This semester was really unique for me. Student teaching/observing really allows you to get out there and put to practice everything you have been learning, but in a way that you are expected to still be learning. I hope that makes senseJ. One of the biggest things I learned about myself was that I can do it. I have a lot of experience in classrooms for various reasons. However, I had always been there for one or two days at a time, teaching someone else’s lessons. This semester, I really got to see what I could do. My CT allowed me to have a lot of input and interaction in the classroom, which helped to build my confidence as a teacher. I could stand in front of a classroom all day, and not be nervous, but I was able to gain confidence as a teacher. I also learned how important it was to build relationships with the students. I genuinely cared about the students, and I think I was able to portray that too them, without having to be extreme. They knew that I wanted them to succeed, and that I cared about what sports they were in, or what activities they were a part of. I wanted to be that type of teacher, and I saw that I can be, and without really thinking about it, I was. Even if it wasn’t something I wasn’t particularly interested in, I still tried to be excited for the students. Finally, I learned that I want to be a teacher that makes English exciting, when I really have my own classroom hopefully next year. There is just so much you can do, especially in English, that is meaningful learning, but that the students can have fun with, and showcase their many talents. I want to try and push myself to find ways to make my future classroom like this, so I’m not complacent, and my students aren’t complacent.
With the confidence I gained this fall, I feel a lot better about the process in the spring. I feel that if I am confidant in what I’m doing, then the students will respond better to me. They will see that I care about their learning, and what they are doing outside of school. I am trying to work with them, not against them, in making it an enjoyable experience. I also think that knowing the type of teacher I want to be, will make me want to create lesson that the students can find more relevant to their lives, and unique styles. If I am able, I know the types of things that I want to experiment with in the spring. Hopefully, I can accomplish all of these goals this spring.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Writing
Writing, I feel, is the element of the English classroom that makes it crucial to every student. Almost every student in the classroom is probably going to have to do writing in some sort-of capacity when they leave high school. For that reason, it should be on the top priority list in the classroom.
Unfortunately, I don’t feel that many teachers approach writing in the right way. First of all, students really tend to write the same boring essays, over and over for each unit. The students never learn to experiment with anything. Then you have the issue of a teacher who wants it exactly their way. I experienced this during my schooling, and it has really taken me a long time, to both find and portray my own voice through whatever type of writing I do. I agree with the book, that the students really need to work with multiple genres, so they can learn to develop that voice, comfort, and confidence in their writing from early on.
Another thing I would like to do differently in my classroom is the actual writing process. First of all, I don’t know how helpful writing workshops truly are in the average high school classroom. When I was in high school, we took that as gossip time, and we would make our few comments, and then talk about what we were going to be doing that weekend. Students are still like that today. Does anyone have any effective ways to ensure that the students are getting the most out of this activity? I guess maybe they could each mark it up with a different color, so I could see how much effort they were putting into the helping process. We did this in a college class, and it worked pretty well, so maybe it would work on the high school level. I also like the idea of ownership in Milner and Milner, as well as the physical arrangements, but I still don’t know if it will make students take the writing process seriously.
One other thing I don’t understand is the way we turn in writing, and then we never visit it again. I really feel that students should turn something in, and then go back to it a month or two later, to work with it again. Would this type of exercise be feasible, or even worth it in a high school classroom? Just a thought.
I think writing is a great skill, and I hope I can really help my students to write in genres that will help them later in life.
Unfortunately, I don’t feel that many teachers approach writing in the right way. First of all, students really tend to write the same boring essays, over and over for each unit. The students never learn to experiment with anything. Then you have the issue of a teacher who wants it exactly their way. I experienced this during my schooling, and it has really taken me a long time, to both find and portray my own voice through whatever type of writing I do. I agree with the book, that the students really need to work with multiple genres, so they can learn to develop that voice, comfort, and confidence in their writing from early on.
Another thing I would like to do differently in my classroom is the actual writing process. First of all, I don’t know how helpful writing workshops truly are in the average high school classroom. When I was in high school, we took that as gossip time, and we would make our few comments, and then talk about what we were going to be doing that weekend. Students are still like that today. Does anyone have any effective ways to ensure that the students are getting the most out of this activity? I guess maybe they could each mark it up with a different color, so I could see how much effort they were putting into the helping process. We did this in a college class, and it worked pretty well, so maybe it would work on the high school level. I also like the idea of ownership in Milner and Milner, as well as the physical arrangements, but I still don’t know if it will make students take the writing process seriously.
One other thing I don’t understand is the way we turn in writing, and then we never visit it again. I really feel that students should turn something in, and then go back to it a month or two later, to work with it again. Would this type of exercise be feasible, or even worth it in a high school classroom? Just a thought.
I think writing is a great skill, and I hope I can really help my students to write in genres that will help them later in life.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Media
I really enjoyed this chapter, and the advice they gave. I especially like how they showed the four different ways to approach media in the classroom, and how effective and engaging it can truly be. I personally have observed my CT use this in the classroom, and I have been pleasantly surprised by the work the students have created.
One thing my teacher likes to do, is have the students create a c.d. for various books, or literature that we read. They can approach it in multiple ways. They can just list songs, and the lyrics. They can add a c.d. jacket they created. They can actually burn the c.d., and include the lyrics. Or, the bravest of the brave can write their own lyrics. I’m sure many of us have experienced how students really don’t consider lyrics as poetry, and so they might be more expressive, if they write under the label of lyrics. We had two students like this, and they wrote songs for The Crucible, and actually played their guitars and sang them in class. They were Awesome! The songs really captured The Crucible, and the other students were in awe. It is something I would really like to incorporate in my classroom one day.
Another thing they talked about was the use of comics. I had my students use toon- doo to create cartoons, and except for the technology issue, the students really liked working with the tool. They seemed to actually have fun with it, and by doing something interesting, they were able to understand “A Knight’s Tale,” and the characters really stuck in their brains.
In another lesson, we incorporated paintings. The students were writing poetry during our Romantics unit. We had plenty of paintings available in case they were having trouble with inspiration. If I had more time, I would have liked to do more with the paintings, but again it is another idea for the future. Another idea, I really like is the use of newspaper/magazine articles in the classroom. My CT tries to incorporate articles written about the piece of literature we are studying. I feel that it really helps the students make connections between when the book was written (usually a long time ago), and modern day. I know that Lauren and I are working with Animal Farm for our unit plan, and it would be cool to incorporate media to help with propaganda, or other ideas in the book.
You can really find a use for media in the classroom almost anywhere. It helps students connect school to their personal lives, and makes things more interesting. The internet has made things a lot easer, and you can really find ideas for using media in multiple places. For example, my CT found a great lesson incorporating media for a unit on transcendentalism at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Website. Who would have thoughtJ
One thing my teacher likes to do, is have the students create a c.d. for various books, or literature that we read. They can approach it in multiple ways. They can just list songs, and the lyrics. They can add a c.d. jacket they created. They can actually burn the c.d., and include the lyrics. Or, the bravest of the brave can write their own lyrics. I’m sure many of us have experienced how students really don’t consider lyrics as poetry, and so they might be more expressive, if they write under the label of lyrics. We had two students like this, and they wrote songs for The Crucible, and actually played their guitars and sang them in class. They were Awesome! The songs really captured The Crucible, and the other students were in awe. It is something I would really like to incorporate in my classroom one day.
Another thing they talked about was the use of comics. I had my students use toon- doo to create cartoons, and except for the technology issue, the students really liked working with the tool. They seemed to actually have fun with it, and by doing something interesting, they were able to understand “A Knight’s Tale,” and the characters really stuck in their brains.
In another lesson, we incorporated paintings. The students were writing poetry during our Romantics unit. We had plenty of paintings available in case they were having trouble with inspiration. If I had more time, I would have liked to do more with the paintings, but again it is another idea for the future. Another idea, I really like is the use of newspaper/magazine articles in the classroom. My CT tries to incorporate articles written about the piece of literature we are studying. I feel that it really helps the students make connections between when the book was written (usually a long time ago), and modern day. I know that Lauren and I are working with Animal Farm for our unit plan, and it would be cool to incorporate media to help with propaganda, or other ideas in the book.
You can really find a use for media in the classroom almost anywhere. It helps students connect school to their personal lives, and makes things more interesting. The internet has made things a lot easer, and you can really find ideas for using media in multiple places. For example, my CT found a great lesson incorporating media for a unit on transcendentalism at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Website. Who would have thoughtJ
Monday, October 29, 2007
Grammar-Part Two
These articles really put some more perspective on grammar in the classroom. The Anderson article is really the approach I was looking for. I really feel that it is important to be able to approach grammar in this way. As I mentioned in my last post, I feel that we are caught in the middle. Some teachers are stuck on the same old grammar instruction. Then, you have the other extreme, which doesn’t really teach it at all. I feel that this zooming in and out does a great job of merging the two in a non-boring or overwhelming way. A couple things really stood out about this article. First of all, that examining grammar should be “part of the meaning-making process,” instead of an interruption. If you approach it this way, then I think the other parts will fall into place. I also like how they point out that the best place to start is listening. Once you listen, and know your students, then you can pick subtle ways to teach the grammar, where the students don’t even realize it’s grammar instruction, and they actually might find somewhat fun. The article shows that with a little bit of guidance, you don’t have to be at the front of the room lecturing on the “rules” of grammar. Rather, the students are figuring out how to write well, and correct their own mistakes. The reason I liked this article the most, however, is because of one sentence and idea, “whatever it takes to move students toward correctness, reminding myself that students have to make errors to improve.” I feel that so many teachers feel that students should just know these things. So, they get out their red pen to write wrong to this, and wrong to that. However, these mistakes in the right environment, are what help students to learn individually and as a class. They should be used as tools, rather then confidence and grade downers.
The long article seems to be a great reference. I didn’t receive a lot of grammar instruction, so the quick little clarifications about the common mistakes were quite helpful. The Anderson article was my framework, but the other articles helped to complete the way I feel I want to incorporate grammar instruction in my classroom.
The long article seems to be a great reference. I didn’t receive a lot of grammar instruction, so the quick little clarifications about the common mistakes were quite helpful. The Anderson article was my framework, but the other articles helped to complete the way I feel I want to incorporate grammar instruction in my classroom.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Grammar
Grammar is a very interesting topic for me. I feel that our generation is kind-of caught in the middle of a grammar debate, and how much, or even more, how important it is, in comparison to the other subjects in the English classroom. Personally, I didn’t receive a lot of grammar instruction in school. It was just something that I picked up along the way. I don’t know the names of a lot of different characteristics of grammar. However, I can usually tell you if something looks or sounds right. I have met people my age that received a lot of grammar instruction in school, and can spout it off. It leads me to wonder, which school of thought is better? Is it best for students to be drilled and drilled on grammar, in what I would consider a very boring English classroom? Or, is it best to almost let students figure it out on their own, and just teach the characteristics that are truly important. Is it crucial for a student to know the name of an aspect of grammar, if it’s not an issue in their writing? As I have said, I don’t feel that I have a very strong background in the complexities of grammar of the English language. I have done some teaching of grammar during my observation, and I just had to teach myself it, before I taught the students. But, there have been one or two questions that I couldn’t answer. Does a lack of grammar knowledge make me an incompetent English teacher? I don’t think so, but I have heard that statement before. I just kept my mouth shut at the time, but I’m not so sure how important grammar drills are to the everyday student. As a more experienced teacher, I probably would’ve said so. I think that a good teacher can assess the students writing, and go from there, to see what needs to be taught, and what isn’t an issue, in an effort to not have the same old boring English classroom, which some students don’t even find applicable to what they want to do with their lives. It’s hard to figure it out, when we are caught in the middle. I guess I need more experience before I make my final decision.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Poetry
The Milner and Milner readings really helped me out this week. I am teaching poetry for the first time this week. I was kind-of nervous about it, because I feel like responses to poetry are very personal, so besides the technical terms, I wasn’t quite sure how to approach it. It really bothered me in school, when a teacher would say that my interpretation to a poem was wrong. I really feel that poetry is one of those things that needs to be personal, so our responses to it shouldn’t be wrong, because each of our personal experiences, will shape how we interpret the poet’s meaning. I found some strategies in M & M that made me feel a lot more comfortable about the lesson.
Poetry, as these articles show is something that is so important to the English classroom. I feel that students either love it or hate it. However, with some of these techniques, I think it can become something that more students love, and really walk away with a lot from. It is one of the few times in the classroom where most rules go out the window, and students can just worry about connecting with a piece of writing. They don’t really have to have correct grammar, and they can express themselves. I really like in the wordplay article how they show it can help your bilingual students feel more comfortable in the classroom, because they can combine all of their strengths in poetry. I agree with this, but I had never thought about it before. I also think its cool how the article shows that students can make up words. Sometimes, I feel that students get frustrated, because they can’t find the perfect word. The ability to make up a word would really show some deeper thinking, as I would have them explain how they came to that word.
The Exphrasis poetry can be really helpful as well. I’m doing something similar with this in the poetry lesson I’m teaching this week. Some poems seem so random, and out there, but seeing the inspiration helps students to feel more comfortable in unlocking the poem. I feel that activities like this really do make students more confident in their poetry reading skills. I like activities like this, because it shows students that they can understand things like this, and they are capable.
Switching gears a little bit, I just have a few comments about the ipod article. I love this idea in the schools. I feel that if the school provides the ipods, and they stay in the schools, you can assure that the material on them is appropriate, and educational. I think that this is a trend that will spread to all schools that can afford them, and they really can be a great resource. In the school system I want to teach in, they have laptops that teachers can sign out, so the students can do work in the classroom. For example, in science they can have the computers as a supplement to the activity. Ipods will probably be quite similar. They really help students get more excited about learning. I think that it’s a great way to bridge the gap between school and their personal lives, so students are more eager and interested to learn.
Poetry, as these articles show is something that is so important to the English classroom. I feel that students either love it or hate it. However, with some of these techniques, I think it can become something that more students love, and really walk away with a lot from. It is one of the few times in the classroom where most rules go out the window, and students can just worry about connecting with a piece of writing. They don’t really have to have correct grammar, and they can express themselves. I really like in the wordplay article how they show it can help your bilingual students feel more comfortable in the classroom, because they can combine all of their strengths in poetry. I agree with this, but I had never thought about it before. I also think its cool how the article shows that students can make up words. Sometimes, I feel that students get frustrated, because they can’t find the perfect word. The ability to make up a word would really show some deeper thinking, as I would have them explain how they came to that word.
The Exphrasis poetry can be really helpful as well. I’m doing something similar with this in the poetry lesson I’m teaching this week. Some poems seem so random, and out there, but seeing the inspiration helps students to feel more comfortable in unlocking the poem. I feel that activities like this really do make students more confident in their poetry reading skills. I like activities like this, because it shows students that they can understand things like this, and they are capable.
Switching gears a little bit, I just have a few comments about the ipod article. I love this idea in the schools. I feel that if the school provides the ipods, and they stay in the schools, you can assure that the material on them is appropriate, and educational. I think that this is a trend that will spread to all schools that can afford them, and they really can be a great resource. In the school system I want to teach in, they have laptops that teachers can sign out, so the students can do work in the classroom. For example, in science they can have the computers as a supplement to the activity. Ipods will probably be quite similar. They really help students get more excited about learning. I think that it’s a great way to bridge the gap between school and their personal lives, so students are more eager and interested to learn.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
A Few Thoughts....
Last week, I had some interesting interactions with technology. I was substitute teaching in a different school, and I just happened to be in the workroom while some different conversations were going on. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but it was kind-of hard not to listen, and it ended up being useful information. First of all, the issue of ipods in the school came up. I was just sitting there thinking they were going to talk about music that wasn’t appropriate for school and stuff like that. However, the teachers started talking about how students use ipods to cheat. I was stunned. I had never thought about ipods in this way. They were talking about how they download books to listen to, or I guess are able to somehow record themselves, and put answers to the test on them. One boy, even strategically sat near the wall, so he could have one headphone in, without anyone seeing. I felt so naive. I had never thought of ipods in this way before. Has anyone had experience with this? I know about the use of cell-phones, but I just didn’t think a student was so bold to just put their headphone on. I guess, though, if they know that the teacher isn’t really paying attention, then they know it’s not a big deal.
My other issue arose with notes online. In two of the classes, they had set-up a place where students could print off packets online. However, the teachers were very confused, because one girl was really upset about it. Also, they had planned for the students that didn’t have computers, to pick up theirs in the library. This caused another level of concern for the teachers, because other students took those packets, leaving the librarians to make a bunch more during school. I just wonder, if for something like notes, and homework assignments, if this is really fair to the students. I know, for me, in highschool, my computer always froze, or would mess up, and I was the type of student that would get really upset if I didn’t turn something in on time. This type of system would have really aggravated me. Does anyone have a more successful story about these types of classes, where all materials are online, and you are held responsible for them? My other problem was that the students were ninth graders, and they were thrown into this system that was causing a lot of frustration. It’s not like they were a.p students. They were just getting used to highschool, and they were almost being treated like college students. It was just interesting, and something I hadn’t really seen before.
My other issue arose with notes online. In two of the classes, they had set-up a place where students could print off packets online. However, the teachers were very confused, because one girl was really upset about it. Also, they had planned for the students that didn’t have computers, to pick up theirs in the library. This caused another level of concern for the teachers, because other students took those packets, leaving the librarians to make a bunch more during school. I just wonder, if for something like notes, and homework assignments, if this is really fair to the students. I know, for me, in highschool, my computer always froze, or would mess up, and I was the type of student that would get really upset if I didn’t turn something in on time. This type of system would have really aggravated me. Does anyone have a more successful story about these types of classes, where all materials are online, and you are held responsible for them? My other problem was that the students were ninth graders, and they were thrown into this system that was causing a lot of frustration. It’s not like they were a.p students. They were just getting used to highschool, and they were almost being treated like college students. It was just interesting, and something I hadn’t really seen before.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Assessment
The readings on assessment really brought up some interesting things for me. I feel that assessment can be really hard to do. You want to reward students for putting a lot of effort into an assignment, but what do you do if all of that effort doesn’t lead to a product that really matches up with what they should have come too. Recently, I had to teach my first lesson, and then give the student’s an assignment. They turned these in to me this past week and I really didn’t expect it to be so hard to grade them. First of all, it took me a long time. Most of their projects were only 1-2 pages, but after giving them feedback, it really took a while to arrive at a grade. Another hard thing was that the topic allowed for a lot of creativity. As a naive, just starting out teacher, I didn’t expect to have a student write about the legalization of marijuana. The paper was well-written, and she had done a great job. The topic, however, was obviously a little questionable. After discussing it with my CT, we decided that I should just go ahead and grade it. I ended up giving her an A, but I wondered if I sent the wrong message, or if I did the right thing by not hindering her creativity. I’m still not sure of the answer to that question. The grading procedure was also frustrating. I listed exactly what should be in their papers. I then stood at the front, and read an example of my own, which included all of the components. Some students still, however, completely left parts out, which was hard, because I had to take away a lot of points. Their topic would be really good, but it was obvious they didn’t quite understand the style the paper was in. Finally, grading their papers made me wonder if it is better to read through all of the papers first, then go back again, and assign grades. Would this make you less patient, because it is too time-consuming? I was just wondering after the fact. I learned a lot from just grading one assignment. I wanted to give them all A’s, but by following the rubric I made, which they also had, I think I was able to be pretty fair.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Journal Readings
All of these articles were really interesting to me. They each gave me ideas for the classroom, but also made me question some current practices, that really aren’t helping students.
The article about learning how to annotate showed just how many students don’t know how to do this. In a college setting, I cannot tell you how many students I see highlighting a text, and then wondering why they did poorly on a test. In my younger years, I even did this some, until I realized that the highlighter wasn’t some magic tool that was helping me to comprehend. I had to teach myself to engage with the text differently. However, so many students have not, and unfortunately do not figure out that simply highlighting doesn’t mean you understand a text.
I really liked in this article, how they gave advice and alternatives to annotation. I feel like a lot of things we read give things to do, that will only work in the perfect, ideal school setting. But, this article did a good job of giving alternatives like the dialectical journal which will be feasible anywhere.
I really liked the approach to book groups in the “voices” article. This article really got me thinking about a classic text, which we are starting in our 12th grade English class this week. He seems to use different books based on common themes. However, I was wondering if this same type of idea or theory could be applied to The Canterbury Tales? I feel like it would be good for the students to choose one tale. I could help them based on their personalities. Then we could follow the pattern of the book groups to discuss the book as a whole. I also think that the reader’s bill of rights would be a good thing to post up on the wall in my classroom one day, to show students that they have choices when it comes to reading.
I loved the reading workshop idea. I think it’s pointless for teachers to assign stupid worksheets each night, just so the students have homework. This idea would be great for high school students, who I feel need things scheduled, because they are usually very busy. However, for my classroom, I think I would cut it down to 30 minutes, 4 nights a week. Also, instead of just checking their page number, I think that every Monday, I will take the fist 15 minutes of class to randomly select 5 students to quickly discuss their books with. I just thought it was a great idea, and I will probably use this approach in my classroom one day.
The Vacca article hit on what some of the other ones were trying to show, which is readers have to feel confidant in their abilities, or else they get frustrated. For that reason, if they need to read lower level things to improve their skills, that’s o.k. I completely agree with this. Some students just aren’t great readers, and they can really get down if they are forced to read something that is way too challenging.
The last article sums up a major issue, that collectively all of the articles were showing. For some reason, in elementary school, kids enjoy reading more. I think it is, because more teachers are incorporating the six T’s in these grades. However, in high school, students really lost their love of reading. I know I did. As high school teachers, we need to be more aware of the 6 T’s in our planning, so student can become better readers, and hopefully find that appreciation that somehow gets lost in the high school years.
The article about learning how to annotate showed just how many students don’t know how to do this. In a college setting, I cannot tell you how many students I see highlighting a text, and then wondering why they did poorly on a test. In my younger years, I even did this some, until I realized that the highlighter wasn’t some magic tool that was helping me to comprehend. I had to teach myself to engage with the text differently. However, so many students have not, and unfortunately do not figure out that simply highlighting doesn’t mean you understand a text.
I really liked in this article, how they gave advice and alternatives to annotation. I feel like a lot of things we read give things to do, that will only work in the perfect, ideal school setting. But, this article did a good job of giving alternatives like the dialectical journal which will be feasible anywhere.
I really liked the approach to book groups in the “voices” article. This article really got me thinking about a classic text, which we are starting in our 12th grade English class this week. He seems to use different books based on common themes. However, I was wondering if this same type of idea or theory could be applied to The Canterbury Tales? I feel like it would be good for the students to choose one tale. I could help them based on their personalities. Then we could follow the pattern of the book groups to discuss the book as a whole. I also think that the reader’s bill of rights would be a good thing to post up on the wall in my classroom one day, to show students that they have choices when it comes to reading.
I loved the reading workshop idea. I think it’s pointless for teachers to assign stupid worksheets each night, just so the students have homework. This idea would be great for high school students, who I feel need things scheduled, because they are usually very busy. However, for my classroom, I think I would cut it down to 30 minutes, 4 nights a week. Also, instead of just checking their page number, I think that every Monday, I will take the fist 15 minutes of class to randomly select 5 students to quickly discuss their books with. I just thought it was a great idea, and I will probably use this approach in my classroom one day.
The Vacca article hit on what some of the other ones were trying to show, which is readers have to feel confidant in their abilities, or else they get frustrated. For that reason, if they need to read lower level things to improve their skills, that’s o.k. I completely agree with this. Some students just aren’t great readers, and they can really get down if they are forced to read something that is way too challenging.
The last article sums up a major issue, that collectively all of the articles were showing. For some reason, in elementary school, kids enjoy reading more. I think it is, because more teachers are incorporating the six T’s in these grades. However, in high school, students really lost their love of reading. I know I did. As high school teachers, we need to be more aware of the 6 T’s in our planning, so student can become better readers, and hopefully find that appreciation that somehow gets lost in the high school years.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
BPR CH. 3
Most school systems are really resistant to moving forward with different types of literacy. Students are so used to these different types of texts outside of school. However, often times they don’t get to work with them in school. Therefore, they might get frustrated with the traditional literature all of the time, and might be completely turned off. I found the last paragraph oh pg. 26 quite interesting. It shows that learning with these “multimodal texts” can help students who are reluctant to reading really improve, and feel better about themselves as readers, thus making them want to participate, and really engage in the act of reading more often.
This should be the ultimate goal. Having students learn the art of engaging themselves in texts should be the hopeful outcome. However, all that seems to go out the window, because of certain mandates. It really makes me wonder where the disconnect is coming from. Students need one thing, but are told that they have to do it another way. Then, in the long-run, the student is suffering. I know about NCLB, and some of the other major policies. However, I want to know how they are coming up with these great standards that aren’t working so well for every child. Are they advised by teachers? It doesn’t seem so. There is such a disconnect between how the students can be successful, and how they decision-makers think they should be successful. It just seems like these people are stuck in the past, which makes me wonder if they have been in an actual classroom as a teacher recently. If they had, it would seem that they would see how much multi-modal texts are influencing students, and how they can be a great tool in the classroom along with the traditional texts and methods. That’s the direction we’re heading in, so I really don’t understand why the decision-makers are dead-set on the past. The students are suffering from this lack of innovation. As Alvermann pointed out, it’s so ironic how we have the opportunity to really use technology, and the skills of multiliterate youth, but we are choosing to regress backwards. I guess this article made me realize that if we can find a way to merge traditional techniques, with techniques more relevant to students” lives, then we will probably be more successful in the long run.
This should be the ultimate goal. Having students learn the art of engaging themselves in texts should be the hopeful outcome. However, all that seems to go out the window, because of certain mandates. It really makes me wonder where the disconnect is coming from. Students need one thing, but are told that they have to do it another way. Then, in the long-run, the student is suffering. I know about NCLB, and some of the other major policies. However, I want to know how they are coming up with these great standards that aren’t working so well for every child. Are they advised by teachers? It doesn’t seem so. There is such a disconnect between how the students can be successful, and how they decision-makers think they should be successful. It just seems like these people are stuck in the past, which makes me wonder if they have been in an actual classroom as a teacher recently. If they had, it would seem that they would see how much multi-modal texts are influencing students, and how they can be a great tool in the classroom along with the traditional texts and methods. That’s the direction we’re heading in, so I really don’t understand why the decision-makers are dead-set on the past. The students are suffering from this lack of innovation. As Alvermann pointed out, it’s so ironic how we have the opportunity to really use technology, and the skills of multiliterate youth, but we are choosing to regress backwards. I guess this article made me realize that if we can find a way to merge traditional techniques, with techniques more relevant to students” lives, then we will probably be more successful in the long run.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
The Book Thief
I really enjoyed The Book Thief, first of all. That type of genre really does appeal to me. I like knowing the history behind a story, but also having it be fiction.
A couple of interesting thoughts happened while I was reading the story. First of all, I got some reactions from both adults and kids regarding the story. When people asked me what I was reading and I told them, they didn’t seem too thrilled. The fact that death narrated the story set people back a bit. Also, when I said that it was about a little girl’s experience in Nazi Germany, I got the look like, “been there, read that.” Even though I said it was a good book, and it was still interesting and different, I still got the feeling that people felt like they were tired of that story, because it had been done before. This was interesting to me, because I feel like these stories have become popular in the school setting, and I wonder if students want something different, because they feel like they already know that story. Although the style of this is much different, students might not give it a chance, because they think they already know what it is about.
I really thought the book was well-written as well. The foreshadowing was just enough, that it made me want to read on to find out exactly what happened. At the time, I felt like it was a little long, but after finishing it, I saw how each piece fits into place. I feel like students would really like the foreshadowing, because it’s like a movie trailer, and they want to read on, to find out exactly how it all plays out. It kept me very interested.
The only other problem I found with this book was it was very heavy. I know I cried, and I wondered how many students would really be able to handle such a novel. It was very serious, and emotional and I really feel that some students (even some 12th graders), would really have trouble with the subject matter. For that reason, I don’t’ feel that it would be good for a whole class to read.
However, some students can handle it, and I think they could really do a lot with this book. One such thing would be to not have them read the epilogue, and write their own. Without the epilogue, the reader can really take Leisel and have her experiences after the bombing go anywhere. I feel that this would be a great way for the students to creatively interact with the text.
Overall, I thought it was a great book, and I really enjoyed the story and style as a whole, when I finished it.
A couple of interesting thoughts happened while I was reading the story. First of all, I got some reactions from both adults and kids regarding the story. When people asked me what I was reading and I told them, they didn’t seem too thrilled. The fact that death narrated the story set people back a bit. Also, when I said that it was about a little girl’s experience in Nazi Germany, I got the look like, “been there, read that.” Even though I said it was a good book, and it was still interesting and different, I still got the feeling that people felt like they were tired of that story, because it had been done before. This was interesting to me, because I feel like these stories have become popular in the school setting, and I wonder if students want something different, because they feel like they already know that story. Although the style of this is much different, students might not give it a chance, because they think they already know what it is about.
I really thought the book was well-written as well. The foreshadowing was just enough, that it made me want to read on to find out exactly what happened. At the time, I felt like it was a little long, but after finishing it, I saw how each piece fits into place. I feel like students would really like the foreshadowing, because it’s like a movie trailer, and they want to read on, to find out exactly how it all plays out. It kept me very interested.
The only other problem I found with this book was it was very heavy. I know I cried, and I wondered how many students would really be able to handle such a novel. It was very serious, and emotional and I really feel that some students (even some 12th graders), would really have trouble with the subject matter. For that reason, I don’t’ feel that it would be good for a whole class to read.
However, some students can handle it, and I think they could really do a lot with this book. One such thing would be to not have them read the epilogue, and write their own. Without the epilogue, the reader can really take Leisel and have her experiences after the bombing go anywhere. I feel that this would be a great way for the students to creatively interact with the text.
Overall, I thought it was a great book, and I really enjoyed the story and style as a whole, when I finished it.
Monday, September 3, 2007
So What?
First of all, I felt that all of these responses were great. Each student thoroughly thought them out and represented their opinions well.
However, the main thing I got out of these responses is a blatant example of how each student will approach a text differently. All three got the same general idea of race, and the issues stemming from it in our society. However, from there they each expanded on the point of the poem differently.
The first writer talks about fear, and using literature to overcome it, as well as understand our differences. The second writer makes if more of a political statement, raging about the fact that we still hold prejudices. He poses questions to the reader but also to himself, as a way to understand the poem, and the obvious emotion it is causing him to feel. Finally, the last writer also talks about society as a whole, but she shows that the author is not showing anything new, but rather an old idea just in a new story. She also brings up the issue of class, which was new to the discussion.
From their word choices, such as “fear,” “political correctness,” and “hostage,” we can see that each student has approached this writing with a different lens. However, after I thought about what I had taken from the story, I realized that many of these students brought up issues I hadn’t even though of. Reading these responses really showed how differently each student thinks, and how much I can learn and help other students learn with these different perspectives.
However, the main thing I got out of these responses is a blatant example of how each student will approach a text differently. All three got the same general idea of race, and the issues stemming from it in our society. However, from there they each expanded on the point of the poem differently.
The first writer talks about fear, and using literature to overcome it, as well as understand our differences. The second writer makes if more of a political statement, raging about the fact that we still hold prejudices. He poses questions to the reader but also to himself, as a way to understand the poem, and the obvious emotion it is causing him to feel. Finally, the last writer also talks about society as a whole, but she shows that the author is not showing anything new, but rather an old idea just in a new story. She also brings up the issue of class, which was new to the discussion.
From their word choices, such as “fear,” “political correctness,” and “hostage,” we can see that each student has approached this writing with a different lens. However, after I thought about what I had taken from the story, I realized that many of these students brought up issues I hadn’t even though of. Reading these responses really showed how differently each student thinks, and how much I can learn and help other students learn with these different perspectives.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Week Two Readings
In chapter five, BPR, really made me realize that most of the discussions I have experienced have been very teacher driven. As students, I feel we grew up expecting a classroom to be run this way. Then, as we got into college, we were almost dumbfounded and “silent” when we were supposed to generate the conversation. One issue they bring up is the debate. This was an interesting one, because most teachers feel that this is such a great way to generate discussion. However, as the book mentions, there usually has to be a loser. This really made me think of an experience I had while observing last week. My CT shares her classroom with a S.S. teacher. I sat and listened as she explained her “great” idea for the kids to learn different types of governments. Here’s how it went. A group of students were assigned a government and they had to debate with other forms of governments, to prove why there’s was the best. Depending on how well they did this, one government got an A, one a B, one a C, one a D, and one an F. I sat there and watched as the teacher joked that Democracy almost always fails. I really thought this was a poor way to conduct a debate, as well as to grade. I personally would be really mad if my group did really well, but only one group was allowed to get an A, and we weren’t it. It just seemed like a prime example of how teachers feel that incorporating a “debate” into a lesson, makes it some great lesson, when in essence it can be run very poorly.
There were a lot of helpful activities in this chapter as well. I really liked the idea of students creating their own questions. I feel that first of all, it really holds students accountable for their reading. No student wants to look stupid in front of their peers. So, they will at least try to prepare questions related to the text. Also, I feel that students will want to try and have intelligent questions. If they decide not to participate, I kind-of like the idea from the online readings, where their group members will decide what to do with them if they come unprepared. A student might not care what his teacher thinks, but they do have an image to uphold in front of their peers. This activity also struck me, because it really takes students away from relying on the same old worksheet from the teacher, and helps them to begin to learn how to critically think about a text. This whole chapter really had some great ideas about helping to facilitate the skill of discussion. I mean who would have ever thought that press conferences could be such a helpful tool. This chapter, along with the M and M pages, helped me to feel like I will be able to better prepare my students for discussion, then I was, so hopefully they will feel comfortable and confidant in front of a classroom.
I haven’t had much experience, and honestly don’t feel prepared to deal with these new genre’s. Therefore, chapter six was also quite helpful. I am just not used to those types of books. However, I do feel that books like this really invite more students in to the process of reading, and help them enjoy reading a lot more which is the ultimate goal. On pg. 71, they talk about new books coming out that are really breaking the stereotypic characters. I think it would be really a good activity if the students could take one of their favorite fairy tales, stories, or novels, and tell it as if they were the character. Or, as an activity at the beginning, or end of the year (once they’ve gotten to know the students) tell it from the perspective of another classmate, to see how the story might change from a different point of view. The book also mentioned a playlist. My CT does this with her students, so I will hopefully get to see firsthand how this activity plays out in a classroom setting, which should be pretty interesting. This chapter also gave me a lot of examples of books. I know I can’t include all of them in a classroom library. However, I was wondering where you draw the line on maybe a suggested list. Can you list books under different categories, as long as they aren’t in the school?
Finally, the online reading gave some really helpful activities and lessons. They really showed how you can begin to put more responsibility into the student’s hands. It also shed light on ways to avoid things in the classroom. For example, last week, a student said he didn’t like the book he got from the library, because it wasn’t what he thought it would be by looking at it. However, I would have never thought to do an activity like the book pass, which could help you to avoid hearing the same old excuse, “but I don’t like my book.” I felt that most of the activities were quite helpful, and new to me.
There were a lot of helpful activities in this chapter as well. I really liked the idea of students creating their own questions. I feel that first of all, it really holds students accountable for their reading. No student wants to look stupid in front of their peers. So, they will at least try to prepare questions related to the text. Also, I feel that students will want to try and have intelligent questions. If they decide not to participate, I kind-of like the idea from the online readings, where their group members will decide what to do with them if they come unprepared. A student might not care what his teacher thinks, but they do have an image to uphold in front of their peers. This activity also struck me, because it really takes students away from relying on the same old worksheet from the teacher, and helps them to begin to learn how to critically think about a text. This whole chapter really had some great ideas about helping to facilitate the skill of discussion. I mean who would have ever thought that press conferences could be such a helpful tool. This chapter, along with the M and M pages, helped me to feel like I will be able to better prepare my students for discussion, then I was, so hopefully they will feel comfortable and confidant in front of a classroom.
I haven’t had much experience, and honestly don’t feel prepared to deal with these new genre’s. Therefore, chapter six was also quite helpful. I am just not used to those types of books. However, I do feel that books like this really invite more students in to the process of reading, and help them enjoy reading a lot more which is the ultimate goal. On pg. 71, they talk about new books coming out that are really breaking the stereotypic characters. I think it would be really a good activity if the students could take one of their favorite fairy tales, stories, or novels, and tell it as if they were the character. Or, as an activity at the beginning, or end of the year (once they’ve gotten to know the students) tell it from the perspective of another classmate, to see how the story might change from a different point of view. The book also mentioned a playlist. My CT does this with her students, so I will hopefully get to see firsthand how this activity plays out in a classroom setting, which should be pretty interesting. This chapter also gave me a lot of examples of books. I know I can’t include all of them in a classroom library. However, I was wondering where you draw the line on maybe a suggested list. Can you list books under different categories, as long as they aren’t in the school?
Finally, the online reading gave some really helpful activities and lessons. They really showed how you can begin to put more responsibility into the student’s hands. It also shed light on ways to avoid things in the classroom. For example, last week, a student said he didn’t like the book he got from the library, because it wasn’t what he thought it would be by looking at it. However, I would have never thought to do an activity like the book pass, which could help you to avoid hearing the same old excuse, “but I don’t like my book.” I felt that most of the activities were quite helpful, and new to me.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
This I Believe....
I Believe:
I believe that teaching English is crucial to all aspects of school and life. Through English, I feel that students are given the tools to understand the language that infiltrates their daily lives. English teaches them to be able to read and understand what they are reading as well. For these reasons, I believe that English really makes up the framework that allows students to be successful in all aspects of their lives.
English is a very unique subject. It’s really a subject that is different from day to day. As students bring their own experiences to the material they read, they are helping each other to create their unique classroom experiences. Together, as a class, they decide how they will react to, and discuss, books and writing. It is also a subject that allows students to be creative. In an English classroom, students have the opportunity to write, explore, and create their own unique writing styles.
The English teacher is an integral part to this development. A successful teacher gives their students the tools to want to read, and be confident in their abilities to use their prior knowledge to understand what they have read. A teacher that can accomplish this opens up a world to students that shows them how to escape, or simply be taken into other places and perspectives, so they can better understand the world around them. In order to do this, it is important to address different learning styles in a non-traditional classroom setting, so the students stay engaged and connected. As an English teacher, I know that not every student will love the subject. However, I hope that by creating a constantly changing, and inviting classroom setting, my reluctant students might find an appreciation for the subject, which they might not have had before entering my classroom. I believe that the English classroom can and should be a place, where student and teacher work together, to constantly teach and learn from one another in a respectable setting.
I believe that teaching English is crucial to all aspects of school and life. Through English, I feel that students are given the tools to understand the language that infiltrates their daily lives. English teaches them to be able to read and understand what they are reading as well. For these reasons, I believe that English really makes up the framework that allows students to be successful in all aspects of their lives.
English is a very unique subject. It’s really a subject that is different from day to day. As students bring their own experiences to the material they read, they are helping each other to create their unique classroom experiences. Together, as a class, they decide how they will react to, and discuss, books and writing. It is also a subject that allows students to be creative. In an English classroom, students have the opportunity to write, explore, and create their own unique writing styles.
The English teacher is an integral part to this development. A successful teacher gives their students the tools to want to read, and be confident in their abilities to use their prior knowledge to understand what they have read. A teacher that can accomplish this opens up a world to students that shows them how to escape, or simply be taken into other places and perspectives, so they can better understand the world around them. In order to do this, it is important to address different learning styles in a non-traditional classroom setting, so the students stay engaged and connected. As an English teacher, I know that not every student will love the subject. However, I hope that by creating a constantly changing, and inviting classroom setting, my reluctant students might find an appreciation for the subject, which they might not have had before entering my classroom. I believe that the English classroom can and should be a place, where student and teacher work together, to constantly teach and learn from one another in a respectable setting.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)