Sandra Muncy

September
     The Write On Project will take place for the 2002-2003 school year.  I am excited to
be able to participate in the implementing of this program.  I think the way the method
breaks down the writing  will be of tremendous value in helping my students write a
complete paragraph.  Most of my students are still having difficulty distinguishing a noun
from a verb.  I am just now seeing some good sentences.  Not one of my students knew
the meaning of the word “indent.”   I am anxious to get back into the classroom to give it
a try.

October

1. Describe your class’ experience with Four Square writing this past month?   We practiced the Four Square writing several times this month.  They did very well considering it was their first experiences.  Most caught on really well but some are still in the dark.  They love to give example sentences on the board.  Some cannot think “on their own” and still want to use words like fun…..

2. How often did your students attempt to write each week?  We write in our journal almost every day.  We have been doing the four square method about twice a week.

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 did attempt a Four Square + 1.  Most did very well.

4. Yesterday, I said let’s do writing.  A student said “Do you want us to do the regular Four Square or do you want it plus one?”  Pleased that they know the difference.

5. Have you experienced any problems through your participation in this project this past month?  The only problem is getting the Cable to hook up my computer to the TV.

6. What suggestions would you have for making this project more beneficial to you and your students?  I think the project is great and am happy that Mr. Vick asked me to be involved.  The students loved having Connie visit!  They don’t moan when I mention writing anymore.

November
  My class extremely enjoyed Connie’s visit and the experience of Easter Island.  They were greatly impressed as to what could be seen on our television off of the internet.  Our cable is finally installed on the television linking to the computer, so I look forward to using that much more.  The writing assignment was much the same for all the students.  They seem to come up with the same words.

 We tried to write at least three times each week.   They are incorporating the four square method to their paragraphs in their journals.  They are not doing the plus one on their own yet.

 We have done the plus one paragraphs together.  Most have not been successful on their own.  They want to repeat the words they have already used.  Their punctuation and spelling has not been wonderful but they finally understand the concept of indenting.

 Have you experienced any problems through your participation in this project this past month?   No!  Most students look forward to writing and sharing instead of moaning when it is time for writing.

 I do not know of anything that I would do any differently.  I am so glad to have Connie come to the classroom and teach a lesson.  The students love for her to come and are very interested in her presentations.  Maybe she could come more often!   I would like to find more PowerPoint presentations that were available and ready to show to the class.

January

1. Describe your class’ experience with Four Square writing this past month. We did some Four Square writing together on the board. When the students did a topic separately, I noticed they are still having trouble with the “feeling sentences”. They are having trouble bringing the paragraph to an end. They are getting better at indenting finally when they complete the sentences as a paragraph. When we go over their paragraphs, some do not want to make any corrections. They think it is perfect the way they originally wrote it.
 

2. Share your experiences with the “Christmas Surprise” activity.
We had a lot of fun writing the Christmas story together. We had done something like that before only, we didn’t fold the paper. We just passed it on but the next child could see what the other had written. Folding the paper was an interesting way to do a Writing activity. It added “suspense”. Some just tried to be silly, but
That’s their natural way of writing.
 

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? This month, we stuck with the regular Four Square.
 

4. Have you experienced any problems through your participation in this project this past month? No, I haven’t.
 

5. What suggestions would you have for making this project more beneficial to you and your students? We really enjoy Connie’s visits to the classroom. The student’s look forward to her coming. I wish that I had more time to have the students write everyday instead of two or three times a week. Most enjoy the writing activities and like to share what they have written.
 

February
1. Describe your class’ experience with Four Square writing this past month.  We have been doing more editing to our work this month.  The students seem to be understanding the concept of CUPS.  If I tell them to write on a subject, they automatically say “Do you want us to write using 4-Square?”

2. 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?  There were not many that were successful using the + 1.
A few understand but several go off on unrelated subjects.

3. Have you experienced any problems through your participation in this project this past month?  The snow days have put us behind.
 

4. What suggestions would you have for making this project more beneficial to you and your students?  Having Connie come intoThe classroom more often would be great!  More importantly,Having my computer fixed would be most helpful.
 
 

March
1. Describe your class’ experience with Four Square writing this past month.  We wrote several different times using the four square method.  The students are really catching on and do not even ask if they are supposed to use the 4 square now.

2. How often did your students attempt to write each week?  We try to write at least 2-3 times per week.  Sometimes it is hard to fit it in.

3. Did your students participate in a social studies cross curriculum writing activity?  If so, describe its successes/weaknesses.  We have not yet tried this activity.  I will use it tomorrow when I return to school.

4. Have you experienced any problems through your participation in this project this past month?  My computer was out for most of the month but is up and running again.  I just used the board to write prompts.

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.  Our class did several Four Square writing projects this month.  It is getting easier for most of the students.  I presented many of the subjects or power points from the County web site.  We wrote about the Energy topic, the Simple Machines,  the Civil War, the Rev. War, and the Iraq power point.  (among others).  This is an excellent way to introduce the class to the topic.  They took notes during the presentation, we read more extensively about the subject, and then they were able to write some very good paragraphs. 

2. Share your students’ experiences with the Civil War or Iraq writing activity.  I was most impressed with the Iraq presentation. I learned a lot myself from the presentation.  The students were very interested due to the beginning of the war. 

3. Have you experienced any problems through your participation in this project this past month?   No.

4. What suggestions would you have for making this project more beneficial to you and your students?  I think the project has been an excellent one and the only thing that I can think of would be for the teacher to have more computer training. (Me)

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?  I feel that this project greatly helped my students toward the goal of improving composition skills.  I think that I was much more confident when presenting presentations that were so carefully and skillfully prepared.  The content goes right along with what I was teaching and anything to do with the computer is much more interesting and attention-getting than just listening to a teacher. 

2.        How did your participation in this project positively affecting the writing skills of the students in your classroom?   I watched as my class progressed in their writing skills.  At the first of the year, the majority of my class could not write a complete sentence and did not know what to indent meant.  Now, most are writing satisfactory paragraphs and some are writing excellent paragraphs.  

3.        How did your participation in this project positively affect your instructional strategies?   Being able to present presentations that were so terrific and available at the touch of a button, and being able to display to all the class at once is a definite advantage.  I learned much useful technology material and gained much experience from actually making a presentation.  I never could have done this before.  I use the computer often now and the students are receptive to writing assignments.  They understand the method of 4-Square Writing and can make a better paragraph. 

4.        Describe any problems you encountered through your participation in this project?   The biggest problem that I encountered was when my computer crashed.  It didn’t take too long to get it fixed, though. 

5.        What could be done to improve the Write On project?  The project was wonderful and am thankful that I was able to participate.  The only way I know to improve the project is to have more computers.  We desperately need a computer lab at Jefferson Elementary School.