainstorming and critical-thinking ideas to get students started in their writing. Teaching the Story is practical, useful, and well developed. It has been an outstanding resource for future teachers.
The lessons support several genres and are accompanied by more than seventy reproducibles to help develop the literary elements in students’ writing. This is particularly helpful for teaching show don’t tell, details, and answering a variety of questions and prompts. Students shared their writing and models in whole-group activities that encouraged thinking about the story first.
This book models a variety of group participation ideas and how to develop the paragraphs of a story collaboratively with the whole group, which supports cooperative learning. Developing the prewriting stages is imperative in teaching the concepts of story. The text is practical and breaks down the writing elements and strategies that include characters, setting, plot, and conclusion. The FAST guidelines (Feelings, Actions, Speech, and Thoughts) were very helpful to assist our students in becoming real writers.
Also the idea of reflective writing is important to critical readers. This has helped my future teachers to look at their response to writing and how they assess it. I really liked the fact that the book models lesson development and is very useful to developing practitioners in the field. In Pennsylvania, we are being required to focus on a certification for grades 4-8, and this will be an essential resource.
The technology links are terrific. The book really integrates new technology into the classroom to improve reading and writing in grades 4-8. It is a MUST READ for teachers who want to make strong technology connections with their students. I loved learning about the use of wikis and my grad students went home after Carol's presentation and started their own. This is really an inspiration to be able to connect and infuse lessons with technology to really improve writing. The editing and revising that took place with the entire group was fantastic, and students were inspired to use the Smart Board to improve their writing.
We have really noticed a very positive reaction to the demonstration and modeling that Carol Baldwin did last evening at Holy Family University in her presentation. Sallie Jo Reid, a writing teacher from Palisades School district, was up all night researching the websites and blogs, and today she is a different teacher in her classroom, thanks to Maupin House. You are really on the right track with the reading/writing connection and technology. Thank you for making us better teachers of tomorrow."
-Dr. Lynn S. Orlando, professor of education at Holy Family University in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

"Teaching the Story: Fiction Writing in Grades 4-8 is one of the most effective and engaging books I have ever seen on how to teach creative writing to young students. With a gentle and yet authoritative hand, author Carol Baldwin brilliantly leads student through such topics as: Discussing the Basics, Creating a Character, Setting the Scene, Developing the Plot, Writing the First Draft, and Editing and Revising.
Developed as an instructional guide, Baldwin guides the teacher through detailed, organized and clear lessons that help students learn the craft of short fiction, foster critical-thinking skills to carry those skills over into informational writing.
Baldwin does this in part by introducing genres that kids love including: sci-fi/fantasy, history, sports, and mystery. Each lesson keeps the student audience in mind though its use of kid friendly and genuinely interesting examples. The book also comes with a CD that allows for course personalization and adds an element of new technology “coolness” to the course by connecting the students’ writing through wikis, digital media, and podcasts....An impressive and clearly written guide, Baldwin manages to move the teaching of creative story writing from intimidating to fun and productive."
-Wendy Thomas, Bookpleasures.com

“Someday, a successful author will thank Carol Baldwin for writing this book. Teaching the Story is an eminently practical guide that should be part of every middle school curriculum. It equips teachers to debunk the prejudices against story writing and release the creative gifts within every student. I highly recommend it.”                                                                                                                          Robert Whitlow, novelist. Author of The List

"Although middle school students have stories to tell, getting them to tell those stories can be a daunting job for a teacher. Carol Baldwin's book "Teaching the Story" is a marvel of clear, concise, and helpful prompts teachers can use to help jump start a student's imagination. Knowing how imperative it is for young people to be able to express what's important to them, teachers will welcome this insightful, logical, and easy-to-follow method. Baldwin covers all of the critical elements of good writing, such as writing more vivid sentences, creating memorable characters, developing a compelling plot and revising. When students discover that they can transform the stories in their heads into something they're proud to have other people read, they may not even realize how much they're learning."              Stephanie Greene, regional advisor for SCBWI Carolinas, author of 17 juvenile books, MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults

"In TEACHING THE STORY, Carol Baldwin will not only inspire middle school
teachers to engage and energize the young writers in their classes--she will
inspire those same teachers to become writers themselves! The book is filled
with useful and creative ways to make writing fun and meaningful. Baldwin's
practical approach to teaching is grounded and structured while still
encouraging the discovery aspects of writing. Add this book to your shelf as a
full scale plan for teaching or just as an idea engine to get your students--and you--writing again."Tony Tallent
Children's Services Library Manager
Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County
South County Regional Library
5801 Rea Road
Charlotte, NC 28277