ASSIGNMENT SIX: DVD Reflection- Included in your text is a DVD containing video clips of Regie’s conferences with writers in the classroom. There is a detailed commentary accompanying the DVD on page 336 of her text. Please watch the DVD and then look at her teaching notes beginning on page 336 (Regie suggests just watching without notes first so that you don’t miss what she and the students are doing.) After both watching and reading her notes, write your reflection and please post a copy of your DVD Reflection to the blog.
*NOTE: If you experience problems playing the DVD please refer to the Writing Essentials companion website at www.heinemann.com/writingessentials for directions for playing the DVD. Look in the upper right hand corner for the link.
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The first thing I noticed from the Routman DVD is her exuberance for the writing of her students. She is so excited about their efforts and reflects that throughout her conferences. Even students who seem shy about their writing or appear uncomfortable in front of the class emerge with applause and pats on the back. I can do a much better job of celebrating the writing of my students, too.
ReplyDeleteAnother thought I had was how my students struggle when they write to a prompt I’ve chosen for them (like they face during the state writing assessments). If they could just write poems about favorite foods and funny memories, my job would be a whole lot easier. However, like Routman suggests with Garrett, their stories will always be soccer...or chocolate or their favorite pet. Helping students develop the confidence to write about any subject is important, though, and shared writing followed by the celebration of student work are important areas in which my instruction can improve.
I wanted to focus on Routman’s conference with Derek because it reminded me most of some of my developing writers. Like Derek, those students have stories and can share them aloud very well. They can explain their thoughts and can be very entertaining when they do it. Putting those thoughts and feelings into words is the difficult part. Routman is encouraging and supportive in this brief video and even helps Derek organize the sequence of events so he can bring his story to an effective end. Just as with the other conferences, Routman doesn’t correct spelling or grammar mistakes...those can be fixed later. I have to remember that when I get back to teaching writing this fall. I could picture myself doing the same conference but stopping to make a mini-lesson out of the misspelling of a frequency word or a “Me and my friend” mistake. By gliding past those errors, Routman’s conference is quick, smooth, and the students return to their desks proud of what they’ve done and motivated by the experience.
Routman’s story about Max was also very interesting to me. The fact that the celebration conference transformed Max’s whole outlook on school was amazing. I have seen that with students of my own and it only reminds me of other previous opportunities I may have had to celebrate a student’s achievement and what that may have meant to that child. It will have to be an emphasis of mine from now on. Writing often feels like a chore for some of my students (often the boys) and the conferences on this DVD show how writing throughout the day can be more constructive and help bring out the voice and creativity of my class.
Chuck Fall assignment #6
ReplyDeleteDVD Reflection
The smiles on the students’ faces show the joy the kids felt as they were led through their public reading. Regie was clear that the reason for doing the public conferencing was to celebrate the students’ writing. However, as she led each student through the reading she used the occasion to instruct about writing by commenting on those things each student is doing well. She made it a point to read each piece of writing twice. If a poem isn’t too long, it is best to read it two times (perhaps the first time to hear it and the second to really listen). I like this practice.
I noticed how she avoided picking on grammatical details knowing that she would address that issue later, during editing, for example. She kept each conference very positive and rightly so. I notice I shut down a little when someone points out my errors. But Regie avoided this and perhaps built up the trust with all of the students in the room. This reminds me of the saying “ time and place” to consider when corrections will be best received and when it is better to focus on the success. This is a good lesson for me to keep in mind.
By setting up the public conference with an explanation of the purpose of the activity (to celebrate writing) Regie makes it a safe activity. By staying true to her call for celebration (and not throwing in a negative about grammar) she delivered on her promise. She created a safe environment for sharing. And the laughter shows the students joy. This was wonderful and beautiful to see. I want to emulate her in my high school classes.
I noticed how she uses the sticky notes to give students suggestions. In the text she discusses this. I think she said she uses the sticky notes to avoid putting her marks on the student’s paper; mainly as a way to show her respect for the student’s writing and giving the student full control over the writing and revising process. I will try to emulate this practice as well.
I wish I had a document projector in my classroom. With the student’s permission, it would be very easy to project the writing for all to see, and “celebrate” the writing. Alternatively, I can photocopy onto transparencies, or make a jpeg and show it on the screen.
Watching the DVD has been incredibly helpful to me. I loved how she broke down the DVD into manageable sections with the great extras of Regie’s comments, “about the student”, “a closer look”, and more. The layout of the DVD really helped and it correlated nicely to the book. I was able to watch each section and then read the further notes in the book. For me, watching Regie work was exceedingly helpful. I think that I have learned so much from watching these techniques in action. I feel more comfortable leading my own conferences, after watching this.
ReplyDeleteI loved the fact that you could witness Max’s comfort and success. The class loved his writing and so did he! It was a really neat moment for a previously reluctant student.
Paige’s poem was very impressive. I liked the topic of “Getting Braces” as it’s nice for the kids to share their concerns through writing. It helps us all understand that we all share the same hopes and dreams and fears. Paige made so many revisions to her poem, when I looked at the “closer look”. It was very impressive that she could revise on her own. I had the same feeling about Garret’s “red hair poem”. It was great to see kids writing and SHARING about things they are concerned about! This assignment was great as the kids were invested in it and their writing showed it!
Ervin’s conference was great to see because when I was reading I had trouble envisioning what a Whole-Class Share looked like. I was impressed with how attentive the class was, even though they weren’t being specifically spoken to during the full conference. They responded perfectly when Regie brought them back in. I also liked seeing my grade level at work. It makes it seem much more possible for me to teach this way! With Derek’s conference, I was able to see again how the whole group conferences could be run. I liked how Regie was writing on a sticky note and asking great clarifying questions!
AlexSandra’s conference was very helpful for me to watch too. I have many times worked with a student when their original writing didn’t make sense to me at all. Regie did a great job of asking questions and leading the student to a better story. However, I think the student would still feel like they had great ownership over the story.
I really liked the idea of putting the student’s work on the document camera. The spelling lesson was great because students can circle their misspelled words and revise them. I liked how the spelling conference went!
Lastly, I liked getting to see the Student Gallery of Writing. I agree that with the right audience and purpose, writing can take on great meaning to the student! The Student Gallery of Writing gave me some excellent ideas for next year. The Heart Poem book was neat- was an interesting cover too! I would like to try the Procedures book early on in the year and the Secrets of Second Graders too! I think that the Procedures for a Sub Handout is so neat! I’ll do this for sure! Overall, watching this DVD was incredibly helpful for me.
S. Ortega
ReplyDeleteMy first thought as I watched the video of Lahana’s Poem was that this child was enjoying the process and you could see her confidence improve throughout the conference. Regie was very excited about the student’s work and gave lots of heartfelt praise. I liked how she pointed out specifically what was great about each piece of writing. (Examples: Title and its importance, wording and repeated the great words used and focusing on great endings.) These were all skills that were being taught to the whole class during celebration. It was wonderful to see how much teaching takes place during celebration.
It was also very helpful to see Derek’s Whole Class Share and see how direct Regie was with her teaching. She was very supportive and positive towards Derek and began by congratulating the writer on his great beginning. She showed how to ask questions to prompt the student to finish the story and not let it run on and on. There was a lot of rereading out loud and asking questions to help Derek sequence his story properly. She also modeled how to deal with the parts of the story that don’t make sense to the reader, and help him fix those issues.
I too have students that are like Alexsandra who need that extra help one on one. It was good to see how she was able to help the student find her true topic and make it clear for her and the reader. I liked how she used the sticky notes to help the student fix their own work when they returned to their seat instead of writing on the paper herself. This gives responsibility back to the student. This also helps a student that struggles with spelling by giving them the support they need to do their best content writing.
Lastly, it was great to see how she taught spelling using the student’s writing on the overhead as the whole class observed. It was a good reminder this type of teaching helps all students and gets the whole class thinking. I liked how she repeated to the class that she was happy that they weren’t telling the answer to reinforce the class’s good behavior. She was able to get the class to think about writing patterns and apply it to their writing. She teaches them to use what they know and try it and then ask does this look right. They might need to try again before they get it right, but once they do get it she tells them they can never misspell that word again and even added a handshake.
Watching Regie work with students was very beneficial. I can see myself reviewing the DVD as I begin this process in my classroom to help me be more effective.
As I watched this video I realized that all the children seemed to be on task and part of the process. Each child that was brought up to share was so different, except their body language and facial expressions. Each child was a bit nervous, but as time went on and Regie conducted each conference, you could see how they changed. They sat differently, smiled, read louder, and look at the audience with a smile on their face. WOW!
ReplyDeleteI love the author's chair. A place where each student can sit and be honored for their hard work. My students stand and this can sometimes be very difficult, so I love the idea of an author's chair.
It was terrific to see how much she could teach just by using the student's work. She did the teaching in such a way, that I am sure that the students did not realize how much they were truly being taught. What a wonderful way to teach, engage, motivate, and build confidence in our young writers.
After reading and seeing the DVD, I loved the use of sticky notes. I wasn't sure at first, because I was worried that students would use them as a crutch. Reading about Owen and seeing the process Regie used in getting him started was great. I felt great that Owen went back and used the sticky notes as a spring board for his story. When Owen left Regie you could tell that he felt inspired due to his hard work on his story.
I really enjoyed reading the plans and how she approached each project. I loved the ideas that she used. By the prep work (discussion, shared writing, public conferences) she was able to set the students in the forward motion. I can not wait to get back to work and use some of these ideas and the strategies of how to teach writing. I hope to see a change in my reluctant writers as well as a sense of interest and pleasure during writing. I truly believe that can happen now for each of my students. Writing does not need to be a an unloved subject.
Regie does such a great job at praising these students. I have been doing this with a young boy I am tutoring this summer. He is a 4th grader who struggles in school. I have found I am doing so much more teaching with the shared writing, and conferencing with Bryan then I ever would have. I find positives to congratulate him on. It is amazing how his face lights up.
The last thing I want to comment on is how she would share the actual writing with the audience. I always have felt that presentation was important. I understand that these were not finished pieces, but she did comment on how they were layed out (spacing, line breaks, style words were written...). This is one more reason for the students to think about their audience. Some students are so worried about mistakes, but the way she shared, you could see that students would not need to worry about being called on the carpet for the marks. It is more like praise for using them and striving to make a really great story.
I need to explain that I did a little reading ahead. I didn't realize that the lesson plans were not part of the reading. I also read the DVD notes. So if you are reading my post, I have included some responses based on the lesson plans. Sorry for the confusion. They are great once you get the chance to read them. If I am right this time, it will be for lesson 8. Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteHeather Farnsworth
ReplyDeleteEssentials of Writing
Assignment 6: DVD Reflection
July 29, 2010
Watching Regie interact with real students is so beneficial to get a visual of good teaching. It was apparent from all her videos that a student conference = celebration = increased self conference.
I noticed some great things that were reinforced. One thing I noticed is that to reinforce the purpose of writing she showed the piece of writing to the class and used her finder to actually point to the words. She demonstrated, without saying a thing, that each word is important in writing.
Another thing I noticed is that she chose one, maybe two things to focus on at a time when conferencing with a student. If she did toss in a second suggestion, it was small, like a title. I like the way that the student always was in control of the pencil and process. If Regie did write on the piece it was minimal, or she used post-its. She gave suggestions, but always reinforced that it was up the writer to take it or leave it. I liked the way that Regie used line by line editing, as to not overwhelm the writer and to also add in the self-confidence. Every student is a writer; teachers are there to guide and celebrate even the littlest steps in a student’s success.
Hi LDborg: I noticed your post it said,
ReplyDelete"If they could just write poems about favorite foods and funny memories, my job would be a whole lot easier. However, like Routman suggests with Garrett, their stories will always be soccer...or chocolate or their favorite pet."
I agree with this and I want to try using more free verse poetry with my high school students to create a fun and playful environment for playing with words and language. I think we should do more by asking kids to write poetry about the things the do, like sports or their favorite pet.
Good Luck next fall,
Chuck Fall
Assignment #6: DVD Conferencing Reflection
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed watching the conferences. It was a great way to actually see Regie in action. Regie made each student feel confident about something that they did well in their writing. She always started out with a positive point. She gently adds teaching points, suggestions, while scaffolding and guiding the students to help them move along. Regie demonstrated conferences with accomplished and struggling writers. The whole group conferences were beneficial for all.
The whole group conferences were a good way to lift the student up and help create connections in the classroom. Max got to shine in the author’s chair as he shared a story about his “pet monkey”. The students were delighted by his humor in his story. I like how the student would read it once, Regie would read it, and then the student would read it again. Rereading gave everybody a chance to think and further discuss the writing.
I enjoyed watching Ervin’s conference since he is an English language learner and this gave me some ideas about how to further scaffold my students in writing. When scaffolding, Regie, makes suggestions and helps the students to own it and put their thoughts in their own words. She helps Ervin to sequence his story. She compliments his title immediately. She talks him through and prompts him to figure out what comes next in his story. I like how Regie makes a suggestion, has the child state the thought in his own words, and then scaffolds by writing on sticky notes, not directly on the paper. This increases ownership and I will try that this year. I also like how she suggests if something is redundant and models in the air with her pencil to cross a line out, and then the student does the editing.
It was beneficial for me to watch AlexSandra’s conference. Regie imbedded several important teaching points into the lesson. Regie reads through the story and asks AlexSandra about her title. Regie then teaches that the title needs to go with the body of the story in order to limit confusion. Regie also taught AlexSandra about the carrot in order to insert words.
The editing spelling whole group was a great way to help that one student and teach a mini lesson based on student need. Regie realized that students didn’t know what letters form the “ow” sound. She then generated a list with “ow” and “ou” words helping students build on words they already knew, “out”. I like how she guided Derek on figuring out the spelling for himself.
I feel that I learned some strategies that I can take back and try out this school year.
Amy Jensen
ReplyDeleteWriting Essentials
Assignment 6
I am very thankful this book included a DVD to see Regie in action. She truly does celebrate students as writers and is amazing to watch.
I noticed the poems that students in the 4th grade classroom shared were good enough to be kept as they were. I was surprised how good they were for only a first draft. Many of my students seemed to struggle so much last year, I rarely ever celebrated at that stage, but I clearly saw how easy it was to do it in such a positive way. So often when I work with kids I am always encouraging them to fix something. I love that she honored their writing as it was. She was able to pull the great things they did and teach on that without fixing every little thing.
When I watched the 2nd grade conferences, it felt a little closer to home. The students in my class last year had a lot of difficulty writing. I love that she did everything on a post-it note rather than write on their paper. I need to respect student's work and ask permission before I change or give them suggestions. Letting them go back with the post-it gives them the independent time they need to work on their papers. Whereas, last year, I rarely could get my struggling student to be independent.
The conference with Alex reminded me of a student from last year. Almost everyday I had to sit with him to get him to write. However, to hear Regie say that by the end of the year, Alex was writing independently was amazing. Clearly my method last year was not as effective.
The spelling lesson was great to watch. I had a handful of horrible spellers last year. Basic words spelled wrong in the 4th grade! I am not so sure if it would be appropriate for me to do an editing lesson/conference like that in front of the whole class at my grade level. However, I could see myself running a small group like that. I love that she made an agreement with the student to never spell it wrong again and he didn't. Again, those higher expectations being met.
It was great to look through the gallery of work and hear her commentary.
Hi Everyone!
ReplyDeleteWe're glad you found watching the DVD a worthwhile assignment!
The video did a great job of demonstrating the purpose of the exercise: "to have all students experience joy and success in writing." As many have stated before, you can definitely see that the students are enjoying the process.
ReplyDeleteI like the constant positive interactions with the students, even while correcting errors. Focussing on celebration helps the students feel confident with their writing and opens them to constructive work on their pieces.
Establishing the objective of lessons is important for all students to understand the purpose and context of lessons, and Routman does this well in an informal way of stating and reviewing with the students. Each writer seemed to know what they were doing. I did notice with the spelling lesson that many of the students watching were distracted, which I assume reflects the nature of an elementary class. For the high school level, I would have to add in an element which keeps the other students involved in the process. I already have procedures which will make this happen, so using the whole-class approach should not be much of a challenge.
As I read through the lessons in the book, I was pleased to find the lists of what each lesson achieved. Many times, I get so focussed on one task that I forget I am actually covering more than one skill at a time. I will use the wording of the tasks listed in my own lesson plans. Most of the items I underlined for applying to my own purposes focussed on listening to peers and writing for a reader. I plan on applying these concepts more to my classroom to enable students to hear what others hear and write for their audience.
Another part I liked was how Routman celebrated the students putting themselves into their writing. This can be a challenge at the high school level, since the students have often learned to hide their individuality in order to belong to the group. Their writing ends up being rather general and not unique. I hope that by celebrating their individuality more, my students will take more chances.
I am constantly amazed how many words I find misspelled in the documents my students hand in, since most of them are word processed. Students seem to think that since computers have spell- and grammar check on them, they don't need to know spelling or grammar rules. However, many don't even use spell check on their papers or miss the words that are spelled correctly but are the wrong words. (Again, "shirt" without the "r" is still a word, but you don't want to give that to your mother for Christmas.) Identifying and using the whole-class approach with students' writing will reinforce the need of actually knowing how to spell and use grammar appropriately, regardless of technical resources.
Dew knot trussed yore spell chequer two fined awl yore mistakes
ReplyDeleteHi James, I've seen this quote in computer labs to remind students to check their work. If you haven't seen it before, this sentence does not turn up any spelling errors when spell check is used. :)
Thanks for the great quote!!! I'll have to use that sometime! : )
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