Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Blogging ABOUT Blogging?? Oh no she diiidn't...
I know we have brought up the subject, several times, of incorporating social networking into the classroom, but I really like that we had a whole chapter to read about it! Can you believe I still like reading at this point in the “school game”?! Personally, I have become quite a fan of blogging. I was always sooooooooo resistant to the idea of it (I cannot tell you why), but after being required to do so in Rick Beach’s class last semester, I learned that, like most writing, I loved expressing my voice in a new and alternative fashion! If I, at this point in my education, can learn a new way to love writing… it’s very possible it will be relevant to my resistant-writing students… here’s hoping!
One part of the article that was extremely relevant to me and my philosophy of teaching was how the author explained the importance of why he “de-emphasized the importance of [his] evaluation” and never graded on what the student wrote, but rather how many times they posted. I know we have been going back and forth on the merits of rubrics and grades (especially when it comes to writing), and personally, I am a fan of grades (for myself as a teacher and as a student). However, in this instance, in reference to blogging or other forms of social networking in the classroom, I feel that it would be wrong to grade based on what I deemed “quality”… in this case it would definitely have to be quantity over quality and effort over mechanics. In my opinion, if we assign activities that incorporate blogging or Facebook or what-have-you, we cannot grade on what the student writes. In reality, social networking is not a traditional form of writing; people do not use proper grammar and the author often writes in a specific manner intended for a specific audience in order to achieve a desired reaction from said audience. I think if we incorporate things such as blogging into our classrooms, we have to stay true to the nature of blogging.
My opinion aside, I liked how the author offered suggestions for blogging curriculum - there were so many suggestions besides the obvious “students write a blog”. I like the idea, and had never really thought, about assigning students another blog to read and follow (and respond to… the options are endless!). It would be fun to provide a list of “school appropriate” blogs for them to follow so they do not just have to read about the lives of their classmates. It could really expand their ideas of the powerful expanse of social networking and the unlimited voices they can access from the click of a button.
I also like the idea of making podcasts and videos in the classroom. I am thinking of doing something similar at Northeast with my unit (which is exploring “who they are, who they want to be, and their integral part in their communities”). I am thinking of having the students upload a picture of themselves now and recording a little about who they are. Then I want them to upload an image that represents who they would like to be in 20 years (such as an occupation or someone they admire), and how they plan on achieving that (in relation to school hopefully!). Finally, I want them to upload an image that represents their community (or family or school) and how they are an integral part of it (both now and in the future). I will most likely use VoiceThread or iMovie. Hopefully they can figure it out and I can figure out how to piece it together for them into a class movie!
This link is great and shows a plan on how to not only incorporate iMovie into curriculum design and the classroom, but how to actually teach the students how to use it and the pace to teach them at. Hazaah! I am definitely using this as a guide point when trying to pull out the technology with the kiddies in the classroom.
One part of the article that was extremely relevant to me and my philosophy of teaching was how the author explained the importance of why he “de-emphasized the importance of [his] evaluation” and never graded on what the student wrote, but rather how many times they posted. I know we have been going back and forth on the merits of rubrics and grades (especially when it comes to writing), and personally, I am a fan of grades (for myself as a teacher and as a student). However, in this instance, in reference to blogging or other forms of social networking in the classroom, I feel that it would be wrong to grade based on what I deemed “quality”… in this case it would definitely have to be quantity over quality and effort over mechanics. In my opinion, if we assign activities that incorporate blogging or Facebook or what-have-you, we cannot grade on what the student writes. In reality, social networking is not a traditional form of writing; people do not use proper grammar and the author often writes in a specific manner intended for a specific audience in order to achieve a desired reaction from said audience. I think if we incorporate things such as blogging into our classrooms, we have to stay true to the nature of blogging.
My opinion aside, I liked how the author offered suggestions for blogging curriculum - there were so many suggestions besides the obvious “students write a blog”. I like the idea, and had never really thought, about assigning students another blog to read and follow (and respond to… the options are endless!). It would be fun to provide a list of “school appropriate” blogs for them to follow so they do not just have to read about the lives of their classmates. It could really expand their ideas of the powerful expanse of social networking and the unlimited voices they can access from the click of a button.
I also like the idea of making podcasts and videos in the classroom. I am thinking of doing something similar at Northeast with my unit (which is exploring “who they are, who they want to be, and their integral part in their communities”). I am thinking of having the students upload a picture of themselves now and recording a little about who they are. Then I want them to upload an image that represents who they would like to be in 20 years (such as an occupation or someone they admire), and how they plan on achieving that (in relation to school hopefully!). Finally, I want them to upload an image that represents their community (or family or school) and how they are an integral part of it (both now and in the future). I will most likely use VoiceThread or iMovie. Hopefully they can figure it out and I can figure out how to piece it together for them into a class movie!
This link is great and shows a plan on how to not only incorporate iMovie into curriculum design and the classroom, but how to actually teach the students how to use it and the pace to teach them at. Hazaah! I am definitely using this as a guide point when trying to pull out the technology with the kiddies in the classroom.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Integration of Technology!
I really related to the Kajder article, “Unleashing Potential with Emerging Technologies”. The past six weeks, while observing at Northeast, I have been thinking of ways to engage students (thereby “unleashing potential”) while using the laptops I have available for every student. Unfortunately, there are many additional, new problems that emerge with the incorporation of technology. I really like how the article admitted the many negative issues incorporated with integrating technology into curriculum and classroom instruction by saying technology “reveals holes in planning, misreading of content, instability in resources, and, most critically, those moments where we have allowed the technology to supersede our instructional goals and students’ needs” (Kajder, 14). I think it is really key to notice the rhetoric used, saying technology doesn’t cause holes, it reveals them. Clearly, technology can successfully and efficiently find it’s way into curriculum instruction, it just requires the knowledge on the part of the instructor as to how to integrate it appropriately. I am constantly brainstorming, critiquing, and designing reading and writing activities and lessons in which we use the laptops, because the students are significantly quieter, listening more intently, and more deeply engaged.
After one of the reading courses we took earlier this fall, I have really opened my mind and expanded on my idea of what “reading” counts as and what literacy really means. I really enjoyed the introduction of the “writing spaces” that engage students and reading outside of school. Even though these are untraditional uses of literacy in the classroom, and, even harder to admit, fun (ah!), are they inappropriate to include in the classroom? I argue that if we are to reform the poor state of education, we have to adopt new ideas of what is “appropriate” or “literate” texts for our students. Personally, in my class, I am planning on using blogs, wikis, a moodle, and voicethread. I feel quite strongly that if I increase my students motivation and reduce their resistance to reading and writing, by whoing that those things can be fun, i am willing to use integrated technological tools.
In the Jenkins article, there was one specific section that really interested me. The discussion of a “participation gap”, much like an achievement gap, references the inability to have access to technology due to socioeconomic status and housing location (among many factors). I feel that, in these specific instances, the integration of technology intothe classroom and curriculum instruction is even more crucial. I am a huge proponent of incorporating rigorous college preparatory into my classroom and I feel like for any student to be successful in college, they need to have a technological and media literacy. If they do not have these resources at home, school may be the only place for them to become more knowledgeable and ready for college.
I love using laptops in the classroom, but one of my biggest challenges is getting the students to not be surfing the web or distracted with other applications. This link has 23 tips and tools for having laptops in the classroom! I will have to integrate this into my instruction!
After one of the reading courses we took earlier this fall, I have really opened my mind and expanded on my idea of what “reading” counts as and what literacy really means. I really enjoyed the introduction of the “writing spaces” that engage students and reading outside of school. Even though these are untraditional uses of literacy in the classroom, and, even harder to admit, fun (ah!), are they inappropriate to include in the classroom? I argue that if we are to reform the poor state of education, we have to adopt new ideas of what is “appropriate” or “literate” texts for our students. Personally, in my class, I am planning on using blogs, wikis, a moodle, and voicethread. I feel quite strongly that if I increase my students motivation and reduce their resistance to reading and writing, by whoing that those things can be fun, i am willing to use integrated technological tools.
In the Jenkins article, there was one specific section that really interested me. The discussion of a “participation gap”, much like an achievement gap, references the inability to have access to technology due to socioeconomic status and housing location (among many factors). I feel that, in these specific instances, the integration of technology intothe classroom and curriculum instruction is even more crucial. I am a huge proponent of incorporating rigorous college preparatory into my classroom and I feel like for any student to be successful in college, they need to have a technological and media literacy. If they do not have these resources at home, school may be the only place for them to become more knowledgeable and ready for college.
I love using laptops in the classroom, but one of my biggest challenges is getting the students to not be surfing the web or distracted with other applications. This link has 23 tips and tools for having laptops in the classroom! I will have to integrate this into my instruction!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Constructive Criticism: How a wrong can make a right!
First, I should say I got overly excited when I saw that one of the articles for this week was titled, “On Conferences”! I am having PARENT teacher conferences with Veann on Friday and, to be honest, I am terrified! It’s one thing dealing with students… it’s another to be in a conference talking about them with their parents! Unfortunately, this article only helped me with student-teacher conferences, but, despite my sadness, it, too, was helpful!
Conferences have long been something I have planned on doing with my students. I have seen Veann have several “mini” conferences with students (only about 3 minutes) over their behavior slips. When a student gets a referral at Northeast (which is a purple sheet), they have to carry around a behavior slip (a blue half-sheet) for a couple of days and have all of their teachers fill it out and sign it. 1) I have noticed that organization can be carried out by color-coding all important documents in schools and 2) The students, no matter how upset, angry, or detached during class, participate honestly in their “conferences” with Veann when she fills out the behavior slip with them at the end of class.
I feel that there is a level of accountability that holds the student to a higher standard and makes them want to do their assignments and complete them on time when student-teacher conferences are involved. Unfortunately, some of the suggestions I read in the article I do not think will apply well to my classroom, but there were many good tips that Atwell gives that I will definitely use! I really enjoyed the guidelines for conferences and the suggestions on how to make the meeting successful, efficient, and useful for the student. It had many good tips on how to approach students’ writing and, specifically, the things that need to be corrected and changed. Critiquing can be a very sensitive issue for many students, so a safe space with a teacher where errors are approached with an attitude that is more “ this is good, there is more room for improvement” instead of “this is wrong, fix it”. I specifically liked the suggestion to avoid generalized praise but to instead praise by being involved in the writing. Pointing out specific things that the student did right is a thousand times more helpful than pointing out ten things they did wrong. If a teacher approached critiquing that way, a student could likely shut down and not listen to any good advice the teacher may have to give.
As most of you know, I am a big fan of AVID, in which we coach students to ask higher-level questions and, in turn, think more critically. This is a much more important, and harder skill to master, than asking low-level questions and then turning to the teacher for the answer. I like how Atwell emphasizes the importance of asking the student about their writing in a way that makes them think about it and go further into their points and opinions. Often, students writing is unclear and fragmented because they do no inductively think their thoughts through in their writing (and yes, I just said inductive). By talking it through with them, the teacher builds on their skills of critical analysis and helps them learn the important skills of inductive reasoning that is essential in their writing.
I also liked the “Awesome Dude!” article because not only did it have a fantastically awesome title, but it again stressed the importance of teaching higher-level inquiry and responses! Woohoo! I am all for peer-reviews, but I am left wondering how to make it appropriate for my 6th graders. Often they are so shy with sharing their writing or too immature to say things nicely to one another, that I worry peer-reviews could cause tension in the classroom and make already resistant writers even more shy and resistant to write and share.
This resource/link I have this week is a blog I found called Successful Teaching, which is a blog full of, you guessed, it, strategies and tips for successful teaching!! The post I found is from 2008 (so relatively recent) and is about giving appropriate constructive criticism to students. I think the key to “constructive criticism” is in the wording and rhetoric: we want to give criticism that allows for more constructivist thinking to occur and work to be produced. We don’t want to give criticism and have thinking shut down and attitudes plummet.
Conferences have long been something I have planned on doing with my students. I have seen Veann have several “mini” conferences with students (only about 3 minutes) over their behavior slips. When a student gets a referral at Northeast (which is a purple sheet), they have to carry around a behavior slip (a blue half-sheet) for a couple of days and have all of their teachers fill it out and sign it. 1) I have noticed that organization can be carried out by color-coding all important documents in schools and 2) The students, no matter how upset, angry, or detached during class, participate honestly in their “conferences” with Veann when she fills out the behavior slip with them at the end of class.
I feel that there is a level of accountability that holds the student to a higher standard and makes them want to do their assignments and complete them on time when student-teacher conferences are involved. Unfortunately, some of the suggestions I read in the article I do not think will apply well to my classroom, but there were many good tips that Atwell gives that I will definitely use! I really enjoyed the guidelines for conferences and the suggestions on how to make the meeting successful, efficient, and useful for the student. It had many good tips on how to approach students’ writing and, specifically, the things that need to be corrected and changed. Critiquing can be a very sensitive issue for many students, so a safe space with a teacher where errors are approached with an attitude that is more “ this is good, there is more room for improvement” instead of “this is wrong, fix it”. I specifically liked the suggestion to avoid generalized praise but to instead praise by being involved in the writing. Pointing out specific things that the student did right is a thousand times more helpful than pointing out ten things they did wrong. If a teacher approached critiquing that way, a student could likely shut down and not listen to any good advice the teacher may have to give.
As most of you know, I am a big fan of AVID, in which we coach students to ask higher-level questions and, in turn, think more critically. This is a much more important, and harder skill to master, than asking low-level questions and then turning to the teacher for the answer. I like how Atwell emphasizes the importance of asking the student about their writing in a way that makes them think about it and go further into their points and opinions. Often, students writing is unclear and fragmented because they do no inductively think their thoughts through in their writing (and yes, I just said inductive). By talking it through with them, the teacher builds on their skills of critical analysis and helps them learn the important skills of inductive reasoning that is essential in their writing.
I also liked the “Awesome Dude!” article because not only did it have a fantastically awesome title, but it again stressed the importance of teaching higher-level inquiry and responses! Woohoo! I am all for peer-reviews, but I am left wondering how to make it appropriate for my 6th graders. Often they are so shy with sharing their writing or too immature to say things nicely to one another, that I worry peer-reviews could cause tension in the classroom and make already resistant writers even more shy and resistant to write and share.
This resource/link I have this week is a blog I found called Successful Teaching, which is a blog full of, you guessed, it, strategies and tips for successful teaching!! The post I found is from 2008 (so relatively recent) and is about giving appropriate constructive criticism to students. I think the key to “constructive criticism” is in the wording and rhetoric: we want to give criticism that allows for more constructivist thinking to occur and work to be produced. We don’t want to give criticism and have thinking shut down and attitudes plummet.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Reading Response Week 3!
First, I want to mention how “scared” I am of grammar sometimes. Not that I do not think I know proper grammar well, but it’s completely intimidating to be the “go-to” person for students when it comes to all kinds of random grammar questions! There are some many things about grammar that I do not know or do not remember off of the top of my head. Thankfully, I at least have the competence to know references where I can look up the answers to all the questions my students (and I!) have! I suppose that calms me down a bit… and at least I know the differences between “they’re”, “there”, and “their”! Woohoo!
My problem with grammar (often forgetting its rules and appropriate applications) was specifically addressed in Bush article regarding grammar. As the article states, “the writing process offers an opportunity to continually reinforce previously ‘learned’ skills” (Bush, 80). Further, many teachers make the mistake of “’covering various grammatical skills and then assuming that students know and can apply them” (Bush, 80). Obviously, I was taught in such a way that I cannot apply or recall some of the rules of grammar I have learned – and I actually enjoyed English class as a middle and high school student! What am I supposed to expect of the students who can’t stand my class as I go over grammar rules?? (Side note: hopefully I find a way to reach them so they don’t ultimately hate my class, haha). I really like the idea of reinforcing grammar continually by integrating it into the writing process. Currently, in my sixth grade classes, vocabulary, root, and suffix lessons are a huge part of the curriculum. Often times, students will write vocabulary words in sentences as a way to really grasp the meaning of a word. After reading this article, I have thought about incorporating grammar rules in example sentences I give the students to copy down during vocabulary time. Why not teach them the proper use of “its” and “it’s” by incorporating it into a sample sentence with a vocabulary word. Hello killing two birds with one stone!
The Harper article was another article that I took notes on while reading because it is something extremely applicable to my teaching this spring. I got a kick out of the article when Harper wrote, “after years of just being told ‘Revise!” without further explanation, my students had become furtive recopiers, adding a few words here and there and using neater handwriting to revise their drafts” (Harper, 192). This is a problem I have thought about myself and how to approach the idea of revising writing to 6th graders, many of whom are not even comfortable writing yet, let alone revising something they have written. I recalled Amy Corrigan’s classroom and the way in which she approached revision. I really liked how she gave the students a specific template for writing (an I-am poem) so all of their writing was similar enough that the revision process applied to everyone. I am thinking of a writing assignment that I can do that will be similarly applicable for my students to follow a well described and laid-out plan for revision that is easy for a newcomer of revision!
Whoops! I almost forgot to put a website resource included! I chose to include a website specifically addressing elementary and middle school reading and writing. The writing section includes everything from writing prompts in creative writing to graphic organizers to ideas and context. While I am teaching middle school, I am currently struggling at getting my 6th graders to write at all...therefore, I think elementary writing prompts (such as those that are more fun or less stressful for them) might help my specific students work through their aversion to writing.
My problem with grammar (often forgetting its rules and appropriate applications) was specifically addressed in Bush article regarding grammar. As the article states, “the writing process offers an opportunity to continually reinforce previously ‘learned’ skills” (Bush, 80). Further, many teachers make the mistake of “’covering various grammatical skills and then assuming that students know and can apply them” (Bush, 80). Obviously, I was taught in such a way that I cannot apply or recall some of the rules of grammar I have learned – and I actually enjoyed English class as a middle and high school student! What am I supposed to expect of the students who can’t stand my class as I go over grammar rules?? (Side note: hopefully I find a way to reach them so they don’t ultimately hate my class, haha). I really like the idea of reinforcing grammar continually by integrating it into the writing process. Currently, in my sixth grade classes, vocabulary, root, and suffix lessons are a huge part of the curriculum. Often times, students will write vocabulary words in sentences as a way to really grasp the meaning of a word. After reading this article, I have thought about incorporating grammar rules in example sentences I give the students to copy down during vocabulary time. Why not teach them the proper use of “its” and “it’s” by incorporating it into a sample sentence with a vocabulary word. Hello killing two birds with one stone!
The Harper article was another article that I took notes on while reading because it is something extremely applicable to my teaching this spring. I got a kick out of the article when Harper wrote, “after years of just being told ‘Revise!” without further explanation, my students had become furtive recopiers, adding a few words here and there and using neater handwriting to revise their drafts” (Harper, 192). This is a problem I have thought about myself and how to approach the idea of revising writing to 6th graders, many of whom are not even comfortable writing yet, let alone revising something they have written. I recalled Amy Corrigan’s classroom and the way in which she approached revision. I really liked how she gave the students a specific template for writing (an I-am poem) so all of their writing was similar enough that the revision process applied to everyone. I am thinking of a writing assignment that I can do that will be similarly applicable for my students to follow a well described and laid-out plan for revision that is easy for a newcomer of revision!
Whoops! I almost forgot to put a website resource included! I chose to include a website specifically addressing elementary and middle school reading and writing. The writing section includes everything from writing prompts in creative writing to graphic organizers to ideas and context. While I am teaching middle school, I am currently struggling at getting my 6th graders to write at all...therefore, I think elementary writing prompts (such as those that are more fun or less stressful for them) might help my specific students work through their aversion to writing.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Reading Response Week 2!
While reading the Dornan text and the chapter on essays as well as the articles discussing the pros and cons of the five paragraph essay (a more formal essay/research paper), I immediately found myself arguing both sides of the merits/disadvantages of research papers. Like the text says, essays have “instructional payoff” (119) in the sense that they can expand vocabulary, require higher order thinking, and build organizational and critical analysis skills. However, it is quick to argue (and I agree quite strongly) that essays and research papers are some thing “few students write enthusiastically and almost no teacher[s] grade them with glee” (119). When I got to the section on I-search papers, I pulled from our conversation in class last week as well as my own memory of writing a research paper in AP English 11 in high school.
The reason I am on the fence with essay papers, much like Dornan shows both pros and cons, is because I do not believe that any structure of writing (or reading for that matter) is appropriate in all classroom settings for all students. I remembered our conversations from class last week and recalled when Jack shared that he would like to teach a unit surrounding a multi-genre paper because it would be fun for him to read and grade. Further, students seem more invested when they are writing a paper that they choose the subject and are personally invested in; further, students are still learning the important fundamental elements of writing and organization that are important. These would be examples of essay papers in which all parties (teachers and students) walked away with positive effects and results. However, I also recalled when Tara shared her bad memory of writing in school being an essay assignment in which the teacher gave the students the freedom to write what they want, but gave them a full 10 weeks with little instruction or timing implemented in the assignment. I had a similar memory (that I totally forgot about until I read Dornan this week) with an I-search.
In AP-English in 11th grade, we were given the assignment to do an I-search paper. It could be on anything we wanted. At first, me and several other classmates had overzealous, extremely ambitious ideas. I remember that I wanted to do a research paper on whether monkeys could really learn sign language. Our teacher reminded us that it had to be something practical that we could actually research on a personal level. I instead chose “what it is like to work as a radio broadcaster”. Over the course of many many weeks, we “worked” on these projects. Even though I was a good student (good meaning had self-direction and motivation) and enjoyed the writing process, I found I lost my way with how much freedom I had over the paper. In the end, I think I made up an entire interview with one radio broadcaster (so maybe I lied, but at least it was a good experiment in creative writing!)
In the end, the experience was probably more good than bad. As Dornan points out, the paper is in the form of “story telling”, which I think is a better format than a more formal, traditional research paper. However, the chapter also insists the importance of the teacher periodically checking in on the students (which my teacher did not). Like any writing process, a more personal essay or research paper has the ability to really involve the student while still allowing for invention, discovery, and narrative.
When thinking of it in terms of my own students currently at NE Middle School, I feel that a shorter writing prompt with several well-defined steps would work more effectively and eliminate “dead time” where nothing is being accomplished. When mentioning well-defined steps, I do not only mean a five-paragraph essay, either. Teaching 6th grade, I am sure bringing up the format of five-paragraph essay is important. In my opinion, a student needs to know this format if they are to go on in higher education. However, I agree with Kimberly Wesley in her article when she states that the five-paragraph essay can “stunt students’ critical thinking abilities”. I feel that something that structured is better left for students who have a better attitude towards writing. It would be hard to make my students write an extremely structured research paper where I am telling them exactly what the subject they are writing is when they do not even like writing in the first place. I feel, as of now, my main goal currently at NE with my students is to get them excited and interested in writing - I feel I can do this by making the essays and writing prompts more personal to them. From there, I can introduce things like the five-paragraph essay and papers about texts we analyze together.
One idea I had (which I actually remembered from reading Gallagher last semester) was to have students write letters to me and I write them back. I have decided to do this (despite how much time commitment that will be on my weekends, haha) with my sixth graders at NE. I really feel that I need to get to know them, and this is a great way to hear all of their voices without having each one express it outloud in class (which would never work). Plus, they’re writing! I am hoping we can periodically do this throughout the rest of the eyar. They are resistant, at the moment, to even write a sentence; therefore, I’m hoping by writing about themselves in an “informal” way, they will focus more on sharing things with me and less about the actual, phsycial act of writing (which they LOATHE!). Here are two links I found about having students do letter writing activities/units. I am starting to look from different sources and pull out the bits and pieces I like best to make my own ideas that relate to my specific students. Here are two such links!
Letter Writing Unit
Letter Writing Tips
The reason I am on the fence with essay papers, much like Dornan shows both pros and cons, is because I do not believe that any structure of writing (or reading for that matter) is appropriate in all classroom settings for all students. I remembered our conversations from class last week and recalled when Jack shared that he would like to teach a unit surrounding a multi-genre paper because it would be fun for him to read and grade. Further, students seem more invested when they are writing a paper that they choose the subject and are personally invested in; further, students are still learning the important fundamental elements of writing and organization that are important. These would be examples of essay papers in which all parties (teachers and students) walked away with positive effects and results. However, I also recalled when Tara shared her bad memory of writing in school being an essay assignment in which the teacher gave the students the freedom to write what they want, but gave them a full 10 weeks with little instruction or timing implemented in the assignment. I had a similar memory (that I totally forgot about until I read Dornan this week) with an I-search.
In AP-English in 11th grade, we were given the assignment to do an I-search paper. It could be on anything we wanted. At first, me and several other classmates had overzealous, extremely ambitious ideas. I remember that I wanted to do a research paper on whether monkeys could really learn sign language. Our teacher reminded us that it had to be something practical that we could actually research on a personal level. I instead chose “what it is like to work as a radio broadcaster”. Over the course of many many weeks, we “worked” on these projects. Even though I was a good student (good meaning had self-direction and motivation) and enjoyed the writing process, I found I lost my way with how much freedom I had over the paper. In the end, I think I made up an entire interview with one radio broadcaster (so maybe I lied, but at least it was a good experiment in creative writing!)
In the end, the experience was probably more good than bad. As Dornan points out, the paper is in the form of “story telling”, which I think is a better format than a more formal, traditional research paper. However, the chapter also insists the importance of the teacher periodically checking in on the students (which my teacher did not). Like any writing process, a more personal essay or research paper has the ability to really involve the student while still allowing for invention, discovery, and narrative.
When thinking of it in terms of my own students currently at NE Middle School, I feel that a shorter writing prompt with several well-defined steps would work more effectively and eliminate “dead time” where nothing is being accomplished. When mentioning well-defined steps, I do not only mean a five-paragraph essay, either. Teaching 6th grade, I am sure bringing up the format of five-paragraph essay is important. In my opinion, a student needs to know this format if they are to go on in higher education. However, I agree with Kimberly Wesley in her article when she states that the five-paragraph essay can “stunt students’ critical thinking abilities”. I feel that something that structured is better left for students who have a better attitude towards writing. It would be hard to make my students write an extremely structured research paper where I am telling them exactly what the subject they are writing is when they do not even like writing in the first place. I feel, as of now, my main goal currently at NE with my students is to get them excited and interested in writing - I feel I can do this by making the essays and writing prompts more personal to them. From there, I can introduce things like the five-paragraph essay and papers about texts we analyze together.
One idea I had (which I actually remembered from reading Gallagher last semester) was to have students write letters to me and I write them back. I have decided to do this (despite how much time commitment that will be on my weekends, haha) with my sixth graders at NE. I really feel that I need to get to know them, and this is a great way to hear all of their voices without having each one express it outloud in class (which would never work). Plus, they’re writing! I am hoping we can periodically do this throughout the rest of the eyar. They are resistant, at the moment, to even write a sentence; therefore, I’m hoping by writing about themselves in an “informal” way, they will focus more on sharing things with me and less about the actual, phsycial act of writing (which they LOATHE!). Here are two links I found about having students do letter writing activities/units. I am starting to look from different sources and pull out the bits and pieces I like best to make my own ideas that relate to my specific students. Here are two such links!
Letter Writing Unit
Letter Writing Tips
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