When I was doing this week's reading from Katie Wood Ray's text, About the Authors, I definitely had to stop and pause as I thought about Writer's Workshop and strategies that teachers use to teach writing skills.
On page 95, she said that "every once in awhile we will actually write in front of them (the students) in a minilesson, but we find the occassions for this are few in writing workshop." At first, I thought, on no, the students enjoy this, I use this strategy frequently. Then, I contemplated, and realized that she was correct, it is very infrequent. My next reaction was, but the students LOVE this when we do this, so I probably should try to do it more often. Then, upon further consideration, I realized it may lose its effectiveness with more frequency. Perhaps, the students enjoy it so much, because it is a novelty, and a special time.
I will have to ponder this further. I am open to thoughts on this subject, especially from the various grade levels. I know that I use this strategy with first and second graders, but I am not sure that I used it once when I taught fifth grade last year.
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I like this strategy, and it is mentioned in some other books from a different writing teacher as well. The problem that I find is that the students all seem to want to mirror my shared writing. I've done some poetry and the majority stick so close to my example. When doing a simple narrative about a broken bone, again the majority still were more comfortable with the mirror approach--even after we brainstormed a huge list of topics/ideas. Do you find this to be so?
ReplyDeleteI too can think of pros and cons to this situation. For example, we've spoke about how students learn to write from reading. Well, you modeling your writing is pretty much the same idea. They are reading your writing and then becoming more literate through doing so. However, doing it too much, students may be too influenced from your writing and lose their own voice as Mrs. S. pointed out.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you can try giving students an assignment and ask them to write first. Then maybe you can give them a possible answer that you would've given... certainly making it clear that your answer is by no means correct or the best response.. just a possibility.
I'm sure the debate could continue.
Thank you both for your feedback! I have found that students do the "copycat" approach after I have used this strategy. I guess what I find most valuable about it is that students get to hear the "think aloud" I think this is a VERY valuable tool! Andrew, I have sort of tried that approach before, I have begun a writing piece in front of them, and then as they got going on their writing, I said that I would be writing at the same time, and finished the piece. I kind of left it a "cliffhanger" so they were interested in how I finished it.
ReplyDeleteI love how you kept them guessing and actively engaged with your cliffhanger. :) I do not think there is anything wrong with using the copycat method as long as with each new writing assignment they gain a little more independence until they are completely in their own. It sounds like you have them on the right track so I am sure they will grow to be excellent writers. Have you thought about asking them to journal write throughout their summer? I asked my class to collect postcards while on vacation and write an entry on the back of each postcard. If they aren't going on vacation I gave them a travel magazine to go on pretend vacations and write about the places they'd read about.
ReplyDeleteThe travel magazine is a cute and wonderful idea! I love it! Do you do this with your incoming students or your outgoing or both?
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