Saturday, August 9, 2014

Saturday Sayings: Use but Confuse



You.  are.  the.  best.  teacher.  in.  the.  whole.  wide.  world.

"I" "love" "you" "Miss McMorrow."

You probably teach early elementary kids if you've ever seen punctuation in student writing similar to this.  Approximations make me smile.  Most of the time.  At least that I'm aware of.  The ones that show up in kid writing make the biggest impression on me, like the sentences I shared above.  Periods and quotations marks are intriguing tools for emerging writers.  You never know where they might end up.  Another favorite is the use of a specific spelling pattern like "ee" that finds its way into every word with a long e sound.  Whether first grade or twelfth, learners make approximations.

When it comes to approximations, a phrase from forever ago comes to mind, although I can't remember where I nabbed it.  Use but confuse.  What do students use but confuse?  It's tempting to be either completely distracted or frustrated by these things.  I was taught to celebrate what students use but use incorrectly.  Approximations are proof that someone is listening and interested in what they're hearing.  Even better, it means that with the right scaffolding, they're ready to make a shift in their learning of the particular skill they're experimenting with.  It's in that moment, when the best learning can take place.  They're ready for it.  If we respond correctly, like Laminack points out, the things they use but confuse will lead to more learning and continued risk-taking.  If we allow them to catch a whiff of any frustration with their approximations, we're likely to see a system shutdown, maybe only in that moment but possibly in the future too.  How we respond is surely a powerful thing.




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12 comments:

  1. I really enjoy seeing a student's approximations! Shows me that they are moving towards new learning even if they are not quite there yet. One of the most popular ones I see is the apostrophe s ('s). Once they notice it or learn about it, it shows up everywhere!
    Lori
    Conversations in Literacy

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    1. Lori, oh yes the apostrophe s. That one does show up everywhere!

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  2. I always have to smile when I see tons of exclamation marks in a paragraph. Of course, I'm an exclamation mark girl myself :)

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    1. Sara, yep the kids run with that one too, huh? :)

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  3. I don't know why, exactly, but I love the word scaffolding ... and I love your explanation of approximations.

    Stopping by your blog makes me feel happy and hopeful.

    Happy new year.

    Barbara

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    1. Barbara, I always love it when you stop by. Thank you!

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  4. I got a new meaning for this when I started seeing my own kids do it in everything. It is great to see them using that new learning. Thanks for your positive posts. They are truly my favorite!
    Em
    Curious Firsties

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    1. Em, I'm sure your mom perspective gives you a great appreciation for approximations. And thank you for reading!

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  5. My favorite is after I've taught using an apostrophe s to show possession, and then every word that ends in s gets an apostrophe! It is exasperating at times, but when I think about it this way it turns it into a teaching opportunity! Thanks!

    Crystal
    Teaching Little Miracles

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    1. Crystal, the apostrophe s is alive and well! I totally see that too. :)

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  6. I love seeing my students get it and start using it even when it is an approximation. This year I had a student who wrote sentences using commas to separate lists. She did it almost every day when she saw how happy it made me. Our reactions are so important. They are windows into how we feel about our students.
    LOVE Saturday Sayings....even on Tuesday night!
    Jenny

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    1. Jenny, I like how you explain our reactions as windows. That's a wonderful way to put it. Thanks for visiting, even on a Tuesday! :)

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