"Even the most accomplished writers do not admit to having mastered the sentence, for example, for no one ever expects to be able to write the very best sentence possible, one after another. Everyone continues to experiment and learn so they can write as many of the best sentences possible. Young writers should experiment and learn every day throughout their formal school experience" (Fearn & Farnan, p.79)
Writing is hard. Teaching writing is challenging. Learning to write is a lifelong process. Three short statements that ring true to my ear. Students begin to develop their language from birth, they learn to write somewhere in their early years and continue to develop it for many years to come. So, where does that leave the instruction of writing in elementary schools. Why do we focus on sentence instruction and quickly move towards paragraphs? Am I too quick to jump to paragraphs rather than spending more time developing students' abilities in the sentence fluency aspect? I hear it from many teachers...why can't Johny write a sentence? Does he even know what a sentence is? As a grade two teacher for the last six years, I found myself teaching the sentence craft year after year. But I also find that just because I spent a great deal of the first term on sentence instruction does not mean that students can write in sentences. I don't think sentence instruction can be limited to one grade, but needs to be taught again and again.
"I think sentence fluency is the most difficult trait to teach. This trait seems to require more inherent talent than the others "(Olness, p.140).
I think I found the area within writing that I hope to focus my inquiry on. It is becoming more clearer the more I dig in the pile of readings on my dinning table. But I am also overwhelmed as I realized that this is perhaps one of those challenging areas that I may not "arrive" at the end of my inquiry. In many ways I find that this journey will simply make me more aware of the many different ways of approaching this particular area in writing. I also know that just because one learned to drive, it does not make one a good driver. However, the fact remains that teaching and learning writing is foundational and that I need to continue to find ways to further develop my students as writers. Sentence fluency is a start.
"It is absolutely necessary for students to be able to craft well a sentence in order to write well; however it is not sufficient in itself. Students must learn to use the tools to construct a sentence" (Fearn & Farnan p.78).
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Where do I go from here?
This is the question that has been in my mind for the last couple of weeks. I feel the pressure of time to narrow down my research ideas. I am unsure of the road I need to take. In one of the readings this past week a specific quote jumped out at me:
"All teachers have wonderings worth pursuing. Transforming wonderings into questions is the start of teacher research" (Hubbard & Power, p.2).
I am realizing that in my pursuit of answers I may indeed find more questions. A while back, in reflecting over my years of teaching I wrote the following, “As a teacher I am continually learning – about myself as a teacher but also as a learner, as an individual but also as a member, in my successes but also in my failures, about my students but also from them – learning who I am, what I am called to do and how I should get there.” I feel the need to expand that to include that I am also learning from my search for answers but also from my growing list of questions.
Writing is a vast area and with many possibilities. I have compiled a list of questions. However, the list of questions seems to grow and my hope of bringing about answers seems to become less and less of a reality. I know I need to choose one small piece of the writing puzzle. The more I read and research about writing, the more I am convinced that this is indeed my focus. More specifically, I am thinking of choosing strategies that would help teachers at any grade with writing across the curriculum. As a teacher I always find myself with the need to integrate subjects if I am to attempt to cover all that students need to learn through the year. Writing becomes integrated in many curricular areas. So to target writing is to not only help writing itself, but all curricular areas. What is it then within writing strategies that I want to invest my time into? Another area of possible focus is the connection that exists between oral and written language. A specific question that comes to mind is: “How can oral language help, enable or support the teaching of the written language in the primary classroom?”
I am continuing to search for a specific direction in the coming weeks. Reading will continue to guide my thought process as well as conversations with colleagues. My hope is that I will gain clarity in my journey and a light to guide me.
"All teachers have wonderings worth pursuing. Transforming wonderings into questions is the start of teacher research" (Hubbard & Power, p.2).
I am realizing that in my pursuit of answers I may indeed find more questions. A while back, in reflecting over my years of teaching I wrote the following, “As a teacher I am continually learning – about myself as a teacher but also as a learner, as an individual but also as a member, in my successes but also in my failures, about my students but also from them – learning who I am, what I am called to do and how I should get there.” I feel the need to expand that to include that I am also learning from my search for answers but also from my growing list of questions.
Writing is a vast area and with many possibilities. I have compiled a list of questions. However, the list of questions seems to grow and my hope of bringing about answers seems to become less and less of a reality. I know I need to choose one small piece of the writing puzzle. The more I read and research about writing, the more I am convinced that this is indeed my focus. More specifically, I am thinking of choosing strategies that would help teachers at any grade with writing across the curriculum. As a teacher I always find myself with the need to integrate subjects if I am to attempt to cover all that students need to learn through the year. Writing becomes integrated in many curricular areas. So to target writing is to not only help writing itself, but all curricular areas. What is it then within writing strategies that I want to invest my time into? Another area of possible focus is the connection that exists between oral and written language. A specific question that comes to mind is: “How can oral language help, enable or support the teaching of the written language in the primary classroom?”
I am continuing to search for a specific direction in the coming weeks. Reading will continue to guide my thought process as well as conversations with colleagues. My hope is that I will gain clarity in my journey and a light to guide me.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
The Journey Continues
The first class has been completed. The learning journey continues. I don't say it has only began, since as a teacher I am continually learning. There is no beginning or end to what I call learning in the field of education. I am simply continuing to learn the craft of teaching. The master's program offers me the opportunity to formalize my learning into a degree. In the first hour of the class, the professor throws the following question to the class: "What does mastery of one's craft mean?". The question is not easily answered. As I ponder over it, I begin to think that the teaching craft can ever be mastered by any one particular teacher. So why is it then, that I seek a master's in my craft? It is because I long to find ways of enriching and broadening what I know about my craft.
The first week's readings have been completed. It was while reading the introduction of the book, The Art of Classroom Inquiry, that I began to feel empowered in viewing myself as a "teacher-researcher". The passage that has jumped out at me states:
"If you have a problem-solving mind as a teacher, you are ready for research. If you welcome change and growth with your students, research can have a place in your professional life. The educational world is certainly in need of the tomorrow mind of teacher-researchers!...The first is to be humble and recognize that you have much to learn from your students and their communities. Second, approach your teaching always with a sense of inquiry, framing quesitons about your students and their needs to guide your teaching. Finally, have a willingness to share your story" (p.xvi).
I find that I am and have been a teacher-researcher. I wonder and seek solutions. I change and adapt. I seek and find. I learn and teach. I think and share. I am a learner. I am a teacher. And, I am a researcher.
The first week's readings have been completed. It was while reading the introduction of the book, The Art of Classroom Inquiry, that I began to feel empowered in viewing myself as a "teacher-researcher". The passage that has jumped out at me states:
"If you have a problem-solving mind as a teacher, you are ready for research. If you welcome change and growth with your students, research can have a place in your professional life. The educational world is certainly in need of the tomorrow mind of teacher-researchers!...The first is to be humble and recognize that you have much to learn from your students and their communities. Second, approach your teaching always with a sense of inquiry, framing quesitons about your students and their needs to guide your teaching. Finally, have a willingness to share your story" (p.xvi).
I find that I am and have been a teacher-researcher. I wonder and seek solutions. I change and adapt. I seek and find. I learn and teach. I think and share. I am a learner. I am a teacher. And, I am a researcher.
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