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.