Question & Philosophy & Profile

Crystal Parker
N. Votteler
SHSU Writing Project
7 June 2011

The Teacher Exploration Workshop (The Question and Profile & Philosophy): Improving Writing Instruction

The Question:

What is age appropriate writing for Kindergarten?

Philosophy & Profile:

This matters to me because I have only been teaching for less than two years. I feel that I lack the knowledge of how to teach writing through instruction. My Kindergarten students come from a low socioeconomic background and lack extra help with writing from their caretakers at home. Many parents would never sign my student’s folders or participate in their homework that I send home. I feel they also struggle with writing due to the repetitive workbooks and boring journal topics that they have to follow. For instance, when I started working in the district that I am at, I was told to have them trace their name over and over until they learn how to write it. Also, they had to copy sentences and questions I wrote down and they had to answer them. This was their daily journal until the end of the year. Do they really learn by only doing repetitive work? When do they get to think for themselves? My next group of students, I am going to try everything in my power to change my ways of writing instruction. I want to motivate them, come up with create writing activities, and let them have a mind of their own. I want to stray away from the old fashioned type of writing that this district participates in and make writing fun.

My concern comes from my inexperience, lack of support from parents, along with the student population. The students in this district are difficult to teach due to low-socioeconomic status. The breakdown of the race or ethnicity is approximately 1.2% African American, 22% Hispanic, 76% White, and 9% other. The economically disadvantaged students consist of 61.9% and 45% at-risk. Many parents are uneducated and have never been to college and many did not graduate high school. This information is important because this is a challenge that I have had to face on a daily basis with my students. Due to parents being uneducated they do not seem to understand the importance of education for their child. I have had parents gripe at me when I ask for them to practice skills with their child at home. I was told, “It is not the parents job to educate their child, but mine”. Part of this statement is true because the teacher is supposed to teach their child. On the other hand, parents can have a huge influence on their child more than they realize. Kindergarten is a group that needs plenty of repetition, creative activities, and a lot of positive support. Parent’s can help do this by practicing skills a little each day at home with their child. With all this information a person would realize the students at my school lack the support they need. How do teachers like myself help motivate Kindergarten students to want to learn how to write the best way?