bkbradf's blog

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Hi

January19

Hi My name is Bri 🙂

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Weather

January19

It is snowing outside!

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Free Writing

November27

So even though I did not attend class I also forgot to post my response. Here it is.

In this reading assignment, Neman writes about the “art” of free writing. I feel that in my total overall writing experience, free writing is something that is not used as much as should be. Most of my writing has been: here are the guidelines for what you need to write, now write it. While I have been studying at Bowling Green I have had more opportunities to free write and I have loved every bit of it. So my question is why is free writing seen as a frightening thing to in primary/secondary grades? Would it not be a good idea to implement this into our students lives at a younger age to promote more of a relationship with writing?

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Writing Center Observation

November17

For my writing center observation I observed a student getting assistance for his GSW 111 course. This young man missed the day of GSW 111 that they did peer review for a paper. He asked for help on transitions/organization and also help with his sources and how to prove his citations.  Before looking for direct issues, the consultant read the paper. She said that she always reads the paper and the directions for the paper before she does anything just so she has a better understanding. After reading she pointed out a few parts that could make the paper flow better and she also gave suggestions to add to make for a better argument.

My consultant said that most of her consultations usually are not like the one I observed. There is usually more in-depth conversation and more of a specific point that the student needs assistance with, such a the first draft. She told me when consulting there are a few things to be cautious of: watch how much you tell the students because if they use your words that is considered plagiarism, push them in a direction, but don’t tell them the direction and ask general questions rather than specific to let the student find where they need to go.

Overall, I felt that the writing center consultation was very similar to the theories of writing pedagogy that have been introduced in our writing course.  The consultant was very helpful to the student, but when assiting the student she let him find his way instead of directly giving him where his writing should go. I like this because it was what I want to do for my students, I do not want to give them the answers I want to give them direction.

 

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Responding to Peer Review

November3

Since I had the ability to review two of my peers’ pieces I feel that I took a lot more out of it. I learned more about the project and about my peers as cheesy as that sounds. There have been a few parts that I have struggled with this project and by review my peers’ I feel more confident about what I am doing and what I am supposed to be doing. On the contrary while viewing their units I have learned that we are all different with our ideas, “Bob” may think something should go this way and “Sally” may think another, but either way both are right because it is their doing and their unit.

This blog seems all over the place as my thoughts are too, but by peer reviewing I have learned a lot. I have been very lost in this project and reviewing gave me direction.

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Read Write Think

October19

What a cool site! I think it is going to be very useful with our unit plan coming up!

I really enjoyed that the the professional development category. It offers new strategies for in the classroom and it also gives tips to brush up on strategies that are already used in the classroom. Not only does it give strategies but it also gives effective examples. This along with the lesson plans are something that I can always use as a student and as a teacher.

The classroom resources tab was neat too. It offered lesson plans, but it also include engaging, student interactives online.

Other than those tabs I also noticed the parent/after school tab that gave resources for outside of the classroom. This is very beneficial because there is sometimes that barrier between home and school.

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RED PEN RESPONSE

October13

The article talks a lot about making meaning in one’s writing, which I think is a bit obvious, but even though it is obvious how is it really applied? This is something that has been harped on for forever, but what techniques are effective? If someone asked me right now how to apply making one’s writing meaningful it is not something that I could riddle off in two seconds. And this is just me rambling now, but maybe that is the point, maybe we should not be able to say “hey this is how you make something meaningful” and instead search for it on our own and realize it is on an individual basis.

At the end of the red pen article it goes on about how teachers should not go and break their red pens and half, but they should keep that technique, but also find other approaches. It also says that teachers need choices and a range of approaches to find out what a writer needs to know, so my question in a roundabout way would be: when grading the same piece for a group of students could you have different approaches on an individual basis. For example if Sally does better with the red pen and Bob does better with a one-on-one conference could you do that even if it is for the same paper?

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Response Questions: responding to student work

October6

After reading this assigned reading I think I came to a realization, grading student work is not all that it is cracked up to be. Do not get me wrong it is extremely important, but it is not as complex as I thought, it is rather quite simple. My main fear for grading was I did not really know how to approach it because I refuse to be known as the red pen nazi. So my round about question is: will incorporating peer grading along with teacher grading give the students a sense of ownership? Will this make the process more calm for both sides?

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Video Response: Workshop 8: The Power of Revision

October4

The revision process for writers can be defined as re-thinking  about what you wrote. For students and teachers alike revision is seen as difficult. As a student revision is challenging because they do not know what they are doing or really where to start. During this writing workshop teachers shared their personal experiences and how to manage writing revisions in their classrooms.

Mary Catherine uses the technique of moving from desk to check on each students’ individual piece. In her class the students were writing memoirs, and she believes that when students are writing about themselves they are really passionate about what they are writing. When the students are passionate about their writing topic they have a better understanding of what direction they are going in. Mary Catherine generates the students’ thought processes by asking them questions, her reason behind this is so the students can get an idea of what they want get a across to their reader. I am a huge fan of this method and Mary Catherine’s students seemed to flourish and have a better understand with their writing.

In order to have productive writing workshops in the classroom, as a teacher, it is important to incorporate as many revision lessons as possible. These lessons could deal with techniques such as peer review or self-evaluation. As students get more comfortable with revision they will determine which technique works for them. In Jack’s classroom he shares that when students understand revision they eventually look at their writings in a different light. When they look at their writings in a different light they realize that there is so much more that they can do for their entire paper. The goal as I see it, is that at the end of the day as students get a better understanding of writing they will come closer to clear writing.

 

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After Reading pages 56-110

September29

I really enjoyed the idea of the ABCD experiment and the different combinations. I get the patterns and what not, but my question is how is this relevant to writing? is it applied more to the thesis or the writing format itself?

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Teaching Writing Project Powerpoint

September27

Attached is my project, but I also posted it on blackboard in the drop box incase it does not work.   

   Teaching Writing                   <—- my project

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Response to Workshop 2

September20

In order to get students to write meaningful writing, you have to find something that is meaningful to them.  From all of the teachers that were interviewed in workshop 2 the main focus was power of choice. All of the teachers believed that if a student has a sense of involvement and is passionate about a top they will be more engaged with their writing. I really enjoyed the techniques of Mr. Moodie, Mr. Teng, and Mrs. Hamilton.

Mr. Moodie stressed the power of choice by letting the students use editorials. He believed that by letting students choose their own editorials that they will find stories that relate to their own experiences. I think by letting the students choose from current events it connects them to the community and the world; like Mr. Moodie said it gives them a sense of place. My favorite thing that I took from Mr. Moodie was when he was talking about the excitement of choice, “choice creates excitement and the excitement creates the product.” If students are excited about their OWN choice then they are engaged and wanting to write meaningful writing. In addition to choice Mr. Moodie also focused on technology and old school skills. Technology is the new method of access, but we should not lose the important skills of researching and reading through a book.

Mr. Teng used the techniques of reading a piece that related to the students, then they discussed the topic and after discussing they were able to produce a persuasive point. I really enjoyed how he used the “crossing the line” game. It showed the students that there is always an opposing side. By using this game it engaged the students and helped them lead into their persuasive paper. I really enjoyed how Mr. Teng connected choice with knowing the students.  If we let the students choose we learn more about them, we need to let them educate us.

Lastly, Mrs. Hamilton focused on feelings/opinions to increase engagement. She created the “Dear Know It All,” and it allowed students write anonymously and to discuss as a class. I think this activity is great. It served as a warm up for the beginning of class and it also allowed Mrs. Hamilton to find out what is happening in her students’ lives.  This method also stresses the idea of being yourself, this activity allows students to free write about anything, not a designated topic.

 

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TSW 38-55

September15

On page 40 Neman says,  “Students simply do not identify the point of their composition with their purposes in writing.” This  statement kind of stumps me and I had to read it over and over again until it sort of made sense. So my question is simple, Why? Why won’t students identify with their purposes of writing? How do do we as teachers help them identify the point of their composition with their purposes in writing?

ALSO

On page 51 Neman says, “a more interesting paper can be developed when its working thesis is formulated with the opposition argument in mind.”  I have always had trouble with theses, so my question is : so does Neman mean that the opposition argument should be within the thesis? or is it something to literally just keep in mind to help create a stronger argument and paper? I’m sure it is an obvious answer, but I am curious.

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Interview Questions after reading the second time around

September13

I  am going to be interviewing my 6th grade teacher Mr. Ernstausen and his wife who is a  1st grade teacher. I know that we are only supposed to interview one and I plan to, but I wanted to see the variety of answers regarding writing since each teacher is in a completely different grade level with different students and teaching techniques.

Here are a few questions that I have generated after reading pgs. 111-143 the second time around:

1) Without handing the information directly to the students, how can we help them find the information to support their paper’s main argument so to speak?

2) Would it be better to advise students to create the title of a paper after completing the paper itself?

3) I believe that the introduction is the most important part so, what are different techniques for teaching students to create an interesting introduction to lure the readers in?

4) How do we convince the students who think that the first draft is written in stone that it is just a process not the product and along the same lines how do we convince those who know its not written in stone that the first draft is just as important as the final draft?

5) Do you think that students will find it easier understand different writing techniques by being shown examples such as the teacher’s writing or a peer’s writing?

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Interview questions

September8

Brianna Bradfield

  1. When did writing start for you?
    1. Was reading and writing started early in your childhood?
    2. School experience?

 

 

  1. Who had an impact on your writing?
    1. Good/Bad teachers?
    2. Parents?
    3. Peers?

 

 

  1. What made you want to teach writing?
    1. Specific grade level?

 

  1. What are the positive aspects of writing?
    1. Past positives
    2. Current Positives
    3. How these positives have affected your writing and teaching?

 

  1. What are the negative aspects of writing?
    1. Past Negatives
    2. Current Negatives
    3. How these negatives have affected your writing and teaching.

 

  1. How do you go about teaching the process of writing in a calm way?
    1. (not to intimidate them)
    2. Difference between the process and product

 

  1. What critique technique do you feel works best in the classroom?
    1. Peer groups?
    2. One-on-one with teacher?
    3. Red pen?

 

  1. How do you even begin teaching the process of the thesis and/or introduction?

 

  1. What processes/techniques/styles are different from when you learned how to write?

 

 

  1. What do you feel technology has done for writing?
    1. Positives
    2. Drawbacks

 

  1. How would you approach these student situations?
    1. Student who cannot read
    2. Extremely advanced student
    3. Frustrated student

 

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Question for Peter Elbow

September8

What made Peter start the note motivation process? The notes that would question his writing and ask him why and how. How did those notes help? Is this something that I could use in my own classroom?

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Middle School Workshop video

September7

Community of Writers

 

Write in the Middle Workshop website was very informational along with reassuring. Each of the key practices that were highlighted were some of the main points we talked about in our class. The key points stressed the sense of a community, making writing an experience of expression and a routine that helps making writing a non-threatening atmosphere.

I believe that a sense of community is one of the upmost important elements of writing. When a student, or any writer for that matter, feels comfortable with a teacher and a group of classmates they are more likely to share their work and not feel threatened. As a teacher this sense of community should be established on day one. Having a very comfortable room is one way to make writing non-threatening, but I think using the teacher’s writing as a model along with student writing creates the sense of equality even with the teacher.

Another element of the site that I enjoyed was when it said that teachers should provide opportunities for their students to celebrate each other’s writing accomplishments. I remember when I was in middle school and my paper or writing project was on the wall next to everyone else’s; I felt like a million bucks!

On the contrary of celebrating student writing I liked how the site mentioned that: students realize that response does not have to be threatening, that members of the community are helped and protected. I took it as response means editing and critiquing. This is one thing that I as a writer and as a future teacher struggle with. It is one thing to give constructive criticism, but it receive it is a little bit different. Constructive criticism is something that I want to get across to myself and students as a non-threatening helpful way of growing with writing.

 

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Hello world!

August28

Welcome to blogs.bgsu.edu by COBL. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!