Hello!

Welcome to my professional blog! If you haven’t had a chance, check out my “About Me” page to learn a little bit about Kaitlin Woodworth (me). In this initial post, I want to talk about my experience with writing, prior to beginning the graduate course that I am currently in called Teaching the Language Arts as well as my reactions to writing after the first few weeks.

Growing up I was never really into writing. All I remember were my teachers only focusing on the grammar and spelling instead of my ideas so I started to lose interest in writing. It became a chore whenever I had to write a paper for class and I would put it off until the very last minute and just put words down. And all those prompts…don’t even get me started on the: “write about a time where you had to show bravery in a controversial situation” or “come up with a solution for this problem”. When I came to college at Appalachian State University I really only ever had the experience of writing research papers which I honestly felt indifferent towards. So when I learned of Teaching the Language Arts, a graduate course focused on teaching writing, to say I was not thrilled is an understatement. However, I have already gained confidence and strategies within the first two weeks that I would never have had experience with before! Lynne R. Dorfman and Rose Cappelli’s textbook Mentor Texts: Teaching Writing Through Children’s Literature, K-6 (Second Edition) provides detailed strategies and support for teachers. My favorites include:

1. Finding topics from a Memory Chain
2. Every picture tells a story
3. Developing a “What If” story
4. Inverted Triangles
5. Neighborhood Maps
6. Heart Maps

As I began writing in my writer’s notebook for the semester, I realized how many creative ideas I have in my head! Even from a topic as simple as “100 goals” I surprised myself with ideas that I want to accomplish. Now as I go through my day, I have to write notes on my phone and on sticky notes for ideas that I want to follow up with in my notebook. It is amazing how a new perspective on writing has changed my entire attitude towards it. One of my teaching philosophies is to not only be a lifelong learner, but to connect with students in a variety of roles and even allowing them to assume the role of a teacher. I think validation is key when working with children in writing because it is important not to stifle their creativity and imagination.

After reading the first few chapters in Mentor Texts and Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s book Textbook; not exactly a memoir I feel as though I have been introduced into a whole new world of writing and literature in general. As I continue to read and learn through the semester I am excited to build a better understanding of the writing process as a learner myself but also as a teacher. Dorfman and Cappelli enjoy this idea of a “gradual release of responsibility” (pg. 17) which is a concept that I was introduced to last semester when dealing with teaching mini-lessons to my classmates. This strategy will come in handy in my future classroom as I will use it in all aspects of my teaching. The strategy goes like this:

• Step 1: Teacher Model (usually using a think aloud method and sharing their personal process)
• Step 2: Guided/Shared practice (students have the opportunity to practice and then come together and discuss)
• Step 3: Independent practice (students have the opportunity to practice on their own)

As my final semester of graduate school continues I am ready to build my own treasure box of strategies for my own writing as well as teaching writing to students and connecting it to reading literature through Mentor Texts. Some of the goals that I set for myself in my writer’s notebook under my list of “100 goals” include:

• always push myself to grow in my writing
• don’t lose hope if I get stuck
• look back on ideas from previous entries
• use my peers and professors for support
• and encourage myself and others to reach our aspirations