I love how often I now stop and point out an author's way of saying something. We'll think how she/he could have been said without all the details. I'm hoping this starts to make a connection for my kids.
p. 123 "The most important part of writing is to read. I tell young people, "Read like a wolf eats, read when they tell you not to,... If you read enough, ...when you sit down to write, that information is in your head and you can write..."
Eat like a wolf eats, I've got kids doing that this year! And I have writers! But sometimes through all the mess of mechanics on my low reading kids something will come out that is so neat! It's really worth celebrating.
p. 124 "Look for evidence of rereading."
Oops, I thought this was a skill that they knew how to do but then I realized how would they know to do it? If we don't model rereading our writing just for understanding, then how would they know to do it? I have always told my students, "don't forget and go back and read it again, look for little words you've left out, look for periods, capital letters..." That's not what I should have been having them do. They should reread for clarification, not conventions. Kids think if they reread once, yep, it's done, found that capital letter, teacher.
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8 comments:
I love that statement "Read like a wolf eats." I have to agree that reading is the perfect model for writing. Like you, I thought rereading was just something that they should do especially by 5th grade. I was shocked to find out I need to model that too. There is just so much to do!
I am going to use the wolf story in my classroom. I have several students who are currently reading this way.
I know, Jera, I did the same thing with having kids reread. Sometimes I feel it is helpful if I have them reread it aloud to someone. Then the other person can comment too. I also need to model more when it comes to rereading.
I definitely need to model rereading to my students. "Read like a wolf eats" will be a quote the kids will probably remember for a long time and most likely will share with their friends and parents. :)
Hi Jera,
I agree that we just have to keep modeling the rereading of the written story with our students. Shared writing would be a great place to model this!
I am also guilty of not rereading aloud to my students. I thought they should know how to do that at 5th grade, but am seeing that they need me to model it daily. Her statement "Read like a wolf eats." will be such a super description for our students and us to use.
Jera,
I am with you in realizing that I need to model how to reread to my students. I loved your comment about how they typically reread, find one error and I am done!! That is so true! I am sure we will both be working on this throughout the rest of the year!
The rereading seems tricker then one would think. My own daughter will actually read the correction in, but it is missing in her writing. I have some students like this also, so I will actually read a bit of their writing to them as it is written. They do hear the difference and are able to make the correction.
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