- This topic has 1 reply, 2 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 6 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
-
My ZPD
I remember in third grade, my teacher was trying to teach us how to write Haiku poems. We had already read some examples of Haiku and we had some background knowledge on some kinds of poems. For example, rhyming, their short length at times, and more. My teacher provided us with various examples of Haiku poems and then had us practice by focusing on line per line with 5 syllables, then 7, then 5 again. From the lesson, we were able to learn how to write our own Haiku poems and present them to the class.
Vygotsky in the Classroom
From the little observing I’ve done in the classroom, I’ve seen how Mr. DuBe has provided structure for the 9th graders on how to write effective paragraphs when using quotes and analysis. Last week, a couple of students were working on a R.A.C.E paragraph which included a topic sentence surrounding a prompt of their choosing, an example that supported their topic sentence, a quote to back up their claim, and an analysis of their quote to show its significance. Mr. DuBe, had the prompt on the screen and showed students the purpose of each sentence and how he wanted the paragraphs structured. In this case, when the teacher clearly shows what he expects in a paragraph, the 9th graders are able to learn how to write a sophisticated paragraph with supporting evidence to make their argument more compelling. The guidance gives student’s confidence and knowledge on what an acceptable paragraph in 9th grade/ high school looks like.
My role as an MKO has allowed students to think more deeply about their writing and how to expand their thinking. For example, this past week, I was helping a student with their R.A.C.E paragraph and he was having trouble as to where to start. He had an idea of what theme he wanted to use but couldn’t start the topic sentence because he couldn’t see a layout of what his paragraph would look like. I asked him if he was a visual learner and if an outline would help him start and he replied yes. We drew “selfishness” (his theme) in a circle then underneath provided supporting evidence that he would need for his paragraph. By providing him with alternatives before he started writing, he was able to collect his thoughts and be more confident about what he wanted to claim. This may be helpful for him in the future when dealing with larger writing assignments.
Other Reflections
It has been great working with the 9th graders on their writing. Last week I was really struggling as to how much to correct when writing. This week was better considering that I wanted to make sure I corrected them on their grammar, vocabulary, as it is an essential part of writing, but also just focusing on getting their ideas out on paper even if it means repeating some ideas. I’ve also tried to focus on making sure students are answering the questions from the prompt because that is a major part of writing well.
The tutoring aspect of the class has been going well, however, I do wish I spent more time observing and seeing how Mr.DuBe teaches Language Arts to 9th graders. Considering the small amount of time, it seems like they mostly have been doing general journal prompts about their books or themselves and then moving on to either independent reading or some other writing workshop. I hope to be able to sit in class next week to observe the interactions between teachers and students. I have noticed that Mr. DuBe is engaged with his students in the 2nd period, which has an impact on the students and their energy.
-
Clarissa, I love the story about you helping your student visualize his paragraph! I think it is especially cool that not only did you help him come to the answer he needed to complete the assignment, but you also worked with him to develop a strategy that he can hopefully employ again in the future. That really speaks to Vygotsky’s idea of what the child can do with assistance today they can do alone tomorrow. Whether he uses that specific strategy or just carries forward the idea that he should pause and collect his thoughts before he jumps right into his work, he will be a better writer because of it.
-
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.