Saturday, January 24, 2009
Writer's Notebook ch.7&8 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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5 comments:
Question/Connections
I enjoyed the author's thoughts on units of study, and not limiting writers to the "typical school genres such as personal narrative, persuasive, and expository writing" (p. 62). I agree that students are much more motivated to write when they are in control of what they are writing, and have freedom to do many different things. Yet, how does this co-exist with our culture of testing? I encountered a problem just this year related to this very topic. I use Lucy Calkin's Units of Study (which was provided to me by my school) which encourages early writers to begin with personal narrative stories. We had been working on how to write a personal narrative for some time, and the students were really progressing and I thought the process was going very well. But then I was told that the first graders take a district-wide writing prompt in March that is fictional narrative. My students were not at all prepared for this, and I had to drop what we were doing and cram for a fictional narrative prompt. While the scores turned out okay, they would have been better if I had been teaching them that format for a longer period of time. I am sure the pressure is even greater as students start taking the CMT's. How does one take this approach toward teaching writing and still feel as though they are doing what they need to to pass the test? Can the two co-exist?
Another connection that I have to my own classroom writing is the use of mentor texts when teaching students how to write. I have struggled with this for a while, as it is difficult to find suitable mentor texts for early writers. So many texts that we read far exceed the capabilities of a first grader. It is difficult to find something that seems "doable" for them. I have found some texts, specifically by Angela Johnson and Donald Crews, but it is tricky. Poetry also is difficult as far as finding mentor texts. All of the students love Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky, but there aren't many six year olds that can write like that. The trick seems to be getting them to appreciate simpler poetry that is easier to emmulate.
As far as my own notebook, lately I am really using it as a place to gather examples of good writing and things I like. I am teaching a poetry unit in my class right now, and I have discovered a few poets whose work I really appreciate. I memorize these works at school and then put them in my notebook at home. I have begun to write some of my own poetry (very rough!) and use these poems I found as mentor texts.
I am taking a trip to Bejing next week during my vacation and am actually excited to use my notebook while I am there. When I am traveling has been the only time that I consistently use a journal. I end up buying a new journal for every trip, and then only fill it up about 1/10 of the pages. It is nice to already have a journal going that I can bring along.
Connection to my unit
Chapter 8 seems to mostly be about mentor texts and using the good work of an author to inspire our own good work. This is something that I am planning to do in my unit. I plan on investigating the text structures in non-fiction writing, and am going to ask my students to these mentors and a guide for their own writing. I plan to ask the students to make a non-fiction book of their own, using all of the conventions that we studied.
Hi Joy and Kim!
I hope you girls are off to a great start of our vacation! Woo-hoo! Unlike, Joy, who is traveling the world, I am working this week. I know you’ll have a wonderful time in China! I can’t wait to hear all about it. Kim … I hope you are doing something fun on your vacation.
Anyway, back to the blog, I just completed chapters 7 and 8 and like Joy, I too, have found these chapters to be interesting, yet difficult to connect to first grade. I love the title, “Using the Writer’s Notebook as a Workbench” and think this is a wonderful way to look at the notebook. Through writing, I think our students will be able to develop their skills and learn through the process.
My Response to QUESTIONS:
First, in response to Joy’s questions: How does teaching students a variety of writing genres co-exist with testing? I have the same frustration! I am on the writing curriculum committee for my district and we are planning/revising our current writing curriculum. Through viewing the state standards, we (a group of teachers, principals, and literacy specialists) are trying to align our scope and sequence to meet the states requirements. However, in first-grade, our students are only tested on narrative writing? I spend a lot of time teaching narrative writing strategies and techniques; however, I too, like Elliot find it valuable, if not essential to teach the variety of genres. So, to try and answer Joy’s question, I THINK WE must dapple in all the genres and teach to our students’ needs, while still meeting district and state-wide expectations.
My CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS:
In response to Joy’s other comment, I feel that it is crucial that we continue to model good literature through a variety of resources (as mentioned in chapter 8). Even though I students are “just not there yet” I feel it is wonderful to model great writing and show them beautiful pieces of literature. Similar to Joy’s students, my students love Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky, and many others; however, I feel that sometimes their writing is a little over my students’ heads. In conjunction with these great poets, I also incorporate poetry writing by students (found online) and other poets. For instance, in March, I spend a few weeks talking about limerick poems and my students get a chance to write their own 5-line rhyming poem. They love it! Also, as mentioned above, I spend most of the year teaching students about narrative writing, but, I make sure I spend time introducing poetry, expository, persuasive, etc. My students also love writing letters and letter writing has been a popular literacy center this year. Again with each new year and group of kids, I try to teach to their needs while meeting all district and state expectations.
My CONNECTIONS to Writing:
As I continue to develop as a writer, my notebook is becoming a place where I write ideas for writing, simple phrases or thoughts that turn into phrases and feelings I have throughout the day. I find my notebook a place where I can write anything, but sometimes feel I need to remember that someone might read it!
My unit:
After reading these two chapters, I want to continue to develop the writing pieces in my integrating language arts unit. I think it would be ideal if students could write a recipe in the eyes of a bear (I’m focusing on hibernation) or write letters as part of an activities or task for their cyberlesson. Either way, I want to make the writer’s notebook an integrated part of the unit and have students used their notebook to gather ideas and develop their individual writing.
My QUESTIONS:
Similar to Joy’s question, I feel it is very difficult to teach a variety of writing while still making state goals. With the high-demand of testing, I feel it is unfortunate that we (as teachers) cannot spend as much time on authentic writing as we would like. As WE need to prepare students for THE TEST! Even though we WANT students to explore their personal writing; HOW do we instill the best practices for ALL our students? Since the writer’s notebook is a personal place for writing, HOW do we CORRECT (better) students’ writing?
How has the writer’s notebook been in your classrooms? I feel my class uses it mostly for their “free write” and “collecting” (their ideas). Do you think this is okay for now? Remember: My students just started using the notebook. They used their journal (more prompt writing) until I introduced the notebooks.
I look forward to continue my writer’s notebook and the use of the notebook in my classroom.
Have a wonderful vacation!
Hi Girls,
Enjoy your vacation Joy-can't wait to hear about it!
Jess- Hope your week goes by fast, as I'm sure you are looking forward to your vacation!
Questions-
I enjoyed these chapters and feel the information could be used in a variety of ways in the classroom. However, I find some of the ideas are difficult to bring down to the first grade level, successfully. Do you agree? Have either of you tried any of these genres in your first grade classes? I am eager to do so yet a little timid of the outcome.
Classroom Connections:
Elliot begins the chapter referring to the "workbench" used to improve her writing. I found myself describing this idea in a similar manner to my first graders. I will refer to the “workbench” as a toolkit that each student uses to check their work before publication. I found in first grade, it is a fun way to teach the students how to go through the steps of editing and revision.
To guide my student's writing, I have them develop one of the graphic organizers Elliot referred to in Chapter 7. I found that the organizers really differentiate instruction and provide that visual support needed for my lower level writers. During writer’s workshop, my students sketch their story first then go back and add the words to match their sketches. For some students, I needed to apply a similar strategy to achieve success; which is where the graphic organizers played an important role.
This year I began using my writer's notebooks with my first graders in the spring. I like how Elliot discusses the importance of the gradual release of responsibility because the notebooks will be used throughout the year. Next year, I know they will be a great source to show the student's growth.
Connections to Classmates Questions-
Joy and Jess- I too agree with Elliot that “mentor texts can be used to take a look at a variety of craft,” however I struggle to find appropriate texts for our grade level. I always found this interesting because finding mentor texts appropriate for teaching reading skills is a breeze. I have also have used mentor authors such as Angela Johnson or Donald Crews. At my school, we had a summer workshop, where a group of teachers worked together to go through the writing curriculum to locate texts that taught those specific skills. I do use this list as a guide when teaching my writer’s workshop curriculum.
Joy and Jess- You both were wondering if teaching students various genres can co-exist with state demanded tests. Like Elliot’s approach, I feel students need to be exposed to a variety of genres. In my classroom some of my unskilled writers excel in my poetry or the letter writing unit. If I spent the entire year focusing on narrative writing, I would be taking away that individual success those particular students need. As students move on from one grade level to the next, they will be tested on a variety of genres so early exposure is necessary. I also feel the variety of genres keeps them interested and curious about the mechanics that specific genre offers.
Connection to my Notebook-
I am excited to be on vacation this week and use my notebook as a place to attempt Elliot’s ideas. Even though I am not going away I envision myself sitting outside on my patio, relaxing and recording my thoughts. I may even dabble into some poetry or add to the sketches I already began.
Connection to my Unit-
Again Elliot added more ideas I could use in my integrated unit. I like the graphic organizer idea to start my students off focusing on the life cycle. I may even have my student write a letter since we just focused on persuasive letter writing. I want to see how I can use the ideas and integrate them into my unit. I am still brainstorming, yet Elliot is giving me a lot of great ideas!
I think the three of us are still struggling how we can connect this wonderful book to first grade. Is this correct?
Again, I LOVE Elliot's ideas, however, I feel we (as first-grade teachers) need to focus on so much more during this important year. I do, however think that we can "bring down," as Kim stated, these genres by incorporating them the best we can. I also think it will look different in every classroom, as all our students are so unique and their needs vary.
Thanks for your thoughts Kim. I agree that we need to provide students with a variety of writing opportunities that will allow them to grow and develop as thinkers and writers.
To answer Kim's other question about trying these genres in the class, are you speaking about the variety of writing, such as letter writing, interviews, recipes? If so, then yes. My students enjoy writing letters and we discuss the important elements of a letter. In May, my students also write Mother's Day recipes for their mom/grandmother/aunt. We beging with a REAL recipe for a cake or brownie, then we explore writing fun recipes, such as a recipe for a relaxful day for mom or a recipe for a hug, etc. Students' recipes come out great and it's a great gift for moms. I hope this helps.
I agree with both of you that it is getting more and more difficult to connect this text to the first graders that we teach. The ideas in here are terrific, and it is good to see where how our writers will progress. But is does not seem practical to use all of these ideas with students who are just beginning to put their ideas down on paper.
As far as your responses about testing, I think you are both right. Though it is difficult, we need to balance what we feel is best for our students with what we know is the expected performance on the test. This seems to be a constant tight rope that we must walk as teachers.
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