Mechanically Inclined: Building Grammar, Usage, and Style into Writer's Workshop

I'm a glutton for books on education, and I can comfortably say that this is hands-down the most practical, entertaining, and useful book I read in 2008. While I was still reading the book I was able to implement some of Anderson's ideas in my own classroom. He's a middle school teacher but I adapt many of his lesson ideas for my third grade class. He answered every question and eased my discomfort about teaching structure in a fluidly structured environment like writer's workshop. Well done in striking the balance between squelching student ideas and squeaking by with any old slop.

I love sharing this book with fellow teachers. It is easy to read and the ideas can easily and quickly be incorporated into my work with students. I work with students in small groups and one-on-one and I can always refer to one of Jeff Anderson's creative ideas.

As the forward of this text suggested, this book IS engaging enough to read far into the night, despite it being about grammar and usage! It is packed with usable information, visuals, examples and stimulating ideas for writing teachers. I highly recommend it, for teachers and writers of all ages (middle school to college).

I love this book. I teach high school and I was never able to find creative and concrete ways to teach grammar concepts. Anderson takes the best of what we know about how to teach grammar (that is should be taught in the context of a student's own writing, that it should be active, that is should be scaffolded, etc.) and really focuses on how to make that happen. Look at his "sentence smack-down" and the "express lane editing" to really change how you look at teaching grammar. My kids loved it and I really felt like they were getting it and would use it again. The book is teacher-friendly and activity-based and includes copies of handouts.

This was a great read packed with real classroom experiences, creative learning activities, and terrific, easy-to-understand explanations of grammar and how to teach it.