#4thchat is a hashtag for teachers or anyone to talk about educational issues relating to 4th grade. Using #4thchat will create a network of 4th grade teachers or teachers working with 9-10 year olds across the world. We welcome anyone who 1. teaches 4th grade 2 .Works with 4th grade students and or 4th grade teachers 3. Likes 4th grade teachers (Groupies are encouraged).
A1: We don't actually have "writing" time designated on our schedule. How sad is that! I am the only teacher who uses a curriculum for writing in 4th grade. :( #4thChat
#4thchat Argh, 2 weeks in to school and I haven't gotten any work done towards getting this year's blog up & running. Good for you to work on commenting. My Ss last year hated the canned comments- say something nice, then something they can do to improve. We loved real comments
#4thchat A1 We have 30 min on the daily schedule, but sometimes it works better to shift and clump the time so students have longer to write once they start.
#4thchat We have our writing workshop for 45 that includes mini-lesson and work time, all in one class. We write in other classes but this is focused on WWkshp
A2: I honestly get my kids writing across the curriculum for EVERYTHING. I love hearing their voice change throughout the year in science and social studies. I don't teach math. #4thChat
A2 I have a dedicated writing workshop time 4x/week for about 45 - 50 minutes each time. I think if I could I would have more. My Ss love it that much! #4thchat
A2: SS and ELA has always been the main focus for writing, but that is one major reason why we are all self contained this year so we can write in all subjects. #4thchat
#4thchat A2 Outside of writing units, Ss do a lot of writing in math. We have a "solve and share" word problem to open every math lesson and students write every day.
Please share which curriculum you use. I find writing is one of those areas that can be tricky with curric. We had one, one came with the writing program...etc. #4thchat
A3: The only "requirement" my school has is that we teach 6+1 traits and we don't have many resources available to us unless we find them on our own. Hence, finding ambassadorships. #4thChat
A3: we’ve used Lucy calkins in the past and it’s still a go to, but for narrative writing we use the story arc and informational writing we use the RACES strategy. #4thchat
For me, the best parts are that I can assign to students and they can watch on their own, from home, or as a small-group and whole-group. The video lectures are all done and it's completely scripted. Easy to follow and the kids enjoy the prompts. #4thChat
#4thchat me too- Lucy Calkins for reading and writing. I got to go to NYC this summer for a week long training. I am pretty excited to get my program up and running. Just started this week!
I receive @WritingCityK5 for the whole year. In exchange, I participate in chats, professional learning, and tweeting/sharing the program. I have also given feedback on new features and have been a featured teacher in their newsletter. #4thChat
It's funny, I remember some students would beg to write more, while others couldn't wait for it to be over. They ALL seemed to like the share at the end. #4thchat
Don’t use a program. Follow in footsteps of writing experts whose books I read & workshops I attend. Used Lucy Caulkins’ units of writing, but found it 2 US-centric & rigid when I taught at an international school. Prefer kid watching 2 figure out what Ss need 2 learn. #4thchat
We have not had a lot of training on it, so I admit that it can be a little overwhelming. The parts that I do get right away have really helped my students, though! #4thchat
LOVE it! There have been many changes over the last couple of years and has it has developed into writingCity, it has been very easy to learn and keep the same format as @SpellingCity which is nice for the kids! #4thChat
In reply to
@JennRegruth, @WritingCityK5, @SpellingCity
That sounds awesome. I assume that the students can revisit the lessons on their own more than once. I find that having access to something like that is great for Ss. #4thchat
#4thchat A4: I use workshop model, but my teaching partner and I are co teaching, so mixing our classes and at times teaching together. It’s a work in progress but seems much more effective.
Our Writing Resources page https://t.co/4Tw5KLXlYZ has Writer's Workshop links. Write On! #4thchat “Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe, shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish.”
#4thchat Not a curriculum but I really likes books by: Nonfiction Craft Lessons: Teaching Information Writing K-8 (9781571103291): JoAnn Portalupi, Ralph Fletcher: Books https://t.co/v5puyCaoXC
#4thchat Not a curriculum but I really likes books by: Teaching Writing K-8 (9781571107060): Ralph Fletcher, JoAnn Portalupi: Books https://t.co/1mTav2FH9R
My favorite part of writing city is the video lessons. Here is a video that shows what it's like ... while it has changed a little bit since recording this, the ideas are all still the same. #4thChathttps://t.co/lrv99LKXjU
In reply to
@ElisaW5, @JennRegruth, @WritingCityK5, @SpellingCity
I don't think it's ranting - it's good feedback! Do you have some suggestions on ways to guide your students to keep it real? I love the different aspects. #4thchat
In reply to
@kmclean240, @MrsRegruth4th, @MzEngasser, @lindayollis
trying to find more authentic ways of sharing this year IE: Sharing narratives with younger classes, turning our NF writing about the weather into tv weather reports, persuasive writing to a newspaper??. #4thchat
A5 Sharing is always a challenge for me. I’ve done quick sharings whole group, like: choose a line you like from your writing and share it w/the class. I’ve done partner sharing also. I’m doing fewer and fewer whole class sharing of entire stories. #4thchat
#4thchat A4 Assessment is important but I find that Ss need feedback very early in the writing process and often. Still assessment but less about "am I done" and more about becoming a better writer.
#4thchat A5: I have them at least share with their workshop partner daily. Sometimes we share out to the class. I do publishing celebrations where they share.
Yes. I agree. The feedback outweighs the "assessment" often for me. Are we becoming better writers and doing things differently as the year progresses? #4thChat
#4thchat A6: The LC UoS are so long that in the past they’ve had one piece per quarter. Trying to really change that this year by publishing a piece per band maybe? Still figuring it out.
#4thchat A4 Ss are coming in with writing deficits and challenges. Many cannot write what we have for grade level expectations. Challenging to separate out mechanics, voice, and details for feedback w/o overwhelming Ss.
It is a very detailed program that gives you step-by-step instruction to increase the level of writing in your classroom. The ideas my students have been generating from the personal narrative unit are amazing. #4thchat
A5: My students share their writing via Google Docs, and @flipgrid usually. They love recording into a flipgrid video because they catch their sentence mistakes reading out loud! #4thChat
#4thchat A5 If you use @alicekeeler roster to slides, you have each Ss writing on one section of a Google Slide all in one file. Easy to showcase S work and give feedback. One file in Google Classroom. https://t.co/wpFo8wvrEk
It would be awesome to have a planning period for each subject! I feel like writing is so important-and there are so many resources. It just takes a lot to get activities for each skill to students who need them most! #4thchat
A6 I try to confer w/ Ss twice/week, but it doesn’t always work out that way. I ask Ss to turn in a final piece of writing every 4 - 6 weeks that I will assess, but w/comments more than with a grade. #4thchat
#4thchat A7 I have had Ss write copy/paste their writing into a Seesaw note and then record themselves reading what they wrote. Works best for paragraphs.
#4thchat A7 I am still exploring ways to give feedback to Ss that they use to improve, rather than see as a static judgement or assessment of their writing.
#4thchat A7 This is a good video for teaching Ss why feedback is a process.
Austin’s Butterfly: Building Excellence in Student Work on Vimeo https://t.co/DZSTv2Axwy
Great idea! I haven’t thought of conferring w/a small group, but rather one-on-one. How do you decide who to include in your small group? Or do you do random membership? #4thchat
#4thchat The common file is generated by @alicekeeler script from a list of names in a google sheet. It makes the ONE google slide. You could do this yourself, but using code to do this is quite cool.
In reply to
@JennRegruth, @MrsRebandt, @Flipgrid, @alicekeeler
We use voice to text for some who struggle with spelling or handwriting. I really love using @BookCreatorApp for writing. Ss loved it too. Look like real books and they really became invested in making them great. #4thchat
A5: I would really try to leave time at the end of the writing class to have students share their writing. It wouldn't be the whole piece but a favorite sentence(s). Ss appreciated having the audience to share with! #4thchat
By looking at mastery of an individual skill, I make temporary groups to fit needs. ie for Conventions, one group might need periods, capital letters. Another that knows that may need quotations or semicolons. Does that make sense? #4thchat
By looking at mastery of an individual skill, I make temporary groups to fit needs. ie for Conventions, one group might need periods, capital letters. Another that knows that may need quotations or semicolons. Does that make sense? #4thchat
I think using various resources, not just a program, definitely has benefits. I do think "common language" between grade levels/classrooms helps during instruction. #4thchat
So, a little bit like strategy groups in reading? Each child comes with their own writing and you teach a mini lesson that they all can access at their level? Sounds great! #4thchat
A8: no homework period for me. But I do encourage kids to write in a journal about whatever they want. It’s not graded homework but a suggested activity! #4thChat
#4thchat Anyone have a good voice commenting app? I used Kaizena a few years ago, but my comments were stuck on static versions of the writing. Maybe it's different, but that has always seemed an efficient way to go.
Right- I have them turn in a quick write or piece, and look for a certain element. ie Conventions or Voice. Then I sort them into piles based on need for that skill. Those are my groups. Switch it up for next target skill. #4thchat
Something I’ve done in Google Docs, but can be used w/paper & pencil, is 2 ask Ss 2 use feedback 2 revise or edit their writing & 2 tell me what they did. If they don’t use it - I leave it up 2 them - I might ask why. This way, they are paying attention 2 feedback. #4thchat
I find that if you teach kids to debate about a topic and then write, they do a better job. My kids loved having debates where they would stand on either side of the room and see if they could persuade anyone to change sides. Helped them search for strong reasons. #4thchat
I've had students use voice typing to get their main ideas down - going back to edit is much easier for them. Hoping the in the next few years this will be perfected. #4thchat
A8 Last year the writing HW was 10 mins of uninterrupted writing once a week. I haven’t yet decided what I’m going to do this year. Last year the kids kept track of what they did at home on a tracking sheet, but they were free 2 share or not w/me or the class. #4thchat
Great idea about home journal. I remember keeping a journal myself starting in grade 3 (it's hysterical to go back read what I wrote - kept one up until a few years ago.). #4thchat
#4thchat Have been reading "Who is doing the Work?" and wonder in writing and reading if a lot of our metacognitive lessons are really just "sage on a stage." Want Ss to really see reading/writing strategies as learnable tools.
Whether or not they should continue to build in earthquake zones, whether or not teachers should give hwk, etc. We get a lot of debate ideas from reading short articles in close reading. #4thchat
A10 Personal narrative, opinion, fiction and information writing. We also do some poetry, but I prefer to focus on free verse since they all think poetry that doesn’t rhyme isn’t poetry. LOL! #4thchat
#4thchat A11: This year has worked so well with coteaching. Ex. For narratives we’re working on show, don’t tell. Splitting kids up that need more time and an extension group that will start using fig. language.
Virtual applause for @ncarroll24 for preparing and scheduling these awesome questions tonight. Thanks to the #4thchat crew for such great input and interactions. I wish you all a week that is as fabulous as you are! #beawesome
I wished I had thought of that - Love this idea. It also allows for others to hear more than just their own ideas. Great! #4thchat Nothin' like a good debate!
Love it! Thanks for the inspiration! I find that word banks still help. I ask if there are any words they want written up on the board and they always have some great ones! Inspires others and helps with spelling! #4thchat
#4thchat In math we call that making a mathematical argument and it's a challenge too. Ss learn early that it's not about being believable, it's about whether you have proven something.
Just speaking with some Ts about asking students to provide response to the feedback. Important to know if students understand, are following through or just moving on! #4thchat
