Components of Effective Writing Instruction

Components for Effective Writing

I component I saw displayed throughout many of my class members blogs was personal experience. We all need to have experiences in and outside of the classroom to learn the concept of writing. It helps us relate to new topics being brought to our attention and to new ways of writing. We have stories to write about, that maybe other people don't have, so we can pass on the experience to them. It triggers patterns in our brain with other concepts we may be taught in another class, like a history concept or even science. We eventually write for every subject, and having experiences we can relate to makes it much easier. Plus, when learning different ways to write, such as writing stories or creating a research paper, being comfortable in our own skin of writing helps. One class member even put is embracing each child's individual race, ethnicities and thoughts. When we do that we create a much stronger base to teach writing and have a healthy understanding come out of it. --Jackie Alvarado

Another component I saw much of was the concept of cooperative writing. As said in a class members blog, "When children work together-magic happens and literacy is nurtured." If they can perform plays together or come up with a story together, it makes them feel apart of the society within their classrooms. When one child writes about maybe being teased in school, the other can equally benefit by applying it to a time they may have felt similar. They can be involved in each other's writings and concepts. It gives a sense of teaching also. Maybe one student is writing about something many of his/her peers have never seen or been through. Now those students benefit from a little more education. By working together they can connect to things with each other that maybe the teacher cannot provide. It is the world they live in, and it helps them to express it. --Jackie Alvarado

I found a concept that should apply greatly to teachers. When we can understand our own feelings and experiences about the world around us, we can be fully aware of what we will pass on to our students. Being open to new experiences and lessons, as a teacher, only inhibits our children to learn more and add to their own experiences. If we silence or avoid certain topics, that will end up being very detrimental to our students. --Jackie Alvarado