Wisdom of a veteran teacher

Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 11:29:31 -0500
From: "Laura Lou" lauralou@ili.net
To: discuss@quest.arc.nasa.gov
Subject: Re: Teaching Reading
Hi again Marc,

(How's that precious Cyber-Granddaughter?)

Although another of my teaching partners in our trio teaches all of the
Language Arts, writing is a big and important part of my Science curriculum.
Every student in the 3 sections makes a "Science Log" the first day of
class.  The "Log" is 10 sheets of paper stapled to make a book.  The front
of the first page is the cover and can be personalized with a little art
work during the log period.  Starting on the back of the cover the pages are
numbered 1 to 19.

Some time during almost every class period I ask a question that requires
them to use some piece of information they should have learned to solve a
problem.  These questions often come from the "Thinking Like a Scientist",
or some other "thinking" questions in books I am using for the unit. I often
use the "essay" questions from tests, too.  I am getting pretty good at
making them up, now.

This takes only 10 minutes out of a class period, at the start, during the
class, or at the end.

The students write for 3 minutes ONLY.  (RULES:  No talking...eyes never
leave the paper even to think...you MUST use complete sentences and correct
punctuation).

Then they share with a writing buddy or a writing group (3 more minutes).
My students are seated in 4s so the groups are already formed.  I find they
care a lot more about what the other students think of their writing that
what *I* think and work harder to share something meaningful with each other
than something to hand in.

When 17 of the pages are used up they make an Index on page 19.  They record
each page number, the title, topic or subject of the writing on that page,
the "audience" and the date.  They can place a "P" or a "T" in the audience
column for just the 3 or 4 pieces they WANT me to read (T) or their parents
to read (P).

They write a letter to me on a separate piece of paper about their successes
and frustrations with the log, science, sixth grade, or life, in general.
Then they hand them in.  I read the letters right away and will probably
keep them for life...they are WONDERFUL!  I keep the logs until the end of
the year and read them at my leisure, looking for just the pages the authors
wants me to read.  The Language Arts teacher and I do notice the changes in
the level of writing...not just how much a student can write in 3 minutes
going from 1 or 2 lines to 20 or 30.  The quality is higher as the year
progresses.  In their letters students often mention how writing about the
science they learn helps them understand "stuff you try to teach us".

The very next day we make new logs and go on with the process.  All logs are
kept in the room in folders we make earlier in the year out of brown grocery
bags...we recycle a LOT.  That is another project, though, and it comes from
a former Rainforest Unit I did.

I learned about writing in logs as part of "Writing Across the Curriculum"
presented by Beth Katz.  It is one of the most valuable things I have
learned after PTK and Quest, of course.  @;-)

Laura in Michigan

(Reprinted be courtesy of Laura)