Collaborative Writing Groups
Yesterday students received their fiction story draft #1 with feedback. There was a mixture of levels of writing that I saw in that first draft...but most importantly, I felt that the stories lacked a level of engagement that students love to read in their own chosen independent reading novels.
The stories in one word were "dry."
I thought I could hit this in multiple ways...a minilesson, one on one conferencing...but then I thought of bringing in their voices.
Voice can be not only speaking up by sharing responses. Contributing ideas...
What better way to bring in collaborative writing groups!
So I introduced this by acknowledging that it is difficult to share our writing some times, but it allows us to hear various perspectives in response to our writing and give us ideas of how to respond that might not have been on our mind. I allowed students to select their groups of three for this first collaborative writing session.
Each writer shared for 7 minutes as much of their story as possible while the other 2 group members listened and jotted down feedback. At the end of 7 minutes, each listener shared feedback and the writer wrote down the feedback they received. They then switched roles.
My observations-
LW, PM, & DE:
These three (an unlikely group) were having a ball, asking for clarification at different parts, suggesting to "rethink" the beginning of one writer's stories...
MM, JE, & ID:
MM & ID were adamant about pushing JE to provide more descriptive evidence that her story was taking place in the 1980s.
ID: "If you tell the reader it's in the 80s, then it should either also show that it's the 80s or you may not need that piece of detail..."
[Ah! Such a great point! Would it have been received in the same way if I had just told her?]
KC, IH, & ACJ:
IH hadn't finished his full draft and as he listened to his peers he pulled me to the side and said, "Ms. Wang, I think I'm going to change my story around...I have a better story idea..."
Me: "Really? Why? I really like the start of your story..the concept. Maybe you could share what you have with your group and hear from them..."
IH: "That sounds like a good plan."
On his Exit Slip, he noted that he was going to stick with his original story idea because his group members had encouraged him and given him more ideas to develop his story further...
Overall, for the first time I was definitely excited. I was fearful that students would be engaged in side conversations and not on task. But everyone was readily willing to share their writing and then hear from one another.
Thoughts for next time:
- Do I choose group for them or let them stay in groups that they choose?
- Do we narrow our focus for the listeners?
- How should I have the writers process their sharing experience other than sharing and hearing feedback? (Do I need something more intentional)?
The stories in one word were "dry."
I thought I could hit this in multiple ways...a minilesson, one on one conferencing...but then I thought of bringing in their voices.
Voice can be not only speaking up by sharing responses. Contributing ideas...
What better way to bring in collaborative writing groups!
So I introduced this by acknowledging that it is difficult to share our writing some times, but it allows us to hear various perspectives in response to our writing and give us ideas of how to respond that might not have been on our mind. I allowed students to select their groups of three for this first collaborative writing session.
Each writer shared for 7 minutes as much of their story as possible while the other 2 group members listened and jotted down feedback. At the end of 7 minutes, each listener shared feedback and the writer wrote down the feedback they received. They then switched roles.
My observations-
LW, PM, & DE:
These three (an unlikely group) were having a ball, asking for clarification at different parts, suggesting to "rethink" the beginning of one writer's stories...
MM, JE, & ID:
MM & ID were adamant about pushing JE to provide more descriptive evidence that her story was taking place in the 1980s.
ID: "If you tell the reader it's in the 80s, then it should either also show that it's the 80s or you may not need that piece of detail..."
[Ah! Such a great point! Would it have been received in the same way if I had just told her?]
KC, IH, & ACJ:
IH hadn't finished his full draft and as he listened to his peers he pulled me to the side and said, "Ms. Wang, I think I'm going to change my story around...I have a better story idea..."
Me: "Really? Why? I really like the start of your story..the concept. Maybe you could share what you have with your group and hear from them..."
IH: "That sounds like a good plan."
On his Exit Slip, he noted that he was going to stick with his original story idea because his group members had encouraged him and given him more ideas to develop his story further...
Overall, for the first time I was definitely excited. I was fearful that students would be engaged in side conversations and not on task. But everyone was readily willing to share their writing and then hear from one another.
Thoughts for next time:
- Do I choose group for them or let them stay in groups that they choose?
- Do we narrow our focus for the listeners?
- How should I have the writers process their sharing experience other than sharing and hearing feedback? (Do I need something more intentional)?
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