Blogging Wordle

http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/3487892/Amy-Writing_Workshop

Blogging in the Classroom?

Throughout the semester, I have learned the benefits of blogging in the classroom. I have blogged before in a technology course I took a couple of semesters ago. At first I was not into blogging at all. I thought, “Who has time for this?” However, over the course of the program and especially in this course I have learned the importance blogging can have on students and future classrooms. Additionally, after searching and commenting on students’ blog posts, I found a new appreciation for blogging.

I learned that blogging can not only allow people to express their feelings and what is going on their lives, blogging can also be used in the classroom for students to post their writings for the world to see and comment on. I believe writing on the internet is a great way to diversify assignments and writing audiences. I also believe that posting writing on the internet and allowing others to comment on the writing is fascinating. Not only are peers or teachers reading and responding to students’ writing, but so are others who see the importance in blogging and writing as well. I believe blogging can show students the importance and fun in writing.

Blogging can be used in a variety of ways. Class projects and daily observations can be posted. Blogs can be used to explain what writing is going on in the classroom or to record observations for projects. There are numerous uses and benefits of using blogs in your classroom. Next semester, I will be completing my student teaching. If allowed, I would love to allow my students the opportunity to create and keep track of blogs. I believe I could use these blogs in a variety of ways and for various activities. I believe that if I teach students from the beginning of the year about blogs and allow them to create their own or even a class blog, then we can keep up and add to it throughout the year. I could even assign blogging as a job, that way each student has an opportunity to blog about what is going on in the classroom or what students are learning about.

Comments on Student Posts...

I thoroughly enjoyed reading and commenting on student's posts! I was amazed at how young students started creating blogs! Below are the student's writing I found and commented on:

http://kidblog.org/MrsDuffsClass/brittanyl8/summer-3/#comment-676

http://kidblog.org/2017Purple/annac4/spaghetti-and-a-tube-of-pink-paint/#comment-2385

http://kidblog.org/MrsDurays1stGradeClass/kas4/spring-break-blog/#comment-953

Concrete Poems

While carrying out my field experience last week, I saw awesome writing instruction. My student teacher is currently teaching reading and writing in my field placement classroom. On Thursday, her lesson was teaching students about concrete poems. Students have had some practice with writing poetry. They understand that some poetry does not have to rhyme and that some are expressions and emotions of how people are feeling or what they are thinking. After my student teacher discussed concrete poems and read one aloud to the class, a class discussion as held about how a concrete poem is created. Students loved the fact that a concrete poem was in the shape of something. Students were able to make connections relatively quickly on the relationship between the shape of the poem and the content of the poem.

Following the focus lesson, students were able to create their own concrete poems. They were instructed to first think of a shape of object that their poem would be in the shape of. For some, this was difficult. They wanted to write their poem, then put it in a shape. I thought about the process for writing a concrete poem and I wonder if the steps for creating a concrete poem can be reversed? Could students write their poem before finding an object or drawing their poem in a certain shape? A part of me feels that students might choose an image that may not relate or correspond to their concrete poem if they wrote the poem first. Overall, students thoroughly enjoyed learning about concrete poems and being able to write about whatever was on their mind. I believe the free choice for their concrete poem allowed students to be creative and focus on what interests them or what may be on their mind. Often, I do not see the free choice in writing; however, on that day I saw how excited and creative my second grade students are!

Field Experience/Chapter 12 Thoughts...

Field Experience Response:
The full week in my field experience classroom was awesome. I learned so much more being at the elementary school for a whole week rather than two days. I know I grew as a future teacher as well. Throughout the week I taught four lessons in science on energy of motion, and guided reading each day of the week. I absolutely enjoyed it! Throughout my lessons, I actually experienced planning and putting so much effort into lessons and the lesson turning out totally different than I expected. At first, I thought to myself this is awful, it is nothing like I planned; my teacher will think I’m horrible at this! However, after speaking with my teacher after my lesson, I was reassured that everything went well and students were engaged and got what they were supposed to from the lesson.

While teaching my science lessons I also learned that you may not always know the answer to a child’s question. I was caught really off guard on the last day of my science unit when we were discussing gravity. To begin my mini lesson I asked students what they already knew about gravity or what they thought gravity was. I had one student respond with, “there is no gravity in the sky because things float in the sky and on the ground there is gravity because things stay on the ground.” I thought what a great response so I started discussing how there is no gravity in space and there is gravity on earth. We then discussed what gravity was and I stated that, “gravity pulls objects or things to the ground.” I had one student ask, “If there is gravity on earth, then why does steam stay in the air? Or why do some other things float on earth, like a balloon?” I paused for a minute trying to gather my thoughts. What a great observation, but I was not sure how to answer the question. I simply said, “You know I will have to think about that and get back to you.” I think I should have been more prepared for questions students may have to the statements I make.

Overall, the field experience week was so much fun and a great experience teaching. I cannot wait for more opportunities to teach lessons in my classroom, which will actually begin this week. My teacher has asked me to take over math and her guided reading groups on Thursdays and Fridays from now until the end of the semester. I look forward to growing and learning as I teach second graders!

Response on chapter:
Based on Ray’s chapter 12, I believe it is very important for teachers to find what genres and topics students are interested in before planning for writing workshop for the year. I believe the first week of school during writing should be devoted to learning what students already know, enjoy, and want to learn about throughout the year. Based on these answers, students will be excited and more engaged in the writing workshop and genres of study. Also, “delving deeper” into genres students already know or have learned the year before, can extend their knowledge and learning of the topic as well as new ideas (p. 134). I believe the checklist that Ray gives in the book for selecting units of study are a good guideline to think about the important studies that can be focused on during the year. In my opinion, the most important is finding what students know, are interested in, and what they want to study or understand. Overall, I believe the majority of writing workshop throughout the year should allow students to self-select their writing. By this I mean, self-select their topics and possible genres.

Chapter 7, 8, 19 Thoughts...

After reading chapter seven in Ray’s book, I realized how crucial preparing for writing workshop is for the teacher and students. Time and planning goes into everything, all lessons, all activities, and even writer’s workshop. I found the discussions about space in the classroom for the focus lessons and independent writing time to be most helpful. Based on my past experiences in the classroom, I have never seen a teacher allow students to spread out and find a space to work that works best for them. I feel that allowing students to work all around the classroom allows them to feel comfortable and keeps them from being distracted by others or distracting others themselves. I especially liked the idea of having quiet zones throughout the classroom for students who work well in a quiet place. I know I get distracted very easily by listening to conversations, talking, etc.. Therefore, a quiet zone would be helpful for me and I know for some students in order to be as productive as they can be!

As I read chapter seven, I found one comment that I was not sure how to take. Ray stated that when students talk too much, “they will be penalized in evaluation for not producing enough in writing workshop” (p. 77). I realize that students can become distracted talking with others, however, there may be an underlying reason why the student isn’t “getting enough done.” Should there by a specified amount of writing that should be produced in a given workshop? I believe that some students may begin talking because they are trying to get ideas about what to write; they need help, or may need time to think about how to start a paper or add in different aspects of writing that they are learning about. This is when I believe the teacher needs to be paying attention to students; maybe the majority of this could be brought up during conferencing.

In Ray’s chapter eight, at first I was not sure I liked the term she used “do writers do.” However as I read the chapter I learned what she meant and I agree that students should choose their topics, their actions during writing workshop, how they develop their writing, and how they write. Students can learn and explore writing while they “do what writers do.” Out of this chapter, my only concern/question is when children are able to freely write on the topic and content of their choice; there will be children in your career that may write about inappropriate things for school. Do you allow this? If and when do you tell children they cannot write about something they chose?

Lastly, publishing in writer’s workshop is extremely beneficial. Based on Ray’s chapter nineteen and my experience in the classroom, publishing gives students a feeling of accomplishment. They can see their writing as art; a piece they have worked on and worked on drafting and revising. In my field experience classroom, students just published their own version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Their work was displayed in the hallway and my mentor teacher emailed all the teachers in the school and asked them to stop by, read, and comment on the student’s stories. Students had opportunities to read what others had written and they loved it! I believe that their excitement for the “end product” drives them to write and want to publish their writing often or as often as they can.

Ray, K. (2001). The writing workshop: working through the hard parts (and they’re all hard parts). Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English.

Chapter 14, 15, 17 Thoughts...

I found all of the readings for this week to be informative and helpful when thinking and planning conferencing, sharing, and evaluating writing workshop. First, based on the readings and my opinions, I feel that conferencing is a crucial part of the writing process. Middle school was the first time that I experienced conferencing for writing. However, I feel that conferencing with students should start as early as Kindergarten. I believe students can learn about writing and themselves as a writer early in their elementary experience and be able to gain more confidence and experience with writing and conferencing as they progress in school. I found the four parts to a writing conference to be interesting and beneficial. I had never thought of having a mini teaching session within a conference. This allows the teacher to work one on one with each student and respond to their individual needs during the writing process.

The only concern I have while reading chapter fourteen this week is, should there be a time limit for a good conference? (p. 158) I do not necessarily believe there is a time limit for a good conference. Each conference will be different and each student will have different needs. As well, some students will talk and open up more than others; however, I believe that if the goal of the conference is reached, then is it a good conference.

I enjoyed reading about the possible opportunities for sharing. As a child, I was always a student who did not like sharing because I thought my “made-up” stories were dumb or not good enough. As a future teacher, I want to create an environment where students feel that they can share their writing and experience, no matter what. I was skeptical at first when I read that Ray required each student to share their writing, whether they wanted to or not; however, as I think about my past and future, as a teacher, if students were not required to share, then there would be a select few always sharing and even some children who never share. Students should have the experience of sharing their writing with peers as they do during conferences. I believe that sharing can also boost children’s confidence in themselves as writers and their work.

Lastly, I want to touch on evaluation of writing in writing workshop. I agree with Ray in that evaluating children’s work can be difficult. I almost feel bad judging student’s writing because sometimes I catch myself or have seen teachers compare student’s writing and grade based on the comparison. Every student writes differently and at different levels in their ability to write; therefore, I believe that there should be a rubric or evaluation form in which every child has the opportunity to succeed and be evaluated without comparison to other students. I am not quite sure how and what evaluations are available, but I am determined to find out! Overall, I believe it is great to have children evaluate themselves as a writer. I think it is fascinating to compare their evaluations against the teachers to see what students think about themselves and their writing.