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| I read chapters 7,8,and 9 from Crafting Writers, k-6 by Elizabeth Hale. Writing about the cafeteria is a good topic because everyone can use their five senses! |
Last week, some of us preservice teachers worried about our ability to teach writing if we felt insecure about our own skills. Hale uses the swimming lesson in chapter 7 to point out that a person doesn't have to be an expert on something in order to teach. What matters is if the people on the receiving end of our instruction are actually learning. To build confidence as a future writing teaching, I will make the effort to journal more and read The Elements of Style.
Even if I'm qualified to teach, are my students learning? The stimulation children are receiving today challenges me to prepare lessons that are attention-grabbing and retainable. Hale recommends using 7-10 minutes to teach just one skill, dubbing this a "mini-lesson". Categories include craft, mechanics, writing strategy, and text features. The time I spend with my students is precious, so I must make sure that whatever I teach is applicable and specific. Hale asks two questions before starting a lesson:
What exactly am I teaching?
Why am I teaching this? How will it help my students as writers?
Last week, I mentioned how reading good literature will model good writing. I should also point out the necessity in using a book that the students have already read. This way, they are focused on picking up how the story is written rather than what takes place in the plot.
Another example would be to use a student's piece. As a child, I paid attention when a classmate's writing was being shared since I wanted to know what made Susie Q a "good writer." With mini-lessons, Hale is looking for the student who did a good job in using the specific craft, giving many kids a chance to have their work up on the overhead.
In live writing, the teacher has a chance to demonstrate how she tackles the process in front of students. Although I found it cheesy at first to make the hmmmmmm? noise, children hear and see you doing that, they see that you are thinking when you write. Perhaps kids had the misconception that adults are automatic word processors who can spill out lettters on the paper or keyboard. When the teacher before a live audience, she shows that writing is something that requires effort and thought for its creation.
How interesting that you reference Elements of Style. While this is wonderful, easy to understand reference book for the mechanics of writing, I highly recommend Ken Robinson's, The Element to learn about the value of personal creativity and how the power of passion trumps the acclaim of expertise. His message speaks to future educators and about future students.
ReplyDeleteI agree the "Hmmm" did seem a little over-the-top at first but kids are over-the-top!! I got used to the idea, like you, and started to like it. And then I remembered Dr Lamdin's statement about being an actor as well as a teacher. We're going to be wearing many hats, of which silly and overly dramatic may be two! Actually, it sounds like a heck of a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first began reading about Hale saying the "hmm..." while in front of the classroom, I thought how odd, but then I began to think about teacher's I have observed in the past. I can remember several teachers using this technique while coming up with ideas in front of the class. I feel as though, even if it is completely cheesy, it gives the students an opportunity to try and think of what could come next and also realize the teacher is real person too! I'm sure if I use it in a classroom one day, I will feel like a fool until I have done it several times but if it helps the students it is completely worth the embarrassment!
ReplyDeleteGod bless you for wanting to read The Elements of Style. I was struck by Hale's group writing activity as well and would be interested to see it modeled.
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