We gathered together as a full staff to moderate written language across the school. I always thoroughly enjoy these sessions. Is is an opportunity to really reflect on learner's progress and carefully work in new goals and next steps. It is an opportunity to show off your learner's work and discuss your judgement of where they are at. It is a wonderful opportunity for professional discussion and development, sharing successes and challenges.
Today, I got a number of surprises... I was too hard on my writers... almost all of my best fit leveling was judged to be a little too harsh, and I have re-assessed them up.
Other staff were stunned by the imagery my writers were capable off. The way in which my writers put words together to create phrases, and phrases layered to paint a stunning image was celebrated.
Why are my writers so successful? I have been thinking about this a lot tonight - hence the need to blog!
My writers:
- are highly motivated;
- love creating phrases that make me dance on my chair;
- write everyday;
- choose to write as choice activity when finished tasks;
- worked enthusiastically with buddies in an extensive paired writing block;
- have set realistic goals;
- share their written language extensively: with their peers; their families; and widely on the blog - through quadblogging, 100WC, through skyping with writing motivators, collaborating with other classes,
- really involve themselves in their writing,
- love motivation...
Looking back over the past term we have really maximised our writing opportunities, so thank yous are in order...
Thank you to:
- everyone who has read and commented on our blog;
- Jill and Gill for the training for paired writing;
- Mrs Skinner for skyping us from England to motivate us for the 100WC;
- Deputy Mitchell for imagining and involving us in quadblogging;
- Deputy Mitchell for imagining and involving us in Pass the Blog;
- Rob Smith for the MAGIC of the Literacy Shed;
- Maia Walczak for the inspiration of STRAY and more...
- Mr Webb and the Melville Intermediate students who have worked on editing our written narratives...
- The Room 6 writers for the incredible motivation and MAGIC of their words...
