Catching Up on Conventions: Grammar Lessons for Middle School Writers Book

This is an excellent book for people trying to reconcile grammar instruction with the Lucy Calkins writing workshop model. It's also extremely practical, as the authors provide actual lessons and handouts for teachers to use. I would highly recommend this book to other teachers in urban settings.

My only negative comment about this book is that the authors propagate the acceptable (because people don't know better!) but irritating rule of only writing an apostrophe instead of an apostrophe-s to form a possessive after words that end in "s". For example, the authors taught their students that the possessive form of "Chris" should be "Chris'". I personally believe (as do most grammar references...look it up!) that it should be "Chris's". To test this, say the sentence: "Chris's homework isn't finished." The "'s" is what people actually SAY when they pronounce that word. Also, it just doesn't make sense to not put an "s" just because there's already an "s" at the end of the word/name.

Also, the authors incorrectly use the word "affect" in the introduction. They say "affect change" when it should be "effect change."

For a book on how to teach grammar, mistakes like these are unnerving. Heinemann apparently needs to improve its editing!