Teachers - I have a question! (NBR)

stephsteph77 · May 2010

OK, say your students were given this writing prompt:

Think about one thing you would like to change about school. In several paragraphs, write letter to your principal explaining why it should be changed.

Would you consider this persuasive writing (writing to influence someone) or expository (writing to explain)? I know it has the word "explain" in it, but to me it seems like they are writing to influence the principal to change something, which would make is persuasive. What do you guys think?

I'm kind of freaking out because this is on their state writing test (my 4th graders are struggling through it right now), and we haven't done ANY persuasive writing all year - we aren't supposed to until 5th grade!!! Even my really strong writers are having a hard time thinking of multiple reasons why one thing should be changed. Ugh, I hate watching them suffer through state testing. Crying

Chick7806 · May 2010

I would say it's a combo of the two- it seems more persuasive, but in order to persuade, you obviously have to explain!

)

rider5344 · May 2010

First of all, be careful writing that on here, I don't know about where you are at, but in PA for me to look at a prompt, record it, and ask for help on it (especially if it is to help the kids) I could not only lose my job, but I would be putting the jobs of my higer ups at risk. That being said, it is both. I would label it under persuasive however because anything that is persuasive and written well would also be expository. You cannot express an opinion without support in good writing.

stephsteph77 · May 2010

rider5344:
First of all, be careful writing that on here, I don't know about where you are at, but in PA for me to look at a prompt, record it, and ask for help on it (especially if it is to help the kids) I could not only lose my job, but I would be putting the jobs of my higer ups at risk. That being said, it is both. I would label it under persuasive however because anything that is persuasive and written well would also be expository. You cannot express an opinion without support in good writing.

Here once the test is out for the kids the prompt becomes public domain. We all have to do it on the same day district wide. If I was asking for help for the kids I would totally get fired, but I'm not. Actually I am thinking about complaining about the prompt to... somebody? Still trying to figure out who I would voice my concerns to. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't crazy first. I can see how it's both, but it seems to be more pursuasive than anything else and they just threw the word "explain" in there to make it seem more of an expository.

4maddison · May 2010

I would definitely say thats persuasive writing. That blows my mind that your county doesn't teach that sooner though. I worked as a kindergarten intern this past semester and they were already exposed to and producing their own persuasive writings.

HappyMommy28 · May 2010

Seems more persuasive.

I don't like standardized testing. There are so many factors that come into play with it that the results are bound to be varied; especially by varying SES situations. There are also those kids who are smart but simply do not take tests well. The fact that teachers will be "graded" on how well the kids do drives me insane. Not saying that there are no bad teachers, just that all schools don't have the same benefits and therefore should not be graded the same.

Wow...I went off on a little tangent... sorry

stephsteph77 · May 2010

RoseTor:

Seems more persuasive.

I don't like standardized testing. There are so many factors that come into play with it that the results are bound to be varied; especially by varying SES situations. There are also those kids who are smart but simply do not take tests well. The fact that teachers will be "graded" on how well the kids do drives me insane. Not saying that there are no bad teachers, just that all schools don't have the same benefits and therefore should not be graded the same.

Wow...I went off on a little tangent... sorry

No worries, I completely agree! I would get more on board with standardized testing if they gave a test at the beginning of the year, and a follow up at the end of the year. That way you could actually see their growth in a year when I had some influence. I hate that there is a ton of pressure on me, as a 4th grade teacher (here the 4th grade test is a HUGE deal), to have my class on standard. But if they came into my class reading at a 1st grade level, how am I supposed to have them advance 3 years during the 8 months I have some control over them? Ugh, I"m going to get all riled up about this.

However, even my theory that a beginning of the year/end of the year test would be better sucks for a lot of teacher with high turnover rates. I've lost and gained 6 students this year. At my sister's school, she only has 10 of the students that she started with in September. The rest have moved in over the year. At schools in eastern Washington there are huge migratory populations that move in and out throughout the year. How should those kids be tested? Which teacher is held accountable, and how is it made fair?

DaisyCakes18 · May 2010

I would have said it was a persuasive prompt - that they're trying to convince the principal of what should be changed. I guess, with the right wording, it could be expository, though, but I would lean more towards persuasive.

Rangergal9 · May 2010

Like others, its definitely persuasive. I also teach 4th grade and they had to do a long composition for our state test as well. However ours, is always a personal narrative. We do teach persuasive writing though.

jaxxx15 · May 2010

I think it could be used for either.

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