http://writingwithtechnology.edublogs.org/2009/02/09/reflection-for-feb-9th/ Another excellent Edublogs.org weblog Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:53:40 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 http://writingwithtechnology.edublogs.org/2009/02/09/reflection-for-feb-9th/comment-page-1/#comment-70 Jane Frick Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:40:14 +0000 http://writingwithtechnology.edublogs.org/?p=65#comment-70 Jester's article reminds me that young writers are encouragted to draw their stories first. Beginning writers may only have a few scribbles, then a word or two to accompany their pictures. Slowly, over a period of years, the pictures become less important, and then, they disappear. Perhaps, given the new focus we have on digital coompositions, we should not be in such a hurry to eliminate the pcitures from young writers' compositions--or we should retrain ourselves to reinsert them into our own writing. We are adding images to much of the writing that we do in this class, for example. However, I don't think this is Jester's point. She uses visual images--primarily works of western art--to assist her students to empower themselves s readers and creators of written text. I'm a bit shaky myself when it comes to evaluting the graphics in texts. I'd like to know how Jester assesses her eight-page Holocaust picture book assignment. Does the art teacher assist her in determining the value of her students' drawings? Do we need training on how to best assess the visual pieces our students create? I can understand how writing in the content area teachers must feel when we language arts teachers encourage them to assign writing to students that 'count' toward a grade in their classes. Jester’s article reminds me that young writers are encouragted to draw their stories first. Beginning writers may only have a few scribbles, then a word or two to accompany their pictures. Slowly, over a period of years, the pictures become less important, and then, they disappear. Perhaps, given the new focus we have on digital coompositions, we should not be in such a hurry to eliminate the pcitures from young writers’ compositions–or we should retrain ourselves to reinsert them into our own writing. We are adding images to much of the writing that we do in this class, for example. However, I don’t think this is Jester’s point. She uses visual images–primarily works of western art–to assist her students to empower themselves s readers and creators of written text. I’m a bit shaky myself when it comes to evaluting the graphics in texts. I’d like to know how Jester assesses her eight-page Holocaust picture book assignment. Does the art teacher assist her in determining the value of her students’ drawings? Do we need training on how to best assess the visual pieces our students create? I can understand how writing in the content area teachers must feel when we language arts teachers encourage them to assign writing to students that ‘count’ toward a grade in their classes.

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