Ch.+10-+Susan+I.

My quote is on Pg. 163 in the first paragraph. "As I weave random threads of inner speech into a "deliberate structuring of the web of meaning," I connect what I already know to what I imagine or tentatively know (Vygotsky, 192, p. 100)."

The 2nd quote I liked was on the same page and the 3rd paragraph. "So writing is a means- perhaps the best means available- to make knowledge personal, connected, and accessible to self."

My Response: This book has been so validating to things that I already use in my classroom! I have also gained a lot of other ideas and how to grade/handle the pile of work I receive. The reason these two quotes were great beyond validating what I already do is it connects to what I tell my students. I am always telling them that writing builds connections in their brains and helps them understand/learn and find information they are learning. By doing their own writing, they are making personal connections in their brains that would not be happening if I just handed them something with all the notes already there. I would be rich if I was paid for every time I explained why we write for science!

Mary Jo response:

Ditto on this book validating many things that I already do and it will be a good resource for future assignments. Maybe because of this I just liked reading it. It also built my confidence to stand up for any writing that I assign in class. I wish that when we were handed the Collins method of writing directive a few years back, that we had training similar to this. It could have made a difference in buy in across the school.