Poetry Lesson Plan

Please visit links under downloads to view poetry lesson plan, poetry invitation, "I Poem" rubric, and poerty project reflection.

Chapter 13 Best Practices

At one time I thought I had posted my comments on this chapter. Apparently, I was wrong...

Chapter thirteen really "spoke" to me as an English teacher. I truly enjoy teaching the writing process. However, there seems to be so little time for it in a semester course. On page 267 the authors states how ideally "every teacher, across all grades and subjects, should incorporate writing as an integral part of instruction because writing reveals thinking..." This quote incorporates my feelings on this subject. Writing is a critical source of information. When I read a student's paper, journal, or homework I feel a connection. I don't think a teacher of any other subject area can learn so quickly the intimate feelings of a child. However, each writing assignment does require patience and much time. A novice writer should not feel pressure; it takes years for a person to develop his/her own style and voice. Ironically, this is opposite of what the State Department of Education expects. Therefore, we as educators must aid our students in developing their skills.

Research tells us that students must always "write to learn," and in a world of multiple choice exams, this can be difficult. On pages 270-271 the scenarios involving Samuel and June demonstrate how students can display their knowledge in various ways. Samuel, for instance, could not record his answers on paper. Yet, the teacher was able to prompt his discourse on his baby sister. June's teacher can ask her critical thinking questions to determine comprehension before formal writing begins. Teachers must be willing to find alternate forms of assessment.

I find assessing student writing to be my least favorite part of the process. I do not feel uncomfortable in a writing conference, yet I wonder how my judgement will affect the student. As a result, I have found assessing both the product and the process to be extremely beneficial as described on page 268. Students should receive acknowledgement for each step of the process. For the struggling writer "getting there" is half the battle. Again, on page 269 the authors reiterate the significance of an authentic task. In addition, the student must receive feedback and valid assessment in order for the task to have any academic merit. This is why I enjoyed the multigenre project. There are so many options and assessment can range from reading the reflection, listening to the presentation, or reviewing the artifacts. The assignment has meaning for the individual. This is exactly how Martin felt when the author(s) asked him about the Chicago Bulls (pgs. 274-275). He could use appropriate vocabulary and read complex articles when it suited him! The text had to be purposeful and "real."

What can the classroom teacher do to determine adequate assessment for each child? First, I feel the teacher must determine the difference between testing and assessment. Second, one must gage his/her classroom and the dynamics. What I have successfully done with one group does not necessarily work with another. Third, the authors suggest allowing the students to have some type of peer collaboration on assignments. This technique can work, but it takes excessive modeling. The teacher must be structured and thoroughly explain each child's duty. This takes so much time and practice, practice, practice! Finally, the chapter discusses utilizing rubrics and their worth. However, the instructor must carefully decide which components are essential to measure the student's work.

Overall, I feel this chapter did not present any "new information" to me. However, it did make me realize educators everywhere recognize the significance of writing. More importantly, the chapter highlights what one must do to guide a young writer to success.

Chapter Seven Best Practices

I agree with the author when he stated that "revising is a way to learn about the craft of writing" (141). Unfortunately, students feel revision is merely correcting the editing marks and submitting a clean copy. However, revision is the most complex step in the writing process. It requires the author to effectively communicate with the audience by developing and clarifying the information. The author must decide if the quality being presented is coherent. If not, one must rewrite the content. Hopefully, the focus on revision will carry over to the next assignment. How does one teach students to evaluate their own papers? How can a teacher keep students from repeating the same mistakes on future assignments?

"Teachers who write" should establish high expectations for students during the revision phase of the writing process. To me, editing should include whole group lessons, paired student activities, and teacher conferences. Editing should not be exclusively centered on grammar and mechanics. The content of the paper should be critically examined and read by several different individuals. Feedback is crucial if the author is to correct any lapses in writing. On page 142 the author stated that "secondary school levels generally do little substantive revising." The proficient writer will see the purpose of revising as he/she writes; however, struggling writers only seem to make minor changes. The author gives many scenarios and ideas for enabling all students to demonstrate proficiency in this area. However, each one requires the teacher to model "think alouds" extensively. The teacher must provide opportunities for the students to observe how begin the revision process. By utilizing rubrics, students also get the opportunity to see how their paper will be assessed. Again, the teacher must explain the components to the students before they begin to evaluate their own papers.

I liked how the chapter primarily focused on the clarity and comprehensibility of student papers. On page 146 the peer revising activity proved to be a worthwhile approach. The students focused on the paper until there was a problem with content. The teacher instructed the editor to ask the author for clarification first. Then the editor and author discussed how to properly correct the paper. I liked the teamwork approach. Students often respond better to a peer offering constructive criticism. The teacher would have to carefully demonstrate how to approach the individual.

I would often take old papers and retype certain sections. I would place the paper on the overhead and have the students "talk through" the content problems. Many students are especially sensitive concerning their writing. I tried to make my students see revision as a way to improve. Personal attacks on writing are not allowed (although I had to deal with this one time).

The sample instructional examples provided me with new ideas for approaching writing. On pages 155-160, the teacher showed a variety of steps in order to achieve success with persuasive writing. As a former tenth grade teacher, I found this type of paper very difficult to teach to struggling writers. It was difficult to teach the students to expand their thoughts. Often, I would receive papers like the sample on page 157. Attempting to teach a counterargument became frustrating for some. My students could not predict their "opposition." Therefore, I liked the evaluation strategy described on page 155. His rubric was very simplistic; it's easy for the students to rate their partner. At the bottom of 156 it stated how the teacher did the think aloud and highlighted the position, reasons, and refutations. As he highlighted each section of the paper, he analyzed whether each portion was effectively written. I thought how effective it would be if the students highlighted their own papers. Visually, students could see if there was enough supporting evidence. As a result, the students knew specifically what to revise.

I feel one reason this eighth teacher was successful was due to the type of topics the teacher selected. Our RE5130 class has discussed how writing must be authentic. The teacher selected the topic of smoking in a public facility. Any type of contraversial topic will spark an opinion at this age. If students see the assignment is meaningful, they will spend more time revising their content to ensure they are understood correctly. The teacher was also successful because he had the assistance of his team partners. Writing across the curriculum is a necesssity. It is not the sole responsibility of the English teacher. Therefore, his partners could reinforce the techiques he introduced.

I also agree that students will benefit more by evaluating papers from another class. One teacher in our department assigns a number to each student. All papers are typed and the number is placed in the corner instead of the name. This anonymity helps the students focus on the assignment. Many students do not feel comfortable critiquing their peers.

Students can learn to revise if the teacher makes this part of the writing routine. Whether it is in the form of a workshop or with a partner, students must be given explicit instructions before they begin. Otherwise, this step becomes meaningless. The teacher must remember this essential step will improve the overall quality of the writing. Lastly, it can help promote the publication stage which is oftentimes forgotten.

Multigenre Reflections

I cannot begin to express how impressed I was with the multigenre presentations tonight. I always find activities like this intriguing. Everyone receives the same assignment, yet the diversity of topics is always interesting. The individuals in my group selected topics which were so heartfelt and sincere. For example, Holly's project on Ada Byron Countess was refreshing. I never would have thought about investigating a person/topic that I didn't enjoy! As a result, she investigated this lady's life and now has an appreciation for the pioneer of the modern day computer. Toni's choice of displaying the internal struggle of Donnie McClurkin through the interpretive dance was more effective than anything she could have articulated. To me, this was more meaningful because she read, choreographed, and immersed herself in the life of this person. Every intricate movement directly correlated to an event in his life. How creative!

Tonight, I witnessed students actually enjoying their project and literally glowing with excitement. Heather's face was one of pure joy when she described her experience with the loggerhead turtles. With her background in Environmental Science, she had the opportunity to share her passion with us. I learned about ecosystems and how man is contributing to their demise. The two ladies-Kari and Mary both took the assignment and created a memoir. Their raw emotions truly gave me insight to topics such as Ellis Island and tuberculosis. They have inspired me to learn more about these subjects. The products keep the audience's attention and make history literally come "alive." Students such as Caroline has learned and enjoyed studying about the Civil War. She has a personal connection because it's an authentic, relevant assignment. This is what our students also want. The fact that this project is one of self- selection makes the student want to read and research even more!!

It's really nice to work on an assignment that is productive, informative, and not "busy work. " I did have a hard time trying to balance school and this assignment. However, I feel like the work was purposeful and I have a product I can actually use. I don't know when I can incorporate the product into my own classroom. Nonetheless, I now have new ideas to present to my students such as the poetry. It is my sincerest hope that my students will one day enjoy this paper. I certainly did!

Wordless Picture Books

Wordless picture books is a new concept to me. Therefore, I really enjoyed the two articles on how to implement these into the classroom. I definitely see the advantages to having these books in an ESL classroom. However, this is also an ideal approach for those students who do not demonstrate adequate oral storytelling skills. Initially, I was surprised that some students in preschool and kindergarten would struggle to describe an event. Then I realized the importance of reading with children at home may not be emphasized at all. By allowing students to create their own stories based on these book, he/she feels a sense of ownership and pride in their product. I firmly believe a "first" positive writing experience will lead to future success.

The Cassady article in particular focused on the teacher's role with wordless picture books. The author emphasized the importance to make the experience nonthreatening and to allow the younger children to speak "naturally." This is something I would not have considered. We teachers often correct grammar and spelling automatically. Second, the emphasis on allowing the students to determine what's in the pictures would be difficult for me. I would find it hard to not voice my opinion of asked.

The Cassady article also demonstrated uses of these books in middle school in such subjects as social studies. I have read the bibliography, but would love some additional books I could use with my students. If anyone has a list or internet site, I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Chapter 3 Best Practices

Although I have never taught writing on the elementary level, I am constantly surprised at the similarities in a high school writing class and a class of younger writers. When I taught sixth grade, I was always looking for techniques to help the various writing needs of the students within my room. How do you accommodate the student who cannot transmit his ideas on paper? (pg. 52). In contrast, there's the student who enjoys writing (pg. 51). This type of student has a wealth of life experiences, usually enjoys reading, and can create a story with a full plot structure. Generally, most of the students demonstrate proficiency, yet need consistent feedback. This is a difficult task in a room of 25+ and no one to help. Therefore, I felt the ideas in Best Practices were extremely appropriate.

One of the first prompts I always assigned in middle school was a narrative to assess writing. Many still struggled with the beginning, middle, and end. There would be a "bare bone" plot structure and oftentimes there was no elaboration. Again, this is a similarity to high school writing. Students will state facts, yet not fully develop their ideas. Students assume the reader can identify with their experience. As a result, this leads to incoherence. This is why I personally liked the concept of the "comic strip." This approach is less intimidating for the struggling writer. This storytelling approach is fun and sparks more creativity. To me, this is a type of pre-writing... Students can then "read" their story to another student, teacher, or assistant. If the sequence does not "flow," additional frames can be added.

The icons over the frames reminds the students to fully develop the character or the internal/external conflicts of the character. The "superglue" words is an interesting approach to help students create compound sentences. For example, on the seventh and tenth grade writing test, the evaluators are looking for sentence variety- simple, compound, complex, compound-complex. I would find this very difficult to explain to younger children. This will allow them to slowly develop a more sophisticated style/writer's craft.

Although I liked the idea of story cards, I think there are more effective ways to prompt writing. Wordless Picture Books might initiate an interest which may lead the student to fully compose an original piece. Personally, I was always frustrated with the student who stated he/she had nothing to write about. Hopefully, this could serve as an alternative. We have also talked in class about the importance of student journals. One episode can help with the plot structure since it's a true experience. Lastly, the children's storybooks is always an alternative. I have utilized these with my tenth graders in the past. Once they get over the initial shock that's a storybook, most enjoy this alternative.

One thing that did surprise me about the chapter was the researchers chose to utilize "trickster tales" to determine student assessment in story composition. I thought this was a very difficult unit to present to struggling writers. I assume a teacher would not begin with such intricate pieces. Not all students will grasp the concept of a "trickster" as evidenced on page 66. The story was not on topic and totally illogical. The teacher would have to do an intense study with considerable scaffolding and plenty of modeling. The story plot sheet was very similar to a sheet that I composed years ago. I primarily used it with my struggling writers; however, this is a tool which is beneficial to all children. A teacher could conduct a writing conference with the student just to check the plot sheet. This would give the instructor an idea if a student needs intervention or not.

Finally, I liked how the authors of Best Practices regard writing rubrics. I feel it's more of a "check list" for the student to determine if all essential information has been included. However, it's frequently used as a grade (hence, the North Carolina Writing Test). All of these ideas are practical and can easily be implemented with considerable dedication on the behalf of the teacher.

Writing Without Boundaries Chapter Six

Chapter six was extremely informative concerning how to properly assess the multigenre project. In my own classroom I am an advocate of rubrics and frequently utilize the rubric star site. In elementary school I vividly recall receiving letter grades on assignments. Yet, I never knew how the teacher determined the point value. Therefore, as an instructor I always present a rubric in order to alleviate worries concerning what constitutes "A" work, "B" work, etc. In addition, it has helped me become more efficient at handling the paper load.

Very rarely though do students have the opportunity to defend their project. This is what I personally like about the multigenre paper. The teacher can record strengths and weaknesses, but the child writes a reflection piece. This allows the teacher to see what the student considered the most valuable aspect to the project. Hopefully, the teacher will take any student feedback and restructure the process if needed.

I appreciate how the authors described the eight principles of classroom-based literacy assessment to prove the merit of multigenre writing. Unfortunately, some administrators may not understand how this one assignment encompasses our English Standard Course of Study. It's effects are far reaching. Yet, it looks oddly "out of place" in a classroom where multiple choice questions take precedent. On page 106 the authors state how this project is ongoing, authentic, collaborative, and allows students to move from their strengths. No worksheet can substitute for this type of assessment. I've sat in numerous workshops where the emphasis is on individualizing assignments for students. Not only can the teacher adjust the expectations for each student (pgs. 122-121), but the teacher will have documentation to prove a student has demonstrated proficiency in a content area.

Students create their own voice and combine genres to determine the most effective ways to communicate. However, a teacher must still instruct students in the "proper way" to address the writing test in fourth, seventh, and tenth grade. Without adequate preparation, students are being "set up" to fail. The authors recognize the teacher accountability which is truly ironic according to this chapter. Although documentation proves this approach will help with writing scores, younger writers still need explicit instruction in tested grades. Otherwise, the state will decide the child does not have adequate writing skills.

The multigenre paper has numerous purposes, but using it as a "portfolio assessment" is extremely beneficial. Students have the opportunity to defend what pieces they selected; therefore, the teacher truly gains an insight about the student's thinking. In addition, this feedback will enable the teacher to improve the project for the next endeavor. With proper implementation and careful daily reflection from the teacher, this assignment will reveal multiple facets to each child's way of thinking. This can only lead to higher critical thinking skills which is a necessity for mastery of any subject area. The benefits greatly outweigh any possible disadvantages.