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Ms. Spillane's Classroom Edit display name

  • Port Richmond High School
  • Staten Island, NY
  • More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

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As part of our 9th Writing Skills class, we have focused on the basic skills of writing (sentence structure, topic sentences, supporting details, paragraphs). Now I am realizing that my students need to begin getting in touch with the creative, expansive writing process that comes from the heart. Journaling, as a form of low stakes writing, will allow my students the time and space needed to become their own writers and develop their own voices without having to worry about Common Core standards, standardized testing, or regimental protocols. By owning their own composition notebook, my students will have a safe space to write their own thoughts and feelings in their own journals. Journaling, as a form of low stakes writing has proven to improve the learning process for students overall. "...(L)ow stakes type of writing has statistically shown to the goal isn't so much good writing as coming to learn, understand, remember and figure out what you don't yet know." Peter Elbow, “Writing for Learning - Not Just for Demonstrating Learning," at National Teaching and Learning Forum. It is my hope that by providing students with their own composition notebooks for journaling, my students can begin our writing journey together instead of waiting for students to bring in their own supplies. By providing supplies for my students I am able to increase their chance of success.

About my class

As part of our 9th Writing Skills class, we have focused on the basic skills of writing (sentence structure, topic sentences, supporting details, paragraphs). Now I am realizing that my students need to begin getting in touch with the creative, expansive writing process that comes from the heart. Journaling, as a form of low stakes writing, will allow my students the time and space needed to become their own writers and develop their own voices without having to worry about Common Core standards, standardized testing, or regimental protocols. By owning their own composition notebook, my students will have a safe space to write their own thoughts and feelings in their own journals. Journaling, as a form of low stakes writing has proven to improve the learning process for students overall. "...(L)ow stakes type of writing has statistically shown to the goal isn't so much good writing as coming to learn, understand, remember and figure out what you don't yet know." Peter Elbow, “Writing for Learning - Not Just for Demonstrating Learning," at National Teaching and Learning Forum. It is my hope that by providing students with their own composition notebooks for journaling, my students can begin our writing journey together instead of waiting for students to bring in their own supplies. By providing supplies for my students I am able to increase their chance of success.

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About my class

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