Megan,
This is great stuff! I teach 1st grade inner-city students and many of them are working on a pre-K/KK level and a few are actually on grade level. I've been so frustrated teaching writing because of the different ability levels of the students. The expectation is for all of the children to be able to write a couple of paragraphs on topic by the end of first! A tall order when some of them can barely write their name! How often do you have a writers workshop? How do you assess?
Looking forward to more!
Karen
Karen,
A couple of paragraphs??? Wow! That just doesn't seem right. We do writers' workshop about 3-4 times per week. I also mix in some other writing activities on the off days and throughout the day.
I use writing conferences to assess my students levels of writing. When I meet with them we discuss their writing piece, what they are working on as a writer, give positive feedback, and then work on something that will help them as a writer. This is important not to work on something just to correct this piece of writing. You want the student to connect that conference lesson to mentor texts and then to all their other writing. For example if a child comes to me and is just drawing pictures. I will have them discuss their writing. I will compliment on the details they have in their pictures. Then I might show them how to label their pictures such as tree, grass, house,... My big focus woulld be writers most of the time use letters and words in their writing. I think your ready to add some letters and words in all of your books from now on just like we did here together...
Another way we assess writing is by using 6 traits writing rubrics. These help to show growth on the writing traits.
Let me know if you want any more info!
Smiles,
Megan
Megan,
This is great stuff! I teach 1st grade inner-city students and many of them are working on a pre-K/KK level and a few are actually on grade level. I've been so frustrated teaching writing because of the different ability levels of the students. The expectation is for all of the children to be able to write a couple of paragraphs on topic by the end of first! A tall order when some of them can barely write their name! How often do you have a writers workshop? How do you assess?
Looking forward to more!
Karen
Karen,
A couple of paragraphs??? Wow! That just doesn't seem right. We do writers' workshop about 3-4 times per week. I also mix in some other writing activities on the off days and throughout the day.
I use writing conferences to assess my students levels of writing. When I meet with them we discuss their writing piece, what they are working on as a writer, give positive feedback, and then work on something that will help them as a writer. This is important not to work on something just to correct this piece of writing. You want the student to connect that conference lesson to mentor texts and then to all their other writing. For example if a child comes to me and is just drawing pictures. I will have them discuss their writing. I will compliment on the details they have in their pictures. Then I might show them how to label their pictures such as tree, grass, house,... My big focus woulld be writers most of the time use letters and words in their writing. I think your ready to add some letters and words in all of your books from now on just like we did here together...
Another way we assess writing is by using 6 traits writing rubrics. These help to show growth on the writing traits.
Let me know if you want any more info!
Smiles,
Megan