Think Piece 2

           

            As I read Best Practices in Writing Instruction there were quite a few quotes that really had a significant impact on me.  In chapter one, the author is recalling the classrooms of effective teachers that he observed during part of his research.  He mentions that the most engaging classrooms are those that are overflowing with writing materials and books.  He notes that the classrooms are decorated with student work and pictures.  I could imagine these classrooms in my mind, especially when he wrote, “Soon, each classroom had its own address and ZIP code, and the students were in charge of processing and delivering all interclassroom mail” (Graham, 2007, p. 15).  It reminded me of an environment that was often created in many of my college classes in which my fellow classmates and I talked with one another about our writing and met periodically with professors to brainstorm and improve our ideas.  I realize that the success of my students will not come just from writing instruction, spelling, and grammar.  Students learn and develop their writing skills socially and through teacher modeling, continuous reading, variety in writing purposes, and with encouragement. 

            I also chose to read the article by David Peter Noskin called Teaching Writing in the High School: Fifteen Years in the Making.  He spoke about how his own theories and practices of teaching writing have changed over the years.  He has adapted himself from teaching writing in a linear model to creating a much more reciprocal method for his students and himself as a writer.  Writing is not a one way street of prewriting, writing, revising, and editing.  He spoke of his strong belief that teachers, especially teachers of writing, should practice was they preach; in other words, a teacher needs to model activities and assignments to students in order to ensure their understanding.  I also thought it was helpful when he mentioned providing students with a variety of brainstorming techniques; this way students are aware of the possibilities and can try them out in order to see what works for them during their own thinking and writing.

            Similar to the writers of Best Practices, Noskin also wrote that a classroom should be a learning community in which all members are welcomed and encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas.  The revision process in particular is a stage in writing in which students work with their peers.  Students need to be taught to read their work as an outsider would and welcome their peers to provide them with constructive criticism.  This may be difficult to do at first, however a teacher can model the revision process to the class by using a student’s work and asking the class for help to revise and refine the work.  Over time, their will be a gradual release of teacher responsibility and students will be able to effectively continue on their own. 

My response to my teacher's letter to the class

Bryan,

            I must admit that I was somewhat doubtful as to whether or not this semester would be worth my while.  Last semester I took three classes, two of which, I hate to say, felt almost like a waste of my time.  I did not feel as though I (or any of the students for that matter) got everything that we should have out of the course because it was either unorganized or misdirected “off the beaten path.”  To be honest with you, I was happy to tell people that I was attending Le Moyne College to earn my Master’s degree in Literacy, however I was even happier that that they never asked what that entailed.  I feel as though I did not know enough about the Literacy program to describe it someone.  Class may have just started on Monday, but I can already tell that this semester is going to change what I know and how I feel about this Master’s program.  I knew that this semester would provide me with actual strategies to include reading and writing in my teaching, how to assess students’ reading and writing strengths and weaknesses, and how to better express myself as a writer. 

            I am not sure how to describe myself to someone who knows nothing about me.  I am not quite sure how people judge me when they first meet me.  Most people who know me have told me that I seemed smart, independent, and kind.  I tend to wear my emotions on my sleeve; perhaps this is why I am a terrible liar and avoid doing so.  Other than that, I would have to say that I consider myself a closet dork; a nerd at heart, which I see as a good thing.  Yes, I played sports in high school and college, had lots of friends, and made many appearances on the party scene; I was one of the “cool kids.”  In spite of this, when I am not working or doing any of the previously listed activities, it is likely that you will find me lounging in the sun with a book (or curled up on the couch with a fleece blanky), scrap-booking, or hanging out with Mom; we like House Hunters on HGTV, Wheel of Fortune, and Jeopardy.  I absolutely love the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.  I like to watch Star Wars when I am sick and The Lord of the Rings (extended film version) amazes me every time I see it. 

            You know the kids who ask “what if” questions?  Well, I was one of those kids and unfortunately I never grew completely out of that phase.  To this day I still ask my mom silly hypothetical questions like; “what color would your light saber be if you were a Jedi?”  “Would you rather be a Jedi, a witch, or an elf” (like Legolas)?  My imagination is always working, but it is typically set off by something like a movie, song, or book.  Not much of it seems to stem from my own brain.  My imagination even stretches as far as thinking that I could one day be at the Academy Awards and be a nominee for best original screenplay....the only problem is that I have no idea what I would write about.

            When I was a little girl, I was fascinated by the characters in movies, their ages, their names, and what they did when the camera was not filming that part of their life.  I used to write down mini movie reviews or biographies of the fictional characters for fun.  As I got older that interest didn’t fade, but the writing down of ideas did.  I became busy, as most people do, with school, work, friends, and family obligations.  When I did have free time, I was usually tired and wanted to do something that was mindless or do nothing at all.  Not to sound corny, but I really think that this class is going to help me bring my writing stamina up to par.  Just like running a marathon, you need to build yourself up mile by mile; writing is not so different.  When I entered Canisius College in the fall of 2006, I was not the writer that I am today.  In high school I remember writing creative stories once a month for one of my English classes.  I wrote speeches in Public Speaking, poems and biographies in Writer’s Workshop, book reports and research papers in English, and DBQ’s (Document Based Questions) in Social Studies.  In college I was challenged to write at a higher level.  I wrote too many research papers, analyses, reflections, and annotated bibliographies to recall.  Although they were often times stressful, it made me a better writer.  I quickly got faster at writing them and moved beyond having to do re-writes. 

            So far, I have written in my writer’s notebook.  I am not sure if what I wrote would be called a poem, but it is something.  I am looking forward to the rest of the semester and the opportunity to write and discover new ways to incorporate engaging writing activities in to my own classroom. 

Hannah