Entry 12: Learning Outcomes

I have learned a tremendous amount this semester.  It is nice to take time to look back and reflect on the Learning Outcomes listed in our syllabus.  Reading through the seven outcomes, the one that stands out to me the most is “…the variety of genres that readers and writers use to communicate” (Jones, Fall 2012).  I have gained a deeper and thorough understanding of each of the different types of genres, and I look forward to teaching them in my future classroom.  However it is imperative that I take time to teach the purpose, audience and voice in writing, because students need to know how to write the basics before they can grow and develop as more complex writers. 

 

As an educator, it is imperative that I research and stay up-to-date on contemporary models of reading and writing, including new literacy theories.  I have learned many different historical theories in my other classes, but this class has allowed me the opportunity to explore technology as a way to develop my writing.  This blog, for example, is a great tool to use with students to reflect on their learning’s.  There is an array of digital technologies, such as wikis, word processors, online-portfolios that teachers can utilize with their students.  Although they need to be adapted and scaffolded in order to meet the learning needs of your students; don’t be afraid to introduce them to early learners.  This blog has been a great way for me to keep track of me learning this semester and read and reflect on my peers’ thoughts.

It is important to keep in mind that reading and writing processes go hand and hand.  The more students read the better the writers they will become and vice versa.  Teaching the different genres is a beneficial way to introduce students to different texts and become comfortable writing in different forms.  This class has given me the confidence and knowledge to teach the variety of genres to my future students.  However, it is imperative I utilize different writing assessment tools when evaluating my students work.  I will use both informal and formal assessments to monitor my students learning; for example, keeping anecdotal record in a notebook and using rubrics or checklists to grade their writing.  I look forward to using Rubistar in my future classroom to develop my own rubrics.

One thing I did learn this semester that is not represented in the identified Learning Outcomes for this course, is the importance of modeling and conferring with others.  Modeling is essential for teachers to utilize in order to teach about the different genres and break down the learning process for students.  Also, I believe it is essential for teachers to make time to conference with students once a week to go over their writing and answer any questions they have.  I really enjoyed using our peer writings groups we made in class in order to get feedback on my writing and discuss my ideas.

Overall I have learned more than I can imagine this semester!  I will definitely hold on to the books we used and refer back to them in the future!  They are great resources to have.

Entry 11: Genre Reflection

 I never realized how many genres there are in writing! Through taking time to read about and explore each one, I have developed a deeper understanding of the different types of genres I use in my daily life.  Each genre has specific features that differentiate it from another; for example, letter writing uses a specific format whereas poems can take on any form the author chooses to use.  However, some genres intertwine with one another; for example, you could use persuasive writing in a letter or descriptive writing in a journal entry.  Gail Tompkins discusses each type of genre in depth in her book, Teaching Writing: Balancing Process and Product.  As a result of engaging in her text, I feel more confident in teaching my students about the many different types of genres they can use in their writing.

At the start of class I thought journal writing meant students only reflected on a topic and wrote in a journal.  However I now know journal writing goes beyond this simple definition, and I have a more principled understanding of it.  There are so many types of journal writing you can utilize with students, such as double entry journals, reading logs, simulated journals, dialogue journals, etc.  These journals allow students to reflect on their learning from concrete texts.  In my future classroom, I would love to utilize some of the trade books Tompkins recommends to introduce journal writing to my students.  I really enjoyed reading Doreen Cronin’s books, and have to have them on my shelves for my students to read!  I will also gather some of the other trade books to utilize with the different types of journal writings.  It is a great way to assess and see what my students have learned through their reading.

The only genre I was intimidated by was poetry, and it was the one I was assigned to present to my peers.  I was uncomfortable teaching poetry because I, myself, was not comfortable writing it.  Poetry always seemed like a free write and there was no format to it; however after reading chapter 7 in Tompkins and several journal articles, I learned poetry can be taught in structured ways.  There are so many types of poems that go beyond “free verse” which makes me less intimidated with teaching it; for example, you can give students a topic, have them fill out a graphic organizer, and have them fill in the skeleton of a poem.  This type of poetry writing is used for “formula poems”.  Through learning about this genre and having the opportunity to teach it to my peers, I am less intimated and look forward to utilizing it in my future classroom.

Overall, I feel this class has given me the opportunity to become a better writing teacher.  I feel I am an expert on the many different genres we learned about and explored this semester.  In my future classroom, my goal is provide meaningful writing experiences to my students and have them feel comfortable writing in the different genres as well.  I think it would be neat to introduce and focus on a new type of genre each month.  I know I will definitely be referring back to Tompkins to refresh my memory, design activities, and pick out trade books.