Category Archives: Writers

Writing Instruction that Follows the North Star

Amy Rasmussen, Readers Writers Workshop, Student Blogs, Writers Workshop January 23, 2013 1 Comment
writing notebookCan you remember when you learned to write? I can’t. Not really. I remember the lined paper and the fat pencils. I remember trying to have the very best penmanship because I wanted my name listed on the chart that covered the side of my teacher’s desk. I remember that writing came pretty easily. I was one of those students. My teachers loved me because I was well-behaved, listened, learned, and made all A’s.

I do not teach those students. Well, maybe a few, but most of them would be my antonym if my student-self were a word.

When I began teaching, I had no idea that my students would not be like me. I know, funny, right? I thought I could teach them comma rules, show them where the commas went, and I would see beautifully crafted commas in all the right places. (Don’t even get me started on the period.)

I had to learn to be a writing teacher.

Thank God for the North Star of Texas Writing Project. Fortunately, for me and the hundreds of students I’ve instructed since, I’ve learned how to create a community that fosters a love (or at least some days, a tolerance) of the written word.

A couple of weeks ago, the leadership team of NSTWP met and crafted the tenets of our site. We decided that community encompasses and interweaves itself throughout our work, and authenticity, inquiry, modeling, dialogue, and re-visioning make it shine.

A few of us jumped on a Google doc yesterday to craft our proposal for NCTE 2013 where we defined our points and described how we would share them at the conference. This got me thinking about my own practice:  do I walk the walk as well as I talk the talk?

Here’s a glimpse into our thinking, plus a little of my own:

Community— Trust, communication, sharing, feedback, and transparency all lead to a safe place for learning. Community is the core of a workshop classroom, so it must be a constant focus. (National Writing Project, Gomez, 2010) Read-alouds, and classroom and school-wide book clubs, among other relationship-building activities, can all help build community.

Authenticity— How do we make learning real? By allowing for real life connections and experiences. When we expose students to real-life situations and allow them choice in topics, we can engage them more effectively, stimulate more critical thinking, and get them to read more abundantly. At the end of 2011 only three young people in ten now read daily in their own time, down from five out of ten in 2005 (Secondary Annual Literacy Survey, 2011). How do we change lives? We allow students choice. Just as in reading, students must have choice in writing; teachers must allow students to choose topics that interest and intrigue them, and they must allow students to publish in mediums and to audiences that students believe matter, i.e., student created blogs, ebooks, and portfolios.

Inquiry— An inquiry stance goes beyond the use of essential questioning and places the creative thought process into the hands of students, inviting them to questions in every aspect of literacy from responding to texts, engaging in research, to broadening their horizons as writers.  An effective response protocol that fosters inquiry can be adapted and applied to a myriad of literacy experiences.

Dialogue— Authentic conversation transforms classroom community. Learners take ownership of their craft and develop a sense of agency in a student-centered approach to dialogue.  In Choice Words (2004), Peter H. Johnston explains that language “creates realities and invites identities.” Thus, dialogue in our classroom becomes an essential part of student growth.

Modeling— An integral part of literacy instruction, modeling as reader and writer is essential to an effective workshop classroom. Mentor texts that engage students and provide for in-depth study of craft allow for authentic reading and writing experiences.

Re-visioning– NSTWP invented this word to describe the complexity involved in revising our instruction and engaging students in revision of their work. Adaptive Action, “the iterative process we use to leverage unpredictable change for individuals” is crucial to making workshop work. (Adaptive Action, 2013). Conferences, written feedback, and portfolios can all be managed and used to revise our classrooms.

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It’s Monday What Are You Reading? 1-21

Books, Heather Cato January 21, 2013 Comments: 3

Mon Reading Button PB to YA

LAST WEEK: 

ReachedI really hate books in series! Sure, kids love the familiar characters and stories lines, and I guess they are helpful for kids who don’t know what to read. If they find a series they can just hop from book to book through the series making safe moves from book to book. But seriously, come on, they none the less are so annoying! Reached, the third book in the series was released November of 2012, while the first book, Matched was released November of 2010, so for the last two years I have been agonizing over these characters – worried about their safety, their families, their society. I think what is most annoying about a series is that most of the time they suck you in unsuspectingly. When I sat down to start reading Matched I was instantly drawn to the characters and the fascinating story of a society in the future where everything is seemingly perfect. As I read, I committed to Cassia, Ky, and Xander and their quest for truth when – BAM! – as if from out of no where, the final page of the book turned with still so many questions left hanging in the balance! I vividly remember thinking, “WHAT! This book is going to be part of a series?!?!” So one can imagine my delight when the third and final book was released in November. I could hardly wait to dive right back into where the story left off with Crossed, the second book. I think for me it isn’t so much the hatred of books in a series, but more an impatience with having to wait for closure. Thankfully, Ally Condie does a wonderful job of tying up all the loose ends as she confronts head on some very tough questions about a society that strives for perfection. Not sure how I thought this series would come to a close, I was beyond amazed with the twists and revelations. A must read, the most poignant theme for me from this series is that no mater who you are or where you are from, a basic necessity for all human-kind is to understood.

THIS WEEK: 

photo-4What  is more exciting than getting a package in the mail? Getting a box of books in the mail that’s what! Friday, I was surprised to see a package on the door step. When I opened it I was so excited to see several new books that I was strongly tempted to cancel my weekend plans just so I could stay home and read. This week my reading plan is pretty much set out for me as I intend to start working through this box of goodness! Of course, I will start with Pi in the Sky authored by one of my all time favorites, Wendy Mass and then move on to the others. Unfortunately, the rest of my to be read pile will just have to wait.

Thank to Jen and Kellee for hosting this meme!  To see what others are reading, or even to participate, be sure to check out their blog Teach Mentor Texts 

Reading Writing Workshop in High School? Yep, the Shoe Will Fit

Amy Rasmussen, Presentations, Readers Writers Workshop January 18, 2013 1 Comment

TCTELA 2013

Handouts from the session: Reading Writing Workshop in High School

Click image below for the presentation

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We All Make Mistaks

Amy Rasmussen, Writers Workshop January 15, 2013 Leave a comment

How does this relate to the learning taking place in your class?

Or, does it?

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A Twist on Getting Students to Write

Amy Rasmussen, Technology, Writers Workshop January 15, 2013 Leave a comment
I will do just about anything to get my students to write, so when I happened upon this Project365 app, I quickly made the connection between photos and writing. I am going to try to do this myself:  take one picture for each day of the year. And, I am going to try to get my students to do it.
I’ve heard of teachers telling their kids to get out their phones, search through their pictures, and choose one to write about– it’s a cool idea.
Creating a

daily photo journal

just takes it to a new and higher level.

Just like so many of my New Year’s resolutions, I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep up with it (I’m already 14 days behind), but I want to try.
So, do you want to join me?
Get the app, and let’s do this!

New Year’s Resolutions

Heather Cato, Readers Workshop January 9, 2013 Comments: 7

New Year 2

I’ve never really been much for writing New Year’s Resolutions (or keeping them for that matter), but I decided I would start this year off a little differently by trying my hand at writing a few. Obviously, I’m not off to a great start because it is more than a week into the new year and I’m just now sitting down to write them. Also, having never really done this before I decided to stick with some of the more traditional resolutions. Never the less, I think I’m actually quite satisfied with what I cam up with. I do caution you that you will want to read my resolutions carefully because I have put my own little slant on them. Hopefully, in reading my resolutions you will decide to adopt one or two of them for yourself!

1) Eat healthy and exercise regularly
   I encourage others to take in a healthy regimen of reading daily, but I often fail to find the time for me to read. I resolve to make reading a priority and commit time daily for my own reading pleasure.

2) Spend more time with family and friends
 It seems like every time I book talk a book with students there are at least three or four a class period that want to take the book right then and start reading it. I resolve to spend more time with others talking about books in hope that it will continue to inspire others to read.

3) Lose weight
 I have so many books. In fact, I am sure I have several thousand pounds of books! I resolve to drop my excess book weight by sharing my books with others.

4) Improve my education
I love learning and I love improving my craft. I resolve to continue my learning by reading several professional books this year.

5) Be more positive
 I am positive that reading is the single most important factor it ensuring the educational success of all our students. I resolve to get books in the hands of our students and continue to encourage them to read.

6) Volunteer to help others
For any inexperienced readers a library or a bookstore with too many choices can be quite overwhelming. I resolve to help make these places more accessible for students by book talking and suggesting books for them to read. I further resolve to help them to develop a confidence in their reading tastes so that they will be confident when selecting their own books.

7) Save money
A teacher trying to continue to keep his/her classroom library up to date can be quite expensive, but I resolve to take advantaged of my Half Priced Book Sales, Scholastic book club points, Scholastic Books Warehouse sales, and even asking donations from my students.

8) Get organized
My bookshelves are a nightmare. I can hardly find a book I am looking for much less expect anyone to do the same. Whether it be by genre or some other means, II resolve to organize my endless shelves of books.

9) Travel more
There are so many places in the world that I am dying to visit. For every book I have yet to read there is a journey I have yet to take. I resolve to take a trip every time I open a book and go places I never thought I would.

10) Finish my “to-do” lists
My stack of books to read is falling over it is so tall. In fact, it seems like every time that I take one book off the stack I am adding two or three more. While I know that this stack is one that will never completely be finished, I do resolve to make every attempt to make a noticeable dent in the stack.

Who Needs Books?

Amy Rasmussen, Books, Readers Workshop December 3, 2012 1 Comment

I have a book addiction. I admit it. I am addicted to books. Of course, I read them, but I’ve come to the conclusion that I also collect them.

I think I need to stop.

Yesterday, I invited my colleague to bring her class to my room, where I could chat to them about books. I’d just returned from NCTE in Las Vegas where I shipped home five boxes of books I’d collected from the exhibition hall. Five boxes. I also had two tote bags full of the books I got at ALAN, special ones with author signatures.

Book Addict Heaven.

When my friend’s class arrived, I had them sit around my eight tables, which I’d piled high with 6 to 8 new books, mostly ARCs. First, I book talked a few of my favorite YA titles: Divergent, The Fault in Our Stars, Delirium. I asked these 9th graders what they liked to read. They told me, and I explored shelves and unopened boxes for books that would match interests. One kid asked for fantasy. Another asked for paranormal. Surprise endings? More copies of The Fault in Our Stars? Others like it?

I had each student choose one book from the stack on the table.

“Just one that you think might interest you.”

Then I set a timer and had them read for three minutes.

“Stop. What do you think? Do you like the narrator’s voice? Do you want to keep reading?”

Students could keep reading that book or choose another they thought looked more interesting. Again, they read for three minutes. We did four rounds of this. Each in-between-time talking more books, and what kids liked or didn’t like. The pace was quick.

I heard comments like:

“I read that one. It’s good.”

“Mrs. M. has that one on her shelf. I want a different one today.”

“If you liked that, you might like this.”

“I’ll finish this over the weekend, I hope I can come back Monday.”

I am pretty sure every student found a book to read–most found two. My friend created a sign out sheet that she’ll keep track of for me. I hope I get my books back, especially the signed ones, but it’s okay if I don’t. The books were free to me (I don’t even mind the shipping fee.) See, I love books; my bookshelves are bulging and cluttered, and the books my friend’s class took didn’t even make a dent. I really have become more of a collector than anything. Sure, my own students read books. We read and talk books all the time. But I only have so many students, and they can only read so many books.

Why do I have so many just sitting there? Wouldn’t they be of better use in the hands of other readers?

I had some interesting discussions with my students this week as we got started on a global issues project. We talked about literacy, and I shared these statistics:

  • More than eight million students in grades 4-12 read below grade level. Most are able to sound out words—the challenge isn’t to teach them to decode text but, rather, to help them comprehend what they read.
  • Only 31% of America’s 8th-grade students—and roughly the same percentage of 12th graders—meet the National Assessment of Educational Progress standard of reading “proficiency” for their grade level.
  • Among low-income 8th graders, just 15% read at a proficient level.
  • On average, AFrican-American and Hispanic 12th-grade students read at the same level as white 8th-grade students. (This one made my kids mad.)
  • The 25 fastest-growing professions have far greater than average literacy demands, while the fastest-declining professions have lower than average literacy demands.
  • Roughly 23% of high school graduates are not ready to succeed in an introductory-level college writing course.
  • About 40% of high school graduates lack the literacy skills employers seek.
  • Male and female students with low academic achievement are twice as likely to become parents by their senior year in high school compared to students with high academic achievement.
  • High school dropouts are 3.5 times more likely than high school graduates to be arrested in their lifetimes. (From Alliance for Excellent Education: http://www.all4ed.org/publications/FactSheets.html)
 Why am I holding on to books, if I know that reading can make a child’s life richer and more complete? Pretty selfish of me really.
I think it’s time I overcame my addiction, broke my book-collecting habit, and learned to share my books. No longer will I boast of having a great classroom library. I’d rather boast of having gifted books that helped create life-long readers.
Guess what my students are getting for Christmas? colleagues, too.
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Reflections of an Arrogant Teacher

Amy Rasmussen, Pedagogy November 17, 2012 Comments: 4

I was only in the classroom one day this week. I spent two days in training learning how to be an instructional coach, and then I skipped town and headed to Las Vegas to the National Council of English Teachers Conference.

I learned in training that when I go into other teachers’ classrooms to observe, and I become judgmental and critical with thoughts like: “Oh, honey, what were you thinking when you decided to become a teacher?” I am arrogant. I should presume positive intent and ask questions that will lead that teacher to find her way into better pedagogy. Okay. I can do that. Maybe.

But what about the children? Sitting there. Unengaged. Not thinking. Not trying. Not learning.

I learned at the opening session of NCTE that “kids are naturally creative; teaching is an art form; education is the single most important thing in many people’s lives.” Sir Ken Robinson spoke about imagination and how it is the heart of human life: “Imagination is the well-spring of everything it means to be human…and creativity is applying imagination, putting it to work.”

So much of what I’ve seen in classrooms is (sigh) nothing close to creativity. And, I am guilty, too. So much of what I have kids do in my own classroom lacks the application that beats within the heart.

Robinson said: “Teaching is an art form. It is not a delivery system. We must engage people imaginatively in the creative process.” Drop out rates are high, 30-40%; 60% in some areas.

“We cannot blame the kids!”

If kids cannot feel important, like their ideas matter, like their voices will be heard, why should they try to learn? If kids feel like they cannot color rainbows like zebras and peacocks like penguins, how can we expect them to write verse like Shakespeare or turn a marble slab into a David?

How can we expect them to write an essay that has “engaging characters and an interesting plot”?

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Robinson reminded me: “If you love something you work at, you never have to work again.”

Now, I am thinking: How does this apply to me as a coach? How can I help my teachers love teaching? How can I get them to stop blaming the kids and start championing creativity?

How does this apply to me as a teacher? “Teaching is more like agriculture than engineering,” Robinson said. How am I adjusting my climate control? How am I continually creating a climate of growth?

So I learned this week that I am arrogant. I am judgmental. I am critical. I don’t mean to be, and I will do a better job of changing my thinking so I can help others change.

But they better hurry.

What about the children?

“Risk”
And then the day came,
when the risk
to remain tight in a bud
was more painful
than the risk
it took
to Blossom.
~Anais Nin

The Reluctant Reader

Books, Heather Cato, Readers Workshop October 22, 2012 Leave a comment

I know it’s not a contest or anything, but I bet that when I began teaching language arts I had read fewer books of any kind than any other language arts teacher in the history of public education.  I never liked reading as a kid, but I can vividly remember the first time I took my students down to our antique, two-sizes-too small library to check out books.  With the signatures on my diploma still wet, I was excited to begin working with my students on all of the great teaching strategies that I had learned in college to improve their reading skills.

Once we got to the library the students mechanically slipped into a chair at one of the tables in the room to await further instructions.  Eagerly I explained that they could pick any book they wanted to read; they didn’t have to read something just because I told them they had to.  I guess I was thinking I would get a standing ovation from the students because I had just liberated them from the reading tyrants that had enslaved their whole educational career, making them read boring and uninteresting books.  I was surprised when I received a series of moans and rolling of the eyes as students unenthusiastically got up to select a book.

As the students aimlessly roamed around the library I began to realize that they didn’t know what book they should pick.  What’s worse is I realized I did not know what to encourage them to read.  I, a non-reader myself, was a fraud. How could I recommend books when I hadn’t read any? Well, I’d read maybe 8 in junior high that I could tell them were great, or at least not half bad, but that was almost ten years ago.  Would these students actually find those books interesting? Read More 

If You Can Talk About a Book, You’re Not an Average Kid

Amy Rasmussen, Books, Readers Workshop, Readers Writers Workshop October 17, 2012 Comments: 6

I wish the library had a door that had one of those big misting foggers. You know, the ones at Six Flags in the summer where the water gently washes over all the sweat and grime of a hot day at the park? I’d like a mister to wash away all the negative feelings my students have about books–or at least dilute it, so I have a chance to baptize the kiddos into the wonder of the written word. So far they fight me like they are scared of water.

I don’t get it. My students are 14 years old. When have they ever been exposed to books enough to know that they hate them? Couldn’t be those evil slacking middle school teachers, could it? The ones some of my colleagues complain about: “What do they DO in middle school? These kids don’t know a thing!” Or, maybe the problem goes back to elementary: “If we don’t get this book read, we won’t get to play outside.” Hmmm.

Now, before teachers in lower grades than me get in a tizzy, let me be clear:  I KNOW you work your tired feet to the achy-breaky bone. I am sure at the end of the day, you are as weeping weary as I am. I am quite simply trying to figure this reading thing out. There has to be a reason why my freshmen hate books.

I’ve been giving this a lot of thought, and here’s what I think:

1. My kids only think they hate books. They don’t really hate them because they haven’t read enough to know if they like to read or not.

2. My kids think that reading is not cool. The experiences that they’ve had with books in the past have not been positive enough to make them risk the “nerd” factor in high school.

3. My kids will never love books if I (and teachers like me) don’t show them that there’s something to love between the pages.

4. My kids are lacking reading role models. Few in their families are readers, so they have no idea of what a reader does, or what she says.

This is where my job gets real. Real life can change for my kids, if I can get them to read.

How do I present scenarios that show the advantages readers have over non-readers? How do I introduce them to stories that mirror life and non-fiction that expands their world? Because their world is often the 10 square blocks in which they go to school, shop, play, and live.

First, I have to talk about books. I have to talk about books ALL THE TIME. Seems like for the past two years I’ve started off the year quite well. I line my whiteboard shelves with new YA titles and hold one up for a book talk every day for the first two weeks. Without exception, every book I’ve introduced is in a kid’s hand by the end of the day. Why do I stop? Why do I let the testing trolls make me think that practicing other skills is more important that independent reading? I must stop their incessant mutterings.

Next, I have to hold students accountable for their reading. I’ve tried Let’s Read the Most Books Contests between classes. They don’t care. I’ve tried threatening “If you don’t read, you’ll fail.’ They don’t care. I have to somehow change my idea of accountability. It’s not like I ever have to record a grade because a kid read a book. Wouldn’t it be better if I just found out that a child enjoyed reading it?

A teacher friend suggested I conduct Book Chats like she does. While the majority of the class reads silently, she asks one student at a time to come sit in the “blue” chair where she asks specific questions about the book they are reading. She says students clamor for the opportunity to have one-on-one time with her. I see the value in this. In my classes of 30 plus students, the teacher-to-student ratio prohibits much individualized talk. I bet I can learn a great deal about my students if I sit and talk with them. Maybe saying we’re talking about books is how I’ll give myself permission to take the time. And maybe through these conversations, kids will come to know that reading is cool because if you can talk about a book with a teacher, you’re not just an average kid.

Finally, I need to read more. Seems funny because I read ALL THE TIME. Ask anyone who knows me. I just don’t read the kinds of books that my students will get lost in: those urban settings with real-life teen scenarios. I work with teens all day, I don’t really want to read about their [drug, sex, gang, crime] lives outside of school.

But I will.

I will if it will help me match books to students’ interests. I will if it will help me show kids that books can help them solve their problems. I will if I can get kids to stop saying they hate books.

Honestly, I wish I would have had a teacher who loved books as much as I do. Maybe I did, but she never invited me to have a chat about reading. She never showered me with book ideas or helped me see myself through the voice of a character. I would have camped out in that blue chair and counted the minutes until we could talk.

Who knows? Maybe my plans are too simplistic. Maybe the classroom library I’ve built will continue to gather dust, and my head will get mushy with too many teen stories, but guess what? There is no magical misting device that’s going to wash away students’ negative feelings towards books. There’s nothing that’s going to convince them that books contain knowledge and learning and friends. If my students are going to have a chance at all of learning to love books, it’s going to have to be me talking about titles and chatting about characters.

I am up for the challenge, and it begins now: I’ve got 55 new YA books in the trunk of my car. It’s time to get reading!