As I'm forming my ideas and lessons for the 10-day unit I'm going to be teaching beginning November 1st, I'm really starting realize how beneficial the activities we have done in Dr. Kist's and Dr. Pytash's classes are. I'm taking so many ideas from the things we have done in those classes.
I'm teaching my unit on poetry, with an emphasis on Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman. I've got most of my ideas planned out, but a major concern of mine is what to do if I have allotted too much time for a certain lesson. I wanted to come up with an idea for what to do at the end of class with extra time. When Dr. Kist brought all those notebooks to class and said they were 15 cents at Walmart, I went out and bought a bunch of them. I'm really glad I did now because I decided that I'm going to paste a different Whitman or Dickinson poem in each of them. If there is extra time at the end of the period, I'll pass them out and have the students reply to the poem, or reply to the post of the person who wrote in that notebook prior to them, like we do with our random topic journals at the end of Teaching Literature and Composition most weeks. I won't assign a large grade to it, but it will at least keep the students busy until the end of the period and hopefully strengthen their analysis skills.
I also want to mention that Dr. Pytash really inspired me to begin reading more young adult fiction. First, that class encouraged me to read the Twilight Saga, which I had been given for Christmas, but had been reluctant to read. I loved it, of course. When we had our final assignment at the end of the semester, one of our options was to read a series and write papers on it. I chose to read the Uglies series, and of course, again fell in love with it. I had forgotten how relaxing and stress-relieving it could be to read something for fun rather than because you HAVE to. So this semester, when a professor assigned a Chris Crutcher novel, Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, I was psyched to have an excuse to read a pleasure novel as homework. We didn't have to have it read until November some time, but I was so excited, I decided just to read it the second week of the semester. It's so refreshing after the challenging texts I feel like I am always reading for my college courses.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Recitation and Report
I found it really interesting on page 64 how Barbara Finkelstein was only able to find three sorts of teachers in the 1880's: "Intellectual overseer", "Drillmaster", and "Interpreter of Culture." The first one made students memorize material and then punished them for errors. The second one led their students through their lessons in unison. The last one, which it was mentioned she found hardly any of, explained ideas and material. The last one still does not even sound that great to me. It's sad that most students were taught either by being forced to memorize things or by being led in recitation. How boring and pointless!
On page 69, the author talked about how teachers sorted their students by race, gender, class, achievement, etc. All of the things they chose to sort students by are things we would never even think of doing to our students today. The author said that this helped contribute to social inequalities. However, that part does seem sort of relevant to today. There are so many studies that talk about how minorities and those who are economically disadvantaged do worse in school, but many teachers/districts do nothing to help this because they listen to these studies and thus, expect less from those students, as well as fail to challenge them. When no one believes in these supposedly academically disinclined students, why should they believe in themselves?
Only the most wealthy, usually white and male, students made it to graduation because they were the ones with families that could afford the materials and services necessary for the students to excel in school. That just seems so unfair. But again, it's not so far off. Our schools today are punished financially for not excelling on standardized tests, taking away funding. How is less funding supposed to help these students in already disadvantaged districts to do better in school? My first instinct reading these things was to be shocked, but then I really thought about it and some of it seems too familiar. It's not as serious and drastic as it was then, but we do still have a weird race/wealth/success cycle going.
On page 69, the author talked about how teachers sorted their students by race, gender, class, achievement, etc. All of the things they chose to sort students by are things we would never even think of doing to our students today. The author said that this helped contribute to social inequalities. However, that part does seem sort of relevant to today. There are so many studies that talk about how minorities and those who are economically disadvantaged do worse in school, but many teachers/districts do nothing to help this because they listen to these studies and thus, expect less from those students, as well as fail to challenge them. When no one believes in these supposedly academically disinclined students, why should they believe in themselves?
Only the most wealthy, usually white and male, students made it to graduation because they were the ones with families that could afford the materials and services necessary for the students to excel in school. That just seems so unfair. But again, it's not so far off. Our schools today are punished financially for not excelling on standardized tests, taking away funding. How is less funding supposed to help these students in already disadvantaged districts to do better in school? My first instinct reading these things was to be shocked, but then I really thought about it and some of it seems too familiar. It's not as serious and drastic as it was then, but we do still have a weird race/wealth/success cycle going.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The Freedom Writers Diary
Like so many of the others in our program, Freedom Writers is one of my all-time favorite movies. It makes me want to cry every single time I see it. I had been meaning to read the book for a long time, so when it was on the optional reading for the class, it was the perfect time.
I absolutely loved it. Some of the students' entries were so unbelievably open and honest that it was hard to believe they were true. It really reminds you as a teacher to remember that your students can be going through some things you can't even fathom.
I have always thought I would like to work at a school like the one Erin Gruwell taught at, or even a detention center. It was amazing to see the lengths she was willing to go to in order to ensure that her students got the best books to read, got to go to places they wouldn't have had the opportunity to otherwise, and met the heroes of the autobiographies they were reading. She made everything so real and tangible for her students and they clearly learned from it and appreciated it.
There were so many entries or passages from this book that I loved, but my favorite quote from the book was actually from Anne Frank. On page 274, in the epilogue, Erin Gruwell quotes Anne Frank when talking about how Anne's words and struggle inspired the students:
I absolutely loved it. Some of the students' entries were so unbelievably open and honest that it was hard to believe they were true. It really reminds you as a teacher to remember that your students can be going through some things you can't even fathom.
I have always thought I would like to work at a school like the one Erin Gruwell taught at, or even a detention center. It was amazing to see the lengths she was willing to go to in order to ensure that her students got the best books to read, got to go to places they wouldn't have had the opportunity to otherwise, and met the heroes of the autobiographies they were reading. She made everything so real and tangible for her students and they clearly learned from it and appreciated it.
There were so many entries or passages from this book that I loved, but my favorite quote from the book was actually from Anne Frank. On page 274, in the epilogue, Erin Gruwell quotes Anne Frank when talking about how Anne's words and struggle inspired the students:
"...we have the opportunity to get an education
and make something of ourselves.
We have many reasons to hope for great happiness,
but we have to earn it. And that is something you
can't achieve by taking the easy ways out.
Earning happiness means doing good and working,
not speculating and being lazy."
and make something of ourselves.
We have many reasons to hope for great happiness,
but we have to earn it. And that is something you
can't achieve by taking the easy ways out.
Earning happiness means doing good and working,
not speculating and being lazy."
If anyone ever finds that on a poster, please let me know. I'd love to hang it in my future classroom!
In the Middle: Chapter 4
First, I want to remark on the fact that Donald Graves told her that the reason she is a great writing teacher is because she is so "damned organized." How many times have we been reminded by our professors that we will fail as teachers if we are not organized? Apparently, they didn't just make that up. Haha
Atwell's practice of making her classroom a reading and writing workshop is really great. It seems so much more appropriate to title the class a workshop because I feel it promotes participation and responsibility in the classroom. It's not a lecture, where they are being talked at for an hour. Workshop implies that everyone works together, working and learning from one another, so the students would be much more excited about the class. I wonder how realistic this is when applied to real classrooms with such strict curriculum at most schools, standardized tests to prepare for, and limited time.
On page 100, Atwell mentions that one of the resources of her classroom (along with things such as her library of books on writing, writing supplies, examples of various genres and forms of writing) is a "publication center" that she sets up to help writers enter into contests and look into publication. I really feel it is important to make sure that your classroom is not only about writing for research or book review purposes, but encouraging individual expression and ownership of their writing.
However, I strongly disagree with what Atwell writes on page 101 when she states that she will not buy series books. While she is right that some of them do have poor character development, some are also awesome ways to get students reading, especially the students who do not typically enjoy it. I have read some young adult book series in the past year trying to get in touch with what my students are going to be familiar with, including the Uglies series and the Twilight saga, and have obviously read some Harry Potter in my time (who hasn't?) and I really feel that they can make readers out of students who usually wouldn't. I have a friend, for example, who read Twilight, and is now the most avid reader imaginable because she just reads anything that seems to relate to Twilight, either because it is vampire-related or about an odd romance like that. Sometimes students need to be taught that they can love to read, and if that is necessary by giving them a cheap, cheesy romance novel such as Twilight, so be it in my opinion.
Atwell's practice of making her classroom a reading and writing workshop is really great. It seems so much more appropriate to title the class a workshop because I feel it promotes participation and responsibility in the classroom. It's not a lecture, where they are being talked at for an hour. Workshop implies that everyone works together, working and learning from one another, so the students would be much more excited about the class. I wonder how realistic this is when applied to real classrooms with such strict curriculum at most schools, standardized tests to prepare for, and limited time.
On page 100, Atwell mentions that one of the resources of her classroom (along with things such as her library of books on writing, writing supplies, examples of various genres and forms of writing) is a "publication center" that she sets up to help writers enter into contests and look into publication. I really feel it is important to make sure that your classroom is not only about writing for research or book review purposes, but encouraging individual expression and ownership of their writing.
However, I strongly disagree with what Atwell writes on page 101 when she states that she will not buy series books. While she is right that some of them do have poor character development, some are also awesome ways to get students reading, especially the students who do not typically enjoy it. I have read some young adult book series in the past year trying to get in touch with what my students are going to be familiar with, including the Uglies series and the Twilight saga, and have obviously read some Harry Potter in my time (who hasn't?) and I really feel that they can make readers out of students who usually wouldn't. I have a friend, for example, who read Twilight, and is now the most avid reader imaginable because she just reads anything that seems to relate to Twilight, either because it is vampire-related or about an odd romance like that. Sometimes students need to be taught that they can love to read, and if that is necessary by giving them a cheap, cheesy romance novel such as Twilight, so be it in my opinion.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
In the Middle: Chapter 2
It was very interesting to me to read the list of 21 things Atwell combined that teachers demonstrate to their students about reading. They all seem so true. While a few do not apply to me as a high school student (only because I loved reading before I even entered school), so many of them are things that I definitely can say all of my English teachers demonstrated. Specifically the first two about how reading is such a serious thing, as well as dreadfully painful. It made me laugh because it really is true. So many teachers introduce students to a piece of classic literature and begin the unit by telling the students how difficult the book will be and how hard they will have to work to participate in the discussions during class, as well as how their grade will rely on their understanding of and ability to analyze the work.
I was also shocked by the statistic that states that the United States is ranked 49 out of 158 in literacy. That just seems so disgraceful for me. But who is to blame? It definitely is not teachers alone, although I'm sure some poor teachers do contribute. I remember reading somewhere that the average American reads at only a 5th grade reading level or something around there. To me, that is embarrassing.
On page 36, Atwell talks about revisiting some of the classics she suffered through in high school. I feel a lot of us are doing this right now, trying to re-familiarize ourselves with the works we barely remember or, in my case for some, finishing them because Spark notes were just so accessible. She says, "Although I dutifully turned the pages, I never read, in any genuine sense of the word, most of the school-sponsored literature on which i fixed my teenage eyes..." That is exactly how I feel about myself as an English student in high school. I loved reading and writing, but on my terms. I often found it very hard to understand why I had to read what they wanted me to and why I couldn't just pick the works I found most easy to relate to. I feel that is one thing I want to work towards in my classroom- making sure every student feels some way to relate to the work we are reading.
I was also shocked by the statistic that states that the United States is ranked 49 out of 158 in literacy. That just seems so disgraceful for me. But who is to blame? It definitely is not teachers alone, although I'm sure some poor teachers do contribute. I remember reading somewhere that the average American reads at only a 5th grade reading level or something around there. To me, that is embarrassing.
On page 36, Atwell talks about revisiting some of the classics she suffered through in high school. I feel a lot of us are doing this right now, trying to re-familiarize ourselves with the works we barely remember or, in my case for some, finishing them because Spark notes were just so accessible. She says, "Although I dutifully turned the pages, I never read, in any genuine sense of the word, most of the school-sponsored literature on which i fixed my teenage eyes..." That is exactly how I feel about myself as an English student in high school. I loved reading and writing, but on my terms. I often found it very hard to understand why I had to read what they wanted me to and why I couldn't just pick the works I found most easy to relate to. I feel that is one thing I want to work towards in my classroom- making sure every student feels some way to relate to the work we are reading.
In the Middle: Chapter 1
I was sold on this book beginning on page 4 when the author writes, "This book tells stories because it's the best way I know to reveal myself, my students, and my subject: helping kids put written language at the crux of their emotional, social, and intellectual worlds." That right there is what first inspired me to become an English teacher. I had some rough times throughout high school, and the best form of therapy I ever found was in writing. It didn't matter if it was journals, poetry, creative writing, etc. I pride myself on the ability I have to write some darn good research papers, but (since I came out of those rough times) I do not credit myself as a great poet or creative writer. However, in high school, I wrote poem after poem after story after story. And I read novel after novel because they were the only place I felt I could find anyone who understood me. I feel that a lot of high school students feel the same way, or would if they had the proper English teacher who could show them what an outlet or tool writing and reading can be.
I also liked that first on her list of "orthodoxies" she teaches by was "Minilessons should be between five and seven minutes long." I remember learning that 7 minutes is the maximum that high school students should be expected to focus on one topic in one of our education classes. I also like that a lot of her rules seem to revolve around encouraging students to own their work, which will create pride in their work.
I also liked that first on her list of "orthodoxies" she teaches by was "Minilessons should be between five and seven minutes long." I remember learning that 7 minutes is the maximum that high school students should be expected to focus on one topic in one of our education classes. I also like that a lot of her rules seem to revolve around encouraging students to own their work, which will create pride in their work.
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