Chapters 1 and 8 have a lot of useful information, some of which we have hit on before in previous classes and discussions. They also stress about how writing to learn is vital to educational success. It is our job as teachers to encourage and teach students how to learn independently. We must also be ready to adapt our teaching in this fast-paced culture that we live in. It seems to me that many students, as well as adults, simply do not want to take the time to sit down and read or write. We have become accustomed to everything being at our fingertips with the click of a button, and we shut down even when it takes little effort to accomplish a task.
In chapter 1, the authors focus on student responsibility. We as teachers must guide students to make their own decisions and encourage them to be independent thinkers and learners. In my opinion, kids learn so much more if they are free to find out for themselves. This not only keeps them interested, but allows them to be less dependent on the teacher. This chapter also discussed strategies that can be used in the classroom, regardless of the subject area. One of my favorites is think-pair-share because it gives you a chance to hear others' opinions and learn something you might not have thought of before. Jigsaw is another great strategy because the kids are researching and then teaching each other. This gives them each an important role in the learning process.
Chapter 8 discusses "powerful pens" and the effects writing has on the classroom. It states that we can use writing as a tool to monitor students' progress. I agree, because as the year progresses, teachers can collect a variety of writing sample from all students so that the teacher as well as the student can see how they are progressing. I believe that when a student views their own work they will feel a sense of accomplishment and be able to see how far they've come. However, this chapter does not simply focus on writing in a language arts classroom. It places emphasis on the fact that writing can be used throughout the curriculum and in a variety of ways. For example, I really hope to teach science someday, and I can incorporate writing into my classroom fairly easily with the use of quick writes, bell ringers, conclusions, and short essays, just to name a few.
I really believe that I can take the information from these two chapters and apply it in the classroom. I do wonder how exactly to implement writing into subjects such as math and maybe even art and still be able to make it interesting (without simply doing an essay, etc.)? I was talking to a fourth grader the other day who asked me a question. When I told her that I didn't know, she told me, "Oh, well let me google it on your phone." I was astounded that this little nine year old girl knew how to use google on a smartphone! This brings me to my next question. Because students have so many resources at their disposal, how can we better inspire then to write to learn and express their creativity without involving technology so much?
You brought up a lot of interesting points in your blog, Kaitlin. One point I really liked was the fact that teachers should encourage their students to become more independent. You stated that kids learn so much more if they have the freedom to find the answers for themselves. I totally agree with that. The knowledge has so much more meaning, if the student put forth the effort to learn the information for themselves. The information will probably be retained because it holds significance to the child. Learning independently also gives children a sense of accomplishment, knowing they discovered new information on their own.
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