Lack of Time to Teach Writing-How Joanna Van Raden Solved the Dilemma

Over the years I encountered several dilemmas when teaching young students to write. First, there was the issue of time.  There was never enough time:

  • To gather all of the materials I needed
  • To teach a complete lesson
  • For students to practice writing

Second, there was the issue of motivating all of my students. Some students were difficult to motivate, especially for writing.  I fought the battle for years.  I’d run through hoops to create some kind of excitement when it came to teaching writing skills. I tried mentor texts, dressing up in costumes, and more. They worked, but wow, they took up a lot of time. I’d give the lesson and find that there was very little time left for actual writing practice. As the years went by, I tried new teaching strategies to build successful writers.

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Blend The Writer’s Workshop-change The Delivery Model

Lack of Time to Teach Writing-How I Solved the Dilemma

Over the years I encountered several dilemmas when teaching young students to write. First, there was the issue of time.  There was never enough time:

  • to gather all of the materials I needed

  • to teach a complete lesson
  • for students to practice writing

Second, there was the issue of motivating all of my students. Some students were difficult to motivate, especially for writing.  I fought the battle for years.  I’d run through hoops to create some kind of excitement when it came to teaching writing skills. I tried mentor texts, dressing up in costumes, and more. They worked, but wow, they took up a lot of time. I’d give the lesson and find that there was very little time left for actual writing practice. As the years went by, I tried new teaching strategies to build successful writers. 

Continue reading “Blend The Writer’s Workshop-change The Delivery Model”

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

As a veteran teacher with a background in special, general, and technology education, I knew the importance of a strong face-to-face presence in the education setting. I also realized that the world of teaching as I knew it, was changing quickly. Our district received iPads for all students and teachers. We went from one or two computers in a classroom to 1:1 iPads. I felt like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, waking up after the storm. I was suddenly in a new place. Always the educational adventurer, I knew there had to be a way to use this new technology to optimize my limited time in the classroom. I had the tools, now I had to figure out what to do with them. I surrounded myself with Professional Development, attended conferences, and used Social Media to learn more. Blended and Flipped Learning just coming to the forefront. I recognized that an online presence could benefit my students. Students could reference my teaching 24/7 and they could move at their own pace.  I searched for a way to provide myself, the face-to-face component, with more time to work 1:1 or in small groups with my students, rather than lecturing from the front of the room.  I said to myself, “Dorothy, we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

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