Cameron Carter from Columbus, OH! Second grade teacher and Elementary Lead Ambassador for @ncte SO PUMPED to be talking about student VOICE in writing tonight!!!! #TeachWriting
Ben from the Chicago area - teach science and social studies - rarely get to explicitly teach voice as I did when I taught ELA, but encourage it and miss the chance to dig into it. #teachwriting
They do indeed! I'm wondering if there are issues that are important to them, or maybe they have discovered something valuable about writing. #TeachWriting
Love that you mentioned choice, Mollie! My students always feel honored when I respect that they may have something they want to write about. #teachwriting
A1 As Instructional Coach/Reading Specialist, I see students developing their writing. Sometimes it can be a process-something HS students aren't used to. What matters most? Sometimes it's just getting "finished" - even though I tell them they're never really done! #teachwriting
A1: I wish it weren't so. . .and it's really hard to share. . .it's "how many (pages) and how much (point value)? I work each year to move toward, "is this enough?" and does it have "personal value?" I'm using Question One to tell the truth. We own some of this. #TeachWriting
A1b: Serious answer I think what matters most is they have a say in what they are writing about. I have had parents come and tell me the freedom to write about what they want is what the kids like most #teachwriting
I think they want to have choice, control over the fate of a piece, clear expectations, a clear sense of audience and purpose, and plenty of help/feedback when they need it. #TeachWriting
A1: I wish it weren't so. . .and it's really hard to share. . .it's "how many (pages) and how much (point value)? I work each year to move toward, "is this enough?" and does it have "personal value?" I'm using Question One to tell the truth. We own some of this. #TeachWriting
A1:also - daily, uninterrupted writing time. This has been limited the last few days because of unplanned snow days. I can tell they're frustrated with our compacted schedule that hasn't allowed for as much as usual. #TeachWriting
I get this sometimes, too. I agree that we own it - I'm guilty of setting page limits sometimes, which often feel fake or forced. I wish that writing could always be taught in a workshop setting, where kids can decide the destiny of their project, including length. #TeachWriting
Reflections are where it's at in my classroom. I just finished reading some about a toast we made to one another and they were incredibly powerful. They felt heard! #teachwriting
I think we as teachers need to own it all. Kids wouldn't know to ask if our answer was "write until you are done and then lets talk about it" vs 5 paragraphs...#teachwriting
A1: But in an earnest conversation with students today, I learned that many don't want to feel embarrassed by letting their limited skill in getting words down on the page be known. Easier to avoid for many of them. It's a most revealing ejection, this writing. #teachwriting
Rarely do I succeed in providing all of them. I think it's easy to do two or three or four, but it takes a perfect class and perfect circumstances to get them all. I think I've achieved this a few times in my teaching life, but rarely. #TeachWriting
A2: VOICE is allowing my students to express their thoughts, views, opinions FREELY, and providing evidence/reasons to support their opinion. Voice can be shown orally or written! #teachwriting
#teachwriting - I think that's why it's important to provide real feedback to the content of their writing. What they say (not just how they say it) is so important to them.
I think we set up the structures we can, work hard to teach the habits and expectations that are needed, and then do our best to prioritize and work hard on the important things, like ensuring kids get feedback, or clear audience, or a chance to choose a topic. #TeachWriting
What's remarkable is that this kind of truth is a part of "voice" in the room, too. And we find others who come by and say, "Yes. I hear this too." Just like our students, the truth of the matter. . .like the voice and words we have. . .is a good place to begin. #TeachWriting
A2: I would say listening to their opinions and ideas. Paying attention when they are not talking. Blank stares say A LOT, so does blank paper. Sticking a picture prompt in front of a kid and saying write is like putting tape over their mouthes for some #teachwriting
Feedback is essential in supporting and affirming student voice. Setting up systems where this is a routine part of the class drives engagement. #teachwriting
I think we set up the structures we can, work hard to teach the habits and expectations that are needed, and then do our best to prioritize and work hard on the important things, like ensuring kids get feedback, or clear audience, or a chance to choose a topic. #TeachWriting
A1: CHOICE! Teaching students to make writerly choices in topics, genre, style, organization, audience - motivation for writing starts there. Itβs what writers do - choose topics that matter to the writer #TeachWriting
#teachwriting - So true. One of my students asked if he could submit writing to me without having to blog this year for this reason. I think it's important to encourage but not force students to share their writing.
#teachwriting Me too (growth mindset)! Yes, that does help. I constantly catch myself doing tiny things that add up that may contribute to them 'wanting to get it right'. Totally agree
Feedback is essential in supporting and affirming student voice. Setting up systems where this is a routine part of the class drives engagement. #teachwriting
I think we set up the structures we can, work hard to teach the habits and expectations that are needed, and then do our best to prioritize and work hard on the important things, like ensuring kids get feedback, or clear audience, or a chance to choose a topic. #TeachWriting
A2 - To me, "voice" is a complicated thing. It means both the individual style, approach, personality, word choice, or design of the student as well as their own vocal production. What they say (auditory) as well as how they say it (style). #teachwriting
Bringing it back to @bkuhl2you 's earlier response...we need to provide the knowledge and systems for them to know how to choose. My students often get freaked out when I first give them choices. #TeachWriting
A3: Give them a chance to use it and then don't chicken out. If you give them a chance to choose and don't follow through they will be less likely to take the chance. #teachwriting
A2 - In my opinion, it's a pretty complicated metaphor for kids to grasp, and my ELL students (well, most of my students sometimes) struggle to understand when I use it ambiguously. I often use other words in its place, like "style" or "personality." #teachwriting
A2: Voice sounds like writing craft but the most powerful student voice Iβve seen is when students feel as if what they write matters, that their VOICE is meant to be heard by others and worth as much as what others are writing #TeachWriting
A3: Recount EXPERIENCES from their life and SHARE those with classmates... translating the oral language to written. Our stories come from WITHIN! β€οΈππΌ #teachwriting
Q3 #teachwriting - One way to empower students is to provide great mentor texts that show a wide variety of different types of voice/perspective. Revel in the possibilities, the spectrum.
Who are you? That's the question that often comes to mind. For my middle school students, sometimes that's a long - but very worthwhile -
conversation. #TeachWriting
A2: Voice: The words available for me to use in the way that feels most natural to me. It asks that we teacher's code switch between proscriptive and descriptive when we do that first surface read of a student's idea. Cap that red pen. Then place it in a drawer. #teachwriting
#teachwriting 100%. When Ss pick topic, they write on & on. Ceases to be 'work' . Becomes a piece of them. I asked an S - why didn't you work as hard on current piece as last? "I cared more abt last 1. It was abt a real world issue I wanted to send it out to ppl who could help."
A3 - Mentor texts, but student-written mentor texts help a lot, too. Great stuff from past students can be really powerful - especially when you sing the praises of former students. And sharing student work. #teachwriting
A3 - Mentor texts, but student-written mentor texts help a lot, too. Great stuff from past students can be really powerful - especially when you sing the praises of former students. And sharing student work. #teachwriting
A2: Voice can mean that I will be your audience of one until we are both ready to invite others into the share. This should tip to the student's readiness to invite. One at a time if need be. #TeachWriting
A3 - I've had some really great experiences asking kids to share their writing with the class. I've read student work aloud anonymously (helps me gloss over superficial error or focus on a particular passage) and explained what I liked - great positive climate. #teachwriting
I love how you call it a "piece of them" - totally agree that it's like a part of them when they love it - that's why feedback, especially positive feedback that looks for the good (as I always say) can be transformative #TeachWriting
A3: This is the work of our lifetime as educators. Helping Ss find their voices. Maybe hunting for my own helps. I can share my journey. We teach who we are. #teachwriting
We use Google Drive / Classroom which does a lot of this for us. However, I always have a student mentor text folder in my Drive to easily move work into. Works equally well with paper, a binder, and some tabs, too! #TeachWriting
A4: I need to be better at this. Junior High and not sure how to get them comfortable with sharing their work with peers, don't even like having work on a bulletin board. #teachwriting I am their only audience most of the time.
Yes! Finding our own voice and using it is critical. That is why we started the #TeachWrite blog and Facebook tribe - to support teacher-writers. #teachwriting
A3: This is the work of our lifetime as educators. Helping Ss find their voices. Maybe hunting for my own helps. I can share my journey. We teach who we are. #teachwriting
A4 - #teachwriting - Students each have blogs linked to our class blog. I ask them to give only positive and specific comments on peers blogs. Students also love sharing a line or two in class after quick writes or working on longer projects. Always find the good and cheer!
We returned from break writing 6 word memoirs and I shared mine as well as those of former students. How do you share the work of your former students? #teachwriting
In talking about voice tonight, I'm reminded of Ken Macrorie's work, WRITING TO BE READ. In speaking of revision in regard to voice, he would use musical terms like "pitch" and ask questions like, "Is this the note I was trying to reach?" #teachwriting
A4 I look for contests or real world problems Ss can write about and send what they write - my MS Ss wrote to world leaders last summer when they feared nuke war and they sent them advice from MLK & Gandhi. My Ss post book reviews at Amazon & delight in 'likes' #teachwriting
While we're chatting, we're looking for guest moderators for the spring - if you're enjoying the conversation and would like to lead us this spring, please take a minute and fill this out! Thanks in advance! #TeachWritinghttps://t.co/30e87WB3ov
I hear you! The next question will tie in well with my response, but I always begin with discussion. Can they communicate verbally with one another? #teachwriting
#teachwriting - I've found that asking them to share just one or two sentences with the class orally, and then giving them some positive feedback on the spot helps to create a safer place to share. Not all will, but most love it.
#teachwriting - I've found that asking them to share just one or two sentences with the class orally, and then giving them some positive feedback on the spot helps to create a safer place to share. Not all will, but most love it.
Mostly digital copies, sometimes through our published literary magazine (which I edit for the school now), sometimes through pictures. Usually it's something I display and read aloud. Old copies of lit mag are usually the handiest. #TeachWriting
#teachwriting - I keep hard copies of former students' writing in files (by genre usually) to share when we're doing a genre study. I ask permission, of course, and read aloud/display with the document camera.
A4 A teacher I worked with, @readinmama, frequently had celebrations of writing. Ss knew their peers would be reading one of their pieces. Knowing there would be an audience was impetus for lots of revision. #TeachWriting
I'm falling behind! Eek! A4 - I try to make the class a good audience as much as possible. I've used digital audience a few times - it's easy to share, but sometimes it doesn't leave satisfying traces - school literary magazine is also a nice audience. #teachwriting
#teachwriting - This is how we always end a writing session. Start by just sharing with a partner (early in the year) to build confidence. For some students it's the best part of class.
A5 - Our best discussions always seem to start with a real question - mine or someone else's. A question that someone really wants answered, and doesn't really know the answer to. I ask questions that I wonder about, or they do, and we listen to the responses. #TeachWriting
Q6: Giving students voice sounds great, but means that we, as teachers, must relinquish some control. What is one way you can step back and give the floor to students? #TeachWriting
Yes. I really like this. Again, paraphrasing Macrorie here: Often the writer cannot hear the "sound effects" of their own writing. By reading these words aloud, listeners may point to what has been missed to the writer's eye. . .but not the ear. #TeachWriting
A3: Helping students enter the conversations that are actually going on in the world. This week, my 6th grader wanted to talk about Logan Paul and YouTube not what kind of superhero she would be. #teachwriting
Q6: Giving students voice sounds great, but means that we, as teachers, must relinquish some control. What is one way you can step back and give the floor to students? #TeachWriting
A6 - Honestly, I do find my Ss voices peer through more than we may realize. My Ss often write responses to texts, but I see their core being peering through even then, as long as we honor & give space for them to analyze as the spirt moves them, and respect them #TeachWriting
Q6: Providing enough trial runs at a particular writing invitation so that the student can choose and showcase the work they feel is their very best. And then working to create how that piece could be assessed for strength. THEN. . .if need be. . .correctness. #teachwriting
That's a great example. I thought that conversation (from when it was trending on Twitter) was a really good one. Not sure I want to dig into that one, but I've found cool discussion ideas from Twitter trends. #TeachWriting
A6 #teachwriting - I often consult students as a class to determine what kinds of projects we'll work on. For example, I may want them to conduct research, but we can decide together on a theme and students can choose a related topic.
It's always funny when you can "recognize" a student's writing, even when typed, based on how they present themselves, how they explain their thinking, word choice, etc. #TeachWriting
A6: When my students begin to take the conversation, or writing, in a direction I didn't prepare for I can always feel my heart beat faster with anticipation. #TeachWriting
A6 - Pushing hard for them to ask the questions, then letting their questions become the guide to what we talk about, or how we talk about what we need to talk about. And getting them (or their writing) in front of the class as much as possible. #teachwriting
A7: I think we treat the reading of a student's work aloud the way we would treat any published work. Practiced/Rehearsed before presented aloud. This work is "published" into the air and into the room as we read. We don't want to stumble through the reading. #teachwriting
A7 - MODEL GOOD LISTENING. I sometimes struggle with this, and I have to consciously work on this to be consistent. When I'm thinking hard about something, I'm not always a good listener. I'm a lot better at this, but still working. . . #teachwriting
Q7: Listening. I set this up carefully! Have learned in MS to do this carefully! We set norms, practice, do fishbowl, review norms. But when it takes hold, they want to read their work to peers & the full class all the time. Fav part for them. #teachwriting
A7 - Sometimes it's as easy as teaching them good sentence starters that show listening, like "What I'm hearing you say is . . . " or teaching uptake, "Like what Billy just said about how we need more choices at lunch, I think . . . " #teachwriting
I learned a technique for reading aloud my work/work of students in the room. Musical beds can change the tempo a writer uses to read back their writing. Try different instrumentals. I use hip-hop beats too. Find the pace. find the rhythm. Read at them. With them. #teachwriting
Q7: Another angle is our own listening. I try to ground myself and be fully present so I can totally hear them. At mindfulness class, I heard we should pay attn to our feet on ground for a sec to get grounded, then listen #teachwriting
I want to credit @barryLane with this approach. He modeled this in a workshop for us at @IUSWP. It was meaningful to and for me in that moment. And, students like to hear reading this way sometimes too. #TeachWriting
For me, this is the golden egg. When students see me use, question, find, and articulate my voice it gives them the courage to do the same. #TeachWriting
A7 #teachwriting - I like playing 'listening games' Example: Students partner up. Decide who is partner A and B. A tells B everything they did last night. Then ask B to repeat A's story back to B. Ss enjoy.
A8 - I think all of us @writingproject people are thinking about how we share our own writing, write in front of or with kids, and generally involve kids in our thinking as we write. I also share some finished writing, and we're (sort of still) writing letters. #teachwriting
A8 - I started the year with a (rather long) letter to my students, then asked them to write one back. I responded, and we haven't continued the cycle yet . . . working on that. (note to self: more letters!) #teachwriting
Thank you to everyone who brought their brilliant ideas and questions to tonight's #TeachWriting chat. You made my evening! Continue be the amazing writing teachers you are!
Thank you to everyone who participated in tonight's #TeachWriting chat. You made my evening! Continue being the amazing writing teachers you already are!
We could use more guest moderators if you're available or if you want to try choosing a topic, crafting the questions, and leading the conversation! Please consider! - https://t.co/RfGbatyvMx#TeachWriting
Thank you so much for joining us tonight - we appreciate your time and attention! Thanks so much to our guest moderator, @JenSDean - you did a great job! See you all in two weeks! #TeachWriting
The archive will be up in just a few minutes on this hashtag from @bkuhl2you - (and if you know of a good alternative to Storify, please let us know - it's going away in May, and we need to move our archives over to something else . . . ) #TeachWriting
