Mini lessons

I think mini lessons are a good idea to use in the classroom because they seem like a good way to begin class and keep focus. I've found in some of my observations that students get bored with lengthy lectures. I think short mini lessons are a great way to keep students' attention. I found it interesting that Nancie Atwell asks her students to conduct their own mini lessons to share their strategies and accomplishments with the group (152). I think it is important to highlight good writing and it is important to let students share their writing with the class. Most of the writing courses that I have taken at Kent State have been set up as writing workshops. I found the workshops very helpful in my development as a writer because not only was I getting feedback from the teacher, but also from my classmates. On that note, I think if I were to set up my class like a workshop, I would first give a mini lesson on constructive criticism!

I was just browsing for more things about Nancie Atwell and her teaching strategies, and I found this video. In this video, Atwell discusses the importance of poetry in the classroom. She has a book out called, Naming the World: A Year of Poems and Lessons. She uses poetry to teach her students how to become better writers. Atwell also incorporates a poem in her mini lessons every day. I love this idea because it exposes students to many different styles and types of writing.