Thank you for clarification. I love the flexibility and creativity that can come from science and social studies units. I did weave social studies into my essay writing unit of study as students wrote about influential African-Americans. They wrote biographical essays as we studied the craft of essay writing. But my writing workshop structure and routine did not budge. Students went through the same writing process they do for every other writing piece, but this one had a more guided focus through bringing in social studies. I did not simply weave this into my social studies time and call it writing workshop. We used social studies time to research and discuss African Americans and their contributions, this way writing workshop remained dedicated to the craft of writing. If my day had unlimited school hours, I still would have done this differently.
I see the "integration" issue spanning grades 1-4. In fact, I think it is the main way of teaching in most, if not all, classrooms grades 1-4 in my school. It ends in 5th grade because we departmentalize at that point. Your sentence: "The danger I think is when writing is only a means of reflecting understanding of content area learning without ever being a place for learning about writing, having time to write on self-selected subjects, time to explore literary genres and author study," is the kind of wording I was looking for. Thank you for giving me a way to articulate a potential hazard of integration. This reminds me once again that how we teach is as important as what we teach. Andrea Ljackson <[email protected]> wrote: >I am absolutely a member of your choir!! Yes, I think that there needs to >be a writer's workshop and that sometimes children can work on projects >that support content area learning. Nonfiction writing seems an opportune >time to pull in a strand from social studies or science. The danger I >think is when writing is only a means of reflecting understanding of >content area learning without ever being a place for learning about >writing, having time to write on self-selected subjects, time to explore >literary genres and author study. > >Is this happening across grade levels, or are you seeing the problem you >describe as more of an issue at any give grade level or grade range? > > > >Lori Jackson > District Literacy Coach and Mentor > Todd County School District > Box 87 > Mission SD 5755 > >----- Original message ----- >From: Andrea Jenkins <[email protected]> >To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group ><[email protected]> >Date: Sunday, April 26, 2009 3:48 PM >Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Thematic Units or Reading Across the Curriculum > >> First, let me say that I agree that 'combatting' is not the right word. >> 'Responding' is really what I meant. I, too, believe that these teachers >> have the absolute best intentions and their students gain a lot from >these >> experiences. Lori, one distinct difference you stated in your response >was >> that you brought social studies into reading, while I think the opposite >is >> happening at my school. I COMPLETELY agree that reading and writing >should >> be a central element to content areas. I could not imagine teaching >social >> studies without tradebooks, journal writing, etc. However, passing a >journal >> writing assignment off as their writing instruction does not count to me >as >> their writing workshop lesson. >> >> Aren't content areas better used for assessing reading and writing, >rather >> than teaching it? Social studies is one way I see if my students can >apply >> the reading strategies taught in reading; to see if they can transfer >good >> writing strategies into their social studies writing assignments. Yet, >> social studies does not replace my reading workshop or writing strategy >> instruction. >> >> I guess the larger question is: do you let a thematic unit guide your >> reading workshop? If thematic units are central to your reading >workshop, >> how do you weave strong strategy instruction into it? >> >> Thanks for your support through this. >> >> Andrea >> >> >> >> Ljackson <[email protected]> wrote: >> >I am sorry, I seem to be responding to myself. As I read this a second >> >time, I wanted to be able to say it sounds to me as if you are both >> >right--both broups, I mean. Integration is a key to managing it all >but >> >also to bringing meaningful instruction to kids and I think most of us >> >celebrate these strategies as thinking strategies that will drive >> >increased understanding across the page and across the curriculum. I >know >> >that in the classroom, I had to infuse social studies into my reading >> >workshop because there simply was not enough time in the day to address >> >all the curricular demands. We are in the process in our own district >of >> >creating searchable databases for our guided reading materials >(beginning >> >with nonfiction) so that teachers can design guided reading lessons >that >> >will allow for integration of social studies and science when doing so >> >fits the needs of the readers. I think we all need to learn to think >very >> >flexibly to do our jobs. All that said, I do think that >> > there is a time when we read and write for the sake learning to love >to >> >read and write and to become better at reading and writing. >> > >> >So, perhaps a first step is to examine your word choice. 'Combatting' >> >teachers who are determined to infuse reading and writing throughout >the >> >day seems counterproductive to me--can you find a way to honor what >they >> >do and make a case for what you believe in? If those beliefs could live >> >together, it seems to me that the students would truly benefit. >> > >> > >> > >> >Lori Jackson >> > District Literacy Coach and Mentor >> > Todd County School District >> > Box 87 >> > Mission SD 5755 >> > >> >----- Original message ----- >> >From: Andrea Jenkins <[email protected]> >> >To: [email protected] >> >Date: Sunday, April 26, 2009 2:03 PM >> >Subject: [MOSAIC] Thematic Units or Reading Across the Curriculum >> > >> >> Hello friends. I am leading a Mosaic book study with teachers at my >> >school. >> >> Many, if not all, of the teachers say they "integrate reading and >> >writing >> >> and teach it across the curriculum". I believe this is code for not >> >> specifically teaching reading and writing, but rather assigning >reading >> >and >> >> writing assignments/activities, and calling that their instruction of >> >> reading/writing. What they are actually teaching is social studies or >> >> science, with throwing in reading and writing assignments with no >> >> instruction on how to read or write strategically. >> >> >> >> Personally, I believe in the workshop framework for both reading and >> >> writing, and believe in directly teaching reading and writing >strategies >> >> through mini-lessons. They believe, wholeheartedly, that their >thematic, >> >> integrated approach to teaching is working and best practice. I >believe >> >> differently. >> >> >> >> How do I combat this response of "integrated" instruction? >> >> Am I missing a crucial piece? Perhaps I am wrong here and many of you >> >also >> >> use thematic units and content areas to teach strategies. How do >other >> >> teachers of workshop model classrooms handle the balance between >reading >> >and >> >> social studies? >> >> >> >> Many thanks! >> >> >> >> Andrea Jenkins >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> 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. >> > >> > >> > >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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. > > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. 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