I had several "Ah-ha" moments while reading this chapter. One, in particular, was doing more shared reading from shared writing texts. Many weeks I am on the hunt for poems and/or big books to use for shared reading when all along I've had an endless number of shared reading material in our shared writing and the students' writings. The idea of turning their written texts into Readers' Theatre scripts is a bonus! I can't wait to use this idea with my students!
I went to Regie's website and watched her videos for this chapter. I highly recommend you watch her video with Antonio. She was fabulous in supporting him as he worked on creating a story about his new baby sister.
Was there anything in this chapter that made you all say "Ah-ha"? If not, what do you think of her video with Antonio?
I too liked the idea of turning student work into Reader's Theatre texts and this is something I would like to try.
ReplyDeleteI also liked how Regie really focused on the idea of ALL voices being heard and valued, especially through writing in this chapter. I liked how the students found their "voice" through writing to their recess supervisor and how something so simple was both meaningful and reinforced the "I Can Do It" motto.
I am in awe of the power writing has to transform a child into believing in him or her self and into being successful. I never thought of writing in that way, as being more powerful in transforming a child than reading. Writing is easier for struggling students to master before reading. It is so true that when a child experiences success in writing that it is 100% the child's. Giving children responsibility and ownership over their learning makes it more meaningful, more purposeful, and more likely that it will happen again.
ReplyDeleteI, also, am in awe of the power of writing. Regie explains on page 22: "So the triumph in writing, when it comes, is 100% the child's; the entire creation has come from the writer's hard won efforts." This makes perfect sense, but I had never thought of this before! Then, on page 25, Regie goes on to say: "Many students have no idea about the power of the written word." Writing is so powerful, and teachers have to make it authentic, meaningful, and purposeful in order for students to see the power in their words and WANT to write. Regie says that bright students with high test scores can still show little interest in writing (p. 25), and I have seen that very thing in my own classroom. I had students who would probably read all day if I let them, but they DIDN'T want to write. I need to do more to help my students understand the value of their words and the difference their voices can make. Writing persuasive letters is a great way to start helping students do this, because they write with a concrete goal in mind; they understand their purpose for writing and their audience. Best case scenario, the students' letters get the desired effect. That wold be huge for students' self confidence AND for their perception of writing.
ReplyDeleteHi all!! I can't figure out how to create my own post, so I'm going to attach my actual post here, since it goes with this chapter.
ReplyDeleteChapter 2: Do More Writing for Valued Audiences and Purposes
A little background: I am a middle school language arts teacher. I teach that unique age where students want to be grown ups but they are still children in so many ways—the ‘tween years. And I find that, while I am secondary in the ELA instruction I give my students, I need to be more elementary in the methods I use to teach them. What I love about Routman’s book is that it caters to both content and method, and reinforces beliefs I have had for a long time.
For example, I have always believed that writing “well” (technically correct essays) should not always be the purpose of writing instruction. For me, writing is so much a part of who we are as a people, a society, a culture! It is our voice in the world, and ultimately the only way our voices can be heard across decades. It is not so important that we write with perfect punctuation and sentence structure, but that we write. We write to tell our stories, our fears, our hopes, our convictions. We write to persuade, to inform, to entertain. We write because it is therapeutic, and because sometimes a paper and pen can say what we cannot mention aloud.
The problem? Mandated testing. How can PASS judge how far students have come in their written journey of self-expression? It can’t. It can only judge how pragmatic students are in their writing—are the commas in the right place? Does the essay have a beginning, a middle, and an end? As a result, ELA teachers get caught up in teaching what must be taught for high test scores. We get caught up in punctuation and sentence structure, and we forget about cultivating a genuine love of the written word in our students. Even in my own classroom, there is a major difference in student interest when I use formal grammar instruction and when I teach author’s craft through mentor texts and voice through punctuation. My students are most “with it” when I’m teaching the latter. I believe this is partly because I obviously love teaching writing style and voice, and students pick up on that. But, I also believe students inherently know that those things—style and voice—are the most important aspects of writing. So, what I found most invigorating about chapter two was a simple sentence: “Often I have found that high test scores coexist with scant student interest in writing, low engagement, and little understanding of audience and purpose.” It just reminds me to be wary. My test scores say little about my students as writers, and mostly just demonstrate whether or not they are technically correct writers. This is a trap I seek to avoid—of course I love to see high test scores, but it is more important to me that students are playful in their writing, that they express themselves. Commas, spelling, sentence structure...while these things are important, they mean little if there is no meaning behind the words. And if there is one thing I know about students, it is that they resist what isn’t meaningful.
well said Sarah:).
ReplyDeleteIn reading this chapter (2) I made lots of connections with the text. On page 21, where Regie writes about seeing "a child change before my eyes in demeanor, facial expression,...and posture, once he is genuinely celebrated for his writing"- I have, too, witnessed this. As a kindergarten teacher, I feel so privileged to work with children early in their "writing career". It feels great knowing that I am helping these little ones learn about and enjoy writing. If we aren't careful about the language we use when speaking to young children about their writing, we can squelch their creativity and hinder them rather than helping them get off to a great start! All students need to be celebrated where they are. When they ARE celebrated, their little faces light up and THEY BELIEVE they are writers.
ReplyDeleteOn page 25, Regie writes about using writing as a way into reading. In my class this year, we used READING as a way into WRITING. Many of the books I chose for read alouds lent themselves to be models for books my students could write. We first read "No, David" by David Shannon. If you know this book, you know there are only a few words on each page and the children LOVE the illustrations! After reading this with the students and talking about the pictures and text, I had several students who wanted to make their own book, using themselves as the main character. They started making their own books in early October! I was amazed. Before, we didn't start making books with our students until after winter break!! They read their books to the class and we had them in an area where students could pick them up and read them. It was a great experience so we moved on from there. The students used other stories throughout the year to create their own books. Many non-fiction books were created as well (ocean life, zoo animals, the farm, etc.)
Hey Lisa, I agree with you; it is amazing how much they grow in kindergarten and how they think whatever you say is right. When they feel successful as readers and/or writers, can problem solve, and get along with their classmates; then you know you have accomplished your goal as a kindergarten teacher. As I move onto 3rd grade I hope I can instill in my students that they too can be successful readers and writers. By 3rd grade they have already been exposed to so much in the reading and writing process. I hope I have the knowledge to grow them and push them to a higher learning standard.
ReplyDeleteLisa, I too was thinking deeply about what Regie says, ”…it is writing that turns children into readers.” I was thinking that we usually have it go the other way around. I can think of examples I used with my 4 year olds that I thought worked well. I would like to hear more about she believes this. I have not read Writing Essentials. Maybe it would explain it better in that book.
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