PATTY-McGee-Logo

You’re Frustrated with Your Writing and Grammar Instruction and You’re Looking for a Better Way?

Let’s transform teaching and learning together.

I have worked with thousands of K-12 language arts teachers nationwide who have struggled finding an approach to writing instruction that works.

I consider myself one of them. I am a teacher who has worked through much of the hard parts, and I want to be a partner for those I work with.

Here are some of the issues we are all grappling with:

“There never seems to be enough time to focus on writing. Our writing program—if you could even call it that—just feels like an optional add-on.”
“Because we never have enough time to do writing justice, everyone feels rushed and overwhelmed, especially ME.”
“I was never really taught how to teach writing, so I’ve just been trying to figure it out as I go.”
“I take my students’ writing and correct the mistakes I find and hand it back. Then they basically just ignore what I wrote. Or worse, they get upset about it.”
“There has to be a better way, one that will actually lead to better writing. I just don’t know what it is.”
“I feel like grading is driving instruction. When every piece of writing gets a grade, there’s just no way to keep it from feeling punitive.”
“Our district’s writing scores aren’t great and we’re feeling pressure to get them up. The problem is, we really don’t know how to go about it.”
Previous
Next
Patty-McGee-Literacy-Consultant-New-Jersey

I'm Patty McGee

educator, author, & consultant

First, let me assure you, these issues are NOT your fault. Very few teachers come out of their teacher prep programs knowing how to teach writing (that includes me).

So, what do they do? They teach it the same way they were taught. Just like their teachers did, and their teachers before them, and their teachers before them…

But there IS good news: It doesn’t have to be that way…

Because believe it or not, all the problems listed above are totally solvable!

  • There’s a way to teach writing that’s both effective and efficient.
  • There’s a way to ditch the “fix it” approach to correcting student work and replace it with a strengths-based mentorship model.
  • There’s a way to de-emphasize grading and emphasize the writing process.
  • And maybe best of all, this approach is actually an energizing, joyful way to teach writing.

People who know me have said that I have a knack for cutting through complexity and finding the simplest, most practical approach for doing something. And that’s what I’ve done with my approach to writing instruction.

I’ve shared this approach in my professional books, Feedback that Moves Writers Forward: How to Escape Correcting Mode to Transform Student Writing (Corwin, 2017) and Writer’s Workshop Made Simple: 7 Essentials for Every Classroom & Every Writer (Benchmark Education, 2021). 

View Books
Patty-McGee-New-Jersey-Literacy-Consultant

But while I enjoy writing books about improving instruction, what I really love is working with teachers right in their own classrooms, modeling effective writing strategies with their own students.

I’ve found that it’s one thing to write or talk about how to teach something, but it’s a whole lot more effective to show someone, using their own students.

That’s why I do professional development differently than most educational consultants. Yes, I do often present workshops to large groups of teachers, which is only the beginning…

I also do 1-on-1 coaching with individual teachers, answering questions and providing not only the “how to,” but also the support they need to put the strategies to work in their own classrooms.

If my approach sounds like the very thing you’ve been looking for in your school, check out my Services page to learn more. I can’t wait to work with you!

Learn More

Instructional Knowledge

I've Been...

  • A Classroom Teacher
  • A Library Media Specialist
  • A Literacy Coach
  • A Coordinator of Professional Learning in Literacy
  • A Lead Literacy Consultant for a nationally known literacy expert
  • An Editorial and Marketing Contractor with Benchmark Education
  • An author
  • An Independent Educational Consultant, working in schools across the country (AKA Traveling Teacher)
Let's Talk!
About-Patty-McGee-Literacy-Consultant-New-Jersey

I’m Ready to Help Support…

PREPARING OTHERS TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT LITERACY INSTRUCTION

Teachers

If you’re a teacher who has struggled with teaching writing and you’re looking for a better way, a way that not only works, but also reduces your paper load and is more enjoyable for everyone involved, I’m your girl.

School Administrators

If you’re an administrator and you’d like to support your teachers in gaining access to a toolbox of skills that will allow them to teach writing strategies effectively, model and scaffold instruction, and provide feedback that students will use to improve (and that’s non-punitive), let’s talk.

Event Planners

If you’re an event planner and you’re looking for a speaker who is engaging and can speak knowledgably about a number of ELA topics, let’s chat.

Let's Talk!

Recent Conferences

Patty has presented at the following conferences

Literacy-Association-of-Tennessee
Montana-State-Literacy-Association
State-Of-Maryland-Literacy-Association
indiana-state-literacy-association
North-Carolina-Reading-Association
N-C-T-E
I-L-A
Literacy-For-All
Lit-Con
New-York-State-Reading-Association
Keystone-State-Literacy-Association
Patty-McGee-Why-writing-is-important

Upcoming Events

Discover Patty's Latest Literacy events

Montana Reading Association—Featured Speaker

Friday, October 20, 2023

8:30 am – 3:30 pm

Labette Community College—Guest Speaker

Friday, October 27, 2023

8:30 am – 2:30 pm

National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) 2023

Friday, November 17, 2023, 8:00 am – Sunday, November 19, 2023, 9 am

Some endorsements of Patty's Work

What Educators Are Saying About Patty

★★★★★ 5/5

“Anyone who teaches ANY sort of writing (ahem, social studies and science teachers too) must read Feedback that Moves Writers Forward: How to Escape Correcting Mode to Transform Student Writing and take Patty McGee‘s ideas to heart as she explores the language teachers can use to motivate students in the classroom.”

Joy Kirr

Teachers Going Gradeless Blog

★★★★★ 5/5

 “I HIGHLY recommend Feedback That Moves Writers Forward.  I have been teaching for 23 years and have had more than my fair share of struggles teaching kids how to write. This book explains how to help young writers hone their skills in positive terms. It offers a very refreshing perspective. I haven’t found anything else like it. The suggestions offered can be applied to all age groups and are realistic and “do-able” for any teacher.”

Tim Jefferson

Teacher

Ready for Streamlined Writing Instruction that Works?

Let’s talk about how I can help you create an instructional approach that you’ll love.

Contact Patty