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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Assignment 6-
ReplyDeleteRegie gives us examples of seven conferences and one spelling lesson on the dvd. She also gives us examples of work from the students. She uses the video to demonstrate different strategies and lessons throughout the conferences. The most obvious thread throughout the video is the applause. Regie makes sure that the writer receives positive support from her and the classmates. She also has a gift of being able to teach while she is praising the children. The lesson was different for each of the kids based on their own particular needs, but applicable to many of the students in class. Regardless of the story, each of the children were given applause for something in their story. The climate of the room and confidence of the student are paramount in her room and it shows.
I think the situation that I identified the most with was AlexSandra. Occasionally I will have a student that doesn’t have any education or English background come into my room. This was not necessarily true of AlexSandra, but she seemed to need the most amount of 1:1 time. I really liked and appreciated the very explicit teaching of the carat. I think that we teachers assume that our students have been taught many things before us that they haven’t. Twelve year olds that are plopped into my room with little or no English have always been a challenge. I feel that the biggest challenge is the discrepancy of current ability. I think Regie showed a way to teach that is flexible enough to meet the needs of the kids at their level.
I also noticed that Regie likes to use a lot of post it notes with the conferences. I believe it was in the reading that she said this was an explicit choice that she made to make sure the students had to transfer the work from the note. I find myself using a lot more post-it notes in my math classes for the same reason.
I also liked that she chose a variety of samples to share in the class. She was able to find something to work with in each of the students in the conference. It wasn’t like the students were only listening to the best examples like Paige or Max. When teachers continually pick on certain kids for the right answers it teaches the class a bad lesson. We don’t have to get it because Max or Paige will get it right. When the group support dynamic is working in the class then everyone has buy in to support and help the other students.
I thought watching the spelling lesson was really interesting. I hope that is happening in our lower grades. She did a masterful job at giving instruction as to how she wanted the kids to edit their papers. Perhaps more importantly, I feel that Derek’s spelling might have been let off the hook in other classes. I sometimes find myself fighting the instinct to give the answer to a student because it takes a long time and begins to get uncomfortable in class. She kept at it and did a good job of turning it into the ow or ou lesson. I do worry that public student struggling is very embarrassing in middle school. It takes a teacher with strong management and good delivery to make it work.
In addition to creating joy within the classroom for writing and supporting others in class; I think the author made her point that conferences are incredibly efficient. I found it almost liberating when I read the part that there isn’t any studies that suggest teachers that stay 12 hours a day are getting better performance from students. I used to be the 12 hour a day teacher. It made me tired, but I not sure I was better. Being efficient at our work helps us all to enjoy our work that much more.
DVD reflection:
ReplyDeleteThe main points I took away from the videos was celebrating each students writing and other students benefit by listening. Students are supported and encouraged throughout the process. This must give them a great feeling that they are real writers and that their writing counts. I am nervous to do the whole group conference. I don’t want any student to feel uncomfortable or that they are being picked on. When I start I will make sure that I show lots of support and positive comments to show them that they can take risks and they will be celebrated. I also thought I could start with their summer stories since they will all want to share what they did this summer. It seems like when you start with conferencing about the content then students will be more open than if you are correcting all of their misspellings.
I also like how Regie picks out the main points of the story and chooses to look at those. Max’s poem was funny so she made sure to make a point that the students laugh and that makes his story better. My experience is that then other students will hear that and use humor in their stories. I will also use the line, “She did something I’m going to ask some of you to try tomorrow.” I do encourage students to take risks and try whatever concept I have taught that day. I usually ask, “who used … and would like to share?”
I like how Regie reviewed the story with the student and helped them sequence the details. I could see myself checking to see which students to conference with the night before so that I already had some ideas on how I might start the conference and what direction I wanted the conference to go. Like with Derek, she knew she would need more time so she read his story aloud so that there was more time to talk about the writing.
These videos really helped get me motivated to conference with students consistently. I do run around the classroom trying to help out kiddos, but it always seems very superficial and not worth the time. I have realized that doing the whole group conference, individual conference, and modeling will relieve me of the feeling I am not doing enough. It never seemed enough running around and helping students spell this word or that word. I can see how I would use this DVD again when school starts to refresh my thinking about how to conference with students.
Celebrate!
Focus on meaning and then skills!
Whole group conferencing!
Those are the things I want to remember most from this DVD.
It was great to watch Routman on the DVD just to get a more clear sense of what she’s been talking about. What struck me at first was how long she spent on each student. That time really shows the student they are of value as individuals and that their writing really is saying something important. Plus, the class provides an automatic audience. I loved how she read each piece aloud twice. Again, this increases the value of the piece to the writer, and gives the audience an idea of where they can improve their writing.
ReplyDeleteCelebrations in my class used to be so elaborate- we’d have treats and guests and schedule time in the gym- it’s good to know we can celebrate writing every day!
When she read pieces twice, I appreciated seeing that she read (or the student read), she praised, then she read again while she analyzed. I’ll make sure that format is in my notes for the year.
I loved how she worked with Ervin (ELL) on his piece of writing because so many primary students have trouble with language and grammar- his piece sounded very similar to my kindergarten and first graders’. It was helpful to see her say, “no, it doesn’t make sense to the reader”. Too often I sugar-coat just because I’m happy they're writing at all. She reminds me here to raise the standards.
In her notes, “while it appears I am doing the initial crossing out, I am not. I am modeling what might be crossed out by moving my pencil above the lines,” She is doing so much to teach us respect for what the writer has written- and for his or her paper. Not to mention, giving the students full responsibility for putting what they want in their writing.
My favorite parts: her spelling tips (“write it one more time as fast as you can”), her refusal to give up on Derek (because I know it makes a difference), and how much TIME she gave to the students. It was invaluable.
It was really nice to see Regie in action, I am a visual learner so it was helpful to see some of these strategies that I have been reading about. Like everyone else the thing that really stood out to me was her ability to really authentically compliment the students work. I love that she looks at there work as a piece of them and not just something that we want to have correctly spelled and punctuated. I was really able to see how she celebrates the writing and the story. I absolutely want to shift my teaching focus to the content of a story. I feel us teachers often focus on conventions because it is tangible and a direction that we are comfortable with because quite frankly that's how I was taught.
ReplyDeleteI also loved that during the whole class shares the students were really engaged in listening to the story. I love that she has the story read twice, once for meaning and then to focus on specific celebrations. These conferences really seemed to empower the students and also show the whole class that everyone in the class is a writer and should be valued. I love that this is a great forum to spotlight and celebrate students that often don't get celebrated. It was also great to see how easily she weaved in so much quick teaching while working with individuals in front of the class. A few specific things that I really liked from her teaching was: writing the students words as she guided them through the story, always let the students cross out their work even if it was her suggestion, and had the students actively celebrate the good things their classmates did, "let's clap for...".
There were two parts that I had some question about. One was the amount of noise in the background in her one-to-one conference with Alex which she clarified in her book that it isn't normal. I was happy to read that because I thought that was a little loud for me. Second, I don't know if the spelling conference as a whole group is the way I would do it. I felt that some of the class was really restless and not focused. I am wondering if pulling a small group of students who are working on the same words might work better for me. I feel I could engage all students in the learning process more effectively that way. I do love how at this point she does make it very clear that spelling matter and the kids can work towards correct spelling.
I am with you, Julie, on the attention-level of the students while Routman was doing the spelling lesson. I had the same reaction you did. Especially if the lesson lasted any longer than what we saw. However, the other half of my brain (the side that says kids can do it if you expect it) challenges me to expect more from the kiddos when it comes to sitting still and focusing. You know this is a big goal- remember I teach 5-year-olds! I am going to give it a shot this year. After all, they won't ever be able to sit and focus if I never expect it.
DeleteJennifer I absolutely think we need to expect our students to focus and pay attention. I think finding a balance between whole class instruction and small group instruction will be key. I would love to do some kind of lesson where you teach the kids to focus on what they know about spelling to help spell unfamiliar words but would like to see more students actively involved in the process. Good luck this year with your students and stretching them to reach goals we know they can make!
DeleteHello Everyone,
ReplyDeleteYes, Michael, I think teachers often do A LOT of assuming that students have been instructed in something or have skills that they are lacking. (Organizational skills are a big one of these. Some kids just are born being organizers and others need to be shown how to care for their materials and organize their work.)
Have to say I have my little love affair with post it notes as well. :D I also use them out of respect for the student. I wouldn’t want someone marking up my paper that I had worked hard on. The post it notes allow me to make edits and offer suggestions without writing all over their paper.
Hi Ladies!
Almost all teachers comment on the celebration of student work and the positive and respectful note with which Regie works with the students. I think Regie would say for teachers to take what they will and adjust things to work for them and their students. :D
The part of the video I first took note of is how Reggie really makes sure the students understand they are celebrating the work they have completed. She also always has a round of applause after a student has shared.
ReplyDeleteIt was very helpful watching how Reggie does a whole group conference. I was having a hard time visualizing how something like that would look in my room. I think the most helpful conference for me to watch though was AlexSandra's. It was very helpful to see the explicit teaching. As a post above mentioned, it is easy to forget to teach things, for example the carat. She also mentioned that you need to not get bogged down by the writing errors and continue using the words she has written. I am glad she made this point as a reminder. I also really liked watching how Reggie used post-it notes. I love post-it notes so I am very excited to start using them more during my writing conferences!
The spelling conference kind of surprised me. I understand that she was using this as a whole class lesson to reinforce high spelling expectations. In my room, I feel like it would be hard for me to do this to a student while the rest looked on. I feel like I would be much more likely to do this as an individual conference.
It was fun looking through the student gallery! I found myself thinking about all of the non fiction books we could make in my classroom this year!
Thanks MacKenzie, glad you liked the video also.
ReplyDeleteWatching Regie in action is a great anecdote to the problem I noted in my last response: since I do not currently work in education, I felt at a disadvantage not being able to see these precepts in practice. However, watching the DVD did a lot to ameliorate that issue since I could watch the kids’ reaction to her tools. I especially got a lot from the video with Derek, who had a hard time both writing and vocalizing his story. In her comments, Regie noted that her choice of Derek’s story and the way she interacted with him were intentional. Not only did she choose Derek because of the value she saw in working with him in front of other students, she adapted her conference with him to the time she had available. I also enjoyed the interaction with Max, the way she celebrates his creativity with dialog and title, and the way in which Regie queries her students about humor to make sure they understand, even amidst the giggles.
ReplyDeleteIn all of the group conference videos, Regie does a good job of interacting with both her featured student and her audience, moving back and forth between the two with such ease!