Deeper Reading: Chapter Seven

The most thought provoking element of this chapter was fairly late, when Gallagher discussed writing as the lost “R” in education. I agree whole-heartedly that there isn’t enough writing done. I’ve addressed this by making writing a regular part of our schedule. Tuesdays and Thursdays are designated writing days. My 10th grade class, for example will write one major paper (a persuasive essay or research paper) during most weeks. In addition, paragraph writing is good for pre-reading activities.
For example, today, prior to reading “A Taste of Snow” (an essay about a Japanese-American’s first experience with snow, while in a WWII internment camp), I asked students to write about their first experiences with snow in a five sentence paragraph. While many students have been born and raised in Georgia, we have others who have lived in other states and countries. After 5-10 minutes of writing, we can discuss. It makes the class more interactive, more diverse, and it also helps the discussion when students can formulate their thoughts beforehand.

I see his point about using metaphor as a springboard to writing. I think these metaphorical graphic organizers can move very naturally into persuasive writing. I do, however, think that some of the graphic organizers are overly contrived and “corny.” I’m sure that students would love them, as they love any break in the routine.