Meaningful Personal Narratives

The Value of Purpose

Discussion about characteristics and qualities of good personal narratives

You write! Write a small moment story from a time in your life.

Off you go writers!

What is a Personal Narrative?

3rd grade classroomStudents instructed in writing using the writer’s

workshop format (specifically Lucy Calkins’ Units of Study for Teaching Writing and Ralph Fletcher and JoAnn Portalupi’s Teaching the Qualities of Writing)

Prior instruction in genres of personal narratives, realistic fiction, and essays.

Writing in the content areas: Battle Creek Science Journals, some extended response-type writing in Social Studies and Math; and written response to reading in reader’s workshop

Background

20 students in 3rd grade are assessed three times per year based on their writing of a personal narrative

September-baseline/determine instructional needsJanuary-improvement/determine instructional needsMay-improvement/effectiveness of instructional

methodsNoticed a dramatic improvement in writing and

engagement when studying essay genre and writing essays

Purpose driven group of students

Context

Finished essay writing first week of May

Concern over whether or not there would be engagement when returning to personal narrative genre for assessment

Efficacy of essays- students found writing essays to be purposeful and meaningful-a means to an end

Context continued…

How would creating a sense of purpose for writing a personal narrative affect the quality of the student’s work?

How would creating an authentic purpose for writing affect the engagement of students during a writing assessment?

Would students find value in writing personal narratives?How can I help create a sense of purpose for the work we

do in writing (besides enjoyment!)?How can I get away from the contrived, ill conceived

“purposes” for writing?

My Questions…

Discuss characteristics of quality personal narratives:

Use MEAP rubric:http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Narrative_Rubric_332527_7.pdf

Anchor charts created together during unit of study

Checklists as neededReview beginning and middle of the year

personal narratives- What do you notice?

Round One!

Teacher

• What has he/she done a good job of teaching this year?

• What does he/she need to work on?

Student

• Teach your 4th grade teacher something about yourself and what kind of person you are

• PROVE yourself as a writer

School

• Informs teachers, parents, and other staff if how we are teaching writing is effective

Purposes

From given or generated list, identify (by highlighting) qualities/character traits that they think they possess

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson175/traits.pdfhttp://www.sanchezclass.com/docs/character-traits.pdfDiscuss with a peer by having the peer ask WHY they

chose that trait-how can they PROVE it?Choose 3 traits that they feel describes them bestCome up with small moment stories that PROVE this

quality-make a list/extend the listChoose ONE moment to write about, angling your

story to PROVE YOUR THINKING!

Round Two continued…

“Our students need to see that our purpose for writing is genuine, that we write with readers in mind even if the readers are ourselves.” (Routman, pg.

42, Writing Essentials)

PersuadeInformEntertain

TO THINK!

TO EMOTE/EXPRESS!

Perspectives on writing genres…

Flow map or some other form for planning (thumbprint sketch, timeline, etc)

In a normal workshop format small group or individual conferences would planning is finished

Students draft

Round Three

Kids need familiarity with form and structure, but they need

good ideas and authentic reasons to write first.

-Regie Routman in Writing Essentials

Generally a peer conference OR teacher conference

Review of Writer’s ExpectationsRevise-see with new eyesEdit Recopy as needed

Round Four

When we allow our students to make decisions about how they

will deliver and present information, we provide them with a sense of ownership, so

vitally important to the notion of commitment to the process and

product of writing (nonfiction)”…

Nonfiction Mentor Texts by Lynne Dorfman and Rose Cappelli

Points to Ponder…

Increased engagement during writer’s workshopConnection to other genres of writing: essays

(proving their point)Counseling connections: casting their label offVocabulary discussion: curious and remorseful

examplesSelf esteem booster/affective connectionIncreased scores: as a class, scores on final

personal narratives (as determined by scoring by third grade staff utilizing MEAP rubric); specifically in the areas of content/ideas and style and voice

Findings…

What is on your heart, as a teacher of students (not writing!), in terms of creating a sense of purpose in writing?

Is it feasible, with the collaboration of your colleagues AND your students, to create a sense of purpose for most of the writing done within the walls of your classroom? Can it be authentic and not contrived?

How can you effectively communicate purpose to your students?

Reflection

Calkins, Lucy (2007) Units of Study for Teaching Writing Grades 3-5. Firsthand

Dorfman, Lynne and Cappelli, Rose (2009) Nonfiction Mentor Texts. Stenhouse Publishers

Fletcher, Ralph and Portalupi, Joann (2004) Teaching the Qualities of Writing. Firsthand

Routman, Regie (2004) Writing Essentials: Raising Expectations and Results While Simplifying Teaching. Heinemann

References