I think the original poster hit the nail on the head-the reason kids
"hate " the letters or don't do as well as we'd like is that it
requires thinking:) They would love to take the easiest way out
(worksheets, tests, etc...) but I want them to learn to think and then
appreciate what they've read.
I do think discussions and getting kids to talk about books is
necessary -maybe even the best prewriting step they could take. These
talks can give them ideas as to what to write. I want them to enjoy
reading and share ideas but writing about their reading is important
too. We don't do letters exclusively, we use graphic organizers and
sometimes 2 column charts, and even drawing about the reading too.
But I love the letters as a form of communication and to have a compact
way to look at a student's work over time.
Ours are broken into 2 parts. The first paragraph is a brief summary,
the second is the personal response (based on their stickies and the
strategies used). Do you have them mark spots with stickies as they
read? Those little colorful inventions can be motivating all by
themselves!
Linda
On Tuesday, December 2, 2008, at 06:06 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
I stopped having my kids write letters. They thought that was the only
way
they could respond to a book. I have them record their thinking as
they read in
different ways. I might have them respond to a question here and there
depending on what strategy we are working on. At the end of a book we
respond in
different ways....explain how the character changed over
time......what was
the message of this book & how do you know. I have even put kids from
different
guided reading groups together and asked them to figure out how their
main
characters share some trait or characteristic. They have to explain
their
story and have a conversation to determine it.
Sue
In a message dated 12/2/2008 5:19:58 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
How about a checklist or a tic-tac toe type list? Giving them a
choice might
help them to be more motivated. I talked with a former student of
mine a
while back and I asked him what he liked the most and least about my
class. He
gave me things he liked but one thing he hated. "I hated those stupid
letters
we always had to write." I have since then given them more choices
and it
seems to make it more interesting for them.
-------------- Original message from "Yingling"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
--------------
I am struggling to get my students to write quality letters within
their
reader's notebooks. It's December and they are still simply giving me
summaries. I ask them questions and give comments in my letters back
to
them yet most of my kids aren't responding to my questions/comments.
I've
gone to giving the kids grades and their grades don't even seem to
motivate
some of them to do better. We've written sample letters together,
I've
shown them examples, I've written examples for them, I've given them
letter
starters. What do I do next? The kids seem to just want me to give
them
worksheets to complete - they don't want to think.
Help please,
Jenni
_______________________________________________
Mosaic mailing list
[email protected]
To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/
mosaic_literacyworkshop.org.
Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
_______________________________________________
Mosaic mailing list
[email protected]
To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/
mosaic_literacyworkshop.org.
Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
**************Life should be easier. So should your homepage. Try the
NEW
AOL.com.
(http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-
dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000002)
_______________________________________________
Mosaic mailing list
[email protected]
To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/
mosaic_literacyworkshop.org.
Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
_______________________________________________
Mosaic mailing list
[email protected]
To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org.
Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
