How To Books... Part Two

We started our How-To books last week. It was a lesson that I was being observed doing, and I thought it went mildly well. I thought my demonstration was effective, and engaging and connecting with the kids went well (I walked them through How I Made Chocolate Milk... and the steps to do that). Looking back at their writing, I still feel ok. But I have some work to do, and uncharted territory to enter (How to meet the needs of everyone while they're at different stages?!)...

First off, where are they in the process? I've got some examples as well, although they do not correspond with any group of students...

A) Well I have some that are done with a first go through. Their writing is fairly clear, and they have steps that could be followed. They need to go back through their writing and re-read, thinking about what their student would think. I am going to have them read with a partner as well, and have the partner give them feedback on what is fuzzy, and where the writing was really clear. This will entail some post-its for feedback, and a bit of acting. I need to model this (and have a plan for it!).

B) There are some still writing, but it needs clarity. The writing needs more specificity, and isn't quite finished yet. They also (not all) need to go back through, like the first group, and make sure they have all the steps and that they are not a muddle of 5 steps in one.

C) I've got another set that needs some guidance in getting to a topic that might be a bit better for this type of writing. Broader topics aren't as well suited, as much as we like them. Could I write a How To Run a Marathon book? Yeah, I guess. I do know how to run, and I have run marathons. But it would be about 100 steps, and some include finding shoes and self-diagnosis of injury. Best steer clear. So I need to help them get back on track...

So tomorrow I have a half hour, not much time, as we have shuffled our lineup around. I plan to do a quick demonstration with a student to help show that we have great ideas, but that we need clarity. Even when we think we are done, there is work to do! It should be engaging, funny, and get the point across ("Oh yeah, I needed to tell them that!"). My plan is also to quickly demo how I, as a partner, would give feedback to that student. Then I am going to set them off, and I am going to pull my broad topic folks and steer towards a more specific topic. I have a few examples, as well as a 1000 page How To Run book I am going to show them to get my point across.... the idea is to tell people how to do something that we know really well, and is really specific (not How to Play Soccer... but How to Kick a Soccer Ball, etc). I am excited by some of the topics though! Should be great when we share. Tomorrow, as the last picture shows, is about getting back on our feet!