JayChesser

     The last set of pages dealt with endings and titles for students' work.  Many students leave the reader hanging at the very end.  Most students have a stronger middle part to their writing.  But the beginning and ending of their stories do not measure up to the quality of the middle. 

     The authors provide several examples to end a story.  Students should experiment with endings.  As a teacher cited in the book states, "we must leave one room first before we can enter another".  One of the suggestions calls for a  circular ending.  Here a story circles back to the way it began.  It loops around.  Emotional endings are another option.  Students have emotional experiences both good and bad in their lives.   They can tap into this resource when they are writing.  Of course a negative aspect to this type of writing is that not all students are going to feel comfortable sharing their experiences.  This type of ending may take some time to perfect.  Surprise endings are also a good way to end a writing.  Surprise ending tend to be harder, but are usually enjoyed by the reader.   The ending of a story is the last thing that echoes in the ear of a reader.  The ending needs to be as strong as the middle of the writing.    Endings are a vital part of student writing.

     Equally important according to the authors are the titles that our students put at the top of their writing.  A title invites the reader into the story and sets the tone for what will follow. Titles are like a doorway into the world of the writer.   Students should be encouraged to revisit the title when the writing is complete.  By asking if this is a good doorway, writers may find a title that is more inviting to the story.  Some students tell the story in the title itself.  Students simply tell too much.  If we can encourage our writers to tell less in the title, then what happens in the story will be more of a surprise for the reader.  

     I really enjoyed this book.  I plan on referring back to it over the next couple of weeks and for years to come.  The craft lessons bring it down to a student's level of thinking while giving teachers a hint as to what to say to our students.

     By late third grade, several aspects in writing should become apparent.  Students should begin to seek peer approval of their writing.  This approval may come in the form of suggestions for making the writing better to general comments about the writing.  Students should be able to develop a sense of genre.  Students should be using tools like dictionaries, thesauruses, and word checks to help in the task of writing.  Higher level writers should be able to rewrite without the attitude or the crossing out of words or phrases. 

     As teachers, we need to verbalize our pleasure when we see our students entering into these phases.  When students demonstrate the mastering of a specific element in writing, we need to give it a name so that students can make the connection.  We need to continue encouraging our writers!

     Lessons demonstrated in this section include focusing on a topic, giving weight to significant information, developing characters, writing strong leads, and more appropriate endings to stories.  I find that I could use many of the craft lessons with my students.

     The authors of this book see the writing process like this:  Conceive - Craft - Correct.  As teachers, we provide students with all the support early on in their writing.  We provide them with the topic, graphic organizers, and  other writing strategies.  Then we sit back and wait for the finished product.  The authors want teachers to get involved in the middle element which is craft.  Students are left on their own during this phase of writing.  Now the authors of this book are providing us with help in this crucial area.

     Before we can begin, we have to set the table for the craft lessons.  Number one is that we have to allow time for our students to write.  I find that I do not have a set time for writing.  I try to squeeze it in a little bit here and a little bit there.  I need to ensure that I plan time for writing.  Number two is making time for response.  When we read a student's writing, we are to respond first as a reader.  We need to go with our feelings when we read thier work.  Laugh when we read something funny or express confusion if we are puzzled about what has been written.  We must be positive about the student's writing.  We need to seek the writers intention.  This involves listening to the student.  We should lower our ambitions.  Instead of trying to teach many strategies, we should focus on one until that strategy is mastered.  Then we need to choose the next one.  Number three is responsibility.  Students need to have ownership over what they write.  Students need choice in what to write.  Number four is the addition of literature in the writing process.  Literature helps inspire student's writing.  In fact, rereading the same piece of literature is also helpful.  As you reread the text, point out new things that might have gotten overlooked in the first reading.  Plus teachers can point out a different aspect of writing that is featured in the book.  This allows students to see that literature has many dimensions.  The talk that surrounds the literature is also helpful in the writing process, sometimes clearing up misunderstandings within the text.

     After reading this first section in the book, I plan to allow more planned time for writing.  I will also attempt to narrow my strategies within thier writing to one or two.  This is very hard for me.  I expect my kids to write really well.  I put alot of pressure on them.  I think that part of this is why my kids hate to write.  I have taken the joy out of writing.  Plus, they do not give writing their best shot.  My kids tend to be done within five minutes, so they can go on to something else of their choosing.  My kids need to get serious about writing, and I need to slack off on the pressure I place on their writing.