MGRP Reflection

I have learned more than I expected to while researching, writing, and creating this multigenre research paper.  Not only did I learn an unexpected amount about my topic of reading incentive programs, but I also learned more than I thought I would about how to incorporate a multigenre research paper and project into my own classroom.  As I was doing my own project, my thoughts constantly went back to how this could be relatable to elementary aged students.  Allen’s book The Multigenre Research paper: Voice, Passion, and Discovery in Grades 4-6 really helped me along in this process.  Before starting this project I had no idea what a multigenre research paper was, and now I cannot wait to use it in my own classroom. 

One thing that went particularly well for me was the creation of the genres.  I really felt free to express myself with the point of view I wanted to take on reading incentive programs.  The thing that helped me the most was the activity we did on the first day of class when Karen asked us to write down every way that we used literacy and text.  This activity prompted the class to open our minds to other forms of writing and literacy besides just papers and letters.  I also think that by allowing children to explore many different genres the teacher is not limiting them to only writing in one form.  This allows the students to feel passionate about writing what they want to write about therefore wanting to do more.    

Something I would do differently when using this in my own classroom would be to focus the students’ topic more clearly and not give them such a wide range as the topic was for this project.  I admit that I struggled at first to find a topic because I needed more closed parameters.  For students, I particularly liked what Allen did with letting them chose people of history.  Currently, I am in a fourth grade classroom and they are doing a project on Native Americans in Indiana (past and present) with regards to Indiana History.  The teacher has carried this over to Book Club (the students are all reading books about Native Americans), and I think this would be a perfect opportunity to do a multigenre research paper based on Native Americans.  I have learned that the possibilities with a multigenre research paper are endless and this is one of the many aspects that will keep me coming back to it in my future classroom.