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Craft Lessons pg 105-138

The final pages of this book cinsisted of questions and answers about craft lessons.  It is important for teachers to expect the students to come away with two or three strategies for writing for one school year.  It is important to encourage those students who are not yet motivated so that they too will want to become writers.  Craft lessons do not always have to be assigned.  this option should be left up to the teacher.

Beginning on page 111, several reading passages were given that were sited in the previous pages.  these will be helpful for any teacher to use as supplemental reading practice.

craft lessons pg 14-43

THe importance of teaching a student to extend his/her writing is highlighted in this section.  Students are encouraged to go beyond what they usually put down on paper.  Going beyond the basic "I like ..." and "Flowers are pretty." will help the student grow.

Some important points to remember are:

Good writing must have a Beginning, Middle, and End. Encouraging a child to really think about this will improve writing skills.  SOme children are very good oral story tellers and usually include BME to their stories.  however, writing stories on paper is a whole different form.  This is where many children have problems.

MAtching words to pictures, moving beyond "list" stories, talk bubbles(encourage dialogue), story webs, and using details are other points to remember.  Specific details help a child extend thier thoughts to give a more enriched story.  Teachers should also help by creating vivid pictures in the minds of students when telling stories.  Learn to tell a story orally first, then write it down.  This helps with u sing dialogue in the story.

Reading the pictures is a great way to understand a story.  Elaborate on the story through the use of details in the pictures.  Make sure the picures give enough detail so that the setting of the story is evident.

As teachers, we should make the writing experience seem less threatening and more manageable. THink of writing as talking on paper.

craft lessons

This book begins with the idea that young writers have to begin as readers.  Children need to be surrounded by books.  THis will help them to develop vocabulary and eventually become writers.   Young children need to especially be exposed to many types of literature, including stories, songs, and poetry.  The writing you get from students is only as good as the literature that surrounds them in the classroom.  Once a good piece of literature is found, it is expected to be visited over and over again.

SOme practical tips for a writing conference include:

Respond first as a reader.  Reading and responding first to a child's writing gives a teacher some sense of what the story is about.  It's okay to not fully understand what is written at first. This is the first step.

Be positive.  Offer help as needed, but also keep expectations high and grade appropriate.

Try to understand the writer's intention.   This involves listening closely so you will understand what the writer is trying to say.  THis helps the teacher gain a deeper understanding of the work.

Lower your ambitions.  Point out one or two things for each piece to teach or reteach.  Don't mark every little error and teach all at once.  This way, the student doesn't have to worry about so many mistakes.

Finally, young writers need to talk about books as much as possible.  Our role as teachers is to create classroom environments that encourage talk rich enough to spark a student's thoughts so that they can understand their own writing.  THe importance of reading should be stressed daily!

Fish sticks! pgs.77-122

The remainder of the story emphasized the idea of coaching.  Coaching each other to do your best at your job and to make your workplace the best it can be.  Sometimes we get defensive when given any kind of criticism, including constructive criticism.  Coaching means listening befire deciding whether to accept or reject the coaching of others. 

pg 80 - Coaching can't be an ego trip.  We al must do it for the good of the vision.  It's about working together, allowing feedback to flow from all directions.  COaching coworkers must be a team effort.  It should bwe done by those who are deeply committed to making the palce great--not just good.  as a new employee, you should ask for help when needed.   As a veteran, you should not just assume that the new people know how to do things.  help when needed.

Our character Rhonda is faced with a very challenging situation in the last part of the story.  Her daughter is killed by a drunk driver.  Her coworkers pulled together to do what had to be done.  Miss Scallpell took it upon herself to organize around-the-clock teams to help where needed.  THis act of kindness showed the other nurses that Miss Scallpell did have a heart and though she sometimes came across as harsh, she meant well.

Doning what needs to be done, working as a team, and keeping the vision is waht makes a place great to work in---not just good.

fish sticks pages 38-77

As this story moves on, Rhonda is still trying to get her department back on a positive track.  She has decided to take the time to talk to her co-workers and to ask very specific questions about their jobs.  by doing this, she has found out that each person must ask themselves very personal questions about what exactly their position is in making the workplace a brighter place to be in.  She found that by asking "What's my role in the vision?" and "What is at stake for me?" her views about her job changed a bit.  When she asked a few people these questions, they too began asking others.  THe co-workers found that having conversations is good for the workplace.   People needed to find IT. (personal piece of the vision)

Rhonda also found out how Ping was able to do such a great job and how to keep a positive attitude.  Ping found out for herself that by pushing aside all distractions while doing her job, she was able to do her job better.  her patients feelings and well-being were at stake and that was what is important.

When a new VP of nursing comes on board, she begins making changes on the floor.  This ruffles alot of feather, but the employees meet and decide that some things can change without it being such a big deal.

"Finding you IT is the starting point.  More of the actual staying power comes from the next step: living you IT."(pg 72.)

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