So far this summer has been about running and reading, which is exactly what my little life needed. Besides the professional reading pile that needs my attention, I hadn't planned on thinking too much about school until I had to. That all changed when I was asked to give a 90-minute presentation next week on my elementary perspective of narrative writing. Between books, naps, a half-marathon, and a recovery trip to the ocean, I've been ruminating and planning how to squeeze all I want to say and do into an hour and a half. That's easier said than done for someone who has a plethora of opinions about writing in the classroom.
The whole experience brought up an issue I have that most likely won't make the cut. Besides not having the time to fit it in, I'm not sure I'm courageous enough to share these particular strong opinions with a room of K-12 teachers. The poor audience will experience plenty of my other soap box issues anyway. The topic has been on my list of things to post about for a long time though, so you all are the lucky ones who will get an earful.
The truth is I have an issue with graphic organizers, specifically in writing. My worry is that they can feel inauthentic and steal precious time from real writing. Two years ago I taught a unit on writing realistic fiction. In preparation, I looked at a few resources available online written by other elementary teachers. I was taken back with the excessive use of graphic organizers. Day after day the beginning of the unit was bombarded with them. I wanted to ask, "Now, when do the kids actually get to write?" Needless to say, I didn't go that route. After a bit of preparation and planning on day one, my kids were giving their best approximations at realistic fiction on day two and it only got better from there.
Do real writers use an abundance of graphic organizers? That's the main question here. I'd like to consider myself a real writer, and even though I can't speak for us all, I personally don't break out a slew of graphic organizers before I write. I recognize that I plan as a writer; it's an essential part of the process. I keep it pretty simple though, and that's the way I approach the planning stages in my classroom. Quick conversations and sketches are typical for us. I want my writers to spend most of their time writing, not planning for it in artificial ways.
I agree with over use of graphic organizers. By the time students get to write they are tired of writing. When I use them I try to use them with the students to generate their thinking about writing, but don't expect them to spend time writing ideas on the organizer when they are able to write them right on their piece of work. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteJenny
I never thought about the students being tired of writing, like you described. Definitely something for me to think about. Sara
DeleteJenny, you make a good point. No reason to tire them out before they even get to what's really important, huh?
DeleteI used to use a lot of graphic organizers. (A LOT!) Then, I read something from Regie Routman in which she asked why we teach kids to write using tools that adults don't actually use ... and it changed my thinking entirely. As adults, we jot down ideas and maybe circle the ones we want to include in our work. We might come up with a basic organizing structure for a piece. We never use something "cute" or that's inexplicably shaped like, say, an umbrella.
ReplyDeleteSo now, I do show kids how to brainstorm on paper and then pick and choose details. I sometimes use a very simple graphic organizer that might help kids develop a basic mental structure for how a piece, such as a letter or an opinion, is organized. However, I don't include things that are needlessly "cute" or have a distracting picture. (One year, I used one of those hamburger paragraph organizers and half my kids couldn't shake the idea that they had to write about a hamburger.) Honestly, I was never able to get interesting fiction out of students after using a graphic organizer. Since I've dispensed with it, I've seen a lot more excitement and creativity.
When I think about former practices -- like making kids copy over a final draft for every single writing piece (shudder) -- I sometimes cringe. I really appreciated your post from a couple of weeks ago about offering ourselves and other teachers grace for practices that are still developing.
Lee, thank you for your thoughtful response. You're good at providing them. Regie has made me rethink my practices on many occasions!
DeleteHi Tammy,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great quote! I couldn't agree more. I hate how every piece of writing we make kids do has to come with a graphic organizer. (Well, it's supposed to... I don't actually make them fill one out, shhh!) It's no wonder to me that so many of our kids grow up not liking to read or write when they experience the authentic process so little. Love your Saturday sayings, they always make me think! :)
~Jessica
Fun in PreK-1 & Kinder
Jessica, your kids are supposed to fill out a graphic organizer for every piece? Wow. I don't blame you for not going along with that practice. (I'm good at keeping secrets.)
DeleteBrilliant quote! And I am trying to remember the last time I pulled out a graphic organizer. Maybe just for bit of help when we work on nonfiction writing. Thanks for sharing your thinking....it always sharpens mine:-)
ReplyDeleteLaurie
Chickadee Jubilee
Laurie, it's lovely to see you here again. We sharpen each other. :)
DeleteI could NOT agree more! I look online and see all these graphic organizers and start to worry that I'm doing something wrong. But then I try one and I'm reminded why I hate them. They're boring, they take away from real writing, the kids never spontaneously look back on them and, as you said, real writers don't use them! Like you, I jot down a few quick reminder notes to myself and then I'm off and running.
ReplyDeleteYour talk is going to be brilliant, no doubt:) I wish I could be there!
Grade ONEderful
Ruby Slippers Designs
Barb, once again we think alike. Thanks for confirming that I'm not crazy!
DeleteI love your blog!!!! I teach 1st grade in Meridian are you presenting in the area-I would love to attend!! Thanks Chris ---sjnboys@cableone.net
ReplyDeleteChris, I'll send you an email. Thank you for thinking that I'd be worth listening too. :)
DeleteHi again---I gave old email--sjnboys3@gmail.com--I would love to attend your presentation on narrative writing !!!Thanks-Chris
ReplyDeleteI would love to sit in on your presentation! Your school was smart to ask you to share your methods (and opinions). You will do great!
ReplyDeleteLori
Conversations in Literacy
Lori, I do indeed have a lot of opinions, as you know so well. Thank you for the vote of confidence!
DeleteI once downloaded a graphic organizer for blog posts. The man swore they helped him create amazing posts. I believed him. I've never used it. I just don't think that way. I think you have so much to offer and such a gentle way of offering it. I give you my blessing (if you're asking!).
ReplyDeleteKimberley, I'm glad that you think I have a gentle way of offering my opinions. I often wonder if I'm just way too blunt. I'm honored to accept your blessing.
DeleteAt our school we are all supposed to be using Four Square writing. When I look at the writing from the 5th graders, they are using the same phrases for the beginning middle and conclusion of their writing, it just doesn't seem genuine. I don't mind using 4 Square occasionally, but I refuse to use it every time. I'd love to hear more of your thoughts on writing!
ReplyDeleteKelly
I'm Not Your Grandpa, I'm Your Teacher
Kelly, you've brought up a good point. Sometimes graphic organizers can suck the voice right out of a student's writing, which is of course the last thing we want.
DeleteAck, ack! I'm trying not to think too much about school either, and then one of my favorite bloggers, that would be you! Writes these posts that make me think! What's a girl to do? I use a lot of bubble maps to get thinking started - ideas generated. (It's always interesting to me, some kids who give great ideas for the bubble map go a completely different direction.) I've also done some beginning, middle, end type deals. These work for some kids - not others. Which reading this makes me think, I should switch that up some.
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday! Sara
Sara, you make me smile. Thank you for sharing your thinking with me, even when it's summertime and we're supposed to be thinking about other things!
Delete(Thanks for your sweet comment on my post "Lost". I am so happy to call you 'friend'. This summer has been painful.)
ReplyDeleteI want to incorporate an "idea notebook" into our day. Your thoughts on "what real writers do" made me stop and think about what I do as a writer…
I always have a small notebook with me, to grab my ideas or discoveries before they get lost in the jumble of my brain! Hmmm. How can I intro this to my kinders?
Chrissy at ReadWriteSing
Chrissy, I think you should definitely develop an idea notebook, especially since it's what real writers like yourself do. Lucy Calkins suggests something very similar. I call it a tiny topics notebook.
DeleteTammy, well said. Real writers like ourselves spend most of our time writing. Graphic organizers are great tools, for our overall plan and organizing our pieces and parts to put it all together, but they're the skeleton and bones. The writing is the meat!
ReplyDeleteYou always are good at hitting the nail on the head:
"my kids were giving their best approximations at realistic fiction "
Sometimes the real understanding comes in the heart of the work. They don't have to know everything about realistic fiction at bat. It's the practice of the swing at the ball.
I have not doubt that you'll have those K-12 teachers thinking & rethinking about: What is authentic about writing in their classrooms? What works for our wonderful first graders, works for all writers. You'll be fabulous! ~Marie
Marie, thank you for your reflections and kind words. You added wonderful thoughts to the conversation.
DeleteI have had trouble with graphic organizers for writing too. The kiddos either try to write complete sentences or they write so little they don't know what they were talking about when it was time to write...no matter how much I modeled and taught. I'm with you--overused for sure!
ReplyDeleteCrystal
Crystal, you certainly have added some examples of how overuse of graphic organizers doesn't do our kids much good. I'm glad you're with me. :)
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