Tuesday, January 5, 2010
What good writers do
Our first topic for the blog goes along with the Try It/Apply It section of the agenda from Wednesday's meeting (1/6/10). Please take a moment to comment on what you found when you asked your students about their beliefs on learning to write. As discussed, do not make a new post, but add a comment to this post, so we can keep some organization to our blog. Thanks!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I was actually pleased with the responses I received from my students about what good writers do. The list they gave sounds pretty much like the things we work on everyday (not that they do them though). Here are some of the things they said:
ReplyDelete-Rereads their writing
-Always start with a topic sentence
-Always have supporting sentences
-Always have an ending sentence
-indent
-lot's of details
-neatness
Hi Shawn-Yes, techno Deb finally did it!! I'm anxious to hear the response of my students regarding the writing process. We'll see....
ReplyDeleteI was a bit disappointed in my students comments about what good writers do. What is interesting is the comments that came up have to do with things they aren't doing (and which they probably keep hearing me say they need to do). There weren't a lot of comments regarding the things they already do - come up with ideas, write about things we know, etc. For better or worse, here's their list:
ReplyDelete-Sit quietly and listen
-Write neatly
-Read it over again to see if it makes sense
-Make sure word wall words are spelled correctly
-Make sure there is punctuation
-Make sure there are capitals at the beginning of sentences
-Add details
-Write during writing time
-Before you start writing, have a plan
-Make sure all names and days of week have capital letters
-Add a title
-Write name and date at top
-Indent at the beginning of a paragraph
-Sound out words
Each time I attempt this posting the comments are getting shorter! Hopefully now that Shawn has enlightened me on this blog thing I will be successful!
ReplyDeleteI asked the students two questions. The first one was "What do good writers do?" Here are their responses:
-reread
-give details to create pictures
-use capitals and ending marks
-sentency fluency
-good word choice
-no birdwalks
-hook the reader
-wrap it up
Which I find it interesting that the students could make a decent list for what good writers do but do not put it into practice.
The second question I asked was "What is your belief about you learning to write?" and the responses to that are as follows:
-It's hard to do it all at once
-show a movie about writing once in awhile like
science and social studies so we can understand
it
-go slower to make it easier
The second part explains why the students struggle with writing...It is hard for them!
When asked about what writers do, my students certainly listed all those things I have taught in my mini lessons.
ReplyDeleteuse capitals
indent
use details
use complete sentences
use periods, question marks, and exclamation marks at the end of sentences
write a good ending
revise
Now if they would just do those things......
The best part was when we talked about their beliefs or feelings about writing.
You have to think before you write.
Writing is good for your mind, it exercises your mind.
You can put your feelings into your writing.
Writing is fun, exciting because you can make your own stories.
It is hard to think about what to write.
Writers never give up and are never done.
You have to pull the person in that is reading your writing.
I think this last comment sums it all up.....
It's hard because you have to do all that stuff.
My First Graders Responses were as follows:
ReplyDeleteGood Writers:
Use periods, and commas
put ideas down in a sketch
make the writing match the sketch
have titles
write neatly
use Word Wall words
use spacing
use details
"When you're done you've just begun"
My kids started with the most recent information taught then quickly regressed to editing. One student broke away and they all talked about writer's craft once they had the idea.
ReplyDeleteCatch the reader's attention
Have good punctuation and capital letters
End with a wish or feeling
Write neatly
Use complete sentences
Have good word choice
Use a big potato or question lead
Put details in your sentences
Draw illustrations the match the meaning
Reread your story to make sure it makes sense
Cross things out to add something better
Have a b-m-e
Keep a sequence
Stay on topic
I watched/listened to Deb's class doing this activity. It is interesting to see that their responses are mainly about conventions, while older grade levels are about conventions, but also about writers craft and "bigger ideas." So although students might not be USING this growing knowledge of writing, we as teachers are at least expanding their knowledge of what good writers do as they grow older.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's interesting to read that others are finding their students' responses reflect what they have been taught in mini-lessons, even if they aren't yet following through with those ideas and conventions in their own work. I was hesitant at first to ask my first graders what good writers do, because I wasn't sure I would get anything! I was pleasantly surprised at some of the following responses:
ReplyDeleteLeave space
Do not write words sloppy
Add words to make it make sense
Zoom in on 1 little story
Write about something that really happened to you
Have a capital letter at the front
Take their time
Write a picture before you write
Don't stop and talk to your friends
When you're done, think like you've jut begun
Put a period at the end of a sentence, or a ? or!
Stay focused and think
Don't copy others' stories
My list looked like this:
ReplyDelete-Make a plan
-Use six-traits of writing
- Edit writing
- Stay on topic
- good details - writer can visualize
- strong lead - hook the reader
- revise - make it better!
- Reread writing - make sure it makes sense
- good ending
The also brought up the traits individually - but I just wrote them as use six traits. The thing that I am noticing is that they have ideas on what to do to be a good writer, but they have a hard time implementing them. I was just reading a writing piece this weekend and I was noticing that not much was different between the rough drafts and their final drafts - even with peer conferences and conferences with me. The suggestions that they were given - were not changed in their stories. I'm not sure if they are unsure of how to make their writing better or if they just don't want to put in the work.
I was pleased with my responses. They came up with 24 solid things that good writers do. Here are a few:
ReplyDelete*Narrow the topic
*Use interesting words
*Make your writing make sense
*Edit and revise all the time
*Make sure writing is in correct order
*Write about what you know
Things that I am constantly chatting, lecturing, demanding, etc... with my students came out in their responses:
ReplyDelete-use small moments
-details, details, and more details
-punctuation
-capitals
-use of dialogue
-use good leads
-use similies
Sorry.... I got lost in report cards and 2 days at KISD about how to get kindergartners writing. I'll ask soon and get back to you on this.
ReplyDelete