The Science of Writing: Karen Harris & Peter H. Reynolds on SRSD

Exploring Evidence-Based Practices in Writing

SRSD creator Karen Harris and renowned children’s author Peter H. Reynolds recently joined a group of enthusiastic educators for a webinar on SRSD (Self-Regulated Strategy Development) and the science of writing. The virtual conversation brought together two celebrated figures in the world of literacy, each bringing a unique perspective: Dr. Karen Harris, whose groundbreaking work established SRSD as a robust, evidence-based instructional method, and Peter H. Reynolds, an acclaimed author and illustrator whose passion for empowering learners through creativity and self-expression has inspired teachers and students worldwide. Although their backgrounds differ, their message aligns perfectly: writing is an essential skill for every student, and it can be taught more effectively when educators have the right strategies, tools, and mindsets.

This blog post explores the key themes and takeaways from their engaging session. We will examine how SRSD aligns with the science of writing, share insights into why self-regulation is central to student success, and highlight important ideas from Karen and Peter. You will also find a quote from these two thought leaders woven into the narrative. By the end, you will have a deeper understanding of how SRSD can help students become more confident, strategic, and independent writers.

Watch the full webinar here: KAREN HARRIS & PETER H. REYNOLDS WEBINAR

A Convergence of Perspectives

Peter H. Reynolds, known for his popular children’s books such as The Dot, Ish, and The Word Collector, has long championed that creativity and curiosity fuel meaningful literacy development. On the other hand, Karen Harris is a driving force behind SRSD, a framework for writing instruction tested for over four decades in diverse classrooms. At first glance, these two might seem an unlikely pairing: a celebrated illustrator and writer and a renowned academic researcher. Yet their collaboration underscores a powerful truth: effective writing instruction is both an art and a science.

From the science side, Karen’s work highlights the importance of evidence-based instruction, structured scaffolding, and metacognitive strategies that empower students to plan, monitor, and evaluate their writing. From the creative side, Peter’s stories remind us that we want our students to understand the rules and cherish writing as a tool for expressing ideas, discovering new ways of thinking, and connecting with others. Above all, Peter and Karen emphasize that if students do not see writing as an act of self-expression, if it’s purely a mechanical process, they may miss out on the authentic power of literacy.

“It All Started in 1971”: Karen Harris on SRSD’s Beginnings

Karen’s lifelong mission stems from a determination to give teachers robust strategies they can rely on to help every student write well. In her early years of teaching in West Virginia and working with special education students, she observed that typical instructional approaches were often inadequate. She realized the need for a more systematic method that could produce observable, replicable results for all students, including those who struggled the most.

“For me, it all started with my first teaching job in 1971,” Karen explained, reflecting on the roots of her passion for transforming writing instruction.

Those early challenges led her to develop a system that merges explicit strategy instruction—teaching students how to structure their writing—with crucial elements of self-regulation. Over the years, Karen and her collaborators, including Steve Graham, conducted over 200 research studies, refining SRSD to ensure it remains robust, evidence-based, and adaptable to varied contexts. That same spirit of scientific inquiry continues to guide SRSD’s evolution. Teachers, administrators, and instructional coaches worldwide have adapted the framework to address new grade levels, genres, and classroom realities.

The Science of Writing and the Evidence Behind SRSD

The phrase “science of writing” can sound intimidating, but it boils down to a commitment to using proven, data-driven methods in writing instruction. It involves understanding how students develop writing skills, what instructional techniques consistently result in deeper learning, and how the brain integrates reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The science of writing rests on the principle that educators should provide explicit and systematic instruction, just as they do for reading.

SRSD aligns with this body of research by offering:

1. Explicit Instruction SRSD does not assume students know how to plan or revise; SRSD explicitly models each stage, from generating ideas to polishing final drafts.
2. Gradual Release of Responsibility Teachers provide scaffolded support, modeling how they approach each step of writing and editing, then gradually withdraw that support as students grow more independent.
3. Metacognitive Strategies Students learn to set goals, monitor their progress, adjust strategies, and reflect on their performance. The metacognitive loop helps them gain control of their learning.
4. Self-Regulation Skills SRSD explicitly teaches self-talk, self-monitoring, and self-reinforcement so that students develop the confidence and stamina to persevere during challenging tasks.
5. Goal-Oriented Practice Students learn to identify their targets—whether a strong thesis in an argument essay or descriptive details in a narrative—and then track whether they have met those goals.

Because the SRSD framework integrates these components purposefully, it has proven effective in studies across a wide range of grade levels, contexts, and student populations. The “ten-thousand-foot view,” as Karen often calls it, involves tailoring instruction so that learners experience consistent success and gain trust in their abilities over time.

“Writing Is a Way to Document Your Thinking”: Peter H. Reynolds on Creativity and Self-Expression

A hallmark of Peter H. Reynolds’s work is the celebration of creativity and personal expression. As the author-illustrator behind Ish and The Dot, he has inspired countless educators to encourage children to share their unique voices—through drawing, painting, or writing—without fear of mistakes. In the session, he pointed to the pressing need for effective communication to keep students motivated, especially in a future where technology might overshadow our creative processes.

“Writing is a way to document your thinking. So, if you’re not doing your own writing, you’re not doing your own thinking,” he noted.

This reminder resonates deeply with the mission of SRSD. Even the most thorough, explicit instruction will not matter unless students see a meaningful reason to write. Writing loses its power if it becomes formulaic and disconnected from its thoughts and emotions. Students need time to celebrate their creative sparks and personal perspectives. Peter’s emphasis on nurturing children’s voices dovetails with Karen’s emphasis on teaching them the writing strategies they need. Students can see how structure and self-expression form a cohesive whole when these worlds meet.

Self-Regulation: The Game Changer

A central pillar of SRSD—and the feature often sparks the most enthusiasm among practitioners—is its focus on self-regulation. While many writing programs highlight organization, structure, or genre-specific strategies, SRSD recognizes that these strategies remain underused unless students also know how to:

• Set Their Own Goals. Students learn to articulate precisely what they want to achieve in their writing.
• Monitor Their Progress. Through self-talk and checklists, they notice whether they are moving toward their goals or getting sidetracked.
• Persist Through Frustration. SRSD frames writing as an iterative process. When mistakes happen or when an idea doesn’t flow, students have strategies for managing frustration and continuing to work productively.
• Reward Themselves. As they master new writing skills, students learn to celebrate their successes. This positive feedback loop builds motivation from within.

The result? Students develop writing proficiency and an academic mindset that extends beyond writing. In the webinar, educators described how they see children applying self-regulation techniques to reading tasks, math problem-solving, and personal goal-setting outside school. This alignment is a clear testament to how universal and transformative self-regulation can be.

Real-World Impact: Stories from the Webinar

Though the webinar primarily featured Karen and Peter, several educators also shared their experiences using SRSD in classrooms spanning kindergarten to middle school and beyond. Their accounts further illuminated how SRSD works and why teachers can confidently adopt it.

1. A Principal’s Perspective on Change: One principal described how she championed SRSD as a school-wide strategy to address students’ dislike of writing and their struggles with setting learning goals. She emphasized that the most powerful shift was students’ newfound self-belief; after just a few months, children eagerly showed their pre- and post-writing samples to their families, confident in their growth.
2. A Curriculum Coordinator’s Journey: Another attendee, a curriculum coordinator, spoke about investigating multiple writing programs before choosing SRSD. Over and over, the research on SRSD stood out. She praised SRSD for enhancing teachers’ sense of efficacy. Having once dreaded teaching writing, they now looked forward to it. Students, too, blossomed, showing consistent improvement across various genres and demonstrating clearer thought processes.
3. Kindergarten Triumphs: Even the youngest learners benefit from the structured approach that SRSD provides. A kindergarten teacher explained that students struggled to put words on paper early in the school year, relying primarily on pictures. With SRSD in place, these same students, just a few months later, could add words to accompany their pictures, incorporate new vocabulary, and better organize their thoughts. The transformation occurred more quickly than the teacher had ever seen before.
4. From Independent School Classrooms: A middle school teacher at an independent school recounted how her institution had no consistent writing framework, resulting in uneven class performance. Introducing SRSD gave them a shared language—mnemonic devices and strategies for planning and revising—that improved students’ writing in as little as a semester. She recalled how previously restless students, in particular, benefited from having a clear checklist and strategy for each phase of the writing process.
5. Third Graders Using SRSD in Real Life: One of the most heartfelt anecdotes came from a third-grade teacher who encountered a student in the grocery store. When asked about her holiday, the young girl spontaneously launched into an SRSD-inspired structure, sharing reasons and examples as if she were crafting a mini-essay in real-time. This moment revealed how deeply these strategies can embed themselves in students’ thinking, turning them into confident communicators in and out of school.

Teacher Preparation: A Systemic Challenge

During their conversation, Peter and Karen highlighted a profound teacher preparation gap. Universities rarely offer dedicated coursework in teaching writing, forcing new educators to cobble together resources as best they can. Karen admitted to lobbying tirelessly at five universities to secure a mandatory writing instruction course, only to face continued resistance. That shortfall underscores why frameworks like SRSD are so significant: they fill a void by providing research-backed structures and ongoing professional development that teachers can use immediately.

Additionally, the community aspect of SRSD training—a “train-the-trainer” model—makes it highly scalable. Lead teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators can internalize the strategies and mentor colleagues, ensuring knowledge and skills spread throughout a school or district. This approach also fosters a supportive environment where teachers continuously discuss their implementation, troubleshoot issues, and celebrate successes.

Balancing Creativity with Structure

For many, “explicit” instruction can conjure images of rigid rules that squash creativity. However, Karen’s core premise—echoed by Peter’s emphasis on imagination and exploration—counters that assumption. SRSD is explicit, so students do not have to guess at the steps or wonder whether they are meeting expectations. It is also flexible: teachers can tailor it to any genre, reading material, and any group of students. This structure becomes a scaffold that allows creativity to flourish more freely, not less.

Peter’s message, urging educators to help children see writing as “a powerful way to share your amazing ideas,” underscores that SRSD does not reduce writing to a formula. On the contrary, it shows students how to unleash their inner voices and organize their swirling thoughts on the page more confidently. Students who once froze in front of blank pages often discover that the clarity provided by structured strategies and checklists empowers them to explore bold ideas they might otherwise keep hidden.

Looking Ahead: A Collective Call to Action

As the webinar drew close, Karen and Peter hoped these initial discussions would inspire broader conversations, more targeted professional development, and a general embrace of SRSD in schools. They also recognized the urgent need to integrate writing across subjects, from social studies to the arts, so that students see writing as a dynamic skill that serves them in all areas of life.

Educators who attended the session shared plans to deepen their SRSD implementations, refine their pacing, and continue the vital work of nurturing self-regulation among students. The stories of success—evidenced by real growth in student writing, heightened teacher confidence, and a new sense of excitement about literacy—signal that SRSD is changing classrooms in theory and everyday practice.

Final Thoughts

When Karen Harris and Peter H. Reynolds came together with educators to explore SRSD and the science of writing, their shared passion was palpable. Though they approach writing from different angles—one more research-driven, the other grounded in art and storytelling—both champion the transformative power of writing. SRSD merges that power with explicit, carefully sequenced instruction, ensuring students have the tools and strategies needed to succeed.

Karen’s quote about her early teaching days reminds us that the best innovations often arise from a teacher’s frustration and a vision of something better. Peter’s statement about writing as “a way to document your thinking” underscores the importance of teaching children to write—to express, analyze, and refine their thoughts on the page. Together, these reminders illuminate a path forward for educators who want to inspire their students to become proficient writers, confident communicators, and lifelong thinkers.

By embracing SRSD, teachers can confidently guide students of all backgrounds and ability levels to experience genuine success. And when that success shows up not just in better essays or state test scores but also in the grocery store conversations, we know that students are truly learning to harness the power of writing. This blend of robust research, explicit strategies, and creative expression stands at the heart of SRSD—an approach that has already improved many young lives and promises to transform countless more.