Friday Reflections

Following up on last week’s idea of a writer’s toolbox –What’s another tool - craft element - in our writing tool boxes? Fleshing out Sketchy Writing Ralph Fletcher introduces this element early – K-2, and, of course, carries it on through the upper grades.   For younger kids, he even advises cutting and paste a text like this next text.   My Grammy lives on a farm.     She lives in Nebraska. Right now she is very sick. Everybody is worried. I hope she is ok. You could cut out the first sentence and ask student to picture animals on the farm –e.g. goats.   You could do the same with the next sentence and suggest writing or drawing a map of Nebraska.   Actually do it with the entire story.   He suggests that it’s a great way to add more details. Katie Woodray in Wondrous Words turns to mentor texts to show kids how authors such as Eloise Greenfield in Honey, I Love and Other Love Poems gives us specific thing/s about a topic. Woodray contends t

Last week I featured one writing element that writers use “Crafting a  Lead” to get the reader’s attention immediately.    And, just to refresh our cold   memories, what   is a writing element?    It’s one of the   tools of the trade that accomplished writers use when crafting a certain piece   of writing. My last   week’s entry included a paragraph around “Crafting a Lead”;   my paragraph started with the lead -    What’s   a big deal in my life?        So how do we teach these elements of writing to our students?     I like the use of metaphors –   metaphors can help break down the vague talk around good writing. Plus,   metaphors can help both a student and a   teacher brain remember.    Besides, the vast majority of learners are   helped with visual supports.    Writing   teachers have used different metaphors –   like “Ingredients” “Setting the Table”.    I’ve seen such metaphors with anchor charts   in classrooms. Maybe it’s the man in me – I like the idea of a   toolbox!   

Ralph Fletcher and Joann  Portalupi are authors of the book  Craft   Lessons  = lots of good stuff here.  In   essence,   Fletcher believes that most of us – and more specifically – writing   teachers need help with the elements that an   author uses to produce an engaging   piece of writing that a reader will want to read. The book is a bout teaching   kids at various grade levels about   “writer’s craft” or how to craft their writing.     Chapter headings include such as   the following: “Adding Details” “The   Circular Ending” “Focus: Staying on Topic” and many more. I like the fact   that   the book identifies the most likely grade level that a particular craft would   best be taught.   I pulled out a few   thoughts from his chapter on “Crafting a Lead”; Fletcher argues that   3 rd  and 4 th  graders are   probably ready to explore the use of “leads” in their writing.    - He is addressing how you start out a piece   of   writing -   Quotes About Leads   Every lead is sort of   a c

Over break, D100 leaders hosted a twitter chat asking people to identify one word that might serve to inspire our 2018.  Anyone participating is to post the word out there for the world to read and then start “making it” happen. My first thought was to select a word that would help guide me to be successful in my new role as principal. “Productive” rose up immediately.   I googled productive and the online thesaurus brought up synonyms and I stumbled across the word “advantageous”. My first reaction to the word was to reconsider because of the negative connation of specifically taking advantage of others.  I talked about the word with my wife (still getting used to that word - wife) and she eye rolled over my choice. and challenged my thinking.  I clicked on the word anyway to read the actual definition –” involving or creating favorable circumstances that increase the chances of success or effectiveness; beneficial”.  To heck with the negative connotation, I like the word, and the