TCRWP August Institute: Writing Institute 2014-15 Day 5

TCRWP August Institute: Writing

2014-15

Day 5

        I'm here at Teachers' College Reading and Writing Project! Waa!  It's the last day!  So sad.

Writing to intensify reading Kate Roberts

Lit Essays

What could it be?

When will out kids be ready to move on from the five paragraph essay.  The five paragraph essay shouldn't be a crutch.  Like any crutch, it's meant to be abandoned at some point.

Collecting for ideas and Thesis statements

• Reflecting on Notebook work
• Think on infographics
• Evaluating "best' ideas

Craft a thesis statement

• Use thought prompts to push thinking
• Allowing infographics to be a jumping off point
• Using post-its and categorizing them, looking for patterns
• Taking quotes and labeling them (emotions, etc.)
• Use grid to help thinking
• Companion books as mentors

Plan or structure our essay -Boxes and bullets, Reasons or times in the book

• Infographic

Choose evidence

• Close reading work (choose evidence and route thinking)
• Ranking (Best, Worst, Least, First...)
• Microstory work - partner work

Draft >> Analyzing evidence

• Look at notebook and set goals
• Thought prompts
• Elaborate on infographic
• Code post-its for paragraphs
• Long jots
• Use grid to see how its falling and creating a powerful story

Using thought prompts:

I Think...

• Consider that...
• It is true that...
• I believe...
• I've come to understand...
• One could say...

This is important because...

• The heart of this...
• The significance of this...
• The author did this because...
• The intention here is...

For example...

• For instance
• Take this example....
• In addition...

This shows that...

• This demonstrates...
• Consequently...
• This illustrates...

(How do I do the work of explaining the why of a trait or action?)

Revision

• Use checklist independently, with a partner, a small group
• Annotating with an eye towards close reading
• Color coding
• Cut it up and reorder to imagine different combinations

Bring some writers worksop work into our lit essays!

Brainstorm some ideas for a thesis statement for The Stolen Party

Does Luciana see Rosaura as a friend?

What were her intentions in inviting Rosaura? Friend or servant?

The real foe here is classism, not Senora Inez.

What makes a friendship?

Movement from Pride to Rage
Anecdote >>> Define pride and discuss its' affects >>>
Show a moment of Rosaura's pride >>> Her mother's pride stems from Senora Inez pride >>> XXX >>> XXX
Again try to get out of the five paragraph essay.  Th essay should be a journey of thought.
Things to consider

• Word choice
• Figurative language 
• -metaphor/simile
• -varying sentence length

What will you be applying to your work next year? Well for me, I will be concentrating on incorporating...

• thought prompts
• the grids
• the bands of text complexity

Think about writing and engagement in our lives:

• Post it your television watching
• People in your lives (How can your mom be both wonderful and frustraing?
• Use infographics
• what parts of the text resonates with your heart

Strategies are great but make sure to connect it to the kids lives!

Conferring to move kids and generate curriculum       Carl Anderson

Tape yourself: It's hard but look back at conferring sessions and debrief with someone else:  First compliment (glow) and then suggest (grow)

Rapport with students is key to having good writing conferences

How much time do we spend on each conference move?

Teaching portion should be about 25%!!

Problems with "on the spot" conferring

anxiety, too long, on research, not accurate, not consistent

Note taking forms:

Why?

• Help us keep track so we don't accidentally skip someone
• We can keep notes on goals for students
• Reflection on work
• Gives us data to create mini-lessons
• Allows specificity when speaking to admins and parents
• Tool for self-reflection

Types (I use individual student forms, fyi):

There is no perfect form- use what works for you

• Whole class at a glance (Grid or roster)
• Individual forms 

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