By April 13, 2012
- What ideas did you get from this chapter for using real-world writing in your classroom? Is there a particular idea you might integrate in your own class? Did the chapter serve as a springboard for what you might try?
- Post a reaction to each comment (there are 7 members in our group), so you will be commenting on each person's post.
As the other chapters, there are plenty of ideas I would love to try in the classroom. I love that Gallagher starts small and really pulls apart, or demystifies, the text. Getting students to see how writers work at their craft in a way that makes sense to kids is a wonderful start. I also loved the parallel to sports players. It makes so much sense to equate the act of writing to emulating a sports player by imitating style until one's own is created.
ReplyDeleteAs far as revising and editing, I have done this in a circle before but love the RAGs idea with numbers/code words. When I have done this, I have had students focus on what to point out that needs revision instead of looking at what's best and verbalize why this is the case. This really gets kids to have more critical conversations about the text instead of feeding into or hurting egos. There are so many rich ideas one can pull if kids when focusing on what is best in a piece and figure out how to fit their own writing into what is seen as quality writing. As Gallagher points out, this process really clues students into what should be happening rather than what is not or what is incorrect.
I also connected with the sports analogy.
DeleteI liked the idea of showing students real world examples as models for their writing; specifically starting students out with food and movie reviews. This is an idea I would be willing to try. I thought it was especially useful to go through paragraph by paragraph and pull apart what information the author chose to include. This will make it much easier for students to actually use the sample as a guide for their own writing.
ReplyDeleteI also really liked the RAG (Read-Around Groups). I've never heard of this before, but would like to try it. I like that it holds up the best examples rather than having students focus on trying to "correct" each other’s drafts. Students often have difficulty finding errors on peer’s drafts, which is why I like the RAG. It allows a class discussion to start about what makes good writing, which may also hold students more accountable for participating.
The RAGs definitely go deeper than just surface corrections.
DeleteTried to submit a response, but my connection timed out, so here is what I remember. Yes – I’m “that student.” Lucky for you, this is the abridged version.
ReplyDeleteKG should work for the Phillies. Chapter after chapter, he continues to hit it out of the park! The value of authentic, real-world writing opportunities in conjunction with modeling should be part of every classroom. And the progression of restaurant reviews to movie reviews to magazine article reviews makes total sense. And hopefully encourages the kids to write passionately!
First of all, he combats the hackneyed student mantra of “I don’t know what to write” with his Soma Café review. Personally, I think it’s important that the student writes his own restaurant review first. I sometimes struggle with how much support I should give students. I don’t want to stifle their voice and personality with rigidity and requirements. Yet, we all know that’s a part of any classroom. So – getting back to it - Jesus writes his own review and then augments it after having seen and outlined the model. That way, the student product is organic at its core and then he “quadruples his development” as KG says. FYI – I think it’s really important that the students had to label each of the 8 –Sections as part of the exercise. It requires them to think critically about the sample instead of just trying to copy it.
But Jon, we love to hear your musings :)
DeleteStudents tend to fall apart when not enough requirements are given for assignments. Yet I find it ironic that when I do spell it all out they do poorly because they don't meet all the points. Modeling seems like it would result in balance.
I agree that modeling supports student writing in the classroom. I also like having students label each section; I agree with Jon it does require critical thinking, too. I find that the NYTimes Front magazine--we have copies that go back several years in the library--is a good source for showing students writing samples.
DeleteI agree with the hands-on instruction. I like the basket ball free-throw example. However, what if some students come with little or no background. I currently teach a population that is very limited, some are non-readers. The non-readers are seniors. At this time of year, getting them to read or write anything is not possible. Their grades do not matter to them. In fact, forget the writing. I would just like them to be able to read a recipe. They are going to have to read and write for their final project. I am at a loss at this point. The blog is a nice idea but I am missing the conversation that is generated by our meetings.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that I don't teach seniors...
DeleteLinda--it is true--good readers become good writers. . it goes hand in hand. And, yes, the opposite is true--if you aren't a reader, there is a very good chance you are not a writer. I always tell the students the SAT's are biased--towards readers.
DeleteActually, reading a recipe is authentic reading & they still can't do it. . .
With the premise, that increasing reading will generally result in increase writing, which in turn will produce quality writing; I thought that some of the techniques outlined in the chapter would be beneficial to increasing student writing skills. It just seems that length in writing is the key, to promote quality writing. Also, it appears that utilizing the Read-Around-Group, (RAG), would be very successful in promoting good writing, because it places the students in a less stressful atmosphere, thus enabling them to relax, learn and try to implement some of the features gained in the group session.
ReplyDeleteI particularly liked the use of student numbers instead of names in the RAG strategy.
DeleteIf I asked my Academic kids "how long is a piece of string?” as Gallagher does, we would never progress to the writing as they would be trying to figure out the answer for the rest of the period.
ReplyDeleteI personally connected with Gallagher's conclusion that students who read the most are better writers. I consider myself a pretty good writer (for a science person haha) - and I attribute that to my love of reading.
“Aliterate" - never heard that before and it describes many of my students.
I loved the idea of having students write a restaurant review – how relevant and novel! Having them write a first draft before giving them a real review makes a lot of sense – I bet this process helps them discover their existing notions about the components of a restaurant review. Identifying the topic in each section of the expert review and then applying this to revising their own draft is genius. I use models of writing but not in this way (sadly, I’ve been using the Grecian Urn technique). I can see this being implemented in biology lab reports…. write a conclusion, view an expert lab conclusion from a science journal, identify the components and apply it as they rewrite their first draft.
Movie reviews could be magically transformed into a unit/lesson review. I agree with Gallagher that students have the most trouble just starting to write. If they were to use Ebert’s reviews and start off with some sarcasm as they were recapping the lesson it may motivate them! They could start with, “bring a pillow with you to class this week – you’re gonna need it” or a question such as “when am I ever going to need to know this?” or humor such as “I knew I was in trouble when I came to with about 2 minutes left in the period.”
Gallagher implies that students will not be reading science textbooks as adults but is hopeful that students will read books and magazines. For magazines, students could use Science Daily as a real-world model.
RAGs seem to take a long time and may not be beneficial at the Academic level because there will be a lack of attention to detail. I bet they would select the one that’s the longest. In addition, science lab conclusions are highly structured, so unless there would be a choice of lab experiments (which there sometimes are), the students would be reading the same thing over and over. Plus, many IEPs require the provision of sentence starters which make the pieces of writing more alike than different. I’ll have to think about this one more.
Christy-
ReplyDeleteMy appologies, for some reason it would not let me reply directly to your post. Anyway...
When you focus on revision while doing the RAGs, do you give the students specfic things to be looking for? Are they basing their critiques off of a rubric? I was just wondering if they have difficulty knowing where to start. Was this successful when you tried it? I would like to try it in my classroom.
Natalie-
ReplyDeleteAgain, my apologies for some reason it will not let me directly reply to your post.
You wrote, "Gallagher implies that students will not be reading science textbooks as adults but is hopeful that students will read books and magazines. For magazines, students could use Science Daily as a real-world model."
I think Gallagher is totally wrong here. I think most of the reading adults have to do in the work world is much more like a science text than any kind of pleasure or magazine reading, which is why it is important that they can read and write technical materials. Which is why I think it's great that so many non-English teachers have taken an interest in helping their students to become better writers.
I also agree with you that at the remedial level which I also teach, students would be reading very similar writing topics. However, I my classroom, I thought this might make it interesting for them to see how someone can still make their writing unique, even if their given the same topic.
Linda-
ReplyDeleteSorry, still won't let me reply directly to your post.
You wrote, "However, what if some students come with little or no background." I have this same problem in my remedial reading courses. The students have very little background knowledge about most of the topic we read about. This is why I start out every unit or short story with background building activities (short videos on the topic, photos, news information, lectures). I think this is where the author's ideas of showing students samples and analyzing the samples before they even try to write their own is so key. Showing them these examples and modeling the process, even for something as simple as reading or writing a recipe can take just a few minutes, but will give students some of the background knowledge they lack.
And I agree with Natalie; it must be so tough to teach seniors at this time of year, especially with this unseasonably warm weather. Good luck to you.
Jacki, I loved the RAGS too! Many times students are uncomfortable in their own writing conduct an effective peer review. This takes this idea of peer review to a degree of figuring out what works instead of constantly looking at what does not.
ReplyDeleteJoe, you hit the nail on the head with length. Keeping it short and sweet is key to getting students to focus on description.
ReplyDeleteNatalie,
ReplyDeleteWhile reading your whole comment, I had your structured lab report in my head. I remember you talking about that at our last face-to-face meeting. Is there a way to incorporate this into your blog reading/writing assignments? Just a thought.
When I read about RAGS, I was actually thinking about the academic level with some hope. They are always ready to hear and talk about what they did incorrectly/wrong. I was wondering if we could get them to start more positively, would it make a difference. So much in education is done painstakingly with them. Maybe if they had a chance to step back and see what went well, they would start to gain an idea of where their strengths are. Just a thought...too utopian???
Jacki, in a very general way yes I did try this out but not at all like KG's model. I sat in a circle with 3-5 students. One time the group read the paragraph out loud and then people talked about what they liked about it. Because of time later, the next class read their own and wrote in the likes in the left margin and the needs in the right. I gave them a little guidance such as tone, strength of support, word usage, description, and flow to get them started.
ReplyDeleteTo do this correctly seems like it would take a long time. Students need time to read over the writing, write down thoughts, vote, discuss outcomes and then reflect on how to work what they liked into their own writing. It seems like it would be worth it but am unsure how realistic this would be in the realities of time and curriculum.
I always have used models in the classroom, but usually it has been papers of students or papers I have written, not professional and real world examples. I like the idea of asking students to dissect the paper and analyze what the writer is doing in each paragraph. Sounds silly, but that's what they have to do on the SATs too - they will encounter questions about how a piece of writing is organized and what the purpose is of certain paragraphs or details. I would like to ask students to do more real world writing, but have never made the leap, since I worry about preparing them for academic writing.
ReplyDeleteI have done something a lot like the RAG activity. I have asked them to look at the paper as whole, or I have asked them to focus on one or two areas. They are much more comfortable doing this process than peer editing one-on-one. I think the anonymity of the writer, and them as the evaluator has a lot to do with it. It's a great process because students can get varied feedback from nearly everyone in class and students get practice evaluating writing.
Natalie,
ReplyDeletePatience and perserverance are a must in dealing with academic level students whose attention span is low. All teachers who have academic classes that try new techniques, such as RAG to get students involved is a premium.
Joe
Linda,
ReplyDeleteI know its very easy to get frustrated, especially when they don't care about their grade or waiting for the end of the semester to come. I found it best to just have a good lesson plan, stress the points that are needed and hope that some of the students see the value of what you are trying to achieve in class. At the end, just let the chips fall as they may, but remember, the students had an opportunity to do something about it and it's up to them to decide as to what direction they plan to go.
Joe
Nat - in response to your response: I'm with you. Modeling would result in balance. Yes. But sometimes their responses are too canned and not authentic. A kind of going through the motions to get credit. I'd like to move away from the "roboticism" of writing.
ReplyDeleteNat, Jacki, et al: I agree that writing restaurant reviews is a novel idea. Historically, my juniors and seniors always spend time in directed study talking about places to eat. It taps into their "driving-related" independence. And when it comes to writing, just getting them excited is important.
ReplyDeleteChristy - I don't think RAG-based positive feedback is too utopian. Especially if we do informal, real world writing activities that go beyond the norm. Breaking down the habitual, negative self-talk that typical AC students parrot is the key. Maybe authentic writing opportunities would promote this.
ReplyDeleteJenn,
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you used your version of the RAG process in your class and you found it be very worthwhile.
Joe