Illustration Study

We began Writing Workshop as a whole class during the first couple of weeks of school. In those sessions we worked on the basic idea of writing workshop and the kind of work we would do at this time. We covered what conferences are, talked some about how to get ideas for our writing, and looked at ways to stretch our ideas and add details. Then the workshop moved into our language group time.


For the first week in language group I have focused on some of the "nuts and bolts" of the workshop (drawing on a title from Lucy Calkin's Units of Study for Primary Writing.) For example, we had a lesson on stretching out words and recording the sounds we hear to generate spellings for words we do not know how to spell conventionally. (For more on this see an earlier post on generated spelling.)

Now we have begun focusing on an illustration study, looking at the illustration decisions that different authors and illustrators make and how those decisions can enhance the writing in the books. This study was inspired by Katie Wood Ray’s book, In Pictures and In Words: Teaching the Qualities of Good Writing Through Illustration Study. We have begun a chart of our "noticings" as we study different books. I love how the children often point out things that I had not noticed. They are sharp observers!

 

Boy Writers

Another summer read for me has been Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices by Ralph Fletcher. This book explores some of the particular challenges that many boys bring to writing workshop, challenges such as their love of including violence in their work and their earthy humor. He is clear to recognize that every boy writer, indeed every writer, is unique. Yet he points out that these qualities are often found in the writings of boys as a group.

This spoke to me because I have often struggled to find the balance between letting students find their voices in their own stories, driven by their own topics and interests, and wanting them to also be aware of the impact of their choices, particularly when they are incorporating violence or what might be seen as inappropriate humor into their works. I also want them to branch out beyond the popular culture infused topics (super heroes, Star Wars, video games) that they often embrace.

This book has no easy answers, but it does show how simply disallowing these types of writing can lead to some students disengaging from writing workshop. I remember when our school participated in a simulcast with children's author, Mo Willems. He referred to how he "shamelessly" copied Charles Schultz's Peanuts in his early writings as a child, and how much he learned in the process. While I want them to grow into developing their own characters, my students' use of super heroes can help them develop stories that they relate to and that gives them incentive to work on their writing skills.

And the humor, ah yes. At the end of last school year my students went through all their writings from the year. Not even I had read every piece of writing in their folders. They passed back to me any pieces that they did not want to take home with them. As I looked through them I found one poem about farts that one of my boys had written. I had to admit it was hilarious. He had used language effectively to create a humorous poem. I'm not sure what my reaction would have been if he had read it to me when he wrote it. This book helps me prepare for such times.

Summer Reading: Opening Minds

Summer is a great time to catch up on books I have been wanting to read. I have been looking forward to Peter H. Johnston's Opening Minds: Using Language to Change Minds. I loved his earlier book, Choice Words, which explored how the words teachers choose when they respond to their students can have a major impact.

In Changing Minds, this idea is explored further. It has given me food for thought as I prepare for this new school year. Peter Johnston draws on research and anecdotal observations to show how some words ("You are so smart." "You are so good at math or art or writing, etc.") support a static view of students that can undercut further effort and result in students playing it safe. Other words ("Wow, you worked really hard on this." "I can see the strategy you used to solve this." "You have communicated your idea clearly.") support a more process oriented approach to learning that encourages students to stretch, risk, and grow. He goes on to further explore how our words can set the tone for our classroom and for our students' interactions with others.

The words I use as I teach, at times, just come from habit. This year I want to keep Changing Minds in my mind and make more intentional choices about the words I use as I respond to my students.

Angela Johnson Unit of Study

In January all of Sky Class did a study of the works of Angela Johnson. This study was inspired by Authors as Mentors by Lucy Calkins and Amanda Hartman, which is part of Units of Study for Primary Writing: A Yearlong Curriculum. Each of the teachers took a turn teaching a mini-lesson to the whole class, while students continued the study and their writings in the framework of language group. Tom and Natasha’s groups used the study as a way to focus on “small moments.” As my group had already done a unit on “small moment” stories, we used Angela Johnson’s work to inspire us in adding details to our writing and trying out other techniques we noticed in her writing.

Catching Up

It's been a while since I've blogged here, so I wanted to go over recent Units of Study that we have done. In November we looked at the questions of how authors and illustrators use pictures to support and enhance their texts. This study was inspired by Katie Wood Ray’s  book, In Pictures and In Words: Teaching the Qualities of Good Writing Through Illustration Study. The students were great "noticers" as we studied books. Then they worked to include some of the techniques we explored in their own books.

In December we studied  “Small Moments."  We looked at how authors zoomed in on particular moments in time. Then students choose their moments to zoom in on and worked to remember details to include in their books. Students wrote about moments such as losing a tooth, scary happenings on Halloween, touching a python, and a Thanksgiving party.

Celebration Time!

A week and a half ago we wrapped up our first unit of study with a celebration of the students' efforts. Each student had chosen one book from their first efforts to publish. They re-read their choices, making sure that they could read them, that all the words were there, and that the book made sense and kept to its big idea. Revisions were made where needed. Then each book got a construction paper cover with title and author added to it.

For the celebration each student took a turn to sit on the Author's Bench (our regular classroom bench transformed by a piece of fabric for the occasion.) Since our unit of study was focused on where writers get ideas, the students told where they got the ideas for their books and then each read a page and showed the illustration. When the sharings were done, I passed a plate of fruit and each student chose a piece. We then raised our fruit and toasted our hard work.

Word Study 5 Ways

In Language Group we work on studying how words are put together. We cover common spelling patterns. And we practice reading and writing frequently used words. The goal is that these words become part of the children's reading and writing vocabularies, part of the words that the children can read and write without having to break them down.

I have used various approaches to studying frequently used words over the years. The one I like best is from About the Author: Writing Workshop with our Youngest Writers by Katie Ray Wood with Lisa B. Cleaveland. Each student is given a sheet each week with five words from our Word Wall along with a checklist of ways to practice those words. Students are to choose five ways to practice from the checklist. Choosing how to practice the words adds to the students' investment. The list includes everything from rainbow words (writing the words using rainbow colors) to making the words with Unifix letter cubes to back writing to stamping them with letter stamps. A couple of years ago one of the students came up with the idea of finding and pointing out the words on the Word Wall. That way was taken up by the other students and now is on the list each week. This year’s students enjoy exploring the different ways, and each is developing favorites.