10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher 6 Ideas for Teaching Writing Now with Nancy McCabe
Nov 8, 2025
Join Nancy McCabe, an experienced writing instructor and director of the creative writing program at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, as she shares innovative strategies for teaching writing. Discover how 10-minute free writing sessions can spark creativity and why taking writing outdoors enhances student engagement. Nancy discusses the benefits of embracing mistakes as part of the learning process and emphasizes that writing is a form of thinking. Her insights on using imitation and sensory details will inspire teachers at all levels to rekindle their students' love for writing.
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Harness 10-Minute Free Writing
- Do use short free-writing sessions to generate ideas without worrying about grammar or spelling.
- Use multiple 10-minute writes (dialogue, setting, effect) to discover material students forgot they knew.
Imitate And Sensory Walks
- Try imitation exercises to teach style by having students plug their own content into a published piece.
- Take sensory-focused walks and list smells, sounds, sights, tastes, and textures to build vivid details.
Use Metaphor Mapping
- Do use metaphor exercises that map concrete objects to abstract concepts to force creative leaps.
- Prompt students to reverse associations (e.g., pianos become love) to spark original imagery.