You don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say. -F. Scott Fitzgerald
I’ve always believed we learn to write by writing. My students have a lot to say, but often have difficulty finding topics to write about. We have anchor charts around the room with writing ideas. See a couple below:
However, no matter how many words we have in the room, some of my students still have trouble coming up with ideas for writing. They tend to write the same things over and over…I went to the park, I play video games, etc… We continually encourage them to stretch as writers and encourage them to think of new ideas. For those those that have difficulty finding inspiration, we utilize the camera app on the iPad.
A colleague suggested taking a picture of the child during the day and have them write about the picture. This has been an extremely helpful suggestion. Here are a couple of samples of student work using this technique:
With one of the children, I found him building something in the block center and on his own, he went to get his iPad to take a picture so he could write about it later. He said he would forget his “details” without the picture.
Supporting students where they are is so important in developing strong readers and writers. Student-centered classrooms provide motivation and autonomy. When we have internal motivation we are more likely to persist and attempt new things rather than when we act out of compliance.
I am so glad I have the iPad as a learning tool to extend and enhance learning…and more importantly, my students are seeing it as a tool, and not just “fun”.
Tell your story…do epic stuff!
My lesson plans said something completely different. It was unscheduled, unplanned, and… undeniably better than anything I had on today’s agenda. You’ve heard of a Flash Mob? A Flash Mob is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and seemingly pointless act for a brief time, then quickly disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment or artistic expression. Well, That. Just. Happened. No dancing or singing…this was definitely in the realm of artistic expression. My students were working on their iPads when a group suddenly gathered in the middle of the room and started writing books. This group (pictured above) was fully engrossed in their work. They were discussing book topic, titles, text placement, and content. They stopped briefly, only to ask me to put on some “creative music”. Once they started, they didn’t stop until they were finished. Most had written a 4 page book. Once they finished, they dispersed and went back to what they were doing before.
iTeach with iPads 