Teaching Writing using Activities and Teacher Written Essays by Roselle Gordon

 As part of this course, we looked at how to utilise our own exemplary writing pieces as teachers to teach writing in the classroom. We first had to create our own essays or pieces that would be suitable for use in the upper level classrooms. Here is an example of this can be done for your Grades four to six students. The essay's main genre was a descriptive one that idealised the characteristics of a good teacher.

First, indicate the Purpose of written piece

• ·       To demonstrate what a written descriptive piece should look like.
• ·        Would entail various parts to include an introduction, paragraphs with elaboration and       elaboration of points and a conclusion
• ·         Identification and use of describing words

 Be sure to mention your Intended Audience

• ·         Grade 5

Next share your Activity/Activities step by step (role play)

• ·         Teacher will model a scenario of what displays negative attributes/qualities of a teacher
• ·         Teacher will then use questioning to get the students to outline what they observed the teacher doing
• ·         Teacher will place thoughts on board onto a graphic organizer
• ·       Teacher will then ask students to say what they think the teacher should have done instead, here students will share that that would represent the good qualities of a good teacher by writing them on the board after writing and discussing in their small groups. Each student will have to write their own idea using a group flipchart.
• ·        Students will then read essay written by teacher about the good qualities of a teacher
• ·        As essay is being read, students will highlight qualities identified from the essay where they are found, which would show the beginning of each paragraph
• ·       Students will be given three sentence starters to write individual sentences to describe their favourite teacher, to start each paragraph as a differentiation strategy. Other students will write sentences on their own

 Also note the Rationale of activity and piece:

• ·         Way of engaging students
• ·         Appeals to senses needed for descriptive writing
• ·         Because of questioning involved, it encouraged them to think, wonder and get creative with regard to describing something or someone

It was quite enlightening to see and hear my fellow colleagues draft their pieces and to share their activities and how they can be used. this is definitely a strategy I intend to use as it not only boosts my own writing skills as an author in my classroom but also encourages teacher modelling which I think it pertinent in teaching writing to our students who fear this aspect of Language Arts the most.