ASSIGNMENT FOUR: WRITTEN REFLECTION-Section Two- Teaching Essentials Chapters 4-6
Read Writing Essentials, Chapters 4-6 and briefly reflect on the following thoughts written below and any additional comments that you have after reading these chapters. Post your reflection to the course blog.
Chapter 4: Raise Your Expectations
• Why we need to raise expectations – ESPECIALLY for our minority and lower socio-economic students
• How to raise expectations in your classrooms as well as in your grade level and throughout your entire building
• What about handwriting, spelling and editing expectations?
• How to use the Optimal Learning Model to support your students’ needs
“Raising expectations” for our students is a big push in all of our districts. Under “No Child Left Behind” many schools have been identified as “in need of improvement” and have been working furiously yet unsuccessfully for over ten years to “close the gap” for our minority children. But more important than improving performance on high stakes tests is remembering that if we raise our expectations and teach explicitly, then our students will rise to the occasion and astonish us with the high quality work that each of them is capable of.
Regie has some great insight into the need to raise expectations of our students and feeling comfortable and confident with the decision to set high standards for all learners. She raises the question, What are our clearly articulated, rigorous yet reasonable expectations? This is a question that we should reflect on as individual teachers, and one that should be the starting point for a conversation within our grade levels, buildings and across entire districts.
We’d like to know what you think of one of our favorite quotes from the book: “Worksheets aren’t good enough. The students who can do them don’t need them, and the ones who struggle with them feel defeated by the red marks, which only reinforce their feelings of inadequacy. WORKSHEETS FOSTER MEDIOCRITY!” (We personally wanted to shout out when we read that!) Please include your thoughts in your Section Two Reaction.
In this chapter, Regie also sheds some light on several topics that teachers often ask about. “What about handwriting expectations?” and “Conventions, Editing and Publishing?” It’s always helpful to get another professional’s point of view on these pressing issues! Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 5: Do More Shared Writing
• Where does Shared Writing fit within the Optimal Learning Model?
• For which learners is Shared Writing appropriate?
• How can we link Shared Writing with Shared Reading?
• How can Shared Writing be used to support word work?
• What are some “Tried and True” ideas for Shared Writing?
Regie's idea of Shared Writing is very different than that of many other professionals in the field. So often we use Shared Writing only with the primary grades. As Regie states, “What a great way to teach and engage all students in all aspects of oral and written language.” If we are to consider teaching through all phases of the Optimal Learning Model, we can begin to see how important Shared Writing is for our students. We think that the idea of using Shared Writing in both upper elementary and the middle schools is a new way of thinking for many of us.
One of the reasons Regie encourages teachers to use chart paper and an easel, instead of projecting to a screen with an overhead or document camera, is that the children are seated right with you on the floor, which usually holds the children’s attention a little better. Another idea that has worked great for me is to move the overhead machine to the group area and place it on the floor in the middle of the group in front of the easel. I then project the machine onto the white space of the easel. It’s great because you’re able to be right there in the middle of the group and have the benefit of writing more quickly onto a transparency rather that chart paper. You’ll need to consider which of your Shared Writing activities you’ll want students to be rereading (don’t forget that you can hole punch transparencies and put them in a binder for future reference) and which you may want posted to your walls on charts.
Regie’s list of “Tried and True Ideas for Shared Writing” (page 112) is very extensive. It would be helpful to take a look at Regie’s list as you create your curriculum map for the year. Where would some of her suggestions fit within your science, social studies, math, reading and writing units across the year?
Chapter 6: Capitalize on the Reading-Writing Connection
• How can we become more effective integrating our reading and writing instruction?
• Are we as efficient as possible with our responses to reading?
• The benefit and necessity to integrate our content area teaching with both reading and writing
• The importance of writing (and reading) more nonfiction
We know research shows that reading achievement affects writing achievement and vice-versa, and we also know that it continually gets harder to fit “it all” into our day. Effectively using reading and writing connections throughout the day in all areas of language arts, math, science, social studies, and even specials such as art, music and library, is our only option.
Regie’s suggestion of taking a closer look at how we use written response to reading is a very important one. Careful consideration is needed to decide if what we’re asking the students to do is “worth their time.” For example, if the response we’re looking for will “deepen comprehension, cause the writer to reflect on the content, and/or foster appreciation for the text” then it’s worth it. We whole-heartedly agree with her statement that many of the overly structured assignments such as book reports can alienate our readers! While response journals do have their benefits for us professionally Regie states, “they also take up a lot of our time!” It’s a very organized teacher who can effectively keep up with their responses without feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. Don’t forget the bottom line – “Be sure that students spend more time reading than writing about reading!” (Page 126)
We are so glad that Regie addressed how to effectively teach summary writing. We know that many teachers have a difficult time differentiating between a summary and retelling – I (Jackie) was one of them until several years ago. The snapshots and procedures that Regie shares on how to teach summarizing are invaluable and should be a reference that we all refer back to throughout our teaching year.
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Assignment Four- Alana Ollerenshaw
ReplyDeleteChapter four focused a lot on raising expectations for all of our students and expecting that all children will rise to the occasion and produce great work. Regie suggests that through repeated modeling and practice, students will be able to improve their writing. She emphasizes that before writing is published or displayed, that it needs to be great. So, we as educators need to have high standards when it comes to spelling, grammar and handwriting when writing is going to be shown. At first I was a bit confused by this chapter because in chapters 1-3, I thought Reggie was telling us not to focus on spelling and conventions. Now I think she is saying, that when something is going to be published, that is when you “fancy” it up. Not everything needs to be published. I agree with Regie’s statement about worksheets. My first grade team and I do grammar worksheets every day as part of our literacy program and some of those skills taught transfer to their writing but a lot does not. There is a disconnect for the kids. I see now that it would be more beneficial to teach grammar within the writing block and in real situations like shared writing. My goal is to speak with my first grade team about this.
Chapter five has made me very excited to do shared writing a lot more. What I considered in the past to be shared writing, was mostly me talking and modeling my writing in front of them. I was occasionally taking their ideas. The shared writing that Regie speaks of, sounds much more engaging and beneficial for my students. I never thought how beneficial shared writing could be for my ELL and low socio-economic level students in particular. They need to hear as well as see written, rich language.
Another benefit for my ELL and low socio-economic students will be incorporating shared reading into what we’ve written. Regie’s ideas to build sentences, highlight high frequency words, build fluency, etc. through shared writing pieces are great ideas that I will try out in my class. Also, I intend to try what Dee and Regie are doing by allowing students to vote on the topic that the class will write about. It will make it much more engaging and personal for my class. Maybe I can choose 2-3 ideas from Regie’s Tried and True list and put them before my class for a vote. I am sure the children will be very excited to have such ownership!
Chapter six gave me some good ideas for maximizing my student contact time during the school day. Regie reminds us of the link between reading and writing and how they should be taught together, not separately, as is common practice. My school does a walk to read model for our reading block, I would like to add writing onto that time as well. My question is, is it ok for writing classes to be homogenous or is it better to be heterogeneous? Currently, I have my reading group write summaries (I do the writing, with their input and they copy) and use graphic organizers in response to read alouds and student readers. If I had more time with them, we could write a lot more and the children wouldn’t feel rushed as they do now. My reading class and homeroom class do quite a bit of non-fiction writing. For example, the first grade students at my school are currently studying Australia. Last week, I put students into groups of two to write animal reports. They chose their animal, read everything they could on their topic and then wrote what they had learned. The children loved it! Their writing, handwriting and illustrations were amazing. I feel that is a good example of how incorporating reading and writing together in a lesson and choosing a high interest topics (such as what the class is studying in the other content areas), can yield great results!
Overall, this section was very informative!
Writing Essentials – Assignment Four, Chapter 4
ReplyDeleteWe do not as a grade level, school, or district have clearly articulated rigorous yet reasonable expectations.
When I reflect on the district/building trainings I have attended as well as conversations I have had regarding writing, I feel that Regie has nailed what is missing in most of our writing instruction; that is the degree of connection and level of expectations we have with and for our students in the area of writing. Trainings focus on standards and a program. Conversations with other teachers usually focus on how much was written, spelling, do the sentences make sense and conventions. While these are important, as far as expectations go, there has been no focus on making writing enjoyable, the depth of writing, is the writing interesting or can voice of the writer be heard. I just looked over our power standards. They are clear on what our students should be able to do and reflect the conversations teachers have about writing. They are also set pretty low expectations when compared to those in this chapter.
I do believe worksheets foster mediocrity. Specifically, worksheets have NOT worked; they were my new approach this year, part of the Six Traits program I bought….The approach, a worksheet a day for 4 days, then writing to the four day objective on the fifth day….With my choppy schedule I thought this would surely be the way to go. Plus give them practice with the six writing traits that they would be scored on in fourth grade. I stuck it out for two weeks, and then did away with it. First the kids were cross-eyed with boredom or lack of understanding and so not engaged. I was cross-eyed with frustration at their lack of enthusiasm and low quality work. It is true – the kids that could do them did not need them, those that could not felt terrible. I was so frustrated and bored teaching it in-spite of my best attempts to be perky and make it more interesting for those that got and attainable for those that did not.
Regie shed a lot of light on what expectations can be. I had to re-read this a couple of times because at first it seemed in some ways contradictory to the first three chapters. Overall, her views on handwriting, conventions, editing, and publishing make sense. I do not have a different, firm opinion in these areas right now. I am sure I will try some things that do not work so well for me, but to date am feeling better about teaching writing than I have to this point. I feel hopeful that using the Optimal Learning Model as well as having higher expectations will yield better results.
Writing Essentials – Assignment Four, Chapter 5
After reading this chapter and the list of “Tried and True Ideas…” I feel a bit better about writing as I realize I have done more shared writing than I thought. Have I seen myself as a writer? No… I need to and can do a lot more, as shared writing can be done in conjunction with curriculum, themes, and daily life situations. I am going to plan to do shared writing on something daily going forward; some short, and some with a more long term objective. I will be writing with more clear objectives as to what I want my students to be learning, because I am clearer on what writing really comprises. The overall message I am getting from this book is that writing should be a natural and normal part of how I teach period, not only a “block” where I teach and then expect results. I will be using the “Tried and True List” as I plan though the rest of this school year, and also have it at hand when my team and I do our curriculum map for next year.
I have also started writing on lined cart paper, not the white board, AND keeping it… (-:
Writing Essentials – Assignment Four, Chapter 6
ReplyDeleteOnce again there was so much good stuff in this chapter. My son loves non- fiction and so do my students. So why do I have three time the amount of non-fiction books…I will have to think about and do something about that. I have not done summarizing with my class, but retells. I most definitely have a better understanding of the difference now. We will be doing our first report this coming week on Australian animals, and am going to try a shared writing summary with the class. I like the tip on book reviews as well. Most of us do not do much writing with our students during reading; our focus being fluency and comprehension. I think I might try to shift things a bit and do shared writing book reviews on Fridays, with the hope that after we do a few together, they can do them on their own. I am sure I can integrate more writing into my day. The mental block I had because of my crazy schedule has lifted and I feel revived and creative again; a great reminder why it is important to read, write and share…
Joyce, Assignment #4
ReplyDeleteChapter 4, Raising Expectations:
I loved these quotes when reading Chapter 4: “focus on what the child is trying to do and less on what we are trying to teach. “ and “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?”
When I taught Kindergarten, I held very strongly to the philosophy: “worksheets aren’t good enough” and “Worksheets foster mediocrity”. Now, I think worksheets have their place: for handwriting, math facts, and possibly more.
I did not have high expectations with the Kindergartners for handwriting, spelling, and editing. Now I would focus more on handwriting and I would teach ‘sight words’ more. We published books, but published them with errors. I don’t think I agree with Regie’s philosophy to not publish books with errors, especially at the beginning of the kindergarten year.
The business I worked for when I tutored used worksheets a lot. I would like to be more creative if I had my own business. I think I paid too much attention to conventions, spelling, and editing. There wasn’t any publishing. I am learning that expectations should be high, but demonstrating writing, shared writing, focus on audience, joy in writing, and celebration come first.
Chapter 5, Do More Shared Writing.
I used Shared Writing a lot with Kindergartners. It didn’t exist when tutoring. Now I know it would help all ages learn from example. I would love to use word tiles, more mystery messages, and word sorts when teaching kindergarten. 12 years ago, I only had chart paper. I loved it and kept some to refer back to and hung some around the room. I found it interesting that Regie spent an hour a day for a week doing mostly shared writing and hardly any small group or individual activities.
I loved the ‘tried and true ideas for shared writing’. I will refer to this list when I teach or tutor. They apply to every subject area. Science: research report, what to do if a bee stings, how to take care of a pet, summary of a human body book, observations of the classroom pet. Social Studies: newsletter, journals of daily happenings, how to act on the bus, keepsake book, classroom job descriptions, explain family traditions, and what parents need to know about the upcoming field trip (I loved this idea for a Kindergarten news letter). Math: How to make a recipe, pattern books, routines of the classroom, and charts of knowledge. Reading: welcome letters, alphabet books, summary of books, letter to the principal, and retelling stories. When children are writing and rereading this is writing and reading combined. Therefore, all would apply to reading.
Chapter 6: Reading-Writing Connection
ReplyDeleteI loved Regie’s idea: “When I cannot find texts students can easily read, we write our own”. I would love to write simple books with Kindergarten classes that children could read. It is also very true that most read aloud books are stories, not nonfiction. I would change that. My 8 year old son and I get lost in factual books. I never liked story books as a child and don’t care to read them even now. I had hardly any nonfiction books for the Kindergartners, but am greatly realizing the need. I know that I had my Kindergartners writing more than I see in any other Kindergarten class. My philosophy about writing every day is even strong after reading Regie's book.
When I taught Kindergarten, I do not remember teaching writing about reading other than writing our own endings to stories. Tutoring had end of the chapter questions. I liked Regie’s ideas for teaching summarizing: stop and summarize while reading aloud, think out loud while reading aloud, partner turn and talk, discuss the 3 most important things thus far, make thematic links between two texts, and ask questions about the author’s purpose while reading books aloud. These would be good independent tasks for checking comprehension: taking notes, illustrating parts of the story, journal responses, notebooks in guided reading, writing down thematic links, and writing down the 3 most important things.
Thanks Alana, Deanna, and Joyce for your comments on Section Two.
ReplyDeleteAlana – I think your take on Regie’s expectations for spelling and grammar are right on. The only thought I would add is that Regie would hold kids accountable for what has been taught in both spelling and grammar during the editing process. I think it’s a great step to start talking with your grade level team about grammar instruction and expectations! Consider copying a portion of Regie’s book to read. As far as wondering about adding writing to your Walk to Read Model, I think it’s always about balance when we make our teaching decisions. How much time to we spend teaching heterogeneous vs. homogeneous groups….whole group vs. small group vs. one to one…and then all of the curriculum based decisions of how much time to spend teaching all of our curriculum required.
Deanna – Unfortunately, too many of us are teaching in districts where PD is focused on a program rather than on effective instruction. Recently, I feel my own district has fallen into this very pattern. I think that integrating more shared writing into your curriculum across the board is a great goal. Especially at your grade level, this would be a very easy goal to achieve…I love the idea of doing “shared” book reviews! I’m so glad that you are feeling a bit revived in your writing instruction.
Joyce – Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Nonfiction! You are so right in thinking about how important having nonfiction books (in abundance) are in your classroom. Deanna mentioned this in her comment as well. Our boys especially tend to gravitate towards NF text, but we need to interest our girls as well!
Chapter 4
ReplyDeleteWow! This chapter clarifies what I have slowly been trying to do in my room for the last couple of years. I have bits and pieces of the holding high expectations going in my class. I call it “academic writing” and it is writing that is going to be read by someone other than the student. I covered these expectations way too late this year. I need to have it up and running at the start of next year to lock in my expectations early.
The sentence about second graders writing a page in fifteen minutes made me realize that my expectations for my students needs to be higher. I definitely have students that take a week to write one page. I also have a minimum expectation of three paragraphs on any story. Sounds like this needs to be upped.
Worksheets will be banished from my room after reading this chapter. I guess I just needed someone to give me permission. Thanks, Regie!!!!
Chapter 5
The cut up and reassemble sentences reminds me of the GLAD lessons that I never practice. I need to add this back into my teaching. The tiles are also something that I need to add into to my class. I have so basic readers that have trouble with basic words. Why not get some tiles and see if it helps?
I have a lot of general free-choice writing in my class with a topic list that is given in September. The picture on 111 reminds me that I should create more ideas for free-choice as the year goes on and tie in into the genre we are studying. I have lists and lists of different genre topics, why didn’t I post these at the beginning of each genre unit?
The last part of the chapter that will stick with me is the Teacher Talk examples on respectful language used in the classroom. I will be having this conversation with my writers next year and will have an example poster on the wall.
Chapter 6
This chapter is filled with practical ideas on how to connect reading to writing. This is an area that I need to improve on. I do plenty of reading but not enough writing about reading.
I think that the first piece I will borrow is book reviews. What a great idea to “secretly” teach summary. This combined with pages 130-131 lesson with help guide me to better summaries.
One idea that I have never used in the classroom is Reader’s Theatre. What is it and do you recommend it?
I agree with the power of journals and I agree that they are something that cannot happen in a classroom of 35+ students. I just don’t have to time to look them all over. It’s too bad because they are powerful.
I think that I am also going to lessen my at-home reading chart next year to not kill the love of reading and make sure they are using all the time to read.
What a useful chapter! I need to make sure I visit this before the start of the new year.
Hi Gary! I enjoyed reading your comments for this section, it’s great that you were able to have so many positive reflection with your own teaching. Your room will be full of some powerful anchor charts next year…writing ideas within genre units, respectful language (for both you and students)…I’m excited for both you and your students :) Readers’Theatre is basically when you take a narrative text and turn it into play format. Kids love it, and it’s a great activity to build fluency. I agree, I’ve yet to find anyone who can manage the reading journals well, even though they can be an amazing tool. High five on cutting down on worksheets!!!
ReplyDeleteChapter 4 summarized the need for districts and teachers to focus their attention to setting higher expectations for students and it not center on the outcome of a test. Now that our reading scores have improved people are asking what should we do about writing? I see and agree with Regie about grade level development of standards of practice and assessments. Another comment Regie made that struck a cord with me was her belief that disadvantaged students need more of the good instruction already provided. I would disagree with this statement; working with student with disabilities and low income I’ve noticed that many times they learn differently and the way many curriculums are set up don’t provide enough support. It could be said for TAG students, they shouldn’t be doing more work because they are advanced but more enriching activities and learning opportunities. Districts need to access potential reading and writing curriculums to see if they offer instructional tools for all learners. The list given on page 57 was helpful at brainstorming some ideas on how I can implement enriching activities that will set the bar higher for students. I don’t send enough time reading aloud to my students and 3 text a day seem like a lot, especially when I consider keeping the attention for my students and how if they aren’t engaged and moving they are likely to misbehave. I like the idea of excepting more, “If you’re reading everything your students write, they’re not writing enough.” I read this several weeks ago and it didn’t sink in until I had my students to a journal entry for me. One student gave me a sentence about her picture and I almost let her move on with that. Then I hear myself saying…”expect more”. So I did, I enquired more about picture and asked questions until she was able to give me another sentence. It only took a few extra minutes, but how easy and something all teachers can do. Pick a few students each day and ask them for more, push their thinking or creativity.
ReplyDeleteChapter 5 was a real light bulb for me; I’m in a classroom where students are not able to read complex sentences or write at all, so when we are able to create a sentence or two its done 1:1. I realized that we never let the kids share what they created because of time and the structured of our classroom. I became highly motivated for the students to write together and then share their ideas. They were so supportive of each other with “nice job” or “I like your picture” comments for everyone. My assistances all agreed they really like they activity and we’re impressed by some of the kids’ ideas. The idea that shared writing is relative for all learners is important. Regie also talked about going through the writing process together even at the early stages of writing development. It shapes students’ language, focuses on meaningful language, allows all students to have input without being put on the spot to write and much more. It’s a great way to bring your writing community together and share in the success of a final piece of work. The Tried and True list for shared writing was also helpful for me to think of other opportunities students could have with the shared writing experience.
Chapter 6 really focused on expanding students ability to connect what they read to writing. It is so important that students not only know how to read, but can then interrupt and reflect back what they’ve read. This chapter helps outline the need to do this even in the beginning primary years. Retelling, summarizing and informing an audience were the focus areas with great connection to content areas. Her comment on deepening students’ comprehension of text will cause them to have a great appreciation for the text is sopowerful. Many older students (me included) would probably admit to reading to find the needed information for a question or general understanding and most often don’t seek to read past that. What a disserves to students and future scholars of any discipline. Again if we model and have students practice this skill with guidance there are likely to master that skill and have fostered throughout the years. These skills are particularly hard for students with learning disabilities and ELL students. They may be able to read, but translating that knowledge or understanding into written form proves to where the disconnect happens. It’s hard to assess students on writing when their reading skills are poor and vise versa. I really like Regie’s thoughts on writing more non-fiction and I can say that I struggle with this too. Its true though that with writing on a variety of topics that students will expand their writing ability, language used, style, tone etc; which of course makes them better writers. I think of my students with ASD and how the fiction stories can be the hardest for them to create. They are concrete and factual people and expanding the type of writing they are require to create allows teacher to get a full picture of their skills and maybe show off their strength while still developing the skills in writing fiction.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lindsay! I reread you comments about disadvantaged students not needing more of the same “good instruction”, and what I understand good instruction to mean (and I think Regie would agree) is that there are modifications and adaptions made to all instruction for all students based on needs either within whole group, small group, or even 1:1 instruction…that’s good teaching. I’m so glad that your writing share was so successful for your students, they must have been proud. You mentioned how fiction writing is so difficult for your students with ASD, but I think that fiction writing is the most difficult of all genres for any student to write well. Writing from the known, whether through personal narrative, memoir, nonfiction, or even poetry, is going to be a lot easier than fiction for most student writers
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