Reading the Signs

In Chapter 4 of A Fresh Look at Writing, One point the author made that I found particularly interesting and relevant to my field experience was having the children in younger grades make signs. By understanding the function of a sign, and asking the students to recognize signs they see around them, the teacher is showing the importance of communication through text. Letters and symbols are a means of communicating ideas. This little activity in section 4.3 shows how effective it can be. In my field experience the kindergartners are learning how to write. My case study teacher has done a great job to encourage and actively listen to the students while they work. I found what the article talks about drawing to be very true. For some students, it is the only way they know how to communicate ideas right now. Other students are beginning to match pictures with labels, and some more advanced students are writing sentences. I like how the author mentions “reading my world” as a strategy in writing. Having students relate to personal experiences in their everyday life, and sharing your own stories is a great way to start conversation. Conversation is also a good way to get older students thinking about their writing. The author also mentions the importance having the child listen to themselves. A great time for this is during a conference with a student. In the article it mentions that conferences should be 80 percent talk from the student and 20 percent from the teacher. The point of the conference is to have the children teach you about what they know so you can more effectively guide their learning.

In chapter 7, Conditions for Effective Writing, the author discusses the importance of time and necessary conditions for writing. Having students write every day will keep them in a “constant state of composition.” Having to many gaps between writing and stopping will stunt any growth the child may gain from writing consistently. By organizing the classroom day efficiently for time, more writing will be fit in. This author goes as far to say that the students should walk in the door in the morning and go straight to writing. Another point the author makes is about choice. Having the student pick their own topics and allowing creativity from experience. One example of this is the story about the little girl writing a story about a fox. She was in bed and saw a beam of light come through a crack in her door from the hall light; her cat squinted when the light hit its eyes. At this point she was proactively thinking about her writing and used this experience to spark an idea. It is also mentioned that students need to hear responses from other people than just the teacher. Having peer reviews allows the student to think critically about their piece. A part of this peer review also incorporates a sharing of what they have learned about their own writing. Because I am going to be a future teacher I want to be a good model for my students, create an environment that is comfortable, set up the room efficiently, and most importantly make sure my students are writing at least once a day. This article gave some very interesting insight on how to teach writing, and the possibilities are endless when the students start to live like writers.