Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 25, 1992 TAG: 9202250033
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MELISSA DeVAUGHN
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
WRITERS WORKSHOP: NEW STEP FOR OLD TACTIC
Most everyone's heard of the whole-language approach to teaching - the philosophy that teachers work with each child at that child's specific stage. It's quite different from traditional teaching, in which there are specific textbooks and students are driven according to the goals of their grade.The thing about whole-language teaching is that it's nothing new. It's been around since the late 1800s.
Montgomery County has adopted the whole-language idea within the past few years and teachers throughout the county are trying to incorporate their own approaches to teaching. This time, they think it will stick around.
Karen McLeod, a third-grade teacher at HARDING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, became involved in whole-language instruction three years ago when she came to the school. She hasn't looked back.
"When compared to traditional curriculum, the results are much better," said McLeod. "In traditional teaching, we produced people who knew how to read and write, but chose not to. In whole-language curriculum, we're creating children who like to read and write."
The third-grade teachers at Harding Elementary decided to go one step further with whole-language teaching this year. They formed the "writer's workshop," a program in which every day, for one hour, the children get to write.
They write about anything. Or everything.
They write by themselves or they form groups.
They write stories or poems.
Sometimes the stories are long. Sometimes they're short.
It doesn't matter, as long as they're writing.
"We usually start off with a minilesson on grammar or authors, or we even have guest speakers," McLeod said. "Then we spend the next 45 minutes writing about whatever."
Last week, as a culminating event of their workshop, the students invited their moms and dads to the school for a brown-bag lunch to celebrate National Reading Month. After lunch, they read their stories to their parents.
"It was a really exciting event, because the children could show what they've learned," McLeod said.
The writing workshop started after one of the teachers, Pat Cross, encountered the idea at a children's writing conference at Virginia Tech. She, McLeod and Joan Nunley, the other third-grade teacher, decided to give it a shot. McLeod thinks the workshop is successful.
"It gives the children more freedom. The freedom has opened them up completely," she said. "The kids are really motivated to write. That is a success."
Here's what's been happening at BLACKSBURG HIGH SCHOOL:
\ The Knowledge Master Open was held in the fall, and the BHS team placed seventh in Virginia, with 1,480 points out of 1,740 possible. The team ranked 123 out of 1,600 participating high schools in the United States, Europe, South America, Middle East, Africa, Canada and Japan. The competition will be held this spring and the team plans to participate again.
\ Remy Indebetouw and Chris Tyson are tied for third place in the state for highest cumulative score in the Virginia Math League contest. There will be two more tests before the final high scorers are determined.
\ Max Schuetz and David Tze have been named two of 2,500 semi-finalists in the 1992 Presidential Scholars program. Of that group, 141 will be selected as Presidential Scholars. The recipients will be named in May.
If Schuetz and Tze are chosen, they will travel to Washington D.C. in June to receive the Presidential Scholar medallion and participate in activities with their elected representatives.
\ Anne-Elise Thomas was awarded the 1992 Rebecca Orr Memorial Scholarship, given to an outstanding piano player from the New River Valley in honor of Rebecca Orr of Blacksburg, who was killed during her freshman year at Oberlin College.
Thomas is a senior and a piano student of Doris Krebs.
\ The economics class formed a student company to market T-shirts designed by senior Jan Pablo Shurig. The class took orders for 219 shirts and learned about marketing, advertising and development of financial statements at the same time.
\ The 1991 PTSA Reflections Art Contest winners were announced in music, photography, literature and visual arts. They are: Music: Ian Howell, 1st; Will McAuley, 2nd. Photography: Zach Veilleux, 1st; Anne Armstrong, 2nd; Jared Stillwell, 3rd. Visual Arts: Will McAuley, 1st; Leon Kok, 2nd; Wynnie Faville, 3rd. Literature: Heather Hendricks, 1st.
\ Wynnie Faville and Jan Pablo Shurig were selected to attend "Three Days in March" at the Virginia Regional Museum in Richmond March 11-13. The conference is sponsored by the Blacksburg Regional Arts Association.
\ French students recently attended a performance of "Cyrano de Bergerac" by French playwright Edmond-Eugene Rosland. It was presented at Giles High School by the National Theater of Performing Arts from Connecticut.
To celebrate 50 years of history at BLACKSBURG HIGH, the Future Business Leaders of America club is sponsoring the Miss BHS Beauty Pageant. The event will be held March 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the school.
Admission is $2 for adults, $1 for children. The FBLA Club is looking for past Miss BHS beauties to participate in the program. If you would like to participate, call June Wang at 951-4455, ext. 309.
The District Leadership Conference of Distributive Educational Clubs of America was held Feb. 5 at Valley View Mall in Roanoke. Students from Shawsville and Christiansburg High schools competed. Those bringing home honors include:
\ Apparel and Accessories: Leslie Wert and Kim Bramlett, CHS.
\ Food Marketing: Shannon Obenchain and Angie Howard, CHS; Stacy Bibb and Scott Perdue, SHS.
\ General Merchandise: Daryl Barker, Julie Rhudy and Melody Wolfe, CHS.
\ Restaurant Marketing: Jason Spangler, SHS, and Bray Hanes, CHS.
\ Math/Economics: Amy Short, SHS.
\ Communications: Jean Kirk, SHS.
\ Personal Selling: Jory Underwood, SHS.
The After Prom Committee and Custom Catering are sponsoring "An Evening in Paradise" at Custom Catering tonight from 5 to 7. The event is for parents of students at BLACKSBURG HIGH and is a "precursor" for the prom party. Parents can see the activities and games that will be available for students at the real after-prom party to be held later in the year. The event also is an opportunity for parents and community members to share ideas about the drug- free, alcohol-free party following the prom.
Brian Eigel of CHRISTIANSBURG HIGH SCHOOL was chosen senior student of the month for January. He is the son of Bill and Tassy Eigel.
He has been a member of the yearbook staff, newspaper staff, key club, Students Against Drunk Driving, Quill and Scroll Society and Beta Club.
In sports, he has participated in junior-varsity basketball, cross country and outdoor track. He was named Timesland Runner of the year in 1990-91.
The PULASKI COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS took their play, "The Conference of the Birds," to district competition in Roanoke and won first place. Lisa Rowh and Chris Farmer were named best actress and actor.
The play will be performed in a regional competition in Lynchburg.
Dorothy Williams of Eastern Elementary was the recipient of the Instructional Achievement Category-Positive Education Performance Award, a recognition program sponsored by the Giles County School System.
Williams is a state remedial assistant who works with third- and fourth-graders. She has been with the Giles County School system since 1980.
She is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, New River Ward primary president and sings with the choir. She is president of Ripplemead Extension Homemakers Club and involved in Giles Little Theater.