The writing essentials

Writing Essentials Chapter 1:
Consider the writing essentials listed on page 13. What is your response to these, as a writer and as a teacher? Which do you think are easy, and which are challenging? Does one strike you as being particularly powerful or problematic? 

As a writer, I look at the writing essentials and think “there is no way I consider all these a checklist while I write. I hope I cover all of them and I feel I do most of the time.” For myself, I prefer to write then go back over the checklist to make sure I attended to all those points.

The teacher side of me is influenced by my own writing style. I hope that kids work similar to my way, which is writing and looking back over it to make sure all the essentials have been fulfilled. But, my teacher side knows kids don’t all think like me. There are many different learning, and writing styles. It is important the kids know these essentials, and are comfortable with them. This means introducing them to the kids and having them practice, probably a lot.

I don’t think any of the writing essentials are easy. I think they are all challenging and require a lot of experience to master. I, a college graduate, have yet to master most, if not all of them. Which essentials are more difficult than others varies. Sometimes I have difficulty finding my voice, other times I have difficulty choosing an appropriate topic. However, I try not to let my difficulties stop me from writing. If I focus too much on the essential I am having trouble with, it paralyzes me and my writing goes nowhere.

Just as I think all the writing essentials are difficult, I also think they all can be powerful or problematic. Again, this varies all the time.

Comment one on an education blog

For an assignment, here is my first comment on an education blog outside my cohort- http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2009/10/cell-phones-in-my-civics-class-parent.html

What a well-written anecdote! As educators, we are expected to teach. This should include proper use of technology. The classroom does not exist outside the ‘real world’ so let’s help the kids navigate in the ‘real world.’ I love the way the cell phone allowed your kids to share the unit with their parents.

I suppose a concern would be- at what point do cell phones become a distraction? Just as the kids would be using the phones with the curriculum, some would be using them for other means. Perhaps texting their friend while the rest of the class is working. Do we need to control they way these cell phones are used? And how would we?

Similarly, the move to integrate computers in the classroom started many years ago and has yet to be fully adopted. That is, not every kid has access to a computer (however the US is getting MUCH better). I’m left to conclude the cell phone will also continually face resistance. I’m willing to bet that ten years from now we will still be discussing whether the cell phone should be allowed during class. Let’s not forget that kids have been secretly using them for years, and will continue to use them regardless of any no tolerance policy. How do the kids feel about our views?

For more, here is an interesting NY Times article on the issue- http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/technology/16phone.html

Invented Spelling in the classroom

Fox Chapter 3:
Based on your experience and your reading of this chapter, do you think "invented spelling" (in which children spell words the way they sound) helps or hinders young readers?

Depending on its use, invented spelling can help or hinder. If used solely and in isolation, invented spelling will not guide children to the ‘correct’ answers. It will likely lead children to their own justifications of ‘correct.’ Alternatively, the absence of invented spelling in the classroom will also hurt the children. This rational is conceived with the assumption no invented spelling is commonly used outside the classroom. Children need a chance to write. Be it misspelled or invented words, this does not matter. Once given a chance to write, guidance twoards correct spelling and mechanics needs to be gentle and appropriate. Additionally, invented spelling allows the educator to assess the child’s thinking. Over the course of the school year, the invented spelling would likely progress, and be reflective of, the child’s reading level. Specifically, the beginning sounds of words are expected to be identified by the child first, followed by ending sounds, then minimal combination sounds, eventually middle sounds, and maybe vowel sounds. Taking away invented spelling in the classroom would catastrophically eliminate the educator’s ability to continually assess.

Literacy Journal Response, Week 2

Sulzby & Teale:
Think about classrooms you have visited. What aspects of emergent literacy have you observed in young children? How have you seen teachers support the growth of young children's literacy?

The youngest class I have observed is the sixth grade. At this level I find some of the children have a healthy interest in reading. I have also seen that they make book recommendations to one another. In this sense, reading has become a social activity. The children get to read and respond to one another about how the text made them feel.

I have seen teachers support the growth of literacy with read aloud. The time is used to expose the students to new genres of literature. The teacher is able to read a chapter book and stop at points to discuss the story. Just as much, the teacher may stop at points to address a literary style the author is using or to point out the author’s word choice.