Saturday, April 12, 2008
Write Your Own Ending
WOW!! This book has helped me to see writing with new eyes. I have already tried some of the writing practices and can see a difference in my students' writings. We share, talk, write, reread, revise, edit, publish and celebrate with much more enjoyment and enthusiasm. I will be rereading this book over and over - what a wealth of information. I see a lot of potential in me as a writer and teacher of writing. Let's keep the momentum going and see what our student's are capable of as writers!! It is really not the end, but just the beginning!
Make Every Moment Count
This was an uplifting and encouraging chapter! It is so important to make daily connections with our students and share our hearts and lives with them. I plan to model some of the secrets of good writers with my students and have them add to the list. This will also be a great resource to share with next year's students. The suggestions given by Regie on how to wisely use our time as teachers makes so much sense. Reduce the paper load, limit the work you take home, don't teach concepts in isolation and have a life outside of school. I think I will copy her top ten suggestions for fitting writing into the classroom and post it where I can see it everyday. As for now, I am going to follow Regie's advice to reduce stress and have more energy for teaching by having a life outside of school and taking time to see the light!
Thanks Regie!!
Thanks Regie!!
Build on Best Practice and Research
"Districts, too often send mixed messages, confounding teachers and adding confusion to their writing practices." Hasn't this happened to all of us at sometime? We attend several workshops and professional development days to learn about how to best teach something. Yet, we don't seem to have the adequate time to practice, revise and implement these best practices into our classrooms before we are off and running to the next set of workshops on something else. Regie says that it takes up to 3 years to truly implement change.
"We're told what to do, and mostly everyone's so stressed out that we just do it. We're worn out and discouraged."
How do we change this??
* "Trust your professional common sense and your own successful teaching experiences."
* Implement best writing practices.
* Have high expectations.
* Collaborate with your teaching peers.
Evaluate student writing samples together.
Observe other teachers' writing instruction.
Share successes.
Create writing guidelines.
* Include parents as writing partners. Appendix B & C - good ideas.
What about a writing journal between home and school?
* Write everyday, together and individually.
* Always celebrate writing!!!!
"Outstanding teachers analyze situations, know the research, rely on their heart and spirit as well as experience and professional knowledge, and make wise instructional decisions for their students. Such teachers do not discard what they know when a new mandate or program comes along. They find ways to ensure that their students are successful." I hope that I am one of these teachers.
"We're told what to do, and mostly everyone's so stressed out that we just do it. We're worn out and discouraged."
How do we change this??
* "Trust your professional common sense and your own successful teaching experiences."
* Implement best writing practices.
* Have high expectations.
* Collaborate with your teaching peers.
Evaluate student writing samples together.
Observe other teachers' writing instruction.
Share successes.
Create writing guidelines.
* Include parents as writing partners. Appendix B & C - good ideas.
What about a writing journal between home and school?
* Write everyday, together and individually.
* Always celebrate writing!!!!
"Outstanding teachers analyze situations, know the research, rely on their heart and spirit as well as experience and professional knowledge, and make wise instructional decisions for their students. Such teachers do not discard what they know when a new mandate or program comes along. They find ways to ensure that their students are successful." I hope that I am one of these teachers.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Make Assessment Count
This chapter provided down to earth common sense about assessment of student's writing.
As teachers, we need to "put rubrics in perspective" and "be realistic and humane about grading". I know I have been guilty of grading too much. Routman stated that 80% of student writing needn't be graded. I know I could handle grading 20% of my students' writing, but is this enough to justify a grade on a report card? I guess my Big question to be answered is " do we need a writing grade on a primary report card? Time spent conferencing with students about their writing is what will make our student's better writers!! The Good Writing Rubric for Third Grade on page 241 is a good resource. I need to involve my students in the process of evaluating their writing. Page 253 provides numerous ways for students to do this and in turn improve their writing skills. Our time spent with Tamara has helped our grade level create our own writing guidelines and mini lessons. I would like to see us copy some of our student's work and create files of writing samples to use in our instruction. I also think it would be beneficial for us to all score the same writing samples and discuss our results.
As teachers, we need to "put rubrics in perspective" and "be realistic and humane about grading". I know I have been guilty of grading too much. Routman stated that 80% of student writing needn't be graded. I know I could handle grading 20% of my students' writing, but is this enough to justify a grade on a report card? I guess my Big question to be answered is " do we need a writing grade on a primary report card? Time spent conferencing with students about their writing is what will make our student's better writers!! The Good Writing Rubric for Third Grade on page 241 is a good resource. I need to involve my students in the process of evaluating their writing. Page 253 provides numerous ways for students to do this and in turn improve their writing skills. Our time spent with Tamara has helped our grade level create our own writing guidelines and mini lessons. I would like to see us copy some of our student's work and create files of writing samples to use in our instruction. I also think it would be beneficial for us to all score the same writing samples and discuss our results.
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