Best Practices in Writing Instruction Chapter 3

In this chapter, the authors mention that it is very important for teachers to not only have differentiated lesson plans but also know how writing skills build upon each other.  They used the study of trickster tales to help examine how writing skills build.

They started by explaining that there are four features that all stories have in common: sequentiality (story event occur in a sequence), particularity (they are about something in particular), intentional states (the character’s actions are motivated by their intentions), and canonicity and breach (their is a problem).  After explaining these four parts, the authors went in to when students can realistically be expected to understand and demonstrate these four parts. In discussing this, the authors give examples of where the average child should be every two years starting with age four.

Age 4: Children tell “happily ever after” stories that focus on social scripts and show a sequence of events (sequentiality).  This happens more because of a recall of events rather than what the child makes up himself.

Age 6: The child understand that a story is a sequence of events, that includes a problem and a resolution to the problem, and that the character’s intentions motivate their actions. In other words, they have a basic understanding of all four features.

Age 8: The stories become increasingly more complex, as do the characters’ intentions.  More delays to the resolution are introduced, which means that the stories become longer and more interesting.  Characters also show a wider range of emotions throughout the story (happy to mad to sad to happy).

Age 10: Stories include all of the above mentioned features, but they include a greater variety of subplots.

Age 12: By this age, the average child will “create characters with mental states and traits that are long-term, enduring across time and situations” (pg 58). 

After giving these descriptions of what children are capable of at each age level, the authors then briefly described the theory behind their information, and then went right into the teaching strategies that they used with introducing trickster tales, including when they introduced certain conjunctions to help make the story more cohesive.

I identified with some of the examples that they used in order to explain certain concepts when writing the stories.  In particular, I loved the Jack-in-the-Box and tug-of-war ideas.  I think that that was a very solid example of a concept that is hard to understand.

Graphic Novels for (Really) Young Readers by Allyson A. W. Lyga

As I believe that I have mentioned before, when I was in middle school I loved comic books.  Why? They were short, action packed, and easy to talk about with my peers.  I often dispaired when I was unable to follow a really good story line due to being unable to access the next edition of a particular comic book, and I frequently went back and reread my favorite parts of the story.  This allowed me time to internalize many of the new words that were introduced in the story, which helped to increase my vocabulary.

My students, like those that Lyga mentioned, seem to get quite a lot of information from the pictures.  They help students to understand the setting, show characters’ emotions, and allow other nonverbal things to help advance the plot of the story.  Sometimes the pictures are so packed full of information in and of themselves that they remind me of the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

I found it interesting that Lyga also included how to find comic books and graphic novels that were appropriate to the students’ developmental level.

Teaching Reading: Story Development Using Wordless Picture Books by Colleen Reese

Much like the article on Wordless Books for middle schoolers, this article shows how wordless picture books might be used in the lower elementary grades.  Just like with middle schoolers, the teacher mentions using these books as a method for teaching students about many literary elements (including plot, setting, and characters, while at the same time helping students to learn to write longer, more interesting (more detailed) sentences, and revising to make sure that the student’s story makes sense.  I love this, because it really brings students through the whole “language arts” process.  I can also see how using this method would help students to get into the habit of writing well planned and descriptive stories, because it is all right there for them.

I am also a big fan of the way that Reese went from using whole groups to partners to individuals in their quest to write the story in the books.  I believe that this is a wonderful way to help introduce a concept to students and then allow them to practice in a safe, comfortable setting before going on to create their very own stories.  Using younger student listeners to give feedback about the students’ stories was also a great way of getting the younger students excited about reading while improving the self esteem of the older writers.

Wordless Books by Judith Cassady

I would like to start out by saying that I am thankful that this was directed at middle school students. Particularly since I happen to know for a fact that most middle school students love anything with lots of pictures. It is very exciting to me to have a chance to work with students on literary elements that doesn’t actually involve any real reading.  This assures that even my lower students will have the opportunity to learn many things that they need to know without feeling like they are constantly behind in what is read. 

I would also like to say that I bought a digital recorder for my struggling readers, because our school doesn’t have any way of recording.  Unfortunately, because I don’t have any very good models for how to use the recorder, I have struggled with what to do with these lower kids.  I am overjoyed by the idea that I can have them read THEIR OWN stories based on a wordless picture book!  As an adult, I think that it would be a lot of fun to show my own interpretation of a story from pictures.

I have also jumped on the bandwagon of modeling everything to my students.  I want them to do well, and I have found that they only do well once they completely understand what it is that they need to do.  And how can they understand it if we just TELL them what to do? I love the idea of showing them how I would go through the first few pages of a wordless story and then handing it over to the students to “read” to their classmates. That could be a particularly exciting prospect for struggling readers, I’m sure!!!

Multigenre Idea

I have decided that I am going to do my multigenre project on Scotland.  I feel that this is still too broad, but I am not sure I know anything that would be more specific for what I want to do.  I was thinking about creating a map, a brochure, some poems, and many more.

I think that, to make it more specific, I would do sections (ie: Geography, History, People, Culture, etc.), and have each section take up at least two pages.

I think that my students would have fun researching the country of their choice and then creating a multigenre project on that country. Right now they are going to be creating a binder with information about each of the countries in Europe and focus on the 5 Themes of Geography.   However, a collegue of mine mentioned that she felt this kind of project didn’t really do anything for the kids.  I think that if they are allowed to focus on something that they are more interested in, that would be a lot more fun.

The only other thoughts that I have had about how my students could use this project with what I have already told them that they will be doing this year is for them to use it with their author study. 

Of course, I could have them do both projects at different times and in different classes, but we will have to see about that.  I would love to be able to let them do the multigenre project on whatever is of interest to them, but I just don’t see that happening this year.  I have already pretty much laid out the year for both my parents and students.

Does anybody have suggestions or other ideas?

Definition of Persona Poem

I believe that a “persona” poem is a poem where the poet has taken on the “persona” or characteristics of whatever they are writing about.  When the poet writes their poem, out comes a completely different personality from that of the poet himself/herself.  The personality that shines through is that of whatever is being written about.  “Persona” poems can only be authentic if they are well researched, and the poet uses strong descriptive words to get their point across.

I love the template for the “I” poem, but only if I have a very specific subject.  If the subject is broad, I think that it is better to not have a template, because it frees you up to add more information.

“I” Poem about Me

I created the following poem while I was playing around on some of the websites that Dr. Frye has given us.  I love the fact that students can use this website and just “plug-in” their information, and the website gives the poem a nice printed format.

I Am

I am short and sweet
I wonder how seals can look so cute but be so mean
I hear the humming of the printer
I see classrooms across the lawn

I want chocolate every day
I am short and sweet

I pretend that I am not really an adult
I feel like a weight is pushing down on me
I touch a marker, a pen, a pencil
I worry about how well my students are doing
I cry when I am stressed
I am short and sweet

I understand literature
I say books are like best friends
I dream about seeing far away lands
I try to get all papers graded in a timely fashion
I hope that I will be an excellent teacher someday
I am short and sweet

 

 

 

Website: http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/iampoem.htm

“I” poems: Invitations for Students to Deepen Literary Understanding

As I was reading this article, I came across what I believe to be Dr. Frye’s philosophy of teaching.  Kucan writes, “I engaged my students (future teachers) in doing the work that I hoped they would invite their future students to do…” (pg 519).  I have heard this philosophy mentioned before by other professors, but Dr. Frye is one of the best at really doing it. 

When reading about how Kucan used Sarah, Plain and Tall with her students, I was encouraged by her use of research and “I” poems to help her students to better understand the setting in the book before they actually read it.  I am sure that those preservice teachers learned a lot about the Kansas prairie and Maine’s coast, and were then able to use this knowledge to better understand Sarah’s feelings of separation and loneliness as they read.

On now to talking about “I” poems.  I have found in my own life, as well as in the school life of my students, that reading something and then writing about it really does help them to take possession of what they are learning.  When Kucan mentioned that Dewey had revealed that “learning or understanding depends upon opportunities to engage in self-reflective closure” (pg 519), I thought about all the times that I heard things that were interesting to me, but then almost immediately forgot them, because I was never asked to write it down.  As a visual learner, I need to see something on paper in order to recall it later.  The act of writing, whether as notes or a poem, helps to create connections in my brain that are strong enough to last through more than a 24 hour period.  However, I don’t necessarily agree with quote: “thoughts come into existence through the composing process itself” (pg 519).  I believe that thoughts that stay in your head are very valid, and the thoughts that you express through speaking have “come into existence” in this world.  The only reason that I think that writing is SUPERIOR to thinking and speaking is the fact that writing allows others to read your thoughts when you are not around.  Just like right now you are reading my blog, but I am probably teaching my students, sleeping, or reading a book as you read this.  Because I wrote my thoughts down, they have now become thoughts that I can share with many others not just a few people or myself.

I digress, so back to “I” poems we go. I am intrigued by the idea that I can take something that students think is mundane or run of the mill and transform it into a personal experience.  The very fact that they will come to the table with a load of research, ready to write about something that they know a lot about, is exciting.  Then to take their knowledge and turn it into a “personal” poem (writing from the first person perspective) can be really motivating for students. 

This article also mirrors something that we have discussed in class: imitating other authors.  One of Kucan students closely imitated the poem-novel Out of the Dust.  Then, later in the article, Kucan mentions that she believes that imitating others is an appropriate learning task, because students learn “what he/she has already learned” (pg 524) and move on.

Poetry

 

 

 

Acrostic

Dirty mess with

Everything piled high.

Sometimes clean, then

Kate’s haven.

 I was pretty happy with this poem, but I thought that it might make it a little neater if I changed a word or two (can you get the changed meaning?)…

Dirty mess with

Everything piled high.

Seldom clean, but

Kate’s haven.

 

Haiku

 Fall

Leaves rustling in wind

Cool air rushing past your face

Calm envelopes you.

Like it too much to change it.  Feel like it really describes my feelings.

 

Concrete

Picture hopefully coming soon…

Poetry Assignment

Cold Plums and the Old Men in the Water by Janine L. Certo

I am very impressed by the information and examples given in this article. As a firm believer in sharing the “great poets”, it is difficult for me to use the “funnier” or “simpler” poems that you often see in elementary school classrooms today.  However, I LOVE the fact that Certo is promoting both kinds of poetry.  It is much more doable to teach a balanced program than to teach more of one kind of poetry or the other.

When Certo spoke about allowing kids to imitate the great poets, I got really excited.  I never thought, never imagined, that IMITATION could be such a great way to teach kids.  In reality, what do we do except imitate when we are learning something new?  You can’t be “original” until you have thoroughly explored and imitated other works.  In my life, I have been very stressed about the need to be “orginal” in everything I do.  This has caused undue stress, because I did not feel that I could “just do things the way that other people do them first, until I got comfortable”. 

This year, I have really begun to understand the power of modeling.  Certo mentions that “[b]y examining models, children will make their own reading-writing connections and begin to see writing as an act of discovery for them to reconnoiter the texts of others” (pg 268).  What a great way of saying that by having a model, students are able to blend text and/or poetic structure, such as in Love That Dog, to create a text that is poignant and original!

This text also gives teachers a licsense to teach poetry without going into the meaning and nuianse of every word and phrase, every symbol and image.  Certo explains that “[i]t is the teacher’s responsibility to assure and to reassure children that their imagination and their experience of the world are major factors in understanding the poem” (pg 269).  Just think!  THEIR imagination and experience!  How wonderful is it for a student to be told that their interpretation of a poem or a prompt to write poetry is up to what they KNOW!  I love it!