Guiding Question:
- In Because Writing Matters, Nagin starts by asserting that "writing is a complex activity: more than just a skill or talent, it is a means of inquiry and expression for learning in all grades and disciplines." How does this view affect the way we might approach our teaching? Why is writing so complex and what challenges does it pose on our schools?
Do not let my questions limit your discussion. They are meant to be just suggestions that might help start a conversation.
I just finished the chapters on Writing to Learn and Professional Development. This makes me want to present this book at out next meeting, and like Sherman Alexie with reading, pronounce “writing … WRITING!” as the panacea for program improvement. Of course there is never a cure-all solution, but improvement in a reading and writing program is a powerful boost and an excellent place to start.
ReplyDeleteIt is clear that reading and writing are the foundation from which all education is built upon. We read for information. We write to understand. This calls us to be teachers of creative, technical, personal, business, persuasive, expository, news, correspondence (formal and informal), advertisement, announcements; the list continues. It stretches infinitely as our definition of literacy morphs and expands to include an endless array of writing purposes, on the page and on the screen.
Writing is not a static skill. Just as the act itself is applied eternally to any subject known to man, a writer does not stop growing their literary arsenal to include new techniques, ideas, ways of presentation, and purposes. A teacher must never stop using writing for her or himself, and must continue to read and write in a variety of genres. The teacher must gather those techniques, ideas, modes of presentation, and purposes into their own teaching toolbox to continually feed the growing needs of student writers. The more tools a teacher knows how to use well, the better the results will be when those skills are taught to the next generation of writers.
I just finished reading the first chapters from Because Writing Matters. Writing is so complex and as the studies have shown, there is not enough time spent on writing. In my classroom, I only have a 30- minute block for writing right after lunch. By the time we get back to our classroom and start writing, we are lucky if we have 20 minutes to write. It is not enough time! So in knowing that I do not have a large writing block, I need to look at how to incorporate writing into other subject areas more frequently.
DeleteWriting is a complex process because there are many different components to writing. As the book stated at the beginning of chapter one, there is a lot of uncertainty embedded in the process of writing. Students do not know how to form fluent sentences, how to organize their thoughts, or how to even start writing. Students really do need diversity in their writing assignments and need explicit lessons on the writing process.
I found the section about students facing ongoing challenges in learning to write interesting. They state “writing is something writers are always learning to do.” I think that is a great statement to keep in mind and to tell you students. Writing is a process and even the best writers are still learning.
@ Jess, You make some really good points. I have been struggling with teaching writing this year, and your post really made me see the value and the importance of making sure to get it in.
DeleteSlowly I am trying to integrate writing into other subject areas so that students are writing throughout the entire day. It is so important to realize that although writing is easy for me, it will not be easy for all of my students.
I agree with Alicia and Sara. One of the most important things we could do first to help with this problem is find more time to write!
DeleteI like your ideas of finding ways to incorporate writing into whatever you are already doing.
Pamella Simpson
Many statements in both the introduction and first chapter of "Because Writing Matters" jumped out at me. They either caught my attention because:
ReplyDelete1) I knew that and agree with it!
2) I hadn't thought about that but need to keep that in mind.
3) This is something I should tell/teach my 1st graders because
all kids, all writers, need to learn and remember this.
So I'm going to list these statements, classify them (according to the above) and briefly explain my feelings/thoughts about them.
I love to make lists. Part of me feels like "Making a list isn't really writing" but it is! We make lists all the time, and it's something very easy, yet useful, for even my 1st graders to do.
INTRODUCTION:
-"So today, the need to improve writing is perhaps better framed
as a challenge rather than a crisis." (1) If you tell me
something is a challenge, I'll do everything I have to in order
to overcome the challenge! If you tell me it's a crisis, I'll
stress out and worry about it.
-(writing) is a means of inquiry and expression for learning in
all grades and disciplines. (2)
-(writing is) a craft with its own set of tools, which are words.
Like all tools, they have to be used right. (3)
CHAPTER 1:
-"The writer doesn’t always know beforehand where to begin, much
less how to proceed" (1), (3) My FAVORITE part of teaching
writing, and reading for that matter, is the "prewriting" phase
where we get ideas flowing and then I guide them from ideas to
putting it onto paper.
-"Writing is hard because it is a struggle of thought, feeling and
imagination." (2) There isn't enough time in the day to make
enough time for each student to allow this to occur BEFORE
putting pencil to paper.
- "The writer has a reason to write, an intended audience and
control of subject and form." (1) (2) I know this needs to
happen more in my classroom but it's hard for me to relinquish
control to 6 & 7-year-olds.
-"Writing is something writers are always learning to do." (2) (3)
-Credo:
* It is possible for anyone to produce a lot of writing with
pleasure and satisfaction and without too much struggle.
* It is possible for anyone to figure out what he or she really
means and finally get it clear on paper.
* It is possible for anyone to write things that others will
want to read.
(1) (2) (3)
I work with ELL students this year. And oh have they taught me so much. I had them write me essays a few weeks ago and I could really tell the english proficiency of my students. I had one student that kept using "have" and "has" incorrectly. I began circling them and correcting, but there were so many! I went to talk to the writing teacher on my team who explained that she tells them have is for 1 and has is many. I began to apply this I found so many examples of where this just didn't work! Sentences like "Susan has a headache" don't work. She only has one headache so has doesn't work.
ReplyDeleteThis revelation I had a few weeks ago is reflected in this first chapter of our book. On page 3 it tells us the 3 purposes of the NWP and inside the first purpose it says "Writing is a complex activity" and OH IS IT. Now that isn't the purpose I just liked the idea. It is so complex, so difficult, if I struggle with my weekly posts then it must be 10 times worse for a 13 year old kid. My students need to know what audience they are talking to, what kind of writing is it supposed to be, is it graded for content or for the actual mechanics of writing, and if they are ELL students they are learning a new language and trying to write the complexities of it is really daunting.
The last 2 years my principal has been pushing the idea that we all need to have students write in our classes, even physical education. Our students that need help with writing, diagnosed with SBA tests, are in a 5th core class....writing. I try so hard to incorporate writing into my Science class, the problem is that it takes so long! I can spend 5 days writing an essay and having them take a quiz or make a poster would take less time. But making a poster isn't what gets them proficient on tests, it isn't what will help them make a resume, it will not help them write an entrance letter into college. Yes it will show me if they learned the content, but I see that writing is much more powerful. I need to not be so selfish with my time and give them more opportunities to write. The text told us multiple reasons that writing should be emphasized. Writing more has been shown to increase reading achievement. It of course helps test scores, and will help them in the real world. I have also come to realize that even though I do not teach writing or language arts I do have a growing responsibility to teach them how to write. Who will teach them how to write a lap report, an review of a scholarly article, an essay proving results from an experiment? Yup, that's me. I love middle school because we have teams. I have other teachers to look to when I need help with this task. We can all use the same outlines and formats so that we do not confuse our students with Tower formats, step-up to writing or whatever other tools we have. We just have 1 we use it and it works. The kids become familiar with it and it no longer is about the tool, but the writing that I am expecting to come from it. In short we all have the responsibility so lets get to it!!!!
Shannon,
DeleteI agree with you. I am selfish too. It is hard to relax and not stress about how much we need to teach and allow that extra time we need to teach writing. Maybe, if we do go ahead and teach the writing, everything else will fall in place too.
I found the introduction and first chapter of "Because Writing Matters" to be very insightful. I experienced something when reading them that I rarely feel towards a textbook: excitement to read more. If this book delivers on the promises it made in the first 18 pages, then the slim-ness of its volume certainly belies its contents.
ReplyDeleteSome of my favorite points brought up in this beginning segment were:
-The question "why is writing so challenging to teach and learn?"
When I began teaching last year, I was given certain writing tasks my students would need to complete (narrative, how-to, 5 pgph. essay, etc.), but no guidelines on how to get them there. As a first year teacher, having an end point but no means to get there was like being lost in the wilderness with no compass. My students and I struggled along to get there, and while some of them succeeded, just as many were lost along the way. This year I have the time and experience to give me a bit more direction, but without even a curriculum to give me mileposts, I still feel, at times, like I am wandering. I know how to write, but I think I always have. I don't remember ever "learning" how to do it, it's just been there. So how do I teach something that I don't even remember learning to do myself?
- E.B. White's quote, "the best writing is rewriting," and "Doing it [writing] well means being both a reader and a writer."
I have tried to stress to my students the importance of actually reading what they have written, and that a piece of writing is never "done". They go about their writing as if the words are dead and immobile as soon as they hit the page. I have been trying to convey the exact opposite - that as soon as it his the page, their writing is very much alive, and will remain so always. That idea has been met with more than a little attitude and opposition. I don't know how to get over that hurdle with them, and it's a biggie.
- "Every teacher who interacts with children has a responsibility for the student's development in writing as it applies to their subject area."
This statement is so true. We can't just be content area teachers, and English teachers shouldn't have to bear the sole responsibility for students' writing. English teachers only see students for a small portion of every school day. Science, math, and social studies teachers have just as much a responsibility toward fostering student writing as English teachers, and they should be reinforcing and requiring good writing in their classes, and working with English teachers to keep expectations high.
Jane, E.B. White also struck a chord with me. He is an extraordinary thinker. I can sympathize with your lack of direction due to lack of a curriculum for writing, and our district is working on that. I struggled last year too. Not only in writing but in reading. Luckily, we adopted Glencoe and I have a basal text from which to work with.
DeleteIn writing this year, I have used all kinds of ancillary materials from the web, including sites like readwritethink.org, poetryfoundation.org, Scholastic.com, Time for Kids. I also use on occasion the Write Source 2000 materials for my middle schoolers.
Glencoe readers also have a plethora of writing assignments and supplemental resources right inside the texts. I strongly believe in tying reading to writing, but in also using outside materials for research, information, experience, and inspiration.
I had a similar experience in my first year. I had would have an essay and an end goal, but was really lacking in ways to actually help my students get there. I'm in my third year and each year, I feel like I get better about giving students the tools to help them get to the end goal.
DeleteIn regards to having students recognize that their work is not in fact finished after the first draft, is always a challenge. It is especially challenging in with my 6th graders. The thing that I have found that works well in this respect is a computer program called My Access. It uses AI to grade students essay and gives them instant feedback. It has been a real eye-opener for many of them when they receive their score and it is not great. I obviously don’t use this as their only grade, but as a tool to help them improve their writing.
I have a lot of respect for E.B. White. His writing on writing is pretty enlightening. What I like about reading his work and reading about him is that he often discusses his inspirations. You quoted him saying that being a good writer requires one to be a good writer and reader, but he was also a very good observer. He was incredibly inquisitive by nature.
DeleteOne of my favorite stories is about him finding a spider nest in a barn. He brought it inside to observe and forgot it in his dresser. A few weeks later he was surprised to find his room swarming with baby spiders. Unlike most people in this situation, instead of going on a cleaning rampage, he watched them crawl about and witnessed their balloon escapes - very similar to the ending of "Charlotte's Web."
Often, as a content area teacher, I forget that I can use the content for inspiration. Who knows, maybe it will be spark a wonderful story.
I also had a similar situation my first year teaching. I knew what my students were expected to do by the end of the year but I had no idea how to get them there. The district I was in did not have a writing curriculum. Luckily, we had a state mentor who flew out to Unalaska monthly, if I remember correctly. She flew out to help all of us first and second year teachers. She was a godsend. Our focus on her visits was writing. I got a lot of great materials and strategies from her. I still feel like my toolbox is lacking in the writing department though.
DeleteThe thing that I found most interesting in this selection was the evolution of writing. It started out as an elite skill and that explains how it keeps getting overlooked. It was not expected to be integrated into education. I really appreciate knowing where we have been because it gives us a jumping off point to make changes that will help us teach writing more effectively.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea that one approach to teaching writing doesn't fit all. It is a combination of so many things. In teaching writing our curriculum (if you have one) is to focus on essentially the 6 traits. While these are important to help students writing be understandable, they should not be the end all approach to what is considered good writing. We recently had a person from WYAK (Write Young Alaska) come in and do some lessons with my class. Their pieces were not the most polished writing they have done all year, but they were filled with emotion and were very powerful expressions of what they were thinking about.
The English teacher teaches writing. I think that this statement sums up why many of our students are not proficient writers. We always find someone to blame without finding ways to integrate it ourselves. I see this in elementary school, where someone might say, “But they were supposed to learn that last year.” They make excuses instead of working on a solution. It is our job to meet students where they are at and find ways to help them be successful and achieve the standards of that grade. I think that it is also vital that we expose students to as many types of writing as possible and in as many contexts. If we limit writing to our “Writing Time” then they will never see the diversity of writing or the many applications that it has in all subjects. Also, we have already read that writing helps students understand what they are learning.
Michelle,
DeleteI agree with not limiting ourselves to "writing time" to write. Also, not limiting writing to just the English teacher. Don't we need to write something in Social Studies and Science too? Plus, "Because Writing Matters" says writing across content areas shows more writing improvement.
"Because Writing Matters" Chapter 1
ReplyDeleteVery early in the first chapter a passage jumped out at me that pretty much summed up why I think teaching writing is so difficult: "Even the most accomplished writers say that writing is challenging, most notably because there is so much uncertainty embedded in the process of doing it."
I teach high school math (at least that's what I was hired for). I also teacher writing. They are so different. In math there is a clear goal. Most of the time an explicit algorithm will get you there. Never in writing. And here lies the problem. I teach a lot of prewriting strategies, but that's not the same as applying an algorithm. And the end products - they're all over the place. Some are good, some great, and then some are lacking...something.
I have talked with other teachers about the actual teaching of writing. It seems that many feel like me - they know how to write, but have a hard time teaching that to someone else. Things that come so naturally (of course I'm sure there was a time where I didn't feel that way) are often the most difficult to teach.
One thing I have tried this year is to make my lessons much more explicit (kind of like the math lessons). I recently even used a formula for writing a thesis. Are they working? A little. We'll see as we move forward.
I find it interesting that writers say that writing is difficult. However, I am a bit concerned at what that means for us “non-writers.” If writers struggle with writer, what hope is there for the rest of us. I think that the struggle is to find a balance between what constitutes “good writing” and hopefully boosting students’ confidence as writers. It is a delicate balance and I guess that I need to work on honing my skills as a writer to help my students improve theirs.
DeleteI've been trying out a few new mini-lessons this year that have gone well when I made it very explicit. I set up sentence frames to begin with so the students just had to fill in the blanks with their own thoughts. Even with this very rigid frame, I got some very interesting and creative pieces. Once they didn't have to think about the basic elements, they were able to get to the more creative elements.
DeleteI was sitting across the table from the parents of one of my students during conference time a few years ago, speaking enthusiastically of their child’s incredible ability to express his emotions on paper. I remember his father’s reaction very clearly.
ReplyDelete“You’ve got to be kidding! His handwriting is almost illegible, and he can’t spell to save his life.”
I remember thinking to myself, “Really? How can you confuse inadequate motor skills and poor spelling with the ability to express thoughts and feelings?” And yet, after reading the introduction to Because Writing Matters, the research confirms that, for much of the nineteenth century, the emphasis for writing instruction was placed on copying and penmanship. The authors point out that even after the importance of writing was recognized, skills were not taught until students entered upper elementary and middle school years, and then only as a separate subject.
There were numerous references in the introduction to the importance of writing across the curriculum. In light of these references, it is difficult to look at my own writing program without feeling somewhat guilty. When our sixth grade team decided to adopt a middle school model, I was so happy to “just teach writing.” I realize that I have become “compartmentalized.” What academic teams should be considering is how writing instruction can be woven into all curriculum areas. Just as important, however, is the necessity for teachers of other curriculum areas to insist that skills learned during the writing block transfer to their particular
I have a student in my class this year who has a great imagination. He writes the funniest things and is able to think very abstractly. His penmanship is awful though! I do encourage him to try to take his time and to make sure he can read his own writing but I definitely boost him with compliments about his writing. It is always fun to read his work!
DeleteMichelle,
ReplyDeleteI also teach 6th grade and find, as you do, that the revision process is very difficult for students. I have been telling my students that they can't say, "I'm done" with a graded assignment until they have done these 3 things:
1.) Have a peer edit or help you revise your paper.
2.) Set your paper aside for 72 hours (your brain will forget what you THOUGHT you said). Now read your paper out loud to someone.
3.) Complete a self evaluation using the 6-traits guide. If you don't like your score, you are still not "done."
Obviously, because of time, we can't do this with every assignment, but I think it makes them think a little more about their writing.
I was also interested in what your feelings are about My Access. Do many of your students use it without being prompted? Is it fairly accurate in your opinion?
Something I have done with my 5th, 6th, and 7th grade writers this year to save some time once we get into conferences is to have them "Check and Correct" 3 specific things before they bring their drafts to me. I ask them to re-read their drafts and check for:
Delete1) Capital letter at the beginning of each sentence,
2) End punctuation, and
3) Spelling.
If they bring their drafts to me and I see any of the above errors (especially capitalization and end punctuation) I simply hand it back to them to correct before we sit down and conference for real. It's part of my ongoing quest to get them to read their own writing. Also, spending our valuable conference time making minor corrections is highly irksome.
I like your steps Peggy; they would be the "next level" for what I am doing with my students now. Thanks for the ideas!
My team and I were grading some papers just this week and noticed how many kids do not capitalize sentences! So Yesterday my LA teacher talked about why it is important. And that it makes them look lazy! I made an assignment the same day with a lot of mistakes. They freaked out and pointed them all out. So we had a few teachable moments :)
DeleteSome of the most engaging challenges that teaching writing poses in schools are certainly time and content area writing. But just as important as time to teach is the curricular implementation of writing and reading skills across grade levels.
ReplyDeleteIt would seem that school-wide integration of curriculum include what skills and types of reading and writing will the student be participating in at each grade level. How will each skill build upon the next? Teachers must insure that students are developing a positive relationship with reading and writing that stems from individual interactions and hands-on involvement after learning skills. Cooperative writing in groups or pairs. Modeling from the teacher. Reflection, self-evaluation, peer-evaluation, teacher evaluation. Presentation.
Mix in the content area teachers. Suggest that students produce at least one writing piece a quarter for their class. Subject to be determined by the teacher. Related to content area, of course. Get everyone in on it. Mix in math. Everyone needs math, too.
Writing Matters post:
DeleteA point that stuck out to me was when they talked about being a good writer also means being a good reader. For some of my students still struggling with reading, writing is also a challenge. I try to find some ways to reduce the stress of reading and writing for them, but it can be difficult. Since writing and reading are such vital parts of education and learning, I am really trying to provide a more effective writing instruction.
I also liked the point that was made about practicing outside of school. I do sometimes send writing assignments home for homework, but it makes me think how I can relay the importance of practicing reading at home to families.
This chapters talks about the challenges teaching writing can present. For us as teachers, it shows us what we must do to face these challenges. We must get to the core of the problem and start with the basics. Since there are so many varying abilities of writing, I am really trying to get back to the basics and re-teach parts of writing, editing, and the process of writing.
@ Alicia
DeleteYou're right about when they talked about being a good writer also means being a good reader. It's almost always true that when one of my kiddos (1st graders) struggles with reading, he/she also struggles with writing. But I have a kiddo this year who struggles with reading but is very strong in writing! He, since first quarter, has been very able to let his thoughts and ideas flow out onto his paper. It's really cool but I don't understand how he can be so strong in writing and I want to figure it out :)
That would be an awesome challenge for a school! It would be neat if it even carried on to a certain type of writing each quarter. Maybe the first quarter would be an informative report, then a poem, then a creative story (that could be fun in math, the Life of a Circle), and a letter (Dear Egyptian Empire, I admire your progressive scientific technics, but really must insist that your reliance on slave labor come to an end.)
DeleteI think as I make my next science and math units, I'll include a writing piece as an assignment. I'll try to make them assignments that we might not always get to in writer's workshop.
It is a challenge to teach writing in the content areas. I agree with the text that writing instruction should be taught to all instructional staff. Courses such as this one are what will facilitate the change. We tried a school-wide curriculum in our HS one year. All of the teacher's collaborated and planned around themes. It lasted for a semester, and eventually teachers just started doing their own thing again. There was a lot of time involved, and most of the planning took place after school. It was an awesome semester though! The students enjoyed it.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteChapter One, Because Writing Matters—Becky Norsworthy
ReplyDeleteAs someone who writes and then revises endlessly, I was familiar with the E. B. White quotation, “the best writing is rewriting.” I was not familiar with the quotation from Jacques Barzun about “reading and writing until your text seems adequate to your thought.” I find this a wonderful way to describe writing, which I agree is an incredibly complex process. There is no shortcut when writing is considered in this way. The distance between the text and the thought can only be narrowed, in my experience, by working and reworking the words, the rhythm, the tone of what I have written. As I discuss with my high school English students, the very act of writing expands what the writer is thinking. As thinking leads to writing, and writing leads to expanded thought, the writer may approach achieving text adequate to thought. Even so, it is easy to find examples of famous writers who have written of this challenge. I did a quick search of the internet and found a website (http://peggyblair.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/quotes-about-revisions-from-famous-authors/) with many such examples, including my favorite from Elie Wiesel: “There is a difference between a book of two hundred pages from the very beginning, and a book of two hundred pages which is the result of an original eight hundred pages. The six hundred are there. Only you don’t see them.”
Your Elie Wiesel quote brought up a question. It seems that my students (and when I think back to my high school days) are revising, they are actually trying to add more to their stories, essays, research papers, etc to meet page requirements. I'm just kind of wondering here...but I wonder what effect page minimums have on the writing process?
DeleteI wonder, too. I try to lead my Honors English 9 students to the idea of what a fully developed piece of writing is, regardless of the length. Sometimes a student say, "Is this good?" while holding a piece of notebook paper three feet from my eyes. I always respond that it depends upon what they have written, not how much. When I taught regular English 9 classes, I had many more students who struggled to write "enough." Elie Wiesel's statement makes it clear that to him, revision is much more than proofreading for mechanics and spelling issues.
DeleteI am a constant write and reviser as well! Sometimes, I go overboard and don't know where to stop, and end up reverting back to the middle draft!!!
DeleteChapter #1: Because Writing Matters:
ReplyDeleteOn the very first page, the authors state that writing is difficult because the writer doesn't always know ahead of time where to begin. It reminds me of a story about my own experience that I tell to all of my students at the beginning of every year:
During my last year in high school, my creative writing teacher mentioned to the class that UAA offered students enrolling for their freshman year are given the opportunity to "test out" of freshman English by taking an exam. I'd always loved to write, so I decided this might be worthwhile for me.
When I arrived at UAA, I expected to be seated with other students who were also attempting to pass the same "test." Instead, I was led to an empty room by a very tight lipped woman who presented me with a tablet and a pencil, and was told she would be back in an hour to pick up my paper. Then she left.
I had no idea what I was supposed to write about. I stared at the paper for 55 minutes, my mind completely blank. In the end, I managed one paragraph, and to this day, have no recollection of what I finally managed to write. Needless to say, I took took that first year English class.
Now, I spend the entire first quarter on strategies that help promote ideas. We learn to make lists (Your top 10 most embarrassing life events), construct "heart maps (pictures of our favorite people/items most important to us), collect favorite sentences or words, use our 5 senses to write everything that is happening around us in the classroom, etc...
Another point made in chapter one is that states need to develop fair and authentic writing assessments. How many of you are frustrated by the benchmark tests that ask a students to draft, revise, and edit not one, but three different genres of writing in one day?
It is important to help students think of what to write about. This year was my first year teaching writing, and I had no idea where to start. I did however begin with helping students create a list of things they like to write about. Now they have those papers in their desks that they may look at anytime they need to.
DeleteYou are right though, if you don't know what to write about, it can be very tricky.
@Sara
ReplyDeleteI also liked the statement that "writing is something writers are always learning to do."I try to tell my students that rush through the writing time and say, "I am done" after only putting 5 minutes into something that I as a teacher think should take twenty minutes, I am always saying, how can you make it better. I try to encourage them to try to add details, take out the thasuaras, make sure you have complete sentence...with some students this works and with the reluctant writers they just say, "I am done"
These students that say I am done are almost always the ones that need the most work. No matter what prompts or suggestions I give them they do not see the need to improve what they wrote.
Ah, yes, Amy, I too have been trying to ingrain the "how can I make it better?" in my students' writing. And just as you say, the ones that need the most work are the ones who are most resistant to "making it better." There is so much potential there...how do I pry it out? It's so frustrating...
DeleteHoping our text will enlighten us with some helpful hints for the reluctant ones ;)
I applied to be on the writing review committee for our district but was not selected. I was really hoping to be involved so I could push for teacher training in writer's workshop, rather than buying a new set of text books that will be left on shelves in the classroom. I will be very excited about getting to chapter four about professional development.
ReplyDeleteThere is a quote from the National Center for Education Statistics on page three about writing being a way to express clear and succinct ideas and information. I was working with a newer student the week before spring break and it was a challenge to get her to talk to me in a clear way. Sometimes I forget how much practice they need in speaking in clear thoughts before they can get to writing clear thoughts. I might start pulling small groups during writing just to speak with me, to use those language objectives. Then they can practice writing down those thoughts once they've had a chance to express them out loud.
The preface also talks about writing in elementary classes mimicking the types of writing they will have to do in high school and the real world. In the Barry Lane book that I'm also reading about writing, one assignment was to make two columns: one fore real life writing and one for school/academic writing. The assignment was to make as big of a list as you could on each side. The kind of writing I do most often in the real life is journaling and letters. The most important writing I probably did was applications and portfolio writing. I haven't done pen pals with my kids this year, but I've received several Great Mail Race letters that some students are very excited about returning. I was also thinking about a career research that students could do and fill out an application for that career and why they should be selected. Writing about your positive qualities can be challenging, but rewarding especially if someone helps you.
"This means that the writer has a reason to write, an intended audience, and control of subject and form." This might be a reason that I am not very strong in the presentation area. All the enjoyable writing I do now as an adult is for personal reading or to a single friend. I do some reflection papers for class and professional emails. I was never interested in publishing my writing as an adult, but I do remember enjoying writing books in school. We had a contest every year for published books. You could win prizes for story line, characters, illustrations, poetry, etc. I remember participating every year. We do an art display at our district every year, and I think it would be fun to have a fourth grade wide book making celebration as an end of the year project. After the SBA testing, it's hard to keep them focused, and this would be a fun project.
This also means that I should be treating my writing time like a writing club. They need time to write and then time to share. Some kids might really need that sharing time to feel a need to write, while others might just enjoy a quiet time to write for themselves. Maybe writing club can be an option during the workshop.
"Writing is something writers are always learning to do." I know that I get into moods in writing and write a lot of the same kind of matter for awhile. It would be interesting to see a classroom where students could self select the area of writing they wanted to focus on. I can imagine it, but I would like to see how that would really work. Students would need to be really hooked, given lots of freedom to explore their own interests. I think I've given my students more freedom at the beginning of the year. This class though seems to do better with a given prompt. Last year, I just gave a few nudges in certain directions and they took off. Every year it seems to take a few months to understand the class's personality.
This is a lot to think about. I'm looking at areas outside of writing time to incorporate more writing.
Email me any suggestions you might have for the writing committee and I'll try to advocate them. I also believe in the writing workshop approach and training students to write the types of assignments they will see in the later grades.
DeleteWhat are some of your ideas?
jess.theroux@gmail.com
"Writing is hard because it is a struggle of thought, feeling, and imagination to find expression clear enough for the task at hand."
ReplyDeleteThe above quote, from the text, expresses how I feel about writing, and why I find it difficult to teach it. I am not completely afraid to write, and I think that I am a fairly skilled and competent writer, but I struggle with writing. It does not come naturally to me and I find myself reading and revising multiple times to get a satisfactory product.
I was not aware of the writing crisis faced in our country. When I went to school, there was a strong emphasis on writing and reading. As a teacher, I place a strong emphasis on writing as well. The greatest challenge I have face is merging the skills and the creative portion.
The text is very inspirational in the philosophy that anyone can learn to write.
I struggle with merging the mechanical aspects of writing with the creative portion, too.
DeleteHow lucky to have gone to a school where they placed that strong emphasis on writing and reading!
Improving Students Writing
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that I agreed with when I started reading chapter 1 wat that in writing "there is so much uncertainty embedded in the process of doing it...Not even experienced writers 'get it right' the first time." I feel that this is very true but it is hard to convince 5th grade students of this. One thing that I think kids struggle with is that a lot of them just want to get things done. I have tried to eliminate this "just get it done attitude, so I don't have homework" by not ever giving kids home work in writing. Granted I have had to keep kids a couple times for part of their recess because they just aren't doing any thing. However, this only solved the problems for some kids. I find it very true that "the best writing is rewriting" but try and convince a 10 year old of this.
Another thing that I truly agree with is that writing is very closely related to reading. Not always but generally I have noticed that students that struggle with fluency when it comes to taking a pause in the reading and how it should be read to sound correct also stubble with punctuation and grammar.
Another thing that I found to be true in my classroom is that the writer has to have a reason to write. I think in past years I did a better job of making this a key point in more of my writing assignments. I know that when kids new that their writing was going to be put in the hall, or their parents were going to get to read it a conferences, or that they will be reading their writing to younger students, they put more effort into it. I still do some of this but I need to do this more.
One of the statements that I agree most with is that "students need to write more in all subject" When we read we always do high level thinking reader response questions. I give 5 points per question. 1 point for restating the question in their answer, 1 point for conventions, 1 point for grammar, and 2 points for the correct answer. This way they have clear guidelines for their responses and I have found that I don't get as many poor responses. In science I know that I need to work on my holding my students to writing more complete responses, but I think I have gotten away from it because of how little time we have to do science. It is hard to require well formulated response to complex questions when they only have 2 min to answer the question. Even if their grammar and conventions are horrific I give them the pionts if they got the concepts.
One thing that I never really though of was that "as student writers develop and are challenged with ever more difficult writing tasks, the number of mechanical errors and defects in their writing often increases." The statement seems to logical but it never occurred to me. Now that I have this in my mind I am going to keep an eye on it in my classroom.
Overall I agree with much of what has been said. Writing has a lot of uncertainty, writing is related to reading, students need reasons to write, and students need to write across subjects. This was a great first chapter and I am looking forward to reading the rest of this book.
Chapter One of Because Writing Matters—Becky Norsworthy
ReplyDeleteA section of Chapter One discusses the need for students to write more in all subjects, citing National Assessment of Educational Progress Report Card reports for 1998 and 2000. The 2000 assessment of fourth-graders found “a positive correlation between the frequency of writing long answers and higher reading achievement.” I would be interested in reading more about the positive effects of regular writing for high school students.
I have a few frustrations with the way writing is dealt with by my district, beginning with the increase in class size we’ve experienced over the past few years. At one time, ninth-grade classes were capped at 25 students. Now, I have one ninth-grade class with 31 students. My total is 112 ninth-graders in four sections. In addition, I have 36 Journalism students writing all of the time. As much as I believe in writing being an integral part of my curriculum, those numbers limit how much writing my students are assigned. Given my reality, I am attempting to include as much writing as possible in the few months we have left. Next year, I am prepared to revamp how I approach writing with my Honors English 9 students. I’m hoping that this class will give me some insights on how restructure.
I am also frustrated by the elimination of Advanced Composition, one of our most effective college-preparatory Junior/Senior English electives. In Advanced Composition, students wrote literature-based analytical essays in the first quarter and a major research paper in the second quarter. The focus was strictly upon writing. I saw wonderful results in that class. In addition, I received great feedback from graduates who thanked me for having prepared them for the type of academic writing expected of them in college. That kind of concentrated approach simply is not possible when writing is included as a part of a larger curriculum such as English 11, for example. While writing certainly should be included in the broader curriculum, I think there is a place for the elective, as well.
Another section of Chapter One introduces the idea that errors in student writing should be seen as signs of growth. I can accept that concept as it pertains to errors during the process of achieving competency in challenging types of writing that students may not have previously attempted. I see this as my Honors English 9 students write their first analytical essays based on literature. I also see this with my beginning Journalism students, who are assimilating Associated Press style and the eccentricities of a journalistic approach to writing.
I do find disheartening the lack of familiarity or proficiency many of my students exhibit with sentence structure, subject-verb agreement, basic mechanics, etc. My working years before I became a teacher gave me a realization of how important such things are in business correspondence and other writing required within the context of a job. Like it or not, spelling and mechanics errors matter. Does that mean that student writing should be stifled by a relentless focus on mechanics? I would be the first to say no to that; however, it is certainly an important element of writing that I think should be firmly established before a student finds himself/herself dealing with the expectations of high school English classes.
By the way, did anyone else notice the subject-verb agreement error on page x of the preface to Because Writing Matters? The preface is signed by Richard Sterling, executive director of the National Writing Project.
How do we communicate over long distances of space and time? Writing. I can agree that writing “is a means of inquiry and expression for learning in all grades and disciplines.” Writing, in some form or another takes place in all of the subjects I teach. I do not always use math in science or social studies but my students always write.
ReplyDeleteThere is a push this year to “write across the curriculum.” I try to get the students to write in each of the subject areas I teach at least once a week. Sometimes this is a challenge, for math especially. How do I teach students to organize and express their thoughts on paper? This is something I struggle with myself so how do I teach my 4th/5th graders to do it proficiently? And do it in the little bit of time given to writing? When I have students write casually in another subject I tell them I am looking for their ideas and thoughts. “Do not worry about spelling or mechanics. Get it on paper.” Later, with pre-picked assignments, we go back during writing time to edit and fix any mistakes.
Writing sounds so simple. A noun and a verb is all you need for a sentence. It sounds so simple but it isn’t (If it were, well, my life would be so much simpler!). To communicate effectively at a high level and to express what one is feeling usually needs much more than a noun and a verb.
Pamella Carter Simpson
ReplyDelete“Because Writing Matters”
Introduction & Chapter 1
3/10/12 10:50 A.M.
My Response:
The thing that just “hit me in the face” the most was that before 1974, with the start of the National Writing Project, there was no set plan or curriculum for the teacher to go by to teach writing.
When I think back to my education, I can now see that writing was a vague, nebulous concept I always struggled with, according to deprecating teacher comments on my returned papers. Always bringing me down. Always making me feel inferior. Always shutting me down from writing. I looked at writing as a thing to be feared.
I now wonder whether the teachers may have felt the same way. Maybe they hated teaching writing as much as I hated writing.
As a teacher, I remember trying to avoid writing in order to avoid unintentionally teaching writing the wrong way. I had not been taught how to teach writing. Now I believe I was not the only teacher in that predicament. However, we were all afraid to let each other know we didn’t know and felt incompetent.
Now, this book, which I love by the way, tells me that writing is COMPLEX! This is just as I have suspected all these years. And, since 1974,:
1. Our standards for writing have changed,
2. It is no longer just for the elite,
3. Writing is the gateway to success,
4. Our methods for teaching writing has changed,
5. Writing is complex, requiring critical thinking and synthesis,
“Because Writing Matters,” shows research to support the following components needed to teach writing:
1. Teach writing across content areas,
2. Give students a rich and diverse array of writing experiences,
3. Students must master diverse writing tasks,
4. Students need to know that learning to write is an ongoing process/challenge,
5. Teachers need to build common expectations for writing,
6. Schools need to develop common, fair, authentic writing assessments,
7. Teachers need multiple strategies for teaching writing,
8. Schools need to offer professional development to teach writing,
9. Schools need to make it every teacher’s responsibility to teach writing, not just the English teacher!