Saturday, January 24, 2009
Writer's Notebook ch.11,12&13 group a 650pm
View the first sample chapters (available on line) Using the Writer's Notebook in Grades 3-8: A Teacher's Guide at (http://www1.ncte.org/library/files/Store/Books/Sample/35006chap1-2_x.pdf) and begin your writers notebook then post entries on Class Blog. Engage in an online discussion group on our class blog. Please read designated chapters and 1)propose “meaty” fat questions to discuss, 2) make connections to your teaching and work with students, and 3) make connections to your work as a writer (ie Keep your own notebook and share your response to it), 4)Please respond to two of your classmates’s entries in your study group, 4) Consider how what you have learned from this book might support the work of your integrated language arts unit.
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4 comments:
Meaty Question
The author's discussion about boys using the writer's notebook was very interesting to me. I am not sure that this is such a major issue in the first grade, as there isn't as significant difference between what boys like to write about and what girls like to write about. But the points made in chapter 11 did make sense. My question is about the violence. Even in first grade, I get uncomfortable when a student draws a picture with any violence in it. As a teacher, how do I nurture their creative side without encouraging violent thoughts or behavior? From reading the chapter, this seemed like a fine line. I am just not sure how this is done, especially in such a young grade.
Connections to teaching
Chapter 12 and 13 discussed using the writer's notebook in other areas of the curriculum. I have done this in the past, where my sutdents have had a temporary journal to respond to topics within a certain unit. However, I see how the writers' notebook is an easy place to keep all of the these reflections organized. This way, the students can look back at them over time.
Elliot also discusses the importance of drawing pictures when writing. I think this helps to address a question that we have been having in our blog about whether or not to stop students who only want to draw pictures. It is important that within the writers' notebook, that is intended to be written for the student and not for the teacher, the writer should be free to decide the format of the content.
Connections to my own writing
When the author talked about the two faces of writing, this struck me. I am very comfortable with the writing directed outward toward others. It is the writing that is directed inward that I am uncomfortable with. I was never encouraged to do this kind of writing while I was in school, so that may be part of the issue. Yet I also think that some people just need a little more coaxing to write for pleasure. I do think that I am more successful when typing, like Elliot talks about in chapter 13, and this is how I have done my writers' notebook for the last month or so. I type so much faster than I can write, so it is easier to keep up with my thoughts in that forum. Otherwise I feel like I forget what I wanted to write before I get a chance to write it down.
Application in my integrated unit
These chapters just seemed to solidify for me the thoughts that I had about how to incorporate the writers' notebook in my unit. I had already planned to use the notebook as a place where students could respond to new material and write down ideas they had about the content we are learning. The ideas presented in chapter 12 seem to support this idea.
Questions-
Elliot discusses using the writer’s notebook in other settings besides the classroom. I found this to be a great idea because it will show students writing continues at home, during summer vacation etc. I have not implemented this strategy into my classroom yet but am eager to do so. My question is, have you started assigning the writer’s notebooks as homework? If so, what has the outcome been? If not, do you agree with Elliot and plan on trying this as a strategy outside of school?
Connections to Classroom-
Focusing the writing so it would appeal to boys was a very interesting chapter. Joy I too was somewhat confused because I do not see a huge difference in the topic choices between boys and girls. I do agree with Elliot when she said that if the students have the freedom to choose their topic the success rate is higher and as teachers we can just steer their writing in the correct direction. I often use this strategy with several boys who consistently want to write about video games they play every night. Although I would prefer them to choose topics that have more depth and meaning to their lives if they are writing the whole time I am happy. I then use the various writing units to curve their topic choice. The boys in my class really enjoy the non-fiction and persuasive units we do. During the non-fiction units the class has the opportunity to write both All About Books and How- To books. Since these topics integrate science into the language arts curriculum I find them to be extremely successful. Do you ladies teach other units that the boys and girls in your classes find really appealing besides the units mentioned? I do like how Elliot draws in the topics of sports, scary stories or other ideas that would interest boys. I will take that into consideration when offering topic suggestions.
An idea I cannot wait to introduce to my class was included in the Writer’s Block section. I loved how Elliot suggests listing the ideas in the back of the journal when students do not know what to write about. That is a real life situation that happens everyday! Sometimes there just are not ideas in your head that you would like to write about. With Elliot’s proposal, the students can automatically go to the back of their journals and find a topic or answer the questions to guide their topic choice. I also found what David Adler said really helpful, “Whenever I get stuck I just look at the sign I have over my desk: DON’T THINK! JUST WRITE!” I will share that with my students because it is a great strategy for them to remember during writing time.
Connections to My Notebook-
One of my colleagues has been using the writer’s notebook in her classroom for a few years. When I started talking about my grad class with her the notebook came up and we were able to brainstorm ideas together. She had a lot of positive things to say, especially about the amount of writing she now sees from the less skilled writers. We exchanged success stories and lessons used and I added some of the advice she gave me as thoughts in my notebook. This way I have my ideas in a safe spot for next year!
Connections to My Unit-
With my unit planned out, I am finding that I have integrated a lot of areas where the students can write in their journals and then reflect with their partner. I think Elliot’s book has really helped guide my unit planning. I look forward to referring back to this text during my future notebook teaching or unit planning.
Connections to Classmates-
Joy that is a question I also find difficult to guide with first graders. Depending on the situation, I may be able to guide the student to develop a story that uses pieces of the sketch leaving out the violent part. I am also left with a question of how this is done in another way without really focuses on the violence or taking away their creative side. Good question, but unfortunately that is the only answer I have.
Meaty Questions:
I think it is great that the notebook allows for so much differentiation and can be use for a plethora of writing in content areas; however, does this really work as well as Elliot suggests in a first-grade classroom? I love Elliot’s suggestions of using the notebook to be expressive, write ideas, short poems, as well as use in content areas. But, I find this would be very confusing and difficult for students in first grade.
Regarding Elliot’s comment of violence, especially for boy writers, I agree that violence is a very thin line, one that I often do not like to cross. In my classroom I do not encourage violence and my students understand why they may not draw something inappropriate (based on our previous conversations). Joy and Kim, do you agree that violent pictures should never be encouraged?
Connections to teaching:
Surprisingly, I had many connections to the 3 chapters read. I think a lot of Elliot’s ideas and suggestions are great, but are sometimes difficult to connect to first grade. However, after reading chapters 11, 12, and 13, I feel confident that I can take Elliot’s suggestions and differentiate them to meet the needs of my students. For instance, I would not have my students write everything in one notebook. I find that this would be confusing and awkward for them. Instead, my students have separate journals/notebooks that they “keep” specific ideas/stories in. I find this much more manageable in a first grade classroom, where students are beginning to learn organizations as well as the writing process. However, I think this would be a great tool for upper grades.
Also, I loved the discussion about boy writers and I think it’s great that there is so much awareness about this and teachers have many wonderful resources they can use to enrich students, as well as motivate boys to write! In my classroom I do not find this to be a problem. All my students LOVE to write and many do so without any hesitation, including my boys! They write about sports, nonfiction texts, and many other “boy” stuff. My boys also write personal things in their notebooks, much like The Diary of a Wimpy Kid; which by the way, I think this is a GREAT series for elementary readers!
Connections to my own writing:
I have also begun to love to write and I am excited that I was given this opportunity to delve into writing. In the past few months I feel that I have improved my writing and I am excited to continue to do so. Also, I try to encourage myself (even though it is hard) to try to write different things in my notebook and expand my thinking via expressive writing. Last week I explored poetry and this week I am using the notebook to expand my knowledge on real world events/current events. Through writing about the news, I feel that I am more aware of the world around me.
Application in my integrated unit:
I love all the ideas Elliot presented in the three chapters and look forward to implementing the writer’s notebook throughout my unit on hibernation. I see many pros to using the notebook with the unit, as students can continue to reflect on their writing and go back and read what they have previously written. I also think it will be an effective way to incorporate more writing in the integrated unit and make everything tie together. I look forward to using the notebook as an integral part of the unit.
Response to classmates’ questions:
Joy, in order to encourage students’ creative sides without encouraging violence, I think WE need to remind students of what’s and is not appropriate without discouraging them to be creative. For instance, my students are NOT allowed to draw (or talk) about anything that is violent, as we are a zero-tolerance school. I feel it is important to remind students to make good choices and drawing about violence is not one of them. On the other hand, my students love drawing about Indian Jones and I do allow that, as I feel they are representing a character/movie.
To answer Kim’s question about using the writer’s notebook as homework, I think this is a great idea. Again, I started the writer’s notebook later in the year, but I want to have students use the notebook at home. So, no I have not used it yet, but incorporating it would be an effective way to make the home-school connection! I think it would be very beneficial and valuable for the students. In order to do so, however, I feel that we have to provide guidelines for parents and make sure parents, as well as students know what is expected for that at-home responses.
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