007. Why Writing Feels So Hard to Teach--and What to Do About It
If teaching writing feels overwhelming, frustrating, or like an endless guessing game—you’re not alone. In today’s episode, I’m sharing a story from my own journey, moving from kindergarten to fourth grade with nothing but the standards in hand… and no writing curriculum to support me.
We’ll unpack why writing feels so hard to teach—and more importantly, what you can do to shift the narrative in your classroom. Spoiler: It’s not about doing more. It’s about simplifying, scaffolding, and building meaningful momentum for both you and your students.
💡 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
✅ 5 real reasons writing instruction feels so hard (and they’re not your fault!)
✅ Why mindset matters more than you think when it comes to teaching writing
✅ How to understand writing’s cognitive demands—and how to reduce the overwhelm
✅ Where most programs and standards fall short (and what to do instead)
✅ 3 practical shifts you can make right away to simplify and strengthen your writing block
🔧 Practical Takeaways You Can Use This Week:
- Scaffold Expectations Across Units
→ Don’t expect polished pieces right away. Build each unit intentionally with clear skill progressions. - Simplify Your Focus
→ Choose a few high-leverage strategies to anchor your teaching—like sentence expansion, CUPS & ARMS, rubrics, or mentor sentences. - Build Confidence with Small Wins
→ Add short, joyful writing experiences between units—like fun themed prompts or creative crafts that reinforce writing skills in low-pressure ways.
🧠 Quote Worth Sharing:
“When we understand why something feels hard, we can stop blaming ourselves—and start building solutions that actually work.”
📥 Resources & Links Mentioned:
📄 Download the Writing Units Cheat Sheet (Grades 3–6)
Get a free breakdown of how to scaffold your writing instruction throughout the year.
👉 Click here to grab it
✏️ Explore The Writing Bridge
A full writing program designed to help you feel confident and equipped to teach writing in grades 3–6.
👉 Learn more here
💻 Join the Bridging Literacy Community
Access monthly resources, on-demand PD, and a supportive network of 3rd–6th grade teachers who are simplifying and strengthening their literacy instruction—together.
👉 Join us inside the community
📲 Connect with Me:
If this episode resonated with you, take a screenshot and tag me on Instagram @bridgingliteracy. Tell me: What shift are you making in your writing block?
And don’t forget to follow the podcast so you never miss an episode!
