(Page 15) “Inexperienced readers and writers are just that—inexperienced, not incapable. It is the teacher’s responsibility to make visible what it is that experienced readers and writers do when they make meaning from or with texts…In addition, teachers need to introduce these cognitive strategies to students in meaningful contexts and provide enough sustained, guided practice that students can internalize these strategies and ultimately, perform complex reading and writing tasks competently and confidently on their own.”
Can we say model, model, model? I think writing tends be one of the hardest things to teach students because so often we don’t feel confident in our own writing, so we’re often hesitant to share pieces that we’ve written. But sharing our writing with students is going to be one of the best ways to show them what goes through our minds as we put our thoughts onto paper. Students tend to think that good writers just spit out their best work off the top of their heads—they have no idea the amount of revision a professional writer does to his or her work. It’s easy to blame (especially at the high school level) all the teachers students had at the elementary and middle schools for not teaching a student how to write well, but we have to ask ourselves: What are we doing to make the student a better writer? So, I think we have to meet them where they are and make as many improvements while we have them. Otherwise, we’re churning out graduates who are lacking a fundamental skill.
Can we say model, model, model? I think writing tends be one of the hardest things to teach students because so often we don’t feel confident in our own writing, so we’re often hesitant to share pieces that we’ve written. But sharing our writing with students is going to be one of the best ways to show them what goes through our minds as we put our thoughts onto paper. Students tend to think that good writers just spit out their best work off the top of their heads—they have no idea the amount of revision a professional writer does to his or her work. It’s easy to blame (especially at the high school level) all the teachers students had at the elementary and middle schools for not teaching a student how to write well, but we have to ask ourselves: What are we doing to make the student a better writer? So, I think we have to meet them where they are and make as many improvements while we have them. Otherwise, we’re churning out graduates who are lacking a fundamental skill.
7 comments:
As I read this chapter I kept starring points and making comments about what I teach to my students next to where it was discussed within the article… In other words, I completely agree with this chapter. Especially the statement that Diane picked out from page 15: “Inexperienced readers and writers are just that—inexperienced, not incapable. It is the teacher’s responsibility to make visible what it is that experienced readers and writers do when they make meaning from or with texts…In addition, teachers need to introduce these cognitive strategies to students in meaningful contexts and provide enough sustained, guided practice that students can internalize these strategies and ultimately, perform complex reading and writing tasks competently and confidently on their own.”
Unfortunately, I also agree with Diane’s statement about not feeling confident about our own writing therefore not sharing our writing with students and not spending as much time teaching the process to our students. I hope to learn more strategies that will improve my writing and in turn help me be able to better teach my students to improve their writing.
On the positive side, I do try very hard to discuss the process of reading with my students as well as what good readers do. I have asked my students what good readers do and once in a while I get a good response but usually I get blank stares because students that struggle with reading really do think that it just comes to people – they don’t realize we all have to work at it. One of the strategies I love is telling my students what voices readers hear. Modeling these voices is quite interesting and has been a real eye-opening experience for some of my students. Sometimes they realize that their distracting voice is always overshadowing the “good” voices but I have also seen students realize that they should start listening to the voices because it can make reading (at least the comprehension part) just a little bit easier.
I agree with Diane's comments about model, model, and model. Our students really benefit from our sharing our writing and our struggle with the writing process. Two times when I have taught my memoir unit, I have written my own memoir, and I have modeled each step of the process for my students. I wouldn't say that my writing was the best they have ever seen, but it was authentic in that it showed the kids that adults struggle with the writing process, also.
On p. 9 of our reading, there is the following quote, "Experienced readers and writers not only plan and goal-set more extensively than experienced readers and writers but also are more flexible about modifying their plans and goals and are more apt to elaborate on and revise them as the text evolves." One thing I hope to learn this year as we focus on writing is how to better help my students understand what revision is and how to effectively revise their writing. That it's okay to modify and change that first draft, because it's just a first draft and doesn't represent your best writing.
We are taught that the best way to teach something is to model it. This is especially true for special needs kids. However, I think often times we are unsure of how to specifically model writing.
With working with students not in the classroom necessarily, I was thinking of how I can model my own writing. One thing I came up with was as I teach students resume and cover letter writing skills, I could share with them my own resume and cover letter. On some level, that is a little scary to me because there is a great deal of personal information, however, what better way for them to be taught how to write their own, than to see mine and see how they can write theirs using that as a model (not to mention that if I feel it is good enough to give to a potential employer, I should have confidence that it is a good example of writing)? This type of writing is one that needs a great deal of "polishing", so I think them seeing my finished product would be good for them to see what they might produce as their own finished product. I also think that because so many of our students are wanting to be employed, that this would be extremely high interest to them and they would want to work toward the goal of making this an example or their best writing. The idea of using this to attain employment would encourage them to revise their work in order to make their final product appealing to employers.
What is the Reading-Writing Connection?
I totally agree with Diane, Pam, and Kelly- that we have to model the behaviors that we want our students to emulate. I know that I have struggled with writing over the years and how to help my students become better writers. Over the past couple of years, I have taught honors level students and I was, and still am, amazed at the number of students that spit out one draft. I have encouraged and required rough drafts but, really all it becomes is a re-write. I am not sure where I am going wrong so I am looking forward to this year’s class. If the writing strategies are like the reading strategies from last year, then WOW! We will all be able to help out students. I also agree with Kelly that the reason we don’t share our writing is simply a lack of confidence. I hope to build up my confidence this year.
“Experienced readers and writers go back in order to go forward.” (page 4) This concept was mentioned several times throughout the chapter. This quote describes me perfectly! I always go back and go back to a text or to a written piece of work. People who seem to get it the first time are geniuses to me but, according to the text, maybe they have not been getting it right. I like the fact that I am seeking a greater understanding- it makes me a better reader and writer.
I agree with all of you that we should model the writing process much more often for our students to ‘get it.’ For me, as a natural ‘story-teller’ it is so much easier to model reading by doing my regular read aloud using different tones of voice and colorful books rather than sitting down and modeling how I write. I like Christy go back and forth when I don’t get a plot or can’t visualize what I am reading like the example given in What Is the Reading/Writing Connection? It was wonderful to learn specific strategies on how to help my students develop their reading abilities and also cultivate the love of reading in my students.
I often write and re-write and type and edit over and over before I am satisfied with my work and only then do I feel that it has met the minimum standard and never feel that it is anything worthy of great acclaim. Having said that, if I don’t think my writing is particularly creative so it is difficult to for me to ‘model’ my own personal writing. Even while pursuing national board certification back in 2000, when I worked on the entry concerning student writing and how I specifically showed my students’ overall improvement in their writing, I struggled. That is what I hope to improve this year; helping my students improve their writing.
Chapter One
What Is the Reading/Writing Connection?
First of all, where do you go to teach the kids who were quoted in this chapter? Am I the only one whose jaw hit the floor as I was reading the comments of those high school students?
Anyway, as I read I couldn’t help but think back to my writing weaknesses in college. One teacher in particular always wrote, “Needs more details. Be more specific.” I know I shouldn’t admit this, but except for a period of about four years prior to getting my driver’s license, I wouldn’t consider myself a voracious reader. I enjoy reading very much and find it to be very relaxing, but it always takes a backseat to the things that have to be done. In spite of my not reading as much as I should, I feel I have grown as a writer just by growing older. The more life I live, the more I have to say and surprisingly the better I can say it. Now while I have grown as a writer in spite of not reading as much as I would like, I do believe our students need to read more in order to grow as writers.
I liked the idea of “going back in order to go forward” for both reading and writing. It makes perfect sense, as did the rest of the article. I found it interesting that the article suggests that in order for growth to take place kids have to be motivated and self-confident as readers and writers. As important as modeling for our students is, we also have to make sure that the motivation and self confidence are there as well.
As I have stated, I am extremely unsure about my own capablilities when it comes to writing. I know what I want to say but getting it down on paper, I stumble and fall. I am hoping with this class this semester I will be able to overcome my fears and be a good writing role model for my students.
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