I really liked all of the real-life tips Harper left me with this week. Despite my co-op teacher's advise, I am planning on trying a writing workshop this spring. Writing workshops have only left her with slightly better papers and many days wasted in the past. She thinks that workshops just give high school students time to socialize with their friends. I think that with the right scaffolding, a writing workshop can be very beneficial to high school students.
I especially liked the "snapshot" technique. With the proper training, I can say to a student, "take a snapshot" of this scene, rather than "be more specific" and they would know what I mean. Giving a student a strategy instead of an abstract comment, they can elaborate more easily on physical sensations. Students often lose sensation in their writing and it sometimes takes prompts to get them back.
My mother is a fifth grade teacher and she uses a Mr. Potato Head for more descriptive details in student writing. She plugs in the eyes when she wants a vivid visual description, the ears for a vivid audio description, etc. What a great idea! I think it is also important to use yourself as a model. Write your own creative piece and ask students to use new feedback tools to critique your own writing.
Here is my resource link. It's the National Writing Project. It's a great and credible resource for tips on writing revision, prompts, etc.
Rebecca -
ReplyDeleteYour mother's strategy encourages me to go buy a Mr. Potato Head (or to steal one from the next child I see). What an idea that is. I agree, too, on the snapshot technique. It is easy to get consumed with our own catch phrases (like "be more specific") to the point that our students don't actually understand what we mean. Reflecting on this and finding a new way to say what we mean is important.
Also, as much as I mock John Mayer's stupid, repetitive song "Say," it could be a comical illustration of what I would request of extra loquacious students.
Finally, I am proud of you for wanting to give the writing workshop a try in the face of opposition. I think we've got to be obstinate and try what we want to try, to discover our own teaching style.
Cheers,
Dan