{"id":1867,"date":"2012-05-21T17:12:57","date_gmt":"2012-05-22T00:12:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/?p=1867"},"modified":"2012-05-21T17:38:38","modified_gmt":"2012-05-22T00:38:38","slug":"celebrating-writers-and-learners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/2012\/05\/celebrating-writers-and-learners\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating Writers and Learners"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/digisandbox.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/04\/writng_oncloud.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"writng_oncloud\" src=\"http:\/\/digisandbox.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/04\/writng_oncloud.jpg?w=150\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"110\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nOur final learning session of \u00a0<a title=\"\u201cNudging\u201d Writers in Google\u00a0Docs\" href=\"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/2012\/04\/30\/nudging-writers-in-google-docs\/\" target=\"_blank\">Writers Workshop<\/a>\u00a0using\u00a0<a title=\"Google\u00a0Docs\" href=\"http:\/\/digisandbox.wordpress.com\/expanding-toolkit\/google-docs\/\" target=\"_blank\">Google Docs<\/a>\u00a0turned out better than I could have ever imagined. \u00a0We have such a wonderful group of imaginative and fearless educators! \u00a0Here&#8217;s how the session unfolded.\u00a0We started with a video from\u00a0<strong><a title=\"TED\" href=\"http:\/\/ted.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Ted<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0that I discovered on\u00a0<a title=\"If I should have a daughter\" href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/rAvsLt\" target=\"_blank\">spoken word poetry by Sarah Kay<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><object width=\"526\" height=\"374\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http:\/\/download.macromedia.com\/pub\/shockwave\/cabs\/flash\/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" \/><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" \/><param name=\"wmode\" value=\"transparent\" \/><param name=\"bgColor\" value=\"#ffffff\" \/><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"vu=http:\/\/video.ted.com\/talk\/stream\/2011\/Blank\/SarahKay_2011-320k.mp4&amp;su=http:\/\/images.ted.com\/images\/ted\/tedindex\/embed-posters\/SarahKay-2011.embed_thumbnail.jpg&amp;vw=512&amp;vh=288&amp;ap=0&amp;ti=1100&amp;lang=&amp;introDuration=15330&amp;adDuration=4000&amp;postAdDuration=830&amp;adKeys=talk=sarah_kay_if_i_should_have_a_daughter;year=2011;theme=master_storytellers;theme=spectacular_performance;theme=ted_under_30;theme=the_creative_spark;theme=words_about_words;event=TED2011;tag=entertainment;tag=performance;tag=poetry;tag=storytelling;&amp;preAdTag=tconf.ted\/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;\" \/><param name=\"src\" value=\"http:\/\/video.ted.com\/assets\/player\/swf\/EmbedPlayer.swf\" \/><param name=\"pluginspace\" value=\"http:\/\/www.macromedia.com\/go\/getflashplayer\" \/><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" \/><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" \/><embed width=\"526\" height=\"374\" type=\"application\/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http:\/\/video.ted.com\/assets\/player\/swf\/EmbedPlayer.swf\" allowFullScreen=\"true\" allowScriptAccess=\"always\" wmode=\"transparent\" bgColor=\"#ffffff\" flashvars=\"vu=http:\/\/video.ted.com\/talk\/stream\/2011\/Blank\/SarahKay_2011-320k.mp4&amp;su=http:\/\/images.ted.com\/images\/ted\/tedindex\/embed-posters\/SarahKay-2011.embed_thumbnail.jpg&amp;vw=512&amp;vh=288&amp;ap=0&amp;ti=1100&amp;lang=&amp;introDuration=15330&amp;adDuration=4000&amp;postAdDuration=830&amp;adKeys=talk=sarah_kay_if_i_should_have_a_daughter;year=2011;theme=master_storytellers;theme=spectacular_performance;theme=ted_under_30;theme=the_creative_spark;theme=words_about_words;event=TED2011;tag=entertainment;tag=performance;tag=poetry;tag=storytelling;&amp;preAdTag=tconf.ted\/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;\" pluginspace=\"http:\/\/www.macromedia.com\/go\/getflashplayer\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" \/><\/object><\/p>\n<p>This spoke to me about how important it is to\u00a0offer places for our students to share their voice and to know their story is a story that only they can tell. \u00a0I believe that writers workshop especially in a digital forum provides such a space for our community of learners.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Students voiced their views on using Google Docs for writing:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I write more when using google docs \u00a0&#8211; easier to organize my ideas &#8211; I don&#8217;t have to have it all perfect to start &#8211; I can fill in the blanks with bigger ideas<\/li>\n<li>I love how my writing is shared with people more than just teachers. It makes me want to do better and work harder.<\/li>\n<li>its easier to change and edit my words; i can use tools like Lexipedia to expand my vocabulary and use words i don&#8217;t usually use<\/li>\n<li>I write better &#8211; comments help in places where I really need help. The little chunks make me think I can get better. Its not such a mystery.<\/li>\n<li>Lots of my friends and parents can help me with my writing<\/li>\n<li>its in real time &#8211; i get help when i need it! And i like how my writing changes from beginning to end. Sometimes I just click the beginning and the end a million times just to see how ive improved.<\/li>\n<li>if I&#8217;m away, I don&#8217;t worry I just go onto googledocs and my whole class is there.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Teachers learning:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>cuts down the time it takes to comment on student work (portability in commenting via phones or anywhere, anytime) &#8211; huge difference instead of collecting so many papers and not getting to in timely manner<\/li>\n<li>increased ability to be specific in the writing (being more purposeful in examining our ideas). \u00a0Using Comments is like a conversation.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/files\/2012\/05\/online-writing-community.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-1869\" title=\"online-writing-community\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/files\/2012\/05\/online-writing-community-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/files\/2012\/05\/online-writing-community-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/files\/2012\/05\/online-writing-community.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>continuous learning (ease of the interface produces faster results) &#8211; students write often so they get more practice without knowing it<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;collapse time and space&#8221; (seeing students use Inspiration, Lexipedia, sharing comments at the same time) &#8211; student ease at \u00a0simultaneously\u00a0working with multiple software programs (they don&#8217;t get mixed up). \u00a0Ability to choose \u00a0on their own the type of tool they need to help them for a specific purpose.<\/li>\n<li>immediacy of comments to lift writing (in comparison to paper response journals &#8211; difficult to get back to in written conferences so conversations are disjointed)<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;We can&#8217;t go back to pen\/paper now though there is a place for it&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>powerful connection with reluctant writers (saw it unfold and it resonated) &#8211; they wrote more, they felt more successful and proud of what they could accomplish. Added benefit of other tools like spell-checker were used in real time and helped them to stick with increased risk-taking in writing.<\/li>\n<li>consider for next year &#8211; incorporate Webspiration Classroom in writing process so there is a seamless transition<\/li>\n<li>we can extend this at our schools by getting together with buddy classes to show them &#8211; its easy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Some Lesson ideas:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Generating ideas to making comments more specific &#8211; through visuals like building a fire (little sticks first, bigger branches to build a big roaring fire), asking good questions &#8211; what does that look like; 5Ws as a frame of reference.<\/li>\n<li>Using picture books to &#8220;Explode the Moment&#8221; &#8211; extend the writing by using book images as ideas generator for using similes.<\/li>\n<li>Do lots of talk, individual thinking talk, partner talk before writing to generate ideas and practice their writing.\u00a0<em>&#8220;Writing is like silent talking with a pencil.&#8221;<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Incorporate activities like detailed describing of images for partners to sketch and discuss what questions would have helped with accuracy of drawing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>Please consider adding any of your ideas to this list through the Comment Box. \u00a0How do you deepen writing with your students?<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our final learning session of \u00a0Writers Workshop\u00a0using\u00a0Google Docs\u00a0turned out better than I could have ever imagined. \u00a0We have such a wonderful group of imaginative and fearless educators! \u00a0Here&#8217;s how the session unfolded.\u00a0We started with a video from\u00a0Ted\u00a0that I discovered on\u00a0spoken word poetry by Sarah Kay. This spoke to me about how important it is to\u00a0offer&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4642,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6,111,17,20],"tags":[25,30,34,35,36,37,38,41,42,43,47,50,55,69,77,78],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1867"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4642"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1867"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1867\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1876,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1867\/revisions\/1876"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1867"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1867"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.sd41.bc.ca\/learningtech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1867"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}