End of Year - Grateful for my student workshop

            Diane Mayr, at Random Noodling, is our host today for Poetry Friday. Visit there to find all kinds of poetry inspiration! Thanks Diane!    

           In remembrance of Maya Angelou, I wonder if you've seen the hashtag #MayaTaughtMe, and read some of them. It's filled with tiny memories that can only be because of twitter's structure. Here, less becomes more as one reads. She taught me that being older is okay, that thriving at any age is the purpose. Have you thought about what Maya Angelou taught you?

         It’s been a pleasure working almost all my time in the past weeks with one classroom. I’ve continued to meet sometimes with other teachers, but this time it’s like being back in the classroom again. My colleague has planned numerous kinds of projects, including writing in a workshop-type atmosphere where students have the chance to make their own choices in writing.  In this kind of group, I usually have students bring some examples of texts they think is good, and we respond to those. Then, when they have writing to share, I copy all the pieces into a packet so each can “see” the words as well as “hear” them. It gives everyone a chance to think first, then give some ideas for revision to their group members. I think of myself as the facilitator, bring up different ‘craft’ skills that I notice in the words shared, and take a few minutes to give a mini-lesson, hopefully that will help each writer improve.

Using Online Tools for All Kinds of Writing

 I'm having a great time in the twenty-one day comment challenge at Mother Reader, but my reader is still filling up.  Check out the challenge here.  Tomorrow is the final day!

The Slice of Life posts are hosted every Tuesday by Stacey and Ruth at Two Writing Teachers

After reading the New York Times article concerning future changes in education, and discovering that February 1st is Digital Learning Day, a specific day set aside for adding to your digital learning expertise in order to apply it to education, I thought I’d recommend a few sites that I recently used in an online tools class.  Here are some things that happened:

I used Diigo, a bookmarking site (like Delicious if you use that) that you can use with a group or class by acquiring an educator account.   Each student has access to the personal ‘library’ set up online of the pages and sites I wanted them to explore, plus they could also recommend other tools they found and/or had already used to tell the rest of us about.  You can bookmark, sticky note and highlight specific portions of text.  You can add as many tags as you wish.  You can give assignments as to the approach of the link given. 

I found that the group loved it and looked forward to checking their account to see what had been recently added.  I imagine that students could send poems to share & to comment on within the site, or other kinds of text could be shared with a group, or a partner.  One project done:  I sent several articles of current interest to the students, and we had an online discussion of them with all of us sending comments.  One other idea is that students could send a review of a book read and others could agree or disagree with the review after reading the book.   

Here are other sites used that might be good for writing workshop: 

"Where's Papa Going With That Ax?"

The Tuesday Slice of Life can be found at The Two Writing Teachers Blog.  Check it out!

Some years ago, I discovered and read a biography of Beatrix Potter and loved it.  It was enlightening to read about her solitary life and how difficult it was for a woman to find a way to publish a book during the time she lived.  I was hooked on biographies of children’s writers, and have read quite a few through the years, some biographical and some autobiographical.  They are useful when I want to tell stories about writers and their lives to my students, and it is inspiring to learn how other writers have lived their writing lives. 

The latest biography I have completed is one I want to share, The Story of Charlotte’s Web, by Michael Sims.  I have also lately been re-reading an old poetry book/memoir by Richard Peck, titled Bee Tree and Other Stuff.  I mention it because I’ve found some parallels between the two books, mostly that both authors appeared to have much influenced by farming and growing up surrounded by nature.  In his book, Peck writes a lovely poem called Old Gray Barn, and then writes, “Barns hold memories as sweetly as they hold hay.”  It’s so exactly the sentiment that I read in the chronicling of E.B. White’s thoughts about the setting of Charlotte’s Web. 

Nearly every nature experience in White’s life seems to carry him to the point of writing about a pig that could be saved by an industrious spider.  In this biography, the author shows the childhood of White as much influenced by his freedom to roam outside and to spend time observing all kinds of animals in places near his home.  As a very young child, White spends time in the stable, its basement, and in the barn nearby, befriending all the usual animals there like the horses and dogs, but also the unusual, like mice, birds and spiders, and learning that he hated the rats and the deeds that they did as much as he loved the other animals.  It is here as well that he begins a lifelong interest in spiders. 

As the book moves through White’s life, it shows the further development of his interests in nature all the way to the writing of Charlotte’s Web, even though he continued to live much of the time in New York City, and as many of you probably know, writing for the New Yorker magazine.   The biography leads the reader to Charlotte’s Web, but through a path that shows such details of White’s life like his shyness in things romantic, his family life, the beginnings of his career as a staff member of the New Yorker at its birth, his marriage, and the idyllic farm where he lived so many of his happiest days. 

There is much to be shared with our student writers from this book.   White’s actions were interesting, like taking a year studying spiders before he even began writing, and still another year he waited for the book to settle so he could look at it with fresh eyes.  And we ask our students to finish a piece in a few weeks!  The biography chronicles his thoughts, false starts, revisions, and worries about Charlotte’s Web.  It describes his notes where he sketched the barnyard, adding some paper because he runs out of room.  It is fascinating in its depth of showing the way of writers working, thinking, messing about, but oh, so seriously for the story.  White is quoted from his notes:  “It is a straight report from the barn cellar, which I dearly love, having spent so many fine hours there, winter and summer, spring and fall, good times and bad times.” 

Perhaps the book is too long to use as a true read aloud, but parts would be terrific to share in different workshop lessons, or during writing sessions for inspiration.  The story says that White did not always give advice, but that he once wrote a college girl that she must “remember that writing is translation, and the opus to be translated is yourself.”

Finally, Andy (as he was called in adulthood) White said, “I write largely for myself and am content to believe that what is good enough for me is good enough for a youngster.”

Writing With Parents On Parent Night

Tuesday Slice of Life

         Among all the other beginning-of-the-year events, September usually means parent nights.  The parent nights at my school are open ended in topic.  I often have students more than one year, so I vary some of the topics presented.  Sometimes I’ve talked about time management, sometimes about a coming class overnight trip, but the main point of my time with parents is to help them enjoy the time learning what their children are doing in the classroom, to ask questions for understanding, and to get to know each other.  Always students put out some work at their desks to show the latest accomplishments, and they write a letter to their parents that the parents reply to.  One successful idea I have used is when I held a mini writer’s workshop for the parents to show them what their children were experiencing. 

After the initial welcome and getting-to-know-you time, I gave a mini-lesson about grabbing memories, looking back in time to when they were their children’s ages.  I didn’t feel I had time to read a book for inspiration, but I did pinpoint certain areas that might help them remember.  I asked questions like:  Who was your best friend?  What was the most fun time you ever had together?  What was an embarrassing moment you remember when you were in middle school?  Do you remember arguing with your parents?  Over what did you have conflicts?  And so on.

Then, I asked the parents to write!  I gave out notebook paper, provided plenty of pencils and pens, and gave them this prompt.  Write about when you were the age of your child.  The title, or first line, could be “When I was twelve, or thirteen, or …” They could ask me questions quietly, just as the students do, and they did.  I gave them support through commenting when needed, sometimes even a pat on the arm!  They had 25-30 minutes, and those who wanted more time could take them home and send them in the next day, or type and e-mail to me.  Some were reluctant, taking a long time to start.  Some immediately began, and commented later about how much they’d written.  The behaviors were quite similar to their children’s.  Eventually, I received something from everyone, and typed the pieces to get ready for sharing.   I had told them that I would be using their writing in a book that we would create at school, along with their children’s writing. 

At school, students were given almost the same assignment, except theirs was a time travel one, and they had to imagine being their parents’ ages, but also reminiscing about their early adolescent years.  They too had to begin with “When I was twelve, or thirteen, or …”     

When all the pieces were typed and edited, a book was made for each family, and sent home as a gift and a thank you for the memories, the title of the book.  At school, we had a celebration of the writing, and first, each child read what his or her parents had written.

This was a long process, but it was such an important one to tell the students, along with their parents, that writing itself, along with everyone’s memories and the recording of them are important enough to be honored with time and commitment.

FOOTNOTE:  I realize that some of this might not fit the needs of others for a parent night.  Sometimes I’ve had students interview their parents at home with the same questions:  What was it like when you were my age?  And then students write about their parents, and contrast the  parent stories with their own stories.

Happy To Be Back

   As I watched some parts of writing workshop last week, I felt that writing was very much a delightful part of the students’ day.

           

                                        

                                 Comfortable sounds help us nestle

                                   into the classroom

                                   with contentment.

                                   Gray clouds hover outside,

                                   Small murmurings and

                                   brain clouds float inside.

                                   A chair scrapes.  Someone coughs.

                                   A student sighs; I wonder why. 

                                   They sit at computers,

                                   fingers tapping.

                                   Others journal,

                                   pencils scratching.

                                   Quiet friendly voices wing in from the hall

                                   “Hey, nice to see you, how are you all?”

                                   Time to move, and re-sharpen pencils. 

                                   Workshop gathering

                                   to the carpet,

                                   sharing words, sharing thoughts.

                                   Everyone is thinking hard

                                   even before lunch.

Beginning of The Year Workshop-Why Do We Write?

Monday, July 18, 2011

       One early lesson in writer’s workshop will include the topic of why we’ll do lots of writing during the year.  It’s important to me to start with a list developed with the class to keep in front of me, to aid me in crafting lessons that touch the ideas along with all the writing parts inherent in the path to finished pieces.  The list particularly fits a middle school level of understanding, but the same things could be re-worded to fit younger students more appropriately.

       Here are some of the reasons I believe will give students a base from which to jump into writing.  In my first meetings with students, the list will aid a discussion where we’ll add to the list, share brief examples that illustrate each point, and begin with an exercise from one idea.  Other school’s expectations may be different from mine, so it doesn’t matter where one starts with writing, just that students will know that they will be writing, and in doing so, will discover so much about themselves. 

Reasons to write: 

    Reflecting to figure out how one feels about something that one reads or observes

    Responding to something with one of the senses

    Messing about with explaining one’s opinion-becoming clearer about it

    Discovering and capturing parts of one’s past

    Communicating learning about a topic

    Capturing the essence of some personal experience

    Capturing the imagined—story, character, setting, etc.

Sharing Means Everything!

Slice of Life 23, March 23, 2011

“The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps – we must step up the stairs.” Vance Havner

In the past month, I’ve been writing in a 5th/6th grade classroom, holding a workshop with students in non-fiction writing, specifically personal essays and memoir. I’ve written and shared and taught and evaluated.

It’s a wonderful class of students, eager to try new ideas, welcoming me in every way. I loved every minute of the time with them! In the final session, I held a final conversation with the group, asking several questions, the answers which we recorded on a chart: What parts of the workshop did you like, what parts were most helpful, what parts were challenging, and what have you found that you do best in writing? Most were forthright in saying that writing several drafts and finding new ways to say things was difficult. They ‘loved’ their words so it was hard to find new ways to say things.

They also said they enjoyed the lessons where we worked in specific areas (new kinds of leads, looking at beginnings of sentences, etc.). However, what I believe so strongly, and what they said often was how much they loved the peer response/review times. They liked the talk about their writing, hearing compliments about what others liked, hearing ideas for revision. Although it is so often difficult to find the time, I have worked very hard through the years to allow students to read others’ work and to respond-mostly orally, but also with sticky notes. Students listen to their peers in many ways, sometimes negatively, so it makes sense to take advantage of their influence and use it in positive ways.

My beliefs that peer influence in writing and other student work is strong, and has been supported over and over during these days of the Slice of Life challenge. Working to write my best for all of you and reading your comments gives me such motivation that I wake up every morning already trying to choose the topic of the day. I have tried to read as many posts as possible-starting early, ending late-hoping that some of my words give a boost. Sharing parts of my life in writing is scary, and I have learned that too, and will remember when I want students to share to give them safety in the sharing, as the comments you have made do for me.

Thank you everyone!

First Writing after vacation

March 1, 2011 My school just returned from a week's break. Just as I was moving into a good rhythm of work and play at home-no out-of-town trip this time- I have jumped back into work, beginning new goals of teaching, & learning, with our students. I have been welcomed into many classrooms this year, & this time, one colleague & I are beginning a 3 week intensive to write personal essays with her class. As I begin with the group, students are so attentive, laughing when I think they might laugh, thinking about the topics under discussion, & answering some of my questions rather tentatively, but they do try to respond. These upper elementary students are just on the edge of adulthood, & now I am working hard to motivate them to consider choices, to decide some things they believe are important, & then to write to tell others what they think about them. It's easy to write down one's opinion, but crafting personal essays that then broaden one's outlook by doing some further research is the more difficult part. This is the goal, that students begin to gather the beliefs, but then strengthen them by finding out what others' think. The group again asks questions. One of the first of course is 'how long?', & another is 'how about this?'. These first hours together we are all a little nervous, but when I respond to the topics of important things, I am reminded of Margaret Wise Brown's The Important Book, when she starts with "The important thing about ____________ is _______________, & I remind students of these lines, empower them to tell what they believe is important, & why. I share a bit of my own writing; students seem ready to write, & the rest of the time until lunch, we do.