Megan Gilbert's Reflection- Graves Chap. 6 & 7

Chapter six is about publishing students’ writings in the classroom. It states that publishing is a major part of the developmental process of writing and it should be shared with many audiences. This chapter stresses that the children should write every day and should publish a least one out of every four or five pieces. It is important for teachers to hold writing conferences with the children in order to monitor process and encourage interest. The chapter ends with suggestions of successful binding techniques for students’ literature and also an encouragement to get other people, like parents, involved in the childrens’ publishing process. I don’t remember ever publishing a book when I was in elementary school and if I ever had, I’m sure my parents would have saved it. I will definitely incorporate publishing in my writing program and hopefully that will encourage my students to write and be proud of what they have created.

Chapter seven emphasizes that our students should be surrounded by literature in our classrooms. It states that when children are surrounded by literature, they are able to take suggestions from the books being read to them and incorporate them into their own writings. The three ways this chapter suggests that literature should be incorporated into the classroom are to intertwine the literature, reading, and writing programs, each program evolves, and the children hear, read, and share literature. In conclusion, the chapter reminds us that our students are at a critical point when they are able to start composing their own works and we as teachers should be very sensitive to that fact. I agree that surrounding our students with literature would be beneficial to their developmental process as writers.