My part in the observation process was to observe the physical enviornment-draw a map, notice signs, describe the surroundings, and bring back artifacts. The drawing consisted of the lay-out of tables and booths, front dorr and kitchen door locations, register and counter location, and also where menus and food were displayed. Signs consisted of many different menus as well as a "communication" like bulletin board with community news on it. The coffee shop was located right downtown bloomington on the swuare, surrounded by other small shops. It is a place easy for people to walk to when going to class or work.
Interpretation: I think the activity reflects the writing process of students or any learner. We noticed people saying specific things, or could tell what a person was thinking by expression, and noticed things were placed in a specific way.
Make Connections: I think individual writers have his or own style by saying things in a specific way, setting a particular mood by choice of words or lots of description, and put sentences in a particular order as well.I have learned the writing process through schooling and also just by just having expereince writing before, I was able to make some sort of interpretation of the activity.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Crafting Writers Chap. 1-3,6
I haven't taken the time to really think about how to start to teach writing as a future teacher yet...until I started reading this book. Although I know I need to teach specific basic rules, I feel like I do not know where to begin. Chapters 2 and 3 really helped me to understand "specific crafts" and how to go about identifying them in writing.
I have had plenty of teachers at all grade levels be very general with comments left on my graded writing papers. (such as "needs to be more descriptive") I don't think I ever really learned ways to improve the area the teaching was referring to. The point made in the reading about it being essential to make specific suggestions is something I definitely want to take into consideration when I become an educator. Giving examples, or simply teaching, all kinds of specific crafts will help the students better their writing, as well as asking questions to get them to bring out more details of what they are writing about.
Additionally, I think teaching writing seems difficult at this point in my education career. I am probably most nervous about how to handle those students who are below and above the level they are supposed to be.
In chapter 6, the concept of having students make connections by drawing with their writing is discussed, and I feel it is a great idea to bring into the classroom. I can remember doing such a thing, and even creating whole books, in the first grade. It seemed to make me more enthusiastic about writing, and I hope my students will feel the same way. I would have never thought about specific crafts of drawing until I read the chart on page 84, which I think will be incredibly useful to teach these techniques to students. All the strategies can be turned into better writing.
Overall, I look forward to begin to learn more strategies to teach writing to the best of my ability in my own classroom someday. I think Elizabeth Hale's Crafting Writing K-6 will be a great resource to help me start my first few years of teaching.
I have had plenty of teachers at all grade levels be very general with comments left on my graded writing papers. (such as "needs to be more descriptive") I don't think I ever really learned ways to improve the area the teaching was referring to. The point made in the reading about it being essential to make specific suggestions is something I definitely want to take into consideration when I become an educator. Giving examples, or simply teaching, all kinds of specific crafts will help the students better their writing, as well as asking questions to get them to bring out more details of what they are writing about.
Additionally, I think teaching writing seems difficult at this point in my education career. I am probably most nervous about how to handle those students who are below and above the level they are supposed to be.
In chapter 6, the concept of having students make connections by drawing with their writing is discussed, and I feel it is a great idea to bring into the classroom. I can remember doing such a thing, and even creating whole books, in the first grade. It seemed to make me more enthusiastic about writing, and I hope my students will feel the same way. I would have never thought about specific crafts of drawing until I read the chart on page 84, which I think will be incredibly useful to teach these techniques to students. All the strategies can be turned into better writing.
Overall, I look forward to begin to learn more strategies to teach writing to the best of my ability in my own classroom someday. I think Elizabeth Hale's Crafting Writing K-6 will be a great resource to help me start my first few years of teaching.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Online Blogging vs. Paper and Pencil Writing
It is important to appeal to the interest of students in the classroom. In the case with "The Talkback Project" in Shelbi Witte's article "That's online writing not boring school writing," students were not putting their best efforts into their writing when being assigned the typical paper and pencil writing assignments. Interaction with online blogs; however, was the way students felt they could express their writing and actually enjoyed it.
Personally, I prefer to write with pencil and paper. I think this is because that was the only way I wrote growing up through school, so it seems more comfortable. I have never considered myself very good with technology in general so I tend to not have much interest in it. However, I understand that technology has advanced so much and the new generations of students are more likely to see blogging online as more natural to them.
Incorporating both styles is what I would like to do in my own classroom. Hopefully schools continue to work on bringing in technology into their systems. By being able to provide online writing blogs for students, schools will be providing more opportunity for students to develop technological skills. I feel it is important for students to always have traditional writing skills though as well.
Personally, I prefer to write with pencil and paper. I think this is because that was the only way I wrote growing up through school, so it seems more comfortable. I have never considered myself very good with technology in general so I tend to not have much interest in it. However, I understand that technology has advanced so much and the new generations of students are more likely to see blogging online as more natural to them.
Incorporating both styles is what I would like to do in my own classroom. Hopefully schools continue to work on bringing in technology into their systems. By being able to provide online writing blogs for students, schools will be providing more opportunity for students to develop technological skills. I feel it is important for students to always have traditional writing skills though as well.
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