Some things I don't want to forget

1. Wordless books activity
2. Keep writing myself
3. Status of the class
4.Chalk Talk
5.Make writing more meaningful through choices
6.Poetry as therapy
7.Make conferencing better through questioning

One Liners

Kiwi

Soft, succulent flesh, smells like spring rain.

Banana Handle

A festive hat for a mouse.

I Am From (with thanks to George Ella Lyon) - Digital Story

http://www.screencast.com/t/a1YBZn892vz


I did it! (With Shiao-wei's help :) - Thank you!)

Where I'm From

I am from…

I am from two dogs in the window

Awaiting my return and the big comfy chair

Where we all find refuge, from the towering ponderosas

And the lounge chair facing the sun.

I am from the scent of garlic in the air,

From dinner simmering in the crock pot.

I am from bright orange poppies and deep red lilies,

From the pines in the forest and the hooting of owls.

I am from the young maple tree not quite as tall as the house

whose limbs will someday support the weight of grandchildren.

I’m from a broken home rebuilt as two, from Christmas Eve at one

And Christmas Day at the other.  I’m from booming family dinners

And quiet conversations, from cherishing just being together.

I’m from “sweet pea,” “precious” and “little Maxi,”

From sticky fingers and stomping red boots.

I’m from family dinners on Sunday of pot roast, gravy and mashed potatoes.

I’m from the Great Falls of the Missouri,

From the windmills of Holland, from a little town in Germany,

And the castles of England, Scotland and Ireland. 

I am from memories, stored in photos

 Buried like treasure

 In boxes, in albums, under the bed, under the dresser,

Decorating the walls and fridge,

Tattooed forever on my heart.

With thanks to George Ella Lyon

My Top 10 Thoughts on Revision

10.          You have to actually write something to revise.

9.            The first draft is shitty – revise it. 

8.            The second draft is only a little better – revise it.  Unless you are a “one-drafter” (Blasted      Harris article!).    

7.            You can actually revise in your head, but at some point you have to commit it to writing.

6.            You may need to commit yourself, too.

5.            Don’t fall in love with anything in your first draft.  Again, unless you are a “one-drafter.”

4.            It’s never too soon to revise.

3.            Remember your audience – it’s not all about you.

2.            Maybe it is all about you – then you don’t have to revise because only you will read it.

1.            You can revise forever, so sometimes you just have to say “the end.”

What They Could Do

(Dedicated to Maggie and Max)

Gather friends like bouquets of flowers, nurture them,

Carry the chair as heavy as you, straight up the stairs,
Scale my body and land in my unsuspecting arms,
Offer fashion advice,
Accomplish anything,
Share hopes, dreams, your life with me.

Stomp around in your little red boots,

Refuse to eat your vegetables,

Build intricate, mind-blowing lego structures,

Replace an alternator,

Hug me just when I need it,
Invite me into your life.

Push the boundaries to their limit,

Expand my thinking,  Spend my money,
Fight over music and the front seat,
Warm my heart with your smiles.

With thanks to Elizabeth Holmes for “What She Could Do”

What’s Right About Writing – Response to Linda Rief Article

I agree that in order to be good teachers of writing, teachers need to think about their own beliefs about writing and how those beliefs transfer into classroom practice.  That’s why I love taking literacy classes because it gives me the opportunity to look at research and make educated decisions about how I teach.  It’s my responsibility then to take my classroom experiences and learn from them, adjusting my teaching as needed. 

Teachers also need to be writers themselves because it helps them “understand what we are asking our students to do” (p.38).  By writing themselves, teachers understand that the writing process is not a linear process to be taught step by step, but rather is it a recursive process where writers can think critically throughout their writing. 

  In order to succeed as writers, students need to read a variety of texts and genres.  They should be provided with opportunities to read examples of any type of writing they are expected to create.   According to Linda Rief, “writing is reading.”  Many schools have put writing on a back burner to focus more on reading, but to be strong readers, students also need to be strong writers. 

“Writers need constructive response” (p.33).  Students benefit greatly from effective conferencing.  Asking questions encourages students to think about their own writing and decide whether or not they’ve succeeded in getting their meaning down on paper.  Pointing out what’s right and meeting with the student throughout his/her writing rather than only at the end provides immediate feedback which helps students grow as writers.

Writing is a critical component not only for language arts, but it should also be integrated into all areas of the curriculum.  It requires students to use higher order thinking skills to clarify and organize their thoughts.  When students write about a subject, they must think about what they know and what they don’t know about it before they can write about it.  This process helps them to solidify what they know. 

Writer’s workshop offers opportunities for kids to write daily.  It provides a structure where kids can explore and practice their writing abilities.  Mini-lessons provide a focus, and students are given time each day to practice their writing about topics that are meaningful to them.  Writing allows students to create, imagine, voice their opinions, work through their wonderings and feelings, and think about themselves and the world around them.  I agree with Rief that “if we want children to become adults who are articulate, literate, and thoughtful citizens of the world, they must learn to think deeply and widely” (p.35). Writing allows them to do that.