Today I had the opportunity to teach writing to fourth graders for thirty minutes at Fort White Elementary School. I was a little off of my game, not knowing where to begin until I was given an essay that only scored a 1 out of 6, which was provided as a guide to teachers. This particular expository essay is what I call "dropping pencils".
The essay was about favorite kinds of weather and the student who wrote it (from somewhere in the state of Florida) had no elaboration. No. The child wrote: " I like winter because I can play in the snow. You can also go ice-skating." This was a wonderful, teachable moment.
Did the child write about playing in the snow? Did the child write about ice-skating?" "No! The class agreed."
And then I collected a couple of pencils from a couple of children and dropped them one-by-one on to the floor as I read the two sentences again that had no elaboration. "Kids, that's what I call 'Dropping Pencils!"
First, the child played in the snow and secondly the child goes ice-skating. But here is the BIG question: Did the child elaborate about either of those two things? NO!
And then I got to do my thing. "How do you play in the snow? What do you do?" Responses ranged from building snowmen to making snow angels, even snowball fights, and building snow forts. One of my favorite parts of the morning was when one student said, "Suddenly, a crow swooped down and took the Reeses Peanut Butter Cup eye and flew away." I love the imagination of this child! But, being a teachable moment, I was able to introduce the word plucked from his eye.
And then I was able to teach dialogue...just one or two words. "What did you say when the crow took the eye?" Unfortunately, the child said, "Aaaaaahhhh!" That was priceless! Another teachable moment. "Alright, kids. On the count of three everyone scream "Aaaaaaahhhh!" because that's the last time it should ever be used in your papers. Now what else could the child have said?" Hands went up. "You bad crow! Bring me back my Reeses Peanut Butter Cup!" or "Dang it!" I screamed.
During today's thirty minutes I taught anecdotes and specificity of vocabulary. Catapult and plucked just being a couple of juicy words.
I hope the children enjoyed my teaching as much as I enjoyed their participation. Thank you, Kathryn Terry for an absolutely lovely, respectful class; and I did so enjoy about dropping pencils!
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