Chapter 1: Share Your Writing Life
When having my students’ do a writing project, I noticed I incorporate a lot of the same ideas mentioned in this chapter. I believe it is very important to have students do a writing project that they are interested in. If you make students’ only do projects that you pick for them, they will become bored with the whole process. It does not allow them to think creatively on their own and challenge them to come up with a topic. As a first grade teacher, I incorporate modeling into each writing topic. This is key at such a young age. In the chapter, it mentioned that a person can become easily frustrated when something seems overwhelming. Since first graders have not had much practice with writing, it is key to model for them how to start and continue the project. By just giving them a topic and telling them to write about it, they could give up before they have even started. I make sure I model how I would start my paper. I even give them a beginning sentence. We brainstorm ideas of what to write about and then I take those ideas and show them how to put them into a sentence. I like the idea of having them keep a journal or have a weekly writing topic to do. This helps them practice writing. I think this would be more useful towards the end of the year for first grade.
Chapter 2: Start with Celebration
I think it is a great idea to have students share their work. On one hand, they take the time to make sure they do a good job knowing that it is going to be read in front of the class. They take more pride in it. On second hand, it teaches them public speaking skills. I still have trouble getting in front of a big group (other than my students) and talking. I get really nervous. If we start at a young age having students get up and speak, they will be more comfortable later on because they have done it for so long. As I mentioned above for chapter one, having the students do some creative writing is very important to keep them interested. When I student taught for a fourth grade class, she used some very creative writing prompts. The students loved them and it was so much fun to read. One was they had to write to a farmer (they were a turkey) and convince the farmer why he should not pick them for the Thanksgiving meal. It was so cute. They then shared their work and it was hung in the hallway for everyone to see.
Chapter 3: Simplify the Teaching of Writing
It is hard for me to view myself as a writer. I feel I am not very good and always get nervous about making it sound how I want. I do think it is important to make the transition to feeling better as a writer. By feeling better, you give off a more positive feeling when teaching it to the students. When it
mentioned in the chapter, that they write at staff meetings I remember always dreading when they mentioned we would have to do a writing activity. I always got nervous that I would not be able to come up with something correct or people would secretly make fun of what I have wrote. This is why it is important to start the students out young with learning how to write and learning how to share their work in front of the group. Once again it is very important to model. It gives the students a base from where to start and helps them to make a comfortable transition into the writing process. Another interesting comment I found was about using red pens to mark papers. I can absolutely relate to this. Every time I look in my drawer to find a pen to grade a paper with; I always look at the red and bypass it. I never use a red pen because I too remember all my mistakes being marked in red. That’s the classic example of when something is wrong marking it in red. So I try to not use it to help my students not have that memory.
When having my students’ do a writing project, I noticed I incorporate a lot of the same ideas mentioned in this chapter. I believe it is very important to have students do a writing project that they are interested in. If you make students’ only do projects that you pick for them, they will become bored with the whole process. It does not allow them to think creatively on their own and challenge them to come up with a topic. As a first grade teacher, I incorporate modeling into each writing topic. This is key at such a young age. In the chapter, it mentioned that a person can become easily frustrated when something seems overwhelming. Since first graders have not had much practice with writing, it is key to model for them how to start and continue the project. By just giving them a topic and telling them to write about it, they could give up before they have even started. I make sure I model how I would start my paper. I even give them a beginning sentence. We brainstorm ideas of what to write about and then I take those ideas and show them how to put them into a sentence. I like the idea of having them keep a journal or have a weekly writing topic to do. This helps them practice writing. I think this would be more useful towards the end of the year for first grade.
Chapter 2: Start with Celebration
I think it is a great idea to have students share their work. On one hand, they take the time to make sure they do a good job knowing that it is going to be read in front of the class. They take more pride in it. On second hand, it teaches them public speaking skills. I still have trouble getting in front of a big group (other than my students) and talking. I get really nervous. If we start at a young age having students get up and speak, they will be more comfortable later on because they have done it for so long. As I mentioned above for chapter one, having the students do some creative writing is very important to keep them interested. When I student taught for a fourth grade class, she used some very creative writing prompts. The students loved them and it was so much fun to read. One was they had to write to a farmer (they were a turkey) and convince the farmer why he should not pick them for the Thanksgiving meal. It was so cute. They then shared their work and it was hung in the hallway for everyone to see.
Chapter 3: Simplify the Teaching of Writing
It is hard for me to view myself as a writer. I feel I am not very good and always get nervous about making it sound how I want. I do think it is important to make the transition to feeling better as a writer. By feeling better, you give off a more positive feeling when teaching it to the students. When it
mentioned in the chapter, that they write at staff meetings I remember always dreading when they mentioned we would have to do a writing activity. I always got nervous that I would not be able to come up with something correct or people would secretly make fun of what I have wrote. This is why it is important to start the students out young with learning how to write and learning how to share their work in front of the group. Once again it is very important to model. It gives the students a base from where to start and helps them to make a comfortable transition into the writing process. Another interesting comment I found was about using red pens to mark papers. I can absolutely relate to this. Every time I look in my drawer to find a pen to grade a paper with; I always look at the red and bypass it. I never use a red pen because I too remember all my mistakes being marked in red. That’s the classic example of when something is wrong marking it in red. So I try to not use it to help my students not have that memory. 
I agree that asking students to share their work is important. They love to do this! I also agree that they try harder when they know their work will be made public. I like to give students a choice of doing their published stories as a final draft to be turned in, or made into a bound book and kept in our classroom library. I find that I have students writing in their spare time just to have stories published in our classroom. It means a lot to them.
ReplyDeleteRed pens are scary things for kids. I use markers and sometimes even smelly markers, which the students love! Try the fruit smelling markers, my students love them and ask me to use them all the time. When grading their papers I also a positive about their paper and give them a suggest on how to improve. Leaving them notes I think is better for students rather then just marking up their papers.
ReplyDeleteI think that is a great idea to have students share their work. They become much more proud of themselves and want to continue to improve on their writing. They love it when the other students ask them questions too.
ReplyDeleteI get a little nervous when I am asked to write, or create something for my peers (other teachers) at staff meetings etc. It is very scary-just as our students feel-we don't want to be made fun of aloud or otherwise.
I agree with you and the red pen. I remember that is all my teachers used! So when I'd get my paper and there was red on it, I freaked out. I think by using different colors (other than red) students do not get as scared when teachers write comments etc.
You wrote about the importance of having students share their work. This is such a powerful concept! When we know others are going to see it, we try harder. This is true for adults as well as children. Think about the care you took with your blog entry. For me, I know I am much more serious about cleaning the house when I know others will see it! In the summer, I slop around the house in my comfy old clothes until it's time to see other people besides my family. Hmm, maybe my husband is not too crazy about this one!
ReplyDeleteMaking your thinking public was our theme this year! It was not only the pieces that were "outstanding" but those that were in progress. We initiated a sharing technique that my Hillman-ites really loved and this involved a simple post-it with a T-Chart. The left anchored at least one positive component and the right was the "you might try to:" side where the kids would share a constructive criticism for the peer to help improve the writing. The kids passed their work to their different pod-mates and they loved the immediate feedback.
ReplyDelete