Reading Response Week 3!

First, I want to mention how “scared” I am of grammar sometimes. Not that I do not think I know proper grammar well, but it’s completely intimidating to be the “go-to” person for students when it comes to all kinds of random grammar questions! There are some many things about grammar that I do not know or do not remember off of the top of my head. Thankfully, I at least have the competence to know references where I can look up the answers to all the questions my students (and I!) have! I suppose that calms me down a bit… and at least I know the differences between “they’re”, “there”, and “their”! Woohoo!

My problem with grammar (often forgetting its rules and appropriate applications) was specifically addressed in Bush article regarding grammar. As the article states, “the writing process offers an opportunity to continually reinforce previously ‘learned’ skills” (Bush, 80). Further, many teachers make the mistake of “’covering various grammatical skills and then assuming that students know and can apply them” (Bush, 80). Obviously, I was taught in such a way that I cannot apply or recall some of the rules of grammar I have learned – and I actually enjoyed English class as a middle and high school student! What am I supposed to expect of the students who can’t stand my class as I go over grammar rules?? (Side note: hopefully I find a way to reach them so they don’t ultimately hate my class, haha). I really like the idea of reinforcing grammar continually by integrating it into the writing process. Currently, in my sixth grade classes, vocabulary, root, and suffix lessons are a huge part of the curriculum. Often times, students will write vocabulary words in sentences as a way to really grasp the meaning of a word. After reading this article, I have thought about incorporating grammar rules in example sentences I give the students to copy down during vocabulary time. Why not teach them the proper use of “its” and “it’s” by incorporating it into a sample sentence with a vocabulary word. Hello killing two birds with one stone!

The Harper article was another article that I took notes on while reading because it is something extremely applicable to my teaching this spring. I got a kick out of the article when Harper wrote, “after years of just being told ‘Revise!” without further explanation, my students had become furtive recopiers, adding a few words here and there and using neater handwriting to revise their drafts” (Harper, 192). This is a problem I have thought about myself and how to approach the idea of revising writing to 6th graders, many of whom are not even comfortable writing yet, let alone revising something they have written. I recalled Amy Corrigan’s classroom and the way in which she approached revision. I really liked how she gave the students a specific template for writing (an I-am poem) so all of their writing was similar enough that the revision process applied to everyone. I am thinking of a writing assignment that I can do that will be similarly applicable for my students to follow a well described and laid-out plan for revision that is easy for a newcomer of revision!

Whoops! I almost forgot to put a website resource included! I chose to include a website specifically addressing elementary and middle school reading and writing. The writing section includes everything from writing prompts in creative writing to graphic organizers to ideas and context. While I am teaching middle school, I am currently struggling at getting my 6th graders to write at all...therefore, I think elementary writing prompts (such as those that are more fun or less stressful for them) might help my specific students work through their aversion to writing.