Thoughts On Chapters 14, 15, & 17

I feel that conferencing with students is something that should definitely be done during writers workshop.  I think it is so beneficial because it provides students the opportunity to have one on one help and instruction that they do not typically get through the school day.  Not only does it provide direct instruction but it also allows students to feel their work is valued by the teacher.  It also could help establish a better relationship between the student and the teacher. I also feel that it could help the teacher become a better teacher especially in regards to getting to know the students better and on a more personal level.  I feel that conferencing should not only be available for writing workshop but it would be beneficial to spread it across subject areas.  I personally cannot remember ever having the opportunity to conference with one of my teachers about anything.  I really think it would have been a great experience, especially the idea of getting to hear exactly what my teacher was thinking about my work instead of just reading comments on my paper where I wasn’t always sure where they were coming from or what they were talking about.  I will definitely make this a priority when I teach writers workshop and other subjects.

                In regards to sharing during writing workshop I do agree that all children should be provided with time to share on a daily basis.  I think it helps the thought process to share.  Also if a student is really proud of their writing or wants others to hear their message it is important that they get to share.  I think sharing also provides purpose to their writing.  If students think they are only writing for a grade or school then it can become not purposeful.  On the other hand if students are aware that their writing is not only for a grade but their message or story can be used to inform someone else I feel the writing takes on a purpose.  My only issue with sharing is that I do not think it should be required that everyone share every day.  Some students may be shy and like to hear others and learn from them but might become very anxious about sharing to others.  I also think that if students know they are required to share before writing they might worry about what they are writing and what other peers are going to think.  This might keep them from writing about what they truly want to write about especially if they get worried what others might think.  Also some writing is very personal and is written for self reflection and not for other people’s judgments or opinions.  In this case requiring students to share their work would probably keep students from writing about something that would be meaningful to them and could be possibly their best work.  I know that I am like this at times.  There is some of my work that I would not mind sharing at all but there are other times when I am embarrassed either about what I am writing about or how others might see my writing.  This at times causes anxiety for me.  I guess that I feel that sharing should be part of the daily writing workshop process and that it should be encouraged but not required.  I also think that if you do a good job of setting up a trusting and respectful community in the classroom more students would be open to share without being required.

                In chapter seventeen it discusses the questions that teachers ask their students during writing workshop.  I agree with the quote “Questioning students as writers teaches them to think of themselves as people who are supposed to have answers to these questions”.  I think it is important for teachers to ask their students questions that they do not already have the answers to.  I think doing this can help students grow as writers and teachers to see where their students are coming from.  I also think that it was helpful to see the ideas of evaluating students writing.  I liked the idea of students doing a rubric on themselves that is specific and with comments and not just a number with good, ok or bad.