Have you read Stephen King's book On Writing? I found some great insights there. I also loved Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird.
Things teachers say:
One of my favorite lessons is when I show them Stephen King's chapter about how his first (college) editor marked up the first piece of writing he submitted -- and he said, "Why hadn't any English teacher done this before?"
I show it to my students, then I tell them if Stephen King tells me this is what I should do, then I better do it! I refer back to it all year, and I think it helps them appreciate all the red marks I put on their papers. It is my gift to them, I tell them!
17 April 2010
16 April 2010
And isn't writing about making choices?
A post from Dr. Dean: EC Ning
I guess I'm a little different in my perspective. When I taught inexperienced writers how to write an effective fragment (and what one was), they actually understood better what complete sentences were. Did they overuse fragments at first? Yes. But they improved overall eventually. What this taught me is that sometimes the rules, which I think we develop to help novice writers avoid problems, take away their choices as writers. I recommend *(I OWN IT, NOW I JUST NEED TO READ IT) Schuster's book Breaking the Rules: Liberating Writers through Innovative Grammar Instruction--and this quote from chapter 4 (on teaching writing): "Teaching Writing is the hardest thing we English teachers are asked to do. In view of that difficulty, it is not surprising that we seek formulas, simple lists of what to do and what to avoid.
But if James Sledd (1996) is right--'Learning to write is learning to use all one's mind in making'--then there can be no shortcuts or formulas."
other posts http://englishcompanion.ning.com/group/teachingwriting/forum/topics/teaching-essay-style-15-tricks?
Do your students never write any personal essays? Are they never allowed to explore their own realities in their writing? I hope they do and are -- if not, you might want to allow them that opportunity...even if it's not for a grade.
I completely agree with you about phrases such as "this essay will discuss." YUCK. The phrase that really gets under my skin is "I believe" or "I think." I tell them that I know its what they believe because they are writing it! They don't need to tell me they believe it---its obvious! That phrase doesn't appear in formal writing as much as it does on timed essays or test essays
When drafting I find that the "this essay will discuss" or "In this essay I am going to try to prove" or "the main idea of this essay is" sometimes helps the students to initiate the writing process. Anything is better than a blank page staring up at them with intimidation. Then, as we begin drafting, I point out that they no longer need this phrase -- mark it out, add a verb, there you go! Much better! I tell them that beginning an essay or paper with these expressions sends 1 of 2 messages to the reader: 1) my writing is not so good so I need to tell you what I wanted to say so you get it or 2) I am not sure that you -the reader- are smart enough so I better tell you straight up what I am writing about. Neither message improves the writer's relationship with the reader.
I believe - I think are also OUT! For the same reason that you stated, but I also add the point: Unless the student is an expert in the specific field being discussed, using "I think" or "I believe" will actually hurt the argument because "who cares what you think or believe." How does the fact that "you" believe it or think it convince me? --grady bryan
Oh yeah, contractions--I allow the sophs to use them because I forbid so many other things (cliches, for one). But I forbid my seniors from using them.
I also insist that they never talk about their writing in their writing. Phrases like "This essay will discuss . . ." or "As we can see . . ." are yecchy!! Borrrring. THE worst is "I chose to write about . . . ." --Carol S
After reading a novel or play, have students write . . .
a diary entry for a character
a letter from one character to another
a newspaper report or tv news report about an event from the novel/play
a missing chapter from the novel/play
interview questions and answers for a character
a conversation between one character and a character from another novel/play
a facebook page for a character
a song or poem depicting a theme from the novel/play
Sharanda, the 5P is not the subject of this thread, but you brought it up in a negative tone, so . . . be aware that while 5P might not be beneficial to your idea of the "real world," it will be beneficial for state writing tests and for many college assignments. It's not the right thing for everything, but it IS sometimes the right thing. To steer completely clear is to ignore a form of writing that does have value in some situations and deny the students the training that might be valuable to them.
Teacherly things to say:
1. I ask students to consider what the effects of using that "but" might be on the reader, and, as an experienced reader, I tell them what the effect in different situations might be.
2. (so funny)
I forbid my sophomores from using "you" in an essay. Zero. Zip. None. Nada. Buzzer. Baaaad idea. MmMm. Don't do it. They need to learn to use a formal tone and third person. Some of them really have to chew over a sentence, but they do get it eventually. I allow them to "point and laugh" if they catch a "you" in a peer's essay; then the offender can laugh at him/herself (as the article states, I don't allow "their" for singular antecedents) and correct the boo-boo.
3. Good writing has to work. AND, it must "SAY SOMETHING."
EDITING
A) For junior high kids, try some commands they are familiar with: add, delete, change, move. Each reader should use each of these commands one time for someone else's writing. Add an adjective desribing the sound here; delete this sentence because it doesn't apply to the topic; change the word "in" to "into"; move this sentence to the end of the paragraph because it's a great closer. This guides the editors without doing the actual editing for them. Yes/no questions common on revision checklists just generate a list of "yes" answers without much thought.
B) Sometimes I let drafts "marinate" for a few weeks. You know how when you're looking for your car keys, and you can't find them... and can't find them... and can't find them... and then your husband/wife comes in and picks them up from the counter -right in plain sight, and you couldn't see them? That's what happens with students' drafts sometimes. Once the writing has been out of sight (and out of mind) for a few days, revision is a LOT easier.
Sometimes I focus on only one skill for the whole class: transitions, adding detail, adding sentence variety, using more interesting punctuation than the big three (period, comma, apostrophe). Anything else that is changed during the skill lesson is gravy.
Finally, I try to help students understand that drafting is for ideas (what you want to say). Revision is for craft (how you want to say it).
Peer revision can't hurt either - it gives the kids an audience besides you, and it sets a fresh pair of eyes on the piece.
C) I think that in order for their individual conferences with you to be shorter, you need them to conference and revise with one another first. I recently had a class do a revision workshop in groups of four. Each person in the group was responsible for revising only one aspect of the essay (i.e. grammar, focus, clarity). After they did that, they had to make suggested changes on their own and then they could conference with me. This activity will have the students independent from you and thinking about possible revisions before they even get to their individual conference with you.
D) Their independence will only grow when they learn how to look at a piece of writing objectively. I would start by teaching them how to appropriately respond to a piece of writing. First, notice something that was done well. Second, identify something SPECIFIC that you would like to know more about. Third, give a specific focus for improving the piece. Until they can do this, they will always be looking to us for, often, their sole point of revision.
This is a tough skill to teach, because now you are assessing the quality of their responses rather than their writing. I have found that a peer revision group is not helpful; you can monitor the responses. Swapping papers and writing responses may work well. However, this year I teach ninth graders and I have all of this occur on our class website social network. It allows me to immediately send them a message responding to their response, and all responses are permanently available to you, the responder, the writer, and other responders may build upon initial responses. Perhaps a wiki space would work well for this as well.
Independence will come from a students understanding and confidence in giving and received responses from their peers rather than just the teacher.
E) It is our job to foster their learning. If we hold all of the knowledge that the learners need and they know it, they will always come to us for the answers. There is a point when they need to find their own answers. We can model and [practice skills with our students, but they need to move towards independence.
Students love it when I have corrected their errors orally or written. That is all they will change. We need to encourage their self-reflection and critical thinking. I believe it is by teaching them how to look at writing (professional writing, peer writing, and their writing) with a critical eye.
E) Word Choice My sophs look for "oatmeal words" and work to replace them with "jalapeno words." Exercises with a thesaurus always go over well.
To me, word choice is a revising skill. Don't fuss over word choice in a first draft. When you are revising, that's the time to "jalapeno-ize" the words.
Due Dates
I guess I am at odds with the majority out there. . . I am a big stickler about my class policies--I would feel that by giving an extension to these two students, I would need to give an extension to all of them. For this situation, I would tell the two students that they must turn in the paper on the day it is due because they didn't bring their scheduling issues up earlier to be addressed by and for the whole class. If they had had a verifiable emergency, then I would respond differently. But, usually if two students have that much going on, the rest of the class does too--at least with the school-related activities. When I realize that my whole group is overbooked for a time, then I negotiate the due dates with them as a group.
I would feel that by giving an extension to these two kids I would be doing two things: 1) Encouraging them to procrastinate, 2) Giving them an unfair privilege in comparison with the rest of the students.
I agree with Andrya -- I just can't cave for the ones who ask, because I know there are others who don't ask and suffer the consequences. A consistent and firm policy works because, as we all know, kids (and adults!) crave clear expectations, consequences and boundaries.
My students hear often the tale of the printer fairy -- you know her, right? She flies around neighborhoods the day before a project is due and sucks all the ink out of printers. She's today's version of the homework-eating dog.
I love, love, love my late policy because of these kinds of situations. My policy is I will always accept late work, but it doesn't earn more than 60%. While that may seem harsh, it makes it so much easier for all of us. I don't have to calculate how many days late, plus figure percentages, and the kids don't have to ask for extensions. They know the policy from day one and it never changes. And the best part is, it always gives them a reason to do missing assignments. 60% may be a low grade, but when calculated in with other assignments, it is a significant boost over 0%.
The over-scheduling issue with teens is a huge problem, but so are crashed computers, dry printers, and those darn dogs that eat the homework. When I am firm with my late policy, none of those stories matter -- it's always 60% (even if a parent delivers it to school -- how fair is it to the kids who don't have a parent who can do that if I accept it from Mommy in the office?).
I think this sounds really harsh... but I have tried every policy under the sun over the last 17 years, and this one really works. Sooooo much easier.
Students must “read for knowledge and write with the goal of exploring ideas.”
I guess I'm a little different in my perspective. When I taught inexperienced writers how to write an effective fragment (and what one was), they actually understood better what complete sentences were. Did they overuse fragments at first? Yes. But they improved overall eventually. What this taught me is that sometimes the rules, which I think we develop to help novice writers avoid problems, take away their choices as writers.
And isn't writing about making choices?
But if James Sledd (1996) is right--'Learning to write is learning to use all one's mind in making'--then there can be no shortcuts or formulas."
other posts http://englishcompanion.ning.com/group/teachingwriting/forum/topics/teaching-essay-style-15-tricks?
Do your students never write any personal essays? Are they never allowed to explore their own realities in their writing? I hope they do and are -- if not, you might want to allow them that opportunity...even if it's not for a grade.
I completely agree with you about phrases such as "this essay will discuss." YUCK. The phrase that really gets under my skin is "I believe" or "I think." I tell them that I know its what they believe because they are writing it! They don't need to tell me they believe it---its obvious! That phrase doesn't appear in formal writing as much as it does on timed essays or test essays
When drafting I find that the "this essay will discuss" or "In this essay I am going to try to prove" or "the main idea of this essay is" sometimes helps the students to initiate the writing process. Anything is better than a blank page staring up at them with intimidation. Then, as we begin drafting, I point out that they no longer need this phrase -- mark it out, add a verb, there you go! Much better! I tell them that beginning an essay or paper with these expressions sends 1 of 2 messages to the reader: 1) my writing is not so good so I need to tell you what I wanted to say so you get it or 2) I am not sure that you -the reader- are smart enough so I better tell you straight up what I am writing about. Neither message improves the writer's relationship with the reader.
I believe - I think are also OUT! For the same reason that you stated, but I also add the point: Unless the student is an expert in the specific field being discussed, using "I think" or "I believe" will actually hurt the argument because "who cares what you think or believe." How does the fact that "you" believe it or think it convince me? --grady bryan
Oh yeah, contractions--I allow the sophs to use them because I forbid so many other things (cliches, for one). But I forbid my seniors from using them.
I also insist that they never talk about their writing in their writing. Phrases like "This essay will discuss . . ." or "As we can see . . ." are yecchy!! Borrrring. THE worst is "I chose to write about . . . ." --Carol S
After reading a novel or play, have students write . . .
a diary entry for a character
a letter from one character to another
a newspaper report or tv news report about an event from the novel/play
a missing chapter from the novel/play
interview questions and answers for a character
a conversation between one character and a character from another novel/play
a facebook page for a character
a song or poem depicting a theme from the novel/play
Sharanda, the 5P is not the subject of this thread, but you brought it up in a negative tone, so . . . be aware that while 5P might not be beneficial to your idea of the "real world," it will be beneficial for state writing tests and for many college assignments. It's not the right thing for everything, but it IS sometimes the right thing. To steer completely clear is to ignore a form of writing that does have value in some situations and deny the students the training that might be valuable to them.
Teacherly things to say:
1. I ask students to consider what the effects of using that "but" might be on the reader, and, as an experienced reader, I tell them what the effect in different situations might be.
2. (so funny)
I forbid my sophomores from using "you" in an essay. Zero. Zip. None. Nada. Buzzer. Baaaad idea. MmMm. Don't do it. They need to learn to use a formal tone and third person. Some of them really have to chew over a sentence, but they do get it eventually. I allow them to "point and laugh" if they catch a "you" in a peer's essay; then the offender can laugh at him/herself (as the article states, I don't allow "their" for singular antecedents) and correct the boo-boo.
3. Good writing has to work. AND, it must "SAY SOMETHING."
EDITING
A) For junior high kids, try some commands they are familiar with: add, delete, change, move. Each reader should use each of these commands one time for someone else's writing. Add an adjective desribing the sound here; delete this sentence because it doesn't apply to the topic; change the word "in" to "into"; move this sentence to the end of the paragraph because it's a great closer. This guides the editors without doing the actual editing for them. Yes/no questions common on revision checklists just generate a list of "yes" answers without much thought.
B) Sometimes I let drafts "marinate" for a few weeks. You know how when you're looking for your car keys, and you can't find them... and can't find them... and can't find them... and then your husband/wife comes in and picks them up from the counter -right in plain sight, and you couldn't see them? That's what happens with students' drafts sometimes. Once the writing has been out of sight (and out of mind) for a few days, revision is a LOT easier.
Sometimes I focus on only one skill for the whole class: transitions, adding detail, adding sentence variety, using more interesting punctuation than the big three (period, comma, apostrophe). Anything else that is changed during the skill lesson is gravy.
Finally, I try to help students understand that drafting is for ideas (what you want to say). Revision is for craft (how you want to say it).
Peer revision can't hurt either - it gives the kids an audience besides you, and it sets a fresh pair of eyes on the piece.
C) I think that in order for their individual conferences with you to be shorter, you need them to conference and revise with one another first. I recently had a class do a revision workshop in groups of four. Each person in the group was responsible for revising only one aspect of the essay (i.e. grammar, focus, clarity). After they did that, they had to make suggested changes on their own and then they could conference with me. This activity will have the students independent from you and thinking about possible revisions before they even get to their individual conference with you.
D) Their independence will only grow when they learn how to look at a piece of writing objectively. I would start by teaching them how to appropriately respond to a piece of writing. First, notice something that was done well. Second, identify something SPECIFIC that you would like to know more about. Third, give a specific focus for improving the piece. Until they can do this, they will always be looking to us for, often, their sole point of revision.
This is a tough skill to teach, because now you are assessing the quality of their responses rather than their writing. I have found that a peer revision group is not helpful; you can monitor the responses. Swapping papers and writing responses may work well. However, this year I teach ninth graders and I have all of this occur on our class website social network. It allows me to immediately send them a message responding to their response, and all responses are permanently available to you, the responder, the writer, and other responders may build upon initial responses. Perhaps a wiki space would work well for this as well.
Independence will come from a students understanding and confidence in giving and received responses from their peers rather than just the teacher.
E) It is our job to foster their learning. If we hold all of the knowledge that the learners need and they know it, they will always come to us for the answers. There is a point when they need to find their own answers. We can model and [practice skills with our students, but they need to move towards independence.
Students love it when I have corrected their errors orally or written. That is all they will change. We need to encourage their self-reflection and critical thinking. I believe it is by teaching them how to look at writing (professional writing, peer writing, and their writing) with a critical eye.
E) Word Choice My sophs look for "oatmeal words" and work to replace them with "jalapeno words." Exercises with a thesaurus always go over well.
To me, word choice is a revising skill. Don't fuss over word choice in a first draft. When you are revising, that's the time to "jalapeno-ize" the words.
Due Dates
I guess I am at odds with the majority out there. . . I am a big stickler about my class policies--I would feel that by giving an extension to these two students, I would need to give an extension to all of them. For this situation, I would tell the two students that they must turn in the paper on the day it is due because they didn't bring their scheduling issues up earlier to be addressed by and for the whole class. If they had had a verifiable emergency, then I would respond differently. But, usually if two students have that much going on, the rest of the class does too--at least with the school-related activities. When I realize that my whole group is overbooked for a time, then I negotiate the due dates with them as a group.
I would feel that by giving an extension to these two kids I would be doing two things: 1) Encouraging them to procrastinate, 2) Giving them an unfair privilege in comparison with the rest of the students.
I agree with Andrya -- I just can't cave for the ones who ask, because I know there are others who don't ask and suffer the consequences. A consistent and firm policy works because, as we all know, kids (and adults!) crave clear expectations, consequences and boundaries.
My students hear often the tale of the printer fairy -- you know her, right? She flies around neighborhoods the day before a project is due and sucks all the ink out of printers. She's today's version of the homework-eating dog.
I love, love, love my late policy because of these kinds of situations. My policy is I will always accept late work, but it doesn't earn more than 60%. While that may seem harsh, it makes it so much easier for all of us. I don't have to calculate how many days late, plus figure percentages, and the kids don't have to ask for extensions. They know the policy from day one and it never changes. And the best part is, it always gives them a reason to do missing assignments. 60% may be a low grade, but when calculated in with other assignments, it is a significant boost over 0%.
The over-scheduling issue with teens is a huge problem, but so are crashed computers, dry printers, and those darn dogs that eat the homework. When I am firm with my late policy, none of those stories matter -- it's always 60% (even if a parent delivers it to school -- how fair is it to the kids who don't have a parent who can do that if I accept it from Mommy in the office?).
I think this sounds really harsh... but I have tried every policy under the sun over the last 17 years, and this one really works. Sooooo much easier.
Students must “read for knowledge and write with the goal of exploring ideas.”