Chapter 2

Chapter 2-Start With Celebration

In this chapter I feel that it is important to give the students a "hook" to become interested in writing about something.  The "hook" should be a story of some sort that the student enjoys, finds interesting, and it important to the writer and the reader.

Also give the student broad topics that THEY can relate to pages 26 and 27 has lots of good ideas to help the kids get started in writing with this program.  I feel that this chapter is letting us as teachers know that writing can be fun, and not stressful.  The students should enjoy it, and not dread writing time.

Chapter 1

Chapter 1-The Essential Writing Life

While reading the introduction I immediately thought of my 4th graders and their personal struggles of writing.  They struggle with the concept of meaningful writing.  (Our district does NOT have a writing curriculum, and we do not teach traditional spelling.  We teach word work.) The students have a hard time with spelling, ideas, and word usage.  

While reading this chapter I found these few items very interesting:

• Seeing the teacher as a writer
• I have never thought about writing for the students to read.  I love this idea. I think that if we did an example from start to finish many students would have a better clearly defined idea in their mind of "What it should look like!" 
• Quality is more than quantity. 
• I already do this with my students, I remind them if it is done in a paragraph don't rattle on for a page to fill the space.  Get the job done and move on.
• Craft authentic voice
• The student needs to learn at a young age to identify the audience and write for them, AND let their voice shine through.

On to Chapter 2 :)

Introduction

Hi! My name is Wendy and I teach 4th grade in the Kansas City, Kansas area.  I am completing my Masters in Special Education through ESU, also while completing my degree I am working on my Autism Spectrum Disorder certification.

Over the years of attending KU and ESU, I have written many papers as a student.  I have NEVER written anything for fun.  As for reading books about writing I cannot think .

As for something important that makes me... I am a proud mother to a fantastic 4 year old!  She is my shinning light on gloomy days.  I am always a person to go out of my way to help anyone.  I would much rather give than to receive! 

...and... as much as I love ESU, I still love my Jayhawks!  Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

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