ASSIGNMENT FIVE: WRITTEN REFLECTION-Section Three- The Essential Writing Day Chapters 7-10
Chapter 7: Be Efficient and Integrate Basic Skills
• How might we integrate skill work into student writing rather than teaching it in isolation?
• Daily Oral Language exercises – THEY DON’T WORK!!!
• The importance of focusing on meaning and quality first
• All writing needs both a PURPOSE and an AUDIENCE
• How thinking aloud can make your teaching more explicit
• Teaching WRITING – not just the language of writing (process, process, process)
• What about writing standards? In your District and State?
• Key writing minilessons
• Revision – how to get students to care about it
• Letting kids in on the secret that – Yes! – Conventions do matter!
• How can we effectively use word walls?
In
Chapter 7, suitably titled “Be Efficient and Integrate Basic Skills,”
Regie gets to the heart of what so many teachers struggle with: “Fitting
it all in!!!” Many of the elementary teachers that we work with are
beginning to feel as though their personal motto is: “Jack of all
trades; master of none.” We just don’t have the time to teach well what
has to be taught. The only answer to this problem is to modify our
instruction so it agrees with Regie’s stance that isolated skill work
(such as Friday spelling tests, DOL, grammar worksheets…) will not help
our students grow into writers (or readers.) On page 144, Regie shares
four components for an integrated Writing Workshop:
1. Identify writing genres that would interest students (and meet district requirements)
2. Decide who the audience would be for each piece of writing.*
3. Model your own writing process and show students how you struggle.
4. Have students share writing regularly (for both celebration and great teaching moments.)
*This
created the biggest change in my own class’s writing - once my students
began to write with an audience in mind, the quality of writing shot
right up!
Regie
also gets to the heart of what writing with “voice” really is and
addresses how to teach children to write with an honest voice in their
own writing. She describes voice as “the writer’s unique personality on
paper, his own melody in words, her ‘mark’ as an individual. To write
with voice, the writer has to be interested in the writing.” We think
that many teachers and students are unclear as to how to add true voice
to their writing. Regie suggests, “Voice is in the details – but details
that show the real person and story behind the words, not just details
for the sake of adding more words…”
Integrating
those isolated editing skills such as grammar, punctuation, and
spelling into our writing will increase the efficiency of our
instruction. Bottom line – if the students care about their writing, are
writing for a specific audience, and understand that “the importance of
editing (and spelling conventionally) is to make their message clear
and easy to read for their audience – or reader, they take this job
seriously and work hard at making their writing clear.”
Chapter 8: Organize for Daily Writing
• What is our definition of Writing Workshop? What does Regie say?
• How can we have student choice within a structure?
• The importance of writing talk (teachers and students)
• The ultimate nightmare for all of us…scheduling…finding the time to write everyday
• The importance of routines, organization and modeling expected behavior
• Genre study – why it’s important to have both school-wide and district-wide conversations
• The possibilities within genres
Figuring
out a way to “fit it all in” is usually one of the most frustrating
things many of us face. It starts at the beginning of the year as we
first plan our daily schedule and continues throughout the remainder of
the year. Considering how you will create your schedule to include a
solid chunk of time for both reading and writing will probably be the
most stressful piece to the start of your year.
Create
a Comprehensive Literacy Framework: Play with your time and consider
what changes you might make in your daily literacy framework for next
year. Take a look at the samples that Regie provides on pages 185-187
for some possibilities. You do not have to post your schedule, but we
believe this is a worthwhile activity to complete on your own.
Chapter 9: Conference with Students
• What is the purpose of a Writing Conference?
• What are the different types of Writing Conferences?
• How can Share be used effectively?
• How to conduct a productive conference
• What about management and routines?
We
are so glad that this chapter talks about Share during Writer’s
Workshop. Too often this component is skipped by teachers who feel there
isn’t enough time in the day to “fit it all in.” However, it’s a vital
piece of the workshop and beneficial to all the students. Share sessions
are an additional time to teach. The teachers in my school are quite
comfortable using Share as their mini-lesson if the need arises. Given
the reality of daily schedules they were finding that they couldn’t have
a mini-lesson, confer and share everyday. They then realized that their
Shares sometimes were the minilessons. For more information about Share
we recommend looking at Leah Mermelstein’s Don’t Forget To Share: The
Crucial Last Step in the Writing Workshop. In this slim book, Leah
explains in detail four types of Share: Content Share, Craft Share,
Process Share and Progress Share.
The
“Tips for Successful Whole-Class Shares and Conferences” on page 215
are excellent ones to keep in mind. The bottom line for Conferences and
Shares is that students should feel successful and want to continue to
write. Make sure what you say to the child encourages them to keep on
writing. “The conference is secondary; the student as writer and
confident learner is primary.”
Chapter 10: Make Assessment Count
• Understanding how rubrics work
• What about Test Prep? THE BEST TEST PREP IS EXCELLENT TEACHING!
• How can we collect reliable data on students’ writing throughout the day?
• Guidelines for grading and providing evidence for parents, administrators and the public
“There
is lots of writing assessment going on these days, but little of it
actually improves the quality of students’ writing.” As Regie continues
she points out that this ‘assessment’ “is seldom used to improve daily
instruction.” This chapter is about becoming more knowledgeable about
assessments. Regie notes, that unless teachers know how to teach writing
well, it can be a waste of time to examine students’ writing and place
students on a writing continuum. She encourages you, as a staff to
“write together, study together, converse together, gather school-wide
data, analyze these data and set goals for improving writing
instruction. There is no shortcut to helping students become effective
writers and there is no program you can buy that will do it for you.”
Remember
to use rubrics judiciously and not overdo it. They should be “used as
an evaluation tool, not as the driving instructional force.” “Use
professional common sense. It is not advisable to apply rubrics to ALL
writing nor to score ALL writing. Just as our students need lots of
practice reading many texts without the expectation that they will be
assessed on everything they read, they need lots of practice writing
without being assessed on everything they write.” (Page 243)
Have
your students do a lot of writing! “Extensive writing across the
curriculum as part of an excellent writing program is the best
preparation for doing well on (standardized) tests. Readers have to read
avidly to become readers and the same holds true for writers. Kids who
write a lot develop higher-order thinking and understanding that
translates to higher achievement on all types of tests.” Be sure to
check out “Try It Apply It” on page 246 and throughout the chapter for
ideas to incorporate into your program.
As
Regie points out in this chapter, “The joy has gone out of writing.” We
need to “concentrate on developing kids as learners rather than kids as
test takers.”
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• How might we integrate skill work into student writing rather than teaching it in isolation?
ReplyDeleteOne example that comes to mind right away for me is how we teach phonics. The book talked about how we give weekly spelling tests, and sure they can provide the word once but do they show their understanding of their letter sounds and blends later in their writing. Therefore, by providing writing opportunities where the students can exercise the phonics taught in their own words created.
Another example is how we want our students to show their understanding through their work by providing spaces between words, punctuation, and capitals. Worksheets drilling these such skills do not show how to apply it later in real application. Integrating these expectations in all work through out the day gives it real meaning.
• Daily Oral Language exercises – THEY DON’T WORK!!!
You can't expect kids to learn just be telling them. They learn by doing.
• The importance of focusing on meaning and quality first
Getting my students to write with motivation I have learn they just need to write. Write their thoughts and not worry too much about spelling or grammar. Then we get together to conference and go back over these details. If they focus on being perfect they have a hard time getting anything on paper.
• All writing needs both a PURPOSE and an AUDIENCE
This is very true! If the students don't know why or who they are writing to they don't have much drive. Recently my kids wrote letters to thank the people at a recent field trip we attended. The work they produced was attractive to look at and had many details as to why they enjoyed their trip. They cared. We are also writing Fairy Tales. Onc they knew they would be able to share their Fairy Tales with their classmates they became more motivated to write.
• How thinking aloud can make your teaching more explicit
I teach my writing in the afternoon. My kids are hard to engage. I have learned I have to model quick and simply so they stay engaged and can get starting on the "doing." However, I do talk a lot doing my modeling and engage my students in discussion - talking about what I am doing, how and why I am doing it, and how they think I can better it.
• Teaching WRITING – not just the language of writing (process, process, process)
ReplyDeleteThe hardest thing I find is getting my students to revise. This is something that I too find difficult to teach. They put their whole heart into writing then have to "pick it apart" and write it over. I need help with this one too. I've read what Routman suggests by not saying just the obvious of "you need spaces between words here" but instead have a discussion with a positive like complimenting what they said but found it a little hard to see the words." I will try these method.
• What about writing standards? In your District and State?
I agree if you teach well you will cover all the standards. With the standards in mind, good rubrics, and a good curriculum it is all reachable and still engaging and fun.
• Key writing minilessons
The text gives good examples to make your lessons more effective. Pick a topic of intrest, use intresting words, revise as you go along, organize in a logical order, crafting a good ending and knowing when to ask for help.
• Revision – how to get students to care about it
This is the hardest for me in my class. The text talks about getting your students to care about their work, rereading it, rethinking, reorganizing. It suggests helping the students to think again about their audience. Can their audience understand their writing and like their writing. Polishing their work!
• Letting kids in on the secret that – Yes! – Conventions do matter!
When students reread their work they can see the importance of conventions just by if they can understand and read their words. They understand if they were to give their work to an audience member they need to be as excited as they read as when they wrote it. This does help the students to want to make edits and better their work.
• How can we effectively use word walls?
Alhpabetize, remove word they know and update, group words. I find just simply interacting with the wall a I model. Or just refer to it constantly helps the students remember it is there and want to use it.
Getting students to to revise at any level is difficult. :) Watching Regie in action on the DVD might be helpful. I can also send you some other video clips if you like.
DeleteThat's great that you are in the habit of using the wordwall. Often teachers just put it up in September and don't do much with it for the rest of the year. It can be a helpful tool for students.
• What is our definition of Writing Workshop? What does Regie say?
ReplyDeleteIts writing across curriculum, writing for a purpose, playing with language, conferring and celebrating with students, modeling with engagement, and publishing work for real audiences.
• How can we have student choice within a structure?
Give them a wide range of choices within a topic, not a rigid topic. Something broad that they can narrow. Brainstorm, talk about the ideas, state the purpose and audience, submit a written plan, read about the topic, practice the writing with guidance, and focus more on the planning not pre-writing.
• The importance of writing talk (teachers and students)
Teachers should model talking aobut their writing before they write it, while they write it, and even after they write it. This talk can be between teacher and students, student and student, simple turn and talks, and just students independently talking on their own about their writing.
• The ultimate nightmare for all of us…scheduling…finding the time to write everyday
• The importance of routines, organization and modeling expected behavior
I feel these expectations are very important. Everything from when it is appropriate to sharpen a pencil, to writing your name and date, to spelling sight words correctly. Elimating distractions and setting the environment makes all the difference on how students preform when it is writing time.
• Genre study – why it’s important to have both school-wide and district-wide conversations
I am lucky to work in a very small rural k-12 school where it is easy to discuss and determine what genres what grade level will be teaching and to what degree. Standards help with this too. We try to observe each other and discuss what we see and how it relates / effects the teaching they will receive in their following years.
• What is the purpose of a Writing Conference?
ReplyDeleteI liked how Routman defined this as a time to celebrate, validate, encourage, nudge, teach, assess, and set goals. It holds discussion about their writing, demonstration and guidance.
• What are the different types of Writing Conferences?
These can include whole class shares, quickshares, on-the-run shares, one-on-one shares and peer conferences.
• How can Share be used effectively?
It usually takes place at the end of class. It can work best if the teacher decides who shares to demonstrate what was modeled by the teacher, etc. Prepare the student for their share. Don't bombared them when they are not ready. Have them reread their piece first. Ochestrate what will be shared at the time. For example, just a small piece focusing on the ending or their favorite part.
• How to conduct a productive conference
A Few bullet points to remember that Routman shared include to affirm students' effort, encourage them to write, reread, check for spelling, teach on the spot, assess, offer specific guidance, and take notes.
• What about management and routines?
I found the information very helpful. I plan on sharing with my students what I will be looking for including organization, voice, beginning, middle, and end... I will sit side by side, have the student read the piece, focus on the strengths, narrow my teaching focus on one or two major points, have the student repeat back what they did well, and will do, AND I will not write on their paper!
Excellent! :) Your plan looks great. I think by focusing on just one or two points for the students AND celebrating a strength or two you will see more joy in the writing process for both you and the students.
Delete• Understanding how rubrics work
ReplyDeleteRubrics should be used as a checklist. Something the student can look at and assure they have completed all expectations of the assignment. It also helps evaluate a score given for the work completed. In a nut shell it helps to know what needs to be included, what constitutes quality, and how the work is evaluated.
• What about Test Prep? THE BEST TEST PREP IS EXCELLENT TEACHING! Instead of focusing and stressing around and on the test teach as you would anything. Kids do not do well on tests due to the stress. If teachers teach the strategies and not the answers than the students will do better. If we "concentrate on developing kids as learners rather than kids as test takers" all will be more successful. Also, don't keep secrets regarding how the test is organized and how to read what is expected. Teach these things to the students.
• How can we collect reliable data on students’ writing throughout the day?
I liked what the author had to say about collecting work samples as the child progressed not only through the year but over years of growth. Things that can be collected can include anything from a students selected best piece, a fall sample and a spring sample, anecdotal notes from conferences, portfolios, journals, etc.
• Guidelines for grading and providing evidence for parents, administrators and the public
I believe it is important to let parents and students know what the criteria are for determining a grade, as well as, have the student involved in determining the criteria. The author also mentioned to leave most ungraded and recognize effort and improvement.
Involving students in establishing criteria is very powerful. Often students are much harder on themselves than we would be. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, the point that students require A LOT of practice to learn to read that isn't graded makes perfect sense that we should afford the students the same circumstances to learn to write. Recognizing effort and improvement are HUGH!