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Date: Sun, 21 Aug 2005 15:53:11 -0400
From: [log in to unmask]
References: <[log in to unmask]>
In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: ammunition for teachers
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Instruction that emphasizes the form and correctness of writing over meaning is "like having to learn table manners before getting a chance to eat."
Knoblauch, C. H. and Lil Brannon.  Rhetorical Traditionas and the Teaching of Writing.  Upper Montclair, NJ.: Boynton/Cook, l984.


"When students hand in writing, I don't want their foremost concern to be whether punctuation and spelling are correct, or whether they have properly followed a form they've been taught.  Instead, I want them eager to learn how well their words worked.  I want what they have to say to be of primary importance to them and to those who are following and nurturing their growth as writers."
Romano, Tom.  Clearing the Way: working with teenage writers.  Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, Inc., 1987.

"The bulk of the writing done in school should be done with no formal attention paid to errors of grammar, style, spelling, or usage---not that teachers should never attend to teaching students the standard conventions of writing.  They should, but only in the final stage of completing a piece."
Romano, Tom.  Clearing the Way: working with teenage writers.  Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, Inc., 1987.

"Spelling, usage, grammar, punctuation----editing skills----are part of a piece of writing, along with organization, diction, clarity, voice, style, and quality of information.  Expert editing cannot make insipid writing vibrant,  nor does less-than-perfect editing negate powerful thought and language."
Romano, Tom.  Clearing the Way: working with teenage writers.  Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, Inc., 1987.

"Young writers learn best from teachers who write, just as children learning to swim learn best from teachers who actually get into the water with them.  Empathy makes a sensitive teacher."
Romano, Tom.  Clearing the Way: working with teenage writers.  Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational
Books, Inc., 1987.

"For most people, nothing helps their writing so much as learning to ignore grammar as they write."
Elbow, Peter.  Writing with Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process.  Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1981.

Note:
The readings in most of my favorite books emphasize encouraging writers as they do the prewriting and drafting of their pieces.  In order to develop their voices, students need to do lots of writing.  Hopefully, they will lose control and move into a flow of writing that they (with the help of peers) refine before they publish a piece of writing (ideally of their own choosing from many drafts they've written and saved).

Freeda Richardson




From: Janis Cramer <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sat, 20 Aug 2005 05:16:19 -0700
Subject: Fwd: ammunition for teachers


OK--

Look at the e-mail below.  I need all of you to
forward me research quotes from your presentations!

Note: forwarded message attached.

Attached Message
From:[log in to unmask]
To:[log in to unmask]
Subject:ammunition
Date:Wed, 17 Aug 2005 18:02:21 -0500

After the faculty meeting today, I realize I'm going to need all the ammunition I can get to counter the idea that test worksheets and more worksheets are what's needed to turn things around. Didn't you say you had research I could sight in this battle? I'm going to cruise the net, but it would be great if you could pass along anything you have in this vein. Thanks, Cindy

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<HTML><BODY><DIV style='font-family: "Verdana"; font-size: 10pt;'><DIV>Instruction that&nbsp;emphasizes the form and correctness of writing over meaning is "like having to learn table manners before getting a chance to eat."&nbsp; </DIV>
<DIV>Knoblauch, C. H. and Lil Brannon.&nbsp; <U>Rhetorical Traditionas and the Teaching of Writing</U>.&nbsp; Upper Montclair,&nbsp;NJ.: Boynton/Cook, l984.&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>"When students hand in writing, I don't want their foremost concern to be whether punctuation and spelling are correct, or whether they have properly followed a form they've been taught.&nbsp; Instead, I want them eager to learn how well their words worked.&nbsp; I want what they have to say to be of primary importance to them and to those who are following and nurturing their growth as writers."</DIV>
<DIV>Romano, Tom.&nbsp; <U>Clearing the Way: working with teenage writers</U>.&nbsp; Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, Inc., 1987.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>"The bulk of the writing done in school should be done with no formal attention paid to errors of grammar, style, spelling, or usage---not that teachers should never attend to teaching students the standard conventions of writing.&nbsp; They should, but only in the final stage of completing a piece."</DIV>
<DIV>Romano, Tom.&nbsp; <U>Clearing the Way: working with teenage writers</U>.&nbsp; Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, Inc., 1987.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>"Spelling, usage, grammar, punctuation----editing skills----are part of a piece of writing, along with organization, diction, clarity, voice, style, and quality of information.&nbsp; Expert editing cannot make insipid writing vibrant,&nbsp; nor does less-than-perfect editing negate powerful thought and language."</DIV>
<DIV>Romano, Tom.&nbsp; <U>Clearing the Way: working with teenage writers</U>.&nbsp; Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, Inc., 1987.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>"Young writers learn best from teachers who write, just as children learning to swim learn best from teachers who actually get into the water with them.&nbsp; Empathy makes a sensitive teacher."</DIV>
<DIV>Romano, Tom.&nbsp; Clearing the Way: working with teenage writers.&nbsp; Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational</DIV>
<DIV>Books, Inc., 1987.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>"For most people, nothing helps their writing so much as learning to ignore grammar as they write."</DIV>
<DIV>Elbow, Peter.&nbsp; <U>Writing with Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process</U>.&nbsp; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1981.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Note:</DIV>
<DIV>The readings in most of my favorite books emphasize encouraging writers as they do the prewriting and drafting of their pieces.&nbsp; In order to develop their voices, students need to do <EM>lots</EM> of writing.&nbsp; Hopefully, they will lose control and move into a <EM>flow of writing</EM> that they&nbsp;(with the help of peers) refine before they publish a piece of writing (ideally of their own choosing from many drafts they've written and saved).</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Freeda Richardson</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>From: Janis Cramer &lt;[log in to unmask]&gt;<BR>To: [log in to unmask]<BR>Sent: Sat, 20 Aug 2005 05:16:19 -0700<BR>Subject: Fwd: ammunition for teachers<BR><BR></DIV>
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<DIV class=AOLPlainTextBody id=AOLMsgPart_1_0842007f-c20c-43db-b01b-f0ce17786daa><PRE><TT>OK--

Look at the e-mail below.  I need all of you to
forward me research quotes from your presentations!

Note: forwarded message attached.
</TT></PRE></DIV><!-- end of AOLMsgPart_1_0842007f-c20c-43db-b01b-f0ce17786daa -->
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<TR vAlign=top>
<TD class=FieldLabel noWrap>From:</TD>
<TD class=FieldValue>[log in to unmask]</TD></TR>
<TR vAlign=top>
<TD class=FieldLabel>To:</TD>
<TD class=FieldValue>[log in to unmask]</TD></TR>
<TR vAlign=top>
<TD class=FieldLabel>Subject:</TD>
<TD class=FieldValue>ammunition</TD></TR>
<TR vAlign=top>
<TD class=FieldLabel>Date:</TD>
<TD class=FieldValue>Wed, 17 Aug 2005 18:02:21 -0500</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV>
<DIV id=AOLMsgPart_3_0842007f-c20c-43db-b01b-f0ce17786daa>After the faculty meeting today, I realize I'm going to need all the ammunition I can get to counter the idea that test worksheets and more worksheets are what's needed to turn things around. Didn't you say you had research I could sight in this battle? I'm going to cruise the net, but it would be great if you could pass along anything you have in this vein. Thanks, Cindy </DIV><!-- end of AOLMsgPart_3_0842007f-c20c-43db-b01b-f0ce17786daa --></DIV><!-- end of AOLMsgPart_2_0842007f-c20c-43db-b01b-f0ce17786daa --></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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