Date: September 25^th

 Topic chosen: Analyzing students work (writing traits) Continued

The sessions we continued on the writing traits and using them to analyze student’s work was quite insightful. My first blog on the traits was just to express initial exposure and understanding of how it could be used. Time spent familiarizing myself with the traits allowed me to use them to scrutinize students' work. I can humbly say that based on what was done in the sessions, the analysis of my student's work prior to this exposure was nowhere close. Hence the reason, I am most appreciative of this new insight.

The practice run our facilitator used during the lesson for me was paramount to setting the corner stone of understanding for me. It enabled me to practice on my own, gain decisive feedback, and build even more comprehension in utilizing the writing traits.   

The knowledge and awareness gained from the lesson really guided me to intricately analyze students' work, synthesize the elements integrated into their writing, and determine what traits students assimilated well and which ones they ignored. This information will be most important in helping me to understand what my student's strengths and weaknesses are. These realizations can then be used to facilitate and tailor lessons to target the learning needs of the students in my class. Essentially, I would be able to accurately pinpoint the issues and address them with precision.     

The picture below illustrates what teachers "must" learn to do, identify and analyze students use of the writing traits. 

 

Date: November 13^th

 Topic chosen: Persuasive writing  

During our sessions this week we were introduced to persuasive writing, I was quite excited during the lesson remembering a persuasive essay I wrote a little over a year ago, “on why capital punishment should be reinstated”. It was quite the argument.   

Although I already possess some prerequisite experience with persuasive writing, I was quite pleased when our tutor shared even more persuasive strategies I could employ to sway my reader's perspective.

Time has dulled my memory a little on the inner intricacies of persuasive writing, but, after the lesson I have regained a clearer understanding of most of the details, for example; how to formulate the thesis statement, choosing a stance, the topic sentence, and supporting ideas (reasons to back up my stance and the overall structure of the persuasive piece.   

What stood out to me about the topic was the purpose/ motive for using persuasive writing in the first place. This writing style is aimed at attempting to change the readers mind, which is quite a fascinatingly feat to me, it is almost like psychological ammunition to ween readers over to your stance. Am curious to see what strategies students might employ to convince their readers.

 In my classroom, after introducing students to the concept of persuasive writing and its structure, we will continue by using a topic familiar to students, something relatable. Like, “video games at school”, my kids will definitely have a lot to say about that. More importantly, I will allow students to brainstorm interesting topics that will help the ideas to flow. After deciding on a favoured topic, students will choose their stance and start working on a thesis statement. Then, we will move on to organizing the topic sentences and supporting ideas. It’s going to be interesting to see what reasoning and convincing ideas students come up with to change their readers minds.   

 This short video shares the reasons for using persuasive writing.

 

 

 

 

Date: November 5^th  

Topic choice: 6+ 1 Traits of writing

During this week, we covered the 6 + 1 traits of writing, which can also be referred to as the V.I.P C.O.W.S., an acronym meaning: voice, ideas, presentation, conventions, organization, word choice, and sentence fluency. Thinking back to my earlier years in elementary school, I don’t recall covering many of the elements that make up the writing traits. However, thanks to my own fascination with books, I learned about many of these elements on my own and incorporated them into my own writing.

Now, I am aware of all the traits and mindful of how they facilitate a way to teach, model, and assess writing. One writing trait in particular that captured my attention was voice - that unique personal touch, the sense that a real person is speaking, the wit, the magic. While all the other writing traits are very important, I just think that voice is almost like the lifeblood of a piece of writing, especially in a narrative piece. Voice creates connection, drives emotions, captivates attention, and creates anticipation/excitement; it’s almost like the heartbeat of the writing. Voice creates that yearning to know more of the plot.

From my perspective, I admired the way this lesson was facilitated, where groups presented on the various writing traits with our tutor consolidating the concept at the very end. I believe the “top-notch” presentations done by the groups really helped me to understand the writing traits better, as well as approaches that could be used to implement them in the classroom.

I am most appreciative to all the groups for sharing such beautiful ideas on how teachers can integrate the writing trait. I particularly liked the presentation on word choice. I will definitely be guiding my students to building their synonym vocabulary and learning more about the similar words so they can use them more appropriately in expressions and writing, instead of overusing the same words.

Here is short video that delves more into one element of the writing trait, word choice. The video speaks to why it is important to choose words appropriately.

Learning from my class mates

Date: 28^th October

Topic: The writing work shop

This week we covered less content, this was due to public holidays and graduation. However, we still managed to cover very important areas in the time we had available. Our facilitator explained all the elements of a writing workshop and emphasized their importance. These elements are teaching time, writing time, sharing time, and conferencing time.

Familiarizing myself with the elements involved in the writing workshop helped me understand why each phase is vital and supports the writing process. What stood out to me in this lesson was the sharing time. Our facilitator allowed us to find a partner to share our narrative piece with. Afterward, feedback would be given that could be used to improve our writing. I found this section of the lesson interesting and fascinating because it provided an opportunity to be exposed to a new writing style, new vocabulary, a new perspective, and allowed me to experience how my partner used vivid showing details to explode the moment. This information was quite enlightening, and I believe it helped me learn from my classmates to improve my writing ability.

I believe the writing workshop stages is a brilliant idea to introduce to my students. Taking the time needed to show students how to plan and formulate ideas, along with teaching the elements of a narrative piece, can serve as a solid foundation. Then, using that foundation as a stepping stone to move on to writing and the other stages of the writing workshop may be a good place for my kids to begin.

Here is a picture that illustrates the stages of the writing work shop.

 

 

 

Date: September 21st

Topic: Exploding a Moment

This week was quite a trip, literally. I was intrigued to learn about this topic in particular, “exploding the moment.” Never once in my life have I heard the term used before, so initially, I was lost. As the class commenced, it clicked. I’ve made mediocre attempts at using it before, and have experienced it as well. I’ve seen this technique used many times in movies, books, and even in dramatizations. So, as the class progressed, it was slowly becoming clearer to me.

Presently, I have a very good understanding of the concept and how to use it properly. Exploding the moment allows the author to freeze or slow down a section of the writing to purposefully integrate showing details that methodically describe a situation. This is done to aid the reader in connecting or noticing a captivating and interesting scenario. To do this, the author may utilize the following elements: sensory details, conversations between/among characters, thoughts of the main characters (where feelings/emotions of the situation are expressed), and more. Exploding the moment allows the reader to make a captivating, meaningful, and experiential connection to the situation.

In my humble opinion, I believe this lesson was brilliantly presented. We were exposed to the technique in many ways: real life, short films, and literature. This, along with the questions, explanations, and fruitful discussions, helped me to internalize the concept. Because we were exposed to many ways the author can use to allow the reader/audience to experience and explore the exploded moment.

To initiate my students’ exposure to the technique, I will incorporate movies and literature, where together we will discuss and identify the details that are being exploded in the moment. As students get familiar with the concepts and learn how the authors go about exploding the moments, we will together plan a short story, write it, and choose a moment to explode as a class. I think this initial method of exposure may aid in familiarizing the students with the concept gradually.

I am curious, however, to see the effects the technique will have on the quality of students' writing. I believe that once they’ve mastered it, it will enhance their writing ability a great deal.

Here is a lovely short video you can use to guide your students in learning about exploding the moment.

 

Date: 14th October 

Topic: Narrative writing

This week in our literature course, the spotlight was narrative writing. It led me down a path of pure nostalgia remembering all those delightful stories I read growing up. I fondly remembered this type of writing in school as well, to me it was a grand opportunity to run wild with my imagination. Anything I could think of, I could bring to life, for me it was pure bliss. However, judging from the process we went through in the literature course, I’ve come to the realization that there was much I missed while learning about narrative writing in primary school.

Now, I am aware of all the elements narrative writing is composed of, for example: the plot, characters, setting, style, conflict, theme; and the various points of view the author can adopt. Am also now cognizant of the specific vocabulary like figurative language and sensory details/imagery the author can incorporate to create a more vivid picture for the audience to experience.

More importantly, our facilitator emphasized the significance of preparing/planning, which is better known as the prewriting stage in the writing process. Following this, our lecturer methodically guided us through a brainstorming exercise. In groups, we selected a topic and began formulating ideas on various aspects like the plot and characters. On completion we shared and discussed these ideas. Without even starting to write the narrative piece, this exercise helped tremendously in preparing the foundation of the story. Realizing the crucial need for adequate preparation was undoubtedly the high point for me.

I am eagerly anticipating the moment to expose my students to this method of teaching narrative writing. I firmly believe that if they are well prepared in getting their ideas out on paper, they will be better equipped to weave those ideas together into an ideal narrative piece.

Here is a short clip of how you can use brainstorming to help you and your kids come up with different story topics to write about.

 The writing process

The session we had on the writing process was quite an eye opening moment for me, remembering my primary school days over a decade ago. Prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, publishing; my first exposure to the writing process didn’t involve anything close to this. Although when I started teaching, I school myself on the process, I felt like I still had a mediocre understanding of it until now.

 Today, I feel enlightened to understand the recursive stages of the writing process and what each phase involves. Two details that caught my attention while learning about the prewriting were these: firstly, how important it is to spend adequate time getting students ready during the planning phase, and secondly, why it is necessary to allow students focus on content and not spelling and grammar. These two stood out to me because I was guilty of both. I didn’t differentiate adequately to appease the learning needs of all the kids, and I put way to much focus on editing in the drafting stage, so I evidently helped students to bury their ideas. How silly of me; now I know better.  

I am anxious to get it right this time, and sufficiently guide each child through the process. So, preloading earlier in the week or even weeks before, using paragraph frames, and engaging in idea generating activities, as well as clusters/concept mapping will definitely be among the techniques I will be incorporating to get students ready.   

The following is a short video that explains the writing process and also helps further reiterate why each stage is important.

Video link incase the video does not play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGImUx4zg64 

Descriptive writing -show don't tell

Lesson Date: September 13^th

 Topic chosen: Descriptive writing

Reflection on course content: During class this week, my interest was piqued while we were learning about descriptive writing. I had prior knowledge of this style of writing, but I was unaware of how much it took to really make the audience connect to the experience.

So, naturally what really grabbed my attention was when we started learning about the guidelines to creating that vivid and detailed mental image for the reader. I now understand that specific sensory information must be integrated in the writing, such as the appearance, texture, sounds, scents, and even the emotions associated with the subject. I also learned that to most efficiently bring out these sensory details along with the dominant impression, specific vocabulary is critical. This includes parts of speech, and figures of speech.

The class help me to understand that using this techniques effectively engages the readers and immerses them into the literature. Additionally, I now know that a clear, consistent organization of events and spatial portrayal is also very important to painting that unforgettable memory and picture. Most importantly, I learned that descriptive sentences don’t tell, they show. In other words, they show a person, place, or event by using specific vocabulary and sensory details that bests describes and construct the vivid picture the author is attempting to portray.

This lesson had been quite a fascinating experience. After learning about the mechanics of descriptive writing, observing videos, and viewing a variety of demonstrations, I was so eager to experiment and over the moon to share with my classmates. The group sharing was really useful, and fun, because it helped to promote my vocabulary growth while learning, and allowed me to appreciate my class-mates perspectives.

I believe the approach to the lesson was very effective. The course was well-paced, detailed, and easy to follow, with adequate feedback and support. The only aspect I believe that may have made the lesson more authentic was real-time engagement. This may have allowed students to really connect and learn how to express themselves, integrating the sensory details and specific vocabulary in real time to more efficiently promote the dominant impression. For example, actually being at the beach, to feel the gentle sea breeze brushing against your face. Writing after gaining that experience in real time may be different from remembering it, but then again, time would have been a factor that would have hindered such an experience.

More importantly, I am anxiously awaiting the day to expose my students to this technique. Firstly, I would develop their word bank vastly, guide them to mastering parts of speech and figures of speech, then direct them through writing some simple showing (descriptive) sentences incorporating sensory appeal and specific vocabulary. I think this will be the foundation that would adequately develop my students' ability to become good descriptive writers. Below is a little sneak peak of how I would introduce my class to descriptive sentences using prompts and angry sally. 

 

 

 

 

My first blog experience

 

My Name is Emilio Belfon from Bonair, St. Mark's. I am a part of the 2021 cohort to attempt the primary part-time teacher's education course. Today the 19th of September marks the first day of my blogging experience. I've always heard about blogging from friends and associates but never really had a reason good enough dabble. So today's a first, now it seems I do have a motive to explore. As a part of the LIT 102 course, we are required to familiarize ourselves with the blogging experience. Hope I don't suck to bad at this hehe.😁cheers to all who reads 😄

P.S. I was so focused on being formal I forgot to mention my sign up experience. The sign up was a mountain of a task, "whew". I tried to log in a "gazillian" times; at one point, I really felt as though the site decided to lock Belfon out today to sweat. Good thing I had the bay stone in my pocket to break the window. 😂

After the "gazillianth" attempt, finally i got in. The turmoil in my head trying to figure out what to do was the most interesting part of the day. It's all part of the fun, after all. A smooth sea never made a good sailor yet, right? lol