Teaching Writing

As a component of the students’ research project, the kids are to write a personal narrative essay.  It was my job today to present the narrative essay.  Because form is not strictly prescribed, I turned my focus on helping students flesh out their writing with sensory vocabulary words.  I also provided two examples of personal narrative essays, so the students could understand what they sounded/looked like.  Lastly, I showed a rough draft of my own writing to help students appreciate how first draft writing is the “bare bones” and sensory vocabulary and revision will help them “flesh out” their writing.

I wish that I had gone into a discussion about pre-writing.  The students clearly could have used an introduction to graphic organizers to help them get started.  Some of their reluctance is sort of ingrained in them from years of “just getting by” in school, but most of their reluctance came from their need for explicit instruction.  I liked the way I got the students to work during this lesson.  My first presentation was full of good information, but I’m not sure I engaged the students enough.  Granted my topic for my first teach was possibly the most uninspiring topic in the ELA repertoire: MLA documentation; however, I do think my use of cooperative learning groups in this instance was effective, if only in terms of getting them to do their work, participate, and listen.  My favorite activity was showing the students a piece of my own writing.  I simplified the piece I originally prepared because I wanted them to see the importance of getting their ideas on paper first, and using revision to flesh out their narrative and help their stories come to life.  I also like the fact that the class collectively moaned when I had them start the lesson with a freewriting exercise as a way to warm up.  Once they moaned about it, I explained why I was having them do the writing exercise and the benefits they would reap from starting the class thinking about their essays (which will be a blend of research information and information based on interviews).  Their moans let me know that what I was asking them to do was work, and that was exactly what I wanted from them.

This teach was good.  I had fun, partly because I like the information I was presenting and partly because I can relate to how the writing process can be both painful and enormously rewarding.  Students need explicit writing instruction, and when they are given specific, accomplishable tasks, they do the work.  I notice when things are presented in a vague manner, students are apathetic and unproductive.  I also have a new love and respect for graphic organizers.  They really work, and they are the easiest way, I think, to present information that is complex.  Because writing is such a complex and difficult activity, students need to write all of the time and the definitely need explicit instruction!