Entry #2 * Digging Deeper On Past Experiences

As I read Calkins and Ehrenworth (2016), I couldn't help but agree with all of their essential elements of being a writer and constantly highlighting powerful quotes. I felt so connected with this journal article, yet, I've never been a good writer. 

Yep, that's me, well, that's the old me. I learned through Tompkins (2012), Calkins and Ehrenworth (2016) that I AM a good writer. I've been doing the right things this whole time. 

Reminiscing on my early primary years, I don't vividly remember writing at all. I remember reading and working with letters, but never much time spent focused on writing. I would like to think I did write in these early years and that these memories are somewhat blocked because of the reading support I was getting that focused more on me "catching up" on my reading skills rather than developing my writing skills. 

Moving into my elementary days, I remember writing workshops, especially in third grade. This is the year I was taught cursive writing. I specifically remember this writing workshop that is similar to Tompkins (2012) example (p. 17) because I dreaded it everyday for what felt like forever. Our teachers gave us mini-lessons on a few letters each day. Independent writing time was the most stressful for me because I could not learn how to write in cursive! A quote from Calkins and Ehrenworth (2016) that stuck with me when thinking about this specific memory is when they stated "what looks like trouble with writing is really trouble with a student's command of the subject" (p. 9). Learning cursive was a challenging task for me and because of this my confidence in writing decreased. I would always ask myself, "I know how to print letters, why do I need to learn cursive?" This is an important literacy event Kucer (2014) that I share knowing how it made me feel and what I could of done differently. It also brings us back to the essential element of choice like Calkins and Ehrenworth (2016) described (p. 9). If I was given this element of choice, I would have felt more comfortable about writing in cursive. If I were to have asked "why", I might have been able to enjoy it more. 

I just shared an element I was not given that ultimately slowed my development as a writer. Fast forward to senior year, being accepted into AP Literature I worked so hard to get to this specific course. I heard so many great things about this teacher. He gave time to write as Calkins and Ehrenworth (2016) would say is essential. He gave the element of choice in what interested me the most that I could freely write about. Looking back on this course, I realize how much time and effort I invested in my writing and the writing process. The support from this class community in which Tompkins (2012) values was also of great importance in this process. Tompkins (2016) states "The view of a community of writers reinforces the importance of differentiated instruction" (p. 26). My AP teacher understood we were all different and could come up with amazing, pieces of work. This push my senior year has helped me get to where I am today. 

I have not had many experiences as a teacher of writing. During my completely virtual student teaching placement in 2020, my SBTE was very passionate about writing. In our first grade class, we had 40 minute time blocks every day for writing. That seems like a lot, however, he actually followed Lucy Calkins writing curriculum. Each day, my SBTE would model good writing (mini-lesson), and students would then have independent writing time. I cannot express how valuable this experience was. My SBTE had 20 students on a screen, and each of them had their pencils in their hands creating different pieces of work. It was fantastic to see and be part of. He had successfully created a classroom community that encompasses respect, high expectations, collaboration, differentiation, choice, and responsibility (Tompkins, 2016, p. 25-26). I am excited to incorporate these elements into my future classroom. 

References

Calkins, L. & Ehrenworth, M. (2016).  Growing extraordinary writers:  Leadership decisions to 
raise the level of writing across a school and a district. The Reading Teacher, 70(1), 7-
18.

Kucer, S. B.  (2014).  Dimensions of literacy: A conceptual base for teaching reading and writing in school settings (4th ed.).  Mahwah, NJ:  Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.