"How does flexibility in the learning environment foster authentic writing?"

[Shane Watson]

This last year has proven to be a unique teaching experience in an environment that can be strange and unfamiliar, but also challenging and exciting to someone new to elementary school.  I am currently team-teaching in a 5/6 combo at Carson Montessori School, but have recently found out that I will have a self-contained class for 5th grade next school year.  Our school has a population around 190 students, with the upper elementary class only consisting of 32 students divided between my teaching partner's and my classroom.  Since I currently team-teach, my primary subjects are social studies and language arts, which includes both reading and writing at multiple levels.  Carson Montessori is the only school affiliated with the Carson City School District that includes a sixth grade class in an elementary setting.

 

Currently, my essential question is, "how does flexibility in the learning environment foster authentic writing?"  There was a moment this year with my sixth grade writing class that sparked interest in this area when a student wanted to create a fictional short story inspired by a daily journal prompt.  The Montessori environment allowed the student to explore her creative writing abilities and produce a piece of authentic writing.  I look forward to researching and learning more about how I can use the flexibility of the Montessori environment, so that my students in the near future can create authentic pieces.

[Tracey Albee]

Shane,

 

This is a very interesting essential question. I am really interested in hearing what you have found. I feel authentic writing is so important in schools today. I am a high school English teacher and it can be quite difficult to get the students to really think about their writing and for it to be authentic. A lot of students just copy their answers or their essays from the Internet, previous siblings, or friends. I really want them to have authentic writings that they can be proud of.

 

I don't do daily journal prompts but I think if I maybe did weekly ones that made the students truly think about their writing and make it their own using different styles that the learning environment might foster authentic writing. I do find that when I give students choices on topics that they are interested in they seem to enjoy writing more. However, I don't just want their opinion on something. I want them to back up their opinions with facts or support that they find. I think by choosing different styles or genres of writing will help foster their originality and help them truly express themselves.

 

Again, I am excited to see what you find and what strategies will help in the classroom.

 

Tracey Albee

[Wendy Ritter]

Hello Shane,

   I do not know much about the Montessori environment and am interested to learn more about it.  It sounds like you have a lot of flexibility in the ways in which you teach reading and writing.   How does that flexibility look different in your classroom  than in a public school setting?  How wonderful to see a student excited about exploring writing as a writer instead of as a 6th grade student completing a writing assignment.     Other than the creative writing piece, I am also  interested in hearing about  other authentic writing ideas.   

   I have found that students generate much more writing  when they can write about what interests them.    The students are then able to take pride in their work, which can also make the editing and revising process more personal.   These are both areas in which I am interested in and would like to improve  within my  own writing groups.    

  I am looking forward to hearing about your research and learning some new ways in which to apply authentic writing in my writing groups. 

[Courtney Hurlbert]

Shane,

 

I really enjoyed talking with you on Friday and learning more about the Montessori environment. I think your situation is fascinating- all of us as teachers wish we could have a bit more flexibility with our students and their daily schedule. Often if feels like the decisions made about our student progress doesn't come from us when we are the ones who get to know these children best throughtout the year. However, I was so interested to hear your take on what happens when kids are given too much flexibility but still are responsible for the 5th grade writing test at the end of the year. I think your challenge and question is how to find the right balance for yourself, your administration and your students. It would also be great for you to develop a writing plan that you could use no matter where you teach in the years to come. I look forward to talking with you more at the retreat.

Courtney