Big Island Sunset
Chapter 2 and 3 of Because Writing Matters is your reading assignment this week. (Plan to finish the text by week 5.) Big questions are raised in this section. Do you agree with the premises presented in the book? Why or why not?
Many of you have commented that you are determined to make more time for writing in your classes. Look for support in chapter three.
Because you are also working on the Virtual Classroom Tour, feel free to add only one analytical post and comment on two others more briefly.
So after reading chapter 2 I was a little overwhelmed. I felt like there was a lot of information to take in.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I agree with is that grammar and editing skills that are taught as isolated skill drills fail to improve writing. However, when I meet one on one with my students and point out that there is an error in a sentence, they are usually able to find it. Example: today a student was using "a" instead of "an" and when I pointed out that they were using the wrong article in the sentence, they very quickly fixed their error. So, even though the skills taught in isolation may not transfer to their writing naturally, I feel that it is important for them to know the correct way to write things. Also I also feel that isolated grammar and editing skills need to be taught in isolation and then they can be fine tuned and practiced in there writing. I also feel that eventually with enough repatition in writing and conferencing they will start using the skills correctly and they will have the knowledge for why it is correct.
I also agree that writing can deepen learning in reading and other content areas. I feel that when a students has to answer a question with a written response they will have a better understanding of the concept or reading after they are done. The one thing that I feel though is kids need quick feed back so that they are not learning concepts incorrectly.
Finally, I am certain that reading and writing have a very strong connection. The one thing I agree with most is that the processes in both are similar. With both you need to activate prior knowledge and you need to set a purpose. I feel that this is skill that needs to be taught. When kids read or write they don't always think why it is that they are reading or writing. This is why it is important to teach about the different types of reading and writing, and why it is important to teach the different stratagies involved in the different genres.
Amy,
DeleteYou gave a great example with your student conference. I agree that editing/grammar lessons taught in isolation can make a difference. Similar to what you're saying, it can show students the importance of rereading their work when they think they're done. Usually, when I've had a student read their work aloud to me, they've been able to identify an error on their own, simply by rereading their own writing. The errors are ones they have learned from isolated skill practice.
This does raise a lot of questions. It brings up when students should learn to write. I think it is pretty standard now for students to be writing in kindergarten. But some students progress very slowly through the years. I have students in 4th grade that still can't make a coherent sentence, let alone a paragraph or multiple related paragraphs. When they have gone so long and feel in adequate in writing, it's hard to get much out of them. They need lots of time and lots of lots of encouragement. It's also hard to get them to write reflections at the end of science when they struggle to complete a thought on paper.
ReplyDeleteIt goes back to an earlier reflection that I need to work with them on oral skills first. I'm reading my digital book and thinking about plans for next year. I think I'd like to get some kids making video blogs to start. They need to be able to get a thought in order before the skill of writing comes into play. That's connected to the "Writing Activities Are LInked to Other LIteracy-Builidng Activities."
Fostering a Love for Language- Making reading and writing a passion for students is of course the goal for all teachers. I would love to take my kids on a spending spree for books. We do have a book fair that comes twice a year. It would be a nice project to raise money as a class to add to the library.
Chapter 3 addresses using a real audience for means of creating real writing, not just for the teacher as an evaluator. Creating blogs, pen pals, and taking things to publication uses a wide audience of which to write. I also like the comment of avoiding the pitfalls of too much choice or not enough. I've struggled with require students to try a new skill and giving them a chance to choose what they want to write about. I usually give an assignment and when they are done they get to go back to "free writing." I think I need to rephrase it to "Choice Writing."
The amount of time they stated that was used seemed reasonable, especially if you do make it a point to do writing assignments in other subjects. I have a book by Barry Lane called Wacky We-search" projects that brings creative writing into other content areas. I know I always enjoyed getting creative in assignments in high school. But again, it's a higher level order of thinking. They have to really understand and have a grasp of the material to be able to manipulate it.
I was spending some time today looking for different examples of writing portfolios. I'd like to make them more like scrapbooks next year. I want to make it something they love and want to use all the time. I need to start working on my own to see what kind of materials and binding that would require. The last section explained expressive writing in a content area. It would be amazing to have a portfolio with a section dedicated to each subject, but again, I need to see finished products, then I can work backwards from there. There is very general support in that last chapter, which gives me ideas of where to go searching for more specific "how-to" support.
Erin -
DeleteIn response to your reluctant fourth grade writers, many of my high schoolers are the same way. They are a very reluctant to put things down on paper unless they know, for sure, 100%, that what they write is correct. Mine will talk for minutes on end, but to commit it to paper (or their laptops) - forget about it.
I think a lot of times students don't want to mess up. They want to spell everything correctly so they have a hard time putting their ideas down.
DeleteOur school has started a reading challenge where the whole school is trying to read 30,000 minutes by the end of March. Each class reads daily to try and win a weekly prize. It has really gotten my students into reading so far. I think I may try a little challenge like this with writing as well.
I love the idea of a scrapbook type portfolio. That would be fun for the students. I am looking into using electronic portfolios.
DeleteIt is a big hurdle to get past the "I don't want to write it because I might make a mistake". All of my students are ELL and several are afraid of making mistakes. Like Erin mentioned, Some are barely making sentences much less paragraphs so we have really worked hard on the concept that it is okay to make mistakes.
DeleteI love the idea of your scrapbook. I try to get the kids to write in each of their subjects each week. Some weeks are better than others.....
@Erin
ReplyDeleteAfter reading chapter three and reading what you wrote, I am thinking about how I can make the writing process more creative. I like the idea of a portfolio, but like you I like to see finished products. Not only do I want to start some kind of portfolio but I would also like to find ways to take the publishing process to the next level. Right now we publish a project every two weeks some times I put it out in the hall. One time we read to the third grades, but I need to do more of this. Also, I would like to do more with my content writing I am not sure what or how yet but now is the time to start thinking about it.
Because Writing Matters:
ReplyDeleteChapter #3:
I’ve been teaching for 13 years. I wish, as a first year teacher, I had been asked to read this chapter before developing my instructional plan for writing. Specifically, I would have copied and laminated pages 26 &27 – referring back to each of the strategies to make sure that I had introduced, covered, and practiced each of them with my students throughout the year. It would have made my first experience as a teacher of writing a lot easier!
There were so many powerful points made this chapter that I’m having a difficult time picking and choosing those from which to respond. My favorite, however was John Dewey’s quote, “From the standpoint of a child, the great waste in school comes from his inability to utilize the experiences he gets outside of the school in any complete and free way within the school itself…” It has long been my belief that my first role as a teacher of writing is to generate student interested in the writing process. The only way to do this is to make writing relevant to the one who is holding the pencil. Despite the past reference from Writing Next that narrative writing is often overused and should be interspersed with other genres, I support introducing narrative writing initially because it allows students to draw upon what they already know and have experienced, making the process of writing less daunting.
Chapter #4;
Notes:
*Once again… the link between pair/group work and peer interaction with higher writing scores. Although I do a lot with peer editing, I have failed miserably when it comes to group writing projects. I’ve decided to make this my 4th quarter goal.
*Interesting that the authors drive home the point that while student “choice” in writing is beneficial, too much choice can be daunting. Students need a reasonable amount of direction in order to find a focus.
*Writing for “real” audiences increases student interest in writing.
*Great writing doesn’t just happen in “writing class,” but can, and should, be encouraged in all curriculum areas and, students should be held accountable for correct the conventions of writen
Peggy,
DeleteI definitely agree with you about wishing I had this book back when I first started teaching. I feel like I was pushed out the college door with a diploma and no plan of action for teaching writing or reading for that matter. If we could only do it over again, the right way. I sure hope I helped kids in spite of myself.
I also agree with you about having the book my first year teaching. I feel like writing is one of the subject areas that does not have a lot of direction for a first year teacher. It is hard to know how to teach writing.
Delete@Erin:
ReplyDeleteErin, you mentioned portfolios. I still have my portfolio from second grade (and I'm 52!) I pull it out every once in awhile and reminisce.
Every year since I stared teaching, I've had the students use the first few days of school to get their portfolios started. The past two years I have had the students draw themselves doing their favorite activities (soccer, writing, etc), and asked them to include five items that they are never without. The items are ones that mean something to them or were passed down from someone special (a lucky rabbit foot, a friendship bracelet, a letter from their dad, etc.) They type up labels for each of the items, telling why they are important, then the labels are placed next to each item on the cover. These covers are laminated, as well as a back page, and I usually put 10-12 pieces of construction paper between the two, then bind them. That way, as the year progresses, they have a place to put their important pieces. Last year, one of my more inventive parents created a pocket on the back page to hold student made poetry books and journals.
At the end of the year, the students have a wonderful time looking at everything they have created over the year, and there are no messy folders or loose pieces of work.
My sister back home just emailed me the other day that while my mom was cleaning out some boxes, she found a book I wrote back in elementary school. She is going to send it to me to share with my class. I vaguely remember "Zorro Zebra," and look forward to sharing it with my students.
DeleteI really like that you spend time at the beginning of the year to create the portfolios. I think the students would be more enthusiastic about filling it with great work if they have invested some time into making it their own. It's also a great activity to use at the beginning of the year to get to know each other. I'd like to start using portfolios in my classroom.
DeletePeggy,
DeleteI love the idea of having students go all out with personalizing their portfolios with things that are important to them. I imagine that in the end, they are not only a place to store writing but also an inspiration for future projects! I am the kind of person who feels a need to decorate and personalize my notebooks and folders (it was a beautiful day when Mod Podge came into my life), so this project is particularly appealing to me. I tried getting my students to collage their writing notebooks at the beginning of the school year, but they just weren't into it :(
@Erin -
My mom still has my sister's and my complete works of elementary school writing projects stashed away in bins under our beds back home. We both had the same 5th grade teacher who was excellent about making a big deal about students' writing. We got to "publish" our stories into fully illustrated, laminated, and bound books, which have obviously stood the test of time. Mom likes to dig them out every once in awhile, read them, and then call me up, weeping, exclaiming about what an extraordinary writer I was, even as a 5th grader. Sigh... ;)
Wow! That was a lot of information to take in.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the idea of integrating writing into all of your subjects. I agree with the book that it helps students retain and process information. I need to get better at actually using this strategy in my class. I use it occasionally in science and social studies. I do have students do written responses in reading, but I would like to incorporate more writing into my math instruction. I like the idea of having students write how to solve problems or compare different mathematical concepts. We already have math journals and I can easily see having students do a short writing refection or learning log in them.
I found the concept of making writing more applicable to the students very interesting. While thinking about my class, I can recognize that some students would really buy into using their writing for a purpose. It is almost easier to make the teacher the audience because most of the time that is true. But finding real ways for students to apply and show what they know to a wider audience makes the writing more meaningful for them and the quality of writing is often better. I think that I will use this to try to modify some of my existing writing prompts to make them have a larger application for the students. Perhaps the persuasive essays about recycling could be written as letters to the editor. Maybe some of the student work could be published in the school newsletter. These are defiantly things to keep in mind.
I do already have students use the writing process when working on writing. We always start with planning and do multiple drafts to help their writing become clearer. The book mentioned several times the positive impact of using portfolios in writing. While I’m sure this is a very helpful strategy, I have no idea what they mean when they say portfolio. Is this where student keep all of their writing or just final copies? Is it different than a writing journal?
One of the things that stood out to me was the necessity of well written prompts. I’m concerned about my ability to write such prompts considering they should be specific but not overly specific. I feel like I could very easily make mistakes in regards to this and am not sure how to write a “good prompt.” Any suggestions?
Michelle, the portfolio is a collection of student work that either the teacher, student, or both select as a representation of their learning progress. This can be categorized by subject or function and can contain an entire years worth of work. It might contain writing pieces, projects, tests and quizzes, artwork... Definitely writing.
DeleteStudents and teachers can use this to progress. It can be used specifically to collect pieces at each stage of the writing process, in different subjects to document progression, used as material for a public presentation and kept as a final product for the culmination of the course or grade.
Writing prompts: I like to write my own. I categorize them by IMAGINE, REFLECT, or DESCRIBE. Part of my WEIRD acronym. Writing Everyday are the first two words.
Next, I write one or two sentences asking them to do one of the three with a specific writing prompt. I tie these to the literature lessons themes and concepts. Since I teach all subjects, I sometimes tie them to the current topic in other subjects as well.
There is a fun writing prompt ap on Ipad from writing.com. I am sure there are other programs that you can find online. The rule that I have become accustomed to is be as specific as you can in only a few sentences. One or two are ideal. Three or four are okay once in a while. I like to have the focused task (imagine, reflect, describe) as the structure. Other than that, I always give the option of choosing another topic.
Michelle,
DeleteI might be repeating what someone may have said, however, I also like portfolios because the student can compare how they were doing from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. Hopefully, they will see progress. As their teacher, during a student-teacher conference, you could point out their growths to them since it may be hard for them to see growth.
Thank you for all of your help. You have given me some useful ideas and clarified much.
DeleteI agree with you that more writing needs to be done in math. Anything you're doing now?
DeleteI am always looking for good things to supplement the standard drill and kill to math. Recently we've been writing out thoughts before starting the problem. We just started, but it shows me at least what they know and helps me gauge an understanding of what they know and their thought process.
@ Jess
DeleteI really like your WEIRD acronym! Did you make it up or get it from somewhere? Can you give me an example of each (Imagine, Reflect, Describe), like when you're giving an assignment to your kids? I teach 1st grade and want to see how I can adapt it to their needs.
I use prompts off of the internet. I also have piles of cards that are characters, setting, and plot. A child comes and picks one card from each box. The students then have to make up their own story using the selected parts of a story. My students have really enjoyed doing it.
Delete@ Jaime,
DeleteYes, I came up with the WEIRD acronym myself.
Imagine you are a famous singer/musician and travel the world on tour. What kind of music do you perform? Where in the world is your first tour stop and where is your last?
Reflect on a time when you felt left out.
Describe the perfect school day. Create an activity for every hour, 9am-430pm.
We do these daily.
Pamella Carter Simpson
ReplyDelete“Because Writing Matters”
Chapter 2
3/10/12 7:54 P.M.
My Response:
I agree in that in the past our major focus has been emphasis on writing mechanics and handwriting, not critical analysis. As the book indicates, the mechanics and grammar of writing can be taught along the way, during the process of communicating, not in isolated drills that research shows does not improve writing.
Writing can be used to improve higher-order thinking skills according to John C. Bean in “Engaging Ideas”:
1. Allow students to connect to prior knowledge and personal experience (just like in reading),
2. Ask students to teach concepts,
3. Controversial themes,
4. Address problems,
5. Give raw data and analyze,
6. Sentence frames,
7. Role-Play,
8. Article abstracts,
9. Controversial dialogue from different points of view,
10. Realistic scenarios
Writing is a life long growth process and is not a linear process. Good writers start at various points and revisit and revise many times. Good writers see reading and writing as inseparable tools:
1. Better writers are better readers,
2. Better writers read more,
3. Better writers produce writing with better grammar,
4. Same intellectual strategies are used in reading and writing,
5. Processes are similar for reading and writing,
6. Same skills are used for reading and writing.
Writing must incorporate the child’s socio-cultural world as well.
Technology can be an ideal tool for use in the revision process lending itself naturally to peer editing and nonintrusive teacher input with students being more willing to take risks due to their comfort level with technology. (That means as teachers, we need to get more tech savvy.)
The younger we start teaching and incorporating writing, the better our students become at writing and are better natural writers or it appears easier to them.
At the end of Chapter 2, ELL students in a UCLA Writing Project were taken to a bookstore to buy $300 worth of books for their classroom. They became enthusiastic over their new books. Why? Did ownership, expectations that they could read, and buy-in from being allowed to pick out their own selections make a difference? Results showed these students reading more frequently at higher reading levels. Great study!
Chapter 3
Successful practices:
1. Planning the writing,
2. Multiple drafts,
3. Teacher student discussion/conferencing,
4. Portfolios,
5. Writing long answers whenever possible,
6. Pay more attention to content and organization,
7. Require students to reflect, analyze, and synthesize,
8. Give students a framework, guidelines, scaffolding for writing prompts/ideas,
9. Genuine opportunity to communicate to a real audience,
10. More writing opportunities,
11. Opportunities to write across all content areas, which shows higher test scores, more thorough retention of subject matter,
@Michelle
ReplyDeleteI've also been thinking about how to incorporate more writing into the content areas. From here on out, I'm going to plan at least one written response per unit. I want them to be fun and creative, which means i need to get fun and creative to lead by example. I'd like to give them options on the format of the writing (how to, email, creative narrative, comic strip, etc). I do have Barry Lane's Wacky We-search book about writing projects for content areas (Rock cycle fashion show, Percentage of Roman soldier's thinking, recipe for a natural disaster). I've always enjoyed doing these creative projects, but now I need to get some done to display for the class.
I'm going to try to have students do a piece of writing per subject (journal, refelction, application, compare/contrast, etc) and try to use this at least once a week. I also like your ideas of using comic strips and creative narrative. Thanks for all ideas.
DeleteI LOVE making comics. In my Science class we use them all the time. For the digestive system, how oil is formed, the life of a water droplet.....really anything that has a long enough sequence. The first one is always tough, but once they have done one and see what I really want then they nail it and have fun drawing all the pictures and making up the story.
DeleteI definitely agree that writing should be learned across all subject areas. Writing is an easy thing to integrate into social studies and science. In my classroom, we have science journals that we write in. Our social studies activities usually involve writing as well.
ReplyDeleteI really found the study of effective writing assignments to be helpful. Each area had an example of what an effective assignment would be. As a learner it is very helpful to have concrete examples. It helps me visualize what really makes the assignment effective.
I know that I need to be more explicit in assignment directions and really tell the students what I am looking for and to make sure I am giving them enough choices but not too many. What is the right number of choices? I’m sure it varies per grade level and per assignment.
The two teacher practices discussed also resonated with me. The two practices to support higher scores in writing were teacher-student discussion and portfolios. I know that I do not do enough teacher-student discussion when they are writing and I have never used portfolios before. I definitely realize that I need to step up the writing process in my classroom! I think there has been too much time spent on isolated lessons on mechanics and such and not enough time on the writing process as a whole.
In middle school we keep portfolios of student work, and then for conferences we pull out all the work and attempt to organize it in a way that shows parents what their child has learned all year.
DeleteI have only been at it 3 years and I still haven't found a way to include the correct type and number of assignments to show growth. I think that if I increase my writing products and am able to show more before and after pieces I might have more luck.
I have made a concerted effort with my middle schoolers this year to produce rubrics to go along with writing assignments that tell them explicitly what I am looking for in their work. Whether or not it has been helpful to them as writers, it has been immensely helpful to me as a writing teacher. Not only do my students know what I want from them, but I know what I want from them too! It has definitely helped bring some structure to my class, and has helped guide my teaching and my interactions with my students regarding their work.
DeleteCh 2 - Learning to Write
ReplyDeleteReading this chapter I had a thought come to mind: "Why is grammar important?" It's mainly from a Devil's advocate's point of view, but I couldn't easily come up with a reason why grammar is so important. Obviously when improper grammar and mechanics impedes understanding, that's a problem, but your general grammatical mistake? So what?
Continuing the reading, the author quotes a few experts, but it seems that the main reason they discuss deals with how a writer's grammar influences (mainly through stereotypes) the reader's opinion of the writer.
I'm not going to stop teaching grammar. I realize that the reason stated above is reason enough to continue teaching grammar, but I was just wondering what other people were thinking? When grammar doesn't impede meaning, what difference does it make?
Hmmmm, "When grammar doesn't impede meaning, what difference does it make?" The only response I have is from a second language point of view. I speak French fluently and have come to feel that part of learning a language is respecting the language, both grammar and accent. I feel it's my duty to speak/write correctly and have a very good accent. I would only hope ELLs would do the same thing. I can just imagine writing something in French with many mistakes (although the reader can understand the overall meaning)...my listener/reader might be sympathetic but probably not, they'd wonder "Where did she learn her French?" This doesn't answer your question but those are my thoughts about it and I hope I made some sense :)
DeleteEric,
DeleteThat's a very good question for me to ponder as well. I always notice grammatical errors in publications, and for me, it eventually does affect the credibility of the author. I'm also rewarded with some chuckles along the way. I guess that really, that's why writers have editors. Authors have the creative passion to produce literature that people want to read. They can rely on their editors to correct any errors that they may make.
Funny, I was just thinking about how writing could be almost "split up" into different genres being easier for different types of people. Folks that love diagramming sentences and grammar can really succeed with technical writing - reports, maybe persuasive pieces, footnoting, news articles, etc. While those who really have great passion for the written word and specific topics can produce other great pieces of literature - novels, etc.
In response to Eric--Becky Norsworthy
DeleteI agree with most of what Jaime and Angie have to say. I notice grammatical errors, and they do tend to distract me from the content of the writing and lead me to doubt the credibility of what I'm reading. I tell my students that grammar and conventions count in the world beyond high school. Those who don’t know the difference between there, their, and they’re may consider that inconsequential, but the opinions of others are shaped by observations of such things, fair or not.
I don't think learning language in a structured way leads to a lack of creativity, consigning those who learned through diagramming sentences (I did!) to technical writing. If that were true, how could we explain the incredible creativity of the countless wonderful authors who undoubtedly learned from teachers using methods so rigid and rigorous that we wouldn't dream of using them today?
Thanks for your thoughts, and like all of you, I am guilty of passing judgement on the author based on his/her grasp of standard American grammar.
DeleteAfter posting this, I went on a little Internet search and came across dialect discussions - whether it was beneficial or not to teach different dialects. According to most linguists, most dialects are considered to be completely correct in regards to staying within that dialect. That is to say that each dialect has its own set of rules and grammar and that across speakers these rules are upheld. Teaching in rural Alaska I see my students' control of English to be definitely that in one of transition. But not so much of one individual gaining control of the dominant language - rather a society gaining control of the dominant language. One of our Native teachers has coined (at least I think he did) the phrase "ptarmigan" language (a play on a pidgin language). When looked at it this way it takes on another understanding altogether. The way I see it is that my students successfully communicate in a wide continuum of proficiency both in Yupik and English without ever realizing what they are doing. Stopping every sentence to correct their grammar or marking the heck out of their writing seems like all I'm doing is pointing out their deficiencies when really more focus should be on what they are doing successfully.
I don't think you should stop every sentence to correct their grammar. It is a fact, however, that to succeed in the larger world these students will need to master standard English. It is not only in the village setting that teachers encounter this situation. Dimond, although an urban high school, has a diverse student population bringing many variations of standard English to the classroom.
DeleteChapter 2 was great! It made me feel good about knowing about and agreeing with much of what was said. I kept thinking back to all the reading that went along with my National Boards.
ReplyDelete-Donald Graves says, “The writing process is anything a writer does from the time the idea came until the piece is completed or abandoned. There is no particular order. So it’s not effective to teach writing process in a lock-step, rigid manner." I don't think I agree with that. I think that as you go along, you may backtrack a step but you always start with pre-writing and end with publishing. Curious what others think of this quote.
-From the "Ten Strategies for Teaching Critical Thinking and Inquiry":
1) Think of tasks that would let students link concepts in your course to their personal experience or prior knowledge.
I didn't think most of those strategies applied to 1st graders, but this one definitely did and is one I'm cognizant of.
-In this day and age I agree that “Helping writers develop the fluency and competence to use a variety of technologies needs to be a key part of teaching writing.” It's an issue of time and resources though.
-I very much agree with and have seen many times throughout my 13 years of teaching that "Better writers tend to: be better readers, read more than poor writers, produce syntactically more mature writing"
-This chapter mentioned the "shape" of writing (how a sentence should look, how a paragraph should like). This seems like a "Duh!" moment, but I'd never really thought about this before and feel I need to do this as we start writing in the fall.
- I agree that “For a second language learner, writing is an extension of listening and speaking. When students have opportunities to build and refine their oral language, their writing also improves.” but think it totally applies to native English speakers as well! Kids write what they say.
Chapter 3 really made me want to examine and reflect on the writing projects my 1st graders do. Are they really quality projects or can they be tweaked to make them better?
-I agree that these practices are linked to strong performance: planning, multiple drafts, student-teacher discussion, portfolios, knowing/doing the writing process. I do most of these...planning being my favorite!
-I agree and like that the quality of writing assignments “Encourages student engagement with writing processes in ways that go beyond formulaic use of prewriting, drafting and revision.”
-I need to think more about:
* Content & Scope (engages students in a
series of cognitive
processes: reflection,
analysis, synthesis)
* Organization & Development (framework
for developing
ideas)
* Audience & Communication
* Engagement & Choice
In response to your Donald Graves quote -
DeleteDo you think second, third, etc. editions would count as reentering the writing process after publishing? I have never done this in class, but it would be interesting to have students pull out older writing pieces (I teach high school and have access to their entire school career writing portfolios) and rework a piece. I know that my students love looking at their old writing, maybe letting them update some of it would be beneficial, or enjoyable, or both.
@ Eric
DeleteDo you mean, for instance, I've published a poem (it's in a class book, for example) but I pull out a 2nd draft and decide to change it? A writer can always change their mind and go back...that goes along with what Graves said. But in my mind, published is like "the end of the road" and it's set in stone. Maybe that's not a good way to view it though...
According to the reading, decades of research have shown that isolated skill drills fail to improve student writing and the same goes for teaching grammar in isolated context. I agree with this. I have never had difficulty teaching the process of writing, but the grammar has been a challenge. Unfortunately, it is important to teach the skills in isolation because that is how the students are tested. Students are tested on their writing skills with isolated grammar exercises. So, we really are responsible for teaching in this manner despite the research. There just needs to be a good balance and judgment on the teacher’s part regarding how much isolated skill drills to teach vs. practical writing assignments.
ReplyDeleteA strategy that I found useful, was the peer editing questions, “ What was it you really wanted to say?” “How well did you say it?” and “How could I help you say it better.” These simple questions are so effective and more productive than, “You need to go rewrite that sentence,” or “That sentence is too wordy.” The questions lead to reflection and are productive. I will even use those questions to evaluate my own writing.
I find that my students tend to pick up the grammar skill more quickly if they can apply it to their personal writing.
DeleteI like your questions!! Part of our Dual Language Program is to have the kids self-assess/peer-assess and discuss how they are doing. I would love to try out these questions with my students!
These two chapters had a lot of information, but as an ELL teacher I found a lot of good stuff in chapter two.
ReplyDeleteI had a student last week tell me that her mom "was dumb". When asked why she said because her mom didn't know english and couldn't do anything. They moved here from the Dominican Republic 2 years ago, and mom works in a place where she can speak spanish all day AND doesn't have anyone to teach her English like the student does.
This fits in with this chapter because it talks about how a writer/reader/speaker has to not just learn an entire new language but an identity to. It talks about how student writing develops along with a "system of values, beliefs, norms, and behaviors that are inherently social." I couldn't agree more with this. I have watched many of my students become "Americanized" as the year has progressed. A shy and quiet boy has blossomed with reading and writing but is also now an annoyingly loud American! It has to be immensely scary to drop your home culture and way of doing things and take on something totally new. The rules that you have gone by your whole life, socially and educationally, no longer work and you have to start over. Our text points out that these students are not less intelligent, they just haven't learned all of the norms yet.
I also enjoyed the 10 strategies for teaching critical thinking and inquiry. Some of these I already use in my classroom and others I am open to try. I scanned the pages with the 10 on them into my Writing Curriculum folder on my computer. Our students need to understand that their writing has a message and isn't just for a grade.
In response to Shannon--Becky Norsworthy
DeleteI also took special note of those 10 strategies.
I was particularly interested in your ELL observations. I taught English as a second language (actually,in many cases as a third or fourth) to adults from other countries in a program through my church. My volunteer teaching spanned about nine years, most before I began work as a public school teacher. Those classes gave me an understanding of the incredible sacrifices many of our students' parents have made to provide a better life for their children.
The AED report findings state that "teachers who give students assignments requiring authentic intellectual work see greater gains on standardized tests." Also noted, students who are required to regularly write longer essay type answers to questions also perform better on tests. This interesting research might suggest that studying and teaching to the test is not the best test preparation method.
ReplyDeleteI have always enjoyed myself in classrooms where I learned deeply and spent time working on a project. Times I felt most proud in school were after producing something I invested myself in academically and emotionally. Although the exact topic was never chosen for me, there was always a given focus, a purpose, possibly creating something in response to a problem. A realization. An analysis. A collaboration. A celebration!
We are getting ready to publish the persuasive essays my students have been working on this passed quarter. A public parent/student presentation will occur next week during conferences. The students have revised, edited, peer edited and will complete a self-evaluation to complete the process. This has by far been the most involved and detail oriented assignment given the nature of the persuasive essay. They deserve a celebration. Asking them to reflect on their performance will encourage this type of reflection in the future, and thus, more intrinsic motivation.
Also, instead of using just the multiple choice format for quizzes and tests, I am not only asking readers in my class to respond weekly in writing a reader response jounral with focused questions, I am incorporating this same concept into my other classes as well. For social studies, as a quiz I asked students to collaborate on a writing assignment which applied concepts learned from the text to critical thinking skills. They also had to work together, making the task a complex cognitive process and a social experience.
In physical science, we read articles connected to physics concepts learned in class. Many deal with issues pertinent to current events and controversial subjects. In these cases, it's easy to find topics for a science journal or opinion piece. Otherwise, I have asked students to write about certain types of energies and their impact on their own everyday life. Initially, I thought it might be difficult to mix writing and physical science.
I took an ASWC class in August 2011 called Connecting Writing and Science. Although the class focused on environmental and earth sciences, I was able to glean and brainstorm many ideas on how to bring writing into my science classroom. I think students enjoy the variety of assignments in the class and have accepted the writing aspects with eager pens.
I truly believe that giving students many opportunities to think or learn by writing will expand and enhance all of their language and academic skills. Make it personal then teach the formal. Ask for specificity and then open spectrum. Allow students autonomy with guided focus. Write, write, write to understand the world.
Thoughts on Chapter 2: Learning to Write--
ReplyDeleteI loved the analogy on pg. 20 of learning only the mechanical parts of writing as being the same as learning to drive by reading the state's road laws and a vehicle's owner's manual. It reminded me of an episode of The Big Bang Theory where genius physicist Sheldon tries to do just that (learn to drive by reading manuals, researching on the internet, etc.). Of course, he fails miserably at his attempt. The only way you can learn to drive is to get behind the wheel and get out on the road, just as the only way you can learn to write is to put words on paper, mistakes be damned. Is it good to have a working knowledge of the mechanics of writing? Of course. Is it a good idea to tear apart a young writer's attempts with the red pen of doom? Of course not. Writing is art. The rules are more like guidelines at times, because there is a certain amount of "artistic license" allowed. As a teacher of writing, I think it is important to foster in my students a healthy balance of rules and art. I don't want them to be afraid of trying new and different things with their work, or constantly living in fear of me an my correcting pen. At the same time, I do want them to be able to "bring it" mechanically if they need to write a business letter or complete an application for college or work. The quote from the book which made that point for me is on pg. 37 and it comes from English teacher Jim Burke: "If students aren't regularly held accountable for their correctness, it just won't seem important to them. Imagine a math class where it 'doesn't matter if you get it right...'"
Thoughts on Chapter 3: Writing to Learn--
Writing is key across contents. It gives students a chance to reflect on what they have read or learned and make it their own. The more students write, the less intimidating it becomes. There is only so much we can do within the confines of writing class.
I was particularly intrigued by the segments on pgs. 46-48 regarding effective writing assignments. Chief among those segments to strike my fancy was the bit on pg. 48 regarding audience and communication. " An effective assignment goes beyond the use of a 'pretend' audience and offers the student a genuine opportunity to communicate to a real audience." That quote recalls one given by Pearson in chapter two: "That's a wonderful kind of expectation to promote in classrooms: what we write is written to be read." I know for a fact that students respond strongly to a "live audience" -- one of the assignments my 5th, 6th, and 7th graders did this spring was to write a birthday letter to my Grammy, who will be 94 this month. Students who had barely picked up a pencil in my class came out of the woodwork and completed this assignment. I was genuinely amazed. There is certainly a power in writing to a specific audience, and knowing that your work will be read by someone outside of your immediate circle of peers and teachers. Writing IS meant to be read, and I was grateful for that reminder. Of course, my students share their work with classmates and I read anything that crosses my desk, but there is power in being able to write to communicate. I would like to try more projects like the letter to my Grammy -- projects with an audience; projects that are meant to be read and shared outside of the classroom comfort zone.
In response to Jane re: Ch. 3--Becky Norsworthy
DeleteI regularly have students tell me in their reflection papers that they feel their writing has improved as they've written stories for Dimond's student newspaper. One of the things that sets the class apart from other English classes is the fact that students are writing for a real audience, not a pretend one.
Two things have struck me immediately, that I wanted to capture before they escape.
ReplyDelete1. Ch. 2 states, "Students must also learn how to question their own assumptions and reflect critically on an alternative or opposing viewpoint."
I still remember that my Junior year of high school was the year we wrote the big research paper. One of the papers my teacher assigned, the absolute best assignment I've ever gotten the privilege to complete, was to write a paper from an opposing viewpoint. He had a list of "hot-button" issues for us to choose from, and I chose illegal immigration. The assignment was to choose a topic, determine your true belief/stance on that topic, and then write a paper from the opposing viewpoint. Now, I'm sure I could have written the whole thing from my true viewpoint, and he would never have known, but I didn't.
I wrote from the opposing view, and found it to be the most rewarding writing I've done...probably still to this day. Our whole lives we HEAR that there are two sides to every story, but that was the first time I had ever EXPERIENCED that to be really true. I had thought I was anti-illegal immigration. Writing a paper from the position of someone wanting to come to the US and the reasons for that desire, really opened my eyes. I don't know that it strengthened my opinion on the matter one way or the other, as much as it showed me that maybe I didn't really know what my opinion was. I really, for the first time, could see both sides of the story.
2. Ch. also mentions the "old" way of teaching writing as a focus on spelling, grammar and diagramming sentences. I LOVE to learn about that stuff, and learn how to do everything "right" as the rule-lover that I am. One of my favorite things about teaching is that it does show me the differences between people and how we all learn, where our strengths may lie.
I see students in my class just like myself as a young (and current) writer - they do their writing, correcting all mechanical errors as they go, so even every rough draft is pretty close to perfect.
Then, there's the girl who wrote an incredibly heart-warming piece, a page long, about how much she loves to draw. She writes about it being a great teckneak for your life that brings happyness to your heart. Her grandma taught her how to draw trees, suns, birds, clouds...
The passion of the artist really came out in her word choice and voice. I know how much she loves drawing because I know her, but the passion is also clear in her writing. The passion that is missing from the students that are very good, rule-following technical writers. It's so interesting to see the little parts of myself in my students, and also to see parts in them that I wish I had. I wonder at what age a person's passion diminishes. I would have to think long and hard about something that I could write passionately about, as passionately as my 3rd grade artist did about drawing.
When students are very passionate about the subject they are writing, they seem more willing to take risks and to use larger words that they might not know how to spell or use correctly. I routinely encourage the use of the thesaurus and dictionaries in my classroom. I need to emphasize the importance of finding new and exciting words. I think my students are sometimes afraid of choosing these new words for fear of using them incorrectly.
DeleteI was especially interested, in Chapter Two, in “A Glossary of Writing-as-Process Strategies” and in the ten strategies for teaching critical thinking and inquiry. Don’t we all, as teachers, want to inspire our students to “sequence an authentic argument that engages them as thinkers and others as readers”? Of course, we do. We walk a fine line, however, between giving them the scaffolding they need as emerging, mature writers and regimenting the writing process so that it becomes merely a series of steps to a finished product. That is certainly not how I write. Granted, I’m been writing for a while, but there comes a point at which the scaffolding gets in the way.
ReplyDeleteFor one thing, technology has changed the writing process. As I write, I’m continuously producing a first draft, revising it, producing what is, in effect, another draft, and on to the end of the piece of writing, whatever it is. I think that is more developed in my writing because of my journalism/newspaper experience. In writing for a newspaper on a tight deadline, there is no room for prewriting, freewriting, drafting, and revising, at least not as separate steps. Instead—and this is what makes writing so miraculously and wonderfully complex—all of those elements and others besides are weaving in and out of the writing process. I love it!
Because Writing Matters refers to this process as “cycling,” as good a word as any for it. I agree that writing “does not proceed linearly but instead cycles and recycles” through planning, translating and reviewing. As teachers, I think we should be spending more time with our students encouraging that cycling and recycling. This chapter affirms a commitment that I made earlier this year to develop methods that mirror my own experience as a writer rather than relying on rigid structures.
That said, I’m a teacher who believes that we are cheating our students if we do not teach the structures and conventions required in the world beyond high school. Those structures and conventions cannot and should not be required only occasionally for certain formal types of writing. If they are not used in all writing, they will not be available for any writing. I see that in my high school students every day.
I’m as enthusiastic and appreciative of creativity and spontaneity as anyone, but errors in basic capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, etc., at least at the high school level, do not equate to creativity. In my ninth-graders, they equate to not knowing. When I read pages and pages, in Because Writing Matters and elsewhere, that excuse the lack of skills in our students, I become angry. How can it be that most of the authors we revere in our American canon were taught to write by teachers using rigid and exacting methods? The fact that those writers knew how to use language at a high level (which means that someone like William Faulkner can then break any rule he/she wants to break) certainly did not stifle their creativity. In the Ken Burns series on the Civil War, I was struck by the beautifully written letters of ordinary men and women who undoubtedly were taught using the conventional methods of the time. Why is there such resistance to teaching students in elementary and middle school the conventions of our language?
Reading these chapters allowed me to see the importance of teaching grammar and the different components I have been working on so far this year. At the beginning of the year I really struggled with teaching grammar and my students struggled as well. Slowly as a class this skill is becoming stronger and we are really working through it.
DeleteI now find it is helpful if I teach and model with some of my own examples. We then create some examples together. When we are finished the students try it independently. I also make sure when we are reading throughout the day I review with them and make sure they are practices many times.