Im An Author Now! A study on learning how to write in
kindergarten by: Kelsey Wiska
Slide 2
The Five Ws 0 Who: Mrs. Spicers kindergarten classroom 0 Made
up of 20 individuals 0 What: Writers Workshop 0 Lucy Calkins
Writers Workshop Program 0 Students split into 3 writing groups: 0
Blue-High 0 Red- Medium 0 Yellow-Low 0 Where: Concord Elementary
School 0 When: Approximately 11:00-11:40 am 0 Mini-lesson: 10-15
minutes 0 Individual writing time: 15-20 minutes 0 After workshop
share: 5-10 minutes 0 Why: After observing how Writers Workshop is
implemented into the kindergarten classroom, I am curious as to how
it molds children into effective writers.
Slide 3
Research: Round 1 0 Statement 1: Students get up and move a lot
during writing time. 0 Question 1: What is going on during writing
time?
Slide 4
Research: Round 1 0 Research: Video Recording &
Observation. 0 Video record was taken during both the mini-lesson
and individual writing time. 0 Results: Students that are not
writing are either at the drinking fountain or walking around the
room.
Slide 5
Research: Round 2 0 Statement: After assessing the data from
round 1, the majority of students who are not writing are out of
their seats. 0 Question 2: How do students who are out of their
seat during writing time explain what theyre doing?
Slide 6
Research: Round 2 0 Research: Anecdotal Notes & Survey 0
After taking notes marking the childrens comments and conversations
during writing time, I heard many negative comments such as I hate
writing from various students. From this, I then posed a survey to
the class in which I asked, Do you like writing?, before starting
writers workshop. 0 Results:
Slide 7
Research: Round 3 0 Statement: From the survey results, a
majority of the students indicated a dislike for writing and an
overwhelming majority of students in the yellow group indicated a
dislike for writing. 0 Question 3: Why did the students who
answered no dislike writing?
Slide 8
Research: Round 3 0 Research: Individual conferencing 0 I chose
to work individually with each of the children who said they
disliked writing time. During our conference, we would work on
their individual writing piece together. After our conference, I
simply asked them if they liked writing. 0 Results: After being
asked do you like writing after each individual conference, all of
the children responded yes.
Slide 9
Research: Round 3 Continued Student X: September individual
writing piece. Student X: October conference writing piece.
Slide 10
Professional Literature: 0 And With A Light Touch 0 Avery,
Carol. -- And with a Light Touch: Learning about Reading, Writing,
and Teaching with First Graders. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1993.
Print. 0 Lucy Calkins Writers Workshop 0 Calkins, Lucy. "Small
Moments: Personal Narrative Writing." Units of Study for Primary
Writing: A Yearlong Curriculum. Portsmouth, NH: FirstHand, 2003. N.
pag. Print. 0 http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=18
6708 http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=18 6708 0
"In-Class Writing Instruction with Lucy Calkins [5,810 Views]."
TeacherTube. Heinemann Publishing, 2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. 0
Strategies That Work 0 Harvey, Stephanie, and Anne Goudvis.
"Chapter 3: Effective Comprehension Instruction." Strategies That
Work: Teaching Comprehension to Enhance Understanding. York, Me.:
Stenhouse, 2000. N. pag. Print.
Slide 11
Conclusions: 0 I realize kids who have negative attitudes about
writing often avoid writing or view writing as difficult. 0 I find
that a teacher can foster a positive view of writing from children
who view it negatively by writing with them in individual
conferences. 0 I think when teachers find various ways to check in
with young writers, as well as their peers, when they place them in
groups they figure out their behaviors and learn more about the
kids processes of learning.
Slide 12
A Very Special Thank You To: 0 Mrs. Spicer 0 Dr. Kyle Shanton 0
The Albion College Education Department 0 Concord Elementary
School
