Routman's Optimal Learning Model

In chapter four of Writing Essentials, Routman introduces her readers to the optimal learning model for writing. This model has four phases: demonstration, shared demonstration, guided practice, and independent practice.

During the demonstration phase, the students observe their teacher as s/he shows them exactly how to do it by modeling, by explaining, and by thinking and writing out loud. During the shared demonstration phase, the teacher still has the lead in writing, but the students collaborate with their teacher as much as they are able to. Similar to demonstration, shared writing takes place as whole group instruction with the teacher writing in front of the class. During the guided practice phase, the students have the lead and are attempting to apply the writing strategies and techniques that have already been demonstrated for them. The teacher is always close by to offer support and feedback to the student. The last phase, independent practice, generally occurs once the students have been taught how to successfully write a particular form or genre.

I have seen certain components of the optimal learning model in my field experience, but I don't believe the model has been followed in order of the four phases. I have observed a teacher demonstrate a particular writing piece that the students will be expected to perform. The teacher thinks out loud and speaks the words as she writes them. She also rereads her writing out loud frequently, explaining to the students why she's doing this. The students are then sent back to their desks to begin their pre-write and/or writing.

During the next literacy lesson, the teacher will engage the class in a form of shared writing. The students and the teacher will work on the same piece of writing that the teacher used for the initial demonstration. The shared writing is generally used solely on revisions of the writing. I suppose, for the sake of accuracy with this example, it should be called shared revisions, rather than shared writing.

After giving it some thought, I think I can conclude that I have not observed a true shared writing in my field experience. I have however, observed guided writing, where the teacher will have a mini writing conference with a student while roaming the classroom, or the students will look at one student's piece of writing as a class, or the class will have peer shares in which the students work with a partner for assistance.

In my personal experience, including grade school, high school, and my undergraduate career, I never crossed paths with the optimal writing model. Could this be because the idea of demonstration is fairly new? My only recollection of the writing instruction I received is reading from a school text and completing worksheets and questions directly from the textbook. I never believed I was a writer and I never enjoyed writing. I wonder if this would have been different if I would have had a different experience with the way in which it was taught?