R/W post #3

    Although I have not been in the position of running my own classroom yet I have many ideas of what I want to implement into my classroom. As I hope to work in a multiage 8:1:1 or a 2nd or 3rd grade 12:1:1 setting I find that implementing these craft lessons will be important to scaffold students in the writing process. One of the craft lessons that I absolutely know I will want is a word wall. In the room I am subbing in, the students add a new word to the wall each day, this makes it interactive but also helps them look for words to enhance their writing. Another craft lesson that I want to make sure is a part of the daily routines is interactive reading aloud. Specifically, choosing a book that will expose students to an author's craft and having them think deeply about the aspects of the story so that when they are given the time to write they can think back to some of the techniques they heard. Mentor texts in general are very important for developing writers. I took the time this week to look through my school's library and pick out texts that I think are good mentor texts. As I was searching I made sure to find a diverse collection. Reading mentor texts aloud and/or allowing students to explore mentor text expose them to what good writers do and improve their knowledge and skills when it becomes their turn. 

    During my student teaching experience I taught 3rd grade in a 12:1:1 special education setting. In this setting I was able to teach ELA instruction in a center set up. There was a writing, reading, and word work center in which the students worked everyday. I began to implement mini lessons and read aloud before center work. Routine is very important for these students but I saw the positive impact of implementing these activities into their ELA routine. Implementing reading aloud everyday is important for emerging writers because they are hearing authors' intentional word choice and structure and can use what they hear and see in their own writing. I also saw a positive impact from the mini lessons because it introduced and modeled to the students the skills they were working on throughout the unit. I believe it is super important to guide and scaffold your students which is why I also like to model activities before having students work on their own. In a 4th grade general education setting I found myself modeling often. We are working on how to read articles, annotate, and write detailed responses. I would purposefully pick an article that I would read and annotate in front of the whole class and show how I would specifically pick out details to incorporate into my writing. This strategy allows for students to see how to perform a skill then try it independently or in small groups. These craft lessons implemented into the daily routine is what will give students a safe space to grow as writers.