Journal Entry 4

Britney Jackson
ENGL 607
Journal Entry 4 It is the eighth week of my Composition Studies class. I am shocked that it is already the end of the sub-term. This course has passed quickly. I have learned so much about how to teach writing. During just these last two weeks, I have learned how about peer writing groups, teaching style, revision, and evaluating students’ work. I have also had the opportunity to read the writing of three students and evaluate that writing for an assignment. Through the reading, videos, and assignments, I feel that I have learned quite a bit about how the teaching of writing these past two weeks.
By reading the assigned reading in the textbook, I learned about the use of peer writing groups in the classroom, and I learned about teaching style. During the seventh week, I read about the use of peer writing groups in the classroom. First, I learned about the research on peer writing groups. Research shows that peer writing groups do benefit students’ writing. Peer writing groups have been shown to strengthen creative abilities, interpersonal skills, audience awareness, risk-taking, revision, and the entire writing process. There are also negative aspects to using peer writing groups as well. Peer writing groups are time consuming, require training of group members, and require more freedom than some teachers are able to give. Next, I learned about the profiles of peer writing groups and how these help teachers understand and predict group interaction. Then, I learned what causes some peer writing groups to fail and other peer writing groups to succeed. Peer writing groups that fail often have too much or too little leadership, poor attendance or participation, poor preparation, unclear goals and purposes, low confidence in other group members, fear of offering criticism, inadequate understanding of teacher’s role, inadequate writing vocabulary, or lack of concern for group suggestions. Peer writing groups that succeed involve all group members, have clear goals and assignments, have strong writing vocabulary, understands major writing problems and minor writing problems, values group work, and understands teacher’s role. Next, I learned that planning and preparation is required for successful peer writing groups. Before making use of peer writing groups, teachers should use handouts and discussion to train students in how to work collaboratively. Teachers must also monitor group work continuously. Teachers should also establish a class attendance policy. Before using peer writing groups, teachers must also divide the class into balanced groups. One way to do this is through diagnostic writing during the first week. Then, I learned how teachers should train peer writing groups. Teachers should discuss writing terminology and group work with the class. Teachers should also distribute handouts that describe the responsibilities of each group member. Next, I learned that the teacher must always be busy monitoring the groups. Finally, I learned that the teacher can evaluate peer writing groups through group folders, self-evaluation, and pre-testing and post-testing. Through the seventh week’s assigned reading, I feel that I learned a lot about how to use peer writing groups in the writing classroom. During the eight week, I read about teaching style. In the chapter concerning the teaching of style, the authors identified Louis T. Milic’s three theories of style, which include the Crocean aesthetic monism theory, the individualistic or psychological monism theory, and the theory of ornate form or rhetorical dualism. Next, the authors discussed a pedagogic focus on rhetorical choices. I learned that students invest the most effort and interest in stylistic concerns when teachers teach them that style is proof of individuality and a gesture of personal freedom. Then, the authors of the assigned reading discussing choosing a rhetorical stance. I learned about the communication triangle and the relationships between author, subject, universe, and audience. The authors also discussed considering the audience for student essays. I learned the importance of ensuring that students can identify the audience for their writing. I also learned about the levels of style, exercises for developing style, imitation, language variety, and evaluating style. Through the reading during the eighth week, I feel that I learned quite a bit about teaching style. By watching the videos provided for the last two weeks, I learned more about revision and evaluating students’ writing. During the seventh week, I watched a video that presented children’s author Kate Messner discussing revision. In the video, Kate Messner explained that people often have misconceptions about authors. People believe that authors have the innate talent to write great works. However, Kate Messner argued that these great works are really just the products of great revision. She explained that her own first drafts are never pretty. She claimed that revision is the true difference between weaker writing and stronger writing. She then described one of her own books that had required a lot of revision. Kate Messner explained that her editor had actually told her to start over completely with the book. She said that this had upset her at first, but she ended up with a stronger book because of she rewrote it. Kate Messner then explained that sometimes the best thing that our students can do for their writing is start over and rewrite the work completely. She suggested that this is sometimes difficult for the students to hear, but it can often be the key to taking their writing to the next level. I enjoyed watching this video. Kate Messner was encouraging, and I feel that I have learned more about how to help students revise their work. During the eighth week, I watched a video about evaluating students’ writing. This video offered advice on what a teacher should remember when evaluating students’ writing. The video explained that there are two main things that a teacher must do when evaluating students’ writing. First, the writing teacher must evaluate the student’s progress, and second, the writing teacher must celebrate the student’s accomplishments. The video asserted that an important part of education is strengthening students’ confidence and self-esteem. It suggested a few ways in which a teacher can do this. Teachers can post students’ work in class or in the hallway. Teachers can also allow the students to publicize their work in student publications. Teachers can also provide class contests. Finally, teachers can also allow students to read their work aloud. These things can develop confidence and self-esteem. The video then explained that it is better for the teacher to consider it assessing the student’s work, rather than grading the student’s work. This reinforces the idea that it is more important to monitor the student’s growth than to assign grades. Finally, the video also suggested that teachers use rubrics for grading. This helps the teacher to focus on certain purposes for each assignment. I enjoyed watching this video as well, and I feel that I learned more about evaluating students’ writing by watching it. Through the assigned reading, videos, and assignments, I feel that I learned far more about teaching writing these past two weeks, and I feel that I have learned plenty of valuable information throughout this course.

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