Chapters 10-11

One of the things that I liked about the reading was the page about decorating the student's notebooks. Writing can be such a difficult thing to get into as an elementary student. It's not something that just comes natural and is done well quickly. It takes time and effort. For a student to really want to write, it's up to the teacher to make it interesting. Decorating a notebook might seem small to a teacher or an adult, but I think it can get the student excited about writing. They can have a craft day and do different things to make learning more fun. The writing spot was also really neat. Just like a place to read, there should be a place to write in the classroom. I am 21 years old and I still have trouble finding that special place to sit and write. Writing can be so hard if its not quiet or if I don't feel comfortable. How can we make the students feel comfortable and make sure the place its "just right?" I think the best way is to ask the students where they like to write most, or where they feel most at ease. This will bring up a discussion and then can elaborate to an even deeper discussion on strategies to write. What are some strategies that students could do to brain storm ideas about what to write?

Crafting Writers: Ch. 7-9

One thing I hope to use in my classroom quite a bit is what Elizabeth hale talks about, "Turn and Talk." This is where the teacher gives a prompt or question and then turns to the class for a few minutes while they reflect. They then share their ideas with the class. I think this can be very effective in the classroom but I also think it has its' downfalls. How do you make sure that the students are staying on task and talking about the subject at hand? One way I thought would be a great way would be to pair them up instead of larger groups. That way it's not as easy to get off task. The students can talk to one another and then once they have done that the teacher can bring them together as a whole.
Another great technique I liked was the "Writing Try-Its." This reminds me of when I was younger and made note cards of different facts and ways the teacher was teaching a subject. It made me write it down and read it more and more so that I embedded the concept in my head. What better way to do this then to have the students write down in their writers notebooks the same way the teacher has taught them to. Then they are seeing the importance in the way the teacher is teaching. Once a teacher has a conference with a student she/he can go back to this notebook and look to see what they are having troubles in or if they got the lesson.
One of my biggest fears in teaching is getting the student's to reach their full potential. Sometimes you will get a student who is extremely creative and intelligent and has great writing but like Elizabeth Hale states, every writer can be better. How do you help that student make an even better attempt at their writing when all the mechanics/spelling and so on are correct?