I spent time on the plane to California reading Routman's chapter on student writing conferences. I wished I had read it a couple of weeks earlier as I now realize that I have been in a series of writing conferences with my son - we just did not have a name for it. He is a high school senior writing essays for his college applications. The whole application process feels very stressful and high stakes with the essays providing an opportunity to differentiate applicants. I am comfortable with content conferences, but I also got pulled into editing conferences too.
As a parent, I focused on the content of the essays. Was it interesting? (reviewers would be reading hundreds of essays). Did it sound like him? (it needs to be his voice). Did the topic he chose highlight an activity or accomplishment where he learned something? (this is not the time to be modest). Does it avoid cliche and hyperbole? (not another athlete that overcame an injury to return to triumph).
As a teacher, I think that this is where we can really help our students be successful writers with great ideas to share and communicate. I agree with Routman when she says to ignore editing concerns at first and focus on content. I think that a lot of my "parent talk" translates to "teacher talk." I suggested my son write another intro when I thought his did not provide enough of a hook. One excellent essay ended flat and I suggested he reconsider the close. In retrospect, I should have been using Routman's simple suggestion of having him reread his essay multiple times and especially each time he returned to the essays.
As a parent, the editing conferences were not comfortable for me. I do not remember all the finer points of grammar. Should it be "that or which" should it be past or past perfect (whatever that is). What sounds right to me may not be grammatically correct and that worries me with so much at stake. Luckily, my teenager seems pretty confident in all the editing. As a teacher, I am okay with punctuation and spelling, but my grammar will need to be dusted off a bit. I do like the idea of students doing most of the editing themselves or with their peers. I like Routman's tips about students becoming as independent as possible by having one on one conferences only when the students have done everything they can on their own and completed requirements.
In summary, this chapter was filled with great tips for having writing conferences with students. Routman's ideas about "frontloading" are among my favorite. She says that frontloading means "doing whatever you need to do before students write to ensure they understand the talk and expectations and are prepare to succeed. ...the payoff is huge: quality writing, right from the start, along with efficient conferences. The month of December will be filled with more college applications and essays. I am prepared to let my son know that before I read another essay that there are certain expectations that I have for him too.
I also really like the idea of the students helping each other to come up with a final product or close to final product. Not only would it be helpful for each of them but for each other. It might help them take more responsibilty for their work and avoid lazy or careless mistakes. As I was working with a student a few weeks back I asked her to read through what she had written and fix the spelling errors that she saw. At first she looked at me and said "isn't that your job or the teacher's job to do that?" I smiled and told her it was her job to learn how to spell and that there were words that were missed spelled that I knew she had already learned how to do correctly. I sat with her as she read through her work. She did not catch all the spelling errors but she was proud of herself for being able to fix her own errors that she knew were wrong. Sometimes she would stop and ask me to help her with a spelling she she knew it was wrong. I did not have to spell it out for her I just pushed her to sound it out on her own. By the time she had finished, her paper was marked up in red pencil but all the marks were her own and she was happy that she learned how to fix her own mistakes.
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say, rereading and sometimes outloud to others can be helpful to all writers to find their own errors.