What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?(p82)
I love this! Focusing on what is right with a student's writing is so important. When I taught kindergarten, I would daily point out to each kid what they were doing right. Now that I am teaching fifth grade, I don't point it out as often. I guess I assumed they were old enough to take criticism. After reading this chapter, I know that I need to focus on the positive and empower my students as writers by building up their confidence.
It's still a little fuzzy as to how to insist your students write legibly and not accept papers that are not ultra-neat. I understand her opinion that if you expect it, you will get it, but I feel I have been expecting better from my students, yet they are not 'magically' turning in higher quality work. What do we do when our students do not 'want' to turn in a higher quality of work?
It's still a little fuzzy as to how to insist your students write legibly and not accept papers that are not ultra-neat. I understand her opinion that if you expect it, you will get it, but I feel I have been expecting better from my students, yet they are not 'magically' turning in higher quality work. What do we do when our students do not 'want' to turn in a higher quality of work?
2 comments:
I agree with you, Rachel. What do we do when students don't particularly care if they turn in "neat and tidy" papers? When one particular student of mine actually turns in an assignment, I jump up and down with joy. And yes, the paper is (usually) pretty messy. But after I've nagged at him to complete the assignment and turn it in, I don't have the energy to ask him to do the paper again - especially after I've already spent time with the whole class talking about turning in neat, tidy papers. It's drains my energy when I repeatedly tell him to write neater . . . almost leads to a vicious cycle. If you come up with a "magic cure" for this issue, please pass it my way! Oh yeah, and what about the parent who says I'm picking on the student and being overly critical? What do we do about that?
I know I am guilty of thinking my students can take a little more criticism. But you're right, at any age, the kids need to hear what they're doing right. They'll probably do more what's right each time and less of what's wrong. : )
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