Reflexive

The best of what I have achieved in this assignment is allowing myself to criticize and compare the interviewee's teaching methods to my soon to be teaching. This leads me to express my thoughts and ideas to others as well as myself. One idea that i found invigorating and plan to carry with me is the teacher's method of teaching writing to her kindergarten students. Experiential writing is meaningful writing. Through this method students appreciate their work and leads them to want to continue writing. However, not everything the teacher presented to me was a wonder. I got caught off guard on how she dealt with students misbehaving. Her idea of sending children to time out and keeping them from enjoying recess seemed to bother me. Struggling with misconduct can be challenging yet something a teacher must be cautious about. I would resolve this behavior by sitting down with the student and letting him/her know what theyre doing wrong. Then keep them occupied by giving them a leading role which draws them away from disrrupting the class.

"Writing is something you do, not something you know"

Writing is something far more than trying to find what word fits best or the structure of a paper. To me being a good writing is allowing your emotions and thoughts flow. Jotting down whatever comes to mind can results in an amazing paper you thought was never possible. The best way for me would be freewriting. Having to write whatever comes to mind and not worry have to worry about the basics of writing that can be resolved later.

Affirmations

"I am at peace with my age"....This quote broadens my mind and gets me thinking about so many things. I am currently 21 and enjoying ever moment of it. As i look bnack at my childhood years i take notice of how much ive grown physically and emotionally. As i read the quote stated at the begining of this blog my classmates began to cheer and clap. This type of audience allowed me to feel open and feminine. I felt as if everyone felt my feelings at that precise moment. Throughout my life ive experienced many difficulties as well as accomplishments. Several of these difficulties are the result of my attidute and views. I dont regret the decisions ive made only wish i would have thought about them for a second time. I now live life freely appreciating the small things it has to offer and just live for the moment.

Strickland and Ray's reading response

Strickland and Ray gives us an understanding of the significance of writing. Although instructors have come along way the traditionalist teacher is one hard habit to get rid of. For this reason Strickland and Ray provide essential characteristics that’ll enhance the way of teaching writing. Writing workshops are stressed throughout the chapters. Students need to be surrounded by an environment that’s open to their emotions and thoughts and that’s exactly what writing workshops are about.
Classrooms of today are strained to prepare students to the yearly TAKS exams. The writing portion is suppose to diagnose whether the student is a good writer using a scale of one to four, four being the highest score. Not only do I believe this is a bogus standard but also think it leads to hesitant writers. According to Ray students should decide what they will be writing about and I couldn’t agree more. Writing workshops do just this by allowing personal topic selection thus creating independence upon the student.
One statement that Strickland mentions is the focus on the “mechanics” of writing and the less preferred focus of the “process.” Although the mechanics of writing are just as important to learn, we must develop these mechanics through meaning and experience after all we tend to carry information that has made an impact. To begin we must first acknowledge that not every writer is the same. Every student has their way of uniquely writing and that’s one thing the standardized exams don’t seem to understand. We’ve all heard the infamous student line, “ I don’t know where to begin.” Free writing is introduced in writing workshops knocking this statement out the door. It begins by allowing the student to write whatever comes to mind about the subject and at the same time developing ideas after another. Later the student can go back and read what he or she has jotted down giving them options of topics and finally choosing one to write about thoroughly.

Making Meaning

As time gets closer for me to walk the stage, I can't help but to feel nervous. The effort and dedication I put forth in my class will reflect my students and their education. Everyday we hear students complaing about writing and that's one thing I do not want my students walking out with. I believe writing can only be developed through meaning. What better way than to write about a certain someone or place that has created a small piece of your life. Not only can you develop much detail out of it but also talk about other experiences that come to mind as you reminisce. As much as i hesitated to write, i became aware of the emotions that i could express on paper and not in person. Looking back on journals one of the reasons for my uncertainty was based on the idea of believing i wasnt a good writer. To this day i wont say i'm excellent although i do think i've come a long way. Students who settle as failures to writing will never appreciate their ideas on paper. For this reason its important to have teachers who will encourage writing and present it in a not so traditional way.