Celebrating Being on my Quest

I held onto my OLW - quest for 2017.  I knew that I wasn't finished with the journey that I would be on to as I continue as a student of writing.   I am excited to be celebrating Ruth's writing courses.  She hooked me when I watched her first video and she discussed how overwhelmed she was with grading 100 writing assignments. I've read several different articles about becoming a stronger teacher of writing, and for now,  I have a system that is working for me.  I am quite excited about it because it's manageable which is the key to implementation.

Collaboration:  During our workshop, we discussed what were the key components that everyone focused on while writing their informational essay.  My writers came up with a list of five. Done, simple,  and most importantly easy to assess.

• strong opening (lead)
• content specific vocabulary
• body - flow and stronger sentences
• choosing important evidence
• strong closing (wrap it up)

Grading:  I have 26 writers in my class this year, and I read and evaluated 6 a night which I could manage.  I had a goal, and I succeeded. I only graded for the five components and wrote down notes for each writer, so I could gather information to inform next week's instruction.

Grouping:  On the fifth night, I looked for patterns which would be a an important review for mini lessons.  I have read several articles about writing partners, and intentional talk.  

I've had some time to reflect on this process, and I am celebrating my quest for being a stronger teacher as well as implementing several ideas that Ruth has shared with us.  I am anxious to return to school on Tuesday and share the plan for the week with my writers.  Thanks friends for sharing in this week's celebration and continuing on my quest with me.  

This warmed my heart as I read Tara's comment.
I am thankful to have friends like Ruth and Tara to lead
me as a writer. 

Celebration: Update on Horizontal Thinknig

Last Saturday, I posted about "Horizontal Thinking" and the changes I made this year in my instruction about research. Several comments asked me to explain the shift.

BACKGROUND: I have to admit I was that teacher who thought after my students finished their research, they were ready to take their new learning and present it. I thought I was doing a great job with allowing students choice in topic. Mini Lessons including nonfiction text structures (which they have had for three years in a row) focus on summaries and finally choice in their presentation tool.

Ryan says it all....I am thankful for his honesty.
Also he made a pocket book out of envelopes. His research
was inside the pockets. Super creative.

CONVERSATIONS: I worked with our literacy coach, Heather, and we discussed how I wanted to dig deeper in the craft of writing. I wanted to have my group of writers think deeper than just repeating the answers to their 4 questions. This is where I labeled the term vertical vs horizontal thinking. I wanted my writers to look across the research. The link to how this was accomplished is here.

INTERVIEW WITH MY WRITERS in ROOM 234 I shared the comments from last week blog's post with my class, and they were excited that so many teachers had questions about this process. I asked them to share their thoughts:.

EF: horizontal means we look at all of our research and see how it is similar/connects

BV:  you have to dig deeper in your research because you want more than one piece of evidence

AD:  I want to advance my learning, so I asked more advanced questions

AM:  thinking horizontal means not thinking about one question but thinking about all questions

HA: once you found facts that were similar you wrote the facts in your own words

RS:  as a writer you had to choose the best structure which includes sidebar, timeline, index, maps, glossary, photos with captions

LS:  have to organize your thinking (chronological order) so the facts make sense

Students loved learning about sidebars and creating their own model.
JB's dad is an engineer and JB chose his topic because he wanted
to learn more about his dad's career.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As I read through their books, their writing was stronger because they saw connections between their research. Their thinking was deeper because they connected data and built their own graphs, charts or timelines. They didn't just "copy and paste" from the internet. They showed higher level thinking in the craft of writing their research.

I feel a sense of gratitude for my Celebration Community. All week I had a smile on my face as I thought about this blog and writing it. I am so thankful for my writers, and our conversations as we processed the importance of horizontal thinking.

Celebrating: Authors Think Horizontal

I've been enjoying Ruth's emails encouraging different aspects of writing workshop.  I have watched several videos and shared snippets with my writers. This week the writers in Room 234 completed their research. Each writer had a choice on how they wanted to present their new learning. Most students chose to write their book.  The writing process and thinking through their research is a huge celebration!!  I worked side by side our literacy coach, Heather, who helped me think about the structures of nonfiction. The students started with 4 questions then I read their questions, and I wrote one question for each student to extend their thinking.  After they completed their research, the students were thinking "vertically" and ready to lift the facts and "just" write their book.  They were finished (or at least thought they were).  Enter horizontal thinking.

We focused on strong mini lessons, "How did the author share research in this book?"  We completed several circle book passes, and students found graphs, maps, sidebars, vocabulary charts, diagrams, sequence, timelines.  After creating a list, students completed chalk talks. I asked my writers to think "horizontal"  WOW! What a challenge for them.   Asking them to look across their 4 questions.  Prompts included

• What do you notice about your research?  What do all 4 questions have in common?
• Do you see any data in your research?
• Could you create a sidebar with interesting facts?
• Is there another way to share vocabulary besides a glossary?
• Could you build a graph that would support your research?

Writing is messy!  I love that quote from Ruth.  I remembered that almost everyday. I am celebrating a writing process that encouraged my writers to think horizontally.  Research is not finished after you, "Google it."  Thanks to Ruth for mentoring me in my writing workshop. Here's the link up for this week's celebrations. 

Celebration: Student led Writing Workshop

I had one of my favorite weeks of teaching. Writing workshop allows for students to enter at any point into the conversation. I have several quiet learners who sit back and listen. Breathe it all in and then put their pencil to the paper. I have several loud energetic learners. This group believes if they talk louder their point will be heard more clearly. Finally I have my group in the middle who waiver on either side of the above mentioned group of learners. All together I have a very thoughtful and considerate group of learners.

Prior to Spring Break, our focus in writing workshop was on two questions which opened our opinion writing for our last trimester.

• What does it mean to STAND UP for something?
• What does it mean to SIT IN for something?

We read several articles, picture books and watched a few videos. After watching this Wonderopolis video, our class was a buzz about Alex's lemonade stand. The next day I read the book to the class and the buzz was a swarming bees everyone wanted to have a school lemonade stand. Fast forward to the best part. I stepped back actually I stepped out of the process. I became the official secretary and just recorded thinking. The class broke into four groups and we did interactive writing for a week. Finally each student wrote their own opinion statement and we presented them to the principal the past Wednesday. His final comment made my heart sing, "You have answered all my questions boys and girls, how could I say no?" There was a gigantic cheer and now we're on to planning the next stages of our lemonade stand.

I've always heard get out of the way of student learning and you would be surprised and even shocked. I have never totally gotten out of the way like I have for this project. I am so glad I am a secretary. Thanks for encouraging us to Celebrate each week Ruth. This week it was super easy to choose a celebration.

Wednesday Word Work: Transfer

This past Saturday I had the chance to listen to Chris Lehman speak about Close Reading.  I’ve heard him speak several times before and each time I am able to absorb a little more.  I’ve been thinking intensely about word work in my classroom. I was reminded, “Close Reading happens when we pause at a part in a story/article and reread." For me that often occurs with vocabulary.  Chris reminds us when we go back to reread there are three areas to consider: 
TE (text evidence) WC (word choice) and S (structure). 

As I thought about this slide and Word Choice (WC) I like how it is circular.  Many times in word work I believe, myself included, we see skills in isolation.  I always want to connect word work with writing for that implementation piece; however do I build enough time in for that practice?  Probably not if I am honest with myself. I encourage the transition from word study to writing but I struggle because I don't want to force it.  "You must use 8 words today from word work in your writer's notebook." because that is not writers do.  Writers collect words, learn words and apply them.  I'm pretty sure most of my students aren't transferring their words, and now I'm reflecting on that transfer - the authentic piece of connection.  

There is a small group of teachers reading Choice Words by Peter Johnston. I've read this book several times, but each time I read it I learn something new or think differently. Perhaps all of this word work thinking will all fall neatly into place soon or maybe not?  Next week is Spring Break and time to recharge. I'll be back posting in two weeks.  Happy Spring Break friends and as always thanks for reading. 

Why I Blog.

Why blog?  I've been asking this question frequently in my mind and even asked a few close friends. The answer has been blurry for me and lately I have had more reasons why not vs. why to continue to write.  I've been struggling last school year and even more this summer.  I've been thinking about it all the time: lying in the hammock, morning walks, gardening, and sitting in the rocking chair. I've been searching for answers.  Here is what I've figured out about blogging.

• Blogging isn't necessarily about what ends up in the blog.  I compose posts all the time in my mind actually this is probably the number one reason I have a blog. I'm always thinking about what to share or what not to share.  How to say this but not say that?  The process is huge for me.
• Blogging is my lifeline for my PLN.  I wouldn't be where I am today as an educator with out my extended learning including my NCFL family and support of twitter friends. There are numerous times when I was at the end of the rope and a comment, tweet or text pulled my through.  I wonder how someone in another state can know me better than my colleagues I work with everyday.
• Blogging is my connection with reality. My reality of putting pencil to paper in my notebook or typing on Google docs. The reality of asking my students to write and seeing that look on their face of horror and being able to say I know how you feel because I felt the exact same way.  Then open up my writer's notebook and share my story with them.
• Blogging pushes me in a direction that I am unsure but somehow want to end of there. Well doesn't that sound like life...pushing forward and not sure of the path your'e on.  

I'm not going to promise that I am back to full throttle, but I know that I need to continue to blog because the thinking in my head, the writing on paper and the commorodity with my PLN is something that I cherish.  Here's to another school year - welcome back to those who already started as well those of you who are still basking in the summer glow. 

Found this gem on our sailing trip this summer.

A Dim Glimmering Light

Writing around our library.

Why do I totally get wiped out the first few weeks of school?  I knew the first few weeks wouldn't be perfect or even close, but I always hope as the excitement grows and all of my summer thinking finally can burst open.  I had to make a choice and again my OLW came tugging on me.

I am through my first few weeks, and I told my husband tonight I found a tunnel and I think there is a dim light glimmering.  The energy and excitement builds the first few weeks as much mine as my students. I still got nervous and even my butterflies have not disappeared.  As we started our third week today, I stopped and focused on several important events of our day:  weekend share, discussing the predictions from the OSU game, helping a few students learn that a score of 94-11 probably wasn't going to happen.  Staying true to  our reading and writing workshop.  Asking my students about how they felt about reading and reversing the questions with their writing.  Realizing that 18/22 of my students are hesitant writers and when I asked why? They were open and shared that they don't have any ideas, they always worry about spelling and finally they just don't choose to write.  

Honest conversations from the first few weeks will guide my practice. And I promised them that I would be their advisor, coach, and cheerleader as we begin our writing journeys together this year.  I shared my own writer's notebook - you could have heard a pen drop.  Asking me, "Will you write with us?"  I replied, "Yes right along with you." We're all nervous writers but together we will all be stronger writers. The day ended with a dim light getting a little brighter.

Celebrate: The Best Lesson Plans

Back to school this week, three day with students and I am already remembering where the best lesson plans come from.  Not from an on line Common Core document, a district mandated pacing guide, or a box of I can statements.  The best lesson plans come from my summer conversations that I see clearly now as I implement the new idea with my students.  The workshop that I attended in Indiana and brought back several new ideas but the one I chose first is using the  same mentor text for reading and writing workshop and if I'm lucky I can pull out a few delicious words for word study observation.  The very best lesson plans come from my 23 students sitting on the floor enthralled with the video that I shared from Ruth Ayres in which she talks about her own writer's notebook.  She shared that a WNB can be and should be a collection of objects including poetry, comics, ticket stubs, play bills, lyrics etc.  Along with the idea that my students  can draw, web, create lists was very exciting to them.  After discussing the video and sharing my own writer's notebook, my class was begging  to write.  But we didn't just write in our room, we wrote around our school.  I told my class I trusted them to write anywhere on the first floor.  I gave them 10 minutes and to report back to the library at 11:45.  One student exclaimed, "I never have had a teacher that trusted me to write and not be sitting in the same room withe me."  Another question, "Are you sure about this?"  Yes I said with a huge smile - go write. At lunch one of the 4th grade teachers told me that one of her past students said as she took her class to lunch, "Don't worry I'm just writing and Mrs. Caplin knows I'm here."   Finally as we were getting ready to go home for the weekend, three students asked if they could take home their WNB so they could decorate it because they loved the second video I shared.  Wait one more celebration, another student came back upstairs to get his WNB because he forgot it and just thought maybe he would write some this weekend.  My celebration is for writing both my own and my classes, and a special thanks to Ruth Ayres for making her amazing video and continuing to encourage all of us to celebrate every week. You can link up HERE. 

Sometimes a photo says it all.

Google and Fireworks a Great Thing

Digital writing has skyrocketed in my classroom since I introduced Google. To be able to connect with my students 24/7 is really exciting. I thought I would be overwhelmed, but I am still in control of my own timeframe. It’s been exciting to give feedback on stories that my two girls are coauthoring. To see them using the writing process digitally is powerful, and they started with a web of ideas and quickly figured out each of them should use a separate color font to differentiate their ideas. In addition, my students are willing to try all different (types of tools) within CREATE:  (see I'm so new I don't even know what you call these).

Google exploded into math class last week because I gave the option for our students to write about their cooking homework using Google. It was exciting because one girl learned how to insert photos and add captions sharing how she was making pumpkin bread. Another photo was of a student in the grocery store in front of the dairy counter comparing quarts and pints. Smiling proudly holding milk, who knew digital learning could include grocery shopping?

Where do I start with Spring Break conversations? Fireworks are exploding. I tossed out an idea to consider your life as a writer during Spring Break. Think about this question: How do your five senses influence your vacation?  I suggested taking photos or writing down ideas in Google.  I just finished checking my Google account, and I am super impressed with the writers of 228.  I also just posted my attempt to share with them. Tomorrow we will start our writing workshop conversations looking at authentic student work. I’m excited to see where this conversation leads us. 

120 minutes Feels Different than Two Hours

Students reading articles for our persuasive writing unit.

One of the best principals that I ever had always said January through March is crunch time.  He use to call it that because it was the time before spring break. Now with state testing, I still see this time frame as crunch time.  My focus is always on how to build a stronger and more consistent literacy workshop block of time.  My first shift is thinking differently about my literacy block NOT three isolated blocks (reading, writing, word study) but as a two-hour block of time with mandatory components. I know I have fallen into the trenches of seeing two hours in thirds not as one large block of time.  I really need to shift my thinking about time, and I plan on implementing three mandatory components.

1)  The first 15 minutes are spent finishing our current read aloud:  How to Steal A Dog, which is one of my all time favorite teams. Thank you Barbara O’Connor for this beautiful story and connecting with our class through our twitter account @bes228

2)  Word study:  I firmly believe building strong instruction around vocabulary is crucial to be a strong reader and writer.  I am going to continue to focus on integration of word work throughout reading and writing workshop.  There is more power to the punch when the lesson is based on a need that I observe during writing.  Yesterday, I worked with a few students about forming past tense verbs and the rules of af add "ed."  Relevant and real time is my new motto.

    3) Thinking as a Reader/Writer weaving these areas into more of a fluid time in workshop. With time always being an issue, I have been thinking about how to link reading with writing more than I have been in the past.  We are currently working on our persuasive writing, and the students are reading several articles that I have collected. For example: Should Cereals Contain Toys?  Should Students Be Paid for Their Grades?  After we discuss the article, we then locate the persuasive strategies and the students write their ideas into their writer's notebook for their PW.

I am excited to make these changes especially with thinking about my time in my Language Arts block differently. Instead of thinking of my two-hour block of time in thirds, I am thinking it as a whole 120 minutes with the continued focus on stronger reading, writing and word study integration.