Chapter 2

I have read all the chapters, now I am forcing myself to sit at the computer and post something. Reggie's reminder to start with a celebration is so true. My memories of writing in grade and high school include lots of red marks and no celebrations. I struggle as a teacher to balance the compliments with directions for improvement. I certainly do not want any of my students to experience a blood red paper that reminds them they can not write. Page 21 states "It takes so little to turn a student into a writer: a human connection, teacher modeling, supportive conversations before writing begins, an appreciation of the student's efforts, sincere affirmation, real writing for a purpose, and a reader that the student values." No wonder my students always want to share their writing. They need an audience! Starting in August my students wrote in a journal daily for about 20 minutes. I am now rethinking this. I have started a writing folder where they select some of their topics and let me know when they have finished a piece of writing. They have generated a list of topic after watching me do a demonstration of this. I have also started working with a smaller number in some shared or guided writing. I will let you know how this works. This week we will be reading and sharing some poems in class. I am curious if this will make my students interested in writing a poem. Her final sentence in this chapter is so true. I do have fun when a lesson goes well and I feel my students have learned something new.
"Teaching, supporting, and expecting kids to do their best is where the fun begins."