Summary:
Donald Graves explores teaching non-fiction writing through a series of ìActionsî that guide the classroom teacher to experiment with various teaching strategies.
Candid Reflection:Ý
The first two chapters provide tepid arguments in support of teaching non-fiction to young children; a point that I would assume is standard operating knowledge to most elementary teachers.Ý I found the first 30 pages wordy and lacking in substance.Ý
Chapter 3 has the enticing title ìPutting Non-fiction to Workî.Ý He presents letter-writing activities suitable for 3-6th graders, yet uses what look to be recycled letters from his dusty files as working examples.Ý He moves into writing letters with children and experimenting with writing to people outside the school environment.Ý Although this activity is inviting, his example is frozen in time, the mid-1980ís.Ý His section on ìlearning journalsî is brief and appears to be a reiteration of ideas put forth much more eloquently by Lucy Calkins.Ý He also gives a terse overview of essay writing using another odd example that reads more like an example of persuasive letter writing than essay writing.
I began reading Chapter 4 hoping to see sparkling insights about using interview techniques to gather information.Ý I appreciated the notion of mining the expertise of neighborhood dwellers such as local business owners and the school custodian.Ý However, his example was a condescending interview he did with his wife about her trip to Honduras.Ý His analysis concluded that he should have been more sensitive to her (his interviewee).Ý I did agree with that!
I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others.Ý