“How does explicit author’s craft analysis impact change in students’ sentence fluency?”

[Gia Maraccini]

6^th graders in a middle school setting is a growing trend in the Washoe County School District and I feel very fortunate to be part of the that movement.  I am an English and Social Studies teacher at Depoali Middle School.  My team has 70 amazing students, who each see me every day for a 90 minute English/Social Studies block.  I also teach an Information/Communications/Technology (ICT) class called Music Mania, with students from both my team and other 6^th grade teams, where we listen and analyze lots of different music and computer applications while exploring the poets within us. 

The 6^th grade curriculum offers a lot of exciting teaching opportunities and I delight in watching my students grow into more independent learners that will go on to be very successful in the middle school setting.  My classroom offers a variety of learning opportunities and I am always pushing to have students set their own bar, set it high, and “WOW” themselves and me every chance they get.  We do lots of open ended researching, that is student driven, and I am continually looking for new ways to have the students own their learning. 

I have always considered myself a better reading teacher.  Writing instruction has scared me.  I feel like I know how to take a piece of text and help students evaluate all the different aspects of the written word.  Over the last few years, I have started to explore how author’s craft, when analyzed in depth, could start to create better writers.  Little by little, with lots of help from my students, I have discovered how powerful an author’s craft study can be for writers.  At this point, my essential question is “How does explicit author’s craft analysis impact change in students’ sentence fluency?”  The growth I have seen in my students, as writers, has amazed me.  I am excited to share what I have learned and am hoping all of you have a “WOW” that you have discovered about teaching author’s craft to add to my presentation.

[Kelly Rubero]

Gia,

I am excited to see the ways that you have explored author's craft and also the mentor texts that you have used in your classroom. Although you said that you consider yourself a better teacher of reading than writing, it sounds like you will have some great things to offer us in your presentation and that maybe you are a better teacher of writing than you give yourself credit!

I love when you said that you are always looking for ways to have your students "own their leaning"!

[Laurel Topken]

Gia,

I have often said to write better a person needs to read a lot.  I think this ties in with what you are doing.  By reading and analyzing your students are looking at the craft that makes good writing and what appeals to each individual.  Your students are able to develop voice along with better structure.  I think this is a great idea for a presentation.  If I come up with a wow moment I'll pass it along.

 

The set up of your class is interesting, I would love to hear more about it.

 

Laurel