Big Picture Series-It's a Matter of Choice

Today Ruth discusses the importance of choice in the Writer's Workshop and I love how she describes her journey to this element of the Workshop in her room. I think all teachers struggle with choice. Such as how much choice? When I was talking with other colleagues about the aspect of choice in the WW I was keenly aware that each of us were on the same, but different journey.

I tend to allow choice within genre. For example, students choose what they want to write within the unit of study of personal narrative, essay writing, memoir, etc. However, some teachers allow not only choice of topic, but choice of genre. So, the mini-lesson of the day may or may not apply to the student, but all are expected to then apply it when they try that genre of writing.

I have not nor have I thought of this before. This absolutely amazed me because I still have not let go of somethings. Now granted 5th graders are expected to have mastered the art of essay writing by Feb. due to state mandated testing and that is probably what drives my avoidance of letting go, but I do wonder like Ruth..could I do it? Could I handle all the different genres that may be written at one time in a room of 30? What about the students who need the black and white of the writing process? Food for thought....thanks, Ruth!

Big Picture Series: Writing Daily

From Two Writing Teachers

Challenge:
Figure out what gets in the way of you writing regularly. Once you figure it out, grab your agenda, lesson plan book, or PDA, and schedule 10 – 20 minutes of writing time per day for yourself. Treat this time as if it were a doctor’s appointment or a visit to a manicurist. Turn off your phone. Unplug from your email. Set aside this time to just drop everything and write.

Reflective Journal:
Some questions to answer:

What is standing in the way of you writing regularly?

How will you make sure you drop everything and write during the times you’ve blocked-off daily?

Wow! I have to say that I really need to do this. I have been writing at least once a week, maybe two times in addition to the writing that I do with students. I firmly believe that writing along aside of them helps them realize that you too struggle with many of the same things that they do. My problem is that my best time of day is morning and that is when I am at work. So, I should get up earlier to accomplish some mediation/writing time, but single motherhood is hard and that makes it difficult. Most of my writing takes place after I am home from work and my girls are asleep. By then I am so brain fried that I feel it is worthless. However, I am sure it is just my view of it.

So perhaps I should allot the time right after my girls go to bed, as my personal writing time. Thanks, Stacey for the friendly reminder that as teachers of writing it is our responsibility to actually craft our own writing pieces.

Big Picture Series: Response Day 1

From the Two Writing Teachers

Challenge:

Today take note of the body language of each student you confer with. As the conference continues are they becoming lifeless or engaged? Is their pencil itching to continue working on the page or do they begin fiddling inside their desks, looking for a pencil sharpener or an extra eraser or anything else to avoid the writing? Record your observations before moving to your next conference.



Reflective Journal:

What did you notice about your students’ demeanors after they had a conversation with you about their writing? If there were different reactions, what do you think
made the difference? Consider if you taught writers or writing today. Which did you teach yesterday? How can you ensure that tomorrow (and everyday after for-the-rest-of-your-life) you will teach writers, not the writing?

To me conferring isn't about "correcting" their writing. When I was in Dallas at a writing conference that Lucy Calkins presented she said something very profound and I heard several other teachers comment also. If the student's published piece is significantly more advanced than their entries in their notebooks you wrote the piece during the conferring session. Several of my colleagues have now been looking at Carl Andersons work and restructuring this time.

One of things that really helps me is to think of them as a person or my own writing partner. How do I want them to feel after they leave this session? My answer...empowered as a writer. To continue to write; not give up.

Tomorrow as I work with students on their thesis statements I plan to take note of their body language as we progress into the drafting process of a genre that makes some of them uncomfortable.

Hopefully, when conferring with students they feel we are in this together and not the teacher pointing out all of the mistakes. This may be a good survey question to ask the kids.