Saturday, November 24, 2012

Saturday Sayings: Is Integration Enough?


(Yep, that's gum.)

I totally believe in integration.  I have a worry though, and it's been nagging at me for months now whenever I hear the words "writing" and "integration" used in the same sentence.  (Please wait a sec while I climb up on my soapbox.)  

I don't believe that expecting kids to write throughout the day is enough.  My fear is that some teachers believe they teach writing simply because their students write.  They write in response to reading.  They write during science.  They write about their social studies topics.  They write on worksheets.  I could go on.  Granted, it's better than no writing at all, but learning the craft of writing is the missing piece.  The Common Core is expecting great things from our writers and rightly so.  They will be expected to use their writing skills throughout the day for various purposes, but they must first know how.  Lucy Calkins is so right.  Our kids need a protected daily writing time where they can learn and practice what writing looks like in various genres, receiving that all-important guidance and feedback as they work through the writing process.  So yes, let's integrate, but it will take more than just writing throughout the day to make sure our kids are successful writers.  (Okay, dismounting the soap box now.  Thanks for listening.)


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20 comments:

  1. Climb up on that soap box of yours anytime! You are so right- students need that modeling and coaching on how to write a great piece of writing. Just the act of writing through out the day does not mean their writing craft is being taken to the next level. Preach on! :)
    Lori
    Conversations in Literacy

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    1. Lori, I'm glad that you don't mind my preaching. Thanks for the proverbial "amen."

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  2. I totally agree! Also, you could omit the word "writing" and insert "reading" - I have heard the same argument from older grades with regards to the teaching of reading.

    You need to have a writing block too, as Lucy said, "... to teach the writer, not just the writing."

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    1. Mary, I like that quote from Lucy too. Regie says the same thing. It's not about making the writing better. It's about making the writer better, which is hard to do unless there is time to write.

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  3. I've always included a writing block in my schedule because I feel it is so important. In fact, it is one of my favorite times of the day and my students as well. Lucy Calkins has been a great inspiration to me in the area of teaching the craft of writing.
    Connie Anderson:)
    www.welcometofirstgraderoom5.blogspot.com

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    1. Connie, Lucy has been great for me too. She knows her stuff. Both her and Regie have helped me to be a better writing teacher.

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  4. Great, insightful post. I feel like teaching writing is one of my weak areas. I hate to say that I have guilty of having the children write, but not teaching them writing. I have bought several books to try and remedy the problem.
    Kelly @ I'm Not Your Grandpa, I'm Your Teacher

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    1. Kelly, writing isn't easy to each, so you are not along. One of the ways I've become a better writing teacher is by reading what the pros (Donald Graves, Regie Routman, Lucy Calkins, etc.) say. You're doing the right thing.

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    2. "...not alone" I meant to say.

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  5. Love the gum wall:-) Great quote! We have writing everyday as its own part of the day. The first 10 minutes we call it silent write and everyone writes about anything they want for 10 minutes. My class loves that part! Maybe we should think about integrating other subjects into our writing and not integrating writing into everything else.

    Laurie
    Chickadee Jubilee

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    1. Laurie, choice is big when it comes to writing, huh? I also think that writing workshop needs to be the place where kids learn how to write scientifically or whatever the genre may be so that when it's science time, they know how to use writing as a tool. As always, thank you for coming by.

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  6. I just finished the same book Tammy. The problem comes for me in explaining to other teachers what "writing" looks like. Many tried and true teachers truly believe their kids are "writing" because their kids are copying from the board. Any suggestions on how to get the point across that this is not "writing?"
    Tammy
    First Grade @ Storybook Cafe
    dtklinger@gmail.com

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    1. Tammy, I haven't read the whole book yet. I just read the writing chapter. I hope the rest is just as good! We've had the same issue in our district. It's not easy to make believers out of people who don't understand what writing really can be. I'm not sure that I've got a great answer, but I know it's a process that doesn't happen over night. I think for some people the key is seeing what writing really looks like. They can't visualize it yet. They can't see it being taught. They can't see the finished product. If some of these unbelievers could see what goes on in your room or see the kinds of writing your kids are able to produce, what would they think? Could that be the thing that makes them start to wonder if maybe there's more to writing than copying from the board or whatever it might be that they believe writing is? I understand your frustration though. It's a whole pedagogical shift for people.

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  7. Tammy Klinger, with Tammy's permission, I wanted to add a thought also. Would some of the teachers in your group be willing to try a book study? Maybe the group could learn together and maybe it would be easier to shift thinking if everyone feels they are learning and moving with each other rather than feeling alone? Just a thought. :)
    Lori
    Conversations in Literacy

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  8. We talk about fake reading with children, so we should probably discuss fake writing with teachers! (That was meant to be funny not sarcastic!) I watched a great movie about writing this weekend. You will have to watch it Tammy! Morgan Freeman in The Magic of Belle Isle. The character suggested using your imagination!
    LiteracyMinute

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    1. Sandi, I haven't heard of that movie. I'll have to check it out!

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  9. I've been using Lucy's year long study guide this year. I LOVE it, but I haven't even finished the first unit and we have writers workshop 3 or 4 times a week! Gotta pick things up. Lucy really knows what she's talking about. Thanks for sharing.
    ❀Barbara❀
    Grade ONEderful
    Ruby Slippers Blog Designs

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    1. Barbara, the units are so good, aren't they? You must get to poetry by the end of the year, so yes, pick things up! :)

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  10. This is such an important issue in so many ways. Not only is writing an amazing tool for learning, especially learning to read, but it's a vital tool in life, it helps you learn who you are and know what you know. But even better still is what teachers are missing out on in learning about their children with writing. It's amazing how natural they are at expressing themselves as people and as writers. I'm amazed at the writerly conversations we have. Sometimes I sit back and say, was I holding an intellectual conversation about writing with a six year old?

    It's just as important to write every day, as it is to read every day. I LOVE your soap box drawing Tammy!

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    1. Marie, you're very right. Both students and their teachers miss out when there's no daily writing time. It's too precious to overlook.

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