There is a truth, and an irony, in this - that writing is a supreme act of independence and yet most writing programs foster inherently dependent behaviors. But no more. Colleen Cruz knows that it's possible to teach and fully support a whole classroom full of independent writers. And you can do this with each young writer no matter the genre, the topic, or the stage of the writing process. With Independent Writing, she takes you inside her classroom and documents a full school year of writing instruction with plentiful student examples, teacher's notes, practical advice, and attention to writing standards.

Cruz offers a variety of methods not only to get students writing independently, but to get them producing work that both reflects their own interests and displays their skills. Look inside for:

• step-by-step instructions in the use of "mentor texts" - published pieces of writing used to inform students' own work in progress
• ways to turn notebooks into authentic working documents by referring to writing notebooks of professional writers
• examples for changing the classroom into a writing colony full of writers who can be a resource to each other
• suggestions for dealing with trouble, maintaining quality of work, and moving forward
• easy-to-follow charts for organizing minilessons, addressing problems, and making modifications for students needing additional support.