Entry #9: How can teachers promote biographical writing in the classroom setting?

After reading chapter nine and chapter ten of Tompkins (2019), I have gained new insights into how teachers can help students when thinking about biographical writing and informational writing. For this week's post, I'd like to take some time reflecting on biographical writing and its importance when learning and growing as a writer.

While reading this chapter I began to think a lot about autobiographies and how important it is to introduce autobiographical writing at a young age. I thought about how young children tend to be very egocentric in nature as they develop and learn about the world around them. Why not use that as an advantage and have children spend lots of time writing about themselves? I have seen many teachers do just that in various classroom settings. When young readers and writers first begin to write they often start by writing about their own personal experiences: what they did over the weekend, what they ate for dinner, what happened on the bus ride home. I believe early writers should spend most of their time writing about themselves because of their developmental level and because the writing is authentic.

One example that Tompkins (2019) provides in this chapter is the idea of life boxes. This is a fantastic strategy to use with early writers because it allows them to write about themselves in an authentic way. Students have the opportunity to share personal belongings with the classroom which makes them feel special and connects home and school together. When I was young, I loved participating in Show and Tell because I was excited to share a piece of my life with my teacher and classmates. I felt so special and motivated to write about things that meant a lot to me. Another example from Tompkins (2019) that allows early writers to practice autobiographies is the "Me" Quilts. I thought this was a great way to not only introduce autobiographical writing but to help writers with the prewriting stage. Having a "quilt" to look at with various pictures that symbolize a writer's life could be beneficial when deciding how to craft a piece of writing.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREEBIE-All-About-Me-Quilts-783930 

When considering biographical writing in the classroom, there were many other examples that Tompkins (2019) provided that I really enjoyed learning about and would love to try myself as well as with students. The Biography Posters was one idea that really stuck out to me because I think it's a great way to get students motivated to write biographies. I think it would be great to allow students to create these posters and present them to the class. Presentation and organization are two aspects of author's craft that would go well with this project. When I was in school, I always loved opportunities to be crafty and incorporate drawings, pictures, and designs into my pieces. This could be a great option for students who are artistically gifted and need more opportunities to show their strengths. 

I have gained a lot of new insights into biographical writing, and have found a new interest in this type of writing. As I continue to learn about biographical writing in class, I'd like to try to find ways to incorporate it into my own classroom. 

References

Tompkins, G. E.  (2019).  Teaching writing:  Balancing process and product (7^th ed.).  UpperSaddle River, NJ:  Merrill.