Crafting Writers part deuce

As a summary, walks us through several key concepts about craft writing exercises followed by several lessons. After reading last week’s reading I hadn’t bothered looking ahead at this week’s assignment and I must say that I am pleasantly surprised. The explicit nature of instruction gives me a lot more confidence in trying this with my future class. I am, however, still a little nervous about choosing an appropriate topic for my theoretical class’s ability level.
Just to spitfire some ideas I have thought of taking the lessons presented and assigning them to an approximate grade level. I know that each group will present a specific requirement independent of any overarching standardization that we as teachers could impose. But, a ballpark estimate seems to be in order here. Sentence variety, is a fairly basic concept and I feel that I could try to teach this to a first grade classroom by the end of the first semester. However, inside sentences seems to be beyond the scope of a first grader. I would guess that this would be an appropriate craft lesson for second or third graders on upwards. Feeling+as+action’s craft lesson would probably be most appropriate for third graders and all lessons are possible by the beginning of first grade.
Having shown my ignorance of the different ability levels of children of different ages I am wondering how to find out. I know the standards are ridiculously low in the lower grades, and I would never teach to the standard. I would, however, like to know the average levels of different age groups. Would anyone know where to find information like this?
The next chapter focuses on determining an individual student’s level and then working with that specific student in the most effective manner possible. While, this is very helpful I would still like a guideline as to where a child should be at on average, not at a minimum. Maybe my mindset is currently too concerned with empirical measurable data, but that is my only real concern thus far with the book.
We are then given instructions for outlining an effective conference with a student and then the follow up steps which will help us plan craft writing to suit their specific needs. I can’t wait to get in the classroom and put these methods to practice! I love sitting an individual student down who is struggling with a subject and showing them their strengths and seeing the barriers to learning fall down effortlessly for them. While reading I was reminded of my student John who was the class bully at twice the second largest students size. I actually tutored him individually for several months before he opened up completely and went from a very limited vocabulary to the star student in my classroom. John was the brightest student in the classroom and he was finally starting to act like it thanks to his ability to believe in himself. I loved this parallel I was able to make from my student John to the example student, Jonathan, which Hale writes about.
Once again, the explicit layouts are comforting in this book. I feel that even if I might fail in small areas of craft writing when starting out the book is a comforting support system with it’s easy to follow examples. On top of the specific reading I was able to think of the diagram we have seen projected several times on Mondays showing us were the skills meet and when we should moderate. Teaching seems to be more of an art-form than science. Teaching is a balancing of three forces; presenting usable knowledge while hindering the qualms and encouraging the growth of a pupil. I really hope that I am able to become an effective teacher, and I feel that proper implementation of what this book presents to us will be an enormous first step.