*The Tree of Life* ( week ending 13th November 2020)

                                           https://www.netclipart.com/isee/oJRbTJ_the-kundalini-and-unblocking-creativity-colorful-tree-of/

                                                               Who am I?

-               ❤I am a genre of writing; the only form that can be used in all other forms of writings.

-               ❤ I use adjectives, adverbs and figurative language to describe a person, a place or a 

           thing.

-               ❤I show rather than tell

-               ❤ I require the use of all five senses

-               ❤ I create a vivid picture in my reader’s mind

       Who am I?

                                                                    

                             

                                             

                                                                      

 

                                    http://clipart-library.com/clipart/1295240.html

I am 'Descriptive Writing'. The tree of life. I add life to your pieces of writing.

Bet your last dollar once you can master me you can master any

other writing…….

In a descriptive piece of writing the author does not tell the audience what they smell, 

hear, see or touch, instead, they describe or show the readers using vivid and colourful 

details. These authors select a set of word and phrases carefully that paints a picture in

 the reader's mind making them feel as though they are part of the story or the story is 

evolving right before their eyes.

                                                                                https://wcedeportal.co.za/eresource/85376

 The following picture tells us some of the things we can consider when describing. 

https://americanlibraryinparis.org/event/workshop-descriptive-writing-ages-9-12-virtual-rsvp-required/

             In light of what was learnt in class about descriptive writing and the impact it has on a 

piece of writing, I will like us to put our descriptive piece to the test. 

                           Remember: 

                                                       https://d2studios.net/blog/2015/08/a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words/

Let us put together a descriptive paragraph on the following picture.

I'll start....

       https://www.facebook.com/LaVistaStMaarten/posts/nothing-can-describe-this-sunset-that-was-captured-earlier-this-year-by-one-of-o/10156376743695480/

                

                                At dusk, the sun radiated a light that turned the sky golden yellow. 

Comment your responses below!

'Dear Educators...' (Week ending 6th November 2020)

                                                   https://webstockreview.net/explore/envelope-clipart-pink-envelope/

Dear educators, 

                  This letter serves as a means of addressing one of our grave 

concerns about the right approach to teaching Literacy. Year after year

we have been asking the same questions.  Phonics?.... Whole language? ….. 

Reading and Writing in isolation? These questions have been the heart of 

heated controversy all over the world.

Well I have news for you! 

    During this week, my colleagues and I were privileged to have one of the

 ministry officials, Mrs. Marilyn Munro- Francis, facilitate a workshop 

 on the Balanced Literacy Approach. This workshop was 'the bomb'!  

Interactive, engaging and informative are some of the words I can use to 

describe the session.

     By now, you may be wondering what this approach is about. Don't get too

 perturbed. I will tell you about it in a nutshell.

    According to Lynch (2018), the Balanced Literacy Approach (BLA) is a 

best practice framework that guides students towards a proficient, life-long 

reading and writing.

 In layman terms let's just say it is a method which strikes a balance 

between skills and knowledge, reading and writing and phonics and whole

language and allows students to maximize their potential.

             Traditionally, teachers treated language Arts as a disjointed subject. 

However, this approach emphasizes that Language Arts be taught as a whole 

subject during a block of uninterrupted time of usually 60 minutes or more. 

This approach allows for daily read aloud, shared reading/writing, word study, 

independent reading/ writing, guided reading/ writing. 

    In my opinion, this is the best method thus far. Simply because it follows a 

gradual release of responsibility. It doesn’t force the teacher to ‘fit it all 

in’ and it allows the teacher to differentiate learning. Isn't that awesome!

     Moreover, this is just an appetizer for you. I have included two videos at 

the end which delved deeper into the different aspects of the BLA. These

videos elaborated that the Balance Literacy Approach is a great tool for 

helping students to learn and read well. 

I do hope we can collaborate in using this best practice so we can effectively 

and expeditiously address the cries of our students. 

                                                                                                          Yours Truly,

                                                                              Jael Brathwaite

                                                                              Teacher- student   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb9fWNiizYk

                                          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibAYZRv2oLM

             

-The Life of the Party- (Week ending 30th October, 2020)

                                                                 https://essaymin.com/blog/procedure-writing-thesis-statement/

The Life of the Party!

A thesis statement is like the life of the party,

Without it there's hardly any harmony.

It is there at the very beginning,

And must be restated at the ending.

  

When DJ writer says testing 1, 2, 3,

Without a shadow of a doubt, the thesis you would see.

When the writing is concluding, and it’s the last song to go

Like a party animal, the thesis is still on the floor.

 

The thesis is what guides the writer,

Don't have it and you'll be like a child without diaper.

So, ensure a thesis is part of your writing,

For without it, your writing will be far from dancing.

                                                                              - Jael Brathwaite

       

      https://www.dreamstime.com/illustration/focus-point.html

                        

 

^^Top Secret Recipe ^^ (Week ending 30th October 2020)

 

              https://www.dreamstime.com/illustration/top-secret-recipe.html

                                            How to make ‘Better writers’ 

                                                           

                                                 https://www.pinterest.com/pin/204984220520581966/

   

  Ingredients                          

    1 lb. Ideas  

    3 tbsp. Organization                                 

    2 cups Voice

    2 tsp Word choice

   ½ lb. Sentence fluency

   1 tin Convention

  A dash of Presentation                                              

  

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/204984220520581966/

First, mix 1lb ideas in a bowl with 3 tbsp organisation. Stir for 5 minutes.

Next, add 2 cups voice to the mixture and let it rest for 1 hour or until it starts to rise.

Roll out the dough with a little tip of organisation to help keep it together.

Then, spread ½ lb. sentence fluency, 2 tsp word choice and 1 tin conventions onto the dough.

Finally, sprinkle a dash of presentation.

Bake on 250 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes.

P.S Let your ‘better writers’ cool off before packaging.

 

The six ingredients inherent in ‘Better Writers’

 Ideas- the meaning and development of the message.

Organization- the internal structure of the piece (Beginning, middle and end).

Voice- the personal tone and flavour of the author’s message.

Word Choice- the vocabulary a writer chose to convey meaning.

Sentence Fluency- the rhythm and the flow of the piece of writing.

Convections- the mechanical correctness of the piece.

Presentation- the overall appearance of the author’s work.

                                                                        https://www.thoughtco.com/six-traits-of-writing-2081681

These key components (ingredients) provide teachers and students with a 

common understanding for composing, revising, and assessing all types of

 writing. Therefore, upon return to my classroom I will engage my students 

in mini lessons that focuses on the writing traits. Also. I will provide them with

opportunities to write daily using the 6+1 writing traits.