Note: These section are packed!!! Pick and choose your discussion points so that the blog doesn't become overwhelming and packed with so much information that participants won't want to read each others' comments. :)
Sections Four and Five- Advocacy Is Also Essential and Teaching In Action: Lesson Essentials
Assignment Eight: Read Writing Essentials Chapters 11-12 and Section Five. Reflect on the comments below and any additional reactions you have after reading these chapters. Post your thoughts to the course blog.
Chapter 11: Build on Best Practice and Research • What are some of the key research findings most relevant to writing instruction?
• What are the practices of highly effective teachers?
• How can you be part of the ongoing professional development discussions in your building?
• What about test scores? What are the characteristics of high performing schools?
• Think twice before adopting a “program”
Regie begins this chapter sharing her experiences doing residencies in schools and the surprising (and delightful) discovery that whole school cultures changed during the course of their work improving literacy instruction. As she said, “This is what education should be about…whole schools working together so that all students (can) succeed.” How is the climate/culture in your school? On your team? One reason we continue to look to Regie for inspiration is that we feel she is so practical. There is not one right way or method to teach writing. “That is why formulas, programs and recipes don’t work. Every context, school and person is different and has different needs. Literacy is not a set of acquired or learned skills.”
Chapter 12: Make Every Minute Count• You need to “REDUCE THE PAPER LOAD!!!”
• What can we do that will save us time and allow us to focus more on meaningful instruction?
• Regie states, “Take more time to see the light!” Don’t get bogged down with daily worksheets and isolated exercises.
Though this chapter is short it is full of valuable ideas and reminders! Regie reminds us in this chapter to stop and reflect about what we are doing in the classroom. Ask yourself: Is this the best use of my time? Is what I’m about to do going to help my students become more joyful and accomplished readers, writers and thinkers?
“It might be that the best use of your time is to read a professional book, see a movie, visit with a friend. Sharing your experiences with your students may be a more useful way to get them to think about their writing than marks and comments on a paper.” “It’s hard to come to school all excited about teaching if you’ve spent hours the night before pouring over papers.” It is a disservice to our students and ourselves “if our out-of-school time is all about paperwork.” In fact, “Teachers’ comments on students’ papers do little to improve writing, even if the comments are positive ones. It is far more effective to conference with students and focus on specific writing issues with the student at your side.”
Also “(b)e sure that most of your writing time is devoted to writing, not preparing for writing or doing activities about writing. Safeguard sustained writing time; it’s critical for becoming a writer. Limit take-home work for students too, and place more emphasis on free-choice reading. Having more reading experiences positively impacts growth in writing skills.”
Regie closes this chapter by reminding us to breathe, relax and enjoy writing- and your life! “One way to reduce stress and have more energy for teaching and advocacy is to have a life outside of school. I worry about teachers and principals who work twelve-hour days. I have seen no research that shows educators who work the longest hours get the best results or that longer reading and writing projects teach more about reading and writing. Keep evaluating whether what you’re staying late for-or the hours of work you take home-will help your students become more effective readers and writers."
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One of the headings in Section 4 states, Advocate for Saner Teaching and Assessment Practices. This statement sums up the whole section and it’s a practice that I believe in. Avoiding the temptation of canned programs and assessing isolated skills may be hard for many school leaders and districts, but it’s important to remember that these practices do not lead to better writers. This is a topic our district has had many discussions about over the years, as we are one of the few districts in the surrounding area to believe in the balanced literacy model.
ReplyDeleteI am so fortunate to be working in a district, Centennial, that embraces building teachers abilities and letting us use best practices to teach our students. The leadership in my district trusts that we, teachers, are able to research best practices and make good instructional decisions. They provide a lot of support to us through staff development and coaching. We are not required to teach from any programs although we do have adopted curriculum to pull from and utilize. Centennial embraces a balanced literacy approach; we use a workshop model for reading, writing, and math instruction. In this approach, we use the gradual release of responsibility by modeling for students, working with or beside students and providing lots of time for independent practice. We are modeling authentic writing and students are producing authentic writing. Because of this, our assessment system is also authentic. We monitor ongoing progress by conferring with students regularly and providing instant feedback to individuals in order to move them forward as writers. I have been relieved to discover while reading Writing Essentials that my district is on the right track with writing instruction and assessment.
Section 5 Teaching in Action: Lesson Essentials is a wonderful resource to refer back to. Seeing example lesson plans along with student-teacher conversations helped me to imagine all of this working in my own classroom. I appreciated that Regie provided many different types of writing lessons (Narrative, Poetry, Informational, and Persuasive). I find the “teacher talk” especially helpful because I believe that the way we phrase questions and comments to our students is key to helping them learn and grow as writers (or as thinkers and students). I believe this is especially true after reading The Power of Our Words by Paula Denton, EdD this summer. I plan to work closely with our Literacy Coach to implement many of these ideas into my classroom this next year.
Hi Tricia!
ReplyDeleteYou are very lucky, indeed, to work in such a supportive environment!
And as a second shoutout to people who haven't read The Power of Our Words by Paula Denton, I am a big fan!!! I feel that not only is it a good read for beginning teachers, but also a great reminder for all educators (well, all adults really) that what we say, how we say it and our body language all matters and conveys a message to children. I would recommend that all teachers read this short volume when they have a chance!
Assignment #8 Sections Four & Five
ReplyDeleteI too am very fortunate that professional development is a priority for the administrators and teachers at my school. Through our ongoing education, we continue to bring new ideas into our classrooms and building. We also know that educating our students is very much a partnership. In the Archdiocese of Portland, we affirm to parents that they are their children’s’ first and primary educator and that we will do our best to help them in every way possible. Parents must support and be partners with the school, in whatever way they can to benefit their child. We have a lot of parental support and as much as possible parents that are available during the day or more than willing to help in any way possible.
Our days are so busy. I totally agree that we should reduce the paper load when teaching. Worksheets are not helpful in educating students. They are busy work and are usually assigned to keep kids quiet.. When I need to fill time, I might reach for a worksheet. It is always some kind of review that students can work on independently. When I teach, I plan activities, have hands on material, and I facilitate group discussions. I copied pages 286 and 287 to glue inside my writing folder. I think that Reggie’s, “My Best Advise” are great suggestions for working writing into your classroom on a daily basis.
I have two writing expectations that begin the first day od first grade. Students should always do their most legible writing and the best spelling. On day one we begin a, ”No Excuse” word list that continues to grow. Students are always expected to spell the first five words on the list: and, the, can, like, and my. we add continue to add other high frequency words. Once they are on the list they should never be misspelled again. I think having the expectations posted would be beneficial and extremely helpful. I also plan on using the, “Summary of Expectations For All Students: Editing For Spelling”.
Lori,
ReplyDeleteIt is great to have a lot of family support and a work environment that supports each other and professional development. :) I wish all teachers could say the same thing. Posting the expectations would be a great idea.
Regie’s statement on page 261 really affected me:
ReplyDelete“Teachers can’t be expected to be accountable if they are told specifically what to do. Accountability requires professional autonomy to do what’s right. The best teachers are not “followers” and have an “independent spirit.” Based on their professional and moral knowledge and judgment, they override directives when something else will work more effectively.”
I guess I need to tap into that independent spirit and jump into getting more involved in our schools’ professional development process. I already collaborate with the Kindergarten and First grade teachers; we do a lot of brainstorming and planning together. Maybe I should be more intentional about our conversations and eventually expand those conversations to include the 3rd-6th grade teachers.
Our goal as a staff this year is to develop a stronger and more thorough writing program. Jackie and Mary mentioned (in an earlier post) sharing samples of student work to set a standard benchmark for each grade level and also creating a common understanding of definitions. Those are great ideas that I hope to share with our teaching staff this year. Coming together as a staff to develop a common standard, using the same vocabulary will create a fluid transition between the grade levels. Sharing student work and establishing a standard will help each of us understand what to expect from our students. In addition, the Try It Apply It section on Page 268 lists great examples of what highly effective teachers do. I’ll need to post those somewhere so I can remember on those frantic days.
Regarding research, I would love to find more research resources. I plan on reading through the list of findings on pages 263-267, but I would love any other information you care to pass on!
In chapter 12 I learned to plan every lesson asking myself “so what?” In other words, how does all of this help my students become more competent, confidant, and independent as literacy learners? If I can answer that question appropriately, then I have planned well. I love Regie’s important timesavers and best advice I may need to make a mini poster for my desk to remember them. Most of all I learned that all the “extra time” I spend planning lessons and grading papers is taking time away from simply living life. If I miss out on enjoying life I lose the opportunity to create more stories to share!
Section 4
ReplyDeleteChapters 11 and 12 reaffirmed for me the need to reprioritize my time. I realize that as a first year teacher I spent too much time taking my work home. I was spending my evenings looking at student work, reading teachers manuals, finding material to supplement curriculum in my classroom, etc. I knew that putting in time outside of the classroom would happen, but it was not what I had expected. Now I realize that if I am going to put in extra time, I would like for that time to be better spent. I would prefer to use that extra time to read books and journal articles about reading and writing research and practices, participating in professional development opportunities and school/district committees or just doing something to “refuel” my soul (i.e. time with my family, exercising, attending my book club, etc.). All of these activities seemed to lose priority over the last year and I found myself beginning to run in circles. I am now going to make a concentrated effort to be more purposeful in my endeavors. By asking myself the “so what” question, I hope to be able to weed out the non-essentials of my teaching, the things that might have been fun but are not helping to create successful literacy learners in my classroom, and put my time towards becoming an educator who can provide a much richer experience for my students.
Section 5
I enjoyed reviewing the 5 Day Lesson Plans in Section 5. The lesson plan outlines and summaries, lesson framework and student writing examples were helpful to see and I especially liked seeing the progression over the week applied to the Optimal Learning Model. I believe the most beneficial part of this chapter for me was reading the “teacher talk.” Reading someone else’s words in these situations really helps me think about how I would frame these lessons in my classroom and how I would be able to convey these ideas to students.
What Regie states in Chapter 11 made sense to me, but also gave me some personal concern. I am a new teacher who will state unequivocally that I do NOT know it all. Although a new teacher, I am not a spring chicken and have decades of experience behind me in business and as a parent. There are two things/perceptions that I want to avoid as a teacher. First is the perception that I think I know everything to be a great teacher; I do not and will not ever be at that stage. I may think what I know is best for my students, but before I voice my opinion I want to back those up with results and have achieved the respect of my peers. The second perception that I want to avoid is that I know enough and am complete as an educator and do not need to further my knowledge. I am and believe in the concept of being a life-long learner. It is both of these reasons that I am taking this and other courses this summer. I don’t know that I would be comfortable walking into my first year of teaching and speaking out about what I believe are best practices. However, I absolutely will seek out those who are willing to share, counsel, and question what is going on in their classrooms and mine. I need experienced peers that are willing to have professional discussions about what is/is not working and will provide counseling to me while respecting my views. I will take whatever required “programs” that may be imposed and find a way to meet those requirements while doing what it best for my students. New teachers may offer fresh views but are not always in a position to immediately challenge the status quo.
ReplyDeleteChapter 12 really resonated with me. It spoke to what my beliefs are but I have not always been successful in achieving. I have a personal stand against “busywork” yet feel I have succumbed to it. I am making a vow to eliminate this and to examine and make certain that “every minute counts.” I have been an offender of bringing far too much work home. The incorrect thought was that I need to prove how dedicated I was when the correct actions are to find ways to become a more effective teacher. Quantity does not make quality.
I liked Lori’s “No Excuse” word list suggestion. This could be an ongoing anchor chart and serve as a visual reminder of the words the students are never allowed to misspell again. Lori, I also went crazy with my highlighter on pages 286-7. I have a post-it note sticking out and plan on typing these, laminating them, and placing in a spot on my desk that can serve as a constant reminder to keep my focus. Kristin, It is great that you collaborate with the grades near you and you should definitely make a concerted effort to do so with the upper grades as well. If they can see and know the quality that you are teaching and expecting, they may realize and raise the expectations at their grade level (“I know you have already learned this in______ classroom………”). Tricia, I am happy for you that you have such positive views of your district and feel that you are in a position that fosters and supports practices that will lead to results and effective practices. I like to hear from people that are finding the positive instead of focusing on the negatives! Stacey, you spoke exactly to my revelations as noted above about chapter 12. I want to make sure that everything I am doing outside of school has a purpose and was time spent wisely. In the course of these readings I have also been forced to realize that I have control tendencies and need to let those go. No more will I feel that if something is to be done correctly, then I need to do it. My new mantra is that if I want something done correctly, I need to teach, model, and practice what the “correct” way is and release the responsibilities that only take away from my time that could have been better served (classroom jobs, editing, etc.). I can assure you that this is at home as well……….buy my teenagers will not be happy to hear this!
Assignment 8
ReplyDeleteChapters 11-12 Reflection
One huge benefit I have teaching SPED is that we don’t have a set curriculum. These students have been exposed to the set curriculums and still struggle. I get to use whatever I feel is appropriate for each Child – IEP INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION plan. I use many programs and material that I make myself. I get to decide what is right for my students and I can change what I am doing midstream if I determine what I am trying is not working.
In the future when we as a district talk about purchasing curriculum and “research based” is stated I now have the tools to ask who did the research. I would have never asked that in the past. I would have blindly assumed that teachers were involved in the research, that it was done in actual classroom situations and covered an eclectic grouping of students with different backgrounds, levels and needs. I now feel I have the tools and the right to ask if this is in the best interest of the students in our district and our building. It would never have occurred to me in the past. Also, for a long time I felt I didn’t have the right to question what the students received in the gen. ed. program. WRONG- what they receive in gen. ed. affects them for their whole education and impacts them for my program. I need to be more aware of what they have had in gen. ed. to help them with my program. I know what skills they have deficits in but I don’t necessarily know what strategies have been used with them that they did not pick up to begin with. I have always felt I am a strong advocate for my students and have been told that I am by colleagues, parents and supervisors. However, I now have an area I can grow in with this skill. I was impressed with the letter from the 4th graders to the Department of Public Instruction. What a great way to demonstrate skills they have been taught, to advocate for themselves and future students. I am impressed how they used information from other states to support their point. I am very pleased that they received a response for their effort and their voices were heard.
I love how Routman said teachers should not feel guilty about leaving work at a reasonable hour. I do this all the time. But, I have a family. My daughter plays sports and I transport her to her practices and games. I am actively involved in her teams. My work day officially starts at 7:50. I usually am at work by 7:00. However, if I leave at 3:50, the end of my official day or really anytime before 5 I feel guilty. That is stupid. I also take work home with me. I don’t always get to it at home and then I feel guilty about that. How many other jobs expect the employees to put in more time than their scheduled hours.
I look into my students eyes frequently. I see a variety of different things. Sometimes I see, why are we doing this? Why do I have to be here? Other times I see; Why is this hard for me and everyone else seems to get it? Why can’t I just get it? The ones I love the best are; “That was great!!!! Can we do more of this?
I was very impressed with the letter from the 2nd grade class to help with recess. I love the idea of the game book. It was very creative to come up with multiple games/activities. I love the research for the prices of the items that they needed to play the games. I would love to read the games they created. I am very curious about the stuffed frog.
I like the secrets writing activity and plan to use that at all grade levels this year. I love how it is broken down and all ready to go. All of my students will be able to accomplish this. Some may be making pictures with labels and dictating the story to myself or my staff and then copying it over. I definitely want to keep it in their language if we scribe and help them improve as we look at the story as a whole.
I hate to see the summer come to an end but I am very excited to put some new practices into place and watch my students grow this year and for me to find a love of writing with and for my students.
Hello Kristin,
ReplyDeleteI think it’s a great idea to consider expanding conversations to the 3-6th grade teachers. Great! I absolutely recommend taking time to share student samples and discuss common definitions. I was truly surprised that many of us had different ideas of what a term meant. It was very helpful to talk about this as a staff! Good luck!
For continued professional readings and research a couple of associations that I like are below. (I don’t have my book in front of me so I don’t remember what Regie listed.)
ASCD (Formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development)
http://www.ascd.org/Default.aspx
IRA (International Reading Association)
http://www.reading.org/
They have a sidebar for research and professional development.
Two of IRA’s journals that I highly recommend are:
The Reading Teacher (for people who work with kids up to age 12)
http://www.reading.org/general/Publications/Journals/RT.aspx
and
Reading Research Quarterly
http://www.reading.org/general/Publications/Journals/RRQ.aspx
McREL (Mid-continent Regional Educational Laboratory)
http://www.mcrel.org/
NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) is another professional organization:
http://www.ncte.org/
We also think The Sister’s sites are great:
http://www.TheDailyCafe.com/public/department105.cfm
http://www.TheDailyCafe.com/public/department104.cfm
(While the sites are subscription based they do have free materials.)
Hello Stacey,
ReplyDeleteYou are in a great place at the start of your second year to form some healthy habits regarding teaching. Good luck with your plans.
Hi Todd,
It’s always best to have evidence and support to back you up. And I agree teachers must be life-long learners. Eliminating busy work and making “every minute count” will serve you and your students well!
You should see my text! :D It is marked, sticky-noted, noted, highlighted, etc… Each time I read the text I take away new ideas. And I also think, many of us teachers have “control issues.” Learning to let go of some things is a great strategy.
Karyn,
I think you are correct that SPED and other specialist can and should question and advocate for ALL children. Good for you for speaking up and caring so much.
It is silly we feel guilty leaving, but I think it’s normal. When we teach we put our whole hearts into it. :D Keeping it in perspective and knowing that a happy, well rested teacher is more likely to have a positive effect on students than a grumpy, tired one is a good motivator.
YEAH, we’re so happy you are excited to start your year. It is sad summer is over, but it’s great we get to start fresh each year in our profession!