Entry #2: Writing practices of a K-12 learner and teacher of writing

     In my own K-12 learning process there were a few elements of a successful writing program. It was evident in my own learning that the culture of the classroom valued learning and writing. It was also evident that there were elements of explicit instruction of writing skills and strategies. We had a set time where writing instruction took place and we would learn skills or strategies specific to writing. We had this time but we didn't have a ton of individual writing time, it was more instruction than individual writing time. I appreciated the specific instruction time because I struggled as a writer in the early primary years and this time did help me. I do wish that I had more time to use these skills in my own private writing time though. I also really appreciated that learning was valued and writing was valued even though we didn't always get as much time to write as I would have hoped. As I continued throughout my writing journey in K-12 I had more of an appreciation of writing because it was valued when I started writing. 

    As a teacher of writing, I have had experience with a couple of the elements and there are also elements that I am working on implementing currently. I have had experience with creating a classroom culture that values writing, explicit instruction of writing skills and strategies and having clear goals. I have always made sure that students understand the goal of their writing and the audience of their writing. This goal can be to persuade the school to let us have a class pet, to write to a child during colonial times, or to create a fantasy story using descriptive language. In my classroom I have tried my hardest to create a community that values writing by having a specific time each day for writers workshop, by going through the process of meeting with your writing partner to share your stories and by having an author's chair to read your story to the class. Some of the strategies or skills that I have taught students have been paragraph and essay structure, indentation of paragraphs, painting a picture with words, sentence and paragraph meaning, and components like punctuation, spelling and images to go with a story.

    One element that I wish I had used more with students in the past is feedback. I am currently working on this right now with my students during our writers workshop and it is something I see as very vital to the writing process. I think it is important for students to receive peer and teacher feedback throughout the writing process. Clear and specific feedback is how students improve as writers and understand their writing and others writing more. I am using writing rubrics to help give students feedback as well as giving them verbal feedback during peer meetings, one on one meetings with me and small group meetings about their work. I have been working with the students on giving 2 compliments and one area of growth during their meetings. Out of all of the elements this one is the hardest for me but I think it is worth my time and effort.