Mr. Rennie's Class

  Well, 2010 is nearing it's end and as it approaches I reflect back and consider this past three and a half months to be one of the most productive in recent years. Not only do I teach a very cooperative and able group but they have shown a willingness to try, stretch and risk as they write stories and poems. They have all developed a great deal already. A sense of voice is evident and growing in all to some extent. Some of them are truly natural writers. Others have improve so much that their work is barely recognizable compared to what they produced only a few short months ago. They are all more fluent, writing flows more freely and demonstrates increased use of desriptive detail as well as  thoughts and feelings.

  As I try to evaluate what role technology has played in this development I can't escape the fact that keyboarding has freed certain students from their own awkwardness with a pencil which would literaly slow the flow of thoughts to the page. I know about this first hand as a person who often can barely decipher his own hurried handwriting. Maybe more importantly the capacity to use technological literacies that most were already familiar with or inclined towards has made it just easier and more engaging. We all enjoy things we're good or better at. Not that a challenge isn't desirable but when a challenge becomes a roadblock we sabotage learning. The various online sharing opportunities the young writers have at there disposal, frees some to do so with less risk. It takes the sometimes stressful situation and takes it down in intensity. Repetition of this process over time will, I believe, make them more confident and lead towards increased confidence in oral group sharing. I've seen evidence of this in their literature circle work. I applaud and thank my students. They have done a great job with little complaint and dare i say, enthusiasm. Happy Holidays peeps!

I always love when I come to school and I look at the agenda and I see the word writing after PE. Its fun to write and read other people's work in the lab and their brand new stories about things like when people go on vacations. My favorite part of writing class is when Mr.Rennie gave us a picture and we had to describe it.

Writing is quite fun for me right now... This is what I wrote throughout the . At the beginning of the year I wrote a story about when I went on Vacation. Then Mr.Rennie told us more about writing and I made better detailed stories and poems. This is a story I wrote and a little bit about it. I wrote a story called Mattress Robber, it is about two kids that think a Robber is coming to get them. This is some of a poem I wrote. The poem is called I Am From...It is about what I am from.

By Julia Kretzschmar

                      My Writing Blog

I like typing stories and poems in the lab  but I prefer to silent write in the class. So far I have writen three poems and yesterday we had a choice to make up a praise poem or write a memoir of something we have learned. I chose to write a memoir but have not finished it. I am happy with all the writing I have done so far this year. I really enjoy  describing and adding details to my stories. I concentrate better when we silent write because it is quiet and in the lab it's super loud at times. I have written another memoir and I am really happy with it . I am getting better at descibing and adding details and making leads every day.       

By Sydney

  Dylan                            About My Writing  

I think my writing has improved since the beginning of the school year. I like writing in the lab but I prefer silent  writing in the class. Mr. Rennie has taught a lot more about writing than last years class, because Ms. Johnson never really did teach writing.

Devin

                                               About my Writing

I think my writing is getting better every minute I'm on the computer writing stories and poems.

I think writing is getting funner while I'm writing stories and poems. I think I have improved 8/10 since I started grade six. And I think I have improved a lot.

  Hello All. I hope the title grabbed your attention because not only will I do my usual rundown of events in the lab but I need to ask a favour. Parents I would like you to please do the Writing Survey again, yes again. I've collected the previous results and would like to compare them to this new set to see if your attirudes about student writing have changed. Your child has learned how to publish online in google docs and how to post on our website. They have shared orally and sent their documents to each other. They have made two slideshows and presented them in class. They have written stories and poems galore. All this writing is available for you to read if they (or you) log in to either location. I hope this increased output and audience will make them more engaged, more excited about writing. So please do the survey again. Your kids will do it tomorrow in the lab.

  Today in the lab, kids had a choice to write a praise poem or a lessons learned memoir. Some got to both of these. I was once again amazed at their improved capacity to write silently and with great focus. They shared their docs with others and proceeded out into the fresh cold air at recess. One girl complained on behalf of all the girls with "no meat on their bones" that it was too cold but the comment fell on deaf ears. I went out with them to make sure no one froze solid outside. Tomorrow some will post on the website so keep an eye out for new stuff.

Thanks

  Today I spent the school day at Southgate Middle School's lab hosted by Mr. Rob Hatfield. Aside from renewing aquaintances with 50 or so former students who dropped by to say hi, I was there to get advice on web management and computer instruction. I saw the grade sevens and eights using their google docs accounts to make websites, practice typing and perform advanced animation using Flash. Iwas glad to see how useful and important their google accounts were since all our students already have them and will be able to get right at it if they go to Southgate next year.

  The one application I saw that I think would be most useful and applicable for us was the google sites app. This capability allows you to create a web site around any topic or theme. It allows you to add text, inset images and imbed video into the various pages of your site. I thought it would be a perfect way to explore the cultures of other countries or the rich heritage of Canada's provinces and territories. The sites are shared in pairs and with the teacher but are not open to the world wide web but more the trio of trust web. We'll give them a shot in January. Thanks to Mr. hatfield for a great and useful day.

  On Wednesday we explored setting descriptions. The students chose a picture from a collection of unique, beatiful and exotic scenes then were to write a detailed and descriptive paragraph. The paragraph should make the reader feel like they were there. It should include sensory info and be written in either the first person or as a  third person narrative. They may decide to use it as a lead for a story they'll develop.

  The wrting was very focused in the lab. All students successfully wrote an effective paragraph they could be proud of. Some started doing so right away while many returned to the draft from Monday or and earlier piece. After sharing their paragraphs with a partner we we back to class. Mission accomplished. We are at the point where not only is everyone on task but they are enthusiastic and dare I say, fluent. There was not a single, "I don't know how to start" or "I don't know what to say". This class is doing a super great job and producing engaging pieces of writing.

  Every Writing Workshop session worth the paper the students write on, includes a silent write. The ultimate is a half hour of concerted, focused, independent silent writing. We have yet to reach that yet but today we proved that it can be done in the lab. We just had to widen our definition of silent to include the tapping of keyboards. The kids went to the lab after a mini-lesson on descriptive details. They settled in quickly and wrote for a solid 25 minutes. I stopped them at that point to share with a partner.

  They all did an awesome job. I've heard from some colleagues that the lab wasn't a conducive environment for this creative task. I think however, that when you are into what you are writing, the recording method shouldn't be an impediment. In fact the computer may be the tool which for some, is actually a motivator. For many who might otherwise not produce the computer makes the task easier and more appealing. We have students with past output issues who participated fully and emerged with the satisfaction of having produced a solid piece of writing. Some students actually worked on more than one piece, the true actualization of a workshop mentality. They finished one and simply opened a previous document. I have been thinking about and experimenting with writing and using the lab for years but the commitment we've made this term to moving the workshop into the lab is long anticipated. In the past we would use the lab as a place to do a final copy but this year we have done mini-lessons, drafts and sharing in the lab. I only hope the students feel as satisfied with their work as I do. I have been lucky to try out these new approaches with such a cooperative and willing group of writers.