Connection to Self/ World

After reading the book, "Marvelous Minilessons for Teaching Beginning Writing K-3" by Lori Jamison Rog, I was eager to share the information I have learned with my classmates. I was especially excited to share my thoughts on the different writing levels. 
During my second practicum, I was in a grade 2 classroom. The students were starting to learn about paragraph writing. I found it extremely challenging to teach young children about paragraph writing as it was not content base, but more of something the students needed to continually practice. After the first week I was stuck on how to get the students moving forward and adding more descriptive words to their paragraphs. If I have read this book prior to my practicum, I know that I would have spent less time having anxiety attacks as there were many different lessons that I could have implemented to help my grade 2 students. In addition, I now know more about the different stages of  writing which can help me as a future teacher and during my next practicum.

Many of the teaching strategies that was in this book, I have learned at my Masters of Teaching program at University of Toronto. Our program believes in encouraging the children to become active participants of their learning, providing students with options, and creating a positive learning environment where each child's needs are being met. This book created a solid foundation for a positive, and effective writing workshop program. In addition, the lesson plans reflected on the different learning styles as well as the different writing stages. 

I believe empowering children by guiding them and allowing them to take part of their learning is the most important gift we can give to our students.
In addition, In my literacy class I learned the importance of getting students to enjoy writing. They also need to be writing everyday as it is an important aspect of a literacy program. This book provided many different lesson plans that can be implemented with the students on the daily basis and each chapter focused on a different aspect of a writing program.