I collected a writing circles assignment this week. Hopefully I will see something I haven't seen before. We did a lot of modeling and discussing, there was conferencing too. The disappointment was when I asked the students what could happen to make the participation part easier for them they seemed totally confused...disconnected would be the actual word. It was as if the entire exercise had nothing to do with them. Again, another assignment they do because they are told. They disconnect, do, and then do not even know what they have done.
Before we started I discussed what I saw going on, I told them they could be broken up into 3 groups: the naturals, the won't do, and the do it as fast as we can so we can talk. They laughed, they got it, then proceeded to breakdown into the 3 groups I mocked. It was as though they understood but did not relate to it personally.
My big question - how do I get them to discuss their own writing critically?
It is an age old question. Which brings me to my next thought. After reading blogs and posts I realized how much more I was inspired by questions than answers. I am diving into a personal issue but I think it is important as I grow professionally. It occured to me that I get really annoyed with "the answers". They seem like something else to me that everybody has...hmmm. Anyway, I was thinking about my co-workers, veterans and new, and I realized that it is the ones that have questions that I find myself drawn to naturally. If I meet a veteran teacher and they ask questions about what I am doing or what they are doing, I find them inspiring. If I meet a new teacher who asks thoughtful questions, I find myself respecting them as a thinker. When either comes across as lecturing or 'know-it-all' I turn off almost immediately.
So what does this have to do with anything? I have decided to take a dive into the student driven evaluation. Next week I intend to ask them how they would like workshops to go. What would they like to write? How should they be graded? I want to set up norms and see what happens. This goes back to Ch 3 I think. I think I need to put my trust back into the students and see what happens.
If any one has any experience with this I would love basic input. I will be jumping in without the proper knowledge - shhhh don't tell :)
2 comments:
Okay Renee - we are definately on the same wave length. As you posed the question "how to get them to discuss their own writing critically" the thought occured to me "do they know what a writing circle really is?" And then, lo and behold - there it was - the exact same thought.
Seems logical to go back to the root source and ask the kids to define two things: what they think they are doing currently, and then what they think they should be doing.
But then, this comes from someone who is well-known for jumping in to the deep end of the pool- then as the water closes over my head I ponder whether or not I ever learned to swim :)
I think you're off to a good start. I envy you having actual living-breathing people to start your research with!
Renee, I am more inspired by questions than "answers," too, and I think it's because "answers" (yes, I'm putting them in quotation marks on purpose) are always specific to the teaching context.
That's why "what works" never works for every teacher and every kid in every setting. And that's why I also have a problem with the term "best practice." I always want to say "best practice for whom and where and who says?"
But I'm a trouble maker sometimes :).
I do think that your solution to take it back to the kids is a brilliant one. I'll be eager to hear how it turns out.
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