January 27, 2010

                                                         

LOVE THAT DOG…I liked this book because it comes from a childs point of view and it shows how he struggles at times with the idea of writing poetry and the meaning behind the words and other poems he has read.  This book also provides evidence of the student’s growth over time and I feel like other children can relate to Jacks need to be anonymous when sharing his work with others.  A fear of others not accepting your work is often a roadblock we face when having to write, especially when it is something we struggle with.

 

 all the small poems and fourteen more…This book is full of poems about all kinds of things; animals, plants, food, and other random objects.  I feel as though this is a wonderful example that can be used to show children that poems can be inspired by just about anything.   This book, like the other two contain more free verse poetry; my favorite poem in this book is titled fireworks. 

 

 

 

Brown Angels…This book is probably my favorite of the three because it’s full of pictures that help bring the poetry to life.  While reading this book I noticed most if not all of the poems were describing something or someone.  Again another good example of how versatile poetry can be…it can be about anything the writer wants to be about.

 

HOT Blogging: A Framework for Blogging to Promote Higer Order Thinking January 20, 2010

 

Having a classroom blog for my students to use is a great way to allow them to share their thoughts and ideas with one another.  Allowing students to blog also gives them an arena to showcase their work and creativity.  Blogging will also give the students a way to communicate outside the classroom.  However, one drawback of having a classroom blog might be that not all students will have access to a computer and internet outside of the classroom; this should be taken into consideration when using a classroom blog.  Rules and guidelines should also be set forth for the students to follow.

Notebook Know How: Strategies for the Writer’s Notebook January 20, 2010

What are your overall impressions of the book?

I really enjoyed reading this book, it is full of great ideas that will be a great asset to me when I have a classroom of my own.  I feel like this book is easy to read and understand and offers a multitude of  ideas to use when having your students keep their own writer’s notebook.  The book also offers tools to help get the writing process started, such as creating lists, writing about their weekend, and writing off literature.(Buckner p.5)

What is the purpose of a Writer’s Notebook?

 A writer’s notebook is a place where student can practice writing, generate text, practice using different writing strategies, find ideas, and practice what they know about spelling and grammar. 

What might be your goals as a teacher of writing?

I feel it is important  to provide student’s with the tools they need become successful and fluent writer’s.  To do this student’s should be encouraged to make writing a habit, the more practice they get writing the better off they will be.  Also remember any writing is good  because it allows the students the opportunity to simply practice writing.

Launching the Notebook?

 I liked the example given in the book on how to launch the notebook.  I think it is important for the teacher to start out by working right along side the students in a group setting.  I feel that allowing the students to share their ideas and thoughts as a group will give them a jumpstart or place to begin their writing.  Students will be more comfortable in a more informal setting and speak more freely about their thoughts and experiences. 

Organization of the Notebook?

I feel students should have a say so on how they feel their notebooks are organized, however it is also important for the teacher to set forth some specific guidelines for all the students to follow.  I like the idea of having the students use the same type of composition notebook, however they should be allowed to “decorate” it to show their own individual personalities.