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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
write the whole essay first, then add in the TSs at the end
I think this is an excellent idea for beginning writers. Most kids know what they want to say--that's not usually the problem (if they're even halfway interested in the topic, that is). As I used to try and get across to my son, it isn't enough that the student knows the material--he has to be able to tell others what he knows. Same with peoples' thoughts--others have to be able to understand what they're trying to say.
I think it could be really, really helpful to some kids if they were given the freedom to put their thoughts down however they think them, and then be made to go back and pick out what goes together and what doesn't, and organize them. They could then create topic sentences, or perhaps might find that they had one already but hadn't realized it.
As to creating a mission statement: I should think you'd get far more "points" for having one that "matches" the report!
And then there are mystery novels: I've never written one, but I should imagine that most authors figure out first how the mystery is going to be resolved, rather than build up and up to it and THEN try to think of a way out.
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
I always write my lesson plans after class...
formerly known as etaoin...
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757 |
LOL, eta ~ must remember to pass this tip onto my wife!
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
For the purposes of the evaluation my kids will go through in March, they really do need to learn how to set up their well-defined topics before plunging in and writing their paragraphs. The problem for the kids is learning the relationship between the paragraph body and the topic sentence that starts that body in what is called a 'loose paragraph' structure (i.e., topic sentence followed by supporting sentences). Too many students seem to think that by writing a narrative is ample. Too many seem to think that if they tell what happened first, second and last, they've told enough to answer any question.
Essentially, what a student writes about in the paragraph would be the topic part of the topic sentence. The word what takes on a lot of significance here--and it is simple to understand. However, if the students don't know what they're going to write about, they will (at this age) write about the washer and the dryer and the candlestick maker. If what the student is writing about is 'the problem with laundry appliances,' that clearly defined topic will keep him from writing about the candlestick maker. I use this as a broad example, but there is truth here. When students set out writing before they limit their thinking to a specific topic, their paragraphs end up meandering all over the place while they tell anecdotes and finally hit upon a point that they'd like to make. This kind of meandering and narrative freedom leads to very poorly written paragraphs.
Meandering does have its place. We do an open writing exercise each class. In fact, the open writing exercise begins the session in English 9. I usually play very slow music in the background, soften the lights, provide plenty of unlined paper, and the students write for 15 to 20 minutes about any topic they wish. Those who can't think of something to explore can use a topic I suggest on the board. For instance, we've exam week looming ahead of us next week, so the suggested topic today was: "Examination Study Strategies." But most of the kids like writing about other things they want to get off their minds before moving into the lesson. This unedited and very loose structure allows them to develop fluency and positive attitudes toward writing. I always tell them that I enjoy their free writing exercises very much because I get to know them.
The goal, however, is very different in working toward developing a formal essay. Although the free writing (meandering) exericise is a good way to open up thoughts, the writing would have to be reorganized into workable paragraphs with relatively stringent requirements in order to be turned into a formal essay. These essays take a lot of careful thinking--and it feels like painful work to some of my students.
To write a cohesive, well-structured paragraph with pertinent supporting arguments, examples and explanations takes at least as much mental effort as working out equations. The problem is, as I see it, is language is so much a part of what we do and how we think that many of the students I teach don't realize how very, very hard it is to turn casual language and casual thoughts into well-disciplined ones. Ah, me. But there's joy, too, when writing a formal argument out as well as you can--even if someone else might formulate equally impressive counter arguments. It's the careful mapping out of thoughts that's the exciting thing here.
I like Jackie's idea of writing the topic sentence after writing the supporting sentences in the paragraph as long as the student is very, very clear about what he is going to write about and what his point is in writing the paragraph. If he wants to show how a certain species of animal has very unusual feeding habits, he at least needs to jot down: unusual feeding habits of the anteater. Without some kind of cage to put the paragraph into--some kind of confinement of topic--suddenly all kinds of other animals might appear in that paragraph. But to write the supporting sentences and then to go back labor over a strong topic sentence might work with my kids. And I'll try your strategy, Jackie, with a slight modification. Thanks for the idea.
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