Thursday, August 30, 2007
Balance
The year is getting away from me and I am starting to see how difficult it is to balance work with family. I feel like CSUWPAI is being put on a back burner while I am trying to keep up with everything else. I am starting feel very nervous and uncomfortable about my conference commitment.
Monday, August 13, 2007
District policy
I emailed our district curriculum administrator and she said that the district does send out a permission slip for this purpose in their fall packet ( I never knew that!). She did suggest that I use my own slip too which I will. Sooo, I think I am set :)
Monday, July 30, 2007
Videotaping
I am so glad that you all responded to my entry. What incredible support and knowledge!!! It would not have occurred to me that videotaping would require district approval, but once I read it - it makes sense.
What did Rebecca mean when she said she would not record during class time (wording may be off here). Should the taping not happen during a normal class? Is it something I have to schedule after school? I will be sending home permission slips, does that count for anything?
I am confused - help!!!!!!
What did Rebecca mean when she said she would not record during class time (wording may be off here). Should the taping not happen during a normal class? Is it something I have to schedule after school? I will be sending home permission slips, does that count for anything?
I am confused - help!!!!!!
Friday, July 20, 2007
Researcher's Timeline
This is my researcher’s timeline for 2007/2008 school year. There are many parts that I marked for videotaping in hopes of getting some quality footage when editing. It is not definite that I will be able to video tape as much as I want to this year, I have never tried to do it before. It is also missing the goal for publishing, I am a little lost on that one :)
Key
Personal goals = blue
Surveys = green
Videotaping = pink
Mid August
School starts – LA 8 integrated with SS (American History)
Hand out T-R permission slips
Continue reading Nancy Atwell’s Writing Workshops
Complete 4-corners survey with students about writing preferences
Late August
Social Skills/ Multiple Intelligences project ~ complete using literature circles (goal is to connect lit circle roles to writing circle roles)
VIDEOTAPE
Mid September
Letter format assignment ~ complete using writing circles (make connection to lit circles) VIDEOTAPE
Complete notes from Literature Circles, Daniels
Late September
“Trail of Tears” reading assignment ~ use lit circles VIDEOTAPE
“Trail of Tears” writing assignment ~ use writing circles VIDEOTAPE
Meet with CSUWPAI
Beg October
Summaries writing assignment ~ complete using small circles VIDEOTAPE
Begin to edit videos
Mid October
Compare/Contrast writing assignment ~ writing circles VIDEOTAPE
Beg November
Journalism writing assignment ~ writing circles VIDEOTAPE
Finish reviewing primary data
Mid November
British Viewpoint reading assignment/homogeneous groups ~ lit circles VIDEOTAPE
Beg December
Character Sketch writing assignment ~ writing circles VIDEOTAPE
Survey writing circles
Meet with inquiry group (??)
Prep for CSUWPAI conference
Beg January
Flowers for Algernon ~ Lit circles
End January
Editorial writing assignment ~ writing circles
CSUWPAI conference
End February
“Why Do We Have a Bill of Rights?” reading assignment ~ lit circles
Key
Personal goals = blue
Surveys = green
Videotaping = pink
Mid August
School starts – LA 8 integrated with SS (American History)
Hand out T-R permission slips
Continue reading Nancy Atwell’s Writing Workshops
Complete 4-corners survey with students about writing preferences
Late August
Social Skills/ Multiple Intelligences project ~ complete using literature circles (goal is to connect lit circle roles to writing circle roles)
VIDEOTAPE
Mid September
Letter format assignment ~ complete using writing circles (make connection to lit circles) VIDEOTAPE
Complete notes from Literature Circles, Daniels
Late September
“Trail of Tears” reading assignment ~ use lit circles VIDEOTAPE
“Trail of Tears” writing assignment ~ use writing circles VIDEOTAPE
Meet with CSUWPAI
Beg October
Summaries writing assignment ~ complete using small circles VIDEOTAPE
Begin to edit videos
Mid October
Compare/Contrast writing assignment ~ writing circles VIDEOTAPE
Beg November
Journalism writing assignment ~ writing circles VIDEOTAPE
Finish reviewing primary data
Mid November
British Viewpoint reading assignment/homogeneous groups ~ lit circles VIDEOTAPE
Beg December
Character Sketch writing assignment ~ writing circles VIDEOTAPE
Survey writing circles
Meet with inquiry group (??)
Prep for CSUWPAI conference
Beg January
Flowers for Algernon ~ Lit circles
End January
Editorial writing assignment ~ writing circles
CSUWPAI conference
End February
“Why Do We Have a Bill of Rights?” reading assignment ~ lit circles
Beg March
“The Street” ~ lit circles
Mid April
Boasting Poem writing assignment ~ writing circles
Beg May
“Most Horrible Day/ Best Day” writing assignment ~ writing circles VIDEOTAPE
Survey writing circles and lit circles
Continue to review primary data
Researcher's Chair Notes ~ Thanks Rebecca
Monday, July 2
Renee’s Researcher’s Chair: Part I
I. Background on Project Presented
A. Renee directs the group to the questions on her blog, passes around the handouts for her writing circles, and gives some background on writing circles
B. Renee describes a discussion from her inquiry group and directs the group to the Sunday, July 1st post on her blog: revising the wording of her question—points us to the “streamlined” word
II. Critical Thinking Discussion
A. Natalie: Discussion is the epitome of critical thinking
a. Jason C.: Agrees the discussion is important because it allows for the questioning of the ideas of others
B. Renee recounts looking up the definition of critical thinking—can be a critical thinker without talking about it
a. Stacey: role sheet helps, but it doesn’t become critical until you have to justify it
b. Natalie: You need to defend your idea to make it critical thinking
c. Stacey: When annotating a text a student is alone—can do critical thinking alone, but not all students achieve this without direction
d. Jason C: suggests extending the definition of “discussion” as verbal—could be someone reading a text
e. Jason M.: Clarifies that you need to have someone else read the annotation to make it critical thinking
III. Discussion and Social Setting Discussion
A. Renee points out her assumption that discussion is important to critical thinking
a. Jason M.: What is your goal when you put those kids in that circle?
b. Renee explains that she is trying to get them to get some feedback, create a social setting, but she recognizes that she is also working in reality where she is dealing with time constraints
i. Renee asks WHAT HAS GOTTA GIVE?
B. Jason M.: Are you trying to get the social aspect through writing circles?
a. Cindy: Body of work that deals with learning through talk that can’t be learned elsewhere
b. Jason M.: Are you really trying to find out if the social part is helping the kids?
c. Renee explains that it is important just so students don’t say that Language Arts is boring
IV. The Time Factor
A. Renee asks “How much time should be given to workshop?”
a. Stacey: Do you want to wean them off of the sheets?
b. Renee explains that the sheets should help so that after they’ve used them for awhile they can do it on their own
i. Renee mentions that some of her kids wanted to get rid of the roles
ii. That is the ultimate goal—having the kids be able to do all of the roles
c. [Editoral choice: at this point folks begin discussing the exact time periods they have used in their classrooms—to sum up: less is more]
d. Cindy: Tried to become Nancy Atwell after reading her work
i. What she tried to do was lit for half a semester and writing for half the semester
ii. Did writing workshop whenever they were working with a specific genre
V. Semantics/Goal Discussion
A. Natalie: Are you asking how you can streamline writing circles? What do you mean by “streamline”?
a. Stacey: I don’t think you can streamline the process based on own writing group experience
b. Renee explains why she started to question the word “streamline” and asks for feedback on the revision of “How should I structure writing circles to be efficient?”
i. Renee offers the explanation that she learned from her experience with literature circles—this provided structure and the roles really helped and she wanted to create that kind of effect in the writing classroom
B. Natalie: What is your goal? Is this time?
a. Renee explains that her goal is not so much time—everything that she has looked at is loose and appears that that looseness could be confusing
b. Stacey: 8th grade they are in a transition area and writing groups are a loose idea and they can’t be efficient until the group creates that dynamic
c. Cindy: What makes you think that they aren’t efficient right now?
d. Renee [accurately J] diagnoses that the group is stuck on the word efficient
C. Natalie: What is your picture of the ideal writing circle? Cites Renee’s earlier example of the student wanting to escape the limits of the role. Efficient means that they all know and do their role.
D. Cindy: I keep hearing you talking about the issue of time? Is this a product of your integrated teaching context? Is this really an attempt to figure out what is the optimal use of time?
E. Renee explains that she is doing this in the hope of helping other Language Arts teachers who won’t do this because it takes too much time
VI. Structure/Logistics Discussion
A. Stacey: Anytime that you offer kids this unstructured time—you are empowering kids. Those loose frameworks are the chance for teachable moments
a. Natalie: Providing the structure will get them to the point where they will function on their own
b. Renee agrees, but reiterates that the other part is to help other teachers incorporate this into their classroom
c. Jason C.: I completely abandoned peer review the first year I taught
I think you might mean productive instead of efficient.
B. Steph: there has to be some degree of ownership or motivation on their part to want to do a good job; sometimes kids are too worried about the process and not as invested in what to do; you can give them the tools to be independent; quality vs. quantity: how do you get the students to care—how do you instill this?
a. Natalie: with 8th graders simply corralling them and getting them all thinking on the same focus is an achievement; The roles are just the beginning—not the end; structure helps them get to that point
C. Cindy: someone like Jason C. would be your audience—how can you help me do this and help me become better writers
D. Stacey: Some kids will see the value of it; wonders about the difference between reading something ahead of time and something read on the fly
E. Steph: Do they have each others papers in advance?
a. Renee explains that would be a logistical nightmare—she has them read in class in lit circles
b. Jason C: Do you have them read aloud to each other?
c. Renee explains that they do author’s chair—some students liked it and others found it repetitive with their finals
d. Jason C.: That is the chance to hear the voice
e. Renee explains that they like sharing out loud and they are super proud
Renee’s Researcher’s Chair: Part I
I. Background on Project Presented
A. Renee directs the group to the questions on her blog, passes around the handouts for her writing circles, and gives some background on writing circles
B. Renee describes a discussion from her inquiry group and directs the group to the Sunday, July 1st post on her blog: revising the wording of her question—points us to the “streamlined” word
II. Critical Thinking Discussion
A. Natalie: Discussion is the epitome of critical thinking
a. Jason C.: Agrees the discussion is important because it allows for the questioning of the ideas of others
B. Renee recounts looking up the definition of critical thinking—can be a critical thinker without talking about it
a. Stacey: role sheet helps, but it doesn’t become critical until you have to justify it
b. Natalie: You need to defend your idea to make it critical thinking
c. Stacey: When annotating a text a student is alone—can do critical thinking alone, but not all students achieve this without direction
d. Jason C: suggests extending the definition of “discussion” as verbal—could be someone reading a text
e. Jason M.: Clarifies that you need to have someone else read the annotation to make it critical thinking
III. Discussion and Social Setting Discussion
A. Renee points out her assumption that discussion is important to critical thinking
a. Jason M.: What is your goal when you put those kids in that circle?
b. Renee explains that she is trying to get them to get some feedback, create a social setting, but she recognizes that she is also working in reality where she is dealing with time constraints
i. Renee asks WHAT HAS GOTTA GIVE?
B. Jason M.: Are you trying to get the social aspect through writing circles?
a. Cindy: Body of work that deals with learning through talk that can’t be learned elsewhere
b. Jason M.: Are you really trying to find out if the social part is helping the kids?
c. Renee explains that it is important just so students don’t say that Language Arts is boring
IV. The Time Factor
A. Renee asks “How much time should be given to workshop?”
a. Stacey: Do you want to wean them off of the sheets?
b. Renee explains that the sheets should help so that after they’ve used them for awhile they can do it on their own
i. Renee mentions that some of her kids wanted to get rid of the roles
ii. That is the ultimate goal—having the kids be able to do all of the roles
c. [Editoral choice: at this point folks begin discussing the exact time periods they have used in their classrooms—to sum up: less is more]
d. Cindy: Tried to become Nancy Atwell after reading her work
i. What she tried to do was lit for half a semester and writing for half the semester
ii. Did writing workshop whenever they were working with a specific genre
V. Semantics/Goal Discussion
A. Natalie: Are you asking how you can streamline writing circles? What do you mean by “streamline”?
a. Stacey: I don’t think you can streamline the process based on own writing group experience
b. Renee explains why she started to question the word “streamline” and asks for feedback on the revision of “How should I structure writing circles to be efficient?”
i. Renee offers the explanation that she learned from her experience with literature circles—this provided structure and the roles really helped and she wanted to create that kind of effect in the writing classroom
B. Natalie: What is your goal? Is this time?
a. Renee explains that her goal is not so much time—everything that she has looked at is loose and appears that that looseness could be confusing
b. Stacey: 8th grade they are in a transition area and writing groups are a loose idea and they can’t be efficient until the group creates that dynamic
c. Cindy: What makes you think that they aren’t efficient right now?
d. Renee [accurately J] diagnoses that the group is stuck on the word efficient
C. Natalie: What is your picture of the ideal writing circle? Cites Renee’s earlier example of the student wanting to escape the limits of the role. Efficient means that they all know and do their role.
D. Cindy: I keep hearing you talking about the issue of time? Is this a product of your integrated teaching context? Is this really an attempt to figure out what is the optimal use of time?
E. Renee explains that she is doing this in the hope of helping other Language Arts teachers who won’t do this because it takes too much time
VI. Structure/Logistics Discussion
A. Stacey: Anytime that you offer kids this unstructured time—you are empowering kids. Those loose frameworks are the chance for teachable moments
a. Natalie: Providing the structure will get them to the point where they will function on their own
b. Renee agrees, but reiterates that the other part is to help other teachers incorporate this into their classroom
c. Jason C.: I completely abandoned peer review the first year I taught
I think you might mean productive instead of efficient.
B. Steph: there has to be some degree of ownership or motivation on their part to want to do a good job; sometimes kids are too worried about the process and not as invested in what to do; you can give them the tools to be independent; quality vs. quantity: how do you get the students to care—how do you instill this?
a. Natalie: with 8th graders simply corralling them and getting them all thinking on the same focus is an achievement; The roles are just the beginning—not the end; structure helps them get to that point
C. Cindy: someone like Jason C. would be your audience—how can you help me do this and help me become better writers
D. Stacey: Some kids will see the value of it; wonders about the difference between reading something ahead of time and something read on the fly
E. Steph: Do they have each others papers in advance?
a. Renee explains that would be a logistical nightmare—she has them read in class in lit circles
b. Jason C: Do you have them read aloud to each other?
c. Renee explains that they do author’s chair—some students liked it and others found it repetitive with their finals
d. Jason C.: That is the chance to hear the voice
e. Renee explains that they like sharing out loud and they are super proud
Monday, July 2, 2007
A Few More Forgotten Questions
I was flipping through my notebook and I realized that I had some other questions. Here they are:
1. What are my assumptions about writing workshops?
2. Is it a good or bad practice to pick a few students to concentrate on when collecting data?
3. How do workshops effect high, middle, low level students?
4. If students enjoy creative assignments vs. content driven assignments, am I doing a disservice doing so much content based curriculum?
5. Do writing circle discussions matter as much as literature discussions?
6. Do discussions need to be formally assessed?
1. What are my assumptions about writing workshops?
2. Is it a good or bad practice to pick a few students to concentrate on when collecting data?
3. How do workshops effect high, middle, low level students?
4. If students enjoy creative assignments vs. content driven assignments, am I doing a disservice doing so much content based curriculum?
5. Do writing circle discussions matter as much as literature discussions?
6. Do discussions need to be formally assessed?
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Researcher's Chair - AHHHHHHH!!!!
Well I guess I have to post my summary and general questions now. I admit it, I was having a fabulous bday weekend and I do not feel even close to prepared - yikes.
Here is goes - a summary. First, I think my question was clarified in inquiry group by Rebecca. The question is: How can I streamline writing workshop in my classroom?
This is the situation. I am very integrated with the SS teacher and we team teacher. Our classes are intertwined. This creates a difficult time situation for me because I am not just responsible for my curriculum, but also the SS curriculum. We have to stay in sync because our projects extra are so dependent on one another.
My goal has been to create a method to help students workshop together with their writing. I seem to be concentrating on our discussion and student comments. Funny, on Thursday, after Stacey's research chair I was thinking about the research discussions that we have had and I realized that most questions are based on discussion. Discussions about reading, creative discussions, blogging discussions - I wonder what the link is there. Maybe discussion is the epitomy of critical thinking (now define critical thinking - ha ha)?
Back to my research... I am trying to create literature roles for writing, hence "writing circles". There are different questions on each role sheet that have helpful question ideas for the students to use. It also gives them a specific part to concentrate on when reading, like voice or organization. I want to simplify the role sheets and add to them. I will probably have to pass this around to those who are not in my inquiry group so you get the idea.
Soooo, here are some questions, but I know others will pop up tomorrow :)
1. How much time do you think should be given to workshop?
2. Stacey had mentioned not wanting to help with discussion - is it a bad thing to give out question prompts?
3. How can I simplify the roles?
4. Should I be worried more about the discussion or the comments students make on each others' papers?
5. How is the best way to group students ( I think I have my answer to this, but would be interested to hear other opinions).
6. I am thinking of adding roles to include 6-traits and writing types, are there any other suggestions for roles?
7. Other?
Is everyone impressed that I just figured out how to change the text color????
Here is goes - a summary. First, I think my question was clarified in inquiry group by Rebecca. The question is: How can I streamline writing workshop in my classroom?
This is the situation. I am very integrated with the SS teacher and we team teacher. Our classes are intertwined. This creates a difficult time situation for me because I am not just responsible for my curriculum, but also the SS curriculum. We have to stay in sync because our projects extra are so dependent on one another.
My goal has been to create a method to help students workshop together with their writing. I seem to be concentrating on our discussion and student comments. Funny, on Thursday, after Stacey's research chair I was thinking about the research discussions that we have had and I realized that most questions are based on discussion. Discussions about reading, creative discussions, blogging discussions - I wonder what the link is there. Maybe discussion is the epitomy of critical thinking (now define critical thinking - ha ha)?
Back to my research... I am trying to create literature roles for writing, hence "writing circles". There are different questions on each role sheet that have helpful question ideas for the students to use. It also gives them a specific part to concentrate on when reading, like voice or organization. I want to simplify the role sheets and add to them. I will probably have to pass this around to those who are not in my inquiry group so you get the idea.
Soooo, here are some questions, but I know others will pop up tomorrow :)
1. How much time do you think should be given to workshop?
2. Stacey had mentioned not wanting to help with discussion - is it a bad thing to give out question prompts?
3. How can I simplify the roles?
4. Should I be worried more about the discussion or the comments students make on each others' papers?
5. How is the best way to group students ( I think I have my answer to this, but would be interested to hear other opinions).
6. I am thinking of adding roles to include 6-traits and writing types, are there any other suggestions for roles?
7. Other?
Is everyone impressed that I just figured out how to change the text color????
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