Final Reflections

What a journey the 2010 summer writing institute has been! This four-week experience has given me the keys to understanding what 'writing' is all about. I take with me all the essentials to build my classroom's house of writing. My mind was stretched, pulled, massaged, and filled with the best of instructors, strategies, and a community of wonderful teacher classmates. A heartfelt 'thank you' to our instructors who have given me realtime writing prowess to help my students to translate their feelings into knowledge as well as evoke their actions to explore what the world of words can express. Finally, The summer writing institute has given me 'that' strong foundation to begin my classroom's house of writing cemented with tools of prolonged warranty: understanding of research, notable theorists, phenominal teacher/authors,and a renewed sense of courage to teach. Muchisimas a todos (A thousand thank-yous to everyone). My journey into the writing world is just beginning.

Digital Story: I Am From

Palmer: Courage To Teach

As a teacher, have you ever sought advice or guidance about your teaching? Yes? And many times over yes is my answer to this question! But, I believe that who and where I sought that guidance made the difference for me the next time I entered my classroom.

During the 2010 Summer Institute, I was introduced to a gentlemen/educator/author named Parker Palmer, who authored "Courage to Teach" which will be an incredible source of sound teaching guidance that I will hold in high regard as I continue to walk into my classroom. "Courage to Teach" has become a special vault of information that continuously requires me to take a relook at why I teach and why I consider myself to be a good teacher.

Palmer's message to educators everywhere is to daily take a self-inventory of our teacher's heart which is what should drive our teaching for it is the condition of our hearts' chambers of identity and integrity that acts as the main connection between ourselves, our subject knowledge, and our students. I read it. I understand it, but how will I manage to best apply Palmer's 'courage philosophies' in my classroom?

Learning what 'courage' meant according to Palmer was everything I believed teaching required of us. "...good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher" (pg. 10). Reading further, I find that there are commonalities among those good teachers who use similar techniques; "a strong sense of identity infuses their work" (pg. 11). What I sense here is good teachers connect theirself, their subject and their students to the real world. Palmer offers a variety of method ideas to make this connectedness. For example, using lectures, experiments, student collaboration, problem solving, critical thinking issues, and more. My mind is busy visualizing using these methods and how students will interact with each other and their learning experiences.

That's just it though. The planning for successful student learning is critical. Palmer agrees, but also reminds teachers that not to be fearful should a plan go awry. Palmer eloquently describes two indiviuals to convey the importance of having genuine identity and integrity, the story of Alan and Eric. I couldn't help but be reminded of the story in the Bible about a man who was granted debt forgiveness but who did not show the same courtesy to someone else; the results were unfortunate for the first man. It turns out that 'Alan' succeeds in his pursuits, where Eric does not. The model of Alan's character speaks volumes to me; I believe that is my whole purpose to teach; to teach the intangibles of identity and integrity so my students will internalize these attributes in order to contribute to human goodness in their life's journey.

"Courage" also tells me that as a teacher I can expect to have good and bad days. We all have limits, right? Students need to know I am human and will make mistakes. But the importance here is that teachers (I) need to figure out how to use those mistakes to improve my teaching for students. Palmer describes this state of emotion like this, "...there are occasions in the classroom when he can hardly 'hold the joy' but refuses to harden his heart because of his love for learners, learning, and the teaching life" (pg.1 ). Those moments of disconnectedness I have replayed in my mind too many times, but I have also used those moments to prompt discussion with my students; 'rewind' is a term I use in the classroom which allows me to reconnect with my students and reopens their heart's critical thinking discerning these situations that arise in our classroom.

Palmer uses the term 'paradox' describing how these moments of disconnectedness may be awkward for teachers; Palmer chooses to use the definition expressed by Niels Bohr, Nobel Prize physicist, explaining further that "paradoxical thinking requires us to view the world in which opposites are joined, so that we can see the world clearly and see it whole...When we think things together, we reclaim the life in the world, in our students, in ourselves" (pg. 69). The extension activity to help understand 'paradox' calls on teachers to remember a moment of teaching when everything went great one day and the next day just the opposite. Extending this activity even further, within groups, asks that teachers focus on the 'great day' and identify the strength that made this 'great lesson' an authentic learning experience (pg. 69); what a great idea to use with my high school students.

Concurring with Palmer on the topic of 'teacher-centered classroom vs subject-centerd classroom', we both agree the subject-centered classroom is the learning environment that signifies student/teacher success. Notice the language 'subject-centered'. "In a subject-centered classroom, the teacher's central task is to give the great thing an independent voice...When the great thing speaks for itself, teachers and students are more likely to come into a genuine learning community" (pg. 120). An example of this that Palmer points out is the use of digital technology to enhance students' learning. I can definitely attest to that. When you are initially engaged in learning, whatever the content, actually using the technology, the learning is everlasting.

More thoughts on building a 'genuine learning community' is appreciated by Palmer's reflections about his mentor mentioned earlier in the book. I like how Palmer describes the seating arrangement in his history classroom. Eventhough students sat in rows, the teacher was not the center, instead was the subject his teacher taught and how the students engaged in the content. The use of drama-storytelling from the lives of great thinkers and explaining their ideas of the time sparked the students' interests. Palmer called it 'active imagination' and strong statement making that spirited their notebook writing. This activity will find its place in my classroom.

As I read more ideas on how community produces successful learning, Palmer addresses what some teachers may feel that does not lend to community in the classroom. For example, "...claim that education will never achieve community in any form as long as teacher-student relations are riddled with inequalities in status and power" (pg. 141). Here it is. A topic all teachers are concerned with, me included. But, it is in Palmer's following statement about grading that hits the nail on the head. "When authentic community emerges, false differences in power and status disappear...Evaluation is one such function in education...When grades are used to make distinctions of this sort, they are simply a replication of the real-world dynamics that this approach to teaching is built on" (pg.141). Do I hear an 'Amen'?

Yes. I am all for what Palmer suggests when evaluating students' performance. For example, inventing grades that focus on learning: "allowing students to rewrite a term paper as often as they like by the end of the course ...final grade is for the last revision" (pg. 141) Palmer continues to express his preference of using student portfolios versus issuing letter grades. Portfolios is a measurement tool that I am learning more about and plan to implement beginning this school year.

In the final sections of "Courage", Palmer's passion continues to direct attention towards educational reform for the sake of human goodness and community as well as identity and integrity; he diplomatically orates the needed conditions for this reform to take place with one of many statements like: "Though the movement for educational reform has yet to achieve major goals, the images and symbols of educational reform are alive and well today in the public arena" (pg. 183). "As we find our place in the movement, we will discover that there is no essential conflict between loving to teach and working to reform education" (pg. 190). My point of view of educational reform is consistent with Palmers, in that, pursuing the identity and integrity of good teaching means always seeking those learning opportunities that will join, with equal purpose, the educational goals of both the students and the teachers.

How much I delighted in the metaphor activity Palmer used with teachers when exploring metaphors and images of who we identify ourselves with when we teach at our best. "When I am teaching at my best, I am like a _______" (pg. 152). As a final thought, I want to be like that sheepdog. As Palmer says it best, "...the sheepdog has four vital functions. It maintains a space where the sheep can graze and feed themselves; it holds the sheep together in that space, constantly bringing back strays; it protects the boundaries to keep dangerous predators out; and when the grazing ground is depleted, it moves with the sheep to another space where they can get the food they need" (pg. 153). I love the 'sheepdog' metaphor as it will be a banner going up in my class. Daily I will be reminded that it is the identity and integrity of a teacher I am called to be.

Digital Story: Where I Am From...

Workshops: What I Learned...

Thank you fellow teacher presenters for sharing. I enjoyed learning from each of your dynamic workshops. In brief, I have listed quick thoughts of each presenter's workshop.

*Cheryl F: Cheryl demonstrated ideas on how to use music to enhance students writing. The parody is on my list to use. Music is a wonderful way to connect with students and inspire their creative writing.

*Cheryl K: Cheryl presented ideas on how she will apply Britton's theory of writing in the different modes of discourse using the historical fiction genre in the content area of Social Studies. Great choice of using the historical fiction novel "Molly" for your theme; students will connect and enjoy their writing with you.

*Audrey W: Audrey shared ideas on how to encourage students to write through using their sensory intelligences. How clever to use the variety of hands-on activities; Your hand activity will be interesting to use in my classroom.

*Virginia E: Virginia offered teachers survival strategies to help children with special needs (Aspergers/Autism) engage in writing. It was through your passion that I could see how special these children are.

*Shannon H: Shannon presented the benefits of journaling for students and teachers accompanied with a detailed recommended reading list. Your students will have loads of fun journaling in your classroom.

*Megan C: Megan introduced and explained 6 Trait Writing concepts and ideas using picture books for student writing. You teach little people with expanding and sincere minds...you are the perfect fit.

Personal Book Review: Ralph Fletcher

After reading some years ago Fletcher's incredible descriptively well-written realistic fiction novel "Flying Solo", which my students absolutely loved, I knew I had to find other works authored by Fletcher. Honestly, my reading muscles were just beginning to develop, and I felt that if an author like Fletcher held my attention in the fiction genre, then I was sure his teacher help books on the topic of 'writer's notebooks' would do the same. "A Writer's Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You" written by Ralph Fletcher, was my personal book of choice to begin my search for information on the topic of how to use and why use a writer's notebook in the classroom. I would soon find out more about Fletcher and how he would open my eyes to the adventurous world of writing.

And what about Fletcher? I discovered that Fletcher, born in Massachusetts, was the oldest of nine children along with a large extended family; Large family gatherings meant stories and more stories; Fletcher just loved listening to stories or reading stories from books which would later inspire his own journey to becoming one of the nation's noteable prolific writers. As I read more about Fletcher, I began to find the information I was seeking.

During his younger school days Fletcher made this statement after reading "Call of the Wild" by Jack London" saying, "Wouldn't it be unbelievable if I could write a book that would affect other people even half as much as this book affected me! These books taught me many things--mostly the power of words" (website). Fletcher also recalled how he wrote, sketched, and doodled in a writing notebook. Aha!

The idea of Fletcher's writer's notebook finally surfaces. Even then is evidence that Fletcher had some kind of vision as to how important this type of writing would be to him. Years after, Fletcher enjoyed how his methods of writer's notebook would excite children with the desire to write. Since then, Fletcher has written several books for teachers and children, and in all different genre types.

So, how did this book of choice impact me? Writer's Notebook consists of twelve chapters describing everything from the 'how to use writer's notebook' to the 'why use writer's notebook' in your classroom. Fletcher's book maybe only 138 pages, but is packed throughout with 'keys' that will unlock the golden doors to the writing kingdom, and is written in a language that is simple yet sophistitated in manner.

Fletcher opens up each chapter with his own true short story scenarios that just grab the reader's attention which leads to many examples and ideas on how to be successful with writer's notebook in my classroom. For example, chapter 1 is titled "Unforgettable Stores". What a hook! I dove right in to find out what was so unforgettable. I am sure that my students will have their own unforgettable stories to share. This is exciting to me and I just mentioned the first chapter.

Reading on in the remainder of the chapters, I especially liked Fletcher's play on words that continued to again hook me; words like 'fierce wonderings, mind pictures, snatches of talk. To me, this vivid type of language is sure to hook the boys as well as the girls. Fletcher is brilliant with his attention to audience; he is sincere and genuine in finding ways to purposely attract the target audience.

Fletcher's accomplishments are recognized by other notable educator/author/writers and unamiously agree that Fletcher writes a fun-filled, easy to follow, guaranteed writer's notebook guide to use in any classroom with any level of students. Well, this is only proof positive that Ralph Fletcher, the author of Writer's Notebook, book of personal choice, is an author who is also a well-known friend to teachers everywhere, and that is why I will continue to follow Fletcher's authored works.

And finally, I leave you with a taste of Fletcher as he writes about the purpose of writer's notebook. "When I write an idea into the notebook I don't know whether or not I'll end up using it. How can I tell which stuff I'll throw away, and which stuff I'll come back to? I remember what the writer Don Murray once wrote in one of his many books about writing: Remember: It takes forty gallons of maple sap to make one one gallon of maple syrup. This idea is with me every time I sit down to write...you have to boil off lots of water in order to make the syrup of your writing dark, thick, and sweet" (pg. 129).

Andrade: Teaching With Rubrics

The importance of using rubrics became more evident to me this past school year, especially in the English classroom. A special colleague of mine introduced me to how a rubric could be used as well as how to design a rubric to meet the needs of writing assignments. I tried this assessment tool and found 'rubric' was a measurement tool all teachers and students would benefit from.

So, when I read Heidi Andrade's article "Teaching With Rubrics", her researched words of wisdom reinforced how useful and beneficial I initially experienced this tool of measurement could be and more so. Andrade also pointed out some positives and negatives to consider when using using an instructional rubric as an assessment tool of student writing as well as some tips of what a teacher should be aware of when designing a rubric. One key tip Andrade stressed was for teachers to practice the language of the desired rubric with students; do not assume that students understand all the parts of the rubric. And yes, with practice, students then are able to focus on what their writing should look and sound like, and not focusing on the teacher.

Using instructional rubrics is an assessment tool which has and will aid my classroom instruction and communicate to students and parents the assignment expectations which I feel will allow quicker feedback on the progress of the students' writing performance. I found some rubrics were simple to co-design with the student or by myself; including the input from other team colleagues when designing rubrics on collaborative assignments was critical and beneficial. I appreciate the research information, recommendations from other colleagues, and rubric websites on the subject of using instructional rubrics; I am convinced that rubrics are a valid and credible assessment tool to use in the classroom.

Lane: Ch. 6-7

Again, where does Lane come up with his labels for revision? It is the action of the revision strategy that students engage in that holds onto their attention to go on this journey of 'revision'. Exploding the moment, another great tool, used to trigger students' minds for details in their writing. The whole process of understanding revision is an adventure, and I am confident that students will agree.

In these chapters, Lane's use of graphic organizers along with other ingenious ways of bringing the characters in stories to life help find form in a student's writing and reading. For example, cavewriting allows the students to draw pictures to symbolize emotions, thoughts, or questions; powerful use of multiple intelligence to draw more detail of their own thoughts on paper. And there is the use of fictional points of view; I gravitated to this strategy of writing from the third person point of view much easier than first person writing. Anxious to see my students' positive reactions to this mode of writing.

The whole idea, according to Lane, is that writing can be a struggle but also can be fun. And stories don't have to end says Lane. Creatively and genuinely, Lane has dedicated his book to help teachers discover for themselves how to guide students to enjoy writing and to encourage students to experiment in the area of their choice. I thank you Barry Lane for helping me with the tools to build my classroom's house of writing.

Lane: Ch. 1-5

For me, first and foremost, is noticing how Barry Lane recognizes and pays tribute in his own book to other educator researchers on writing who have had a powerful influence on Lane's ideas about writing: Donald Murray, Donald Graves, Susan Wheeler, and others. And I do believe that first impressions are ever lasting. Lane's personality of teaching writing is what has drawn me in the world of thinking 'writing is about understanding how to use revision' as a key ingredient towards meaningful writing for students.

With that said, Lane certainly held my attention in the opening chapter one describing how to use one among several revision strategies with students. "I have a really important story to tell you" (pg. 13). How clever was Lane to set up his story this way and hooking his students to want to know more. Lane's craft deserves a rating of 10; here again, we teachers were given experimented proven revision strategies that are guaranteed to engage students in their writing. Proof. Asking questions can be turned into a good lead to a story.

Lane uses a refreshing approach demonstrating a list of revision tools to use to help teachers with that "obstacle" of getting students to relook at their writing as a positive task. This guy is amazing! Lane is sophisticated and simplistic in his delivery of information. I am anxious to use this revision language to catch my students' attention: Digging for details, Snapshot, Thoughtshot, Mountain and Sea. Lane has given me the fuel to fire up my students' writing.

Moffet: I, You, and It

Must I say that being exposed to Moffett and Britton is like seeing in action for the first time American/British screen versions of the James Bonds of writing! I marvel at how Britton with his foundational writing theory of discourse and audience complements Moffett's classifications of writing. Moffett believes that writing must first be self-experienced and self-expressed on a continuum first being from the point of view of the writer with his/her immediate known audience to a more distant unknown audience but keeping in mind that meaning of the writing be understood by all audiences. It is obvious to me that these two scholarly educators were aware of each other's passion for influencing educators to move from the traditional way of teaching writing which tended to freeze students' writing skills to a more natural and realistic discourse of writing. How true.

I do appreciate how Moffett used the 'cafeteria experience' to explain his theory. How Moffett described, "My perceptual apparatus is recording these moments of 'raw experience', not in words but in some code of its own that leads to words" (pg. 19). Simple. WE all do this. When we experience an event, we are the first audience. The description of our 'raw experience' will change depending on our audience. But, what I hear Moffett saying here, is the experience is real and teachers need to allow students to draw from those real experiences to write about. True again.

Moffett stretches you even more by justifying why teachers should design natural, realistic writing assignments as he uses the 'nervous system' man-made conception to add the final punch to support his argument. Moffett's mastery with words is like eating the best peanut-butter sandwich ever! What I really respect about Moffett is that he gives me tools that I am able to use now in my classroom. I am sold on utilizing Moffet's tools of the four stages of effective writing for students. When Moffett says, "... abstracting moments of experience to higher and higher symbolic levels are precisely the limitations which should shape our writing assignments" (pg. 24), I want to do this for my students. True yet again.

Emig: Non-Magical Thinking

Agree how Emig defends her thoughts on what changes need to take place in the classroom in order for the student to experience the true magic of writing. I especially like the statement Emig made about herself being a slow learner, but at least Emig goes on to say how it was that revelation of knowing that critical pieces were missing in her classroom to engage students in a learning writing environment that motivated her to discover the research that would ultimately help her make those changes. Emig's statement here resonates with me as I am learning how and why it is important to create a nurturing writing environment for my students.

Emig, herself, admits how she had to rethink and relearn her initial models of teaching writing to her students. Emig's idea of "non-magical thinking" encourages teachers to simply come to the realization that students will engage in their writing environment sooner if teachers learn to move out of their way, keeping in mind that guided writing intervention is recommended to improve a student's writing. Interesting, while I read Emig's article, I can't help but think 'why' these educators, notable researchers, have not been placed in my path earlier? Also interesting fact noted, that prior to Emig's article, other researchers share similar philosophies with Emig. I am beginning to understand the concept of 'web of thinking'. It is because of Emig's research that motivates me to rethink and redo my approach to standing out of the way of my students' writing journey.

Change is good and needed, especially in the area how writing is presented in schools. . Emig's research is impressive and convincing on showing me how teachers are presently providing writing instruction comparing to what conditions need to be like not only for the magical process of learning writing but for other major cognitive processes as well. Writing is described as a natural way of reacting to one's environment, according to Emig; I see that now. I absolutely agree with Emig's philosophies. Emig only advocates that students be given the oppportunity to discover the magical world of writing. But it is also exciting to note that Emig absolutely advocates that teachers are also given those same opportunities to learn how to help students find that magical world of writing. I too pave the goal to be a 'transactional constructivist' as Emig. Look out! A paradigm writing transformation is taking place for students as well as for teachers and this is only the beginning of the story.

Britton: Now That You Go to School

Actually, I have a question for Britton and his colleagues at the University of London. What initially prompted this project to examine British children's writing? Perhaps, their overall writing performance? However, I believe the results of this project is what led Britton and his colleagues to show teachers of writing how to expose children to other forms of writing; writing that is intellectually critical for a child to learn in order to successully interact with their world. For me, it was profound how Britton explained how writing does transfer from speech. But then, it does all make sense. After all, Britton, himself states, "...that young children rely upon speech for all that they want to communicate and that when they write 'before' going to school their wriing takes on the form of a 'construct' or a performance." (4)

Okay, here is when I am beginning to understand why Britton thinks the way he does. And now as the child enters a classroom, the child continues to transfer his speech to writing that is modeled in the classroom by the teacher. Thereby, a child is true to produce whatever the construct or performance as practiced. And it is this type of writing model that the child/student will continue to produce throughout the formal education writing years. Diplomatically and assertively is Britton for bringing his theory of writing development throught the various stages of: expressive, transactional, and poetic styles of discourse.

Most importantly, my thoughts here, are how clever is Britton to encourage and influence teachers that children must be submersed in volumes of writing opportunities to experience the flows of writing from transactional to expressive and poetic. As Britton puts it, "it will be moving out in that direction...required to merit the name 'literature'--...we can speculate...we do not have to agree." (16) What I have gleaned from Britton is to be alert to planning those volumes of writing opportunities allowing all those voices to be heard.

Querido Mi Hermano (Dear Brother)

Querido Mi Hermano (Dear Brother),

Hello brother of mine! How goes everything in sunny California? Boy! I have been thinking a lot of you and Janie. Why? Glad you asked. While searching through the huge box of family photos, I came across pictures of us when we were little people and lived on 6th Street in Illinois! Yeah! Do you remember? Funny memories, right? Well, do you by chance remember how onery you were? Probably not. Let's see if I can jog your memory Antonio!

The story begins. Think back to yesteryear to a neighborhood youth baseball game at Alpiner's park. Yep! Right across from our house on 6th Street. Okay...are you getting the picture yet? Here we, the whole family, are sitting in the bleachers watching YOURRR game. "Batting now is ..., on deck batting fourth, is Tony ...." We all started cheering and of course I yelled, "Hey, remember Dairy Queen!" That's all I could think about. After all, you did tell me the next homerun you hit meant I would get a giant ice cream cone! Well, Bedo did hit a ground ball and made it to first base safely, which meant you were up next. My mouth started tasting the ice cream already--French vanilla double dipped in rich chocolaty chocolate...mmmm. As you slowly stepped into the batter's box, you glanced over your right shoulder up at us while pointing your bat to left-center field.

"What a show-off!" I whispered to Dad. Well, sure enough you connected to send that ball over the fence! You definitely took your time running around those bases though. And of course, all the team was waiting for you at home plate. Are you beginning to flashback to that scene??? Okay, now forward a bit to what happened after the game. Dad and everyone else walked ahead to go home, but I stayed. Moments later you walked out, and we began walking. Immediately, my questions came rolling out.

"Hey Tony, how many homeruns did you hit during the game? How many DQ cards did your coach give you?

Just like a big brother, you said, "Calm down Sis. I remember promising you a large ice cream cone. Wait for me on the front porch, and I will be back in a flash with that giiii-ant ice cream." And so...I waited...and waited.

Hoping soon an image of you would appear returnng on your bike, riding with no hands, holding up a huge ice cream in both hands, I kept glancing down the street. No sign. "What is taking him so long?" I wondered. And pretty soon, here came a faint sound of someone whistling. It was you! Wow! I leaped off the front porch and thought yelling out, "Finally, ice cream! Except, the closer you got, I noticed something was very wrong.

"Tony, what happened to the ice cream on top of the cones?" I asked.

You answered. "Oh, Sis, when I was riding over the railroad tracks, I hit that big bump. You've seen it. Well, the ice cream fell off from the tops. Sorry Sis." You know brother dear, I almost believed you, but then I noticed something white around your mouth.

"Tony, what is that while stuff around your mouth? You didn't hit a bump. You ate the ice cream didn't you???" Well, I guess it didn't turn out too bad though. I mean just at that moment, Dad walked out on the porch and suggested that you give me the rest of both cones. Now, wasn't that nice? :)

You know big brother, I never did ask you what you thought about that little time in our lives. So, now it is your turn to tell me. And when you email me back...a gift certificate will be 2nd-day aired to you...to go...to the Dairy Queen of your choice.

Amo usted, mi hermano

(I love you, my brother)

Duval's Presentation: "Thriving as Writers in a Test-Writer Environment"

How do you succcessfully prepare your students for state assessment? The research is in, and if teachers follow the advice of Higgins, Miller, and Wegman authors of "Teaching to the test...Not!", students will experience positive results in their state assessments as well as communicate clearly and creatively in their writing. The main goal of the article is to impress upon teachers to focus on three instructional areas that will produce 'life-long learners' and not test takers. Thank you, Emily Duval, presentor of this research, who also provided engaged modeled activities supporting those key instructional areas.

I believe teachers appreciate being well-informed of research practices that support the processes of learning and not just the product. Duval also pointed out if proven researchers: Atwell, Moffett, Graves, Calkins, and others alike are connected to any such research, then teachers can be confident that these strategies will be successful. The 'write one word' activity was:engaging, thought-provoking, addressed social nature of language, student-centered and simple; it was activities like this that convinced me any grade level of students would achieve positive results in writing literacy. How smart is that! Why would a teacher not trust: the theory that supports sound instructional practices, proven strategies that help students write with success, or improve a learning environment of outstanding teaching? This is the equation that I choose to drive my instruction...and I am sure my colleagues agree. I applaud the messenger as well as the message.

Revision: "What I Learned"

Understanding the new school of thought about ‘revision’ is like opening up a new chapter of discovering ways to hook students to want to write and even write more! I feel like Encyclopedia Brown uncovering clues to a never ending story while unlocking effective teaching strategies based on quality research. Actually, I, myself, am beginning to feel more confident and looking forward to showing how these strategies will help my students experience writing success. Already, I feel empowered and jazzed about gaining this knowledge. Most importantly, I am learning so many new ways to help students understand how ‘revision’ plays a key role to bringing their writing to life! And that is what writing is all about; understanding what revision tools that will first help diagnose whatever the writing ailment is and what revision tools or strategies that will allow students to become critical readers of their own writing. My students will soon understand how wonderfully exciting the adventure of writing can be; we are all on the same team yearning for our stories to be told and understood.

And the Oscar goes to…exactly. Individuals like: Barry Lane, Nancy Atwell, Donald Graves, Ralph Fletcher, on and on should indeed receive the writing Oscar award or better yet a Writing Heisman Award for finding creative solutions of using ‘revision’ strategies towards improving our students' writing skills. Other noted educators have tested these strategies and found success in their own classrooms. And now it is up to us as teachers to do our part. And I really do agree with Lucy when she says, “And that’s what writing is all about Charlie Brown…revision.”

Linda Rief: "What's Right with Writing"

All students, regardless of their level of academic performance, need affirmation of how or why the quality of their work is received. I do understand that receiving a paper returned with a graded mark and no comments as to why or other leaves one with the feeling if the effort fulfilled the criteria requirement; all students, I believe, desire to do their best or seeking ways to improve. Rief is making a statement outloud that teachers need to understand may result with zero positive gain.
If we, as teachers, pursue a better understanding of what it means to teach meaningful purposeful writing, then we are expected to be both, teacher and researcher. Rief is correct by questioning, "How do I shape those beliefs into sound practices in the classroom?" Students invisibly demand our acceptance; our understanding, our thoughts have an immense impact on how students may decide to continue to interact in the academic environment. If students are to demonstrate understanding of a concept through writing, then educators must respect their efforts.
Rief states, "Writing is thinking" which is a way of communicating everything about ourself, and what we know. With that said, "unique" is what Rief is meaning. Writers are unique as their writing. However, in order for anyone to improve as a writer, we must read. Writers need to know what areas of their writing needs improvement, without the necessary feedback from the teacher, improvement is limited.
Ending with a punch, Rief recommends teachers to comment with feedback on what the writer did well and to highlight the needed tools to strengthen the writer's writing. In the quotable quotes, Rief includes a comment by Donald Graves, "If you provide frequent occasions for writing, then the students start to think about writing when they are not doing it. I call it a state of constant composition." What do you think?

Calkins: "Conferring" and "Learning to Confer" (Ch. 13-14)

Getting students to take another look at their own writing for the purpose of improving their writing is an on-going challenge for all teachers. Lucy Calkins does a great job describing how she uses experienced thinking to get her students to look again at their own writing--understanding that revision can mean improvement and put life in their writing. But, what Calkins does do is give teachers insightful ways of transferring the idea of empowerment to students. Here, students learn how to become helpful to each other as well as begin their own journey to independent writing; students are quick to learn how to ask 'questions' that excites the student-writer's answers to paper!
"I'm done." A common response of students in the classroom says Calkins. True. Again, Calkins guides teachers to look beyond the writing and listen to the writer. Calkins continues to remind teachers when you conferr with students to keep "only one thing in mind... allowing our students to become critical readers."
Calkins goes on to explain that at times we as teachers need only to respond. Perhaps, listening first with a sincere sense of what the writer is trying to express, keeping in mind to be respectful of their feelings and if the time is right, offer a suggestion.
The types of conferences: content, design, process, and evaluation all have a place and time to use with students. The result of using the varying conferences while carefully paying attention to how teachers use these conferences with student-writers will increase their confidence as writers and the purpose of their writing.

Harper: "Writer's Toolbox"

Laura Harper is matter-of-fact when she questions the effectiveness of writing workshop with her students. Generally speaking, teachers take great care to make sure all the materials are needed for the students ready to use during the lesson. Harper was just as careful to equip her students with those materials, so she thought. In this case, Harper discovered when it came to helping students understand how to make changes in their writing, it would take a step-out-of-the-box experience. Harper expressed her heartfelt challenges of getting 'all' of her students to understand that changing their writing to be more meaningful meant more than just changing words and neater writing.
What I respect of Harper and other authors alike was the attitude she took when seeking researched guidance practice; Barry Lane, author "After the End" provided the toolbox of engaging tools she needed for her students to use for demonstrating their understanding of what writing revision sounded and looked like. I agree! After witnessing the effectiveness of using these five tools of revision in our NIWP class, it is a win-win for students to get hooked on writing!
Not only does Harper credit Lane, but includes established colleagues of this thinking philosophy such as: Nancy Atwell, Sharon Creech, Janet Emig as well as other authors Gary Soto and Gary Paulsen. What is incredible about individuals like Lane and others is what the research reveals; success for the students and the teachers.

Warne articles: "Writing Steps" and "Teaching Conventions"

How do the sophomore students continue to improve on their ISAT scores in Language Arts and still manage to proficiently demonstrate effective writing? For that matter, how does a teacher keep students focused on the goal of passing their ISAT in addition to keeping students motivated in learning how their writing is just as important? English high school teacher, Bonnie Mary Warne managed to do just that!
Freewriting on the first day of school, Warne recognized immediately that her students needed improvement in their writing skills. Warne's thought was her students should be writing on grade level. Additionally, Warne was so opened when she expressed how she allowed the state mandated assessment to drive what she taught. I am sure many educators feel that way and continue to grapple with the idea of finding how to find a resolution to best fits the needs of their students. Thank you Warne for being persistent in seeking ways to enrich your students' writing skills and allowing your students to take ownership of this value as well. Warne balances the equation of teaching strategies plus student purpose to achieve the outcome learning goals of her students. I am sure the students who pass through Warne's classroom leave with gained confidence and a new sense of respectful awareness in the important role of using writing to tell their stories effectively,
Lastly, I deeply appreciate Warne's dedication and high standard of research practices in the area of how to teach students to write and find their voice.

I Am From

I am from the mocajete,
from my mother's family kitchen used to grind
the fresh red and green peppers to delicately flavor the dinner salsa
and zested with lime and cilantro from the family garden.

I am from a vibrant and culture of wonder.
(voice of the mariachi, artisans abound.)

I am from the lands of Segovia and Guadalajara,
although miles apart
connected together with a cultural heart, I recall
the story quietly whispered as my eyes close when little.

I'm from the avocado and the Spanish guitar,
from Leonardo and Maria.
I'm from the running of the bulls
and the Pancho Villas,
from grathias and gracias.
I'm from the Most Holy, my Savior of my soul
with a peace of only His knowing
and a book of unlimited value...a gift for you and myself.

I'm from an ocean and a Gulf,
empadas and tortillas.
I am from the countries my parents loved
to a new land seeding new life
my father and my mother embraced.

At the foot of my bed lived a special doll,
smiling, always smiling,
a new set of clothes I awoke to daily,
but hoping I would awake to a special dress
(a crisp white dress and a special hat with a black stripe...just like my mothers)

I am from those special-special moments
of past, present, and the future... mi familia-
Yo soy de los momentos especiales..
Yo soy de mi familia especial.