Chapter 1
This chapter is very inspiring and motivating to me. Writing is one of my weaknesses as a teacher because I do not feel like I am a strong writer myself. This chapter gave me advice about how to teach writing effectively. For example, students must be engaged. I have a difficult time getting my first grade boys interested in writing. I need to challenge them and require them to use more thought. There are several things that an effective teacher does: has writing on the walls, passionate about writing, plan-draft-revise instruction, high expectations, teach the writer not just fix the writing, and model writing.
As a first grade teacher, I need to model more writing and have the children plan-draft-revise their writings. In most of my writing lessons, I model the writing then I have the children to write. Afterwards, I talk to the children about their writing but that’s it. I don’t have them revise the paper and now I know that I should.
The hardest part of teaching writing for me is managing time to help all the children with their writings. It is hard for me to keep the first graders writing (without my help) while I conference with each child. Does anyone have any suggestions? What works in your classroom?
Chapter 10
In my first grade classroom, I have children that are intrinsically motivated to write and they just love to write. Then, I have students who struggle with writing and it is pure torture for them to write 1 sentence. This chapter motivated me to challenge students and share writings with my class.
I totally agree with the authors on page 205. Children are intrinsically motivated about writing at an early age but they become extrinsically motivated as they go through school because they write to please the teacher. I see my students come to first grade excited about writing their letters and drawing then they don’t like writing when they have to write sentences and stories with correct punctuation and capitalization. Writing is not as fun to them now. Now, I am motivated to motivate them!:) I want to share my writings and feelings with my children. I want them to see me enjoying writing and expressing myself through my writings. It is going to be a challenge for me to motivate some of my students, but I’m up to it!
Chapter 6
It was hard for me to relate to some of the planning strategies given in chapter six. I totally agree that planning is very important, especially in the upper elementary grades. However, it is difficult for first graders to plan in depth. Most typical six year olds think about what they want to write for about 5 seconds. Once they get ONE idea, they are stuck on that idea and that is the only thing they want to write about. Has anyone ever experienced this?
In my classroom, I use models and think-aloud to teach the planning process to first graders. Like we discussed in class last week, I think it helps them to see how I get my ideas and how I choose what I am writing about.
The authors did a great job describing strategies, breaking it down into steps, and giving examples. I really liked the mnemonics STOP (Stop and Think Of Purposes) and LIST (List Ideas and Sequence Them). I want to use them in my classroom to help the children remember to plan and get their ideas together.
Chapter 13
This chapter makes a great point that teaching genres, traits, and rubrics is more beneficial than pointless writings. Projects help students become more independent learners and more responsible for their own learning.
My favorite line is…”If you visit your doctor or auto mechanic, you expect assessment and evaluation to be a part of the exchange, typically as a basis for action. You also expect a record of the entire process.”
Chapter 3
Teachers must understand the roadmap of children’s writing developments. Students move through the road map at different speeds. However, they are all attempting to do the same thing…write a good story, which includes plot struction and character development. At each phrase of the roadmap, students are expected to be more successful as their understandings and capabilties strengthen.
The various stories by different ages were very benefical for me because I have only taught one grade, first grade, and it helped me to see how my first graders’ writing progresses. It was neat to see how their writings transform as they get older. My first graders have developed a concept of story and they know how to write about a problem. My average-students are not able to elaborate on story structure with complex plots. This comes as they are ready developmentally.
Throughout the years, students gradually increase their capacity to write better and better. Teachers must teach on the children’s instructional level and within their understandings in order to be successful. We, as teachers, need to model, scaffold, provide instruction on their level, and provide writing opportunities. Teachers also need to teach plot and character construction instead of just teaching the writing process.
Thanks for your comments Amy. Yes, it certainly is difficult to manage writing for 20+ 1st graders. Remember, there is no way for you to conference with every student every day. Think about realistic expectations and conferencing “weekly” with every student. I think one key will be to help your students begin to develop writing fluency. Let’s talk about this in class : ) Also, you are right on when you mention modeling and plan-draft-revise. It is critical that students “see” this writing unfold in front of them.
I look forward to continuing this discussion.
By: fryeem on January 20, 2008
at 6:16 pm
Amy,
Have you taught your students how to write stories? IF so, how did you go about this? Do they have story plans? Also, think about how can you get them to move beyond, “knowledge telling.” Any specific examples?
Dr. Frye
By: fryeem on February 6, 2008
at 3:17 pm