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...
gotta say, it is wonderful to read how your writers make you 'dance on your chair' - talk about some great imagery of your own! Anne, it sounds more like YOUR passion and enthusiasm has transformed your writers and the MAGIC that you teach with has inspired the students to be passionate writers too. Look forward to reading more - maybe you could share some of your writers' work with us!
ReplyDeleteI just tried to find the clip of me dancing on my chair to share with you! I blogged about it earlier in the year! It is just crazy but the writers LOVE it.... They will run across the room and whisper a phrase in my ear to hope I get my MAGIC highlighter out if the phrase makes me dance inside, or better still dance on my chair.... All good fun! We would love to share our writing with you! Yesterday we started writing persuasive texts... more fun...
DeleteGoodness - there are sparks coming out of Room 6! I'm so glad you and the children are enjoying this apsect of learning. There are some many classes out there who need to know how great it can be. That's the challenge now!
ReplyDeleteI am so up for the challenge of spreading the news of how good it can be! I am soooo proud of my writers! Thanks for all your support and motivation. We would love to skype with you again sometime! We can't wait til 3 September when we can start the 100WC!
DeleteOh Anne - your enthusiasm is so infectious and I too can see you dancing on your chair with joy! Isn't e-learning and blogging amazing? I have never had such fun teaching writing as in the last few years - reluctant writers are becoming thing of the past and like you I delight in seeing children choose to write in their own time. Makes me want to head back to my old class for a quick writing lesson!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Catriona, It really is soooo exciting to be a teacher in a time where it really is possible to remove so many barriers. I have one writer who struggled to complete a couple of sentences at the start of the year - now writing more than a page - and ohhhh soooo proud! I am loving see the progress! Thanks for taking the time to comment. Commenting is what adds the layer of MAGIC to the blog!
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