Quick Write—Susan & Kari

Have you ever felt frustrated or fearful with your writing or a part of it?

What were the triggers—environment, distractions, criticisms or maybe something inside of you that caused you to struggle with your writing?

Today

Inquiry Question Background My School Support Curriculum Decisions The Lesson—You Write Share Your Stories The Real Story Student Work Conversations What’s worked for me Back to The Question & Handout

Inquiry Question

What suggestions do you have for me with my middle school students—especially those who are frustrated with reading and writing—to help them be writers?

What changes should I make in my classroom or approach to writing with students?

Background

My family From the basement of UCSD to teaching Mixing It Up—Elementary, Middle School,

General Education, Resource Teacher

My School

Currently a Resource Teacher grades 6-7-8 My caseload currently 28 Pine Ridge School in Magalia K-8 school, 825+ students 3 sections each grade--grade 6, grade 7, grade 8 74% free and reduced lunch, 16% disabilities, 0% ELL Title I K-6 Mostly Caucasian Many single parents, several students living with grandparents Program Improvement Year 1

Support

Caseload currently 28 with IEP’s, serve up to 45, many labels Support 11 general education teachers Pull-out, some push-in, each student with me 0-2 periods a day, serve

10-15 students per period Teach—1 period 6th grade Reading/Writing/Math Intervention class -- 1 period 7th grade World History/Reading/Writing class -- 1 period 8th grade US History/Reading/Writing class -- 1 period 7th/8th grade Math Intervention/Content Support class Push-In up to 2 periods a day Lunch Support 3 days a week 2 Instructional Aides—push-in all day long to general education

classrooms Reverse Mainstreaming Big Buddies / Experts

Curriculum Decisions

Read out loud to my students

Visuals with Writing

Lessons

Students read at a successful level

Kate Kinsella Vocabulary Lessons

Project—Reading/

Writing/Art/Technology

History/Reading/Writing class period = 53 min = 15 min Predictions and Silent Reading + 7 min Word Work + about 20 min of an above activity daily.

3 week units with each of above activities approximately X3 each.

The Lesson—Visual Activity with Writing

Look at the picture carefully. Notice all of the details. This picture tells a story about an event that really did happen.

You are a student in my class about to start a new unit in US History.

Write what you think the real story is behind the picture.

If you get stuck, work with a partner, or go back to the picture. Use the clues to help you. You must use my clues in your story.

I’m going to give you just a few minutes to start writing and then I will stop you. I will stop you, give you some clues, let you write again, give you more clues…We will work on this for about 10 minutes of writing altogether.

You will be able to share your story in the end if you want to. There will be a prize for the story that is closest to the real story.

The Visual—What do you think the real story is?—Write the story. You may write on your own or with a partner.

Zooming In

Clues

Henry 1849 $86 Friday, 5 am Richmond, Virginia

More Clues

Cows bladder 27 hours Tobacco

Still More Clues

Upside down Coroner—the official that declares a body

dead

Share Your Stories With Me

Only if you want to—but I bet you have something great to share.

The Real Story—Henry Box Brown—Written by Henry

Student Work—Some Difficulties for My Students

Getting started Spelling, verb tenses, structure of the writing Limited background knowledge about what they

have to write about Takes some of them X6 longer than someone else Focus— forget what they are writing about Do not understand the directions /too many parts Switching gears-- from listening to writing Printing or typing skills WRITING IS HARD WORK

Conversations

As a writer, what parts of this activity worked for you? What did not work for you?

If you were a struggling writer in my class, what parts of this lesson might have needed to be done differently for you?

What changes might you make in one of your own writing lessons?

Questions for me.

What has worked for me over the last week here with you. Thank you.

Acceptance/ Encouragement** Short timed writes** Questions** Untimed writing** Variety** Writing everyday Background reading Discussions** Knowing that you guys—whom I perceive as writers-- don’t always

have something to write Hearing what you guys, as good writers have to say and write Whatever I write is OK** I do not have to share** Being relaxed /Food Fun** ** Also on my kids’ list of what works for them

Back To The Question

What suggestions do you have for me with my middle school students—especially those who are frustrated with reading and writing—to help them be writers?

What changes should I make in my classroom or in my approach to writing with students?

Handout