While reading through this article and chapter eight, I realized that there was a lot that could be done to help students to learn by writing. Before reading the material, I did not know that incorporating writing into all subjects would be easier than it seemed from the get go. I liked how the book was able to break down how to introduce writing to learn in each of the subjects such as math, science, social studies, etc. Having the book give ways to incorporate writing to learn made it easier for me to see how to incorporate it in to different subjects rather than just telling me it was possible to do so without examples.
I also found that it was very important that the article discussed why teachers can incorporate writing to learn in their classrooms but choose not to do so. The reason would be that it is time consuming and reading a lot of writing everyday can boggle a days school time down. However, I liked that they gave suggestions such as using a rubric or a check list to lift some of the burden and making it easier on the teachers to be able to grade. This encourages me as a teacher to utilize writing to learn in my classrooms because I feel that it will not take too much class time out of the school day and it's not stressful if a checklist or rubric is utilized.
I especially love how writing to learn can help the students to utilized declarative, procedural, and conditional knowledge rather than just one of the three. This is especially why I like the free write prompts. With the students being able to give their own opinions in their writing at times, this encourages students to think further about a particular subject rather than just knowing the facts. The examples of writing prompts is a fabulous way to have the students think while writing. I especially liked the "I am" poem because this has students thinking of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, etc.
As I've gained a better understanding of writing to learn, I am now encouraged to utilize it more in my own classrooms once I begin to teach. Writing to learn provides a win win situation for the students and the teachers and it should definitely gain more attention in the teaching world and in the classrooms.
I couldn't agree with you more! I also liked the idea of utilizing a rubric in class, from a personal experience, it helps me know what the teacher is expecting from my work. A teacher wouldn't have to take so much time out of her day to explain, if a checklist or rubric is present. I also agree with you on the incorporating writing into other subjects. Just from the reading of both passages, I did not really think of all the different ways you can utilized writing in all the subjects. When I was coming up, I really don't remember writing except in my English class. Your views coincide with mines.
ReplyDeleteI appreciated our class discussion about assessing writing. Some, like Rachel above, liked rubrics and others often find them burdensome and stifling. That said, I appreciate the way you opened your post, "While reading through this article and chapter eight, I realized that there was a lot that could be done to help students to learn by writing." That just makes me happy to hear. I agree, there's so many forms writing-to-learn can take; it doesn't have to be formal writing and formal assessment.
ReplyDeleteSmart comments too, "I also found that it was very important that the article discussed why teachers can incorporate writing to learn in their classrooms but choose not to do so. The reason would be that it is time consuming and reading a lot of writing everyday can boggle a days school time down." I agree, there's a reality of time. For example, it's very hard to respond to everyone's blog posting, and yet it's important, so there's a dilemma. How to give feedback, when, how much and why.
You're the first I've read to hone in on this from the book, "I especially love how writing to learn can help the students to utilized declarative, procedural, and conditional knowledge rather than just one of the three." Just curious, do you feel you have a good grasp of the three types and why the author separates them the way they do?
Strange, I've looked at "I Am" poems as such a personal experience into writing, I haven't given much thought to how it might also build on parts of speech, "I especially liked the "I am" poem because this has students thinking of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, etc." Nice post, Duyen. Dr B