In the beginning of chapter seven, I found these couple of sentences to be very profound and comforting: "Expertise in a subject matter is not always the key to giving good lessons. You do have to know something about the subject you're teaching. You just don't have to know everything." pg 96 Hale. As Hale encourages us as teachers I seem to be understanding the purpose of writing in a different sense that will help my audience feel at ease with these new elements in writing as discussed in chapters 1-6 and the structure of writer's workshop.
Writer's workshop has four components
1. Mini lesson
2. Try-it
3. Independent Writing
4. Share
Together these components create a structure of writing that allows for student freedom in writing. During one of our visits, one of the teachers did an excellent job demonstrating the flexibility the teacher and students have with this writer's workshop structure. Yes there are four components, but they can be repeated and can take place in different locations in the room. This type of flexibility is critical to learn at a young age so that you discover best where you can work in terms of writing or other subjects too and how to overcome change.
The lesson we observed began with a direct modeling of the teacher's diary which was used as the mini lesson to start the writer's workshop. As Hale points out, the mini lesson is not always a lesson, it is more like an activity that demonstrates a particular craft. The teacher wanted to convey the different types of diaries, the idea of writing can be in different forms, and the purpose can be useful or just an idea to ponder. Some of the teacher's diary entries actually came to fruition, but not all. I liked that aspect, because having a diary, journal, or even a blog has that unwritten notion that it will work, make emotions at ease, or the solution will appear following a long entry (etc.). As a young writer I wish that notion of writing for writing's sake would have been explained so that when I wrote in a diary I didn't feel so intimidated to write.
Next, the teacher had her students try writing something in their journals that interests them in some way. The teacher allowed the students to leave the circle area and spread out around the room. Then, a few kids read their progress and went back to independent writing after seeing what a peer wrote, giving the others a direct peer model.
The writers workshop structure and design layout makes so much sense and I believe it highlights what Hale wrote in the beginning, that being the teacher doesn't require expertise, but only needs a well-rounded knowledge base. As the teacher you will be able to start the writer's workshop and the writing ball will hopefully begin to roll so the teacher and students can learn from each other.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Crafting Writers K-6 by Hale
In the reading of Crafting Writers I enjoyed the chapter of categories of specific crafts. I found that when reading I really enjoy the process more when I can use my five senses and describing of the environments (backgrounds). THE TELL-TALE HEART
by Edgar Allan Poe, 1843 demonstrates many categories of specific crafts. I realize now reading needs to more interactive for me, therefore using the five senses keeps me engaged and picturing the environment so I can imagine myself in the setting while reading it.
Chapter four is divided into five main topics: the five senses, show not tell, dialogue, sentence variety, and word choice. In my own writing rather than reading preference, I become very stuck on making sure I do not repeat myself, begin with different words, and seem to miss the purpose. Word choice is a difficult concept for me to apply because I find that I feel limited in what I want to convey to the reader. Now after reading this chapter I feel more equipped to try some of these new strategies which I might have known at one point but have forgotten.
Chapter six was a good tool for our assignment in looking at our student's writing samples. I had trouble gauging where to make the cut off on what the student should know and what could be demonstrated in their writing sample. Seeing the three parts of the primary level: drawing, writing words, and basic craft was a great foundation to build up my students writing sample. I had the cheetah topic sample and the student most likely not a primary level. Therefore, requiring some of the primary elements to be present is necessary. In class the second part of the cheetah writing sample gave both groups difficulty in comprehending what the student intended to convey to the reader. The drawing component was the key hint to the reader because the claws where huge compared to a typical cheetah's claw. Once Professor Wohlwend told us it was retractable claws it all made sense. This student was filling in their gap of weak writing, by enhancing the picture which still demonstrated the student's willingness to write something that he/she did not know how to spell. I see this book as an instrument to use in identify students writing styles and creating and enhancing their writing crafts.
by Edgar Allan Poe, 1843 demonstrates many categories of specific crafts. I realize now reading needs to more interactive for me, therefore using the five senses keeps me engaged and picturing the environment so I can imagine myself in the setting while reading it.
Chapter four is divided into five main topics: the five senses, show not tell, dialogue, sentence variety, and word choice. In my own writing rather than reading preference, I become very stuck on making sure I do not repeat myself, begin with different words, and seem to miss the purpose. Word choice is a difficult concept for me to apply because I find that I feel limited in what I want to convey to the reader. Now after reading this chapter I feel more equipped to try some of these new strategies which I might have known at one point but have forgotten.
Chapter six was a good tool for our assignment in looking at our student's writing samples. I had trouble gauging where to make the cut off on what the student should know and what could be demonstrated in their writing sample. Seeing the three parts of the primary level: drawing, writing words, and basic craft was a great foundation to build up my students writing sample. I had the cheetah topic sample and the student most likely not a primary level. Therefore, requiring some of the primary elements to be present is necessary. In class the second part of the cheetah writing sample gave both groups difficulty in comprehending what the student intended to convey to the reader. The drawing component was the key hint to the reader because the claws where huge compared to a typical cheetah's claw. Once Professor Wohlwend told us it was retractable claws it all made sense. This student was filling in their gap of weak writing, by enhancing the picture which still demonstrated the student's willingness to write something that he/she did not know how to spell. I see this book as an instrument to use in identify students writing styles and creating and enhancing their writing crafts.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Trying out new spelling strategies
This past week on Monday in class when we discussed spelling as it sounds and spelling as it looks, I quickly realized I used only one strategy typically. I decided to test out the spell it as it sounds and it was amazing and produced confidence and willingness to be wrong. I have a little sister who I was matched with int he Big Brothers Big Sister program here in Bloomington. Our car rides are a good time for us to talk through writing because I am driving obviously : ) I asked my little to draw animals and then spell them. At first she was very concerned and demanded I help her correctly spell the words. Thankfully, with patience and willingness to try she experienced with spelling bunny using how it "sounds". The result as "bune" and I was so proud! Immediately, I encouraged her and told her great job and yes that is how it is spelled. I was worried about this decision, but I knew it would pay off. So she continued silently as I drove us to my home. When we arrived to my surprise she spelled horse and frog correctly and tried turtle and fish. I was happy to see her believe in her ability and not rely on me for the answer. This is a completely new philosophy for me and I am still working on how it applies to me.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Sound Systems: Anna Lyon and Paula Moore
In the book I found the information to be overwhelming at the beginning and hard to recall my introduction to letters, sounds, and words as a child. As a teacher I hope to use more multisensory, sequential, Dibels, and word boards. However, a couple years ago I was introduced to the Orton - Gillingham approach. Orton - Gillingham is based on patterns and sounds through language-based, multisensory, structured sequential and cumulative, cognitive, and flexible teaching methods. The sound systems is just a basic outline of teaching phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, and phonics through linguistic concepts. However, on pg. 14 figure 2.1 I struggle to believe that chart because as a late reader the different stages to be so start to finish. The emphasis of looking as well as hear is difficult because not all see the same thing and can be interpreted differently. I am not sure all children have the innate working memory to memorize sight words, but that predictor can be false for a student to be a successful reader. I know that children can memorize words, sounds, etc. but the meaning is left out. In the section of Learning to Look as Well Hear: points out that children have this ability to call upon phonics associations to apply to unknown words once at-least 40 sight words are built up in their repertoire requires some examples and explanations. If a child has a reading disability of some kind sight words can be memorized, but the key tool of phonics associations can be jumbled or lost. I would like to understand more about phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, and phonics to find gaps in childrens' reading development.
A couple years ago I was lucky to work for CEEP the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy to perform some evaluations for Reading First using DIBELS. I find DIBELS to be a great tool that sound be used in all classrooms to track reading progress. I hope wherever I am placed within the next three semesters I am introduced to the teacher's side of DIBELS and other tracking methods.
A couple years ago I was lucky to work for CEEP the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy to perform some evaluations for Reading First using DIBELS. I find DIBELS to be a great tool that sound be used in all classrooms to track reading progress. I hope wherever I am placed within the next three semesters I am introduced to the teacher's side of DIBELS and other tracking methods.
Cusumano: Writing Workshops, Newsletter, and More
In Cusumano's article "Every Mark on the Page: Educating Family and Community Members about Young Children's Writing," introduces the writing workshop and how it can be used in a classroom and at home. Analyzing a kindergartner's writing in such depth is new concept, as I found this student to be ahead of most of her peers. The ways we looked into this child's topic, style, spacing, spelling, and more I became even more impressed with this particular child's ability and creative thought. In early writings such as this student's the use of pictures can be worth many words. This student's picture of the American Flag was the more significant aspect of her writing. She was able to write from left to right around the picture and still convey a story.
Having a writer's workshop is seems to be a useful process and interesting as to earlier teaching methods. I think I would have found writer's workshop helpful and useful to gauge my progress. Seeing the grade below and the grade above's writing would be useful to understand where one needs to be and can go in a single year. I find and still think writing is difficult to rate and this would have been a useful visual tool to mark general progress and parental awareness. Teaching parents the rules to writing like not correcting all spelling errors or having the child rewrite their paper to have not errors is a false way to encourage writing skills. I find this article very difficult to comprehend because as a child who was forced to rewrite papers and correct spelling this is a completely different learning style.
Having a writer's workshop is seems to be a useful process and interesting as to earlier teaching methods. I think I would have found writer's workshop helpful and useful to gauge my progress. Seeing the grade below and the grade above's writing would be useful to understand where one needs to be and can go in a single year. I find and still think writing is difficult to rate and this would have been a useful visual tool to mark general progress and parental awareness. Teaching parents the rules to writing like not correcting all spelling errors or having the child rewrite their paper to have not errors is a false way to encourage writing skills. I find this article very difficult to comprehend because as a child who was forced to rewrite papers and correct spelling this is a completely different learning style.
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Crown Jewel: Bloomington
Curiosity filled the air on Saturday September 4th, 2010 in Bloomington, IN as the annual 4th Street Festival was underway. There were white tents that lined 4th Street starting at Indiana all the way to Lincoln. As I focused on the intersection of Grant Street and 4th Street my microscope's lens revealed behind the scenes conversations to artists' current happenings. As the people scurried across my lenses I notice common themes of parents with strollers, children hand in hand with their parents, dogs leading their owners, people laughing, dancing, singing, and buying to the tune of Here Comes Your Man. As an outsider, I took notice of the lookers, consumers, and the returning collectors as they truly embraced this artistic community of selected artists. Knowing there is an application process for the Bloomington 4th Street Festival: of the Arts and Crafts enhanced the breadth of knowledge that was displayed in each tent and corner. As one artist's partner remarked, that Bloomington is the "crown jewel" to celebrate your art or craft, which brought us to settle here.
The life of an artist was mentioned, by their financial struggles to their successes since September 11. Some artists' have found their income to be congruent with past years, where as others have seen drops or rises do to public shifts of interest. It was pointed out to me that arts and crafts run the 4th Street Festival; not the music, ads, the town's motive, or some other commercialized force. Some art fairs on the other hand have an absent heart as the local community view this as a perfect opportunity to promote to the consumer while still entertaining with some arts and crafts. The 4th Street Festival's heart is rooted to the artists and either their art or craft that is celebrated by this Hoosier state's crown jewel of Bloomington.
Certain tents had an audience in mind, such as WonderLab. WonderLab sponsored the children's tent where you could hear words of encouragement, praise, and joy from a child who just put on a finishing touches. I heard someone say, "If you have any artistic or creative children send them our way;" words of planting a seed that could be nurtured in this great community of Bloomington. Muddling through the various vocabulary strained my mind to even think of another environment where words such as: hymnody, cast blast, diamond blast, fritting, sky-shooting, and many more would all fit together as they did this past Saturday. The unique discovery that came about from this literary analysis was the lack of words or reading necessary to navigate through the 4th Street Festival. As a child would and did, the five human senses of smell, taste, touch, sight, and hearing were all interchangeable tools for navigating through the tents and beyond. Once one's interest of smell was caught by some kind of noodle, the hunt was on for that particular aroma to satisfy their hunger. Similarly, one would find that a fascinating picture evoked a personal emotion or a piece of jewelry reminded them of a loved one. The 4th Street Festival had more to offer by the common ways of words or literacy, but through the sensual experience that brought out a community to embrace artists through a friendly gathering to share one's art or craft's passion.
The life of an artist was mentioned, by their financial struggles to their successes since September 11. Some artists' have found their income to be congruent with past years, where as others have seen drops or rises do to public shifts of interest. It was pointed out to me that arts and crafts run the 4th Street Festival; not the music, ads, the town's motive, or some other commercialized force. Some art fairs on the other hand have an absent heart as the local community view this as a perfect opportunity to promote to the consumer while still entertaining with some arts and crafts. The 4th Street Festival's heart is rooted to the artists and either their art or craft that is celebrated by this Hoosier state's crown jewel of Bloomington.
Certain tents had an audience in mind, such as WonderLab. WonderLab sponsored the children's tent where you could hear words of encouragement, praise, and joy from a child who just put on a finishing touches. I heard someone say, "If you have any artistic or creative children send them our way;" words of planting a seed that could be nurtured in this great community of Bloomington. Muddling through the various vocabulary strained my mind to even think of another environment where words such as: hymnody, cast blast, diamond blast, fritting, sky-shooting, and many more would all fit together as they did this past Saturday. The unique discovery that came about from this literary analysis was the lack of words or reading necessary to navigate through the 4th Street Festival. As a child would and did, the five human senses of smell, taste, touch, sight, and hearing were all interchangeable tools for navigating through the tents and beyond. Once one's interest of smell was caught by some kind of noodle, the hunt was on for that particular aroma to satisfy their hunger. Similarly, one would find that a fascinating picture evoked a personal emotion or a piece of jewelry reminded them of a loved one. The 4th Street Festival had more to offer by the common ways of words or literacy, but through the sensual experience that brought out a community to embrace artists through a friendly gathering to share one's art or craft's passion.
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