I really enjoyed this Chapter, for I was able to relate to my past and future. Whenever I come across great ideas or even bad ideas for teaching I feel obligated to write them down. One process I found myself writing down was on the "writing workshops." I can most definitely relate it to my past classrooms. I also believe it is a great way for students to learn writing in a different way. By analyzing the section titled "Student-centered instruction," do feel the writing workshops are significant in the writing process and learning to write?
My past and present day teachers have asked the class to form small groups and revise each others papers (rough drafts). At first I never felt comfortable because I know that writing is not my forte. However after the exercise I found the feedback my fellow classmates gave me to be beneficial when it came time to revise and edit my paper. To be able to see others thoughts and ideas on writing allows you to learn new styles or even grammatical errors you never knew. It also gives you the opportunity to learn new ways of writing whether they are negative or positive. Not all feedback you will agree with.
Statistics even show the benefit of these workshops. I think if you only had an outline you received from the teacher and only your ideas on how to write a paper, you are limited to the creativity you might not be bringing to the table. Having other opinions other than your own may get you out of the rut you were in and give you an idea for an amazing paper, or even improve an already descent paper. "These groups become collaborative teams in which students help one another succeed" (p. 103). In my eyes this is definitely true. However I do also understand that not all students learn the same way, so perhaps this might not be as beneficial to some as it is for others. But I do believe it will have some positive aspects for all, depending on how much positive you get out of it depends on how you learn.
After reading this section I found myself writing down "Group activities, comparing works, collaborating to find the best answer." This section led to my idea of how future workshops or student centered instruction could work in my classroom. This allows for a more active role in learning rather than a non active role. I know how much I prefer hands on learning than auditory. Therefore this activity gives students a chance for hands on rather than auditory. This also may give a teacher the opportunity to experiment with a class to see what learning styles work best in a classroom.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I feel the same way about wanting to use the "writer's workshop" in my future classroom. I believe there is a lot to be said about the power of these workshops. Students are able to collaborate, read each other’s ideas, discuss their thoughts, and work together to improve their writing. Workshops can also be very helpful for other areas of Language Arts including literature discussions. I agree with you that students learn much more when they are actively involved, and the "writer's workshop" is a great outlet for student involvement.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you said. I think that collaboration is an excellant tool and that students should use each other to help them with their writing. It not only gives them new ideas and allows them to see their work through another's perspective but it supports student based learning. I agree that teachers should act as the guide. By using workshps students must rely on each other for most of their feedback. I also agree that students gain a lot more from lessons when they are esstentially expereincing things themselves. It is one thing to talk about the writing process but it is another to experience it first hand.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. I plan on using group workshops in my future classroom. I believe that it benefits the student in some positive way. There is something special about a way a student works with and explains something to another student. It, also, helps when I student may not understand something and is afraid to ask the teacher, but in a "writer's workshop" they may get to ask about something they do not understand. I feel like it may range with some students benefiting more than others, but that is how everything tends to be. They understand and gain knowledge about the specific material that is taught. During this exercise, I do believe that the teacher is just a guide for the students and takes a backseat to teaching and let's the kids learn and figure it out together in groups. All around I agree with you and believe that these workshops are a positive aspect in a classroom.
ReplyDelete