In our reading and consideration of two case studies – Love that Dog(Creech, 2002) and Structure and Freedom(Casey & Hemenway 2001) – we encounter examples of how teachers can structure their English language arts teaching to support their student’s growth in language and learning. Drawing from our course-based discussions and readings, respond to the following: 1) List and describe the 5 stages of the writing process as discussed in class. Provide illustrative examples of each stage from either case, 2) Discuss and detail three aspects of a well-organied and engaging writing classroom as discussed in class and provide illustrative examples from case studies, 3) What will be two important factors to you in developing an affective and balanced writing classroom?.
The writing cycle has 5 stages. They include pre writing, drafting, revising, editing and publishing. Pre-writing is the process where I would start my research, I would draw or go online to research or draw from previous experiences about the topic I will be writing about, I would ask who my audience is and what my purpose of writing is. In “Love that Dog” page 3, Jack was trying to gather information about the red wheelbarrow poem, it is the beginning of the process to writing. Drafting is writing down any information that you can on the topic you are writing about, almost like brainstorming. On page 4 in Love that Dog Jack starts to write about a blue car, on page 10 his teacher asks why so much depends upon a blue car, furthering his writing. By allowing Jack to think further about his blue car and asking why, it allows Jack time to think about his poem and revise it as the process of writing occurs. On October 24 Jack writes a poem based on his pre-writing, drafting and revising. This poem is to be published on October 31 by being posted to the board, however Jack is still a little uncomfortable about his name being put on his published poem. The editing process was not detailed during these dates, but I do know that the poem was revisited each week. I’ve assumed his teacher edited it and Jack also edited it before his work was published to the board.
A well organized and engaging writing classroom has many aspects that make it an environment that I would want to write and learn in. Here I will focus on three that I find very important but there are many others. Having boards and children’s writing around the classroom, having an author’s chair and writing centers around the classroom are other ideas I have not focused on in depth here. From Page’s perspective in “Structure and Freedom: Achieving a Balanced Writing Curriculum” teachers would provide “time, support and real audiences for writing; it would unite both fiction and nonfiction, process and product, content and form, and freedom and discipline; it would include talk about writing, global revision, opportunities for feedback and publication, and high but realistic, teacher expectations” (Structure and Freedom: Achieving a Balanced Writing Curriculum page 74). In a well-organized and engaging writing classroom it is important for a child to have a say in what they are writing about. By having that interest and passion about something, I find children can write a lot and enjoy the process of writing more than if they were writing about something they have no interest in. This freedom allows them to be themselves. In doing this the writing process is not like writing at all, it is not a chore, you don’t even realize you are writing about anything because you love the topic so much. In “Structure and Freedom….” Page wrote about Tigger her cat. She had a keen interest in her cat and enjoyed the process of writing. The second aspect I feel makes a well-organized and engaging writing classroom is by giving the child space to grow and learn through time while allowing them to feel supported in the process of writing. In “Love that Dog” this was demonstrated so well by the dates in Jack’s journal, showing the process from Jack not wanting to write anything, to having his work published with no name, to having his work published with his own name and then having him questioning why other students didn’t have their names on their work. The third aspect of a well-organized and engaging writing classroom would include working together in groups, having groups constructively criticize and make suggestions. By being in groups, it allows the teacher more time with the students and allows the students more time and attention to their story. As Page mentioned on page 69 of “Structure and Freedom”, “I like being in my writing group, because you get more attention to your story.”
As I believe a vast array of experiences make children and adults who they are today, it is my intention to develop an effective and balanced writing classroom that brings experiential learning into the classroom. A child can learn the writing process through different methods, sitting in a chair in a classroom is not the only way to teach. By having them active and doing allows them to experience. By having the child engaged in the process and allowing them to have a voice in what they are interested in allows for a student focussed classroom. Time is another important factor that I know works for me. By giving children the time to develop, plan, process, revisit and revisit again, it allows for successful writing. In giving children this time, they grow and succeed at a rate that they need, not at the rate someone else may need or someone else may expect of them.
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