Highlights from Chapter 5:
In shared writing, the teacher and students compose collaboratively, the teacher acting as expert and scribe for her apprentices as she demonstrates, guides, and negotiates the creation of meaningful text, focusing on the craft of writing as well as the conventions. p. 83
During shared writing you are holding the pen and guiding rthe writing while acting as an expert for your group of apprentices. p. 84
It's a delicate balance, seeking and validating students' input while at the same time shaping their thoughts in a respectful, collaborative manner. p. 84
Regardless of student age, shared writing needs to be a major part of every writing program.
p. 85
Shared writing helps provide the rich oral language modeling that stimulates literacy development. p. 85
Shared writing is a safe context in which struggling learners can shine. p. 85
We can use shared writing to teach conversation, humor, character development, interesting beginnings - everything authors do. p. 86
Shared writing can take the form of narratives, lists, charts, booklets, poems, pamphlets, newsletters, worksheets, etc. p. 86
Frequent rereading of texts they have taken part in writing is also a terrific strategy for improving the fluency, reading skills, and confidence of developing readers, English language learners, and readers who struggle. p. 87
Interactive writing is a form of shared writing in which the teacher and a student or students share the pen. The student writes the letters he or she can write, the teacher writes the rest.
p. 87
Tried and True Ideas for Shared Writing:
pp. 112 - 118.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Chapter 4 - Raise Your Expectations
Highlights from Chapter 4
Raised expectations mean that students learn what it means to explore writing in depth. p. 54
Competence leads to confidence, which leads to wanting to write. p. 54
It is well documented that minority students as a group experience a curriculum of lowered expectations and less rigor. p. 54
Disadvantaged students just need more instruction: more demonstrations, more shared experiences, and more guided practice in order to become successful independent learners. p. 56
Students achieve faster, more easily and on a higher level when they find the lessons and materials interesting, relevant and challenging. p. 56
Worksheets foster mediocrity. p. 57
Establish school wide expectations for quality. p. 59
If you're reading everything your students write, they're not writing enough. p.65
If we expect it, explain why it is important, demonstrate how to achieve it, and provide time for it, students almost always meet our expectations. p. 68
Students will only feel the "need" to learn something if they see the task as significant. p. 70
Shared demonstration is underused as a powerful teaching context for students of all grades. p. 71
Guided writing is not parallel to guided reading. p. 72
Just as it is necessary to do a great deal of independent reading to become s competent reader, so too is it with writing. p.73
If they are to become excellent writers they have to spend most of a writing lesson composing continuous text, not participating in lessons and activities about writing. p.75
We will rely on shared experiences (such as shared writing) only if we value their worth. Otherwise, we fill our classroom time with other activities. p. 76
Until the student thinks of himself as a writer, no real improvement is possible. p. 80
We can only reach a child when that child senses our genuine caring, respect, and belief in his abilities. p. 81
Listen with your heart as well as your mind, and you will know what to say and do. p. 81
What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail? p. 82
Raised expectations mean that students learn what it means to explore writing in depth. p. 54
Competence leads to confidence, which leads to wanting to write. p. 54
It is well documented that minority students as a group experience a curriculum of lowered expectations and less rigor. p. 54
Disadvantaged students just need more instruction: more demonstrations, more shared experiences, and more guided practice in order to become successful independent learners. p. 56
Students achieve faster, more easily and on a higher level when they find the lessons and materials interesting, relevant and challenging. p. 56
Worksheets foster mediocrity. p. 57
Establish school wide expectations for quality. p. 59
If you're reading everything your students write, they're not writing enough. p.65
If we expect it, explain why it is important, demonstrate how to achieve it, and provide time for it, students almost always meet our expectations. p. 68
Students will only feel the "need" to learn something if they see the task as significant. p. 70
Shared demonstration is underused as a powerful teaching context for students of all grades. p. 71
Guided writing is not parallel to guided reading. p. 72
Just as it is necessary to do a great deal of independent reading to become s competent reader, so too is it with writing. p.73
If they are to become excellent writers they have to spend most of a writing lesson composing continuous text, not participating in lessons and activities about writing. p.75
We will rely on shared experiences (such as shared writing) only if we value their worth. Otherwise, we fill our classroom time with other activities. p. 76
Until the student thinks of himself as a writer, no real improvement is possible. p. 80
We can only reach a child when that child senses our genuine caring, respect, and belief in his abilities. p. 81
Listen with your heart as well as your mind, and you will know what to say and do. p. 81
What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail? p. 82
Chapter 3 - Share Your Writing Life
Highlights from Chapter 3:
We have to see ourselves as writers if we are to teach writing well. p. 35
Staffs that are more collegial and collaborative have higher achievement in writing and reading. p. 36
Snapshot writing - short, personal pieces of writing. p. 38
Regie Routman's Writing Practices list on p. 41
Toni Morrison says: "I write out of ignorance . . . It's what I don't know that stimulates me. I merely know enough to get started." p. 42
Good writers are good readers. p. 43
Classroom writing ideas: p. 43
Top-ten list of favorite books
Book reviews
Book blurbs
Stories
Letters
Author profiles
Keep a notebook - quotations of memorable writing
One of the most powerful ways for students to grow as writers is to watch you write - to observe you plan, think, compose, revise, and edit right in from of them, pretty much off the cuff. p. 45
When you begin to trust what you do as a writer, you will become a better writing teacher. p. 47
We have to see ourselves as writers if we are to teach writing well. p. 35
Staffs that are more collegial and collaborative have higher achievement in writing and reading. p. 36
Snapshot writing - short, personal pieces of writing. p. 38
Regie Routman's Writing Practices list on p. 41
Toni Morrison says: "I write out of ignorance . . . It's what I don't know that stimulates me. I merely know enough to get started." p. 42
Good writers are good readers. p. 43
Classroom writing ideas: p. 43
Top-ten list of favorite books
Book reviews
Book blurbs
Stories
Letters
Author profiles
Keep a notebook - quotations of memorable writing
One of the most powerful ways for students to grow as writers is to watch you write - to observe you plan, think, compose, revise, and edit right in from of them, pretty much off the cuff. p. 45
When you begin to trust what you do as a writer, you will become a better writing teacher. p. 47
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