Sunday, June 23, 2013
A Need to Add Details
So many times I've heard teachers tell kids that they needed to add details to their writing. I've also noticed that "telling" kids to add details didn't have a significant impact on the quality of student writing. In Chapter 3: Building Content, the authors clearly described what it means to add details and explained ways to do it. A common issue I've had with students is what Dorfman and Cappelli referred to as "list writing." On page 44-46, the authors provided several lesson ideas and mentor texts to use to show kids a better alternative to "list writing." My favorite quote about nonfiction writing was from Jane Kirkland on page 58: "A good storyteller doesn't have to be a good writer, but a good writer must be a good storyteller." What stuck with you about the chapter?
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You can have my full and hearty "Amen." I know I spend way more time than the kids would like discussing main ideas and details as readers. Clearly I do not do enough to model it to them as writers, and I feel that the suggestions in this chapter may light the way for us all.
ReplyDeleteAs a secondary note, I feel a little left out as a third grade teacher. I can remember a colleague of mine moaning that 3rd grade just seemed like middle school--too old to be lower el, but too young to be upper el. The examples from this text make me feel that way too.