Chapter 12

As we already know, at the first of the school year we need to "lay out the line" for the writer's workshop. If the students have a good idea and understanding about how the workshop is supposed to go then there will be less time for confussion. We also need to plan units of study for the whole class instruction. The unit of study in the writer's workshop is a period of time. A unit of study in a writing workshop simply supports students' learning around their self-selected pursuits as writers. For selecting units of study a teacher must ask theirself: What are my strengths?, What have my students studied before in writing?, What are my students interested in? What resources do I have?, and more. These questions will help shape and form your units of study. I like the layouts of the units of study that are shown in chapter 12. I do realize that it is OKAY to study things for a longer period of time. The layout of the unit of study is easy to follow, its clean and clear, and well developed. I think that studying an author or genre is important and I can see why. However, I did an author study last semester and I thought it was soooo boring. I mean, I did learn from it. But, it was just okay to me. Nothing about is really interested me or "wow-ed" me.

Lauren Tedder

LLED

Chapter 7-8, 19

2-7-11

            Managing our writer’s workshop is very important. When we have the students writing independently, the teacher needs to walk around the classroom and among the students. The students should not have to come to the teacher. I know as a future teacher that I do struggle with, “What do I do if a student will not write?” or “What if a student will not do anything that I ask?” I know that these things will happen; however, I hope that I can turn this student around and make them want to learn and to be excited about school. However, we need to understand that just because students are talking to each other or working in the same area does not mean they are off task. We want our students to understand that we are working along beside them and we except them to take their work seriously. I agree that the writer’s workshop needs space or you can push tables together to get the kind of space that you want to have your students work in. We have to remember that our students will use many materials to use in their writings. They may have several drafts, folders, notebooks, and dictionaries out in their space. Therefore, space is much needed in the workshop. Getting from place to place in your writer’s workshop is another important managing part. The students will be moving around many times during the workshop. They will have to meet somewhere for the focus lesson, independent writing time, clean up time, and sharing time. We need to come up with a way to “tell” our students what to do next without standing up in the middle of the room saying it out loud. The goal is for the workshop to be well structured so that it could almost manage itself. This would be a huge goal for me! I would love to be able to have my writer’s workshop function like this. I also agree with having the correct supplies and materials for the students to use. The more materials the better the workshop will be. You need to have writing tools such as: highlighters, pencils, pen, and markers. Also, lots and lots of paper! Students need lots of paper to brainstorm, draft their paper, and publish their paper. The chapter furthers the materials needed for the writer’s workshop and how it plays an important role. Working aside the students and using the same supplies will send a message to the students. The message would be to take care of the supplies and honor them. Before assuming a student is misusing the supplies, always make sure there is not a good and valid reason they are doing so first. I love the idea about bringing in the students to help in the decision making process. This also the students to have responsibility and to have some say in the classroom/writer’s workshop management.

            I never knew that there were writer’s workshop kits. I feel that the kits would take away the “feel” of the writer’s workshop. The workshop is supposed to be anything and everything. Students should be able to pick whatever they want to write about. Picking things from out of a box is not allowing the students their freedom to write about what they want. Some teachers may fee like they are losing control of their classroom. The may feel like the students are more in control. This is true, because it is the students writing and their work. The kits make you believe that everything is smooth sailing and everything is simple. We have to remember that when we tell students to do what writer’s do, we are opening up a can of worms. There will be a million different combinations of things that the students can do; which is want we want for the writer’s workshop to be. We have to remember that students will make little decisions along the way during their writing.  I like how Ray does not “sugar code” anything. She says how the workshop will not be easy and how teachers will have to make peace with this.

            Getting students PUMPED about the writer’s workshop and allowing them to publish their work is important. We need to get students excited about what they will be doing from the very start. The publishing part may be the most rewarding and excited part of the writer’s workshop. The publishing part means that the student id finished, they are done, and now their work is available to the public. How exciting?! Ray goes into further discussion about the publishing steps and what it means to be finished with writing.  I like how the word “publish” comes from the same root as the word “public,” and being finished with a piece of writing means that it is ready for the public. Students need to know who their audience is and their audience needs to be someone outside of the writer’s workshop. Students need to write to parents, grandparents, friends, aunts, cousins, and pen pals. Their published piece could be a letter, a song, an article, or a play. Students need to publish their writings more than once or twice a year. Plus, every time a student gets finished with a piece of writing does not mean you have to have a party for them. Also, showing and telling is another form of publishing a finished piece of writing. The chapter goes on and explains what students will struggle with and how curriculum will help aid them. Rays states, “Remember that it is better for the students to publish a lot, knowing that not every piece will be brilliant or that every journey to being finished with a piece will be the best on the student ever makes.” I love this quote!

EDEC Week 3

So far I love my first grade placement. I was able to read to the class today a Junie B Jones book and listen in on a teacher meeting with the Vice Principal. In our book, that we are reading, I really enjoyed the few pages about behavior and what/what not to do. I found my self sort of laughing at what the author what talking about. I have seen and experienced much of what I was reading. Some of the stuff that was mentioned did a lot of good and some stuff had the opposite effect. I agree with pretty much all of what the author was conveying to me. I feel like we need the parents on our side and to help better their children. I also agree with not letting yourself lose comtrol or your emotions and allowing the child to "win" an arguement. Therefore, I am seeing some of the good and some of the bad in my student teaching. It's very interesting!

Chapter 14, 15, 17

Lauren Tedder

LLED

Writer’s Workshop

Ch. 14, 15, 17

2-3-11

            I would have to agree with Ray, I think that I get the most enjoyment when I am able to sit down with the students and have a conference about their work. You can get to know a lot about a student and how they are doing by just asking a few questions and listening. We have to remember to talk to our students as writers and not talk down at them. I also like the idea about “moving out” to your students instead of having your students come to you. I find myself many times going to the students who need the most help or who have their hands raised. I think that Ray makes a great point about how teachers need to go see every student about their work and how they are doing. I am so glad that she stated that conferences should be kept short. I sometimes think that teachers will keep one students for a long time and that makes all the other students’ conferences much shorter. I love the fact that Ray wants her students to be more independent and do things on their own. Students can be independent at any age if they are given the chance and the responsibility. Also, keep good records and the records should be a recap about what the conference was over.  I think that Ray gives many great ideas and ways of handling conferencing time in the classroom. I got a lot out of this section of the book.

            Students need to talk during the share time part of the writer’s workshop. It is important for them to receive this feedback from their peers and teachers. Students can learn a lot from listening and sharing with each other. Sharing time is a place where everyone can learn together as a community. I also think that it is very important for the teacher to share as well. The teacher needs to demonstrate sharing her writing to the class so that others feel comfortable and understand how important sharing can be. In my placement at

Timothy Road

, my mentor teacher does simple response share everyday after the writing workshop. Every student will read what they wrote or started to write during the workshop period. I really like the survey share approach. I think that this approach is short, sweet, and to the point. This type of sharing still allows the students to share, get feedback, and learn from others. My favorite type of share would be the student-as-teacher share. How great is this? Allowing a few individuals to share what they are doing, have created, have written, or what they have figured out. I think that this can be very special and highlighting for the students when they are able to share.

            I love how the questions that a teacher should ask during the writer’s workshop should be questions that they do not already know the answers to. I mean duh! Teachers all day long always ask questions that they already know the answers to. The questions which the teacher asks during the writer’s workshop should be why? How? Tell me more type of questions. I never knew that all the questions that we ask actually have names. For example, “Out of all the writing you’ve done, how is this piece similar?” This question is a history question. Teachers can use different questions for assessments and for students’ portfolios. Conferences are where a lot of the question asking takes place. The types of questions asked here would be questions about the students’ writings. There are different scales that the teacher can ask questions and evaluate the students on. I was a little confused about the scales and how to use them, then Ray had samples of students work and this made the scale clear.