Shop with your exclusive business pricing
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows.
Buy new:
-36% $33.27
FREE delivery Thursday, July 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$33.27 with 36 percent savings
List Price: $52.27
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Thursday, July 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Wednesday, July 16. Order within 1 hr 23 mins
Only 13 left in stock (more on the way).
$$33.27 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$33.27
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$22.36
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Thursday, July 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or Prime members get FREE delivery Tuesday, July 15. Order within 1 hr 23 mins.
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$33.27 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$33.27
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Penny Kittle
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Write Beside Them: Risk, Voice, and Clarity in High School Writing 1st Edition

by Penny Kittle (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars 125 ratings
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$33.27","priceAmount":33.27,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"33","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"27","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"AUChsA5AyTZZGfJeE0F426Rib7%2F24QNwT8d9AFlsySAHQDpqY58D2k6ve34GYexkYUSdcnpc4Wpl8kZBoO99%2BqUbv7ccgYmiK1Tma4PM2wVFHEYktTfxPnT5X9g7bmqJf%2BKwOiIIl%2F0KUk044%2FBQwg%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$22.36","priceAmount":22.36,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"22","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"36","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"AUChsA5AyTZZGfJeE0F426Rib7%2F24QNwupzNBfn6RtTDP%2BIGHBg%2BsjqIVU8S9NQO2j6QQlMh2OknEXxXri5tRBm2EQFxFvGPMnVJZEX38AkObGZXo6NgGdkbgxOQj0tDh49LnHirbCeqY9a10VKCnMZFMe03haOaWZE%2BGUOkZk4i1qM43CtcqA%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

This book is about teaching writing and the gritty particulars of teaching adolescents. But it is also the planning, the thinking, the writing, the journey: all I’ve been putting into my teaching for the last two decades. This is the book I wanted when I was first given ninth graders and a list of novels to teach. This is a book of vision and hope and joy, but it is also a book of genre units and minilessons and actual conferences with students.

 ―Penny Kittle

 What makes the single biggest difference to student writers? When the invisible machinery of your writing processes is made visible to them. Write Beside Them shows you how to do it. It’s the comprehensive book and companion video that English/language arts teachers need to ensure that teens improve their writing.

 Across genres, Penny Kittle presents a flexible framework for instruction, the theory and experience to back it up, and detailed teaching information to help you implement it right away. Each section of Write Beside Them describes a specific element of Penny’s workshop:

  • Daily writing practice: writer’s notebooks and quick writes
  • Instructional frameworks: minilessons, organization, conferring, and sharing drafts
  • Genre work: narrative, persuasion, and writing in multiple genres
  • Skills work: grammar, punctuation, and style
  • Assessment: evaluation, feedback, portfolios, and grading

All along the way, Penny demonstrates minilessons that respond to students’ immediate needs, and her Student Focus sections profile and spotlight how individual writers grew and changed over the course of her workshop. In addition, Write Beside Them provides a study guide, reproducibles, writing samples from Penny and her students, suggestions for nurturing your own writing life, and a helpful FAQ.  Best of all, the online videos take you right inside Penny’s classroom, explicitly modeling how to make the process of writing accessible to all kids.

Penny Kittle’s active coaching and can-do attitude alone will energize your teaching and inspire you to write with your students. But her strategies, expert advice, and compelling in-class video footage will help you turn inspiration into great teaching. Read Write Beside Them and discover that the most important influence for all young writers is their teacher.

Penny was the recipient of the 2009 NCTE Britton Award for Write Beside Them.

Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. ISBN-10
    0325078173
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0325078175
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publisher
    HEINEMANN
  5. Publication date
    May 9, 2008
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    7.4 x 0.56 x 9.3 inches
  8. Print length
    268 pages
Next slide of product details

Frequently bought together

Write Beside Them: Risk, Voice, and Clarity in High School Writing
This item: Write Beside Them: Risk, Voice, and Clarity in High School Writing
$33.27
Get it as soon as Thursday, Jul 17
Only 13 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Write Like This: Teaching Real-World Writing Through Modeling and Mentor Texts
$28.48
Get it Jul 18 - 24
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by Bookisland07.
+
Micro Mentor Texts: Using Short Passages From Great Books to Teach Writer’s Craft
$20.24
Get it as soon as Thursday, Jul 17
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Penny Kittle teaches freshman composition at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. She was a teacher and literacy coach in public schools for 34 years, 21 of those spent at Kennett High School in North Conway. She is the co-author (with Kelly Gallagher) of Four Essential Studies: Beliefs and Practices to Reclaim Student Agency as well as the bestselling 180 Days.

Penny is the author of Book Love and Write Beside Them, which won the NCTE James Britton award. She also co-authored two books with her mentor, Don Graves, and co-edited (with Tom Newkirk) a collection of Graves’ work, Children Want to Write. She is the president of The Book Love Foundation and was given the Exemplary Leader Award from NCTE’s Conference on English Leadership. In the summer Penny teaches graduate students at the University of New Hampshire Literacy Institutes. Throughout the year, she travels across the U.S. and Canada (and once in awhile quite a bit farther) speaking to teachers about empowering students through independence in literacy. She believes in curiosity, engagement, and deep thinking in schools for both students and their teachers. Penny stands on the shoulders of her mentors, the Dons (Murray & Graves), and the Toms (Newkirk & Romano), in her belief that intentional teaching in a reading and writing workshop brings the greatest student investment and learning in a classroom.

Learn more about Penny Kittle on her websites, pennykittle.net and booklovefoundation.org, or follow her on Twitter.


Penny's students make a statement about how
student choice in reading has affected them.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HEINEMANN
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 9, 2008
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 268 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0325078173
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0325078175
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 pounds
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 - 17 years
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.4 x 0.56 x 9.3 inches
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 out of 5 stars 125 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Penny Kittle

Penny Kittle

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
125 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Top reviews from the United States

  • Julie in West Chester
    5.0 out of 5 stars Something for Everyone
    Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2008
    Verified Purchase
    Write Beside Them is written with voice, humor, and humility. Penny Kittle does not tell us she has the perfect class with the perfect student. She tells us how to stick with what we believe to help our students achieve their fullest potential.
    I teach third grade (self-contained) and still gained so much insight into writing workshop with a constructivist approach by reading Penny's book.
    The dvd is phenomenal! It has her first day of class, her conferring with students, student work . . .
    I think writing teachers of grades 3 and up can gain from this book although it is geared to high school English teachers.
    Penny also refers to the work of other great writing teachers - Don Murray, Don Graves, Tom Romano, Tom Newkirk, Linda Reif, Nancy Atwell; it helps to have all these resources that readers can turn to for more information.
    10 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Jennie Smith
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thank the Lord for Penny Kittle!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2010
    Verified Purchase
    This book has completely pumped me up for teaching writing next year! So many books are out there with great information, but I found Penny's to be the best fit for me. I think it is because she is a lot like me in her teaching style and beliefs. I LOVED that I was able to see her in action with her students and see how her first day of the workshop goes. So many of the great books on Writing Workshops out there are geared to the elementary school level and not to middle and high school and Penny has done an amazing job at showing how her Writing Workshop works in her classroom. This book will definitely be referenced many times over the coming years.

    Thank you Penny for such a great resource!
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Stephanie Andrus
    5.0 out of 5 stars Kittle rocks
    Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I actually bought this book because of another writing instruction book I read -- "Write Like This" by Kelly Gallagher, which was also awesome. I am only half way through this book and I am really inspired to shift my view as to my purpose as a writing teacher. Kittle reminded my why I love to write. Over the years, I have become so obsessed with teaching academia to my middle schoolers, that I seem to have lost place of why we even communicate in the first place.

    I understand that this book is directed at high school age kids (she mostly discusses her HS seniors), and I have junior high school kids, but everything she discusses is totally applicable to them.
    12 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • RachealK
    5.0 out of 5 stars Best Writing Instructional Book
    Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    I had this book assigned for a college course I was taking last semester, I am studying to be a high school English teacher, and I cannot wait to go back and re-read it over the summer before I do my student teaching! Each chapter made me think about writing completely differently, and the provided DVD showed how Kittle actually runs her class and the students' reactions. I cannot begin to explain how much this book has helped me already, and I will continue to return to its wealth of knowledge as I try to help my future students with their writing!
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Carol J. Stokes
    5.0 out of 5 stars Practical and helpful advice for teaching writing.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I bought this book for a graduate writing class I was taking, and it has had a very positive impact on the way I teach writing to my students. Kittle offers great practical advice that you can take and apply directly to your classroom. Using ideas from the book, I was able to develop an entire creative writing curriculum, the first one ever offered at our school. The students loved it, and really enjoyed journaling, writing stories, conferencing, and putting together a portfolio at the end. One of the most helpful books I read in graduate school.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Marcie Belgard
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is the best book for how to teach writing
    Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This is the best book for how to teach writing. I am using it in my Approaches to Teaching English, and the students love it. This is the first time I have ever taught a class where the students absolutely love the book. The book also allows you to go on line and watch videos of Penny teaching and having conferences. I HIGHLY recommend this book
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Jamie Tadrzynski
    5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read for Secondary Education
    Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This was a required text for the Master's in Reading at Saint Joseph's University, and was by far the most useful to me as a high school teacher working with low level students. Ms. Kittle really understood the plight of the high school teacher in regards to how much reading readiness is focused on the lower grades. This is a text that should be used in all secondary education programs.
    4 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Kiki del Ringo
    2.0 out of 5 stars A Total Disappointment. Overpriced and Lacking in Real Instruction
    Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I was excited about this book. It's expensive, but I thought it'd be worth it since it was coming from such a celebrated teacher. I thought there'd be a mix of both the emotional support needed to teach writing and the mechanics, but it's only how to be emotionally supportive. It's literally the same two or three pieces of advice over and over and over again. It's super frustrating. We get it. Write with them. A total disappointment.
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • John Karrys
    5.0 out of 5 stars Writing is Dancing
    Reviewed in Canada on May 20, 2020
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    “Books are often far more than just books.”
    ― Roxane Gay, Bad Feminist: Essays

    My colleagues love Kelly Gallagher, Colin Firth, Keanu Reeves, and Shakespeare. In our English department, there are pictures of these men all over the office. Teaching is a really tough job and inspiration is necessary.
    However, for me, I think a bit differently, I have my angels. I love Penny Kittle, Nancie Atwell, Maia Heyck-Meriln and Britney Spears.

    My students know I can spend months connecting the history of intellectual ideas before and after Shakespeare. BUT, to generate the courage, optimism, and grit to perform, day after day, for high school students I'm always thinking, "What would Penny Kittle do? How would she prepare teaching Romeo and Juliet for the 100th time? How do you get students to write when they've never been taught cursive writing? How do you engage students when they can call you any name in the book and there really isn't any consequences?" Penny, Nancie, Maia, and Britney = One day more.(That's from Les Miserables based on my favourite author Victor Hugo)

    Britney Spears rehearsed her whole life to connect to her audiences. But Britney, had mentors, she studied Janet Jackson, and Madonna. Well, teachers have Penny Kittle. I thought when I was reading Write Beside Them that it was something for me to help me with my students. Well, writing for my students is like dancing for my students; like a Britney Spears performance. Students need to see me take risks so that they will feel safe to make mistakes and take risks as well. Penny Kittle, and I guess Nancie Atwell, taught me that I could dance through writing as often as possible, just like Britney. Cool. I hope I can share that fun with my students.
    Report
  • dm68
    5.0 out of 5 stars Love, love, love it!!!
    Reviewed in Canada on October 13, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Penny Kittle has written a book that is very practical and easy to read. I would buy the version with the DVD as it is nice to see her in action. I especially liked the conferencing sections. You can feel her passion for reading and her desire to help EVERY student improve. She respects each stuent's writing style, while introducing them to many different types of writing. The printout section on the DVD are excellent. I can hardly wait to use her ideas in class. We are using this book in a study group. Wrting teachers need to write in order to understand what the students may be struggling with in their writing. Love it! Every writing teacher should own this book.
    Report
  • Yvette M Beutel
    5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Companion
    Reviewed in Canada on January 18, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    If you must read only one book on teaching writing, this is the one. Written in a compelling narrative style, this account of inviting young people to write by modelling one's own passion is essential reading for any language teacher. I appreciated the author's honesty, lucidity and practical suggestions. I only wish I had read this companion to my work when it was first published.
    Report
  • N. Sch
    5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book
    Reviewed in Canada on December 23, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I loved this book, although I would have liked more concrete examples on how Mrs. Kittle does her planning, mini lessons and going through a text with students
    Report
  • anita
    5.0 out of 5 stars Theory into practice
    Reviewed in Canada on June 16, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    An easy read. Great strategies. Supportive dvd. It's a book from which one can learn and implement something overnight, and then read it again, and repeat the process over and over again.
    Report