The assigned reading that struck a chord in me this week was Atwell's chapter 3 titled 'Getting Ready'. I found this article to be very useful as it addresses teaching writing in a middle school setting, which is where my interest lies. I have never taught composition before, and a lot of her insights would never have occurred to me as an incoming teacher.
Early on in the chapter, Atwell illustrates the interior of her classroom. The space is occupied by plants, literature, and welcoming posters littered with optimistic advice. To her, this room seems comfortable and reflective of herself as a teacher and person. But then she realizes that it is set up in a very restrictive manner -- instead of catering to her own preferences, the room should appeal to and represent the students within it. She removes many of her personal possessions and instead invites students to decorate the room throughout the year. They bring in their own favorite books, hang up their own pieces of writing, and create a room that stimulates their learning instead of reflecting the persona of the teacher. Atwell found this to be very beneficial for her students, and it is something I have not thought about previously. Of course a classroom should represent the students that occupy it! It should be designed in a manner that stimulates and accommodates student learning, which is exactly what Atwell did.
Another classroom issue that Atwell addressed was how to situate a classroom that both allows for classroom management while also providing students with different learning options. She describes how during independent writing time, her middle school classroom would constantly be engaged in high volume conversations and how it was often difficult for her to maintain a quiet environment. After a number of frustrating experiences, she decided to adjust her writing environment to better suit the students' needs. She created different areas where students could write depending on what they needed. There was a space where students could talk about their writing and a space for quiet, undisturbed writing. Depending on what a student needed that day, whether it be isolation or collaboration, they were able to access it. In the meantime, Atwell would be circulating constantly around the room, providing students with mini-conferences each day. What I really liked about this was Atwell's approach to dealing with this issue. I have found that in a lot of our readings throughout the year, we are introduced to teachers who are experiencing difficult issues within the classroom. They address the issue and through writing, warn us that we may experience similar situations. But they never take a direct approach to actually fixing they problem. They address its existence, but fail to establish a resolution. Atwell did exactly the opposite. She recognized the problem within her workshop and immediately altered her classroom so the issue would be alleviated. I think that is an extremely good approach to teaching, and is something I hope to incorporate into my own teaching.
I really liked this article. It suggested a number of ways that I can construct a writing workshop that will appeal to students, accommodate them in the process of writing, and encourage them to produce an excellent final product. I think Atwell is an insightful writer, and she introduced me to a number of approaches to teaching composition that I was previously unaware of.
Corrie
Resource Link:
Click Here for a link that provides useful ideas on how to teach writing to middle school students.
