Playing T.A.G.Creating Spaces for Authentic Peer Response

Giuliana Hazelwood

Photo by Nick Susi

Living the Life of a Writer including response…

ABOUT

ChildrenMethods

Curriculum

No PROBLEM

Navarro. There’s no Way I’m Doing That!

OK

As teachers of writing, we are coaches, encouragers, developers, creators of environments in which our students can experience the

writing process for themselves.

“We have to be quiet, to listen, to respond”

We have to teach our students to do the same.

Donald Graves

David Sedaris

Response is a naturalpart of the writing process.

NCTE / Beliefs about the teaching of writing #8

“Writing has a complex relationship to talk.”

Writers need opportunities to talk … to rehearse ideas and language for

upcoming texts … run ideas by trusted colleagues…

Writers need opportunities to listen…so that sparks of ideas can move

around the room so everyone’s understanding of

writing can grow

“…But you have to create a safe place…it

has to be a safe place… otherwise you will shut people out … you will

make them think what they already are thinking

– that their ideas are terrible, that everyone else has better ideas,

that they stink at writing.”

Gus, 20 yrs old

Gus at 6

I: How would you feel if you had to conference with them?

J: I would feel like a jar of slime. Being sat on.

I: So maybe they don’t treat you very well?

J: Yes. No, like getting cut in half.

When asked why she didn’t share with the large group, the researcher expected her to predict verbal attacks, but she said she was reluctant to share…

J: Because, cause, for some people, it, nobody would, would um, answer, or ask them questions. I know that.

“By offering a community where every member is engaged in similar struggles, we offer … writers the knowledge that they are not

alone.”

Talk within a shared intellectual community provides writers with a way to give supportive suggestions.

Structure, like David Sedaris creates for himself, to “test the waters” and expect authentic response.

Time to talk about our writing and ask questions (NCTE) (Elliott)

Positive Comments, as Gus discovered, to hear what everyone else is hearing – to realize that you have something powerful to say.

The right to share (even things that are not usually for school) without fear of being bullied through words or silence as Jessie reminds us.

Community of support in which trusted colleagues give us suggestions we can use. (Cruz)

Putting it together…We need a way to support students’ as they learn to respond

“Navarro! There is no way I’m doing that!”

CorrectingEditing Right and a wrong wayYou use a red penGrammatical editing It is having control over the writing (as a teacher) It’s necessary for good writingUnproductive It has no meaning – it’s just a routine Response isn’t important

Before our Work TogetherResponse is…

About Response, Now we think…It’s Complex

Writing is improved by practice and response is a positive discussion about the paper.

There is no “correct” way to respond, because there is more than one way.

There is a lot more to writing than “how” (the grammar) it’s written.

Now we think creativity is more important than grammar. And, you can address the quality of the writing as a whole.

A lot of “control” must be given up to the kids.

Having a procedure for feedback makes it more effective

Using a protocol helps students stay focused and use appropriate language.

Response is important - it helps students work together and gain confidence in their work.

It has a reason – to help you think of yourself as a writer (when you are the

responder) and you can also use the feedback.

Writer’s notebooks allows for more freedom with learning to write – there is more to respond to.

http://www.pz.harvard.edu/at/

http://pzweb.harvard.edu/vt/VisibleThinking_html_files/VisibleThinking1.html