Oh how long it has been and how busy I've am!!  Currently I'm working on workshops for a few different districts.  These workshops revolve around writing.  I am surrounded by writers!  My son wrote The Secret Peace, a true look at how the world is improving.  He updates it regularly on his site http://www.jkrweb.com/shelf/
  My husband has published 2 books:  Episodes A Poetic Memoir and Solving the World's Titanic Struggles.  In addition he leads 2 writing workshops weekly.  He has volunteered teaching technical writing at an alternative school and in October will teach a class at Princeton's Adult School.
  And my daughter-in-law wrote a memoir Hungry for Life. She writes a monthly newsletter about her massage practice, with links to her youtube channel.
  As I think back to how I have taught writing to elementary and middle school students over the years, it's difficult to pinpoint strategies that I would count as successful or not.  For it seemed that there had to be myriad of times, ways, leads etc. to allow students to find their ways.
  Some needed formulas like the hamburger.  Currently I teach EFL writing online for university students in another country.  Since the grammar is the challenge, I suggest shorter sentences and basic paragraphs with a topic sentence, 3 detail sentences and a concluding sentence reiterating their topic.  During the semester, as their English improves, we can add transitions and more details.  Of course verbs are the challenge!
  Many students are stymied by what to write about.  So many techniques of brainstorming, paired challenges, lists and books to inspire can be used.  Often, once they have a topic, they writing flows.
  And timing!  The whole concept of the draft on day one, proofing on day two, rewriting and then publishing harnesses too many into a schedule that doesn't work for everyone. 
  The pressure is on, and maybe coming off a bit!! to prepare our students for the tests that not only evaluate them, but also evaluate their inspiring teachers.  Share ideas with your PLN.  Try some new plans for the next school year.  I'd love to hear about them!