Saturday, May 28, 2016

Assignment Eight: Written Reflection- Sections 4 & 5

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."

3 comments:

  1. I was struck by what research suggests about the influence of conversation on writing development. Purposeful conversation can improve writing. It makes all those turn and talk exercises make sense, as well as writing conferences and things like that. Certainly goes against the stereotype of the writer as a lofty recluse!
    The thing that stands out to me most about the practices of highly effective teachers is that it is hard work! No getting in a grove and relaxing. Constant examining and evaluating student writing in, and outside of your class, as well as different writing practices, trying new things, abandoning what doesn't work, being in constant communication and dialogue with other professionals. What all this means to me is that I'm not going to just fall into being a highly effective teacher, I'll choose to be by choosing to constantly be learning and never be self satisfied.
    Part of that highly effective list was engaging in ongoing professional conversations. This is something that is built right into my district. Teachers are required to weekly participate in Professional Learning Communities, usually broken up by department. I think the quality of these communities varies, but at least the structure is there.

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  2. Chapter 12: Being a first year teacher and not in a very ordinary classroom, I don't know from experience some of the things that were discussed as ways to save time. However, some of the suggestions seemed awesome, like putting responsibility on students for doing things like organizing the classroom, and setting their own goals.
    An interesting strategy to save time is limiting the number of comments on student's papers. I can see limiting them, however I myself remember reading with much attention teacher's comments, and being disappointed when there weren't many. This perhaps though would be made up for the in conferences with students.
    Of course there is also the idea of not getting bogged down in worksheets and isolated assignments. This, I am understanding, is not just saving time in terms of grading and such, but also in terms of the idea that students will learn better by learning those worksheet topics in context and while using those skills rather than in isolation.

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  3. I am a big fan of oral rehearsal as a strategy before writing. Glad you enjoyed this section.

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