Intentional. That is the word I would use to describe Bonnie's presentation on
test writing preparation and integrating that into the writing curriculum.
The teacher needs to be intentional in helping reluctant students learn to write on a daily basis or in writers workshop. The teacher must then be intentional in teaching students about real writing and test writing.
The teacher needs to be intentional in preparing students for test writing by using a simple writing prompt or idea to write in different genre. He or she must be intentional in teaching the process of how to take almost any writing prompt and use it to write in different modes and genre.
The teacher must be intentional in teaching children and practicing how to access writing strategies both in writers workshop but also in test writng practice.
The teacher must deliberately tell the students that this is "test writing" but that they can do it using strategies they already are practicing.
The intentionality is what I came away with. Also the process of teaching good writing but then also providing scaffolding exercies to prepare students for test writing.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Sound of Writing Second Third
In the second section of her book, Julia has "moved" from green New York to arid
Taos. She begins comparing aspect of the dry heat and scortched earth to the stalemat,or blocked creativity, or perfectionist inner cencor that a writer encounters.
With each vinette she gives either a creative writing prompt or a prompt to identify life-style areas that might help push through the "dry" time of a writer.
I found that this was practical for me. She mentioned things like write a list of 5 things that are being put off. Do one. Make a list of 5 things that are indirectly related to your work. Make a list of 10 things that you hope will happen. Put your fiath in God (a great Someone who cares for you)to believe you are being guided and are uniquely special. Husband yourself. List 3 things in 10 areas that you can make small changes to husband yourself. Do one.
What I have appreciated about Julia is that her prompts are both practical (transactional) and poetic. The implementing of the transactional writing, gives energy for the poetic writing.
At this time or during this season, I find her both firmly planted in my reality but also encouraging to expand it to include more writing.
Taos. She begins comparing aspect of the dry heat and scortched earth to the stalemat,or blocked creativity, or perfectionist inner cencor that a writer encounters.
With each vinette she gives either a creative writing prompt or a prompt to identify life-style areas that might help push through the "dry" time of a writer.
I found that this was practical for me. She mentioned things like write a list of 5 things that are being put off. Do one. Make a list of 5 things that are indirectly related to your work. Make a list of 10 things that you hope will happen. Put your fiath in God (a great Someone who cares for you)to believe you are being guided and are uniquely special. Husband yourself. List 3 things in 10 areas that you can make small changes to husband yourself. Do one.
What I have appreciated about Julia is that her prompts are both practical (transactional) and poetic. The implementing of the transactional writing, gives energy for the poetic writing.
At this time or during this season, I find her both firmly planted in my reality but also encouraging to expand it to include more writing.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Virginia Elliott
NIWP 2010
Things I Have Learned About Revision
1. Let the student read
2. Ask the student where they need help or what they think
about what they have written?
3. Separate writing fluency from conventions.
4. Work on one type of revising strategy at a time.
5. Have student peer share?
6. Ask student what he/she others would ask about the writing? What questions might they have?
7. Grade the process mostly, not just the finished project.
8. Publishing can mean many things—reading in front of the class, reading to someone.
9. Basic revising strategies such as types of questions, snapshot, thoughtshot, explode a minute shrink a century, and make a scene.
10. Have students self edit and then bring back again. He/she can use color to analyze what he is writing—snapshot, thoughtshot, exploding and scene.
NIWP 2010
Things I Have Learned About Revision
1. Let the student read
2. Ask the student where they need help or what they think
about what they have written?
3. Separate writing fluency from conventions.
4. Work on one type of revising strategy at a time.
5. Have student peer share?
6. Ask student what he/she others would ask about the writing? What questions might they have?
7. Grade the process mostly, not just the finished project.
8. Publishing can mean many things—reading in front of the class, reading to someone.
9. Basic revising strategies such as types of questions, snapshot, thoughtshot, explode a minute shrink a century, and make a scene.
10. Have students self edit and then bring back again. He/she can use color to analyze what he is writing—snapshot, thoughtshot, exploding and scene.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Calkins Chapter 14 learning to Confer
This last week led me to a new feeling of freedom about "conferencing" with myself and then our son.
I realized that I had always felt obligated to accept all criticism or improvements in a paper. I then in turn felt that I was equally obligated to carefully edit and "correct" students' papers as I had been taught, and as I had thought I was supplosed to help children.
When I tried this "its your paper, you red it" with my family, it was amazing how our son became more animated. He read his job application, told me where the problems were and then was ready to go the next round on his own.
He especially like the leniency part, which meant that he didn't have to accept all input, but only that which felt like his. That liberated him.
4 pairs of lenses with glasses. I could get glasses from the dime store and actually put them on. Might be a good way to remind me and students what we are doing that day.
content glssses, Cream
design glasses dragon orange
process glasses green
assessment glasses aqua
I can see this making a difference not only in the classroom but in our home.
I realized that I had always felt obligated to accept all criticism or improvements in a paper. I then in turn felt that I was equally obligated to carefully edit and "correct" students' papers as I had been taught, and as I had thought I was supplosed to help children.
When I tried this "its your paper, you red it" with my family, it was amazing how our son became more animated. He read his job application, told me where the problems were and then was ready to go the next round on his own.
He especially like the leniency part, which meant that he didn't have to accept all input, but only that which felt like his. That liberated him.
4 pairs of lenses with glasses. I could get glasses from the dime store and actually put them on. Might be a good way to remind me and students what we are doing that day.
content glssses, Cream
design glasses dragon orange
process glasses green
assessment glasses aqua
I can see this making a difference not only in the classroom but in our home.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Bonnie Warne
I appreciated the affection and respect Bonnie showed towards her students and the honoring of her community.
She was refreshing in her approach to balancing the requirement for students to be prepared to do well in formal testing with the need to empower students to want to write to expand their futures.
She created practical tools which she explained with leniency in such a way that we were empowered to use this and adapt.
The article on the slinky which I envision as green and pink is a graphic picture of the process of writing. That concept is visual to use with students too.
There were resources she mentioned such as "E pal" that were new to me. It was a gratifying to be able to explore them before entering a school.
I was tantalized by the experience Bonnie has had learning to communicate to parents and others her intentionality in writing fluency and assigning grades. She would an invaluable resource if I ever had to think through how to balance the two.
She was refreshing in her approach to balancing the requirement for students to be prepared to do well in formal testing with the need to empower students to want to write to expand their futures.
She created practical tools which she explained with leniency in such a way that we were empowered to use this and adapt.
The article on the slinky which I envision as green and pink is a graphic picture of the process of writing. That concept is visual to use with students too.
There were resources she mentioned such as "E pal" that were new to me. It was a gratifying to be able to explore them before entering a school.
I was tantalized by the experience Bonnie has had learning to communicate to parents and others her intentionality in writing fluency and assigning grades. She would an invaluable resource if I ever had to think through how to balance the two.
Harper The Writer's Toolbox
First, again I recognized names like Nancie Atwell and Linda Rief--something I could not have done two weeks ago.
Second, I am so relieved to find someone who actually compared Writer's Workshop and Toolbox to an actual toolbox. Since I married a farmer, I have had to learn all about toolboxes. I have had to learn to know which tool was used for which purpose and heaven help you if you weren't able to supply the appropriate tool. I have learned to keep the tools in good working order and to keep the lid closed and locked so that the tools wouldn't fall out and get lost.
I liked the images attached to each of the tools: question is question mark, thought shot is thought bubble, explode a moment is a stick of dynamite, snapshot is a camera. Also I am drawn to the idea of actually having objects like tools to take out and put in a tool chest. I think this could have some variations.
The suggestion of a colored highlighter for each tool to mark the corresponding part of a journal writing is helpful and practical. I an easily see myself using this.
Also to think of the four equal fourths representing the four tools and making sure all are about equal. Very concrete, visual and easily applied.
Second, I am so relieved to find someone who actually compared Writer's Workshop and Toolbox to an actual toolbox. Since I married a farmer, I have had to learn all about toolboxes. I have had to learn to know which tool was used for which purpose and heaven help you if you weren't able to supply the appropriate tool. I have learned to keep the tools in good working order and to keep the lid closed and locked so that the tools wouldn't fall out and get lost.
I liked the images attached to each of the tools: question is question mark, thought shot is thought bubble, explode a moment is a stick of dynamite, snapshot is a camera. Also I am drawn to the idea of actually having objects like tools to take out and put in a tool chest. I think this could have some variations.
The suggestion of a colored highlighter for each tool to mark the corresponding part of a journal writing is helpful and practical. I an easily see myself using this.
Also to think of the four equal fourths representing the four tools and making sure all are about equal. Very concrete, visual and easily applied.
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