Reflections

Paige Yecker C&I 6043 July 30, 2011 Final Reflection (Week 3) This week the topic that caught my attention was the assessment of writing. This is something that many teachers struggle with. How should writing assessments be graded? Is it through grammar and vocabulary choice or the total concept of the composition? In Hillocks chapter about “Writing in Secondary schools” he list three different methods of writing assessment; The Holistic Scale, The Primary-Trait Scale, and The Analytic Scale. The assessments in this chapter seem to vary from a very broad grading system all the way down to smaller subscales like vocabulary usage and grammar. This chapter didn’t really answer my question of what assessment is better to use but lead me to many choices. The quote in this chapter that inspired my investigation into assessment methods was by Hillock, “It is obvious that students are receiving a diet of poor writing that cannot provide appropriate nourishment for their growth as writers.” Is this due to how we as teacher’s grade writing paper or perhaps the feedback we are giving students aren’t providing suggestions for their growth? The assessment strategies I feel would be beneficial would be strategies involving students in the grading of their papers. What a better way to learn from your own mistakes. A writing portfolio seems to be very effective strategies to have students see the changes in their writing. Students would collect writing through out the school year and self-assess their writing. At the conclusion of the year the students will be able to choose what they think are the best written entries in their portfolio and reflect on those pieces. The students can write a final reflection on how they have grown as writers and why they think their pieces have improved. A portfolio also gives students to be assessed on a variety of genres of writing. This creates more freedom for a writer which seems to be a key reason students begin to enjoy writing in a school setting.

Shannon Blady Final Reflection August 1, 2011

I was so impressed by Dr. Barrera! I was not expecting a full report of his dissertation //and// an in-depth look at academic writing. For his dissertation, he studied the negotiation stratagems (his term) that students engage in during their book discussions in an after-school book club called the Junto Club. I thought it was interesting that he researched a little in contracts and business law to examine fully ‘negotiation’. The students (from grades 1-5) selected a picture book to read and then were told to come to a consensus of what the book meant. Dr. Horowitz reminded us that the instructions a researcher gives to participants before a study are very important; Dr. Barrera found that the written part that the students first filled out in a round robin approach helped them to prepare to discuss the book. One reliability issue that we discussed had to do with the coding of the stratagems. Another doctoral student helped him with the codes. Otherwise, the researcher could be biased in how he/she sees the activities of the participants. Out of 480 stratagems, there were only six that he and his partner could not agree on. Some findings and questions that arose from the study: -Oral discourse may propel or generate a certain point of view. -Was discussion influencing new thinking? -Because they wanted to achieve a common interpretation, students’ dialogue was sustained. -There was intersubjectivity of negotiation: One has to see the other’s thinking or knowledge to be able to persuade that person. Next, Dr. Barrera explained what seemed like tricks of the trade for academic writing. He urged us to write and read, which is exactly what Nancy Nelson includes in Chapter 27. She cites Charney & Carlson (1995): “Individuals of various ages acquire a particular form of discourse as they read representative texts.” We have stressed throughout this course that students need models of effective writing in all genres if we want them to write effectively. Likewise, Dr. Barrera urged us to understand the discourse in our field. If we want to get published in their journal, we have to sound like them. Dr. Nelson guided Dr. Barrera through the harrowing journey that is the dissertation in what seems quite similar to the cognitive apprenticeship we have discussed in class. You can tell he leaned a lot from her and that he has the utmost respect for her. Dr. Barrera also mentioned the importance of the rhetorical triangle we read about in Chapter 36 //Persuasion, Audience, and Argument.// He described some phrases and rhetorical devices we can use to effectively reach our readers, including //hedges//, used to ward off objections, //boosters//, to show certainty, and //attitude markers//, to show our position on the topic. Chapter 27 includes //hedges// and //evaluations//, which guide the reader to the same conclusions the writer reached. She also includes the use of the first-person pronoun. Dr. Barrera described this as the //Scholarly I//. There are so many journal articles that Dr. Barrera can get out of his dissertation and his presentation on academic authorship. For the dissertation, I was thinking about the motivation aspects in the Junto Club study. One child, who did not participate as much, admitted that she was only in the club because she did not want to be a latchkey kid. For the academic authorship presentation, I really need him to get that information published quickly.

Reflection 7/30/11 Kalpana M. Iyengar Dr. Horowitz Reflection 3 8/1/11

Dissertation Writing Dr. Bererra’s presentation on his research was both interesting and invigorating. I am almost done with my doctoral course work and it is time for me to zero-in on my dissertation topic. Dr. Horowitz introduced me to graphic organizers, but I am not convinced about that topic yet because I wonder if this topic is conducive for a lengthy compilation of researched arguments organized in a cohesive way? In addition, I wonder if I can make a contribution to the topic using my linguistics and literature backgrounds? A student’s writes a doctoral dissertation to situate him/herself in academic circles and further his/her publication career along with teaching at the university level. Dissertation helps you carve the professional identity needed for growth. Pundits across the world have argued about the All But Dissertation (ABD) candidates, who give up after the course work is completed. The intellectual rigor, choice of a helpful and knowledgeable dissertation chair and committee, research method, study participants, Institutional Review Board (IRB), qualifying exams, defense, and finally the publication all cause conundrum, anxiety, fear, helplessness at times, and the overwhelming APA documentation style are setting in. Dissertation writing calls for critical thinking, careful analyses of scholarly and data driven studies. It is an art to compile syntheses of several theories, arguments, and findings related to the topic of choice. According to Bolker (1998), “Some of her recommendations are long-range, large-scale changes like cultivating a "writing addiction" (p.1). I have heard people say that a doctoral student must read for an hour a day per class and write for 15 minutes a day per class as well. I tend to buy the books for the course ahead of time, read through the chapters so I can formulate the ideas for the paper and begin writing the stray thoughts before the course begins. I have to write using the pencil and paper and then transfer the information onto the computer. References – ** Bolker, J. (1998) //Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day: A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis//. New York: Henry Holt and Company. **



Ashley Friesenhahn C&I 6043

Reflection for Week of July 18 to 22, 2011

Chapter 18, “History of Schools and Writing”, and Chapter 25, “Development of Writing in Childhood” were my two favorite chapters read and discussed this week. Chapter 18 focused on “how writing has been tied up with the history of schooling, and how distinctive school based practices have developed” (Olson 281). Chapter 25 focused on how writing developments in the childhood. The following quotes from Chapter 18 and Chapter 25 caught my attention about the history of writing in schools and childhood development of writing. A quote from Chapter 18 that is still relevant to today’s classroom is “Children learn that talk is cheap, what gets written down is important” (Olson 286). In the average classroom students are aware that whatever the teacher writes down, the student must know. Students are “trained” from the beginning of their school years to copy what the teacher writes on the blackboard. The second part of the quote is usually true but I do not agree that all talk is cheap. For instance, English as a Second Language student needs “Academic Talk” to improve their English. Having English as a Second Language students talk to other peers about a writing prompt, discussion question, and/or how to solve a math problem will aide both students in developing social skills, vocabulary and speech. Olson’s quote fails to mention that not all talk is cheap in the school. “Writing begins with scribbles that are largely undifferentiated and over time moves in a general trajectory toward forms that have more writnglike characteristics including linearity, appropriate directional patterns, and individual units” (Rowe 404). This quote is interesting because it shows that those zigzag lines preschoolers are famous for should be looked at a closer glance! For example, preschoolers’ scribbles are often intentional and reflect the desire to communicate. Preschoolers are trying to get their point across purposely scribbling. Next time, I hang out with my two, preschool nephews I plan to pay more attention to what they are trying to write and communicate to me. Overall, I really enjoyed reading Chapter 18 and 25. These chapters were interesting because of the insight on the history and improvement of writing in the schools and childhood development of writing. “Historical shifts in assumptions about the relation between writing and literacy altered the uses of texts and writing in the school” (Olson 283).

Shannon Blady Reflection #2

We’ve experienced another busy week, chock-full of so many different aspects of writing. Many of us have mentioned that we have felt obligated to include all of it in our presentations because it all seems so valuable. Too often theory is not connected to practice, but most of the concepts we have covered have immediate implications for teachers of literacy, as discovered through our class discussions. One of the six traits of writing that we teach our students is Voice. Many teachers claim that this is the hardest trait to teach, but if the classroom is a safe, respectful place where kids feel free to take risks and share their backgrounds, they begin to understand their own voice. They need to be able to express themselves to find this voice. Teachers need to value student talk. Researchers have not valued talk until pretty recently, and, according to Dr. Horowitz, listening is a lost language art. Voice in writing has to be explored as an extension of talk and examined through a sociocultural lens in which we honor students’ funds of knowledge. From a sociocognitive perspective, we know that students learn from each other. We discussed the cognitive apprenticeship for learning to write in the workplace. This same model can work effectively in a classroom in which we encourage the other two parts of literacy: speaking and listening. The teacher and peers act as more knowledgeable others, modeling their processes. As they get older, the models of effective writing may come from the canons that our society has deemed the ‘classics’. We agreed in class that the canons are important as timeless pieces that exemplify our collective identity. Most of them are alluded to in latter pieces and students need to be familiar with the classics to build this deeper understanding of the text. We cannot, however, neglect the voices that have been marginalized for centuries. “The hegemonic identity-based traditions are challenged by the non-hegemonic identity category” (p. 201). The feminist, social advocate in me really appreciates the concept of ** Writing Back, which ** can be found seen in anti-colonial pieces and pieces in which women wrote back to patriarchal precursors. Chapter 17 emphasized that writing discourse has a strong influence on social change. For example, some writing technologies transformed the role of secretary and the prestige given to nurses. Despite some of our grievances with the organization of Bazerman’s text, we agree that we are covering so many significant topics. The more we understand all of these aspects of writing and learning to write, the more prepared we are as literacy teachers and researchers in this field.

**Week Two Reflection by Carol Langhorne**

This week has been filled with valuable information and insights. I found it interesting that art is considered to please readers who are already familiar with a certain genre as it is presented. I guess the background knowledge one has of the material being presented is what makes the performance art, because the person viewing already knows what is suppose to happen and is able to readily enjoy the performance without having to guess what will happen next. Watching Shakespeare on the Green is art if you have read the story first. However, it is entertainment if you are not familiar with the story being portrayed.

I also found our discussion about speech and writing for an audience interesting. Reminding students of their audience or of the listener is so important to keep in mind when setting up a writing unit or task. Students need to know whom they are writing for. The importance of models is key when generating genres. The discussion about prewriting and the amount of writing done with paper and pencils tasks verses computers was interesting. More writing is done with paper and pencils than with computers. I wonder what is going on in our brains when engaged in the two different tasks. Are they the same or vastly different?

The different writing that is done in the work place was also of interest. We used to have a “Take your child to work day” at my last campus but I don’t know if they have that in my district. Younger students also need to know about the different kinds of writing done at different jobs. I have shown my student copies of papers I have written during writer’s workshop. I want my students to know writing takes time for thinking, revision, editing and publishing. They also need to see me write and know the importance in writing. I also write notes to my students on a regular basis. I call them “Happy Notes” because they are personal notes to each individual about something I have seem them say or do that was good and we can be happy about. For instance, I might write a note to a child who has helped another student read a book or to someone who has picked up trash off the floor without being asked. My students like receiving “Happy Notes” and it’s another way for them to see writing has a purpose and fulfills different tasks.

I was surprised to learn men’s writing is more direct and to the point and women’s writing is more colorful as Dr. Horowitz pointed out. It was also interesting to learn those in higher management did more writing; the audience changes so there is likely more pressure for accuracy and larger vocabulary directed at the audience.

I also think it is important to teach students about strategies that pull you in to get your attention. The importance of deceptive commercials is a whole unit in it self. Teaching students about gimmicks and songs used to deceive the consumer is something we should be teaching our students. We need to help our students realize everything they see or hear on television is not true. This would be a good activity to write about in writer’s workshop.

** Week Two Reflection **by Cierra Gonzalez

This past week has proven to teach me new things and also touch on a few of my personal interests. Steve Jobs. I love that man! I have been raised with nothing but Apple products my whole life. However, I once strayed and purchased an HP laptop, which proved to be a very costly mistake. I have always admired the way he speaks whenever Apple unveils something new, so I found it interesting that his style is mentioned in this book. He never mentions Apple but does, as the book states, say we during his time on stage. I am curious if he or someone else writes down his speeches beforehand. They flow so naturally and are extremely conversational so it makes keeping up with all the tech specs really easy. I admire his style of speech so much that during all my presentations I usually wear a black tops and jeans! As crazy as this may sound, I try to channel my inner Steve Jobs and sound natural and be able to work a crowd.

Now, time to touch on squiggles. I am so happy that there is now research to backup the fact that they mean something. If anything, I really wish that there were more research on younger children so we could try to understand their writing process more. It is amazing to think about how by age three children can already distinguish between drawing and writing. As child I can remember wishing I could write in cursive and drawing lines of squiggles on a page to pretend. I knew that I was not drawing but trying to communicate using a method I had yet to learn which was cursive. As an educator I think we should encourage our younger students to communicate using whatever kind of writing they can. This is just one of the first steps in the evolution of writing.

I think of school and writing as being synonymous, so it was quite a discovery to learn that things have not always been that way. Textbooks seem to be a hot topic now. Some use them religiously and while others leave them on the shelf. I think it is important to know what is in a textbook because students will take what is written as being without a doubt true. For instance, the King Ranch is now glorified in textbooks, but while my grandmother was in school during the 1940s and 50s, the uncensored truth is what they read about. The take away message for me when it comes to textbooks is to just be critical.

** Reflection (Week 2) ** By: Paige Yecker This week Karen asked a question that brought interest to me…what do we think about using textbooks in the classroom? It seemed that the majority of the teachers in our class saw them as a good source but don’t completely rely on them and that they also seem to sometimes be a hassle. The purpose for text books is a sole source of information. When we have students only use textbooks for looking up information they may begin to think that that learning just mean looking up facts and figures. In the historical study in the book, it says that “Schools are premised on the assumption that learners lack knowledge and that that knowledge exists primarily in books.” In my experience the best learning happens with personal experience with some background knowledge from a text. If you’re learning about the Fall Season let the children go outside and explore autumn. They need to see the fall colored leaves, feel the autumn weather and experience this season hands on. Can you imagine if we had to learn everything out of a text book? What happens to the students that are hands on and visual learners…they get left behind. Another good point that was brought up in class was that textbooks seem to be made for a cookie cutter classroom where each and every child is the same. Text books are great in giving you interesting and detailed lesson plans but they forget some important things. What kind of background knowledge do the students have or what about the students who require modifications? Now a lesson plan straight out of the book becomes a lot more work. Not every child is on the same learning level. Text books are also written at one reading level so students having trouble with reading read the book but have no comprehension of what the book offers. The last concern I am going to list about text books would have to be that textbooks only offer one perspective of things. Students should be introduced to many different resources. Textbooks are a great tool but shouldn’t be used as the only source of learning. It also depends on whose hands the textbooks are in. A teacher may be able to use the textbook and make the needed modifications to fit the students in her classroom. If you find that a textbook may be one sided or outdated make sure to have students use outside readings. Reflection over Week July 11 to July 14

When I signed up to take this course, I was just looking for an easy fit into my Summer Schedule but after being in the class for a week, I feel like I made a good decision in picking this course. I am aware now of the importance writing has on students and its lack of appearance in the school, not only with funding but teaching of it in all grade levels, “Writing is a unique human achievement” (Schmandt-Basserat 7). I can not wait to use the information gained from this course in my classroom! My favorite Chapters read this week were Chapters One and Two. It was interesting to learn how far and how important writing is. Our book states that “The history of writing technologies reveals a past, containing stories of competition and secrecy, of stability and portability, of resistance and acceptance, and of refinement and use” (Gabrial 23). I would love to learn more about how writing was used in the past since today’s use is considerable different and more diverse. I am confident that I will use the information gained from Chapters One and Two in my classroom. For instance, I will introduce writing to my students at the beginning of the school year by teaching them the history of writing. I really enjoyed the PowerPoint showed and plan to use a similar one in my classroom. Teaching students the history of writing will help the students see how far writing has come and the importance it has in the world. I think this teaching method would make writing more concrete to my students and therefore better writers. I also plan to use different writing tablets to go along with the History of Writing PowerPoint. For example, having students write on paper they make, color/border paper, note cards, post cards, letters, even flat stones! This teaching method would introduce writing to students in an innovative way and make even the most reluctant student, WRITE! Overall, I feel that this course has been beneficial to me by giving me new insight into writing and ways that I can teach writing to my students. I can’t wait to learn more and incorporated all my new knowledge in my classroom!

-Ashley Lynn Friesenhahn

** History of Writing Origins and Writing Technologies by Paige Yecker **

Writing, listening, speaking…all means of communication are constantly evolving. It is fascinating that we started writing by using tokens and Cuneiform to how we compose today by using computers and even cell phones.

The first thought I had after this chapter was how underappreciated writing is and how much we take it for granted. If it wasn’t for writing we would not know as much about our history as we do today. Without knowing our history, it would make it more difficult to learn from our past to improve our future. It would also be unfortunate to not have the recorded documents left by some of our ancestors or important historical figures. It would leave void in our cultures. Writing gives us the chance to leave a piece of us behind to share with others. Writing is an incredible invention, it allows you to store information, record thoughts and document your words. One could really see how much writing affects our culture when you look at cultures where writing is non-existent. They’re history is subject to change with each generation and the ability to learn becomes extremely difficult. One of the few great cultures where a written language was absent were the Aztecs, and had it not been for the Spanish Conquistadors we would have nothing more than the Aztecs temple ruins to learn about them.

**Week One Reflection** by Shannon Blady

The density of the subject is reflected in what we have already covered in our first week: the history of writing and its tools, the differences between oral and written languages, the intricacies and complexities of linguistics, the universal significance of audience, and the genre of persuasion or argument. I would like to reflect on two aspects that have resonated with me as a fourth-grade teacher: The history of writing and the genre of argument.

I enjoyed the Power Point presentation on the history of writing and the supplemental timelines presented in the first two chapters. I had already seen the Power Point, but it serves to remind us just how complex the evolution of writing has been and continues to be. I really cannot wait to share the history of writing with my students. I hope that they will understand that the evolutions occurred based on our needs and, in turn, radically changed our societal interactions. My students and I can compare the reasons and modes in which we currently write to the reasons and modes used by people for thousands of years. It is also particularly interesting to consider the parallels between the development of writing and children’s writing development. I wonder if the students will pick up on these parallels.

As Dr. Horowitz states, all writing is argument. The writer has to invite the reader in, convince the reader to continue to read. The concept of audience is crucial in writing and will surface repeatedly in Bazerman’s book. It is particularly important when writing the genre of argument. In discussing the Snoopy Sno Cone Study, we realized that students should start with an intimate audience. Children need to know the reader to be able to shape the argument accordingly, to identify how the reader will respond. I plan to share a modified version of Toulmin’s Model of Argument (Chapter 36) with my students and have them compose a persuasive piece for someone they know well enough to explore strategies of propaganda and possibly even to anticipate a rebuttal.

*There is so much to learn in this course. I am finding that the wiki is a great resource to record our interpretations individually and collectively. In terms of the evolution of writing, I am fascinated by the digital tools we have readily available and how they’re used for learning.

Week one reflection by Carol Langhorne There was a vast amount of information presented this week. My reflection of this week’s class is about the history of writing, which I found to be very interesting as well as the conflicts over writing and speaking in chapter 33, and Toulmin’s analyzing arguments in chapter 36. When thinking and reviewing the history of writing, I thought it was incredible how far writing dates back and how much it has changed over the years. Before the presentation and power point we had in class, I really didn’t give the history of writing much consideration for being presented in a first grade classroom because so much of the information would be over their heads. But, having thought about the history of writing, I think I will look for books any pictures to explain to my students how writing has changed over the centuries and why it is so important to use. I think this is something I will explore more with my students this year, it will be a great way to start writer’s workshop. I also wonder where the future of writing will take us with the integration of technology. I often wonder how people in poverty, who live in remote areas of the world, will view writing when their first tools of writing are with computers and laptops. I wonder how the use of the World Wide Web will change the way students write and think about writing. In chapter 33, I thought it was interesting that there has been so much conflict over speaking and writing. And depending on whose view one is looking at, how different the information is. There has been a lot of research on both speaking and writing and will continue to be. I found it interesting that written texts shows a wider range of linguistic characteristics because the author has more time to compose their writing and has more time to think about what to include in his writing; Whereas language is constrained by the need to be spoken in real time and the need to interact with personal style, situational influences and purpose all play a part in the conversation. Toulmin suggested there are six interrelated components for analyzing arguments. He also proposed there are three crucial elements that must be present in every argument. The six elements Toulmin describes are claim, ground, warrant, backing, rebuttal and qualifier. Toulmin believed that for a good argument to succeed, it needed to provide good justification for a claim, which is a something that must be established. That evidence or data must exist; this is what he refers to as ground. And warrant, is when a person uses a statement using data or evidence (ground) to justify their claim. Backing is given when evidence is not convincing enough. Rebuttal would include statements that explain any restrictions about the claim. Qualifier uses words to express certainty such as “probably,” “possible,” “impossible,” “certainly,” “presumably,” “as far as the evidence goes,” and “necessarily.” I also noted the importance of knowing your audience as see in the Snoopy Sno cone study by Dr. Horowitz. This is vital to persuasive writing. The upcoming school year will be a great start to have students learn to persuade their audience in writing and in speaking by letting others know why they think the way they do. If first graders start off learning how to persuade others and to explain themselves early in life they can become better writers and thinkers. As a teacher I will have to be cognizant of what students are saying and remember to ask them to “Tell us why you think that?

**Week One Reflection - Karen Mendoza**
Everything I learn in class or read in articles, I try to fit into my pedagogy and think about how I could implement such a feature in my own classroom. Through out the first week of class I have made mental notes as well as written notes about lesson ideas, books, and intriguing information about writing. I love to think about my own experiences and how to improve my current practice to become a better teacher.

For instance, the first two chapters of Bazerman as well as the discussion in class led me to think about the history of writing and my students. Many students today lose interest in writing because they become drained of prompt after prompt. They see writing as a test and not much else. By explaining the history of writing to students, I think they would develop an understanding about why writing is important. Students can appreciate writing and even think about what it would be like to live in a culture where writing is not prominent. I am interested to find the children’s book about this history to read to my students.

Another discussion that caused me to reflect was the one about speech and writing. I think it was interesting to see how speech and writing are different. For instance, writing is often more formal and concise, while speech can be repetitive and informal. I am actually considering reading “A visit to Greece” to my students or creating my own example so my students can see the difference between writing and speech. I notice that many of my students write like they talk. This will help teach about eliminating repetitiveness in writing. I think talking with someone is also a good brainstorming activity for writing.

The Snoopy Sno Cone persuasive study presentation gave me new ideas about teaching persuasive writing. For example, I think it would be interesting to find a current product that students are excited about. I imagine mimicking the study a little by showing the commercial. The class could have a discussion about how the commercial is trying to persuade children to buy that item. I would be interested to see what my fourth graders would write while persuading their parents to buy them a desired item.

So far in this class, I have thought about writing in many different ways from the history to a Sno Cone machine! In this first week, I have felt intrigued and a passion for writing. I am interested to find out more about the research of writing.

Week One Reflection- Estella Mendoza

As I look back on the material from the past week I realize that we have covered much information. Being a teacher, I am constantly analyzing new information and evaluating how it can be used in my own teaching practices. I was very interested in learning about the origins and the history of writing. I think that presenting this to my students at an appropriate level will help them appreciate writing in a way that I have failed to do in the past. I believe that beginning with the cuneiforms and early alphabets will shed new light on what they are asked to do every day. Watching how the alphabet has evolved somehow gives it more value.

I wonder where this new technology will take my students. Many, if not all, of my own students will become very accustomed to the digital writing techniques that we use now. Will this impact the way they compose their writing?

I am also more aware of the importance of prewriting is for students, specifically when writing persuasive text. As we saw with the Snoopy Snow Cone research, many of the students had a good basis for a paper, but lacked structure. I think this can be accomplished through prewriting exercises wherein students first list their arguments then elaborate. I thought it was especially interesting to see some of the students take on the role of their audience. This makes me think twice about the capabilities of my own second grade students. If they can anticipate the reactions and arguments of their parents, then I think this is where I should begin my writing with them. We’ve always been under the assumption that the younger grade levels have a difficult time with persuasion because they cannot take the place of the “other”. Second graders, in all other areas, are still very ego-centric and because we do not model this genre of writing enough, they usually struggle to create a good argument.

Week One Reflection by Marilyn Wright Reflection- Week One This week I’ve been reminded how much speech connects to writing, and how important it is to writing. Research has shown things such as teacher-modeled think-alouds and partner writing conferences can really help children’s thought processes when writing. I know that often times I can’t just write; I have to make an outline, talk it over with somebody, or simply say things out loud to myself to gather my thoughts. I always knew that speech was important in the classroom, but after this week I have been reawakened to try to use it more through writing conferences, more prewriting with talk (not just writing out ideas), and read alouds. It is just one of my many goals!

I found the brief conversation on Wednesday (over chapter 34) about discourse markers interesting. I did not know the term before them, but always notice those types of words when listening to people speak. In high school I was required to take a speech course and I learned greatly about discourse markers, which my teacher called distractors or nonsense words. In that class students would actually go to the front of the room one at a time and give speeches, sometimes planned for a certain topic, and sometimes impromptu. The rest of the class would listen to the speaker and count all the times that the words //um, like, whatever, anyways//, and others were spoken. Our goal was to try to talk in conversations without using those words. Looking back, I see the importance of trying to avoid them in speech (especially in the formal setting), but then again, they have their purpose too. I know if I use discourse markers, I am simply collecting my thoughts.

It’s interesting to think that those types of words shouldn’t be transferred into writing. I agree that sometimes the context changes the purpose of the word, but I also think using them in writing may add a certain amount of character to the writing piece. I think if they are used in writing, it should be causal, directed toward a certain audience, or written within a genre (for example, some chapter books may have parts in them written in a “Dear Diary” format where this may be more acceptable). Discourse markers probably should not be used in academic writing.

What this has led me to think is, //“How do I teach my students to not write the way we talk?//” Sometimes it is helpful to teach students that writing should sound like talking; I have even said this to my students before. For example, a first grader wrote a simple sentence that said “I have three pet at home.” I said it back to her and she knew it didn’t make sense because that’s not how she would say it; she knew if she was talking to someone she would say, “I have three pet__s__ at home.” How do we teach children when writing should sound like talking, and when it shouldn’t? Much of it depends on the context, I guess.

I have my reservations about the conception that children in elementary grades do not have the writing models to write persuasive/argumentative paragraphs. I believe that children are born with a linguistic blue print and our classrooms should facilitate the cultivation of writing in any mode/pattern by the time children are in 4th grade. It is rather difficult/challenging to learn certain skills if they are not learned by certain age. Children are capable of persuading their parents to buy them a particular toy like it is evident in Dr. Horowitz's 'Snoopy Snow Cone Machine' study with school children or take them to a particular movie for its thrill factor or age/gender appropriateness. I strongly feel that teachers are apprehensive to handle the persuasive/argumentative rhetorical mode because they are not comfortable teaching the same to children. Elementary and some middle school writing is heavy on personal narratives intended for the students' teachers or parents. It is time that we teachers think about incorporating graphic organizers, for example, to help students learn and write persuasive pieces to audiences other than their parents and teachers. I asked my children (rising 5th and 8th graders) to write a letter to their heads of school about asking them to consider a wish. I did not prompt them with the mode or language because I wanted their raw impressions and my intention was to explore their ability to write a persuasive piece. Here are their responses. //Dear Mrs. D'Allesandro,// //I was just wondering if you could consider making a playground for the middle schoolers? One reason why this would be helpful is because, if the 5th graders had a playground, they would not have to use the blacktop. It would be less likely for us to get hurt. Another reason is because we would be more supervised and be in areas where our teachers could watch us easily. My last reason is that everyone would have many different games to play in specific places on the playground. Thank you.(Gowri M. Iyengar/5th grader at Keystone School).// //As an eight grader, I require a cafeteria which serves food that I would enjoy as a vegetarian; reason being that in order for me to perform well in school, I have to have a well-fed body.// //Being a vegetarian makes it much more of a challenge for my body to receive proper nourishment. Certain important things such as protein tend to be lacking from a vegetarian's diet because of the lack of meat in their diet. But meat can be replaced by soy beans or lentils, both rich in protein and natural sugars. The reason I wish for a dedicated cafeteria staff is because of my belief in vegetarianism.The staff must perform beyond their usual cooking and make foods suited not only for the diet of a non vegetarian, but also for vegetarians.// //Furthermore, I would also like more recess time because it is in recess that a student burns off their energy. If this energy isn't used during recess, what remains of if could be used during class causing hyperness, a disturbance to the whole class.// //In conclusion, as an eight grader, I request two of my demands to be fulfilled in order to be comfortable - a dedicated and considerate cafeteria staff and more time in recess to burn off the energy (Mohan M. Iyengar/8th grader at San Antonio Academy).//
 * Kalpana Mukunda Iyengar**
 * Teaching Persuasive Writing to 4th and 7th graders**
 * 5th grader's writing**
 * 8th grader's writing**

TS =Topic Sentence R (1,2,3) = Reasons

Week One Reflection by Cierra Gonzalez This first week of class has already impacted my life. Even as I am typing this on my MacBook, I realize that it has taken humanity quite a while for us to get to this point! As I mentioned in class, I really do feel that writing is something that we take for granted. When one views the spectrum from cuneiforms to Unicode it is hard to not reflect on and appreciate the process which has lead us here. If anything, I really wish we still had the work that people of central Mexico created. Perhaps we could have learned something about the evolution of their writing system among other things.

If I had a classroom of my own I would observe the writing process of my students and then compare it to the historical evolution of writing. I think that would be an interesting analysis to carry out. With iPads, SMS, and Tweeting, I wonder where this evolution of writing will take us next. For me, it is a mixture of emotions. On one hand, I am excited, while on the other, I am sad that cursive is heading towards extinct status.

Another facet of this class that piqued my interests are the differences between written and spoken word. The Snoopy Snow Cone study really drove that point home with me. This week I became more conscientious of the way I speak to my friends in comparison to my writing. This metacognitive process had me selecting my words more carefully and trying not to use “so” and “um”!

I took three years of Latin in high school so I was already somewhat familiar with rhetoric and the work of Cicero. Even now as I read some of his work it still comes across as powerful, however, I can only imagine what it would have been like to hear him. As we move along in the course, I feel myself becoming more motivated to learn about and improve my own process of writing.

Week One Reflection By: Angeli Willson

The chapters and the PowerPoint on the history of writing reminded me that I need to ensure that all students at my school write or experience the writing process every day. I have seen my Pre-K teachers scribing student-dictated stories. I am unsure though that all my teachers are teaching writing and giving their students opportunities to practice writing. Showing the Power Point presentation and talking about the stages of writing might enlighten some teachers and motivate them to do more writing with their classes next year.

For my part, I need to provide resources and professional development to all staff members so the whole school is engaged in writing. Fortunately, we had some money leftover at the end of this year and providentially, we ordered Writing Trait crates for all the classrooms. Yes, these are packaged writing programs but teachers need to start somewhere. Carol Langhorne had mentioned having this at her school last year. She thought that this provided a basic resource for everybody and built a foundation for writing at her school.

The discussion on writing as argumentation led me to think of the necessity of teaching students to write in different genres. As Dr. Horowitz has emphasized in class, writers will have to consider the audience and the purpose. In the past, I have had students write me letters requesting something. This past year, two students wrote and asked permission to sell water bottles so their grade level can go on a second field trip. (Due to budget constraints, each grade level was allowed to go on one field trip only.) After they sent me their letters, they requested to speak with me. Of course, I was not aware of the Snoopy Sno Cone study at that time, however in retrospect I do recall the two students giving more details about their plan verbally – more than what they had written. I also recall negotiating with them regarding the type of “fundraiser” that was permissible. Last, I remember their enthusiastic facial expressions and behaviors which a letter could not have done justice.

Students at my school who are sent to In-School Suspension (ISS) are also made to write about what they did. We have an awesome ISS Teacher’s Aide who talks to them about what they had done and then helps them write about their “offense”. The final product is a letter of apology individually written to all parties concerned.

We have definitely covered a lot in our first week of classes. I am excited to learn more about the research on writing.

Week Two- Marilyn Wright

Reflection- Week Two This week I was interested to learn about the history of school; particularly to howwhole group instruction began. I didn’t realize that whole group teaching began back in the 18th century and didn’t know who was responsible for it (De la Salle). It makes sense, though for the reasons itd eveloped. Even back then before the progression into whole group, students were having behavior problems and getting off task when their teacher was working one-on-one with an individual. Presently teachers know of methods to teachsmall groups of children while keeping the rest of the class engaged, such as the use of centers. Learning centers or stations were not found in classrooms in the 18th century and is something I would like to research more when I have an opportunity.

I also found the class discussion we had on textbooks enlightening. It is nice to know I am not the only teacher who struggles in this area. My district provides us with textbooks for practically every subject; math, science, social studies, and reading. For the first three subjects mentioned, my district provides supplemental material to use along with the textbook. This allows flexibility for me; I am not expected to use the textbook on a daily basis and therefore can reach the needs of my students. For reading, however, we only have the textbook to be the primary tool of instruction.

Teaching reading is my favorite time of the day, but I do not feel comfortable with the curriculum we have. First of all, I do not think a basal reading textbook is the best way to teach my students reading. In first grade there are of students reading at different levels, so a “one size fits all” textbook basal story does not accommodate most students’ needs. The weekly story is too hard for some, too easy for others, and is only just right for a few. Another reason I struggle with using thereading textbook is that I would prefer to teach reading in a reader’s workshopstyle. I would much rather useread-alouds, mini-lessons, independent reading, and guided reading to meet mystudent’s needs. It is hard to try to do my own thing because I teach at a school where teachers are expected to teachthings in the same way across the grade level. I also do not have the resources to buy different books and curriculum programs to follow and be inspired by. Ifind myself using a little bit of the basal program, but mostly relying on guided reading and read-alouds to teach reading.

Education has evolved so much over the past centuries and it continues to evolve every year. I find myself trying out new instructional methods and reading up on the latest research every year. Even with all the issues that can come alongwith teaching in the public school (that would be a whole other reflection!); Ithink it is an exciting time to teach in the classroom. Where will the future of education take us?


 * Week Two Reflection - Karen Mendoza**

When rifling through my notes to think about what stood out to me during this past week, I cannot help but think about canons. These “classics” create debate; should canons still be taught or modern texts? I think canons should be taught, as well as modern texts that are more relatable. There needs to be a balance because students can learn from both. Canons carry universal themes, which are repeated in different ways today. Even television shows and movies use canons with a modern twist. For example, TV shows like //The Simpsons// and //Family Guy// have done parodies of Shakespeare. In order to truly appreciate the humor, an underlying understanding of the original canon must be known. Modern texts are also important because many times they are culturally relevant and more significant to students. In fact, I think it would be interesting to compare a modern text to a canon with a common theme like romance or tragedy. Think about the critical thinking that would be involved to compare and contrast the two stories!

This week I presented chapter 18 on the history of schools and writing. One of the most striking pieces of information from the chapter was how schools are mass institutions. Schools used to be more one on one in instruction, with the Industrial Age, the idea of mass production and teaching to the group became present in schools. Now we are seeing a shift back to individualized teaching with differentiated instruction. I was intrigued to read about the connection of writing and testing too. With group instruction, it became easier to check understanding with writing tests and written questions. Today our society is increasing the amount of standardized tests. I wonder where are we going with all this testing and is there a better way to check student understanding.

Another notable idea presented in chapter 18 was the function of the textbook. When reading the chapter, this section immediately made the blood run faster in my veins. As a result, I wanted to ask the class what they thought about textbooks. I wondered if I was the only one, who questioned what role textbooks should play in our classroom. My stance is similar to Parvin’s attitude that textbooks are a useful tool. I loved to hear the comments of my peers. It made me realize we all struggle to find the appropriate usage of textbooks in our class. We feel pressure to use the textbook, feel overwhelmed with the amount of activities provided within the textbook, and wonder how it will teach //all// of our students who are at different levels.

As a presenter this week, I took on the role of an expert. I had to prepare a more formal presentation and translate academic writing into a familiar speech. I found myself going back and forth on the spectrum from speech to writing.

Kalpana M. Iyengar Dr. Horowitz Reflection 2 7/25/11

**Prototypes:** ** Canon and Oral Literature **

According to Hogan, “Canons are a source and a product of the prototypes that guide traditional practice” (p. 200). I grew up listening to stories such as //Punyakoti// (see attachment on page 2) that was rewritten for art and entertainment purposes. If such literature were not available to western audience (including second generation Asian Indian children), then the prototype of truth and honesty as portrayed in //Punyakoti// would be lost. Prototype is based on cognitive science and/or a model built for replication. Prototypes vary culturally with patterns across traditions. Prototype helps writers understand patterns that are culture bound and tradition heavy. Children must be exposed to different kinds of writing, especially from the cannon so they develop global awareness and are able to appreciate literature from different cultures. Classics are rewritten to help familiarize readers to ‘socially consequential works’ and enable readers to ‘comment on or otherwise respond to such [paradigmatic] works” (Hogan, 2008, p. 196). Although Paula Richman criticizes the rewriting of the classics such as the Hindu epic //Ramayana//, I prefer for my international students to read retold/rewritten versions because some classics are difficult for students from other cultures to follow and enjoy if they read the same in the original. [] Another distinction that Charles Bazerman (2008) points out is the different kinds of readers today because, “…art is work that is aimed at and succeeds in pleasing ideal readers, thus readers who are familiar with the cannon generally and the classics in particular” (p. 197). On the contrary, Walter Ong studied the transformation in consciousness through the chirographic renderings of oral cultures. Bazerman also points out that there is no ideal reader for one work because people form new knowledge depending on their experiences and interests and “an ideal reader is one such prototype” (Hogan, 2008, p. 197). Our students must be educated about the orality of certain cultures and the canonical written texts of others. However, both kinds of styles are important for students to learn because, “…prototypes and development principles are acquired by one generation of writers and readers from preceding generations of writers and readers” (Hogan, 2008, p. 200). ** References ** Hogan, P. (2008). Writing as Art and Entertainment. In a Bazerman, C (Eds.), Handbook of Research and Writing: History, Society, School, Individual, Text (pp. 191-204). New York: LEA. Walter. O. (1988). Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word. New York: Methuen. **// Punyakoti //** By Kalpana M. Iyengar Once upon a time there lived a cow named Punyakoti with her calf and other cows, Ganga, Gauri, Thunga, Badhra, etc. All the cows would go to the nearby Dhandkarunya forest to graze from dawn till dusk. A Gowda cowherd named Arbuta watched the cows along with playing his melodious flute sitting under a Mango tree. Sometimes, he would fall asleep in the afternoon to avoid the scorching heat. Everything was calm and quiet until one day, when a hungry tiger attacked the cows. There was a terrible commotion among the cows and the calves. Every cow escaped except Punyakoti, who was trapped. When the tiger was about to pounce on Punyakoti imagining a hearty meal, Punyakoti fell to her knees and begged the tiger to give her an hour to go to her new born calf in the doddi (shed). The tiger laughed sarcastically at Punyakoti’s unusual request. The tiger said, “Why should I let my catch go? Why should I believe you?” To this Punyakoti replied, “My mother raised me with values. I keep my promise, and if I fail, God will not forgive me.” The tiger gave it some thought, and looked at Punyakoti once more to make sure she was not faking. After much discussion, the tiger yielded to Punyakoti’s request and let her go. The cow hurried to the shed to fed the newborn calf and told her baby about the promise. The little calf drank the milk leisurely to its heart’s content, and waited for the mother to cuddle it. However, Punyakoti was a cow that lived by what her mother had taught her. So, Punyakoti disclosed the deed she had with the tiger, who was waiting for her in the forest. The calf wept bitterly, and pleaded the mother not to leave it because it was young and dependant. There were several questions asked, such as, “who will be my mother from now on? Who will be my friends? Who will feed me when I am hungry? Who do I trust in your absence in my life?” The calf’s questions bothered Punyakoti, and she pleaded the herd to take care of her innocent calf in Punyakoti’s absence. She says, “please do not kick it if it walks in front of you, please do not butthead if it comes in your way, and kindly treat it like your own child because it is an orphan from today as I quench the tiger’s hunger.” Punyakoti hurried to the forest where she had left the tiger that evening. It was dark and the tiger was prancing up and down anxiously waiting for the cow to get back so that he could devour the meat till the bones. The tiger’s patience wore off because it was late. As he was about to sit down, he saw a shadow approach him hurriedly. The tiger was shocked to see Punyakoti return as she had promised. Punyakoti said, “Dear tiger, here I am as promised. I fed my newborn calf and placed him in safe company before I returned. You may have me now and please eat to your hearts content!” Upon hearing to what Punyakoti had to say, the tiger felt ashamed of his vicious inclinations, and told the cow, “You are an epitome of Truth. You are a very disciplined cow and God will not forgive me if I kill you and deprive your new born of it’s mother, so please go away.” The tiger jumped off a cliff and killed itself for humiliating a truthful cow like Punyakoti. ([]).



Week Two Reflection By: Angeli Willson

The discussion on the use of textbooks during Karen’s presentation made me think of this question: Is it necessary to dichotomize this issue (into textbook or authentic materials)? I see the benefit of using both sources. I can see Karen’s point that when she was a new teacher, she relied on textbooks a lot. I suppose I did that, too, when I was a novice teacher. I do know that as I gained experienced and learned more about teaching, I supplemented the basal lessons with lessons using authentic literature. I mainly used the basals as a scope and sequence guide and then planned lessons using picture and chapter books. We did book and author studies, as well as guided reading and writers’ workshop. My students did book reports and presentations, and they exhibited enthusiasm and motivation in reading and writing. Is it possible to “get the best from both worlds”?

Can this mindset be used for other concepts that we have discussed in class, such as the use of canons in class (as opposed to modern literature) or the role of choice in writing (student versus teacher)? I believe that literary classics have a place in education. They are a reflection of the experiences and thoughts of writers and readers during a particular time period and place. Therefore, we need to remember that literature changes in the context of changing experience and thought. More often than not, it is those works that are considered contextually relevant that gain entry into the canon . This means that the literary work is relevant to ongoing trends or movements in thought and art, or address historical or contemporary events. From this perspective, contemporary literature has its place in education, too.

Regarding the role of choice in writing, once again, I believe that it is not necessary to dichotomize this issue (student or teacher choice). I believe that it is acceptable for the teacher to provide some writing prompts and give his/her students the choice to wither write to the prompt or write on a topic of their own choice.

On a totally unrelated subject, when I read the chapter on Writing and Social Change, I thought of Randy Bomer’s book, //For a Better World: Reading and Writing for Social Action//. I had read it a long time ago and, back then, I realized that most of the writing that I assigned was narrative, and although I “let” my students choose their topics, they still were writing for me (audience), in my genre, and for my purposes. I will definitely discuss this during our in-service at the beginning of this school year.

Week Three Reflection by Cierra Gonzalez

I found today’s presentation by Dr. Barrera to be quite interesting and informative. It is mind blowing to think about all the facets that go into writing from hedges, boosters, and “double voicing”. All three of those terms were new to me, and I am greatly looking forward to reading the Hyland piece when I get the time.

My conception of holding the floor has been updated. Like so many others, I believed that the term meant that someone was speaking. For instance, “Will you please not interrupt me, I’ve got the floor”. To know now that it means others are discussing the topic you introduced has really changed up my perception. Now I am curious about how many times I have held the floor and the number of comments my topic has elicited. If I had a classroom, I think it would be something interesting to observe. For instance, is it always the brightest student that holds the floor most often?

His dissertation work seemed extremely well organized. The amount of data collected from those six sessions was beyond belief. I know that I would feel overwhelmed with so much to analyze if I was in his position. I regret not asking him if he used a program such as Nvivo to code his data or if he solely relied on Excel.

There were a few things said during the second presentation that caught my attention. First, he mentioned that the more you write the better you become at it. I believe this to be true, but this concept applies to other areas as well. Being an athlete, one of my mantras is “practice makes progress”, it’s a generic principle but very true! I am part of a writing club here on campus and it has been recommended that we take some time out of our day to devote to writing. The theory is the same, the more we do it, the better we will become at it.

Next, he noted that the more you read the better writer you become. Nancy Nelson touches on this too in chapter 27 as she presents a nexus of reading and writing. The term nexus is appropriate since it means that there is a connection between the two. Nelson also pointed out that some of what we know about writing comes from reading research and vice versa. I can recall from my intern experience in grade 3 that the best writer was the best reader. Her name was Haley and she was huge fan of Harry Potter. Her writing samples even began to take on characteristics from the series too. She insisted on writing chapters because those are the kinds of books she read. Going through my computer I discovered a recorded interview we did for my literacy project and I even asked her how reading affects her writing. Good thing I made this discovery, because I now realize that this is a topic I have been exposed to and have some first hand research on! I’m excited!

Lastly, he spoke about discourse communities and indicated that you should learn about the discourse community that you are trying to be apart of. I feel that this reiterates the second point mentioned and ties into my research paper of how reading affects writing. The more material you read from a particular discourse community, the writing you produce will begin to take on those qualities. Chapter 27 touches on the notion of discourse community and regards it as “shared assumptions, conventions, and communication forums associated with particular groups” (Nelson, 2008, p. 438). During my recording of Haley she mentions that J.K. Rowling inspires her and that due to her reading those books she now wants to write thick chapter books about wizards. She also mentioned the Twilight Saga and how it has also influenced her to write about vampires. The discourse community Haley is immersed in has impacted her writing style.

Overall, this presentation gave me food for thought in terms of my research paper, the use of negotiation stratagems, and academic writing in general. Also, it goes to show that pursing a Ph.D. is not for the weak or lazy. Six sessions may not seem like a great number of sessions but discourse analysis takes time. Transcribing 10 minutes of a conversation can take an hour if not longer. However, I am still determined to get those credentials in a field I am just as passionate about. Also, I am not a fan of numbers either, so similar to Dr. Barrera, qualitative is the way I will go!


 * Week Three Reflection - Karen Mendoza**

As I sit here reflecting about last week’s material, I cannot help but notice that we are approaching our last week of class. Being jammed packed in a four-week time frame; it feels like a whirlwind of information about writing research. Despite how fast the course moves, I find myself resonating with the content daily, whether through reading, discussion, presentations, or with a guest speaker.

Even a mid-term exam causes one to reflect. I know we moaned and stressed about the essay format mid-term, but it allowed us to show what we were learning and taking away from this course. We had to go one step further and support our claims with examples and provide a personal touch as well. I agree with you that we need a little pressure and to feel some uneasiness about the exam. I know I personally reviewed my notes, wrote some main ideas, and even referred back to a few chapters in order to prepare for the exam. I chose to write about speaking versus writing and persuasive writing. Both of these topics have caused me to reflect on my teaching and think about what I will change in my practice.

Thursday’s class was also a change of pace because Dr. Barrera was our guest speaker. I enjoyed hearing about his findings from his study as well as his academic development talk. Through out the talk of his dissertation, I thought it was interesting how he combined writing into the book talk. His students wrote before they spoke as a group and after the discussion to reflect on the meaning of the book. Writing before allowed students to pose questions about their confusion, self-reflect about the book, and read and respond to different viewpoints when the response sheet was being passed. I wonder how my students would handle this task. While Dr. Barrera’s subjects were motivated, mostly high-achievers, what would happen in a classroom with heterogeneous abilities? I would like to try to add more writing to literature discussions and guided reading groups.

The second part of Dr. Barrera’s talk was focused on academic writing. While I am currently in the masters program without a thesis, I still found immense value in this presentation. I can apply boosters like “clearly,” “obviously,” and “demonstrate” in a research paper. In my notes, I made a star to remind myself to state definitions in my own paper when I write about pre-writing. He offered information that I have never really heard anyone talk about before.

As I prepare for the final week of class, I will take into account what Dr. Barrera said as I compose my research paper. I am interested to learn more about the writing and reading connection. With the school year right around the corner, I look forward to trying new things in my classroom that are a reflection of this class like the history of writing, persuasive writing with a twist, and a speaking versus writing mini-lesson.

Reflection- Week Three ~ Marilyn Wright

The big question I’ve been thinking about lately is: //How should I teach writing?// In reading chapter 19, writing in primary school, I was looking forward to some answers to my question, but unfortunately the author (Pietro Boscolo) did not provide the clear-cut answers I was looking for. All that was mentioned in the chapter that pertains to teaching writing dealt with phonics, whole-language, the process approach, and a blurb of a few other approaches. I know there are other methods that teachers use out there, such as writing workshop, tying in writing to the reading curriculum, or following writing skills through the basal program. I was hoping to learn more in this area because this is a question I’ve been struggling with as a teacher, and the more I’ve learned about writing the more I’ve struggled with it.

I was surprised to see how the process approach to writing has been so heavily criticized, mostly back in the 1990s. According to Boscolo, it was criticized due to lack of teacher involvement, too much student freedom, not enough teaching to genres, voice, and audience, and too much rigidity in following the writing process. I can understand all this, but I also think teachers can take a more active role with this approach to help it become ideal to follow in the classroom. Teachers shouldn’t sit back; students do need to be given some guidelines within the freedom of choosing topics. I don’t think it would be criticized as much today since it seems like many classrooms I read about follow the writer’s workshop format.

Toward the end of chapter 19 Boscolo wrote about teaching genres. I never realized before that there are two ways of teaching genre. In the explicit model, teachers direct-teach a genre and show the kids what the genre consists of. In the social-constructivist model, it relates to time, place, and setting. Students may often write multi-genres. Also, students aren’t told a list of things a genre can include and then told to put that in their writing piece. I was interested to read this second model, and also a bit confused by it. Does that mean teachers don’t explicitly teach genre? Explicitly teaching things does have its place from time to time. With my students, I would model the genre through different read-aloud books from the genre, and in various classroom discussions bring the children to realize the features of various genres. For example, in the nonfiction genre, some features are a table of contents, index, headings, labels, captions, etc. I think it’s important for the kids to know this so they can create good solid writing pieces within the genre. I wouldn’t require students to put in a certain number of features, but to be aware of the features so students can plan their writing as necessary and include the ones that would be appropriate for their writing piece.

Teaching genres is something I’ve been learning about through my research paper. A successful method of teaching genres of writing is to actually use read-aloud books. Read-alouds can provide good models of genre for students to follow and bring the students into discussion over the different features. The multi-genres sounds like a really fun thing to do in writing. This could be great to be tied into history; kids could write nonfiction (facts) about the topic, but also write in the form of a diary, newspaper, etc. I would like to learn more about this!

After reflecting over chapter 19 and this course, I am coming to terms that there is not a simple answer to my question. It depends on so much, such as school resources, the school’s view on writing, the students, and the teacher’s beliefs (just to name a few). I think I know the answer to my question (follow writer’s workshop format), now it’s just figuring out to implement it. As I read in the book Mentor Texts by Dorfman & Cappelli, teachers can’t teach writing in just one year. It takes several years to build a writer. This is why schools play such an important role in writing. Schools should strive to value writing and have all teachers on board with the same attitude. Wouldn’t it be great to see students going from grade to grade, always building on their writing skills? That would be in a perfect world!