During this class, we were asked to read and analyze different genres that we explored while reading Tompkins and Hicks texts. While thinking about all the genres that we have been introduced to and have developed a deeper understanding, I have to say that I had more background knowledge on four genres before coming into this writing class. These genres include descriptive, poetry, non-fiction and narrative.
I gained knowledge in understanding what each genre consisted of and the different forms for each through my childhood school experiences and student teaching placements. However, while listening to my classmates genre expert presentations each week, I had the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of which genres I am going to be teaching to my own students someday. Also, I had the great opportunity to learn about a variety of activities or strategies I could use in my classroom when I become a teacher. Reflecting back on my childhood experiences, I remember my teacher implementing us the multiple genres and then incorporating a fun engaging activity that we completed in class to help us sustain interest in the different genres we were learning about.
While thinking about all the genres that I have been taught, I believe that the non-fiction, descriptive genre, narrative and the poetry are the genres I feel better prepared to teach in my classroom. I have done a great amount of time researching different articles that would beneficial to use while introducing the descriptive writing genre to my students. Also, I learned some interactive activities that I could implement in my classroom. For example, building sentences, or making clusters that (Tompkin 2019) offers. These strategies will assist my students to become active learners, and be able to be creative in their own work. I think making clusters and building sentences is a great way to have students describe different characters, or objects while using the five senses (sight, feel, touch, taste, and smell). Furthermore, I have found some great mentor texts for both primary and intermediate that I could share with my students during a read aloud or during writing instruction in the classroom.
Lastly, word choice is HUGE for descriptive reading. It is important that students stay away from tired words like "said" and try replacing it with more sophisticated vocabulary (stated, or explained). I understand how to teach vocabulary to my students in a bunch of different ways and as well as finding ways to help them choose the correct nouns, verbs as well as adjectives to make their writing more appealing for the audience.
Another genre I feel that I am better prepared to teach would be the non-fiction genre. I have a pretty good understanding of the different text features included and where they are usually located in an informational text. Furthermore, I understand how to read non-fiction texts by following the five strategies that my friend Stephanie included in her genre presentation. She offered some great strategies that I could try with my students in the classroom. For instance, taking a image from a book, and seeing if the students can point out the different text features that are important to recognize when being introduced to an informational text.
The next genre that I believe I am prepared for would be the poetry genre. Poetry has always been my favorite genre because I have the great opportunity to use figurative language and be creative in many different ways. I understand the multiple components that are included when it comes to poetry. It is interesting to see how many different poems within the genre that students can attempt in the classroom depending on their interests. For example, descriptive genre and poetry are very similar to one another because they both include the five senses as well as the figurative language.
The last genre I feel comfortable teaching would be the narrative genre. Reflecting back on my childhood experiences, I feel like my teachers covered most of the elements that should be included in a narrative text. For example, the character's physical traits and personality traits that most students are familiar with. In my own classroom, I would introduce my students to a narrative text, and then we would review the main character's personality traits (feelings, emotions, attitudes), and physical traits (her appearance) in the story in order for my students to gain more knowledge.
While reviewing all the digital media that we have learned in this class through our on-line moodle discussions, I am confident that I developed a deeper understanding of the video and audio texts that our peers provided us with great examples. The types of digital media that I think have a place in my reading/writing workshop would be the audio and video texts because we had the chance to closely focus on the variety of elements included in the different videos, such as sound effects, transitions, backgrounds, music, as well as the narrators voice that (Hicks 2013) explains. I believe that audio texts are great to listen to in the classroom when students are free-writing. I believe it would not distract the students because there are usually no images presented in an audio text. I have been introduced to different audio texts that I had the chance to listen to for one of my peers online digital presentation. I really enjoyed listening to a couple where many students were expressing their own opinions and thoughts on what they were learning.
In my future classroom, I might use audio texts or podcasts during morning meeting or for an end of the day discussion. For instance, my students would listen to the podcast or audio text that aligns with what we are learning that day, and then I would ask them what they thought and if they had questions about it. This would assist my students to become active listeners and motivated in class. Also while they are listening, I might even have them write in their notebook what they learned about the podcast or audio text, therefore there is a purpose.
Another type of digital media that would benefit in my classroom would include the digital presentation that I was asked to find and then present for this class. For this assignment, I had the opportunity to search for a digital presentation that I would use in my own classroom. I found a third grade presentation by a female teacher who was introducing the students to a science lesson. The students focused on classifying different animals (vertebrates, and invertebrates) depending on how they act, where they live, and what they look like. In this presentation, I was able to closely examine the different elements of authors craft that the teacher used to keep the presentation entertaining for the students. For instance, the teacher provided different visuals in order to show the different animals. Also, the author used different transitions and different color (fonts) to attract the reader.
However I know if I become a third grade teacher, I will eventually have to teach this lesson to my students someday. Therefore, it was really neat that I was able to look at a great example to help me plan my own instruction for the different lessons that I will create. Lastly, I am excited to teach this science lesson to my students and incorporate fun interactive activities to go along with it to help my students develop a better understanding of what they are learning.
Tompkins, G. E. (2019). Teaching writing: Balancing process and product (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
Hicks, T. (2013). Crafting digital writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
You've named some very important features of composition that third grade teachers must know and be able to help their students understand. I hope you continue to add examples of these mentor texts to your classroom library so you can easily draw on them when modeling certain aspects of author's craft.
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