Chapter 7 "Be Efficient and Integrate Basic Skills"

I have been using the "Start with Meaning and Keep It Whole" approach, and it is working with my students. They seem to look forward to and enjoy writing much more when I teach from whole to part and back to whole. I agree with Regie that the problem with teaching isolated skills is that some of the kids don't know what I'm talking about and why. At least, that has been my experience. I do isolate certain skills when I am revising and editing one on one or in small groups with my students. They just seem to get it better. After reading this chapter I decided I wanted to really focus on writing for an audience. I explained to my class that they were going to write an expository piece about decorating Easter eggs. They had to imagine that their audience had never decorated eggs. I reminded them that using conventions in their writing would make the piece more readable. We talked about sequence of events, and I gave them that precious partner talk time. They loved sharing the process they go through at home to decorate eggs with a peer. I was very pleased with their ideas and I know they were too because everyone wanted to share their piece orally. This was a fun writing lesson.

Chapter 6 "Capitalize on the Reading-Writing Connection"

* Well, my class and I bit the bullet! We did a shared writing of a story titled "Revenge of the Mannequins." This was our first shared writing of a story and I was so into it. Students were engaged, excited, and we think our story is worth reading. To put it in the words of one of my students, "This is the best story I ever read!" Each day we reread the text we had created the day before, and as a result of that experience, I can see how rereading shared writing text can boost fluency.
* One thought I have after reading Chapter 6 is to try and work on some shared writing of expository text.
* I know that my students who spend time "practicing their craft" of independent reading are my better writers.
* I liked Appendix D (Understanding Nonfiction) and I plan to incorporate that into my Guided Reading groups.
* I have found with my 3rd graders that retelling in Guided Reading groups is easier than summarizing, and for many retelling is a challenge. We have seen this on our practice state reading assessments. The retelling questions are a challenge for 3rd graders. I would like to find some good strategies for teaching retelling to my students.
* The "Ask Worthwhile Questions" on page 136 were good.

Chapter 5 "Do More Shared Writing"

Point #1 - After reading this chapter, I understand why shared writing is one of Regie Routman's favorites. I have an idea for a shared writing piece I want to do with my students, and I can't wait to see how it goes. In addition to the idea that shared writing is fun, quick, and easy, you get the added bonus of teaching and engaging all students. Shared writing will also give me practice at paraphrasing my students' thinking. It's easy to understand how rereading of shared writing pieces could be a great strategy for improving fluency.

Point #2 - As I was reading this chapter I found myself wondering what shared writing looked and sounded like in the classroom. Well, she didn't let me down! Her shared writing lesson on writing a fiction story answered my questions. The gray columns headed "What I Do..." were just what I was wanting to know. I plan to introduce shared writing to my class with a T-Chart and then we will give it a go!

Point #3 - The "Tried and True Ideas for Shared Writing" at the end of the chapter opened up so many possibilities for me.

P0int #4 - I am so glad I am reading this book!

Chapter 4

After reading this chapter, I feel confident in saying that my students do not dislike writing. I don't believe that they see writing as a "school thing for the teacher."
I know that using peer models has a positive effect on students, and we often discuss that our focus when we are writing is for an audience.
I liked the tips in "What Makes Our Writing Interesting?" on page 58. When my students write, we often use the 5 W's (who, what, where, when and why) and we incorporate how. I plan to use this phrase with my class. "Tell more to make it BETTER (not just longer)!"
I am a firm believer that kids need to write every day. Past experiences with students have proven to me that some of my students' best writing has come from freewrites. I know their fluency and endurance improves as the year progresses, and I completely agree with Regi
Routman that quantity matters.
The author reminds us in this chapter that conventions and handwriting do matter. She encourages teachers to raise their expectations for students.

I left this chapter pondering the last paragraph on page 81.

"In teaching writing, remember that you as a caring, knowledgeable teacher are responding to a live, sensitive person. Don't rely on formulas, checklists, traits of writing, a plodding sequence of steps in a book on writing. Listen with your heart as well as your mind, and you will know what to say and do. "Our decisions must be guided by 'What might help this writer?' rather than 'What might help this writing?'"

Writing Essentials - Chapter 3

Here are my noteworthy keypoints from "Share Your Writing."

* It's true most of us haven't had many positive writing experiences in our own schooling. Plus, our knowledge of teaching writing has been limited. The only piece I have from high school is a poem about a city. I am going to try and locate it to share with my class.

* I am going to give my students some time this week to talk with others about their favorite memory. Their conversations are going to include: What happened? Why is it important to you? How did the experience change or effect you?

* I would love to try the "snapshot writing" idea soon. Now those could be fun to read!

* I know I have been guilty of modeling finished products in a minilesson or as part of a demonstration. After reading this chapter, I am going to let my students see my in-head-thinking as I change my mind and "mess up." Messy writing is no problem for me! In fact, I always make adjustments when I am writing. Creating a finished product does create unnecessary work for me. After reading this chapter, I understand why students need to see the process I go through when I write on the spot because it's true, that's what we ask them to do. According to this chapter, I am a "real writer." I never realized it before, but I ask myself many of the questions found on page 48 when I am writing. I am loving this blogging!

Writing Essentials - Chapter 2

I was excited to read that Regie Routman believes that the celebration of our students' writing needs to move right up front to become a major teaching tool. I agree with her that enjoyment and writing have not coexisted. I don't know how many times I have told my students, "Guys, don't worry about everything being correct when you write today." "Today, we want to celebrate ideas."
I know at the beginning of the year when I ask if anyone wants to share their piece of writing I have few volunteers. But, as the year progresses, more and more of them want to share. I can see that they are beginning to see themselves as writers and the affirmation from me and their peers takes away the fear of writing and gives them the freedom to take risks. It's true, the celebration process does seem to make them grow taller right before your eyes.
Regie talks about starting with a story on page 23 and I tend to agree family stories, traditions, and everyday happenings are great hooks for students. Freedom of topic is important! One thing I need to work on is writing more in front of my students. They see me use graphic organizers, lists, webs, and etc., but I think they need to actually hear and see my thinking/writing process.
Her closing sentence in this chapter, "Teaching, supporting, and expecting kids to do their best is where the fun begins." was powerful to me because of the word fun. More and more as educators we feel the test pressure, getting it right, or teaching to the test. Sometimes we wonder where is the fun, the joy? Personally, the joy and fun returns for me when I listen to a student's free choice journal entry, a story, a written response to a question in Guided Reading, a thank you note, or a letter.

Writing Essentials - Chapter 1

I concurred with many of the shared beliefs on writing found on page 9. Especially there are lots of ways to prewrite, direct teaching of skills is part of writers workshop, peer conferencing needs to be modeled and done well to be useful, students need time to think before they write, and last but not least, not all writing needs to be graded. I totally agree that teaching writing by focusing on the parts and spending weeks teaching sentence fluency or word choice, is not how writers work. I had never thought of writing in this way, but it makes sense to look at a whole piece of writing then look at the parts and connect them back to the whole. I think I have been doing that, I just didn't see it that way in my head. I connected with this sentence found of page 15. "Whole-to-part-to-whole is much easier for teachers and students than part-to-whole-to-part."