Assignment Nine: Final Course Reflection
Reminder: All course work due by 8/25
Take a look at the last section in Regie's text, Writing Essentials, it's chock full of great resources!!!
Teaching in Action: Lesson Essentials 5 Day Lesson Plans & Appendices
• Secrets of Second Graders• Heart Poems• Procedural writing• Hero writing• Persuasive writing• Appendix survey
Be
sure to look through this section. If you haven’t already done so, look
at Appendix A (page A-2.) Re-examine your beliefs about writing by
re-reading the statements about the writing process and marking true or
false in your book. Did you change any of your previous answers? Would
you consider bringing this page to your team or even to your entire
school to jump-start discussions about writing? Take some time to look
through the appendices. There are several useful examples included. One
we’d like to point out to you is Appendix L- The Genre Characteristics
Excerpt on page A-13. Look to the Writing Essentials companion website
at www.heinemann.com/writingessentials for the entire chart as well as
directions to assist you playing the DVD.
ASSIGNMENT
NINE: Final Course Reflection - Critically examine your current
literacy program and develop realistic goals to improve your
instruction. Also reflect on the balance between your home and school
life. If our students are to become happy, literate people, they need
happy, balanced teachers. BRIEFLY, share several of your goals with the
class by posting them to the blog for this final assignment.
Thanks for taking our course!!!! Mary & Jackie!
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Candace Palmesano – August 15, 2017
ReplyDeleteEssential Writing – Assignment Nine – Final Course Reflection
Realistic goals to improve my instructions of writing are to follow Regie’s Optimal Learning Model Across the Curriculum. To first demonstrate and think aloud for the first 15 minutes and then have students choose from 3-5 meaningful topics to write on. Secondly, move onto having students collaborate with the teacher to complete a shared writing. Thirdly, students work with a partner, have literature conversations and be guided in their practice. Lastly, have students work independently and be able to self-evaluate. Another goal is to connect with students by having a space in the front of the classroom for students to sit on the floor and to spend more time publishing and celebrating my student’s writings. I would like to spend less time working at home and keep that balance of having a life outside of school. I am really thankful for that advice and will have to listen to my husband when he says I am spending too much time correcting papers at the table in the evenings.
The current literacy program that has been adopted by my school district is Reading Wonders by Houghton Mifflin. This is a basal program that incorporates the reading and writing together. This program was adopted by our district 3 years ago and many teachers struggled to implement the writing portion of the program. In the past, I have used the reading selections and very little from the writing portion.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading, Writing Essentials, my big aha moment was in order for my students to improve their writing, they just need to write. This seems so simple and authentic. To put this idea into practice, I plan on doing more modeling of my own writing, sharing our writing within our classroom community, make writing a priority, just as I have with silent reading, and make sure that my students understand the audience and purpose of who they are writing to and for. This idea of writing seems that it will grow more authentic writers who can celebrate their successes in different forms of writing.
I also really hope to incorporate many of Reggie’s Best Advice into my teaching. I love the idea of simplifying writing and not using a structured program,but allowing my students to see themselves as writers and publish great writing pieces that can be shared with a multitude of audiences. I also appreciate the advice of keeping it simple. When I reflect on many different writing programs and structures that I have used in the past, it does seem to complicate ideas and the structure. The TEST has been one that hangs over my head and my students, but if my students have grown as writers, then they surely should be able to write with a sense of purpose while understanding who their audience is. Reggie’s best advice is to enjoy writing. I think many students struggle with just that and for students to be inspired to write and gain confidence with their writing, as a class we will need to celebrate the small and large success of each student.
The two pieces I already knew I was going to add to my classes this year were bolstered by the information in this one: In an effort to minimize distraction, I will be sure that my students take handwritten notes instead of only on a computer; and I will also be implementing reading chunks (I’m thinking entire periods) so that I am sure and practice the idea that good readers are good writers. I won’t provide the material to read, either. I want them to read something for the joy of it. Besides, I give them plenty to read other days.
ReplyDeleteMy goal outside of that, and more specific to writing, is to continue make the assessment and evaluation processes as authentic as possible so that they can determine what they think they know and are not only beholden to my insight. And this will be done making everyone an “expert” in writing through a multitude of written examples, readings, and discussion in order to make all my students feel as though their voice is necessary and deserved of being heard.
Hello Everyone!
ReplyDeleteAll of your goals look fantastic and are an excellent way to start off the new school year.
It's been a pleasure working with you this term. I will be emailing all of you your grades. Have a wonderful school year. Thank you for taking our class! :D (Don't forget to re-read the text later this winter or next summer. You'll come away with new ideas to implement each time you do.)