Entry #7: Biographical Writing

Throughout this class, I have been learning about a number of different genres. Not only have I been exposed to learning how to write in these different genres, I have also been learning concepts and instructional methods that could be used to teach students how to write in these genres. More specifically, I have been assigned a project where I am required to become an expert on the biographical genre. I am responsible for developing and delivering a professional workshop that will help my classmates become more confident in teaching their students how to read and write all types of life stories. 

Throughout this process, I am gathering a number of resources that will deepen my knowledge on this specific genre. For example, I have collected a few research articles that exposed me to other aspects on teaching biographies that I had never considered before. I stumbled upon an article that provided three clues individuals can look for while they are reading or writing biographical pieces. The three clues are: looking for repetition within an author's perspective, looking to find any similarities or/and differences about the same subjects discussed from different perspectives and taking a look at the author's note to see if any additional information is provided about why the author wrote their biographies from that particular point of view (Zarnowski, 2019). I think these clues are great guidelines for readers to look for because it challenges them to take a deeper look into why an author would make certain decisions throughout their writing process. These same clues can be applied when I am teaching my students how to write their own biographies. All of these clues are great tips on how to make your biographical writing more meaningful and engaging for your given audience. 

https://www.writermag.com/improve-your-writing/nonfiction/tips-writing-biography/

I also found another useful article where Marshall (2019) discusses the importance of incorporating biographies in today's classrooms that highlight multiple identities, languages, modes and histories. The author believes that these biographies should be powerful enough to promote some sort of social activism within our students. Biographies should raise ethical questions (Marshall, 2019). I couldn't agree more with the author's point that biographies should provide our students with more personal details and provoke deeper emotions than textbooks do. These biographies also shine a light on the biases and the lack of representation for minority groups found in modern-day social studies textbooks. Reading and writing biographies allow students to engage in learning about real-world experiences which in return will allow students to recall the information long-term. Marshall (2019) also offered an eye-opening activity for me to try in my classroom. Students would be required to find a story that includes a stereotype, excludes or misrepresents them as a way to show others how misleading stories can be sometimes. I believe it is important to teach my students to be critical readers by looking for any misrepresentations found in the stories they are reading. 

http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/biograph/index.htm

Marshall (2019) also states: "autobiography allows writers the opportunity to reckon with their own past and historical time period and to provide a critique of the present." This was a very powerful quote because autobiographies are more than just writing a story about yourself. They allow writers to consider how they have developed into the person they are today. They can discuss how their prior experiences have shaped the morals and values they hold within today's society. I have found that my students enjoy the process of writing autobiographies because they get to share their own personal stories, interests and beliefs with their peers. Tompkins (2019) also offered numerous activities that I would love to try in my classroom as a way to introduce autobiographies including: "All About Me" Books, Life Books and Bio Bags. I believe all of these activities would very engaging and an easy way to teach my students about what autobiographies need to entail. 

References 

Marshall, E. (2019). Life Writing and the Language Arts. Language Arts, 96(3), 167-178.

Tompkins, G. E. (2019). Teaching writing: Balancing process and product (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill. 

Zarnowski, M. (2019). "How One Person Sees Another Person": Focusing on the Author's Perspective in Picturebook Biographies. Language Arts, 96(3), 145-152.