Kim Kitts

September
Today we looked at the four square method of writing.  This method, to me, is user friendly and easy to follow.  I have been worried about being responsible for the writing assessment this year.  However, the four square method of writing is a program that I can do in my classroom.  I think students will respond well to the program and will become much better organizers of their thoughts, which will help them become better writers.

 Also, I am beginning to see that I can combine my science/social studies, reading, and writing programs to a certain degree.  I can actually teach a science/social studies unit and then assign a writing assignment.  The writing assignment will be done following the four square method.  I want to motivate students to write, not have them tell me how much they dread writing.  I pledge to have my students write everyday following the four square program.

October

1. Describe your class’ experience with Four Square writing this past month.
 Four Square writing in my classroom has challenged me greatly thus far.  I was very excited about introducing Four Square writing, but quickly ran into problems or situations I didn’t expect.  I expected the students who struggle with learning to have a hard time with writing.  However, I did not expect the “middle and top” students to struggle.  One of the biggest problems I am having is with the WHY sentences.  They are repeating the topic sentence, or not able to write a why sentence.  I need some suggestions for helpingthem come up with better why sentences without writing why sentences for them.  Other problems I am having are:  run-on sentences, fragment sentences, and spelling (students have no clue which words they need to correct because they honestly don’t realize it is spelled incorrectly).  Most of the students do not recognize run-on sentences or fragment sentences in their own writing or in a peer’s writing.

2. How often did your students attempt to write each week?
 About three times a week.  I want to have them write everday, but I am struggling with including everything on a daily basis.
 

3. Did your students attempt a Four Square + 1 paragraph (topic sentence, three detail sentences, one additional sentence for each detail).  If so, what success did they have with it?  If not, why?   We only attempted one writing assignment with details because the students are continuing to struggle with complete sentences.  The detail sentences confused the students and caused them to simply repeat the information they wrote in the why sentences.

4. Have you experienced any problems through your participation in this project this past month?  Yes.  I discussed some of these problems in the response I gave to the first question.  Also, I have noticed that students are off-task while I am working with individual students.  More students are off-task than on-task during the times I am conferencing with one student.  They seem to only want to write one simple sentence in each square.  They do this quickly and then are sitting idly until I can conference with them.  I have suggested that they ask a peer to check over their writing, but they don’t listen to suggestions from each other.  They don’t want to change what they have written unless I am the one that offers the suggestions.

5. What suggestions would you have for making this project more beneficial to you and your students?  I have really struggled with this writing project.  I am really excited about teaching children to write, but I didn’t expect any of these things to happen with most of the students.  I want to motivate the students and help them see the difference between their rough drafts and the final drafts.  I feel like I am telling them what to write to improve their writing, rather than teaching them to know what needs to be improved and how to improve it.

I am feeling inadequate at this point.  Hopefully, after today, I will be able to talk about what I am struggling with and get some ideas and suggestions from other teachers.

I don’t know what to suggest to make this project more beneficial to my class.  I just think my class is going to have to practice more and more until they become writers.  I need to learn how to help them correct their writing rather than having them rely on me to tell them how to fix it.

November
 

The Easter Island writing assignment went quite well as a class.  Most of the students were able to write a first draft about Easter Island without any problems.  However, it is quite challenging to encourage the students to improve and expand their first drafts without telling them exactly what to write.  The students do not want to change anything they have written.  I haven’t quite decided if it’s because they are somewhat lazy or if it’s because they truly think their first drafts are perfect.

The students have been writing for 30 – 45 minutes at a time three to four times a week.

Some students are writing using Four Square + 1, but not all students.  The better writers don’t seem to “miss a beat” with adding detail, but the students who struggle withwriting are not ready to add details.  I have noticed that the students who struggle with writing the most are students who have not had a great deal of life experiences.  These students are the ones who come to school and go home.  They don’t have opportunities to go to the malls, movie theatres, trips, etc…

However, I am concerned about requiring the students to add more than one or two details within each block.  Often, students are telling me that they really can’t think of anything else to say about the topic.  Again, I wonder if it’s due to the lack of experiences away from home.  The majority of the students have not been out of Jefferson City of Knoxville.  The only places/experiences they are familiar with are grocery stores, Walmarts, and home.

 Have you experienced any problems through your participation in this project this past month?  Finding enough time within the school day to teach six subjects is extremely difficult.  Most of the other fifth grade classrooms in our county are not self-contained.  I wonder how this effects the students achievements in the subject areas.

My students are out of the classroom for special areas about six hours a week.  Essentially, this is an entire school day.

What suggestions would you have for making this project more beneficial to you and your students?  I don’t have any suggestions at this time.  I hope that letting the students read the other students writing will be very helpful.  Hopefully, my students will want to write to their very best ability and be proud enough of their writing.  I’m using the fact that the students’ writing will be placed on our county website as a motivator.

January
  1. Describe your class’ experience with Four Square writing this past month.

We have been writing daily. The students are doing well and look forward to my feedback using the rubric. I told the students their writing would be recorded as an English grade. This really motivated some of them to try a little harder.

The students seem to enjoy writing and have really been working hard. For the most part, their creativity really comes out in their writing.

2. Share your experiences with the “Christmas Surprise” activity.

The Christmas Surprise activity was really great. The students enjoyed passing the papers and adding to them. They also enjoyed the competition among their classmates. I noticed the students who struggle really had a hard time because they only had a few minutes to write a sentence and they are in the habit of sitting at their desk without producing anything because they “can’t think of what to write.” When they realized all the other students could come up with something quickly, they wanted to do the same!

3. Did your students attempt a Four Square + 1 paragraph (topic sentence, three detail sentences, one additional sentence for each detail). If so, what success did they have with it? If not, why?

Yes! I have some strong writers in my class. I have been letting them write without worrying so much about grammar until after they have their essay written. This has really allowed them to be creative and to not be afraid to be creative. After they have written on lined paper, we look
 

4. Have you experienced any problems through your participation in this project this past month?

The only problem I am having deals with how much the students are writing on the four block paper. The student are trying to use the four squares to write their entire essays. I’ve been working with them to just write one really strong topic sentence plus four other sentences and then add phrases for details. However, they are writing complete essays and running out of room. I don’t think this is a big problem, it’s just something that happened that I wasn’t expecting.

The second concern I have is the lack of time in the classroom. I can’t get everything done. I’ve been assigning math and writing as homework since we came back from Christmas break. I don’t feel comfortable with this because, more often than not, parents tell students the answers, do the work for the students, allow them to use calculators for their math, etc… I like to be sure they are turning in their own work, not what their parents have told them.

The third concern I have concerns topic sentences. The students are putting titles in the middle box on the four block paper rather than a whole complete topic sentence.

5. What suggestions would you have for making this project more beneficial to you and your students?

I just wish there was more uninterrupted time in the classroom. When I get the class settled and writing, it’s time for somebody in the room to go to speech, spec. ed., Bridges, etc… This totally interrupts the entire classroom and we have to settle down again.

I am also struggling with time to read all of the students papers daily. There is not enough time. I would love to have helpful suggestions concerning grading 24 papers everyday.
 

February
1. Describe your class’ experience with Four Square writing this past month.
The experience has been great.  The students have really improved their writing skills and feel good about it.

2. Share your experiences with the writing assessment practice.

My students were very excited and open-minded to Mrs. Campbell coming to our classroom.  They enjoyed having someone other than me for once!  The students, I think, realized that I am not the only one expecting them to be successful writers.  They were able to see that Mrs. Campbell also expected them to write to their very best ability.  They really enjoy the technology Mrs. Campbell always uses within her lessons.

3. What suggestions would you offer for 5th grade teachers next year to prepare for writing assessment?

I think fifth grade teachers had it so much easier this year because these students were taught how to write a paper in fourth grade.  This is an amazing accomplishment in fourth grade because at the beginning of the year, the majority of fourth graders are really challenged when asked to write one sentence!

However, I feel better prepared for next year due to the fact that I have participated in this project.  I strongly suggest that fifth grade teachers incorporate writing into their daily schedule.  I would like to incorporate writing during the first thirty minutes of every day.  I think if students know from the beginning that they are expected to write, then it won’t be such a problem. Also, students need to be taught about the writing rubric from the beginning of the year.  My students this year have depended on me to show them what needs to be corrected.  Next year, I want my students to be able to be more independent with improving their papers.

Have you experienced any problems through your participation in this project this past month?

I had a hard time convincing some of the stronger writers in my class to use the four square method.  They kept telling me they didn’t have to do the four square method last year, so why now.  They insisited they scored fours and fives without the four square method, so why do they need to do this now.

Also, I was frustrated about the students not being able to use a blank sheet of paper for the actual t-cap writing assessment.  Thankfully, they were able to use the back of their prompt sheet.

I also feel like I need more time to teach writing especially more time to publish what the students write.  I required the students to write every day for about two months before the writing assessment, but it’s extremely difficult to find the time to publish more than one or two of their writing samples.

4. What suggestions would you have for making this project more beneficial to you and your students?

I think the project has been extremely beneficial.  The students have progressed in their writing tremendously.  They want to write and express their thoughts and ideas.

I feel like I don’t have enough time to sit down with individual students and discuss their writing progress with them as much as I need and want to.
 

March
1. Describe your class’ experience with Four Square writing this past month.  My class has continued to do quite well with Four Square writing.

2. How often did your students attempt to write each week?

My class wrote about three times per week and worked on improving what they had written during the other days of the week.  The students, however, thought we wouldn’t be writing anymore after the writing assessment test.

3. Did your students participate in a social studies cross curriculum writing activity?  If so, describe its successes/weaknesses.

Yes, we did participate in a s/s writing activity that followed up with Connie’s wonderful power point presentation.  We wrote a class-wide paper on the Civil War.  This was a great writing and s/s review for my class!
 
4. Have you experienced any problems through your participation in this project this past month?
No, I have not experienced any major problems this month.  Again, time is always the issue.  Writing takes a looooong time, and there’s not enough time within the daily schedule to get everything done.

5. What suggestions would you have for making this project more beneficial to you and your students?

April
 

1.    Describe your class’ experience with Four Square writing this past month.  My class did not write as much this month because of terra nova preparation.  However, I have noticed the majority of students are still experiencing a great amount of difficulty with topic sentences.  They just do not seem to understand what makes an acceptable topic sentence.  Many students, for example, when asked to write about a simple machine, started their paragraphs with things like:   

          My machine is a lever.

          A pulley is the best.

          I like wheels and axles.

          My paragraph is about simple machines like inclined plane.

          There are many kinds of simple machines but I can only “right” about one.

          Ramps are a big help.

          The simple machine I am writing about is a inclined plane.

 I am having difficulty helping students develop better sentences without simply telling them exactly what to write. 

2.    Share your students’ experiences with the Civil War or Iraq writing activity.  My students really enjoyed the Civil War powerpoint presentation.  We had already studied about the Civil War, but the presentation was a great review and the students enjoyed participating in the presentation because they had already studied about the Civil War.  I can’t express how great the presentation was and how much it effected the students understanding of Civil War. 

3.    How have you utilized the resources from the Write On site in your classroom?  I have used the Write On site 2-3 times each week.  We have used all of the power point presentations that focus on the science and social studies skills.     

4.    Have you experienced any problems through your participation in this project this past month?  The only problem I have experienced personally is the lack of time this past month due to the Terra Nova preparation.  I have really enjoyed this project and have grown a great deal as a professional.  The students have told me that I am the first teacher they have had who uses the classroom computer and the big screen TV on a regular basis.  They look forward to participating in lessons involving technology.    

5.    What suggestions would you have for making this project more beneficial to you and your students?

May
 

The Tennessee Master Plan Goals the project addressed was:

State of the art technology will be used to improve curriculum. Tennessee Report Card Performance Indicators Competency (Composition Skills)

1.      How do you feel this project moved toward the goal of improving student composition skills? Fifth grade student composition skills were pretty good at the beginning of the year due to how hard the fourth grade teachers worked on teaching writing last year.  However, I think this project made writing more interesting and challenging to students this year.  They really pay attention and want to do well when technology is integrated into the curriculum.  Students also seemed to produce better organized papers because of the four block organizational requirements. 

2.        How did your participation in this project positively affecting the writing skills of the students in your classroom?  Students started looking forward to writing because they knew we would be using the large screen TV and the websites and/or power point presentations.  Also, I learned a great deal from Mrs. Campbell and the other teachers. 

3.        How did your participation in this project positively affect your instructional strategies? One of the hardest things about teaching writing is dealing with students who do not have any background experiences from which to write about. For example, when asked to write about a family vacation, I always have students who have never had this opportunity.  Students who don’t have any life experiences are the ones who struggle the most.  My instructional strategies improved because I was able to use powerpoint presentations, websites, etc… to spark student interest.  I was able to require students to write on a daily basis because of this project.  Using the prompts and presentations from the website allowed students to be challenged to write about a wider variety of subjects.  Through this project, I was able to use virtual field trips, for example, as a basis for a writing assignment.  

4.        Describe any problems you encountered through your participation in this project? I have learned so much through this project. The biggest problem is the lack of instructional time within the classroom.  I am one of the few fifth grade teachers in this county who has a self-contained classroom.  It is impossible to teach six subjects a day because of things like art, physical education classes, music, speech, special education classes, etc…I desperately feel like I need more uninterrupted quality teaching time without having students exiting and entering the room every time I turn around. 

5.        What could be done to improve the Write On project?   I think it’s been great!  I think other teachers would love to participate in this project.