Reflective Writing—Tapping into our deepest thoughts

1. Reflective Writing—Tapping into our deepest thoughts Patricia Slone Hackworth Knott County Central High School Mountain Writing Project Summer 08

2. MtWP Summer 08 • Provide background information concerning my teaching practices thus far with the idea of reflective writing. • Explain purpose of demonstration and what I plan on accomplishing. • Have MWP fellows quick write concerning the idea of reflective writing—3-4 minutes. Quick discussion of the quick writes “What is reflective writing?” • How has the reflective writing changed over the years? • Introduce my “Literacy Autobiography” assignment. • Discussion of problems I have had with reflective writing? • My reflective writing sample and some samples from my students • Group discussion of reflective writing. Discussion should be focused on how reflective writing can be used in all classrooms—K-12. • Handout of reflective writing assignments for different grade levels.

3. Teaching Background I have been teaching English/Language Arts for eleven years. I have taught English I, English II and English IV. For the past two years I have been attempting an AP Eng IV Lit. class. Teaching AP Lit is definitely different from other types of classes—the level of competition is massive. Peer pressure is helpful when getting the best from the students.

4. What is Reflective Writing? What is Reflective Writing? Please take a few minutes to quick write about reflective writing……what does it mean to reflect, how do we use reflection in our classrooms, do you use reflection in your daily life, etc….

5. According to KDE POS—Students will analyze and communicate reflectively about literacy goals. CC 4.1—In Reflective Writing, students will be able to • Evaluate personal progress toward meeting goals in literacy skills • Develop the connection between literacy skills (reading and writing) and understanding content knowledge • Describe their own literacy skills, strategies, processes or areas of growth • Analyze own decisions about literacy goals • Evaluate own strengths and areas for growth • Supports claims about self

6. Reflection: An Overview Webster’s Dictionary defines reflection as “serious thought” or “contemplation.” Reflection requires serious and careful thinking of past events. For the CATS Portfolio, you must CONNECT the idea of your writing with your LITERACY GROWTH.

7. Reflection—The Nitty Gritty Tricks of the trade--- • The reflection is the 1st writing in your portfolio. It “sets the mood” for the reader. • The reflection is the “window into your soul.” This writing will help us (the audience) to understand your growth. • This writing no longer must be “Letter to the Reviewer” type of writing……

8. Then & Now How has reflective writing changed over the years?

9. Literacy Autobiography See handout of Literacy Autobiography for my APes.

10. Student Samples I think that my love for reading is actually what made my love writing. The first time I ever remember writing is in the third grade. We were told to write a poem about something special to us. I bet you can guess what I wrote about—basketball. I can barely remember the poem but I can tell you this---it seriously wasn’t that great. All I can remember was the teacher talking about “figurative language”, “make me see what you see”, “paint me a picture.” At the time, none of that made any sense to me and I wasn’t the best writer then…however, this did begin to help me catch onto the finer nuances of the craft. --MM

11. Student Samples Still today, I do not have any issues with having multiple audiences of my pieces. In fact one day I would love to write a book. I imagine myself sitting down to place the pieces together, gathering my data on the topic, and tweaking the plot to make audiences entranced with every word. In fact when Mrs. H assigns a novel in AP Eng, I begin constructing ways to change the characters, make the dialogue and plot events more realistic (according to me.) Believe me, my mind was going a mile a minute when we read Cold Sassy Tree. Burns brings reality to the lines in her novel. Reality is something everyone can relate to when reading. --NT

12. Student Samples Over the years, my literacy journey has been an adventure. I have traveled the world and learned more than just what happens in my hometown. From the experiences in the books I have read, I have not only learned about life, but about the different writing styles and the many different ways there is to express oneself. As I continue past high school, I will still journey through the writing craft and hopefully grow to be a stronger writer each time. The windin’ road of readin’ and writin’ may seem like a roller coaster but seriously, once you start traversing it—it’s cool. The idea you have a say in anything—just by putting words on a page…wow…that’s amazing. --WH

13. Student Samples “My Dad and I--1½ readers” “From Numbering the Stars to Harry Potter” “The Windin’ Road to Readin’ and Writin’ “Born to be literate” “From a primary tablet to a senior portfolio” “Sitting on the Reading Carpet” “Reading before Writing”

14. Reflective Writing--Applications How will you use it in your classroom?