Overcoming Writer's Block

Now that my action research is well underway, it would only make sense that I hit a wall. The two activities I have focused on, narrow reading and dialogue journals, have been successful components of my small group reading instruction. The feedback from my students remains positive – they are still very excited to write in their journals, and they love learning science content in our reading block. However, I felt I have hit a roadblock. I thought I did not have any new information or data to report on. I did not want to blog for the purpose of blogging, and I felt I had not uncovered any monumental data. Things in my classroom, and the process of my action research project have been moving along steadily, amidst the recent transformation of small group reading.

I have finally established a routine during small group, and this is a huge feat in itself. My students are familiar with our routine as well, which helps them know what to expect so they can prepare for this hour of instruction. Dialogue journals are still completed by students on Mondays and Wednesdays, and I respond on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, some of my students have asked to have their journal on off days to share personal information with me. The fact that these students have felt so comfortable talking to me and sharing private stories with me is the exact reason I chose to incorporate this activity into our reading. Although my dialogue journals do not focus on any reading or writing skills, the role they play in the classroom is significant. Through these journals, I have developed very strong, genuine relationships with my students and I have learned more about them than I anticipated. My girls’ journals are more detailed and personal than the boys’, but that is to be expected. One thing I have found is my girls love talking to me about what I have written in their journals during recess, and any other “down time” we may have. The dialogue journals have helped create meaningful relationships with my students, which, in my opinion, is more important than anything else.