Learning Log Entry #12 :)

Keeping a learning log this semester helped me to meet the objective of this course. My blog, as I have referred to all semester, has been my place for my thoughts, ideas, and new understandings. I have relied on my blog when I was confused to think through certain topics or areas I was struggling with. The most important thing my blog did was teach me about voice in writing. I have always been confused about what this meant, through my blogs I finally understood what it is and why it is so crucial to effective writing. I have enjoyed writing my blog each week-it felt like a free space to write. I never felt confined in this space by specific rules, requirements, or limitations that are usually place on writing assignments.

Each week, I would sit down to compose my blog and sometimes the ideas would flow out of me and sometimes I would struggle to find the right words to convey my thinking, but I was always thinking through my writing. I was asking questions and answering them as I wrote, truly using my blog to interrogate my own thinking as a writer and reader. Writing the blog each week gave me a focus for my reading. I was always searching for just the right thing to write about as I completed the readings for each week’s class. I was always on the hunt to find a topic for my blog, and this kept me thinking all the time about writing, teaching writing, the importance of writing, and the connections between reading and writing. 

Using a blog as forum for my thinking helped me to understand the genres readers and writers use to communicate. In my last blog, I discussed how my understanding of each genre has changed because of this course. Using the blog to think through each genre allowed me to analyze and reflect on my development as a writer and reader. My blog supported my understandings because I was able to put my thoughts into writing, to reflect back on. Writing my thoughts helped me clarify my thinking.    

The nature of the blog helped me to reach object 2, the role of purpose and audience in writing and reading and the rhetorical voices used to address the desired purpose and audience. My blog helped me identify the purpose of our readings and discussions, as I would try to find an appropriate topic for each week’s blog. Audience also became very important in writing my blog. Because our blogs are actually on the internet for anyone to read and view, I became more aware of my thoughts and words as I wrote. As I stated earlier, my blog helped me to understand voice in writing. I think this occurred because of the audience I was writing for, I wanted people to truly understand my humor and personality as well as understand my thoughts and ideas in each blog.

Throughout each blog, there is evidence of my thinking as I write. I am questioning myself and asking new questions based on the original questions. Not all of my questions were answered in my blogs, but the thinking I was going through was apparent. The hardest thing sometimes was to leave questions open and not formulate the perfect response. Sometimes my questions were rhetorical in nature and could not be answered because there is not enough information or not enough time has gone by to find a specific answer. Composing in this way made me a more proficient and skilled writer because I was stretching my perceptions and thinking from my initial responses to a topic to find more insight, meaningful understandings and connections.

I also have a deeper understanding of the connections between reading and writing. As Tompkins (2008) discussed in each chapter, students should first be introduced to a genre through reading and analyzing examples and then asked to write in the genre. I also learned about the connection between reading and writing when reading Eckhoff’s (1983) study and Furr’s (2003) article. Although each presents different topics, they both describe the connection between reading and writing. My understanding of this relationship became more substantial during each post for my blog. The interpretive approach I used to compose each blog reaffirmed what I what read, discussed, or thought about each week. Putting my thoughts about reading into writing made me realize the importance of not only thinking through my reading to compose but using my writing to clarify my own thoughts about the readings.  

Eckhoff, B. (1983).  How reading affects children’s writing.  Language Arts, 60(5), 607-616.

Furr, D. (2003). Struggling readers get hooked on writing.  The Reading Teacher, 56(6), 518-525.

Learning Log Entry #11

At the beginning of the semester, I thought I had a pretty thorough understanding of the different genres we were going to study. I thought this way because when I first started teaching I taught ELA classes. I taught students the writing process and introduced them to different genres of writing. The knowledge I have gained through this class makes me think about what I was teaching those children in North Carolina. I realize my understanding of writing and reading different genres was limited. From taking this class, I now have a deeper understanding of all the genres we studied.

Specifically, I have learned about the different features of each genre that makes it unique from the others. For example, when I was preparing for my biographical genre expert presentation, I learned the genre is separated into three different categories. The biography category can easily be recognized because someone writes the story about another person. The autobiography category is also identified easily because the author tells the story about himself or herself. I did find that the personal narrative category is easily confused with the narrative genre. In an earlier post, I described the differences between the two. Writing that post allowed me to think through my confusion between the two and realize there are distinguishable features. The narrative genre requires more development into the characters, plot, setting, and theme. A personal narrative is less developed and is told by the person who experienced the event. Personal narratives are usually shorter and are told from first person point of view. Narrative stories are made up and told from various points of view.

I also have a deeper and more defined understanding of the text features of the persuasive and descriptive genres. I learned there are three specific ways to persuade and different types of arguments are used in persuasive writing. The persuasive genre seems the most natural for students to write in since they learn to be persuasive from a very young age. Reading the descriptive chapter and reading descriptive books, made me realize how difficult it can be for some students to write in this genre. I now understand students can struggle to create vivid pictures for readers, leaving out important sensory details that makes the descriptive genre unique. I must instruct and guide my students through selecting words carefully, using their senses to create mental pictures for the reader, using different language techniques, and including dialogue. These features are what makes the descriptive genre stand apart from the other genres we studied.

I have gained a deeper understanding of the journal genre and think all the types of journal Tompkins (2008) discussed have a specific use within the classroom. Reading in this genre allows students to connect more fully to the characters. When students write in the journal genre, they are creating historical documents. The simulated journal is the most unique type of journal because students take on a different perspective as they write. I have learned more about the letter writing genre too. The most predominant feature of this genre is the audience. When students write different types of letters, the purpose determines their audience. The purpose of writing expository texts is to allow students to share their knowledge in a variety of ways. When students are reading and writing in this genre, it is to gain or share information. The audience is considered wide and unknown by the author in the expository text.

Of all the genres, I feel I learned the most about the poetry genre. I learned specific strategies to teach students to write different types of poems.  Previously, I have encouraged my students to complete form poems, but I didn’t consider this a real form of poetry. At this point, I still somewhat intimidated to teach my students poetry but now I feel I at least have a starting point.

I wish I could go back to North Carolina and reteach the students I taught first years of my career. I would have introduced my students to reading and writing different genres in an entirely different way. For example, I would have brought in texts to initially expose students to a specific genre. Then, I would have encouraged students to begin writing in this genre, I would provide support and examples like the teachers provided in Furr’s (2003) article. I would decrease support over time and introduce genres one at a time.

Furr, D. (2003). Struggling readers get hooked on writing.  The Reading Teacher, 56(6), 518-  

          525.

Learning Log Entry #10

I have been thinking about copyright and safety issues since I completed my presentation on Hicks’ chapter 5. I wanted to know if Leu (2000) discussed this and reread his chapter in the Handbook of Reading Research.

Although Leu (2000) did not specifically talk about internet safety and copyright issues, he discussed very important ideas about literacy and technology I found more interesting. So....I have abandoned my search for safety and copyright issues for right now.

Leu (2000) discussed an issue about technology that I never considered before. He stated if literacy learning becomes more dependent on collaborative learning, students who prefer independent learning would be at a disadvantage compared to students who prefer and enjoy working with others. Leu was referring to the idea that technology is changing so quickly students and teachers cannot know everything about technology at one time. Student and teachers will be required to share information in order to successfully navigate the digital world. Leu provided the example of one person only having knowledge of web page construction and another person only knowing how to edit video clips. These people can trade knowledge and  learn more about literacy together. Leu believes that these “social learning strategies” (p. 762) will be even more important than they are now, if technology continues to change so rapidly.  I know that students depend on each other when working with technology. When I created my iMovie, my entire class worked collaboratively, sharing tips and knowledge about the software we were using. Students that are shy or introverted may not experience this same exchange of knowledge, leaving them at a disadvantage to others.

Leu (2000) discussed how technology is making literacy more deictic. Leu stated “For the first time in our history, we are unable to accurately anticipate the literacy requirements expected at the time of graduation for children who will enter school this year” (p. 760). Leu raised an excellent point that most of our policies, research, and instruction assumes the literacy of today will also be the literacy of tomorrow. I wonder if it is possible to “keep up” with technology or is it enough to anticipate the changes that will take place as we teach children the essential literacy skills of their time?

Leu (2000) discussed technology requiring different critical thinking skills because textbooks and traditional materials provided by a teacher are thought of as accurate and correct. When students enter the digital world, they are faced with websites created by people with specific objectives. Students must know how to decipher between contrived and misleading information. Students must be taught how to recognize respectable websites and websites that are designed to promote specific ideas. Teaching students how to access acceptable references and how to cross reference information will be increasingly important.

As I was writing about Leu’s (2000) ideas I was thinking about the sociocultural dimension of literacy  (Kucer, 2005). If becoming a literate person requires membership to different groups, does membership to online groups count in the same way? How will a family’s use of a computer impact a student’s literacy skills? Will students be at a disadvantage and struggle with literacy because their parents don’t use a computer? I love all the questions that are coming to mind right now but I don’t think we will know the answers for a long time!!!

Kucer, S. B. (2005). Dimensions of literacy: A conceptual base of teaching reading and writing in school setting (2^nd ed). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.  

Leu, D. J. ( 2000). Literacy and technology: Deictic consequences for literacy education in an information age. In M.L. Kamil, P.B. Mosenthal, P.D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of reading research: Volume III (pp. 743-788). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Learning Log Entry #9

After completing my presentation on the biographical genre I have been thinking more about the personal narrative category. I believe there is a distinct difference between personal narratives and the narrative genre. I have been thinking about Tompkins’ placement of personal narratives in the biographical genre chapter and wondering if it would be better placed in the narrative genre chapter.

The difference between personal narratives and the narrative genre is the development put into the plot, setting, characters, and details to understand the story. In the narrative genre, the author must think through events, creating a setting, plot, characters, theme. The author must also think through the point of view that will convey the story they are trying to tell. In the personal narrative category of the biographical genre these things are already decided because the events already happened. The characters, setting, theme, and plot are not created or imagined but based on real experiences. The point of view is also decided because the person who experienced it is telling the story.

As I was typing the last few sentences, I was thinking about the similarities and difference between personal narratives and autobiographies. I was thinking about how similar they really are. But I think the major difference is that personal narratives are about one specific event or experience in a person’s life and autobiographies usually span a person’s life. Autobiographies include events over a long period of time and highlight hardships and accomplishments.

A personal narrative does not have to contain a beginning, middle, or end. It’s also not necessary for the author to include details about characters or think about plot development. A personal narrative may lack a setting, theme, literary devices, and conflict and still be considered interesting. In the narrative genre all these elements must be thought through at some level. For example, an author may leave out the setting because it is not important to the story but this has been thought about.

Tompkins (2008) discussed children understanding the idea of a story as early as two and a half years old. Tompkins stated this idea is developed first by hearing stories read to them followed by reading, writing, and telling stories their own stories. I believe the idea of personal narratives is also developed from life experiences. As children listen to their parents discuss the day’s events over dinner or hear their parent on the phone with a friend, they begin to understand the idea of a personal narrative. Usually the stories discussed in these situations are about an unusual, funny, or frustrating part of their day. I think storytelling is part of our history and pastime. Storytelling is tradition that has been past on for generation after generation. Many people have memories of an older relative telling and retelling the same stories from the experiences of their life. Personal narratives are a form of storytelling, which is ingrained in us. Children have an understanding of how to tell a personal narrative long before they are ever asked to write one.

I am happy with Tompkins’ (2008) placement of personal narratives in the biographical genre chapter. There are different skills needed to write a story in the narrative genre. Students must learn to write from a different point of view and tell imagined stories instead of real ones. Placing personal narratives in the narrative genre chapter would give students and teachers a false idea about personal narratives. There are many similarities between the narrative genre and personal narratives but fundamentally they truly are different. A personal narrative is a based on a real event that someone experienced, where narratives are pretend, made-up stories. Personal narratives belong in the biographical genre chapter because of what they are, stories about real events, in real people’s lives, just like autobiographies and biographies.

Learning Log Entry #8

I can hardly believe we only have six classes left in the semester. I am thinking about everything we have learned so far about writing in the digital world and writing and reading in the different genres. Despite all we have learned, I am still thinking about how to motivate reluctant writers and engage them in a process they loathe.

Many of the articles we read in the beginning of the semester offered suggestions and strategies to engage some reluctant writers, also some of the articles I read for biographical genre presentation offered strategies and activities that would motivate reluctant writers. For more information on this topic I also turned to the Guthrie and Wigfield’s chapter on engagement and motivation in the Handbook of Reading Research.

Leal (2003) discussed students creating collaborative class books and individual books. I believe the activities described in Leal’s article would interest some reluctant writers. When creating the collaborative class book, students may feel less pressure than composing individually. The individual books described in Leal’s article are appealing because students took photographs to and used them to tell their stories. I think a lot of students would enjoy composing a biography this way.

Hamann, Schultz, Smith, and White (1991) also described a way to engage and motivate reluctant writers. The authors of this article believe students should be given the opportunity to write autobiographies before reading them because it builds relevant background knowledge and helps students to make meaningful connections. I think many of my students would be willing to write an autobiography because they are writing about themselves. Most of my students really like to talk about themselves! I think introducing the autobiographies after writing would allow students to transact more fully with texts and also serve as a model for writing when they write other autobiographies.

I think the Literary Expense Accounts discussed in Taylor’s (2002-2003) article are another way to motivate reluctant students in writing. Although they are not truly composing a writing piece, they are transacting and synthesizing the information they learned about a person. The link-up activity that Taylor discussed would allow students to research facts and people that interest them. Each student would be researching and finding different facts. Reluctant writers would like this activity because they can research any topic they find interesting.

Kucer and Rhodes (1986) describe an activity to use with struggling writers I believe would also increase engagement with reluctant writers. The Card Strategy Lesson discussed in this article removes students’ feelings and pressure of “what do I write about?” Students can use the cards in front of them to form a story, with ideas that are already connected.

I really liked Furr’s (2003) modified version of writer’s workshop. Even struggling, reluctant writers felt comfortable composing because the teachers supported each step of their progress. With this strategy support comes through a variety of modes such as the idea webs, model paragraphs, and teacher and student conferences. After reading this article, I started modeling writing for my students’ science journals. I noticed when I write on the board what students are required to write (like starting an answer), students then have the opportunity to write what they want to. Many students copy what I write on the board and keep on going with their own thoughts. Some students are still stuck and need more support, but at least it gives us a starting point for a conversation and we are not staring at a blank page during a discussion. I feel it removes some of the pressure for my students.     

Although Guthrie and Wigfield’s (2000) chapter focuses on reading motivation and engagement, I wonder how much of the information can be transferred over to writing. Does the Matthew effect also apply to writing? I believe it does! I think it only makes sense that good writers tend to write more, which increases competence, which increases motivation, and this increases writing ability.

Guthrie and Wigfield (2000) found that motivation is a “foundational process” (p. 405) in reading engagement. They also found that motivation plays a major factor in disengagement in reading. I think writing can be thought about in the same way. Students must be motivated to write in order for meaningful writing to take place!! I think the strategies and activities discussed in the articles we have read over the semester offer a wide range of possibilities. I know that every activity or strategy will not appeal to or work with all students but I think having a variety of strategies and activities available increases my chances of motivating my students to write. And after reviewing Guthrie and Wigfield’s chapter, I now think it is even more important to motivate reluctant writers!

Furr, D. (2003). Struggling readers get hooked on writing.  The Reading Teacher, 56(6),  518-525.

Hamann, L., Schultz, L., Smith, M., & White, B. (1991). Making connections: The power of autobiographical writing before reading. Journal of Reading, 35(1), 24-28.

Guthrie, J. & Wigfield, A. (2000). Engagement and motivation in reading.  In M.L. Kamil, P.B. Mosenthal, P.D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of reading research: Volume III (pp. 403-422). Mahwah, NJ:  Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Kucer, S. B. & Rhodes, L. K. (1986).  Counterpart strategies:  Fine tuning language with

language. The Reading Teacher, 40(2),186-193.

Leal, D. J. (2003). Digging up the past, building the future: Using book authoring to discover and showcase a community’s history. The Reading Teacher, 57(1), 56-60.

Taylor, G. (2002-2003). Who’s who. Engaging biography study. The Reading Teacher. 56(4). 342-344.

Learning Log Entry #7

Lately, this is what I’ve been thinking about:

·        Now that we have read and learned about the journal, narrative, and poetry genres, and looking ahead to the biographical genre, I am wondering how to expose students to all these genres.

·        I am thinking even more about the connections between reading and writing, and how reading is a model for writing.

·        I am also thinking about new literacies, as discussed in chapter 4 and 5 of Hicks (2009), and how they will fit into the traditional genres.

·        Are new literacies their own category of genres?

·        How do we change the audience for students when writing in different genres?

I think exposing students to different genres must include meaningful activities as described in Tompkins (2008). Because of the time restraints put on teachers and students with the amount of material to cover, engaging activities are essential. According to Tompkins, it isn’t enough to just tell students about a genre. Students must analyze genre examples through reading, but also compose pieces in those genres. Some of the activities I think would accomplish this are simulated journal entries, writing narratives, writing poems in different forms, and creating “Me” Quilts (Tompkins).

When thinking about the connections between reading and writing in a particular genre, I think back to Eckhoff’s (1983) study. This study showed that students use their reading as a model for their writing. Tompkins (2008) stated students use their concept of story in both reading and writing. Furr (2003) also discussed the connections between reading and writing in his article about struggling writers. Furr found students are more comfortable writing expository text because of their experience with guided reading. In this case, the expository genre acts as a model for students to draw specific grammar usage and spelling from. It also gives students a bank of vocabulary words to draw from. If students are given a certain type of genre repeatedly, it makes sense to me that students would feel most comfortable writing in that specific genre. Based on Eckhoff, Tompkins, and Furr, I believe struggling writers require more exposure and opportunities to analyze texts in different genres.

I wonder what happens when students are not exposed to multiple genres. It seems as though many students I work with only read narrative and expository texts. I wonder how this affects their writing skills when asked to write in genres they don’t have experience with. Actually, now that I am thinking and writing about this, I realize that students are typically asked to write in a limited number of genres, too. Most students at my school write in the expository genre, and sometimes, the narrative genre. On the state exam students are usually asked to write in the persuasive genre.

I do believe new literacies fit into their own genres. What genre is a podcast considered? What genre is a photo-essay? Is it “really” an essay? These are questions and ideas that will be explored and debated for years to come by educators.

Hicks (2009) discussed how teachers have tried to change the audience for students are writing for introducing activities like author’s chair, pen pals, and class anthologies. Hicks continued students increase their ability to share with the world when they are engaged with newer technology. I believe the audience has changed somewhat, however, in the end the audience is still the teacher. The teacher designs the rubric and grades the final project.  Ultimately, no matter how removed the teacher is from the grading, he or she is still the final audience. I am not sure how to change this or if it’s possible. I wonder if implementing peer reviews and online comments into the grade would possibly change how students view the audience. 

Eckhoff, B. (1983).  How reading affects children’s writing.  Language Arts, 60(5), 607-616.

Furr, D. (2003). Struggling readers get hooked on writing.  The Reading Teacher, 56(6),  518-525.

Learning Log Entry #6

While reading Sommers’ (1982) article I thought about the habits I have when assessing students’ compositions. I often correct mechanics, spelling, and grammar and then make a comment about the student changing the entire sentence or develop the paragraph more thoroughly. As discussed in the article, teachers’ comments are often times interpreted as mechanics are more important than meaning.

After reading this article, I realized when I instruct my students to fix mechanics, grammar, and spelling, I send the message that the meaning is subsequent to mechanics. I have thought about this over the years, as I sit and grade paper after paper repeatedly making the same comments. I would often imagine my students working to fix the all mechanical, spelling, grammatical, and stylistic errors in their compositions, and thinking, “Huh? Now I have to rewrite that entire paragraph.” I now realize how wrong this was to do to my students. I was sending the wrong message, encouraging them to edit, then revise. I shouldn’t wonder why my struggling writers were more resistant to writing!!

As discussed in Sommers’ (1982) article, teachers’ comments on students’ compositions need to be written in a manner that prompts students “back into the chaos, back to the point where they are shaping and restructuring their meaning” (p. 154). I now understand the importance of allowing students to work through their first and second drafts, focusing solely on what meaning and message they want to convey. In the future, I will use comments that instruct students to fix organizational problems, clarify the purpose, or mark confusing parts.

Sommers’ (1982) discussed the amount of time teachers spend commenting on student compositions. As I thought about the amount of time spent, I believe teachers feel compelled to respond to their students’ written work. I then asked myself, “Why are teachers spending all this time when they are doing it wrong?” When completing the revision step of the writing process, teachers should only focus on revising-not editing. As discussed in Sommer’s article, this is where a lot of the confusion happens between students and teachers. If teachers followed the correct process, the amount of comments needed on each student’s papers would be reduced. When students are focused on purpose and meaning while revising instead of mechanics, their writing will be more powerful and easier to edit. Editing should be the last thing students are concerned with. If all teachers taught writing in this manner and followed the correct procedure, I think the amount of time commenting would be reduced immensely. Assessing student work should focus on the message first and mechanics second.
           
While reading chapter 4 in Tompkins (2008) on assessing student work, I thought about the organization needed to track each student’s progress. Of the assessment tools discussed in Tompkins, I think anecdotal records are the most time consuming but offer so much data and historical information on the students’ progress. I also think implementing writing process checklist for students, as discussed in Tompkins, would also cut down on the amount of comments needed on students’ compositions. Primary trait scoring guides are also useful tools for assessing students’ progress and focuses student attention on the most important part of writing, the overall meaning.

While sitting down to write this blog, I was interrupted by my stepson and asked to correct an essay on why he thinks education is important. I resisted the urge to read it and correct the errors I saw. I asked him, “Did you read it aloud to be sure it says what you want it to.” He proudly returned a few minutes later and told me it was perfect and sent the message he wanted. I told him to read it aloud to me. He found a few errors while reading aloud and corrected them. There was still some work to do on the overall message and meaning of the piece but as he went off to take a shower, I resisted the temptation to fix the spelling, mechanical, and stylistic mistakes that were glaring at me. I thought to myself, “Now, Liz, this is just what you are reading and blogging about. Don’t do it!!!”  We worked more on the overall message and purpose before working on the mechanical, spelling, and grammatical errors. Editing in this manner seemed less arduous then when we edit the typical pieces he composes.


Sommers, N. (1982).  Responding to student writing. College Composition and
Communication, 33(2), 148-156.

Learning Log Entry #5

Dear Dr. Jones,

Class is going very well for me! How is class going for you? I am learning so much about writing and technology. I love it! I like having time to write during class and the genre project is exciting to me because we were able to choose our own topics. I chose to write about becoming a stepmother. It is the newest role I have taken on in my life and there is plenty I have to learn about this new role. I think it is wonderful we are learning to write by using technology. The number of tools available is amazing compared to just a few years ago. Are you learning a lot about technology from teaching this course?

Since starting this class I have a deeper understanding of the connections between reading and writing. In Eckhoff’s (1983) study of the connection between reading and writing, there was evidence students model their writing after the structure of what they read. I now understand the importance of exposing struggling readers to texts with more complex vocabulary and sentence structures because the texts students are reading is used as the model for what they write.  

Furr (2003) also discussed the connections between reading and writing in his article about struggling writers. Furr discusses a student who is upset about her writing because “her work doesn’t sound like the writing she’s heard, and with its multiple spelling errors and grammatical snafus, neither does it look the part” (p. 520). This student is disappointed because her written work does not have the same appearance as the models she sees when reading. Furr also discusses the idea that students are more comfortable writing expository text because of their experience with guided reading. If students are given a certain type of genre repeatedly, it makes sense to me that students would feel most comfortable writing in that specific genre. In this case, the expository genre acts as a model for students to draw specific grammar usage and spelling from. It also gives students a bank of vocabulary words to draw from.

I spend about four hours a week writing for this class. Of the four hours I spend writing, I would estimate half is spent fully transacting with the text. Fully transacting with a text, thinking when I am writing, is most easily done in my blog. I think the blog’s space feels more open and free for me to write and learn. I find when bogging the writing flows more easily because there are less restrictions placed on that type of writing. I think when I engage in other types of writing, I am too concerned about following the requirements to really think about what I am learning. The writing in my blogs demonstrates a high degree of interaction with the text and shows more learning than any other writing I complete (for any class).

I think in order to fully engage while writing, the reading/writing habit I need to change is focus. While reading for this class, I am preparing in my head the blog I will later write. I begin to have questions and ideas “churning” in my head. When I sit down to write I am able to focus on what I learned through the reading and refine, question, clarify, synthesize, and reconsider my thinking. If I engaged in that type of “reading/writing thinking” and focus all the time, I would more fully engage while writing. When I am fully transacting with a text, I learn more and have a deeper understanding of the content.

From this class I have learned the importance of explicitly teaching and modeling writing skills for students. As discussed in an earlier post, I plan on introducing science journals in my classroom. I have learned that as I introduce the journals, I must support students by explicitly modeling writing pieces for their journals. Furr (2003) found students need foundational skills, such as planning, drafting, revising, and editing, before beginning to writing on their own. I think it will be crucial to explicitly teach my students what to write and how to structure their journal entries before expecting them to write independently. I think this instructional strategy also increases confidence in students as writers. I also plan on using the card strategy discussed in Kucer and Rhodes’s (1986) article. This is another strategy that builds confidence in students as writers. Providing students a list of major ideas to write about, and allowing them to modify and collaborate about those ideas, students can focus on the meaning of their writing, opposed to the mechanics. Learning about digital writing workshops has been beneficial to my work as a literacy teacher. I understand the importance of teaching students not only about new literacies but also through new literacies. Learning about blogs, wikis, RSS readers, social bookmarking sites, digital videos, and photo essays has enhanced my understanding of the changing nature of literacy.

The biggest struggle I am having with this class is finding enough time to complete the assignments. I think the solution is better time management and sticking to the schedule I create each week. Another struggle I am encountering is finding books for my genre project. I need some help locating a few genres. I will come to your office hours for help with that. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter! Talk to you soon:)

Thanks!!!

Liz LaPierre

One of your fav 618 students

Eckhoff, B. (1983).  How reading affects children’s writing.  Language Arts, 60(5), 607-616.

Furr, D. (2003). Struggling readers get hooked on writing.  The Reading Teacher, 56(6),  518-525.

Kucer, S. B. & Rhodes, L. K. (1986).  Counterpart strategies:  Fine tuning language with language.  The Reading Teacher, 40(2),186-193.

Learning Log Entry #4

As I read Tompkins (2008), Furr (2003), and Kucer and Rhodes (1986) I thought about the similarities between the students discussed in the readings and the students that I teach everyday. My students resist writing, struggle with mechanics, and often complain they have nothing to write about. My students would be described as “novices” (p. 55) by Tompkins and are similar to the student Jack discussed in Kucer and Furr.

The questions I am thinking about after reading Tompkins (2008), Furr (2003), and Kucer and Rhodes (1986) are:

How do I change my novice writers into capable writers? Which characteristics of a capable writer do my student already possess? Which characteristics do they need to develop?

Which strategies do my students currently use when writing? What writing strategies do my students need to learn and apply when writing?

How do I increase my students’ writing skills? Most of my students struggle with writing mechanics and spelling. How do I move past this and get them to write?

Are some characteristics, strategies, and skills more important than others?

My students possess characteristics of a novice writer. My students struggle with writing and often compose short, illegible sentences. My students struggle the most with editing because they “are more concerned with mechanics than with ideas” (Tompkins, 2008, p. 56). When engaged in writing assignments, my students frequently stop to ask how to spell words and ask me if their grammar is correct. They often produce a minimal amount of writing. My students also struggle with audience, purpose, and form. When given assignments, the form is always the similar, the purpose is unknown, and the audience is always thought of as the teacher. The students I work with are not goal oriented with their writing and just want to get something written on the paper (Tompkins, 2008). My students would answer the questions on page 188 in Kucer and Rhodes’ (1986) exactly like Jack.

I believe that my students could become capable writers, if given opportunities with built in success and time to develop their skills. I plan on implementing science journals in my class and after reading Furr’s (2003) article, I thought, “why aren’t I doing that?” I should be explicitly modeling writing for my students. As I introduce the journals in science I will model exactly what students should be writing in their journals, overtime I will decrease the level of support. Eventually (in February or March) students will be working independently to complete their journal entries.

To teach my students audience, purpose, and form I will develop different types of journal entries to address all three. In order for my students to become more focused on the meaning of the writing and saving the editing for last, like capable writers, I will encourage students to write for a sustained amount of time without stopping to ask about spelling or mechanics. I think this will increase their ability to see the bigger picture and save editing until the end of the process. In order for my students to feel more goal oriented in their writing, I believe they need more exciting things to write about. I plan on developing RAFT type activities around science topics, so there is choice and flexibility in assignments.  

My students struggle with all the strategies listed on page 58 in Tompkins (2008). They struggle the most with monitoring, organizing, and proofreading. When working with my students on writing, I feel that these three strategies would be the most appropriate place to begin because they are all related and present the most difficulty for my students. 

Teaching my students writing skills in a daunting task. Many of them struggle with writing mechanics. Sometimes they cannot reread their written work. I believe practice is the answer increasing my students’ abilities in this area. During home base each day my students complete a “hand writing” practice sheets. After reading Kucer and Rhodes (1986) I plan on implementing the card strategy to teach writing to my students during home base.

I do believe some skills, strategies, and characteristics are more important than others. For example, there are some skills that are needed for all writing events. Handwriting skills and mechanical skills are needed for most writing, while reference skills and computer skills are not. Some strategies are also more important than others. When composing written work I believe organizing, monitoring, and proofreading are more important strategies than visualizing and playing with language. Although these are important, I do not believe they are a necessity. 

I think the most important thing I can do is provide my students with the opportunities to write. I think building in success and choice are the most important aspects of Furr’s (2003) and Kucer and Rhodes’ (1986) articles. Students were writing about topics important to them and also given explicit instruction on the writing process. I am excited to start writing with my students. I know they have a lot of work ahead of them, but with consistent support, practice, and success, I think they will begin to fall into the category of capable writers.

Learning Log Entry #3

As I read the assigned chapters in the book The Digital Writing Workshop by Hicks in preparation for this week’s class and compared it to last week’s reading in Teaching Writing by Tompkins, I am thinking of how to blend the new literacies with the old literacies. (can we call them old? How about traditional?!)

Tompkins’ book represents the forms of writing more traditionally thought of when teaching students to write. Hicks’ book represents a more forward thinking framework to teach writing.

(I wanted to write futuristic before typing forward thinking, but I stopped and thought it can’t be futuristic if the technology exists right now, today. It seems futuristic because most classrooms still look like it’s the year 1954, including mine!!). I think that our job as teachers is to somehow find a way to blend the reality in which we teach students to write with what we know is possible. 

The questions that I am pondering and asking myself are:

How do we change the current views about new literacies being a bonus and used for “extras” within the classroom and not necessities?

Do older students struggle to find topics to connect to through writing because they live their lives in a digital world and write about them using non-digital tools and resources?

Is it necessary to learn to write genres in traditional ways in order to use them in a virtual world?

Or can students learn to write genres in a virtual world without the traditional teaching?

As I think about these questions, I realize that the answers are difficult but all are important to think about more thoroughly.

As I think about changing the views of new literacies in the classroom, I worry the educational system will continue to lag behind and deprive students the opportunities to become literate in the virtual world. I am thinking about Leu’s (2000) statement “becoming literate will become a more precise term than being literate” because literacy is “deictic” (p. 761) and Hicks’ (2009) statement “our understanding of what constitutes literacy continues to change” (p.16). The emergence of new literacies highlights the changing nature of literacy over space and time and the importance of being able to apply literacy skills in “new and novel ways” (Kucer, 2005, p. 7). Unless the current views about the changing nature of literacy transform, students will lack the appropriate skills to become literate.

I am thinking through my next question and I do believe older students struggle to find topics to connect to through writing because of the non-digital tools and resources they are given to write. I think for most older students there is a disconnect between the outdated learning tools used in school and their virtual lives outside of school. According to Hicks (2009), most students would start their research projects with a Google search instead of using books from the library and taking notes on index cards. Students are using the internet and virtual spaces to conduct research, but lack the appropriate skills or direction from their teachers to conduct thorough research. When students are given the opportunity to use tools like an RSS reader or a social bookmarking site, they are able to gather and organize their research in a meaningful ways, and effectively manage sources. I would love to create a writing project that incorporates new literacies and then assess the level of student engagement.

I think that Tompkins (2008) offers answers to my next question, if learning genres in traditional ways is necessary to write them in a virtual world. In chapter five of Teaching Writing, Tompkins lists several goals and activities for journal genre instruction. According to Tompkins, during the kindergarten through second-grade level, students are using a combination of drawing pictures and writing to communicate with the teacher in their journals. At this level students are also using their journals to brainstorm ideas for writing. It would not be possible for students to communicate through pictures on the computer unless they were using clipart or some other image website. 

According to Tompkins (2008), students at the third through fifth grade level are using their journals to brainstorm, make diagrams, complete quickwrites, and create data charts. I believe that creating charts and diagrams on the computer would be difficult for some students. At this stage, I would allow the students who felt comfortable to work in the virtual space of the classroom, while other students could continue to use their journals traditionally, with pen and paper. 

During sixth through eighth grade, Tompkins (2008) suggests students use their journals for the writing process and writing from different points of view. Students are also using their journals for choosing quotes while reading and comparing characters. Students would have a difficult time taking notes on characters or choosing quotes if their journal was completely online.

I think I have found a partial answer to my questions. Initially students must learn to write in different genres in the traditional way makes the virtual use possible. In other words, learning to keep a journal first with pen, paper, pictures, diagrams, and quotes now gives the skills to create and contribute to my blog and class wiki. I believe students need the foundational, traditional skills of genre writing before moving to the virtual world.

References

Kucer, S. B. (2005). Dimensions of literacy: A conceptual base of teaching reading and writing in school setting (2^nd ed). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.  

Leu, D. J. ( 2000). Literacy and technology: Deictic consequences for literacy education in an information age. In M.L. Kamil, P.B. Mosenthal, P.D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of reading research: Volume III (pp. 743-788). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Learning Log Entry #2

Overall, the students that I work with are savvy with technology yet still use traditional forms of writing. They often talk about their Facebook pages, texting abilities, and notes from their girlfriends. My students see all of these activities as forms of writing. Some students are familiar with blogs and other social networking sites. Although my students communicate through technology, they still spend time collaborating about technology face-to-face. I do not think students understand copyright laws or know how to access copyright-free material. I know that many students access the internet at home or at the public library.

I agree with Hicks’ (2009) statement “digital writing changes the contexts and purposes for writing” (p. 130). I think many of my students need that change in order to become effective and engaged writers. Hicks brings up the question of writing in the digital age and what constitutes writing. I believe these are questions that will be answered as students and teachers begin to work through digital writing workshop together. I believe that these answers will be different for all groups collaborating together.

I have a strong understanding of the laws surrounding copyright issues and how to access copyright-free material. I also understand the amount of work that is required when creating a video, contributing to a wiki, and writing a blog. Students will learn there is a major commitment when working collaboratively in the digital world.

Based on my experience teaching middle school at Wilson Foundations and reading chapter seven of The Digital Writing Workshop, I believe that the spaces in which students write needs the most improvement. Within my own classroom, there is not enough space for student computers. If computers were to be set up in my classroom, movement would be limited and communication would be hindered. There would be no space for students to sit and collaborate about their writing and no way for students to gather around one computer. The physical space would feel cramped and awkward as students worked on their writing.

There is one computer lab available in my school’s library but the librarian often closes the library to teachers and students. Sometimes a computer science teacher will allow me to work in their classroom during a planning period when their students are not present. This does not allow me to create an open space for students to work and requires me to bring traditional writing tools with me.          

The virtual spaces available for students to write are more abundant, if students were able to access them more frequently. There are plenty of computers with internet access for students to interact within a virtual space. Within my own classroom, I would require students to contribute to a class wiki as a starting point for using the virtual space of our classroom. 

Hicks (2009) raises a question about teaching students to write responses that are respectful yet critical. I think this would be a challenging aspect of teaching students to write in the classroom’s virtual space. Many students’ experiences writing in the virtual world requires abbreviations and using “inventive” spelling to get their point across quickly. Students will have to learn a different form of writing in the digital space.  

I feel that with some teaching and guidance, my students would be able to write in a digital space. I often feel that by not giving my students opportunities to work with technology, I am leaving something out of their education. Students’ lives are based in the virtual world and they have become accustom to learning this way. I believe learning to write in the virtual world is becoming as important as learning to write in more traditional ways.

Overall, the biggest challenge that I face in creating a successful digital writing workshop is access to physical space and computers. I believe that all the other elements can be easily worked through if my students and I are given a chance to try digital writing workshops.

Learning Log Entry #1

As I begin to think about blending the principles of writing workshop with technologies, there are challenges that I foresee.

First, the most difficult part of blending new technologies with writing workshops is finding the time within the day to work with these. Finding time to go to the computer lab is difficult and often there are not enough computers available within my school or available labs that coincide with my the classes I am teaching. I also think that children would not see the value in this. Students often see these activities as fun time or 'not real work'. I believe that administration and parents may see it the same way. Sometimes, students may have a difficult time seeing the connections between working with technology and more traditional forms of writers workshop.

I am stuck right now trying to form the next idea.

Got it-

no still stuick

I also foresee students struggling to use the technology. Often in my experience students struggle to use the editing tools available to them on a computer. I know that for many of my students that a spell checker does not-oops-is not effective. Many students only choose the first word given to them becuase they do -are unable to spell the word or even recongnize the correct spelling when they view it.

Students may not take the work with technology as seriously as tradition writers workshop. I think from a teachers persepctive it is more difficult to manage students working on a computer. Some students may be on websites and there are-oooops-is a varying level of student abilities when working with technology (for teachers too.)

During my first three years of teaching, I was an ELA teacher. The core principles that I teach when stuck stuck stuck teaching .  Don't like that sentence let's try it again.

The core principle that I value in my classroom when teaching writing is mainly put forth an effort. Most of the students that I worked with (and work with now) are reluctant to write because they struggle with spelling, penmanship, and getting ideas down that are detailed and in a logical order. Many of my students would compose a partial sentence and then believe they have completed the assinged writing. So the major principle in my classroom is "Don't worry about spelling, just get your ideas down on paper." After preaching this for months, my students usually believe me. I also instructed my students on a step-by-step process of writing. first, they would plan, nevermind, don's like

Students would begin this process by spending time planning which included brainstorming ideas and topics. Next, students would begin the drafting stage of the process which included filling out a graphic organizer (I know the name, just can't think of it, I will come back to that later) and writing their first drafts. Students would then begin to revise and edit their drafts, conferencing with me twice during this step. Finally, they would complete their final copies. I did not have a share or publish piece to this process. Working with the reluctant students was difficult at first but modi HATE it

My students were reluctant to complete writing pieces but then after some time of working thought this process they began to feel more comfortable and accomplished as writers. Initially when I introduced the writing process I did not give a graphic organizer. Providing the students with the graphic organizer was beneficial to students. They began to write more and feel at ease using this tool. Over time, I began to take away more and more of the graphic organizer so that students were eventually working independently with this strategy. My students' EOG -End of Grade- tests in NC- all went up at least one point when working through this method.

These have not remained constant over time, especially because now I teach math.