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Chapter 6 Discussion (10/14) Notetaker: Kaelyn

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Chapter 6 Discussion (10/14) Notetaker: Kaelyn

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Questions:

When is Robert going to implement grammar and spelling strategies? Did he think about it, will he ever?

We are curious about whether Robert included specific grammar instruction or if he completely stayed away from that and used his more organic approach. We are curious if the strategies we learned in this class like the word wall, list group and label, 10 interesting words, and all the others are effective for teaching vocabulary, grammar, and spelling. Are they too focused on decontextualized skills? We think it depends on the way you use them, for example, doing the word wall instead of having a word wall and using the vocabulary in everyday conversations and making personal connections with the words.

How many schools use Robert's approach? If they did, what were the effects (positive or negative)? Is it a common approach?

We are curious is Robert's approach is used widely in schools after this book was published and if it has had an impact on what is being taught in schools and how it is being taught. We think it should have had an impact because the stories are so moving and his strategies are so easy to implement. It would not be difficult for teachers to start using more personal connections with their students, having them write dialogue journals, and publishing their writing. These methods are not complicated so why aren't we seeing them more?

How did his strategies work differently with other students?

Did these strategies work well with non ESL students? We think it is likely they would work well with all students. The only difference between ESL students and white, privileged students is their cultural upbringing, the privileged are not more intelligent or more capable. These students grow up with a print-rich, "read the word" environment from the moment they are born and it makes it easier to learn in the current system. However, we think all students would benefit from learning to read and write in context and with meaning, the same way that Robert taught his students.

Why do biased, racists standardized tests still run the education system? What can teachers do to mitigate their negative effect?

As future teachers, we are nervous about the negative effects these tests will have on our students, particularly the students of color and ESL students who did not grow up in print-rich environments. We want to know how we can stop the cycle of lack of support for the underprivileged students. These students come into schools already behind and the teaching is catered to the other, privileged students once they actually reach the classroom. Grade-level bias persists from standardized tests as they grow up. We want to know how to keep these students engaged and know that the strategies Robert uses will be helpful, but is there more we can do?

Summary of Chapter:
This chapter was about the impact of Robert's teaching style on the students, their families, and on their test scores. The chapter starts by revealing that students must feel that they are able to write and have a safe community classroom where they are able to do so. A big theme of this chapter was empowerment and how Robert used his strategies and classroom to empower his students. He did this through choice and giving them options and control over their own learning, reading, and writing. Empowerment is self validation and the students began to gain confidence as learners when they did it more and were not constantly corrected. The typical school model is biased and can be racist in ways because it does not empower students or take into consideration their cultural diversity and unique learning experience. ESL students often "read the world", use context to make meaning, while privileged students are often taught to "read the word", use strategies and decode words out of context. The differences in their learning styles can put minority, ESL students at a disadvantage in the typical classroom. As in Robert's classroom, in order for minority students to be successful they must be able to make connections with their personal experiences. Another bias that exists is grade level bias that uses unfair testing methods to label minority students as unintelligent. Their lack of exposure to written word puts them at a disadvantage when taking written, timed tests designed for English speakers. Their low test scores can make them feel incapable of reading and writing and take away their confidence. Robert's method uses learning-driven reading and writing activities to help them grow in confidence and connect reading and writing to their lives instead of just meaningless tasks to complete. Robert uses the creating, drafting, editing, and publishing method to help students make meaning and understand the reason for writing. When they are required to publish and share their work they have a reason to spell correctly and use proper grammar, they want to be understood! This method is all about meaning. Robert also includes the parents and gets them involved in their children's learning. The children take book home to read to their parents and their stories to show their parents what they've been working on. Their parents are able to see what they have accomplished and how much they have grown throughout the year. The parents become partners in the learning. The tests also revealed the students progress because each student improved on their test scores significantly. Their final works showed how far they have come. In their final works they shared their life stories and what their lives have been like so far, they shared what they hope to be in the future, and they shared with Robert what he has meant to them and how he has encouraged and empowered them. He helped them change their perceptions of themselves.

Main Takeaways:

"As they discovered the value of talking, reading, and writing together in an atmosphere of support and encouragement, the children gained greater control over their learning," (p. 136). This is great to read about in the book because Mr. Robert made a difference in his students' lives. He was able to get all of them to be able to read above the grade level they first were able to read at the beginning of the school year. He obviously supported his students while they were writing their stories. He didn't care if their spelling was wrong. He cared about their learning to read and write as they went along with their lessons.

"Although most of the children were still below grade level, all had succeeded in improving their ability to read and write," (p. 124). This is awesome because Robert gave attention to his students in a way that changed their way of learning to read and write. It's awesome how he was able to get some of his students to jump grade levels within a years worth of school time. As teachers it is important to consider and incorporate, as Robert did, the students unique cultural experiences and the way the see the world into lesson plans. Students need and desire a personal connection with both the teacher, which Robert achieved through dialogue journals, with each other, which they achieved through peer editing and publishing, and with the world, which they achieved through examining text through the lens of personal connection and writing for meaning and to share rather than following formulas and memorizing random facts.

"Such gains are fulfilling: the children knew they had succeeded in learning, as did Robert and their parents. Gains of this magnitude demonstrate that students can be empowered; they can indeed learn," (p. 125). This is awesome because the students and their parents were able to see the progress they made throughout the school year. Robert made a big change in these students' lives. He boosted their self esteem by teaching them to read and write through his strategies of literacy. Robert's connection with the parents is paramount. He was able to extend the learning into the students homes. The parents became partners with Robert in their learning. As teachers, we think it is so important to include parents because the students will only be with us for half the day. In order for learning to continue at home, the parents must feel involved, be given resources (like our Parent Resource Packs), and be able to see the progress their students are making.

"Many parents commented on their children's eagerness to go to school in the morning, when previously it had been a battle of wills to get them going," (p. 123). Like mentioned above, Robert made a difference for his students. They dreaded going to school because they felt they couldn't learn. Robert was able to teach his students in a way to get them to be able to learn and learn a lot in school. These students were so happy that they were learning that they were eager to go to school and learn more when before Robert they didn't want to go to school.

Many of the students wrote about what they want to be when they grow up in their book, Great Expectations. "Gilbert, who began the year as a nonreader and ended the year reading at the third-grade level, grasped what becoming literate could mean when he wrote about becoming a scientist," & "Norma's academic progress matched Gilbert's. Her success in fifth grade instilled in her dream of becoming a teacher," (p.131-132). This shows how excited the students were and how much their confidence has grown. Confidence, we feel, has been a theme throughout the book and one of Robert's main goals was to develop the student's confidence in reading, writing, and learning. Robert achieved this first through the dialogue journals, then through the publishing, editing, drafting, and revising of all the papers that the students wrote. As the students began to see themselves as writers, their excitement and abilities began to improve. They wanted to know how to write well because the focus was on what they were writing, not how they were writing.

Personal Connections:

One of us connected with the idea of bilingual students feeling bad about knowing a different language. One of our classmates in elementary school was an ESL student and knew Spanish, but she never spoke it and seemed to be embarrassed about knowing it. We feel she should have felt proud of knowing another language, but the school system and curriculum made her feel that it was bad or wrong to know what she did. She should have been celebrated as an emergent bilingual and been proud of what she knew instead of focusing on what she doesn't yet. This is why we appreciate what Robert did when he encouraged students to keep speaking in Spanish while they were learning English.

Another connection was with hating test scores. We agree that test scores are very biased and do not accurately show what minority ESL students truly know. The methods used are unfair and label an entire group of people as unintelligent who should not be labeled as such. We are curious as to why such standardized tests still exist and who is supporting them. Most classroom teachers we have had (in high school) have openly said that they do not support the tests and do not like to give them. If such bias is evident, what is keeping these tests going? Is it forced on schools by the government, is it how schools receive funding? As educators how can we play a role in focusing on learning, meaning, and reason as relating to the world instead of focusing on standardized testing outcomes, decontextualized skills, and reading the word.

Another one of us connects to this because there was a girl a grade below and she was bilingual. Her family spoke Spanish at home while she spoke English in school. For some reason she was put into the Spanish class in high school. She was bilingual, so it didn't make sense for her to be in a Spanish class while she spoke Spanish at home. However, she spoke in different ways than what the teacher was teaching the class. I remember when we got our tests back one time and I had a better score than her and it's because we were learning how Spain speaks and how Mexico speaks Spanish. Again, we appreciate Robert and his encouragement for his students to continue speaking Spanish but to also practice their English through reading and writing inside and outside of the classroom.

Another connection was with the parent involvement. One of us had a parent that was actively involved in all her classrooms throughout elementary school. She would come into the school and help teachers with small groups, print papers, and make bulletin boards. The parent did this because she wanted to be involved and share in the learning experience of her child. We think, as educators, it is vital that we include parents in learning and make the children excited to share what they have learned. We also acknowledge that it is much more difficult for the minority parents in the book and in real life to have such active involvement because of both the language barrier and because they are likely working many jobs. As educators we must find a way to include all parents in learning.

Takeaway for Future Classroom:

Writing can really make a difference for your students. When you teach the strategies that Robert taught in this book you are able to make a difference for the children in the classroom. Like it was mentioned above, Robert was able to get his students to jump grade levels in literacy by them writing their own stories. He was able to make a nonreader become someone who wanted to be a scientist. He was able to make a difference in his students' lives and change their views on learning. As future educators, we hope to make a difference and change our students' views on school and learning. We want them to be excited to learn in the classroom and we want them to be excited to come to school everyday.

Participation Rating:
Olivia: 5
Kaelyn: 5
Katie: 5

This visual is of Florencia's paper about what she wants to be when she grows up. It is about how she wants to be an orange groove farmer. This visual is important because Florencia when asked if she wanted to be an orange groove worker, said she wanted to be the orange groove owner. This reveals how her confidence and belief in herself has grown. She knows that she is capable of big things and reading and writing have empowered her.

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Chapter 5 Discussion (10/7) Notetaker: Katie

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Chapter 5 Discussion (10/7) Notetaker: Katie

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Questions:
1. Is it common for teachers to start with "fun writing" then move into academic writing?
We think so because our teachers followed similar methods as Robert. We did not start writing about research and our learning until 3rd and 4th grade. Before then we were just having fun with writing, writing about personal experiences, and play writing.
2. Where did Robert come up with these ideas for the writings? What are some resources for teachers for activities like these?
3. How did he transition from one activity to another? How did they work? How did the students respond?

Summary of Chapter:
This chapter was all about writing across the curriculum. Robert implemented writing into every subject area and the students overall learning in those areas improved. Writing enhances learning. The activities included alphabet soup, students were to select a letter that had not been used already, then they were to research a country that began with that letter. Then they were to write about the information they found on that country, draw a picture of the country and its flag. This activity was a part of the geography unit and helped the students learn about demographics, agriculture, industry, imports, and exports. Uncle Sam was next, it had the same concepts as the Alphabet Soup, but was for the individual states of the United States and not countries. Robert joined in on this one and wrote the introduction for the book. This activity taught the students about topography, population, spelling and pronunciation of states, and directional terms. ABC bestiary was the last one, this also had the same concept as the other two but involved talking about animals. The students learned how to use encyclopedias and references for research, incorporate their own observations into reports, and content knowledge about the animal's characteristics, eating habits, and habitats. For the science writing, they were now starting to write about the observations of what they were seeing/finding. This did not have to be in any sort of alphabetical order. This activity required integration of language and reasoning, and they had to follow a format for science writing which included materials, descriptions of procedures, observations, and conclusions. All then activities showed that writing helps the students learn in every subject area. The main idea over this whole chapter was about writing across the whole curriculum and over different subjects.

Main Takeaways:

Writing with letters of the alphabet and everyone choosing different letters helped them continue to learn and solidify the alphabetic order. Robert used the ABC method for three of the writing activities. He kept returning to lower level skills while he was teaching them high order writing skills. This helps to enforce the students' learning of the alphabet. "Again the alphabet was a structural device" (p.102) "The class not only reviewed alphabetical order" (p.107) The continual reviewing helps the lesson solidify in the students minds.

Writing about different topics helps students learn to research and understand the topic, for example countries or animals. It also added variety and interest to their writing. "The science reports required the integration of language and reasoning" (p.113) "Researching these animals necessitated using encyclopedias and other references found in the library" (p.109) The students learned how to research and synthesize information from multiple texts through writing about what they were learning.

"Yet his imperfect English did not prevent him from writing and his classmates from reading his paper. Both Francisco and his classmates were involved in learning" (p.102). "Their papers were attempts at creating logical and cohesive meaning. Sentence-level errors were not totally eliminated. Misspellings occurred, as well as grammatical errors. These types of errors eventually decreased as competency in English increased" (p. 104). These examples show that the focus of Robert, the students, and the class was on the meaning of writing not on writing perfectly. They still made grammatical and spelling errors, but that did not deter them from continuing to write because it was not the focus. The focus was on sharing, fun, and using words to make meaning.

"They were not required to memorize the facts about each state, but as they worked on their descriptions and talked with their classmates, they learned much"  (p. 107-108). This quote shows that although the students were not trying to memorize facts, when they wrote about learning it led to increased learning. This shows the power of writing and how it enforces and enhances learning. It shows that as a teacher we do not have to drill facts into our students in a boring way. Learning can and should be achieved through fun writing in every content area.

"Furthermore, writing and reading were not activities he required only of the children but activities he did along with them" (p.117). This quote shows that Robert, the teacher, was a partner in the learning process. He was writing alongside them. His participation gave the students a model to follow and it demonstrated for them what correct sentence structure, organizational patterns, and research looks like. The students used Robert's work as a guideline for their own.

"He did not use writing to test factual knowledge; he elevated writing to the point where it taught" ( p.117). This quote shows that writing tests are not necessary for learning. Robert showed the students the power of writing because he used it as a vehicle for learning. They learned about geography of different countries, social studies of different states, the science of animals, and the science of observation through writing. The writing was a tool for learning not just a subject itself.

"Robert demonstrated that writing and reading were not isolated activities but activities integrated with the curriculum" (p.116) This is one of the main ideas of the whole chapter, that writing and reading should be implemented across the curriculum. In each subject area (geography, social studies, science) reading the research and writing down what they learned increased what they learned. "Writing about what they learned led to learning" (p.118). Writing and reading are not isolated activities to language arts class, they are part of every class.

" Their IRI scores also improved" (p.118) This showed that through writing across the curriculum all subject areas benefited. The writing did not take time away from learning about geography, science, and social studies, it helped the students learn those subject areas.

Personal Connections

One of us had a connection to researching a state. They would research and present the information they learned on a poster for the rest of the class.

Another connect was that they would do research in science class. They would look up the information and have to draw some sort of picture for it. It helped connect the information and make meaning of it. Plus it was fun for them to do.

One more connection was that one of us had to make different projects for a state that they researched. Each project was different for each region of the United states.

Take away for Future Classroom:
Writing should be implemented into all subject areas. Writing across the curriculum helps students to learn the content. It can help students gain confidence in writing. This can be a fun way to get kids to gain information and knowledge. We plan on incorporating cross curricular writing into our future classrooms because of the benefits of writing about our learning. It can include pictures to help get the students point across and give a fun aspect to what they write, giving it meaning.

Participation Rating:
Olivia: 5
Katie:5
Kaelyn:5

Visual: This is a picture of two student's animal reports. They included a written report about the animal and they included a hand drawn picture of the animal. The  students' writing has improved dramatically from the beginning of the book and they are starting to write more academically but still in a fun and enjoyable way.

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Chapter 4 Discussion (9/30) Notetaker: Kaelyn

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Chapter 4 Discussion (9/30) Notetaker: Kaelyn

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Questions:
1. Was the students' connections with the misspelled words greater because they wrote the words instead of being handed a spelling list?
We think the connection was greater because they understood the meaning the words they had misspelled and had a genuine interest in learning to spell those words correctly. Often spelling lists can feel disconnected from actual writing and pointless, but the students wanted to learn how to spell words that they used in their writing.

2. Why don't more teachers incorporate these methods with their students?
We think these methods seem more effective and should be much more widely used. Even though they are being used in an ELL classroom, they would likely work in an English speaking classroom to teach the fun in writing and get students excited about writing.

3. Where/how did he come up with these ideas?

Summary of Chapter:
Robert made writing different than how normal teachers teach students to write. He incorporated play in writing and focused on enjoyment and fun. This method keeps the student entertained and it's not the same thing each time. It's new and fun for the students because they get to decide the topics and work creatively. The students found these ideas more fun and they were excited about their writings and drawings. The writing rebus allowed them to focus on their writing not on spelling. They were able to draw out the words that they didn't know how to spell, circle the words, or write them out phonetically. The publication of the books lead to the students working harder and it was a social activity for the students. The students wrote about topics they were excited about: conversational pieces, idioms, crazy recipes, aliens, their outings, dreams, and animals. They learned grammar lessons and lessons about organizational structures from their play writing. The methods that Robert employed were extremely successful. There are students who don't know how to write and they aren't confident, by using the ideas that Robert did with his students they were able to learn how to write and get more and more excited about writing.

Main Takeaways:

The students were always excited to learn how to spell new words. In the book it states, "The children were obsessed with spelling accurately. They were always asking, 'How do you spell----?'" (p.61). This shows that they care about meaning and are not afraid to be wrong. They understand that spelling correctly leads to being understood and success as a writer.

Robert told his students not to worry about spelling, "Don't worry about spelling while you are writings; there is plenty of time to take care of words you misspelled later., (p.62). He wanted to make sure that they were getting their stories across and he wanted them to focus on meaning and writing creatively. Additionally, the spelling helped him test where the students were in their literacy development. The writing was "a model of where the class stood in the development of its writing ability" (65). The writing acted as a test without the embarrassment of a test and the negative connotations of mistakes.

"Play is not usually associated with writing; yet Robert wanted writing to seem playful, something the children would want to do and look forward doings, as well as risk doing," (p. 57). This is a great overall theme of the chapter. Writing doesn't always have to be a bad thing. Students can improve their writing overtime by writing playfully and find huge enjoyment in writing when it is done with fun in mind. Robert always tried to keep fun at the center of the writing which motivated the students to continue to write.

On page 65 in the book it states about the students, "they began to see the differences between natural language and speech written down." This is from conversational pieces that Robert's class worked on and it's amazing how that helped them learn the differences between natural language and speech when it's written down. It was also a fun activity for them to act out and show their creativity.

It was a really cool idea on writing literacy for students by having one student describe with writing and the other student draws what the first student described. On page 74 the book says that the cover and the book, "involved two children collaborating, one as a writer, the other as illustrator. The writer had to include enough information so that the illustrator could draw an accurate and detailed figure." It made both the writer and illustrator visualize what they were describing. It showed the students how powerful and meaningful words can be when reading and writing.

By doing the play writing, it was a challenge for Robert and the students. In the book it is said, "Writing was both fun and difficult. It took sustained effort. Yet it was play; the children knew that they were using language to explore concepts and taking risks with language. At the same time they were increasing their literacy skills" (p. 89-90). This is a fun and safe way for the children to increasing their literacy skills and they look forward to continue their education on literacy by doing these fun activities. It grows the students confidence without them even knowing it because they are focused on the enjoyment and excitement.

Personal Connection:

One of us remember when we were in elementary school between the grades kindergarten and first grade where we did something very similar to this. The students worked on a story on their own. They did rough drafts and would submit to their teacher. Once the teacher would approve the story, the students were to illustrate their story and eventually the teacher would get the books published. The students were able to take their books home and share with their families.

Another one of us would write weekly journals. The students would write to anybody of their choice on a Friday. They would write about whatever they did that week in school or outside of school. The student would then take their journal to the person they were writing to and that person would respond to their journal entries.

Another enjoyed writing poems when they were a child because they found it fun, and they loved playing with words. However, as they went to school writing became more of a chore and more about writing flawlessly instead of for meaning and enjoyment. This is what Robert is hoping to avoid when he teaches the children to write for play and enjoyment.

Takeaways for Future Classroom:

You can have fun when you are writing. Not everyone likes to write, but if you make it fun and use the ideas that Robert had for his classroom you can get your students more involved and engaged because they can write about what they want and not have to worry about the spelling of words. We plan to include lots of opportunities for play writing in our future classrooms because it boost enjoyment and confidence while focusing on the meaning behind the words.

Participation Rating:
Kaelyn: 5
Olivia: 5
Katie: 5

Visual: This is a picture of Patricia and Irma's descriptions of Aliens. They wrote detailed passages about their imaginary aliens and their partner had to illustrate the page based on their description. We liked this partner work because it helps the writer and the reader focus on detail and visualize what the adjectives are telling the reader.

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This is an example of one of the dialogue journals from Robert's class. It shows the conversation style that the journal encouraged.

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Chapter 3 Discussion (9/23) Notetaker: Olivia

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Chapter 3 Discussion (9/23) Notetaker: Olivia

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Questions:

Would journaling help all students not just ELL students?

We think it would because it creates connection and emphasizes the meaning when students are learning to write.

How long would it take before the students picked up the correct spelling and usage? The students in the book picked up much better English usage by the end of the year, do they keep using the journals after they have become proficient?

We think continued usage would be helpful for continued writing development because they are learning to write in more complex sentences and because it further fosters the teacher-student relationship.

How do you create a relationship with students while dually making classroom a safe environment and teaching the content?
We discussed the difficulty that teachers face with so many responsibilities. They not only are responsible for teaching content knowledge to 20 some students all at different levels, but they must also foster relationships and form connections with each student. We discussed how cultural differences may make that connection harder, but how dialogue journaling could be an answer by creating personal connections with each student.

Where did the idea of journaling originate? Where did Robert get the idea from?

Summary of Chapter:
Robert, the ELL teacher, included written dialogue journals as part of his curriculum. The students were not graded for mistakes and Robert did not  correct the grammar or spelling of the journals. The students had to write out at least 3 lines about anything they wanted and Robert always responded. His responses included the corrected spelling and grammar of what was in the students journals. The main goal of the written dialogue journals was for the students to believe that they were writers and gain confidence and enjoyment from writing in a dialogue form. By the end of the year the students all showed huge growth in their spelling, grammar, and handwriting. Their journal entries became longer and they saw writing as a way to convert meaning and tell stories. Robert was also able to form deep connections and trust with his students.

Main Idea Takeaways:
Constant repetition of journaling, regardless of grammatical errors, created  obvious improvement at the end of the year.
We thought the way the teacher focused on meaning instead of mistakes was a great way to help students learn that writing is about conveying meaning. We agree with Roberts method of emphasizing the semantics over the syntax.

Confidence grew astronomically, the ELL students realized that they could actually write. They enjoyed it more and it became less of a chore.
"As they became successful journal writers, their self-respect grew" (pg 54).

"Robert found that the dialogue journal provided a safe and protected harbor for reading and writing, for overall language development, and for building confidence that all successful learners must have" (pg 61).
We think this quote is so important for future educators and think that in every activity and with every student it is important to focus on building confidence instead of focusing on mistakes. Robert was able to create a safe environment for the students where they did not feel ashamed about making mistakes and could really converse honestly. We really appreciated how Robert never made the students feel bad about what they were writing which made the students want to share more.

The ELL students were improving in their English development and at the same time they were being encouraged to develop in their first language.
"The crucial point is that Patricia is becoming more proficient in English, and at the same time she has an excellent change of becoming proficient in her first language" (pg 43)
We thought this was great and interesting because it seems that in many ELL classrooms the primary focus is on developing English and that a second language is seen as a handicap instead of as an asset. Robert viewed his students second language as an advantage for them and wanted them to continue to develop both languages. We think all classrooms should encourage bilingual students instead of making them feel ashamed of their first language.

The students could write about anything and it created a bond/relationship between teacher and student, they began to trust him.
The teacher took time to read and respond.
"Reading and responding to dialogue journals tend, we suggest, to humanize teachers and make them more aware of and accessible to their students lives" (pg 55-56)

The responses were huge for development because it helped model correct English. The students wanted to be corrected after their confidence and their writing abilities grew. Robert always tried to use the misspelled words correctly in his responses and we think the students appreciated that. We think this is an effective method because the students spelling improved by the end of the year and some of the students were asking for the teacher to correct their papers because they realized (even without the correction) that correct spelling meant they could convey their meaning.

The students started out writing only 3 sentences, but the length of their entries grew throughout the year. We think it was because their environment was safer and they trusted their teacher.
Robert created a learning environment that accepted and encouraged mistakes instead of making students feel embarrassed for making them. He did this by never correcting the journals and always seeking to know the meaning behind them. He wanted the students to connect that writing gives them the ability to transfer their thoughts to someone else.

The story of Fransisco's brother having difficulty with English stuck out because it showed that the teacher cared not just about the Fransisco, his student, but also their families. We thought this was important for us as teachers because involving the family will help the students by making them feel responsible for siblings and giving them support from their parents. Robert included their families in the learning process. The parents improved their English with the students through the books they took home. Fransisco decided to take a book home to his brother and read to him which will help both children.
"Robert encourages Fransisco by offering some strategies ... I can take the book today and read at home to my brother and my mom, too" pg (38).

Personal Connection:
We could relate personally through journaling at school and it developed teacher connections. One of us journaled in 5th grade about anything she wanted. She felt like it gave her freedom and made her enjoy writing. She loved the connection she had with the teacher through her journaling because it made her feel like she could share more with him and his responses made her feel like he cared.
We think it was similar for the ELL students in the book.

Takeaway for Future Classroom:
We all agree about the benefit of dialogue journals for both ELL students and students who speak English as their first language. We plan on implementing some kind of dialogue journal into our classrooms. The benefit is clear, "Students who write in dialogue journals more than double the number of questions they ask their teachers" (pg 40). The most important key takeaway for us as future educators is to foster confidence in students by focusing on what they have accomplished instead of on their mistakes. Additionally, teacher-student relationships need to be central parts of curriculum in order for trust be be developed, and families need to be involved in the learning process through take home books and journaling.

Participation Rating:
Olivia: 5
Katie: 5
Kaelyn: 5

This visual is of Larry's journal cover. Larry was one of Robert's students who was not enthusiastic about the dialogue journal at first. He barely wrote anything in the first part of the year and was very reluctant. As Larry started to see that his teacher was not going to punish him for mistakes or for anything that he said, he began to share more and more. He became much more confident and enjoyed writing more. The biggest change for Larry was that he began to view writing as means of sharing thoughts and not as a chore or work. His enthusiasm is clear through the beautiful drawing on the outside of his journal which reveal his excitement and how proud he is of his writing.

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Group Norms
1. Everyone participates
2. Share the workload
3. Be respectful

Participation Scale
1 Didn't show up
2 Not engaged
3 Sort of engaged
4 Engaged
5 Really engaged