Chapter+1

Debra Kent EDG 593 Reflection 1: Non Fiction Mentor Text November 9, 2010 I found this chapter very interesting. I have always tried to integrate a read aloud with writing assignments. I was absent from school this morning and one of the things I left for the substitute was a read aloud in order to begin the pre writing for a How To paragraph the students will begin to write this week. So as I was reading last night I was pretty proud of myself until I realized that I was having the students write a non fiction piece but the book I used to introduce the topic was fiction. I have never used non fiction to introduce a writing assignment. I have used poetry, fiction, biographies and auto biographies. Yet most of the writing I have my students do is non fiction. A number of years ago at a workshop, the presenter pointed out the importance of having non fiction books for students to read. From that time I used all my “bonus points” from Scholastic Book Club to purchase non fictions books. Again I was quite pleased with my decision and thought I was doing as I should! Last week as I was reorganizing my library I again realized I do not have as many non fiction books in my library as I could. I have twice as many fiction books as I do non fiction. The third grade at my school has a partnership with a library in one of the teacher’s town. I will make sure she emphasizes the need for non fiction books in our monthly “order.” One practice I have maintained throughout the years is modeling. I try to always write an example of the writing I would like them to do pointing out the transition words, rhyming patterns etc. I attempt to make mistakes so my writing can be used as an example through the whole writing process. The problem with this is when the class is at all different stages and conferencing takes over, modeling the process goes to the wayside and I’m coaching individual or small groups of students through it. Recently I had to turn in a paper for a class, I like to have someone else read my written work (I know the process works), I asked a fellow colleague to read the paper. I asked her in front of her class and we shared the results of her editing, my rewrite, and then the class was quite invested in what my grade was and asked consistently if I had received my paper. We used this as a teachable moment and shared with them how adults go through the process and have to correct their work, just like we ask of them.
 * Chapter 1: The Value of Nonfiction: Imagining the Possibilities **
 * __**Writing and grammar seem to be the topics I push aside in favor of comprehension, fluency, and decoding.__** While I do include some form of writing in comprehension, going through the process is not a priority because it is not tested on the PSSA in third grade. Just this week my language arts schedule has changed leaving a significant amount of time where I don’t have to be in small group, my plan is to use this time to work on the writing process, grammar and phonics.

 ** EDG593 ** ** Reflection 1 ** // Nonfiction Mentor Text (Dorfman & Capelli) // ”Chapter 1: The Value of Nonfiction”  // “Writing does not look exactly the same in one classroom as it does in another”  // -Tom Romano, Blending Genre, Altering Style: Writing Mulitgenre Papers  The quote on the first page of the chapter really hit me and kept coming back to me as I read this part of the text. The way that one teacher exposes his/her students to writing will look completely different than in another because it is a demonstrated skill, one with which a teacher needs to be completely at ease with. There are many, many teachers who will admit willingly that they do not like to teach writing because they did not have a good experience themselves, or they do not feel they are good writers. Using nonfiction text to mentor or demonstrate can be the perfect solution for those who do not enjoy writing instruction, or feel inept at the process demonstration. I liked the way that the book spoke of “apprenticing” students in the writing workshop, as if we are responsible to bring them along, side by side, with us all the way as we instruct them on how to effectively communicate their thoughts in a clear succinct manner. Nonfiction mentor text use requires that we can relate to it, and our students can also relate to it. If it is not real or relevant, than it has not place in the demonstration of writing. It is also important to remember the majority of students sitting before us today will be writing in the nonfiction genre over 85% of the time, so it is crucial to help develop this skill.  Gradual Release of Responsibility can help us as teachers to process our own teaching of a specific topic or skill. With the demonstration of the skill, the guided practice and independent practice pieces, it sets up the student to be more aware of the process and better equip to analyze their learning.
 * Ginnie Goldovich November 9, 2010 **