I'm thinking backwards so I can get an idea of what's ahead of me. How will these 3 hours a week, for 12 weeks, help me create my ELA classroom in the future?
To answer this question, I looked back to my first blog entry. It was a self-professed bundle of optimism. I love writing and speaking, I want my students to feel the same way. Now 12 weeks later, I think I've come out with a handful of ideas about how I could do that.
Writing
I think one of the most important things I will take with me is the legitimacy of personal writing. People, students included, love talking about themselves. Of course they would like writing about themselves! I just wasn't sure if this type of writing was intellectually or academically sound enough to use often. From the description that Romano, Kittle, Atwell and others give - this kind of writing can inspire loads of writing from students. It has the potential to bridge otherwise uninterested students in to the world of writing, which will eventually prepare them for future writing skills they might need in the form of essays and literature analysis.
Atwell has given a lot of practical ways to create this in the classroom. Although I doubt I will have the luxury of creating a full-fledged writer's workshop in my classroom, her writing territories and conferences will definitely have a place in my classroom. I can envision creating this type of class at least once a week for my students.
I've never heard of so many creative ways to get students writing. Writing prompts were few and far between when I was in school, and I think they can definitely help some students get the ball rolling. I loved charade game that one group presented, the character creation activity from another group, and the activity where we read several poems and picked out words to create a found poem. Not every prompt will work for everyone, but even if it works for a couple of students I think it was a useful exercise.
Oracy
I enjoyed putting the spotlight on building oracy skills in the classroom. It's not something I have thought much of before this class, to be honest. I've realized that oracy skills are equally as important to ensure a student's future. Often reading and writing take centre stage, and in my ELA classroom I'll be sure that isn't so.
There are so many interesting technologies that can engage students in developing oracy skills. Podcasts, Voicethread, Skype and videocameras will have a place in my lesson plans. So will a variety of good old fashioned debates, interviews, take a stand , panel discussions, announcements and oral reports. A successful oral presentation is a gift I'd like to give to every student - shy, boisterous, speech-impaired or ESL. A confident speaking voice, listening skills, and learning the art of everyday conversation makes oracy one of the most relevant topics I can think of .
In a way, this blog has acted as a writing prompt of its own. It's been an opportunity to free-write in some ways, taking me away from the typical academic commentary that essays and formal reflections require. It's helped me express my thoughts more easily than a typed and submitted paper would have. For that reason I think it's a useful tool to try to bring in the classroom, though it's something I would introduce with caution - perhaps to older students in Grade 8, or with the option to disable comments or the option to make their site accessible only to me as their teacher.
One thing I can say for sure is that my ELA classroom of my future will not be the ELA classroom of my past!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Allow me to write and represent about the following topic....
Writing this is somewhat like a picture within a picture, or a movie within a movie. The medium is also the topic as I dive in to writing and representing some thoughts on writing and representing. It's a little distracting at first, and there is perhaps a tad bit of extra pressure felt - but I must press on.
I can't help but feel pretty passionate about teaching students about writing and representing. It's something I've always embraced, from spelling tests to creative writing and keeping journals or blogs for as long as I can remember. I'm a natural stickler for grammar and adore the way certain people can play with language and keep me entertained. I like to think it's an appreciation I was born with, as I can't recall a particularly inspiring teacher in my early years. I checked with my Mom, and she backs me up on this one, by the way.
In an attempt to be one of those teachers that can inspire, I think it's important to encourage great writing by exploring it as a creative outlet, underlining its relevance to the world outside the classroom walls and letting my students know it's not easy, and there's no magic recipe we can follow.
For some students, writing has the chance to become their creative outlet and means of expression through song lyrics, poetry, journal entries or editorials. For the student in Love that Dog, this was a surprising discovery. Something that was first approached with hesitance and uncertainty became a personal or public outlet for that student's feelings and ideas. That can be a powerful thing for students in middle years as they face personal challenges, internal struggles and a whole whack of emotions that they're not sure what to do with. Tapping in to writing and representing as a means of organizing their thoughts could make a real difference in their every day lives. How many times have you heard it suggested that when you're really angry with someone, you should write them a letter - and that the very act of writing that letter could be enough to calm you down, and make you feel better. Writing can be a powerful outlet for all of the ideas, problems and social pressures that life throws at you.
The IRP's suggest that our students should be using writing and representing to express, extend and analyze thinking. Until I became an adult in the workplace, I had no idea how important this skill was and what the implications could be if I didn't know how to do it. This is real-life, game-changing stuff. Our class discussion touched on this idea, and there were some conflicting opinions about the number of professions that required these kind of skills. I would really have to think hard to make a list of lifestyles that don't require some amount of writing. The prevalence of email has made writing skills more indispensable, and I am sure many people working today wouldn't be in as high a position if they applied for a job in today's market. If you can't write an email that considers your audience, expresses your ideas concisely and clearly and can persuade when necessary, you will not have much success in procuring a position - never mind holding it. This became clear to me when I had to sift through over 550 applications for one position at my previous workplace. It's also affected my confidence level in co-workers and undoubtedly affects how I feel about new friends and, let's be honest, potential suitors. Often writing is your first impression, and it's always a lasting one if it's not up to par.
While students may see the potential in creative writing and might even grasp the importance of it, they often become easily frustrated by getting it right. Even though I care about what I'm writing right now, it's still a struggle to type out and it takes effort to express myself clearly, synthesize what I learned through our class readings and discussion with my opinions, and then work on matching that up with the rubric for this assignment. It's easy to focus on getting it "right" in terms of what that teacher or rubric is expecting of you. Writing is a juggling act, and it's nothing like learning to make a cake or make a 3 pointer. It's just not easy, even for the professionals. Robin Stevenson confirmed this when she came in and visited our class several weeks ago. It's something your teachers always tell you, but there is something about hearing from someone whose paycheque depends on it. I think it's important for students to learn from authors themselves - and while we're at it, why not bring in employers too? I also think that writing with your students, something that Nancie Atwell encourages, is an invaluable activity. When they understand that good writing is not a one-shot talent but a skill to be developed, perhaps they won't put so much pressure on themselves to write that perfect first draft, or check it off as something on their "To-do" list. It's important to show them that everyone uses writing, and everyone revises their writing, gets stuck with their writing, and has the capability to write really good things and really bad things all in the same day.
My case for what is important to teach students about writing and representing is optimistic, and I'm okay with that. I know I'll do my best to avoid what Page experienced in her post-elementary years, as it's something I experienced myself. It's easy to get caught up in the rubrics, in writing for your teacher's taste and not your own, and equating the written word to academic success and nothing else. I believe that if students can latch on to writing as a creative outlet, and as a means of social and professional success that I will have done something good.
I can't help but feel pretty passionate about teaching students about writing and representing. It's something I've always embraced, from spelling tests to creative writing and keeping journals or blogs for as long as I can remember. I'm a natural stickler for grammar and adore the way certain people can play with language and keep me entertained. I like to think it's an appreciation I was born with, as I can't recall a particularly inspiring teacher in my early years. I checked with my Mom, and she backs me up on this one, by the way.
In an attempt to be one of those teachers that can inspire, I think it's important to encourage great writing by exploring it as a creative outlet, underlining its relevance to the world outside the classroom walls and letting my students know it's not easy, and there's no magic recipe we can follow.
For some students, writing has the chance to become their creative outlet and means of expression through song lyrics, poetry, journal entries or editorials. For the student in Love that Dog, this was a surprising discovery. Something that was first approached with hesitance and uncertainty became a personal or public outlet for that student's feelings and ideas. That can be a powerful thing for students in middle years as they face personal challenges, internal struggles and a whole whack of emotions that they're not sure what to do with. Tapping in to writing and representing as a means of organizing their thoughts could make a real difference in their every day lives. How many times have you heard it suggested that when you're really angry with someone, you should write them a letter - and that the very act of writing that letter could be enough to calm you down, and make you feel better. Writing can be a powerful outlet for all of the ideas, problems and social pressures that life throws at you.
The IRP's suggest that our students should be using writing and representing to express, extend and analyze thinking. Until I became an adult in the workplace, I had no idea how important this skill was and what the implications could be if I didn't know how to do it. This is real-life, game-changing stuff. Our class discussion touched on this idea, and there were some conflicting opinions about the number of professions that required these kind of skills. I would really have to think hard to make a list of lifestyles that don't require some amount of writing. The prevalence of email has made writing skills more indispensable, and I am sure many people working today wouldn't be in as high a position if they applied for a job in today's market. If you can't write an email that considers your audience, expresses your ideas concisely and clearly and can persuade when necessary, you will not have much success in procuring a position - never mind holding it. This became clear to me when I had to sift through over 550 applications for one position at my previous workplace. It's also affected my confidence level in co-workers and undoubtedly affects how I feel about new friends and, let's be honest, potential suitors. Often writing is your first impression, and it's always a lasting one if it's not up to par.
While students may see the potential in creative writing and might even grasp the importance of it, they often become easily frustrated by getting it right. Even though I care about what I'm writing right now, it's still a struggle to type out and it takes effort to express myself clearly, synthesize what I learned through our class readings and discussion with my opinions, and then work on matching that up with the rubric for this assignment. It's easy to focus on getting it "right" in terms of what that teacher or rubric is expecting of you. Writing is a juggling act, and it's nothing like learning to make a cake or make a 3 pointer. It's just not easy, even for the professionals. Robin Stevenson confirmed this when she came in and visited our class several weeks ago. It's something your teachers always tell you, but there is something about hearing from someone whose paycheque depends on it. I think it's important for students to learn from authors themselves - and while we're at it, why not bring in employers too? I also think that writing with your students, something that Nancie Atwell encourages, is an invaluable activity. When they understand that good writing is not a one-shot talent but a skill to be developed, perhaps they won't put so much pressure on themselves to write that perfect first draft, or check it off as something on their "To-do" list. It's important to show them that everyone uses writing, and everyone revises their writing, gets stuck with their writing, and has the capability to write really good things and really bad things all in the same day.
My case for what is important to teach students about writing and representing is optimistic, and I'm okay with that. I know I'll do my best to avoid what Page experienced in her post-elementary years, as it's something I experienced myself. It's easy to get caught up in the rubrics, in writing for your teacher's taste and not your own, and equating the written word to academic success and nothing else. I believe that if students can latch on to writing as a creative outlet, and as a means of social and professional success that I will have done something good.
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