Sunday, January 27, 2008
Continuing our Conversation....
Kim said, "For me, with teaching writing, I guess I just don't know where to start. It feels like there are so many little pieces that go into teaching writing and I'm not sure which ones to teach first." So if we look at this, how can we, as a group think about and respond to this question? Where do we start? How do we know we are "covering" everything? Is there a curriculum we can use as a guide? What do we do well? What else do we need to get better at? Do your students consider themselves as writers? Let's keep this conversation going because it is an important one for sure!!
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13 comments:
You are rright Kim..It is hard to know where to start. Our school has different programs in first and second and I hear talk about using something different next year. So then, I guess you start at a place that excites you and hopefully your students and then from thoes results you see where you need to go next. My class does best when I model a new skill and then we all share. I make transparencies using examples of kids writing to show writing strategies that I really liked . I find that this really works well because everyone wants to see a sample of their writing used so they really try the suggestions
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It is so exciting to see so many children enjoying the act of writing every day! I feel like to be a truly amazing writing teacher you have to analyze the kids writing every day, make lists, find model texts, model, model, model, know craft, be a good conferencer, etc. And I hate to say it, but that's a lot of work! I would love to say that all of us are doing that everyday, but most of us are doing that everyday for reading and just can't put the amount of time we know it takes into this as well. So...I am looking for somethings to make that role easier. Suggestions? I am looking at resources, not programs. However, I don't think a program is that far behind (from the district, not GBS). How do we teach the staff to be great teachers of writing so that no matter what "program" comes our way, we will still know how to teach writing?
I can surely relate to this problem of where to start or go from there. I was just saying the other day, "as soon as I get deep into content lessons, I get worried about their editing and grammar. So I spend some time on the mechanics of drafting and editing and then I worry that their content begins to fade." For me this balance of "its not ok to spell 'of' with 'uv' in second grade" and "I like math. I like reading. I like school." is a toughie. I think I'm at my best when I'm noticing/listing/conferencing/small grouping, like Michelle said. I remember last year's book by R.Routman mentioned a content conference and a mechanics conference. I feel like its almost two different worlds! I do best working with 4 kids or less. But I really need more than 45 minutes for writing blocks, and then it just cuts into reading workshop, all day math, not to mention snack/read aloud/science/ etc! In the end, I have no answers. I do notice that my small group instruction does seem beneficial.
I agree Jenn, that it's when I'm working with individuals that I truly see the next step clearly. The problem is there are often 15-20 next steps. Each child is different; each writer's needs are unique. I try to figure out what "most" of my writer's need and make that the focus for whole class minilessons. Sometimes,when time allows, I can pull small groups to work on a certain skill. But, I still feel like my students get the most out of that individual timwe with me and time to write. So many of my students will leave me little presents (pieces of their writing) with the hope that I'll read it and be able to give them just a little bit of feedback while they're waiting to conference. That's the excitement you're talking about, Michelle. And it is wonderful to see, but I wonder how much more growth I'd see if we just had more TIME!
I agree with so many of the comments from all of you. It is so hard to piece it together and feel like you are being productive. I think we are trying as a team to move in the right direction. I often find that I get the best work from my students when I don’t have a structured plan that I am trying to follow systematically. I also feel I am the most effective when I am able to confer with my students and then give them quick feedback on what I want to see in their future writing. I think that sometimes we truly think too much! Most important is getting kids to love writing and I feel like I have done that this year. Students always want to write and I am seeing progress. I do think it is difficult when we have such inconsistencies between the grades. I do think it is important to have common language as a district…the question is how do we get there? The district is looking at writing, but may be looking more towards a resource with common language than a structured program. Every school right now is doing something different and I don’t know how this can be effective for children.
I wish I knew where to start. Every year I have this vision of what writing will look, sound and feel like. I make the changes that I think will bring me closer to my vision. And then every year right about January I realize that the changes haven’t taken me as close to my vision as I had hoped. I think many of the steps we are taking as a school are helping to bring us closer but it is happening slowly.
CHANGE TAKES TIME!! Be patient with yourselves and realize that research tells us that for "REAL" change to occur takes upwards of three years or more!! It would be nice if changes happened overnight, but think about all that has to change! You are all in the place of reflecting on your practices and I truly believe that starting within, and starting with you and your classrooms is how real change occurs. Take some time to think about the changes you have made, in your thinking, about yourself as a writer, about what your students ARE doing instead of what is not there! There are many things to be celebrated that we don't want to forget along the way! Part of our reflective practices has to be to look at what we have done...and not always about what we haven't gotten to yet! BJ talked about the changes she sees in her students...that is one place to start! I have seen great changes in so many of you in terms of your own writing! You are writers!! Would you have said that at the beginning of they year? You CAN write poetry! You DO have a lot to say! I hope you are all enjoying your day off! Missed seeing those first graders today Debi! We will reschedule!
omg! I am on! I have been trying so long that I forget what I wanted to say!Okay! I agree with a lot of what you all said. Some days I feel that I should be more concerned with content and then I also want them to be using learned words or rules correctly but I do not want them to be so preoccupied with that either! I love to write a bit first and I realize that on the days that i skimp on this for time or some other interruption-the writing seems unconnected. I agree that I like to work in small writing groups so much! I usually sit on the floor with them and we spread out and talk about our work. I love when one of them says something like:"Let me read you what I have so far.." or " I think it needs something." or "I,m not sure what to do next, will you listen to it?" I also find that when I repeat what we previously discussed and learned- they seem more invested and they share that at sharing time. My class loves the share chair! I try to sneak in writing everywhere and as I continue with this course I find myself reading like a writer more and more and I think that I am teaching my students to do the same. I still have not found the perfect schedule or time to fit it all. Some days- I forget about lunch because we are having one of those "I wish I had a video moments"! Okay bye!
Wow! I would never have guessed my insecurities would have spawned such great conversation! It's good to hear that I'm not the only one who feels so confused, overwhelmed, unsure... I could go on. I guess it's like Jenn said- there is the content piece and the mechanics piece. I feel like I have spent so much time on the content piece this year with my kids that their mechanics have gone down the tubes! Ok- maybe that's a bit dramatic, but it's like Debi said- you want to teach them those things but you don't want them to then feel totally consumed with the "must dos" that their creativity is lost! AHHHHHH!!!! I know this reflecting thing is supposed to help make things better but sometimes, at the beginning of it I guess, it just makes me feel more and more frustrated because I can't find the answer! I agree that there is just not enough time in the day to get to really conference with as many students as I would like- but I love to walk around and quick conference with kids because I feel like I can get to so many more. And I have also found that starting the writing time with sharing is sometimes a great way to help kids get started with an idea for a topic or something to try.
Writing is by far the most challenging subject for me to teach primarily because it is so open-ended.I feel like I am jumping around a lot with the concepts I teach and I don't always feel like it is a smooth transition. At the beginning of the year we started with poetry and then seemed to jump right into something completely different a few weeks later. I do agree that it needs to be more structured across the grade levels, but I also agree with Donna when she talks about starting in a place that excites you and hopefully the students will catch on. I know that when I model a piece for the students and give them ideas it is easier for them to know where to go with their own writing pieces. It is just difficult to make sure each student is adding in all the mechanics to their writing, but also using the new techniques and ways of writing.
Tomasen,
I was thinking about the changes (the positive ones of course) I made this and last year to teaching writing. Sometimes I feel so down about how piece-meal it feels. This constant tug between grammar and topic and craft. But I had this really cool thing happen earlier this week. My kids have been really low on writing motivation. Their rut probably reflects mine! They just didn't have "good ideas" and weren't excited about it. My guess is that it came from the last few weeks focusing on the editing process and expectations (its not ok to spell "of" with "uv"!!!!!).
So I stopped in my tracks when I found this cool book by Molly Bang in the library. She writes about what is in her heart in such an incredibly creative way with neat illustrations. I was thinking about the chats we had about Georgia Heard's lesson on finding what's in your heart. So I read the book the kids and they cut out hearts to draw what was in their heart. Mind you, this is a repeat of a lesson I already did but this time I actually used hearts instead of index cards. What a difference! For two days now, the kids have industriously spent time filling in their hearts and gluing the hearts on a background page to sketch out the stories. But this time its different. I don't mind the noise level. This idea creation stage needs some interaction. I told the kids TO chat with their neighbor as they worked.
I also spent a lot of time modeling how to find the STORIES hidden in the people from their heart. "This is my mom. She is tall. I love her." isn't a story. "The time mom made chocolate chip cookies and burned them so the smoke detector when off...." is. The kids really enjoyed hearing some of my stories. That personal connection piece. And they were sooooo excited to find their stories. I also tried something new and stopped in the middle of lessons for kids to share and start a mini-lesson with a share time. They got so many ideas from each other. I modeled the "we do" part of "I do, we do, you do" from Reggie Routman's lesson on Second Grade Secrets. I think that middle piece between getting an idea and putting it into sentences....the formation of the story in your mind....is often missing in my teaching. The chance to turn and talk about it before going on. The workshop structure keeps me confined with mini-lesson then independent quiet work then share circle. So, it was an aha moment for me to see them. In fact, they packed up at the end of the day still talking about all those funny, sad, bloody, gross and scary stories they were putting on their hearts.
Who knows what they'll come back from a snow day thinking about. Unfortunately, I've lost some momentum with the rest of this week!
I love how this conversation is so circular and that in the sharing of your thoughts, feelings, fears, uncertainties and celebrations you are finding your own ways through the writing process. It is not easy and I will tell you that I have the same experiences in teaching that you all have. How do I teach how to teach writing in 12 short classes? How do I address and meet the needs of each of you? And lately, how do I do that in leiu of snow days, holidays and crazy schedules?
For me it always has to come back to the same place and that is to have each of you exploring and living your writerly lives in ways you have not lived them before. Part of that is this blogging. I just LOVED reading about all of your experiences in picking out and finding your perfect writer's notebook. What I have discovered over time is that when you lead a writerly life then somehow...everything seems to matter! I mean just the other day I wrote a piece about making my bed. I wrote it because it seemed to matter! When I am not writing, I miss so many things along the way. When I write, I notice and when I notice I slow down, see life more fully and it is in the noticing that I am inspired to write! Did I mention circular at the beginning of this post?
Finally, I am so honored and impressed with your honesty. It is refreshing to hear your struggles and questions put out there...clearly this is a safe place for each of you to do this! Jenn, your lesson on the heart went that one step deeper, including a mentor text and allowing each student to process. Where does this fit into the workshop model? I see this as a form of conferring. The thing is that when you go into the quiet writing time, some may need to be conferring at this time. Part of our job is to help our writers know what they need when they need it. It is knowing that they are stuck in their writing and knowing they need to do something about it. Often those conversations are priceless...for all of us when we are stuck! That could be one mini-lesson...remembering that mini-lessons can be on craft, mechanics or even procedures and thinking!! What do your students need and why? Another idea is to have small invitational groups to address a certain need. "Who needs some help getting started today? If you do then please join me at this invitational group at the back table."
Teaching writing and writing is about knowing and listening and hearing what each of us and our students need next and how to help them to know what it is they need. Never underestimate the power of modelling your own writing and the process you went through to get there!
Keep writing everyone!!
It'a amazing what we can learn from each other. From listening to others in class and from reading the blog comments I feel so much better in my own struggles as a writer and how to teach writing. I do feel that the excitement I am feeling is evident in my class this year, especially, and I love the feeling that they know that everyone can be a writer! That everyone is a writer! I struggle all the time with how to conference, in a group, one on one with nearby ducklings listening in and others sharing their ideas as well. Quick conferences give me a way to check in that keeps in in tune with the tone of the day but I think sharing has become so powerful and enjoyable in my class too! Oh my! This journey is exciting!
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