Atwell Chapter 11 : Memoir

I honestly did not realize that there is such a difference between personal-experience narratives and memoirs. I find it admirable that Atwell admitted that she thought personal-experience narratives were a good start for beginning writers, but then realized that it was really just an easy beginning for her as a teacher. This sets a good example for future teachers because we can admit when we are wrong and revise our strategies to improve the classroom.

I like that Awtell describes memoir as how “we figure out who we are, who we have become, and what it means to us and to the lives of others” (372). Students are often trying to create themsleves and figure out what they want to become, especially adolescents. Therefore, it seems that a memoir would be meaningful and engaging. I think it is also great how Atwell uses her own memoir example to show students what NOT to do. I think that Kristen mentioned something like this before: no student will feel singled out. They can also see that writing is a process and that even teachers do not get it right the first time. Here is a question we can think about: Would you feel comfortable admitting your mistakes about curriculum and/or writing with your own students, and what other benefits can come of this?

Stacia

Atwell Chapter 6

I found this chapter very interesting and it also brought me back to last semester when we worked with minilessons extensively. I suppose that since our minilessons last semester were all based on grammar, I did not realize that were so many other options! Its great how Atwell shows us all of the varying topics of minilessons and that she gives us detailed lists of things to teach with the different topics. The Thirteen Questions on page 209 were also very interesting. Some of them really stumped me! I will be saving this book to use in my future classroom!

I enjoyed the way that Atwell began this chapter. I like the quote that says, ‘the years of metamorphosis-when the safe cocoon of childhood begins to crumble’ (149). I think that is important to realize that students often “seek reassurance that what they do is acceptable to others” (148). This leads into Atwell’s discussion of minilessons perfectly. We CAN teach writing and by doing this through minilessons, students can gain confidence in their writing and overcome self-consciousness.

 Stacia

Chapter 13: Finding Poetry Everywhere

I really enjoyed this chapter. I think it is important as teachers that we learn to teach our students all aspects of English. If I was expected to teach a lesson on poetry right now I think I would be extremely intimidated too. I was shocked when Atwell states, “Today, its 97 percent prose and just 3 percent poetry (416).” Thinking back on my high school career I do not recall many instances where poetry was taught thoroughly. Writing poetry gives students a personal connection and gives voice to their emotions. This chapter really opened my eyes to the lack of poetry in classrooms, and the influence that poetry could have on students if introduced to them. I will definately introduce poetry into my classroom, and I will encourage students to not only explore it but to be open to writing their own.

Kaitlyn

Atwell, 6

I am almost overwhelmed by how much amazing information is in this chapter.

Perhaps I am the only one who feels this way, but every once in awhile  I get the butterflies in my stomach when I think of things I am going to teach in a classroom and how I am going to teach them.  Sometimes I freeze because while I know I am learning SO much about how to be a good English teacher, I freak out and feel like I don’t know a thing about teaching.

The point of me sharing this frightening feeling with you, is because this chapter eased my mind a bit.  Reading about all the different types of mini-lessons I can teach, what kind of activities can go with the lessons, and how to get students encaged, gave me more hope that yes, I can do this job.

I also really liked that Atwell provided information from both the writer’s perspective, and the audience’s perspective.  This information is not only necessary in the classroom, but it needs to be reinforced and reminded throughout the year.  I could go on and on about the wonderful ideas throughout this chapter, but what it comes down to is pretty simple: we can’t expect our students to know everything or anything about writing right off the bat. We have to encourage them, motivate them, and remind them that they either are or will be good writers.  Just like these readings remind me that I can be a good teacher.

-Kristin

The Writing Goddess - Chapter 7

I am totally blown away by how intelligent, inspiring, motivating, and passionate Atwell is when it comes to her job and her students writing. On page 217 she states, “Writers want response that gives help without threatening our dignity.” I stopped and thought about this concept for a moment after reading it. There have been many times when my teachers belittled me and made me feel like an awful writer. However, had they approached me differently, conversed with me in conferences, and asked questions that really made me think about my writing, my attitude and experience toward writing would have gone much different. I don’t want to be the teacher who marks my students’ papers up with red marker because they forgot to insert a comma here or a apostrophe there.  Students need positive feedback and lots of communication with their teacher, so that they don’t feel as though they have lost their ownership of their work.  Atwell does a wonderful job at explaining how to avoid such sinerios.

What I also liked about this chapter, is that Atwell reminds us that we need to be the initiators in conferences.  We can’t just plop down next to our students and expect them to just start telling us (not at first, at least) where they are struggling, or what they may be stuck on.  We have to be the providers and ease our way into our students writing lives because students are often shy about their writing and just in general.  This chapter was amazing and definitly not one I plan on selling back to the bookstore.

-Kristin

Atwell Chapter Seven

One of the first important things I noticed from this chapter took place when Atwell remarked about when to respond to writing.  Atwell says, “One constant in conferences is the immediacy of my response: students know I’ll confer with them while they’re writing, not after the writing is done. My job is to help kids develop as writers, not assign sink-or-swim tests of writing performances.” (220)  Atwell is 100% right when saying this.  Throughout school, I never found it beneficial to just receive a paper back with a few comments and a grade.  I looked at the grade and usually got rid of the paper.  I occasionally had teachers who used writing conferences and I always worked harder on those papers because I felt that what I was doing was important.  The teacher was taking time to help me in a one-on-one setting and that mattered.  To bring the best writing out of our classes we need to work with them and help develop their own unique writing style just like  Atwell does.

Also in chapter seven, I found the “Questions That Can Help” section a very practical and useful list.  The list of questions to help a writing conference is something I will remember and in all likely hood return to someday. 

I loved the “Having a Writing Conference with Yourself” guide that Atwell put together for her class.  This guide is just another tool that her students can use to help improve their writing.  I also liked that her class had a say in the questions that would appear in the guide.  Atwell does a great job creating a literate classroom environment. 

Doug.

Atwell Chapter 7

I really enjoy Atwell.  I agree with a lot of the things she has to say and hope to teach in the way she does in my own classroom.  I cannot get over the writing her students do.  The poem about God was unbelievable.  I loved it.

 I was interested in the status-of-the class chart that Atwell used in her conferences.  Has anyone every heard of it before? I think that this was a good idea, so the teacher makes sure that they get to everyone and to keep track of things.  Does anyone have any experience with the chart?

Something else that I thought was interesting is the incorporation of grammar.  We haven’t discussed this and I like how Atwell uses individual mini-lessons to address what her students are having problems with.  I also enjoyed her opinion on “sloppy copies”: “An unfortunate legacy of the early days of writing workshop in the notion of ’sloppy copies,’ a method that encouraged kids to ignore conventions when drafting and concentrate on context.” (Atwell 250) I can relate to this in that teachers always told me to write a sloppy copy for context.  However, if it affects understanding, I feel that grammar should be taken into consideration at this point.  I am interested in seeing what you think.  See you tomorrow!

 Alexis