We are off to a great start. It feels like a very energetic group. Once I get the folder set up for everyone, I will post the links. This assignment is due by Friday, 3/27. Please read Chapters 1 & 2 and complete the following assignments:
CHAPTER 1
This chapter focuses on "weaving" assessment and instruction. They break the traits down into 2 groups --
REVISION TRAITS include Ideas/Organization/Voice/Word Choice and Sentence Fluency
EDITING/PUBLISHING TRAITS include Conventions and Presenation
This chapter emphasizes the idea of using the Traits to drive instruction. Our writing instruction cannot be a "one size fits all" model. We base our lessons on our students' writing. One student is in need of revision while another needs help with editing. This program moves away from using the writing process as a series of steps (see Page 22). "...Brainstorming and webbing on Monday, drafting on Tuesday, revising on Wednesday, editing on Thursday..."
Share your thoughts on the "Writing Process". What do you feel are some of the most important parts of the process? What do you see as the biggest differences between the Traits and the traditional Writing Process?
After reading "The Redwoods" (Page 26) and "Fox) (Page 27)-- share which student you feel is the stronger writer and why.
CHAPTER 2 IDEAS
Read the sample papers and how they were assessed. Remember these are only assessed for IDEAS. Do you agree or disagree with their overall scoring? Would you be able to look at your student's papers and score just for one trait?
The 4 key pieces to this trait are listed on Page 51. I find students need to be taught how to do each of these. This chapter provides a Focus Lesson for instruction in each of these areas. After each focus lesson they provide additional activities you can use for each area. Read through all of the focus lessons and additional activities.
Discuss 2 (either focus lessons or additional activities) that you would like to try and use (this year or next) in your classroom. Elaborate a bit on what parts you would use and what parts you might change.
Remember to comment on 2 other member's ideas or comments. Have a Great 2 weeks.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
chapter 1 - The most important part of the "writing process" I have found was getting the children to elaborate on their ideas. They could easily come up with a topic but they wanted to write the least amount and "be done" ~ when I gave them time to revisit their piece, most of the children liked it just the way it was. I thoroughly agree that the revision part, which is the most important part, was the part they struggled with and consequently, so did I as the teacher! I always did begin my lessons with brainstorming and story mapping in the hope of helping the children in the class who "freeze" and just cannot come up with an idea. I also did story webs (mapping) to help their organization. This chapter stated that it was not always necessary to start there, which is a difference from the Writing Process. I like the idea of focusing on 1 aspect of revision at a time, modeling the trait, and then revising a piece of their writing just for that aspect (leads, or sentence beginnings, verbs, or . . .)
ReplyDeleteThe student who wrote the "Fox" story is a much better writer ~ that paper was interesting and well-written ~ there were details that were elaborated on and the author's voice was evident throughout the piece.
chapter 2 - I did agree with the scoring of paper #1, Cat/Dog.I did not think that paper #2 would qualify for an "emerging 3" score ~ I think it should have been just a 2 paper. The last paper definitely deserved a 5 score. It was excellent and the writer's voice was throughout the piece. I found it easier to focus on 1 trait at a time than to give an overall score.
ReplyDeleteUsing Wisniewski's picture book and then using the lesson explaining the "real reasons" for a rule is great. The children will love the book and enjoy the writing assignment. This focus lesson on selecting a topic also helps the children elaborate on their ideas. I loved the way this focus lesson was described and will not change any part of it. The group acitivity, Ask Me a Question, is also one that I will definitely try. The change I would make is that I would model the activity with the entire class. After reading a sample short story (either a child's sample or one I made with many missing elements), I would have the children write 3 questions and then I would explain how including some of the details in the writing will improve the story.
Great ideas, Marsha, I agree with you about teaching students to elaborate is challenging. I find this program very helpful with that. I emphasize to them --write a lot about a little. They need to keep the topic small and tell everything about it. The organization trait really focuses on this. There are many suggestions in the book to help them build up their writing with details.
ReplyDeleteChapter 1: Some of the most important parts of the writing process are getting started or brainstorming for ideas. Some of my students are masters at this, while others can sit for 30 minutes or more and have a blank piece of paper. I also think that revision and editing are extremely important. Students don’t spend enough time revisiting their writing to make sure that it says what they want it to say, that it creates a clear, visual image for the reader and that all of their mechanics are correct. Revising is so important because it makes the writer think about the message to be conveyed in their writing. One should also think about whether their writing makes sense and can be understood by someone else. The Traits has focused revision, where one should focus on one part of the writing process. So, an entire piece may not be revised, but just the part that is being focused on. Then the piece can be placed away until the focus is on another trait.
ReplyDelete“Fox” is definitely the better writing piece. “The Redwoods” is extremely blah and simple. After reading it, I realized that it didn’t say anything of substance. Whereas, “Fox” may have some editing, mechanics, grammar, and word usage issues, the piece is quite beautifully written. The writer shows how passionate they are about this topic and, therefore, unbelievable images come to mind while reading this piece.
Chapter 2: I agree with the overall scoring of the papers. Paper #1 was very difficult to understand. I was confused as was the writer. There were no images created, details were missing and there was a great deal of repetition. Paper #2 was much clearer, although there were two topics being discussed. Although the conventions were weak, the paper showed promise. Paper #3 created clear images, details were present and there was a defined topic.
I would like to try reading Wisniewski’s book and have a general discussion regarding grown-up rules. I think his idea of having students create a personalized, real truth behind the rules book is a great way to elicit creativity in writing. Students would be working on organizing their ideas and using originality to develop their seed idea. The corral idea is another gem. I tried this many years ago, but I didn’t feel that successful with it. Lucy Calkins is big of “seed ideas”. I’d like to try this again, so that students would be more apt to write down ideas that intrigue them, leave them questioning, or just simple observations. They then could return to these ideas at a later date and develop one which seems interesting.
Marsha:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that thinking of a topic is the easy part, but really developing your ideas is the more complex part of writing. I like the part about focusing on one part of writing at a time. It's probably very overwhelming for one of my students to edit with me, as I work on organization, mechanics, development of ideas, etc. Maybe it's a turn off to have so much editing done to someone's writing.
I feel the most important part of the writing process is revision. Breaking it down and re-seeing the topic. This is not only difficult for the students but me as well. I find that students have difficulty elaborting on their ideas. I always start the writing process by brainstorming ideas on a "cluster of ideas" handout. Many students do use this but I have some that feel very comfortable just to sit down and write.
ReplyDeleteI read Fox and Redwoods and found that Fox was written well and interesting to read. Redwoods was dull and was not well written.
Chapter 2
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with the overall scoring. I thought Paper 1 lacked understanding and their were little to no details.I got lost reding it. Paper 2 was clearer and had topics that were being talked about. They made an attempt to support their topic.Paper 3 had wonderful details and created a flowing piece. I think it would be difficult to score a paper on just one trait but I could see how it could help.
I would like to try My Scary Night. I like the idea of having the students write all their ideas down while it is fresh in their minds. Also, demonstrating what ideas are important is a great excerise. I find that many studetns include details that are not relevant to the story. I also would like to work with the students on the building blocks.
Laurie:
ReplyDeleteRevision is an integral part of writing. Students have the most amount of difficulty during this phase. A child can think of an idea, but may not possess enough details to fully develop their writing. This is an area that I want to spend more time discussing with my students.
Liz,
ReplyDeleteI am going to use your phrase "write a lot about a little". This should stretch the children and then they can always eliminate parts that don't add to the piece. I am so glad I am taking this course because it will help me focus my lessons!
Hi,Cheryl, that's true the piece could be put away and taken out at another time for another trait. I think it's okay to give a student a grade on the specific trait you have been working on. As you go through the traits, you can grade them on previously taught traits as well. The library has that book -- the kids loved it. It was very funny.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your students learn a tremendous amount from all the time and effort you put into the editing of their pieces. This is just a different take on it. Some pieces have to be looked at for the whole piece. Great ideas -- thank you.
Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteThe children take ownership of whatever they write and don't want to part with it. That's why it's so hard for them to revise. I think that working on one trait at a time will make the revision and editing more palatable.
Laurie, you're right revision is the heart and soul of writing. It's so hard getting students to revise for word choice, voice, organization, etc. I always tell them to "read like a writer and write like a reader". That way when we're reading some great language together, I point it out from a writer's perspective. No matter how great the lessons in the book sound, you have to be comfortable implementing them. If I find a lesson too "whatever", I skip it. Can't wait to hear how your lessons go. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteSession 2: Chapter 1
ReplyDeleteI found myself already thinking about ways this idea about breaking down the writing into traits can help be become a more effective teacher. Little snippets of wisdom have helped me to realize that some of what I do is right on target; but others need to be discarded. I spend a lot of time helping students develop topics; yet, there are always some who don’t make the appropriate growth. Then there are many students who develop the piece too fully and cannot select out what isn’t necessary. These pieces drive me nuts because students took so long with them but there is nothing there- it lacks voice. I feel that this strategy – addressing the components of writing one at a time may be “just what the doctor ordered!” I can deal with individual needs after teaching all of them these separate components. I can offer each student what he/she needs to work on since it makes sense to have them focus on the area their writing is weakest. Presently, I work with “whole pieces” and have students revise and continually end up discussing “developing your piece more fully,” “selecting out what isn’t important” but I never analyze with the children the various parts in writing that help it to become unique and special. That is what I can accomplish by using this approach.
It is far more difficult to have students write with a strong, active voice so finding a piece of writing that models that is a stronger piece of writing. One can always edit for punctuation and revise it to expand on the ideas and include more vivid language. But being able to write with voice is key to a great writer. That’s why “The Fox” is a stronger piece and who ever wrote it has a unique voice, which is essential to become a strong writer.
Session 2: Chapter 2
I always assess student writing using a rubric, which I broke down into components but these traits are far more effective in describing each area of the written piece. I did agree with the overall scoring. What I particularly liked was the description that accompanies the score, which is very helpful in determining which score most clearly represents the writing. I feel by using this rubric, I’ll be able to assess writing more efficiently and help a student understand what they are doing well and what areas to focus on improving. I end up writing long comments along with the scores to explain what this rubric very clearly expresses.
I think the focus lesson R.A.F.T.S. would be great for me to use with my sixth graders. Although I prefer having students pick their own topics, there are lots of opportunities for me to fit in this type of activity. I especially love giving them opportunities to be clever and use humor. It can even be adjusted to fit social studies- I am already thinking of how it could be used for someone living in the past describing the Code of Hammurabi as it impacts their live or a victim forced to build the Great Wall of China. While these are content based topics, providing them in this framework would allow youngsters the opportunity to be quite creative since they have a wealth of details to make their writing colorful.
I loved It Happened to Me, also. I tell my students a story about what happened when I wrote a letter to Arthur Ashe and he showed up at the hospital to give my nephew a tennis racket. But I love the extension that she uses to have youngsters retell the story so that they can understand the need to include the details in an organized fashion. What happens by extending the activity the way it is explained is that writers see rather than are told the importance of organizing the ideas and including key details while deleting others.
The last one Show Me, Don’t Tell Me is an idea I use as described in Georgia Heard’s The Revision Toolbox. It really works but I will begin by using the expansion of ideas as discussed in Building Blocks. These is simple and direct so that all students begin to see how to “crack open” their writing, which is what I ask them to do as described in Heard’s book. The Building Blocks is a great introduction to revision.
Marsha, I, too, loved the idea that one doesn't have to follow a routine in teaching writing since writers have different needs. I always felt guilty since I would skip over some aspects of writing to deal with others. I think understanding the Traits validates what I do in the classroom while offering me a way out of grading all night. It lets me look at one aspect of the piece at a time. I may even get some time off!.
ReplyDeleteChapter 1
ReplyDeleteI believe the most important part of the process is revision. Students have difficulty elaborating on ideas and adding details to make their pieces interesting.
The biggest difference between the Traits and the Writing Process is that when teaching the traditional writing process you are teaching the stages a writer goes through, which results in students who are completing a task. When teaching the traits you help students to identify problem areas, teach them how writing works and have them take ownership of their work. The Fox writing piece is definitely a stronger piece. The Redwood piece really didn’t have any substance, no details and was boring to read.
Chapter 2
Yes, I agree with the overall scoring of the pieces. Paper one had little details and I became confused while reading it. Paper two was a little clearer and the writer seems to state more on topic. In paper three, the writer remained on topic, provided many details and it flowed nicely. I think that in the beginning it would be difficult to focus on scoring one trait. However, once I became comfortable with it, I could see how it would help zero in on my students’ weaknesses in writing.
I would like to try Show Me, Don’t Just Tell Me. I think this is a great way to teach a lesson on the importance of details. I like the way the lesson begins with a simple telling statement and then students work together to elaborate on that statement. I would also like to try the pick a postcard and facts about Fairy Tales to support this lesson. I think these activities would provide the visuals my students need to be successful.
Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI agree that you clearly show the advantage of using Traits and the traditional Writing Process. It is a far more effective strategy to use the Traits to help students identify problems areas so they can work more independently and once they understand areas where they have grown and areas still requiring greater focus, they can set goals for themselves and take charge of their learning.
Chapter 1
ReplyDeleteI really like the way Ruth Culham breaks down the writing process into very manageable pieces. It makes so much sense to focus on "one thing at a time", rather than overwhelming the student with so many things simultaneously.
Differentiating between 'revising' and 'editing' was very helpful for me. I think it's easier for a student to accept a teacher pointing out mistakes in mechanics, and discussing the 'revision' of an idea. I feel as though very often when I conference with a student over their writing, I say,"That doesn't sound quite right." My students are too young to understand the correct grammatical rules (probably MOST of our students are too young for that!)of writing. When I suggest that something doesn't sound right, they probably have no idea of what I'm talking about! I think the traits will help me to point things out more specifically. Editing will be easier, and the revising will truly be more of a 're-vision' of their idea. A line that hit home for me was when the author was speaking to a child who said, "I'm not a writer. My teacher changes everything I write." I don't EVER want to be that teacher!
'Fox' was definitely the better writing piece than 'The Redwoods'. There were very few specific details in 'The Redwoods', and little elaboration on any of them. Though editing corrections were necessary in 'Fox', there was a clear voice in the piece, and some nice use of phrasing and more mature vocabulary.
Chapter 2
I was pleasantly surprised to find the scoring easier than I had anticipated. I kept expecting Cat/Dog to have a great ending since Ruth Culham kept emphasizing to 'read all the way to the end. Writers can surprise us.' There certainly was no surprise at the end of that one!!
I totally agreed on the other piece- there were two distinct themes going on, and with some work, the student could probably write two decent pieces.
Perhaps scoring for only one trait will make the editing process less painful for us too!
There were several strategies for teaching the 'Ideas' trait that I am anxious to try. I loved the 'Pick a Postcard' where the students have to write one very descriptive paragraph. The other students must then determine which card the student was writing about. It's a great way to provide some visual help in getting started writing. I also liked the 'Building blocks'. The teacher writes a simple sentence, and then gives 'building blocks' (size, color,place)- descriptors to expand the sentence and add more details. This has been an activity that I often do with my students- but I like the idea of calling it 'building blocks'.
Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteYour comment to Marsha hit home for me- when you said that 'maybe it's a turn off for students to see their work edited'. After reading your comment, and then coming across the comment that I quoted from the book, I feel that I'd better be very careful in this area!
Michele,
ReplyDeleteI agree that any of the lessons that incorporate visuals will be much more effective for our students. It's so hard for them to 'picture' things. With a visual cue in front of them, they have a much better chance at coming up with something creative.
I agree with the scoring in chapter 2. There were two activities suggested that I would like to try with students.Using the postcards to stimulate descriptive writing and having another student select the image based upon the writing is a very visual strqategy for students. It helps those students who have difficuty getting their writing motor going. The other activity, that could help with science activities as well, was "observe closely, then write". I liked how it encouraged students to find sensory details and to indicate whether any observation was interesting, importatnt, or unusual. Two great, engaging activities to encourage writing.
ReplyDeleteMichele,
ReplyDeleteI also agree with the benefit of the visual cue. The popstcard is such a clever, effective way to do this.
Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that working on one trait at a time seems to be a valuable idea. Students can focus better. The task of looking at one aspect of writing makes the process less overwhelming for some students.
Michelle, I agree with students taking ownership of their work. Many studetns do not enjoy writing so they look at it as a job they have to complete. Maybe, if they enjoyed writing they would look at their work and evaluate the words they put down, Laurie
ReplyDeletePat, I love the idea of the postcards too!! Using them to stimulate ideas. Mmany students, including myself just need that cue and then i am off and running. Laurie
ReplyDeleteChapter 1- Generating ideas and knowing how to begin is one of the most important aspects of the writing process. My students often have difficulty adding details to their writing. I always model each aspect of the writing process because my students need that step by step instruction. The traits focus on one particular aspect at a time which I think is better for my students. I also think the traits clearly delineate what is to be done at each step.
ReplyDeleteI think the 8th grader who wrote The Fox is a much better writer than the one who wrote The Redwoods. The Redwoods is very simplistic and gives little detail. The sentence structure has little variation, no figurative language or higher level vocabulary that you would expect from an 11th grade student. Athough the Fox writing piece needs revisions it is well written and you hear the student's voice. There is much detail and substance to the Fox.
I feel that the parts of the writing process each support one another. If I were to say what is most important though, I feel that the ideas are most crucial. The message and its meaning are central but it needs all the other traits to ensure delivery of that message. This is evident in the two selected readings, "Redwoods" and "Fox". "Fox" I believe to be stronger due to the ideas but it could be strenghtened with editing.
ReplyDeletePatricia Lynch
Nancy, I agree with your comments on voice being so difficult to teach. It's actually a gift when you have it. Some kids just have it naturally. It can be modeled, though, and some pick it up. I have used RAFTS with my class. They love it. It's also a great way to reinforce concpets in the content areas. I've used it for science and social studies. I've also used it for a fun activity when they invited their book buddies to view their predator projects. They wrote the invitation as if they were the predator inviting the kids. We used the RAFTS outline. Once they get it, it's fun and easy to use. Great input. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMichelle, I agree with your points on comparing the writing process with the traits. We always blend the two, but I agree with you that the traits help the student more. Showing sentences is a great tool for building voice, too. It's easy to work with, and the kids seem to get this concept and enjoy using it. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteDebbie, when I first explored this program, I also liked how they broke the traits down into revision and editing. It made more sense and was easier to approach. I agree with your point that "explaining" what trait the students needs to work on is more helpful for the students. You're right -- I wouldn't want to be that teacher either (although I have been guilty of that in my early days of teaching). Sounds like you'll enjoy using those activities/lessons. Great input. Thanks.
ReplyDeletePat, I moved your comment to this area. However, it appears with my name on top -- I'm still trying to figure out how to change that. It has your name on the bottom, though. I agree with your comment on the two pieces. It's much easier to teacher the mechanics -- the voice and content are more difficult. The activities you selected sound great. I've never used those two -- will have to try them. Thanks for your input.
ReplyDeleteCheryl,
ReplyDeleteMy students also can take a long time to get started. Revising is also difficult. My students write pieces and hand them in and you can tell they didn’t reread before hand. I always ask my students to go to a quite place and read their pieces aloud to themselves to see if it makes sense. This really helps to get the revising stage started with them.
Laurie,
ReplyDeleteI think that it is a great strategy to have students write their ideas when it is fresh in there minds. I always have graphic organizers available, so that my students can record their ideas. I then have them kept them in a folder to use when they are having difficulty getting started.
Chapter 1
ReplyDeleteMy strongest writers possess many "experiences" and lots of background knowledge that help them generate ideas and get that first sentence down on paper. I find the most difficult part of the writing process for my weaker writers is getting started. I spend lots of time in my class talking about "What should you write about?" I hope to learn some new "idea gathering strategies" when we discuss the Ideas Trait.
I find the traits very kid friendly because students are able to point out strengths and weaknesses.
"Fox" is a better writing piece. Writers write to be read and get a reaction from the reader. I stress this to my kids all the time. The author of "Fox did this", "The Redwoods" was blah and forgettable.
Chapter 2
I agree with the grading. Paper #1 was a tough read. There was too much repetition. Paper #2 needs a bit more focus, but has potential. Paper #3 has a well defined topic and strong, vivid details.
I just bought Wisnieski's book and the kids loved the concept. They had a blast generating their list of rules. The entire class was upset they couldn't start their stories today. Imagine that! Tomorrow they begin.
Liz, I'm definitely going to try using your suggestion in social studies. I have been locked in to "using your own topics" but for some students it's so hard. I give broad assignments but I'm feeling overwhelmed by reading and helping them revise and the pile of papers gets higher. I like the idea of using one component to focus on at a time so this activity may be very useful.
ReplyDeleteWow! What a wonderful way to teach and learn to teach writing! I love what I'm learning because it is organized, and seems MANAGEABLE and "do-able!" It explicitly teaches the steps of the writing process and I love the lesson ideas....especially for revising and editing...UGH!
ReplyDeleteYes, my Teacher's College training taught me to individualize instruction based on student's needs, but again this is program is helpful because it is well organized and clear for both teacher and student!!! Amen! I especially love the rubrics, clear criteria for what each trait is, and of course the models - so helpful! I think another big difference is the "zooming in" effect of looking at writing pieces for one trait at a time! Agreed, Nancy, I too, teach the process more wholistically. I was thinking you could use a color-coding system to show each trait while writing? That way the students could see all the parts/traits of writing!
At T.C. I learned that we revise for one thing at a time...holding children responsible for revising for....(A certain trait) I find the more focused our lessons are, the more the kids focus on doing one thing to make the writing better, the better the outcome! Unfortunately, too often I want them to revise for too much? i.e.:voice, word choice, etc...that it becomes a long process indeed!
Agreed, "Fox" was a stronger writer. His lead pulls you in, doesn't it? He brings you into his world quickly and effectively. His writing is specific, not general and prosaic like "The Redwoods." Good writers write about what they are passionate about, they "zoom in," and make the reader feel something. "Fox" does this. "The Redwoods" does not.
CHAPTER 2
Yes, I agree with paper #1 's grading. Aww...he needs to go back and "crack open" /revise/ show, not tell" GOOD!
Paper #2: I agree with others, this one I would have given a 2. It needs development, the writier has not connected to the topic enough to make the reader want to read on.
Paper #3: Bravo! Agreed! Clear, focused, and yes...the writer is writing from a place of knowledge and experience! It's detailed and and shows that the writer has a "so what?" factor to her writing making her writing purposeful.
Yes, Nancy, I agree that the "Show, don't tell" is helpful! A friend and great teacher showed me an idea of using Russian dolls to show children how to "crack open" their ideas, or "show and not tell." I like the postcard idea, too. I also like to have the kids make a pie, (topic they are writing about)and each slice is one part of that pie (topic.) Then they write as much as they can about just that slice...training and helping them see writers "write small!" These chapters were helpful! Can't wait to read on!
P.S. Thanks, Liz! I can't wait to use R.A.F.T.S in all areas of writing...helpful, and important! Thanks!
ReplyDeletechapter 1
ReplyDelete1 in my opinionI would find the writer of "Fox" to be the stronger writer because of the imagery used. It stikes me that the may have been strong readers and have heard different voices and wer able to find their own while creating the piece.
2. I see the difference between the two approaches. The writing Process appears to be very compartmentalize which suggests going for the basicsversus images and voic. i will enjoy sesing the how the Traits approach will unfold becaue it appears to have aot of potemtial.
Chapter 2Reading the smmaple papers initally idon't think I would havve scored themthe same. Going back over it though I can see how andwwhy they recieved that score.
I love the RAFTS concept and look forward to seeing the studnets bring it down into their language sesions so that I can tie in the written with their oral organization/presentation. hopefully they will see how the language flows between verbal and writtenmore clearly. This was the case with the last class I took. The students wer able to use the strategiies in more settings which seemed to help them.
The string along activity looks promising being great lesson and tool yhatI can incorporate into the sessions:visual and auditory. Ask me a question is the other activity tha could helpful for my students. Question generation is difficult but this might really enhanse their participation.
ilove the Russian dolls visualization for creaking it open.
Chapter 1/1 I find that getting started is one of the most difficult aspects of writing for the typical child, but especially for students that don't have the internal language or can't access their "voice". They find adding details a long arduous process. The biggest difference between the traditional way of teaching writing and the traits is that students are always driven to "get it done"...and we encourage that. Teaching by traits slows down the process and allows the student to take the time to expand their thoughts and draw from personal observation and experience. "Fox" was obviously the better writing piece,however we all know students that write in a similar way to "The Redwoods" author. "Fox" had so many deatils and a "voice" with feelings.
ReplyDeleteCaroline---I agree that its very helpful to our students to be able to use the strategies that they have learned in more than one setting. It enables them to organize and generalize what they've learned. I think that very much like reading comprehension, this course will help our students with verbal and written language.
ReplyDeleteNancy and Marsha---I also think it's a great idea that we dont have to teach writing in a linear way. We can focus on one area at a time. I think using the traits is more af a "realisstic" approach to writing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the scoring overall. At first, I found it difficult to zero in on one trait. I can see how it could help me to focus on a student's strengths of weaknesses, rather than an overall look at their writing piece. The activities I liked the most were flashback and favorite places. This is probably a very easy place to start with most students. I also like the writer's notebook. That's something that we often recommend to our older students. It's a place to collect their thoughts and feelings. Pick a postcard is a fantasatic idea. It can be as specific or as broad as you like. My students usually cue in to the visuals so this would be a great reinforcing technique for them. R.A.F.T.S. is also a good way to analyze an assignment and really break it down. Anything with an acronym helps as a mnemonic device. It's definitely something I am going to do with my students.
ReplyDeleteChapter 2
ReplyDeleteI did agree with the overall scoring. If you glance at paper #1 without reading it, it seems as if is is going to be good. Unfortunately, it is very confusing and lacks substance. It was difficult to read. Paper #2 showed some substance and had good ideas. With revisions, I think it could be a good writing piece. Paper #3 is descriptive and interesting to read.
I like the RAFTS activity. Giving students different audiences is much more motivating than writing to the teacher or no specific audience. The students would have fun writing from another point of view. I also like that this can be used across different curriculum areas.
I also like the Show Me, Don't Just Tell Me activity. This lesson promotes more descriptive writing which is difficult for my students. I usually prompt students to first create mental imagaes and describe them. It is easier for them to talk about it aloud first because sometimes they don't have the vocabulary to describe what they are picturing. Use of descriptive words is very challenging for ESL students so this activity would be great to use in my program.
I agree with you Cheryl. Coming up with ideas and getting started is one of the hardest things about writing. Many of my students have some ideas but can't elaborate on them. Beginning a writing piece can be very challenging for students.
ReplyDeleteMarsha- elaborating on ideas is very difficult for students.They often have some basic ideas and it is challenging for them to delve deeper and go into more detail. This is an important but difficult task to teach. Details are one of the things that makes writing interesting so it is crucial for students to understand and be able to give many details.
ReplyDeleteThere are two important parts to the writing process: brainstorming and revising. Brainstorming is where the ideas come from, and without this, there would be no purpose in your writing. Sometimes I hear a student say they don’t know what to write about. This is why I feel brainstorming is important-it starts the creative juices flowing and motivates the writer to write. Revising is also important because this is where the hard work comes in. This makes the writing fully developed and interesting to read. This is the step where students decide if the piece needs more added or details rearranged. I feel it is where the most thinking takes place. Using the traits helps focus the writer on one thing at a time instead of during the writing process, where multiple traits are focused on at a time. Writers can be overwhelmed with too many things to think about. This is the biggest difference I see.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the “Fox” is the stronger piece because it includes specific details and description. There is more “meat” to it. The setting and characters are more developed than in “The Redwoods.”
I agree with the Cat/Dog assessment that the topic is not clear or focused. The Earth paper I felt was between a 1 and a 3. Although the writer attempted the topic of Earth, it isn’t clearly focused. I also agree that Zeena is a 5. It doesn’t fit into the 3 category as the topic is developed and focused and specific details are used to support the purpose.
I have seen R.A.F.T.S. before and would like to use it more consistently with my students. I would have them do this before writing a piece. I would also give students a piece of writing and try to have them pick out each element of RAFTS and see if any element is missing. I also liked “Pick the Postcard” activity on page 66. I would have students describe (show not tell) the topic they receive and then exchange descriptions with someone else to see if their partner can guess the topic/image. Their partner then must draw the topic using the details from the writing to see if this is how the writer imagined it. Since figurative language is taught, I would have the students use this in their descriptions (similes, personification, metaphor, etc.)
Chapter 1
ReplyDeleteThe writing process is very challenging for most students. For many it can be overwhelming. Using a planning page and brainstorming has alleviated some of those frustrations and has helped them “discover” their ideas. I agree that revision is probably one of the hardest parts of the writing process. After brainstorming/planning, writing and editing they seem to have had enough. They do not want to go back and “master” their piece, they want to move on. I think “focused revision” is a great technique. It allows you and the student to focus on one trait at a time, which would alleviate some frustrations or overwhelming feelings. In my opinion, I thought the Fox story was a better writing piece. The writing piece was creative, developed and detailed. The writer seems to have really enjoyed writing this piece and used his/her “voice” very nicely.
Chapter 2
I agree with the scoring for all the papers. Paper #1- was very unclear and the text was very repetitious. Paper #2- The topic was there but not yet fully developed. We can see that staying on topic was a difficult task. However, I think with a lot of work this writer has potential to make this into a developed piece. Paper#3- was well developed writing piece. Using the rubric made it much easier to focus on one trait at a time.
There are many activities that I found interesting and would love to use in my classroom. Call it out seems like a fun activity that would involve everyone. I like the fact that there is interaction with the other students and that they are coming up with their own ideas and questions. They will have the opportunity to choose a topic and to write about something that interests them (within the category that is chosen). I also thought Picture This was a great idea. I think the students would really enjoy this. Making it suspenseful is one way to peak their curiosity. Picture This will help the students focus on one “piece of the puzzle” at a time, instead of just the “big picture”. Hopefully this will encourage them and help stress the importance of details. I think these were wonderful ideas and I am looking forward to using them in my classroom
Marsha-
ReplyDeleteI would like to try Ask Me A Question as well. I think it is important for the students to read what they are writing and listen to see if it makes sense. I always encourage my students to read their story to a friend and to get feedback. It really helps the writer and I think Ask Me A Question is a great activity for the students.
Michelle- I agree with you that Pick The Postcard is a great activity to stress the importance of detail. Many students find it so difficult to include supporting detail and this seems like it would be such a great and fun activity. I will definitely try this in my classroom
ReplyDeleteWow, what great input from everyone!!
ReplyDeleteMike, I think you will find a lot of great suggestions for generating ideas. Look through the handouts I copied for you also. They link the lessons with literature -- some of the lessons are scripted -- very easy to follow.
Thanks for sharing.
Amy,
I'm glad you find the program helpful. It's interesting that you mention TC taught to revise for one trait at a time. Back when I attended their training, I remember it being more comprehensive -- I always found it a bit overwhelming to teach. I hope they've changed it up a bit.
I agree the rubrics are a great tool. I find it especially useful to review the rubrics with the students before they begin. This way they know how to get a good score. Thanks for sharing.
Caroline,
I think the RAFTS would work great with your groups. I agree with you that taking it one trait at a time is more doable the students and the teacher. Thanks for sharing.
Lynn, I agree it certainly slows it down. The one setback is sometimes I don't get through all the traits as thoroughly as I should. Each year I promise to "get it done". That's the great thing about teaching -- every year is a new chance. It's true, though, the students are able to successfully master each trait. Thanks for sharing.
Lisa, I think you'll get some great ideas from word choice trait when we get to it. This will help with your students. I agree with you that RAFTS and show me strategies are really good strategies. Thanks for sharing.
Laura,
I agree with you -- brainstorming and revising -- two very important parts. They are the most difficult for students. Yet, revision is broken down into ideas, organization, voice, word choice and sentence fluency. Once students have worked through each of these -- they'll be very successful at "revision". If brainstorming becomes too difficult for a students, sometimes I assign a topic or a choice or topics. Thanks for sharing.
Stacey,
You're so right -- breaking revision down allows students to handle this enormous task. I hope you find the suggested activities helpful. I've used many of them in my room -- they work really well. It's amazing to see how they really grab the kids and get them wanting to write. Thanks for sharing.
Nancy: I too struggle with the voice part of writing. I find it very difficult how to teach voice since it everyone has a different voice. If you have any great lessons in your file, I would love to brainstorm some ideas!
ReplyDeleteLaura,
ReplyDeleteI'm finding this course very helpful since the suggestions for revising are cleverly separated into those aspects we can use to individualize our student conferences. I think the books Culham mentions offer us some great possibilities to show examples of real voice- I always use the Gambling Grandma, which is such a strong voice and HEy World, Here I Am is my real push but the activities in the book are easy and should create an impact.
I am having trouble finding out where to post my comments for the next session. Somehow I will need to get back to the right location but wanted to share my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteChapter 3 : ORGANIZATION
I found so many ideas helpful and continue to be amazed at how easily I can incorporate these ideas and alter my present teaching to be more effective. I continue to love the idea of earmarking each trait. For me and my sixth graders, the area I can improve my teaching is with transitions and pacing. I feel I have been somewhat successful with introductions and conclusions by using the ideas suggested with some success already (although I will definitely xerox the chart with the listing of suggestions on top of page 89 for intros!) But I agree that it's the middle of the paper requiring more effective help and I loved the discussion of those four organizational options explained on page 91 and LOVED the idea of discussing organizing by space as one activity and organizing by time as another one. I was in total agreement how the piece becomes too big if they begin too far before the real story even starts, which is a real issue for us. Keeping the story small by beginning with what matters and stopping when it ends is the most frequent concern for my writers in both developing and organizing. I also loved the suggestion for teaching transitions, which uses a chart to organize all the possible words and phrases into categories. While I already review a list of such words and we write them into our writing journals, using a chart to organize them gives them an immediate visual aid to help them which to use when. I would follow that up with the ten minutes only activity to allow them to use their chart but see the need to move a piece along. Another idea to improve pacing was the great mini-lesson, Outline Your Story. Since we learn about how to use outlines to prioritize key ideas and supporting details, this is a fabulous way to focus their attention on pacing in a new way, which I realize makes so much sense, yet I never tried it this way before. Knowing when to slow down and look deeply and when to speed things right along is so crucial and this activity SHOWS them rather than tells them how to do it.
A new book that has been terrific as a great read and model for all of the traits is SCHOOLED by Gordon Korman. The chapters keep switching perspective since the story is told through points of view of several characters. Each chapter begins with a strong lead and ending, so much so that I found reading and writing lessons just created themselves without me doing anything but ask, "So what did you notice?" !!! The book begins, "I was thirteen the first time I saw a police officer up close. He was arresting me for driving without a license. At the time, I didn't even know what a license was. I wasn't too clear on what being arrested meant either. "
After reviewing the three reasons students struggle with organization in the book, I had to really stop and think. I constantly come back to the idea of finding the right idea, something you feel passionate about because then the piece somewhat writes itself, not only with solid organization that can then be improved on through revision, but which also offers voice. My students write their best pieces when we find that essence already there, which they can build on. For some weak writers, I may need to have them tell me "in their own words" what they are "really trying to say" before the true idea is there to be focused on. Curiously, some who struggle with personal narratives or memoir can write brilliantly during social studies, ie proving the resourcefulness and cleverness of early humans, surviving in a difficult environment. They have no trouble with the meaty ideas, nor adding their own voice to a finely organized reflective piece. But each child has to also find the confidance to take risks to get away from the required, routine, mundane approach, which is boring but yes, often gets a high score on ELA style tests.