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.