Saturday, January 24, 2009
Writer's Notebook ch.11,12&13 group c 6:50
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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3 comments:
CONNECTIONS TO MY TEACHING:
In chapter 12 Elliot discusses the importance of integrating curriculum standards into the writing notebook assignments given to students. While I also follow those standards when planning my lessons, I never quite thought of using the standards themselves as a sort of prompt. I think that forming some of those topics into deeper questions the students must think about and respond to is a great way to address the standards in one’s classroom.
In chapter 11 Elliot discusses how boys enjoy writing about humor, sarcasm, and even violence, and she says that it is okay for teachers to allow it to some extent. I must say that I agree, and I have always encouraged my students to write with humor, and I sometimes even give topics aimed at producing humorous thoughts and responses. I also tend to allow my boys (and girls if they so choose) to include some violence in their writing. I express that I do not want play-by-plays of the actions and the names of the weapons, etc., but I do not mind there being fights in their stories or even people dying if appropriate to the topic. Considering Elliot seems to agree with my mindset, this is definitely something I will continue to do with my students.
QUESTION TO DISCUSS:
While I do not mind some violence in my students’ writing, I have always wondering what an acceptable “line” is to draw. As I mentioned, I don’t mind having fights or deaths in their writing, and I do not even mind some details to explain the actions in the fights or the reasons for the deaths. I just do not want to read about blood spewing everywhere or how a person tortured someone else, etc. I am just curious what your thoughts are on this topic and what you think are appropriate guidelines to use with students in 5th grade.
CONNECTION TO MY WORK AS A WRITER:
While I couldn’t connect with a lot in these chapters due to the fact they focused on how to help boys write and how to integrated curriculum standards as well as homework and assessments with writing notebooks, one strategy Elliot mentions to use with boys did spark my interest. Elliot explained that boys benefit from an opportunity to sketch their thinking before writing. I am interested if that will make a difference in my writing as well, considering it will give me a clearer visual of my thoughts which may result in clearer writing. This is a technique I plan to try out.
CONNECTION TO MY INTEGRATED UNIT:
The most logical connection I made in these chapters to my unit is integrating the curriculum standards for 5th grade Social Studies in the students’ writing. Therefore, I will look at the standards my unit addresses and see if any would present themselves as a good response topic possibly to end the unit and allow the students to voice their final thoughts on the American Revolution and its impact on our history.
In addition, after reading these chapters, I will also attempt to think of some response topics for this unit that lend themselves to more humorous responses and even responses where students have the freedom reenact some of the violence of the war in their writing. This may help motivate and encourage some of my reluctant boy writers.
CONNECTIONS TO MY TEACHING:
I was thrilled that Elliott included a chapter on boys and writing. I have a few boys in my small lower-level L/A group who are constantly drawing every chance they get. I use the fact that they love to draw as a tool to mitivate them to write or finish a reading assignment. I had these same boys last year in third grade and I discovered how much pleasure they got out of drawing gross, funny, violent pictures. These boys struggle as readers (they have an IEP w/ goals for L/A) and they also receive Speech support for language delays. Sometimes I let them draw a picture; and instead of writing the entire story out-they write a few sentences (or a paragraph) and then tell me orally the rest of the story.
I'm glad Eliott discussed how boys benefit from writing and using violence in boy's writing because I've definately had questions about both of these topics. Since I began working at the elementary level with a regular ed teacher, both of these topics have come up. I allow students to draw in my small L/A groups if they have earned it or it is part of the assignment. However, other boys in the regular classroom don't really get opportunities to sketch in class and they are definately not allowed to include any violence in their writing. A couple of the boys are very talented-they've shown me thier "sketching portfolios"-they do the work at home or at recess. The teacher I work with is very open-minded and I think I will get this book for her to read over the summer-I think it will inspire her like it has me!!
QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS:
Krysta-I have also struggled with the same question about where to draw the line when it comes to violence in drawings and writing. I am like you, I really don't mind if students draw or write about weapons, battles or death. However, I definately wouldn't want to hear about blood spewing everywhere or how a person was tortured either! I think as a grade level team you should discuss this topic and come up with some guidelines. I'd like to ask the other fourth grade teachers how they feel about this topic. In the last two paragraphs under VIOLENCE: Elliott says her thinking changed after reading books by Thomas Newkirk and Ralph Fletcher. They recommend that teachers should set limits and discuss these topics; violence in the media and the effects it has on people, and how it is inappropriate to make others feel threatened or belittled. I think 4th and 5th graders can handle these issues. Ofcourse there will always be a student who crosses the line.
CONNECTION TO MY WORK AS A WRITER:
In my own notebook I tend to just start writing about something that is on my mind. I don't think about sketching because I'm not very talented at drawing. I draw on a very basic level-stick people! Since I started teaching I've always had my husband help with any sketches for bulletin boards or other projects. I have tried to draw a few things in my notebook-I like to draw flowers and geometric designs.
CONNECTIONS TO MY INTEGRATED UNIT:
It was helpful that Elliott included a section on assessment in chapter 13 because it gave me an idea for a rubric to use for the science notebook in my integrated unit. I like her ideas for the point system she listed for assessing the notebook.
RESPONSES TO MY GROUP
Like you two, I loved that Elliot included a chapter on engaging boys in writing. I agree that boys have different reading and writing interests from girls and that those needs must be taken into consideration when planning for instruction. I definitely plan to share this chapter with my team and use the guidelines Elliot suggests for coming up with standards for what we will allow in our boy’s writing. In my school any mention of violence or weapons has been completely discouraged and students have even been punished for including violence in their writing. I agree with you both that it will be difficult to draw the line about what is acceptable and what is not. I think that if students are writing about war or other historical and some fictional events, some violence makes sense and would add to their writing. However, you wouldn’t want them to be writing about hurting someone in a way that makes you question their intentions. This chapter did make me realize that we don’t want to stifle our boys creativity by making too many topics taboo. Personally, I hope that this chapter will help to open up a dialogue with my team about what is acceptable from our boys.
QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS
I think that Elliot’s idea about scoring the notebooks for “accountability and productivity” is an excellent way to assess. For me, assessing homework like this has always been a struggle. I always wonder if it is fair to be grading for grammar and content when the point of the assignment is really just to get the kids writing and thinking deeply. I plan to use Elliot’s accountability and productivity standards next year, but was wondering how you assess writer’s notebooks? (I am the reading/social studies teacher on my team so I don’t have the kids keep writer’s notebooks but the writing teacher on my team has the kid’s self assess in a similar way that Elliot does and it works well for most of our students.)
CONNECTIONS TO MY TEACHING
I liked that Elliot mentioned the importance of allowing students to draw in writer’s workshop. It reminds me of a CRISS strategy I’ve used called “Picture Notes.” After reading or learning about a concept, instead of writing notes, the students use pictures and as few words as possible to communicate the big ideas of the concept. I’ve found this works very well and is one way that I integrate art into my social
studies class.
I also think that carrying the notebook with you to every class and using it as not just a space for “writing” class is terrific idea. This way, students are writing across the curriculum and don’t think that writing is reserved only for writing class time. I have always had my students keep a notebook for each subject and I think it makes more sense to have them use just one-that way, their learning is recorded in one place and is easy to get to and reflect on.
This book has given me so many ideas to use with my students and has made me realize how important it is to have students writing in every class. I especially loved the way Elliot ended the book with an anecdote about how using writer’s notebooks makes children more aware and more appreciative of the beautiful language and world around them. I love the question that she poses in closing, “Will you be the one to fan the flame?” I think that sometimes this idea get lost in my teaching as I am so worried about standards and testing that I forget that what I really want for my students is for them to become passionate readers and writers. This book has inspired me and reminded me just how important it is for teachers to create this love of literacy in our students.
CONNECTIONS TO MY WORK AS A WRITER
Elliot described the way some teachers will give their students a picture to paste into the notebooks and reflect on. I think that I will begin to cut and paste articles or pictures that I have read into my notebook to push my thinking. This morning, I read an article about credit cards that really got me thinking. Cutting out the graphic from the article will be a way for me to remember the article and write my thoughts about it in my notebook.
CONNECTIONS TO MY UNIT
In Chapter 12, Elliot wrote about having students sketch cartoons in their notebooks. For my unit, I might have students create cartoons that describe events like the Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre or Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. I think that this would be an engaging way to have students summarize the big ideas of the American Revolution.
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