Assignment Nine: Final Course Reflection
This is it everyone!!! Welcome to the last assignment for the course! All coursework is due 8/20!!!
It's been great reading what you all have to share! Take a look at the last section in Regie's text, Writing Essentials, it's chock full of great resources!!!
Teaching in Action: Lesson Essentials
5 Day Lesson Plans & Appendices
• Secrets of Second Graders
• Heart Poems
• Procedural writing
• Hero writing
• Persuasive writing
• Appendix survey
Be sure to look through this section. If you haven’t already done so, look at Appendix A (page A-2.) Re-examine your beliefs about writing by re-reading the statements about the writing process and marking true or false in your book. Did you change any of your previous answers? Would you consider bringing this page to your team or even to your entire school to jump-start discussions about writing?
Take some time to look through the appendices. There are several useful examples included. One we’d like to point out to you is Appendix L- The Genre Characteristics Excerpt on page A-13. Look to the Writing Essentials companion website at www.heinemann.com/writingessentials for the entire chart as well as directions to assist you playing the DVD.
ASSIGNMENT NINE: Final Course Reflection - Critically examine your current literacy program and develop realistic goals to improve your instruction. Also reflect on the balance between your home and school life. If our students are to become happy, literate people, they need happy, balanced teachers. BRIEFLY, share several of your goals with the class by posting them to the blog for this final assignment.
We would appreciate any feedback you might be able to give us about the course! Please email us comments and thank-you for participating in our course!!!! Jackie & Mary!
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Assignment Nine: Final Course Reflection
ReplyDeleteThis summer one of my biggest professional goals was to work on my writing program for my second graders. Although I love writing myself, I needed ideas on how to bring that joy into my writing program. Although we did write everyday, I very rarely let my students’ free write and I didn’t put an emphasis on conferencing both individually and as a whole group.
I felt like this course really did simplify my teaching of writing, although I might have been skeptical of that possibility at first. I now feel free from writing a paragraph of comments on each paper and I’m not going to take home stacks of papers each weekend to edit. I see the positive impact of spending this time on one-on-one conferences instead. Students will gain more and appreciate the one-on-one attention. My husband will probably appreciate my lack of writing grading each weekend too.
To quote my post from assignment 8: I think I’m going to write this quote on an index card near my desk: “I have seen no research that shows that educators who work the longest hours get the best results. Evaluate if what you’re staying late for, or the hours of work you take home, will help your students.” This quote has me also questioning one of my most time-consuming projects: typing students writing. My first years teaching, I never typed student writing, and we published very neat handwritten pieces. Last year our grade level team decided to type up all of their best writing from the year and present it in a beautiful book for the kids to take home. It was a great idea, but the task became overwhelming and I think it (unconsciously) limited the amount of writing I wanted to do. Another downside is that we didn’t send home writing regularly, so it wasn’t celebrated regularly at home. I’d like to try the book again this year, but this time create a binder or three-prong folder to hold their best handwritten pieces of writing. I think that I’d like to make a copy of each completed piece to send home, so parents will see their work more frequently, as well as getting a special yearlong writing book.
One of my personal goals for this summer was to work on my work-life balance. I know that seems like an easy thing to do during the SUMMER : ). I’m also taking a few TINT courses that have helped along with this one. I highly recommend the two courses on teacher time management, especially for those who’ve taken this writing course. Taking these courses together has helped me see a bigger picture. I need to work on my work-life balance, so I give my students the best I can give them each day.
Regie’s book and this course have helped me develop goals both for my work-life balance as well as for my writing instruction. After careful reflection, I have created a list of my top goals in each category. One of my biggest issues is that I take on too many projects, finish them all, with a not-so-positive impact on my psyche and even worse, my home life. With this in mind I limited my pages of notes down to the top goals for writing and work-life balance!
Writing Instruction Goals for Fall 2010:
1. Conference with each student (individually or as a whole group) each week
2. Make time to CELEBRATE finished writing
3. Write everyday and mix writing projects in with free writing time!
4. Keep my mini-lessons mini (10 minutes max)
5. Model writing with students and use the shared writing teaching method
Work-Life Balance Goals for Fall 2010:
1. Limit the papers that I take home to grade
2. Make better use of one-on-one conference time, rather than writing comments
3. Make sure that we have one day during the weekend where we don’t work!
Thanks again for a great course! I really enjoyed the blog format and getting to read other peoples challenges and successes.
Assignment #9: Final Course Reflection
ReplyDeleteI will examine my current literacy program and set goals for this year. We are currently using Treasures for our core reading program. Treasure Chest is provided for the English language learners. I align the reading curriculum with my English Language Development standards. I feel the reading program moves too quickly for the English language learners. They still get reading in their class as well. I used to keep in lock step with the pacing guide, but didn’t feel it was most beneficial for the students. However, I take a book that they are working on in the class and preview and extend, so they can acquire more vocabulary. It seems more effective this way rather than to rush through the reading program. I still cover the ELD standards that I need to and I feel that taking more time allows them to have a deeper understanding. Students are more easily able to transfer and apply what they have learned.
As part of a summer project, I am working on curriculum alignment. Some of us from the ELD department are aligning our standards with the reading pacing guide. This will allow classroom teachers to see forms and functions that go along with a book that they are reading in the class. ELL students can get extra exposure to language goals. Hopefully it will be a helpful resource, not only for ELD teachers, but classroom teachers as well. One of my goals this year is to complete the curriculum alignment and try using the guide this year.
Our writing curriculum that our district uses is Lucy Calkins. I have worked with it in ELD, but not as extensively as the classroom teachers. I have assisted students with writing on Calkins assignments. I feel Calkins is great resource. I feel the students have flexibility and learn many things within her series. It is a good guide. I feel it provides a solid framework and not a piece by piece boxed writing program. Students have a choice in their writing and get to write extensively. I would like to look at Calkins more and mesh that with the ideas found in Writing Essentials. I would also like to allow my students more time to write in ELD. I want to make sure I examine their writing very closely and develop mini lessons and whole group lessons based on their writings. It is very hard to get ELL students that are level 4’s to push towards exit. They have specific deficits in their writing that I need to strategically target, so I can help them move on and be completely successful in the classroom.
As a personal goal, I would like to journal and write more, so I can work on myself as a writer. I can share with my students how I am a writer as well and be a good role model.
I want to do a lot more conferencing with my students and work on developing peer conferencing. I think Regie has a lot of good resources and positive language in her book that can help me guide and improve my conferencing skills. I will always look for a positive point to start when discussing student writing.
This year I am going to raise my expectations for student writing. Organization, legibility, grammar, spelling, and punctuation are important to be present in finished assignment. If the expectations are high and I provide the proper scaffolding, I will be setting up the students to be successful.
Another one of my goals is to do more shared writing. I do use it, but after reading the book, I realized how powerful shared writing can be. I hope to integrate shared writing and tie it in with reading.
I enjoyed reading Regie’s book. I found it to be resourceful and not painful to read ☺ I also enjoyed the blog format. I have never done a class like that and it is a great format. You guys did a great job of raising valid points and prompting good thought and reflection. Thank you!
Amy Jensen
ReplyDeleteAssignment #9
When I went back to the checklist from the first lesson, I found that only five of my true/false statements had changed. I think that shows that I always knew in my head what was right and best practice in the area of writing but that I wasn't implementing the practice I know to be true.
I certainly will take a lot from this book and will continue to use it as a resource in my writing instruction. Teaching writing was very hard for me this last year and I know one thing for sure was that there was no joy in it. This year, it is my sincerest goal to have children find joy in writing. I know I teach reading well and most of my kids walk away with a love of reading, so this year it makes sense that I take it to the next level and help them love writing too!
Here are my professional writing goals for 2010-2011:
* Celebrate writing daily!
* Write everyday for different purposes and different audiences.
* Ask why, set purpose, talk and discuss writing as part of the process.
* Look at their writing as a whole.
* Model and teach first and then label.
* Have time to share writing daily.
* Do shared writing on a chart pack or doc camera.
* Have shared conferences.
* Have more frequent individual conferences.
* Less big writing projects and more small tasks.
* Include persuasive writing in my curriculum.
* Expect legible handwriting.
* Accept inventive writing only for less frequency words.
* Model and struggle with writing right in front of them!!!
* Limit my use of prompts.
* Provide more choice in writing.
* Use the poetry heart poems at the beginning of the year.
* Let go of my test anxiety issues and trust good teaching.
* Continue to collaborate with my team.
* Continue to link reading and writing as well as content area writing.
* Reduce the work load and leave work at work.
Personal Goals for 2010-2011
* Spend quality time with my son when I am not working!
* Keep reading novels and books/magazines for pleasure during the school year.
* Fit exercise into my day.
* Lose weight and feel better about myself.
* Get good sleep at night.
* Enjoy my lunch hour with friends rather than working.
* Participate in more social events with my school family.
* Get away and do something fun when I need a break.
* Be positive and learn to let things go!!!!
This format for class really worked! I enjoyed reading other responses. It made me feel like it was more of an interactive book club. I appreciated teacher feedback when it was given. Very insightful!
This is a book that I have wanted to read for a long time. I am happy that I finally read this and the Reading Essentials books this summer. Professional Development really is the key to improving your practice!
Thanks
Heather Farnsworth
ReplyDeleteEssentials of Writing
Assignment 9: Final Course Brief Reflection
July 30, 2010
Goals To Improve My Writing Instruction Fall 2010:
• Write everyday and express the purpose of the assignment
• Do more prompt writing and give feedback
• Read quality text aloud to focus on word choice, fluency, etc.
• Celebrate, Celebrate, celebrate! (Hallway wall idea)
• Write in front of students and talk aloud while doing it
• Continue the balance between school and home
S. Ortega
ReplyDeleteFinal Reflection
This course has been very useful to me and I can see myself making many changes for this next school year.
In my class I plan to:
• Model writing and show how writers struggle
• Write for an audience and purpose
• Use books to help show what good writers do and connect reading and writing
• Instead of graphic organizers for prewriting I will allow more time for talking/sharing
• Use less prompts and more free choice writing
• Conference with students regularly
• Whole class conferencing
• Focus on content first and conventions last
• Take time to celebrate each day
• Bring the joy back to writing in the classroom
• Teach students to write and edit independently
In my Personal life I plan to:
• Continue to exercise like I do during the summer
• Work less hours
• Spend more time being a mom and less being a teacher
• Take time to relax with friends and family
I have enjoyed reading Regie’s book and I have learned some valuable teaching tools that I can use in my classroom. I am so glad that I decided to take this class. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to fit it into our summer activities but the set up makes it pretty easy to do. I have enjoyed reading the thoughts and responses of colleagues. I have learned that most of us share the same concerns and struggles as teachers and it is helpful to share our ideas and thoughts. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to improve their ability to teach writing to their class. I can honestly say that I look forward to making some major changes in my writing program and can’t wait to see my students grow in their writing and grow to enjoy writing!
I was looking over some of the goals others had listed and I wish I could make a list that long. I know I need to keep my list a little shorter, though, or I will get overwhelmed by it all. Routman’s philosophies and methods are exciting and have motivated me to make some significant changes to my writing instruction, but those changes will take some time. However, I did choose a few goals I would like to start the year with...
ReplyDeleteClassroom goals:
I will schedule more time for free-writes and use fewer prompts.
I will model the writing process and my own struggles in front of my students.
I will rely less on written comments and conference with each writer at least once a month.
Grade Level goals:
I will use “Examining Beliefs About Writing” to inspire conversation among my colleagues. I hope these discussions will help my grade level develop a writing vision and, in turn, lead to a school-wide writing vision.
I will share the “Key Research Findings” with my grade level colleagues and lead a discussion about what we do well and where we can improve our writing instruction.
Personal goals:
To fit in all the activities and organizations that take up my evenings and weekends, I already make the effort to separate my personal life from my professional life. I usually have my weekends and I may stay later a day or two, but only to leave it behind when I exit the building. One personal goal, using the advice from Routman, is to keep lessons and assignments shorter while simplifying routines and directions. I would also like to do more personal reading. It would be nice to always have a novel on hand and make more time to get enjoyment from that reading.
Chuck Fall
ReplyDeleteAssignment # 9
Final Course Reflection
I appreciate the call for balance between teaching and personal home life and health. I admit I squandered club membership dues by not using the facility. One of my goals this year is to exercise regularly even though I am exhausted at the end of the day. I know how important this is, so I am committing as I write to keep up an exercise program. But also I want my classroom to be a place where writing becomes a fun activity because it is meaningful. To this end, I need to create more room for celebration and more time for writing and responding to meaningful prompts.
In terms of “examining my literacy program and developing realistic goals to improve my instruction,” my first focus will be on redefining how I structure class each day to follow the steps and model of the Optimal Learning Method. This means defining the point of the lesson, the things I want students to know from and about a text. I intend to more explicitly create thematic units that would then provide ideas to inform prompts for free writing and make the writing more meaningful. I intend to embed grammar lessons in the writing activities in the context of revising the work.
Another goal is to very clearly explain how all work will be evaluated (or not) and scored. What will it take to get at minimum a C in my class? What will it take to get a B? How will I score final, formal writing? What routines will I institute? What percentage of the class grade will be tied to participation (25% for a high structure needs class?)? What will be my start up routine? I intend to have students keep their own score sheets so I can save time from students’ questions about their grade. I will give a quarterly portfolio management score. Answers to the above questions will be laid out in the letter home to parents that I intend to use this year.
Another goal(s) is to fill the walls of my room with meaningful posters (Regie suggests a few) of those skills that make students strong readers and writers. I also want to do more with building vocabulary by having a word wall and developing more accountability from the students for learning vocabulary (more quizzes?).
Writing for an audience is something I struggle to envision setting up for my students. I intend to create a web page for posting my syllabus and course information but I could also use it to post excellent student work; perhaps I will set up a web page for posting responses to reading assignments, and provide a forum for students’ best writing pieces. I am still working this out.
Finally, I intend to require a quarterly portfolio self-assessment / reflection from each student for the work they do in their writing, reading and speaking. I have historically kept student work in hanging file baskets. This year I am going to have the students maintain a type of binder system to collect and store completed assignments. I want to put more responsibility and control for the work and building a portfolio in the students’ hands.
Chuck Fall
ReplyDeleteAssignment # 9
Final Course Reflection
I appreciate the call for balance between teaching and personal home life and health. I
admit I squandered club membership dues by not using the facility. One of my goals this
year is to exercise regularly even though I am exhausted at the end of the day. I know
how important this is, so I am committing as I write to keep up an exercise program. But
also I want my classroom to be a place where writing becomes a fun activity because it is
meaningful. To this end, I need to create more room for celebration and more time for
writing and responding to meaningful prompts.
In terms of "examining my literacy program and developing realistic goals to improve
my instruction," my first focus will be on redefining how I structure class each day to
follow the steps and model of the Optimal Learning Method. This means defining the
point of the lesson, the things I want students to know from and about a text. I intend to
more explicitly create thematic units that would then provide ideas to inform prompts for
free writing and make the writing more meaningful. I intend to embed grammar lessons
in the writing activities in the context of revising the work.
Another goal is to very clearly explain how all work will be evaluated (or not) and
scored. What will it take to get at minimum a C in my class? What will it take to get a B?
How will I score final, formal writing? What routines will I institute? What percentage of
the class grade will be tied to participation (25% for a high structure needs class?)? What
will be my start up routine? I intend to have students keep their own score sheets so I can
save time from students' questions about their grade. I will give a quarterly portfolio
management score. Answers to the above questions will be laid out in the letter home to
parents that I intend to use this year.
Another goal(s) is to fill the walls of my room with meaningful posters (Regie suggests a
few) of those skills that make students strong readers and writers. I also want to do more
with building vocabulary by having a word wall and developing more accountability
from the students for learning vocabulary (more quizzes?).
Writing for an audience is something I struggle to envision setting up for my students. I
intend to create a web page for posting my syllabus and course information but I could
also use it to post excellent student work; perhaps I will set up a web page for posting
responses to reading assignments, and provide a forum for students' best writing pieces. I
am still working this out.
Finally, I intend to require a quarterly portfolio self-assessment / reflection from each
student for the work they do in their writing, reading and speaking. I have historically
kept student work in hanging file baskets. This year I am going to have the students
maintain a type of binder system to collect and store completed assignments. I want to
put more responsibility and control for the work and building a portfolio in the students'
hands.
Goals for 2010 School Year:
ReplyDelete* Include more shared writing in my writing program.
* Establish a word wall
*Use the 5 types of conferences: whole class, quickshares, roving, one on one, and peer.
*Higher expectations on spelling, neatness, punctuation (things I know they can do)
* Celebrate every day which will help bring joy and confidence to my writers.
* Use more books in my writing program.
*Change my focus to the content not the editing portion of writing.
*Write for audience and purpose
*Create independent writers who can edit their own writing.
Personal Goals for 2010:
*Breath and realize that tomorrow is another day.
*Go home and leave work at work.
*Get out and move.
*Take more time to enjoy my children and husband.
I loved this class as much as the Essentials of
Reading class I took last summer. It is amazing how much you get out of reading Regie's book. I feel good about my program, but changing my focus from content to editing will be very important. I can't wait to see how my students grow not only in their skills, but their love of writing. If they grow in their love of writing, that will be my best accomplishment.
Hi Everyone!
ReplyDeleteWe’re so glad that you have been able to find useful and practical ideas to implement into your programs. Your goals look great. Making time for yourself and reflecting on the work we give our students and ourselves are important topics to consider. Also, trusting ourselves as professionals to know what is best for our students is a great reminder to take away from the text.
We’ve enjoyed learning a little about you this summer. You’ve earned an A for the course. Enjoy your last few days of summer and have a wonderful school year! Make sure to re-read this book in a year or so. You’ll take away even more ideas if you do!
Thanks! Mary and Jackie
Rachael- Keep working on that balance. Your family and students will be glad that you are.
ReplyDeleteJessica- Glad you’ve been sparked to write more. It will def. be a good model for your students.
Amy- We are glad you enjoyed the format after all!
Heather- Short and sweet! Your goals are important and doable.
Shawna- Thanks for the kind words!
Leon- You are def. right that change takes time and you are wise to focus your efforts to areas that you want to improve first. Excellent approach with your team to focus on what you do well first and then move to areas that can be improved!
Chuck- Great ideas to discuss with your students and be up front with them for what they need to do to earn an A or B. I think 25% for class participation is realistic for Juniors and Seniors, many of whom will be heading off to college and having participation as part of their grade. Plus, I think for struggling students it gives them a little more control over the outcome of their grade based on their effort.
ReplyDeleteAs I’m not in your room, bear with me… I had a thought when you mentioned a word wall and holding students more accountable for learning new vocabulary. Could you make it an incentive instead of giving more quizzes? Have a minimum requirement of powerful language (words, terms and expressions) that they need to contribute to the wall and then offer extra credit or credit towards their participation grade? Maybe divide the room into groups and a little friendly competition? Maybe making it fun and more authentic would be a better path then the standard test and quiz route? Perhaps the group that has the most contributions at the end of the month gets a homework pass or pizza during class? Not sure if this would work for you or your students but thought I’d mention it.
I like the binder portfolio idea for the students. This could even be used with middle school and upper elementary.
Hi Kirky,
I agree, if the student feel confident and enjoy writing; that is the most important thing. I believe the rest will come. (Or they’ll learn to cope like I do with my less than stellar spelling ability.) :-)
I am sorry that I did not keep up with the assignments on a more timely basis this summer, but not only was I in Ashland for three weeks, but my wife and I bought a new home two days before I left and have been renovating in order to move in tomorrow. I will make sure to go back and read the comments you all have written to find some gems for this coming year.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons I took this class was because I feel my approach to teaching writing and editing papers was a reason I did not get two jobs I interviewed for this summer. One asked me to edit two anonymous papers from students. I found this to be difficult without context and wanted to gain more training on teaching writing. While I did find much of the examples inapplicable to high school, I do feel like I have a better idea of how to approach this year's classes.
Writing Goals:
*As many of you have said, I would like to celebrate students' writing more in the class, instead of look at it as something else I have to grade.
*To accomplish my first goal, I intend to utilize the levels of conferences in my Research Writing and Creative Writing courses. I am eager to see what the differences and similarities might be for these courses.
*I want my students to focus more on the act of communication, rather than getting everything grammatically correct. Many of the mechanics challenges will solve themselves if the students enjoy what they are writing and care about the final product.
*I need to write more in order to share with my students and give them more demonstrations.
*I would like to integrate our new technology to facilitate shared writing.
*I want to empower my students to not only care more, but to take more ownership in their editing and publishing.
Professional Goals:
*I would like to become a larger presence on campus with examining the Project CRISS that our school is implementing; ask questions of my colleagues and for myself.
*I would like to establish meetings to investigate implementing writing across curriculum.
*I would like to make our department meetings more about improving teaching and less about complaining about the status quo.
*I will join professional organizations and communicate more with peers outside of my building.
*Work with state officials to create connections between the arts and the general curriculum.
Personal Goals:
*Get more exercise, especially with my family.
*Re-connect with friends and make it a priority to visit and laugh with them.
*Find opportunities to "DO" theatre, and not just direct, and seek assistance with productions I do direct.
*Get more sleep (starting now, at 12:30 Friday morning).