Finding and developing new ways and strategies into getting children interested and involved in writing.
DISCUSSION
It is difficult to get children interested in writing. When, the subject of writing is brought up by teachers, many children struggle with the fact of getting focused in writing. Many stress out and take a lot of time to start the first paragraph. There are many exciting ways to bring about alive the interests and talents of what children can do in writings. Teachers can find out of what interests children have and get them interested in other ways of writing, bringing about fantasies and the involvement of characters to live. There are many forms to get children involved in writing. Simple ways can be from reading an interesting book, forming questions, or letting them write about a story full of fantasy.
MATERIALS
1. Chato’s Kitchen by Gary Soto
Illustrated by Susan Guevara
2. Snapshots from the Wedding by Gary Soto
Illustrated by Stephanie Garcia
3. Take me out of the bathtub by Alan Katz
Illustrated by David Catrow
4. Mama Goose by Alma Flor Ada
Illustrated by Maribel Suarez
HOW TO TEACH IT
When we have a variety of stories to read to children, we as teachers are able to reach to children from different perspectives. Children are more able to develop and open up their minds to new ideas and incorporate a different way of thinking. The two books from Gary Soto have great illustrations, but are opposites of each other. Chato’s Kitchen is more of a fantasy world to and Snapshots from the Wedding is more a realistic kind of journal.
Take me out to the bathtub are sing along songs that show humor in a sarcastic kind of way and Mama Goose are rhymes which are like those of Mother Goose. This shows two opposite ways of writing rhymes and songs because one side shows humor and the other is opposite and more childlike. Letting children know that there are many ways of writing, shows them that anything is possible. Reading all four stories to them and then asking of them if they are interested in writing something for fun and developing their own story.
a. Ideas to let children know about are: Writing about a favorite day in their life or someone else’s, designing a fairy tale, writing a song in a tone that they might like, and making a poem book for a loved one.
b. Questions: How was your birthday? What is your favorite holiday? Do you know what animals think? Make up a story of them. What do you think animals think? Make believe of a book? Let’s design a book. If you chose to be an animal what would you choose? Let’s pretend we are in fantasy land.
Having children involved and letting them know that writings are different and unique depending on what the writer wants to write about and possibly how the writer is feeling lets them know that everything is acceptable!
From different resources in choice of books as the ones above brings more differences than similarities in writings.
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1 comment:
Dear Briseida: How many wonderful ideas in your blog! I'm delighted that you included Mama Goose the collection of Spanish traditional nursery rhymes which I compiled with Isabel Campoy in your list of books to show children diverse forms of writing. Thank you.
If you have not yet had an opportunity of reading Authors in the Classroom, also co-authored by me and Isabel Campoy, you may want to check it out in yur library. There are very simple but powerful writing structures there that will allow you, and your students to become authors while learning about yourselves.
All my best wishes, may you see all the seeds you plant in your students grow and bloom. Alma Flor Ada
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