I had never thought before that I should write for my students. When we compose in our Writer's Notebook, I have my notebook open and write along with them so that they see me as a writer, but I had no idea that I should share my writing with my students. I did not know that it would be powerful for them to see how I write.
I know that I should model, think aloud, and scaffold for students, but I thought that I just needed to show them and explain the different types of writing and how to create our stories. I did not realize that I was missing a major component in my writing instruction. Students need to see authentic writing from me! What a novel idea. I had no clue that students would learn more if I show them the processes of working through a piece of writing, by watching and listening to me write.
I realize now that I need to take the time to model for my students how to write. We read authentic pieces of children's literature, discuss components in those stories, and work on individual pieces, but there has not been much in terms of collaboration with other students or with me. It is clear to me that for students to progress they need more than excellent authors as a model, they also need me.
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You have chosen some terrific cartoons! I finally found your blog by clicking on a comment of yours on someone else's in the class - hope I can keep finding you!
ReplyDeleteYou are really writing about the difference between explaining and showing. Do you watch cooking shows? I used to watch the Food Network with my son - before he became a teenager. Rachel Ray is a perfect example of modeling. She doesn't just tell you go chop the garlic or puree the tomatoes - she shows and tells you. Wouldn't the show be boring if she just stood there and told us how to cook! Of course cooking and writing are quite different, but you get the idea!
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