Management vs. Engagement
https://ellclassroom.com/2012/06/25/management-vs-engagement/
The first blog I read came from ellclassroom.com, and it discussed the idea of having either an engaging lesson or a well-managed classroom. Even though this is not directly related to teaching writing, I thought this was an important topic because when it comes down to it, management and engagement are critical to any classroom. In my opinion, these two ideas should not be in competition with each other. Who says you can't have an engaged lesson that is well-managed? It seems silly to sacrifice one over the other when having both can create a better environment for learning. As a teacher, one of the most important things you learn is how to manage your classroom. Giving the students rules and expectations beforehand helps them to know how they should act. At the same time, you want to make sure that your lessons allow the students to become active participants in their learning. Writing allows students this opportunity, creating time for them to put their thoughts and opinions on paper and making their learning interesting. I think it is so important to include both of these aspects into my future classroom. Together, they can create a place where the students feel comfortable enough to take risks, but know their boundaries when it comes to behavior.
A Learner-Driven Classroom and Writing Workshop
https://twowritingteachers.org/2017/04/05/a-learner-driven-writing-workshop/
This blog post was quite interesting because it incorporated some of the values present in our textbooks. This teacher describes her experiences with implementing a student-led writing workshop. Allowing students the freedom to make their own choices about writing can produce wonderful results. Rather than standing in front of all the students and lecturing them on what makes a good piece of writing, Deb Frazier gave her students the opportunity to experiment for themselves and discover their inner writer. I think of how Gallagher emphasized giving students a choice when it comes to their writing; when implemented in the classroom, the teacher was thrilled at how creative her students were. I think as teachers of writing, it is important that we take a step back sometimes. It can get overwhelming thinking about all of the techniques and grammar concepts and structure and everything else that goes into writing that we must teach. Sometimes it is necessary to let the students take control of their own learning and just come alongside them to be a guide. They don't always need lectures on how to construct the perfect sentence. They are going to make mistakes - writing is a PROCESS! The important thing to keep in mind is that we encourage our students to keep writing, to keep taking risks, and to keep revising. Hold the red pens and just let them experiment. You never know what they will come up with.
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Monday, April 10, 2017
Conference Reflection for Class on 4/11
The conference which some of us attended on Saturday was an incredible experience. I have never been to a conference like that before, so the whole experience was interesting and enjoyable. I wasn't sure what to expect going in to Linda Christensen's morning session. I have loved reading her book in class and collecting ideas about how to "teach for joy and justice" when I get my own classroom. Her session was a reflection of the ideas we have discussed in class, and we were allowed to participate. The activity allowed me to see what a social justice curriculum looks like. All of her points added up to the major question that all teachers face: how do we build a better society? As teachers, we have a huge opportunity to impact a whole generation. How can we get them to make changes to better the world we live in? Christensen's techniques are a great place to start.
The first workshop I went to was about implementing graphic novels and comics into the classroom. It was led by Michael Gianfrancesco, an English teacher at North Providence High School. He offered some great resources and interesting ideas about using graphic novels not just for reluctant readers, but to teach students how to analyze. His approach was through O I A: 1.) What is obvious about the image? 2.) What is implied in the image? 3.) What is assumed by the viewer? I was amazed at the way he was able to take something I had never given much thought to and turn it into an entire unit that provides students with opportunities to develop foundational skills! He brought in a range of graphic novels for us to peruse, including classic texts like Beowulf, The Scarlet Letter, and The United States Constitution. He told us about a program that he is a part of that starts in September. This program will rent teachers a graphic novel set for the whole class, along with 4-6 weeks of curriculum. Having access to resources like that can really take any English class to another level. It engages the students on their level, but pushes them to think about how the pictures and text interact with each other. The idea of using graphic novels in a classroom is intriguing, definitely something I'll consider down the road.
The second workshop I attended was about teaching students how to write a narrative with Dr. Karen Kurzman. There were a lot of good points that I never thought about when it came to narrative writing. She explained that a good narrative focused on one moment, not a range of events. Also, she discussed how it should either be plot driven or character driven. At the end of the workshop, we were given some resources to help us when we have our own classroom someday. I will definitely look back to the tips from this workshop when I teach narrative writing in my classroom.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this conference. I thought there was so much beneficial advice and material that I want to incorporate into my future lessons. I am so glad that I have chosen this field. Attending this conference gave me another affirmation that I made the right choice in becoming a teacher. I hope to attend more conferences like this one in my future. I think that there is never a point when teachers stop learning, so it is important to come together and share our experiences. I loved learning from experienced teachers this weekend, and I can't wait until I am ready to be one myself.
The first workshop I went to was about implementing graphic novels and comics into the classroom. It was led by Michael Gianfrancesco, an English teacher at North Providence High School. He offered some great resources and interesting ideas about using graphic novels not just for reluctant readers, but to teach students how to analyze. His approach was through O I A: 1.) What is obvious about the image? 2.) What is implied in the image? 3.) What is assumed by the viewer? I was amazed at the way he was able to take something I had never given much thought to and turn it into an entire unit that provides students with opportunities to develop foundational skills! He brought in a range of graphic novels for us to peruse, including classic texts like Beowulf, The Scarlet Letter, and The United States Constitution. He told us about a program that he is a part of that starts in September. This program will rent teachers a graphic novel set for the whole class, along with 4-6 weeks of curriculum. Having access to resources like that can really take any English class to another level. It engages the students on their level, but pushes them to think about how the pictures and text interact with each other. The idea of using graphic novels in a classroom is intriguing, definitely something I'll consider down the road.
The second workshop I attended was about teaching students how to write a narrative with Dr. Karen Kurzman. There were a lot of good points that I never thought about when it came to narrative writing. She explained that a good narrative focused on one moment, not a range of events. Also, she discussed how it should either be plot driven or character driven. At the end of the workshop, we were given some resources to help us when we have our own classroom someday. I will definitely look back to the tips from this workshop when I teach narrative writing in my classroom.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this conference. I thought there was so much beneficial advice and material that I want to incorporate into my future lessons. I am so glad that I have chosen this field. Attending this conference gave me another affirmation that I made the right choice in becoming a teacher. I hope to attend more conferences like this one in my future. I think that there is never a point when teachers stop learning, so it is important to come together and share our experiences. I loved learning from experienced teachers this weekend, and I can't wait until I am ready to be one myself.
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Response for Class on 3/28
The Six Traits of Writing
I don't think I was ever explicitly taught these six traits. What I mean is I was never given a list with these traits on it, saying, "This is how you write successfully." As I've said in previous posts, I only had a few teachers who actually taught writing, so I'm not all that surprised. For the most part, I gathered that these things were important through trial and error. I wrote reports that weren't organized well, so they didn't make sense. I wrote essays where there was no sentence fluency. I wrote stories in which the word choice was bland. I had to practice these six skills to improve m writing.
When I look at this list, I can see that a good piece of writing needs all six traits to be truly successful. There needs to be a strong idea that has well-organized arguments, a voice that comes through, and proper use of conventions. The words should be rich and specific, but not too flowery, and the sentences should feel natural to the reader. I think it is impossible to teach writing without focusing on these traits. Whether they are taught explicitly, as a checklist to have in a writing repertoire, or an implicit focus throughout a writing curriculum, these are the areas we should seek to develop in our students.
I love that the conventions are last on the list. Whether this was an intentional choice or not, I think it is something to take notice of. So often, teachers spend so much time with a red pen, correcting grammar and punctuation. In reality, that is not as important as making sure the organization of the paper makes sense, or the fluency is on target. I work at the Writing Center on campus, and one of the things we are told is to leave grammar alone and focus on the more important aspects of writing. While conventions are clearly an important part of successful writing, there is nothing more discouraging than a paper filled with red marks. I think back to one of the first readings we did that advised against finding everything wrong with a student's paper in favor of finding the talent inside of it. Teachers need to keep in mind that teaching organization and sentence fluency and how to develop an idea will grow a student's confidence in their writing; the conventions will come.
When I have my own classroom full of students, I want to use these six traits in my curriculum. I think they need to be incorporated into every possible assignment, developing strong writers with every opportunity.
I don't think I was ever explicitly taught these six traits. What I mean is I was never given a list with these traits on it, saying, "This is how you write successfully." As I've said in previous posts, I only had a few teachers who actually taught writing, so I'm not all that surprised. For the most part, I gathered that these things were important through trial and error. I wrote reports that weren't organized well, so they didn't make sense. I wrote essays where there was no sentence fluency. I wrote stories in which the word choice was bland. I had to practice these six skills to improve m writing.
When I look at this list, I can see that a good piece of writing needs all six traits to be truly successful. There needs to be a strong idea that has well-organized arguments, a voice that comes through, and proper use of conventions. The words should be rich and specific, but not too flowery, and the sentences should feel natural to the reader. I think it is impossible to teach writing without focusing on these traits. Whether they are taught explicitly, as a checklist to have in a writing repertoire, or an implicit focus throughout a writing curriculum, these are the areas we should seek to develop in our students.
I love that the conventions are last on the list. Whether this was an intentional choice or not, I think it is something to take notice of. So often, teachers spend so much time with a red pen, correcting grammar and punctuation. In reality, that is not as important as making sure the organization of the paper makes sense, or the fluency is on target. I work at the Writing Center on campus, and one of the things we are told is to leave grammar alone and focus on the more important aspects of writing. While conventions are clearly an important part of successful writing, there is nothing more discouraging than a paper filled with red marks. I think back to one of the first readings we did that advised against finding everything wrong with a student's paper in favor of finding the talent inside of it. Teachers need to keep in mind that teaching organization and sentence fluency and how to develop an idea will grow a student's confidence in their writing; the conventions will come.
When I have my own classroom full of students, I want to use these six traits in my curriculum. I think they need to be incorporated into every possible assignment, developing strong writers with every opportunity.
Monday, March 20, 2017
Response for Class on 3/21
Artifactual Literacy
Literacy is this weird term that I thought was one thing but is actually so much more. Being a self-proclaimed book nerd, I hear literacy, I think books. Texts you can read, words on a page, the ability to be literate. All of this is was literacy encompasses. Except that's not all. My original definition of literacy is so shallow in comparison to what literacy can be. Our in-class discussion during the first few weeks of the semester really opened my eyes to that.
Now that I have a better grasp of what literacy actually is, this article was extremely interesting because of how it presents yet another side to literacy that I never even considered. Objects can actually contain experiences and stories that are central to a person's being. That in itself is literacy - my mind was actually blown. I love that experiences can be considered a part of literacy. I think that the idea of creating a time capsule or memory box project is a really cool way to introduce students to the important aspects of their peers. There are stories within the smallest parts of our everyday lives that carry lessons for others to take from.
When students can connect to each other in a personal way, they are able to see that people aren't so different, that everyone has something in common. Using something as small as an artifact assignment can open the door to a more personal form of writing. We've learned throughout many of the readings this semester that students write better when they enjoy what they're writing about. This is an excellent way to give them a chance to find their voice.
Writing Between Languages
I have had a limited number of experiences with ELL students. I really enjoyed this reading because one of my fears is that I will get into a classroom and not know how to teach a student who is learning English. These chapters helped to give me an idea of how to approach differentiating a writing curriculum for students who need extra support.
When I was in high school, I took AP Spanish. Whenever we did a writing assignment, my teacher told us to think in Spanish because the writing would be more accurate than if we wrote in English and translated later. I always felt like I was writing at such a low level when I thought in Spanish. I couldn't express what I wanted to say, so I had to simplify it. I feel like this is the approach most people take when dealing with emergent bilinguals. All this really does is discourage them in their attempts at writing; if they are a strong writer in their native tongue, seeing how little they can write in English when they "think in English" can be harmful to their progress. If it was difficult for me to be able to express myself in a language that wasn't necessarily pertinent to my survival in this country, I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for ELL students to feel as though their communication is barred because they do not have the skills to think in English yet.
I loved Fu's point about the four stages of writing that ELL students go through. It makes sense that they would undergo a gradual process rather than achieve an overnight skill. I think if teachers can recognize the stages that the students go through, it will make it easier to encourage and build up the students in their writing. I hope that I will be able to use the strategies in these chapters to help me cultivate a love for writing in any bilingual students I may have in the future.
Literacy is this weird term that I thought was one thing but is actually so much more. Being a self-proclaimed book nerd, I hear literacy, I think books. Texts you can read, words on a page, the ability to be literate. All of this is was literacy encompasses. Except that's not all. My original definition of literacy is so shallow in comparison to what literacy can be. Our in-class discussion during the first few weeks of the semester really opened my eyes to that.
Now that I have a better grasp of what literacy actually is, this article was extremely interesting because of how it presents yet another side to literacy that I never even considered. Objects can actually contain experiences and stories that are central to a person's being. That in itself is literacy - my mind was actually blown. I love that experiences can be considered a part of literacy. I think that the idea of creating a time capsule or memory box project is a really cool way to introduce students to the important aspects of their peers. There are stories within the smallest parts of our everyday lives that carry lessons for others to take from.
When students can connect to each other in a personal way, they are able to see that people aren't so different, that everyone has something in common. Using something as small as an artifact assignment can open the door to a more personal form of writing. We've learned throughout many of the readings this semester that students write better when they enjoy what they're writing about. This is an excellent way to give them a chance to find their voice.
Writing Between Languages
I have had a limited number of experiences with ELL students. I really enjoyed this reading because one of my fears is that I will get into a classroom and not know how to teach a student who is learning English. These chapters helped to give me an idea of how to approach differentiating a writing curriculum for students who need extra support.
When I was in high school, I took AP Spanish. Whenever we did a writing assignment, my teacher told us to think in Spanish because the writing would be more accurate than if we wrote in English and translated later. I always felt like I was writing at such a low level when I thought in Spanish. I couldn't express what I wanted to say, so I had to simplify it. I feel like this is the approach most people take when dealing with emergent bilinguals. All this really does is discourage them in their attempts at writing; if they are a strong writer in their native tongue, seeing how little they can write in English when they "think in English" can be harmful to their progress. If it was difficult for me to be able to express myself in a language that wasn't necessarily pertinent to my survival in this country, I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for ELL students to feel as though their communication is barred because they do not have the skills to think in English yet.
I loved Fu's point about the four stages of writing that ELL students go through. It makes sense that they would undergo a gradual process rather than achieve an overnight skill. I think if teachers can recognize the stages that the students go through, it will make it easier to encourage and build up the students in their writing. I hope that I will be able to use the strategies in these chapters to help me cultivate a love for writing in any bilingual students I may have in the future.
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Quick Write for Class 3/14
1. Michelle Kenney’s article “The Politics of the Paragraph” discusses the problems with teaching the five-paragraph essay. She disputes one common thought on formulaic writing, that writing formulas are like training wheels, and you need to “know the rules in order to break them.” In your own experience in high school, did you learn the five paragraph formula or other formulaic writing? Did you find that it helped you become a better writer? If you were taught formulaic writing in school, did you have any issues when you started writing on the college level? Or did you find that formulaic writing helped prepared you for college writing?
For me, the formulaic form of writing was introduced and reinforced in middle school. We were taught the particulars of the five paragraph essay, with slight variations if you were writing a persuasive paper vs. an informative paper. I was conditioned to maintain this model until I entered high school, where one particular teacher told us to forget that structure and write more freely. Unfortunately, most of my teachers in high school depended on the basic structure of a essay - present your argument, provide supporting evidence, and present an analysis of the argument - so my paper writing was limited to an adapted version of the five paragraph essay, one with more body paragraphs.
When I entered college, I remember being nervous that I would not be capable of producing the level of writing necessary for a college student. I felt inadequate when it came to constructing a well-written paper. I feel like I was stunted by a dependence on the formula that I didn't have enough practice with working out my words and developing concise writing. The only thing I could produce was a semi-convincing argument clinging to a bare-boned structure.
I realized later on that if I let myself just write, it turned out better than if I became preoccupied with sticking to a formula. I took time to map out my thoughts, organize them logically, and then put them in paragraph form. I learned to trust myself more than a framework. I know I am a good writer. I don't need those training wheels anymore. I think they helped me discover what academic writing looked like, but having them act as blinders to my writing did me a disservice. I hope to avoid this "blinding" of my students. I want to give them the tools they need to succeed, but balance that with an ability to trust in themselves.
For me, the formulaic form of writing was introduced and reinforced in middle school. We were taught the particulars of the five paragraph essay, with slight variations if you were writing a persuasive paper vs. an informative paper. I was conditioned to maintain this model until I entered high school, where one particular teacher told us to forget that structure and write more freely. Unfortunately, most of my teachers in high school depended on the basic structure of a essay - present your argument, provide supporting evidence, and present an analysis of the argument - so my paper writing was limited to an adapted version of the five paragraph essay, one with more body paragraphs.
When I entered college, I remember being nervous that I would not be capable of producing the level of writing necessary for a college student. I felt inadequate when it came to constructing a well-written paper. I feel like I was stunted by a dependence on the formula that I didn't have enough practice with working out my words and developing concise writing. The only thing I could produce was a semi-convincing argument clinging to a bare-boned structure.
I realized later on that if I let myself just write, it turned out better than if I became preoccupied with sticking to a formula. I took time to map out my thoughts, organize them logically, and then put them in paragraph form. I learned to trust myself more than a framework. I know I am a good writer. I don't need those training wheels anymore. I think they helped me discover what academic writing looked like, but having them act as blinders to my writing did me a disservice. I hope to avoid this "blinding" of my students. I want to give them the tools they need to succeed, but balance that with an ability to trust in themselves.
Monday, March 13, 2017
Response for Class on 3/14
"The Politics of the Paragraph"
Do formulas always lead to the right answer? Perhaps in math, where numbers always add up to the same sum and 10 will always be greater than 7. Writing, however, is a lot more complex. In middle school, we began writing with the common 5 paragraph essay: an intro, 3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion. This was the understood process we were to follow when writing any paper. When I got to high school, my teacher assigned us a research paper, and I remember getting overwhelmed at the thought of squeezing a huge amount of research into just 5 paragraphs. My teacher told us to forget everything we knew about writing papers, that he was going to teach us the correct process in constructing a well argued paper. This involved notecards and outlines and several drafts and 8, 9, 10 paragraphs in my paper! It was anarchy compared to the carefully constructed outlook on academic writing that I was used to, but it was easier knowing I didn't have to stay within such strict guidelines.
This is something I still grapple with; I am a very "guidelines-oriented" person. I love knowing exactly what is expected of my and how I am to present it. At the same time, I hate being confined and limited by a 5 paragraph essay structure. I understand that there are certain elements that must be included in a well-written paper. You must have a purpose, a clear argument, evidence, and analysis. But does that mean that we must teach our children that writing can only take place under absolute circumstances? If anything, I think this discourages students to write at all. There is little creativity in the 5 paragraph method. There is little space to work out thoughts into concise statements. I think there is a time and place for them. When beginning to move from basic writing to paragraph form, it helps to provide students with structure to build their ideas on. Once students are familiar with how a paragraph is formed, they should be exposed to a form of writing that allows for freedom. We need to push our students to take what they know about writing and wrestle with it. Not everyone's writing is supposed to look the same. These formulas are beginning to enforce more of the "sameness" that the standards are bringing to education. We're all different, and so our writing should look different.
Gallagher: Chapters 2-4
Writing often seems like an obvious way to get better at writing. I loved the sports metaphor Gallagher used in chapter 2: a coach wouldn't throw players into a game without having them practice first, and so we must not expect students to crank out great essays when they haven't done low-stakes writing. I love the writer's notebook. We had one when I was in 4th grade and I still have it. In high school, one of my teachers had us keep a writer's notebook and started the beginning of every class with 5 minutes of writing in it. Getting to put thoughts on paper without the pressure of grades helped immensely in my confidence when it came to turning in a first draft. I knew how to work with words, so it was easier to construct a clear, concise paper.
I loved the idea of writing with students that Gallagher mentions in chapter 3. A lot of times, students look at teachers as experts. They don't realize that writing is always a process that requires work; even teachers struggle with "lousy first drafts." I think it is important to show students the difficulties of writing - if they see a teacher having the same problems, it takes away some of the pressure to be "perfect." We had to model scientific writing for the students in my science practicum. As the teacher, I modeled what their writing should look like, and I posted a focus question to guide their thoughts as they wrote. From watching me construct a paragraph about the experiment we conducted, the students were able to follow my example in their scientist notebooks. I loved that this was a part of the curriculum. Like Gallagher discusses in chapter 2, writing shouldn't be limited to English class.
The discussion of using real world examples in chapter 4 is something I wholeheartedly agree with. Students will write more (and better) when the topic is something they can relate to/are interested in. I think it is so important to show students that writing extends beyond the academic paper. They don't have to be confined to typical school essays. Giving them other types of assignments allows them to show their voice, choice, and creativity. Also, connecting reading and writing is something I have always been a fan of. The more you read, the better you write, is what my mom always told me. She would explain that she could tell which students of hers were big readers and which were not based on their writing. Personally, I am a reader, so I see the value that the books I love so much have done for my writing. It is just as important to encourage students to be readers as it is to encourage them to write.
There were so many ideas in these chapters that I will definitely look forward to using in my own classroom one day. I think keeping in mind that we are to teach the writer, not the writing is critical in maintaining a classroom where students are not afraid to write. Giving them time to practice their skills where they feel safe to do so will allow them to gain confidence in themselves. I want to allow my students to be creative and think outside the 5 paragraph essay. I'm curious to see what it brings.
Do formulas always lead to the right answer? Perhaps in math, where numbers always add up to the same sum and 10 will always be greater than 7. Writing, however, is a lot more complex. In middle school, we began writing with the common 5 paragraph essay: an intro, 3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion. This was the understood process we were to follow when writing any paper. When I got to high school, my teacher assigned us a research paper, and I remember getting overwhelmed at the thought of squeezing a huge amount of research into just 5 paragraphs. My teacher told us to forget everything we knew about writing papers, that he was going to teach us the correct process in constructing a well argued paper. This involved notecards and outlines and several drafts and 8, 9, 10 paragraphs in my paper! It was anarchy compared to the carefully constructed outlook on academic writing that I was used to, but it was easier knowing I didn't have to stay within such strict guidelines.
This is something I still grapple with; I am a very "guidelines-oriented" person. I love knowing exactly what is expected of my and how I am to present it. At the same time, I hate being confined and limited by a 5 paragraph essay structure. I understand that there are certain elements that must be included in a well-written paper. You must have a purpose, a clear argument, evidence, and analysis. But does that mean that we must teach our children that writing can only take place under absolute circumstances? If anything, I think this discourages students to write at all. There is little creativity in the 5 paragraph method. There is little space to work out thoughts into concise statements. I think there is a time and place for them. When beginning to move from basic writing to paragraph form, it helps to provide students with structure to build their ideas on. Once students are familiar with how a paragraph is formed, they should be exposed to a form of writing that allows for freedom. We need to push our students to take what they know about writing and wrestle with it. Not everyone's writing is supposed to look the same. These formulas are beginning to enforce more of the "sameness" that the standards are bringing to education. We're all different, and so our writing should look different.
Gallagher: Chapters 2-4
Writing often seems like an obvious way to get better at writing. I loved the sports metaphor Gallagher used in chapter 2: a coach wouldn't throw players into a game without having them practice first, and so we must not expect students to crank out great essays when they haven't done low-stakes writing. I love the writer's notebook. We had one when I was in 4th grade and I still have it. In high school, one of my teachers had us keep a writer's notebook and started the beginning of every class with 5 minutes of writing in it. Getting to put thoughts on paper without the pressure of grades helped immensely in my confidence when it came to turning in a first draft. I knew how to work with words, so it was easier to construct a clear, concise paper.
I loved the idea of writing with students that Gallagher mentions in chapter 3. A lot of times, students look at teachers as experts. They don't realize that writing is always a process that requires work; even teachers struggle with "lousy first drafts." I think it is important to show students the difficulties of writing - if they see a teacher having the same problems, it takes away some of the pressure to be "perfect." We had to model scientific writing for the students in my science practicum. As the teacher, I modeled what their writing should look like, and I posted a focus question to guide their thoughts as they wrote. From watching me construct a paragraph about the experiment we conducted, the students were able to follow my example in their scientist notebooks. I loved that this was a part of the curriculum. Like Gallagher discusses in chapter 2, writing shouldn't be limited to English class.
The discussion of using real world examples in chapter 4 is something I wholeheartedly agree with. Students will write more (and better) when the topic is something they can relate to/are interested in. I think it is so important to show students that writing extends beyond the academic paper. They don't have to be confined to typical school essays. Giving them other types of assignments allows them to show their voice, choice, and creativity. Also, connecting reading and writing is something I have always been a fan of. The more you read, the better you write, is what my mom always told me. She would explain that she could tell which students of hers were big readers and which were not based on their writing. Personally, I am a reader, so I see the value that the books I love so much have done for my writing. It is just as important to encourage students to be readers as it is to encourage them to write.
There were so many ideas in these chapters that I will definitely look forward to using in my own classroom one day. I think keeping in mind that we are to teach the writer, not the writing is critical in maintaining a classroom where students are not afraid to write. Giving them time to practice their skills where they feel safe to do so will allow them to gain confidence in themselves. I want to allow my students to be creative and think outside the 5 paragraph essay. I'm curious to see what it brings.
Monday, February 27, 2017
Response for Class on 2/28
Technology: Tool or Stumbling Block?
Since beginning college, I have encountered professors who are very averse to the use of technology in the classroom. It is their belief that they grew up without computers, so they don't like us to use our computers in their classrooms. I think this fixed thinking is absurd in this day and age. We have come into a technology-explosive century where everything is automated or digitized. Everywhere you look, there is evidence of the footprint technology has left on the world. As teachers, it is critical to understand that technology is not our enemy. I will admit that I did grow up in the midst of the wave of technology, but my access was much more limited than that of the students I work with. Younger and younger they are getting tablets, iPads, and phones. In his article, Couros provides ways to include technology in the classroom as a support and tool for teaching. He discusses how important it is that teachers model appropriate use of technology for students and to show them the wide array of uses it can have. He mentions using an academic blog, such as the one we are using in this class, to openly dialogue various topics as well as to demonstrate the pedagogical side of technology. I personally love the idea of blogging with students. It is a low-stakes environment where the students can connect with each other's thoughts an opinions, as well as make arguments and think about various perspectives on different issues. We don't need to rely entirely on technology in our teaching, but at the same time, it isn't something to shy away from. Let's use it in a way that betters the education of our students.
[Personal]ized Learning
There seems to be a spectrum. At one end, no technology is good for the classroom; at the other, technology takes over and replaces the teacher. We have to find a balance. Coiro centers her article around this balance. She brings up the term "blended learning," which is not a term I was familiar with. Blended learning incorporates technology into a classroom that values student involvement in their learning. Digital playlists do not provide any opportunities for students to personally interact with teachers or peers, instead limiting them to interaction with a computer. I can see the appeal of having learning that is more specific to the student, but taking away the social aspect of education is not the way to do it. Teachers spend much of their time differentiating lesson plans and creating instruction that caters to the individual needs of students. Their way includes time for students to share their thoughts and think in ways that are challenging. If all students are doing is pressing buttons on computers, they are not able to see that learning is human. We are born learning. We continue to learn, even after school ends. The world teaches us new things everyday. Students should not assume that learning can only come from technology.
The Difference Between a Teacher and a Business Person
You would think the difference would be obvious, right? It really grinds my gears that there are so many individuals who have little to no experience in the field of education who are constantly making the decisions concerning education. The ideas present in Robert and Mahoney's article were startling - I had no idea that corporations could even enter the education sphere. Business people are looking at schools and seeing another opportunity to boost the economy. Their plan to simplify and personalize learning is devaluing teachers and creating students who are only capable of following instructions. The whole idea of the banking method is at play here. Learning is a fixed entity: knowledge is specified to the individual, it is pumped into the student, and they take it as fact. There is no opportunity for a dialogue or any sort of creative thinking. Students aren't able to wrestle with difficult issues that may not have an answer. Learning is put into a box. I shook my head at the idea that teachers are reduced to facilitators or data collectors. My mother is a middle school English teacher, so I get to see all of the hard work that goes into her planning and preparing for lessons. She takes time to plan different methods of presenting information for the various learners in her classroom. There is so much heart that goes into teaching, so much that we invest in our students, and to have that reduced to a proctor is crazy. I want my classroom to be a place where students can use technology as a tool to enhance their learning, not depend on it to tell them what they should think. Learning is not just about acquiring information but applying it to your experience.
I am studying to be a teacher. I want to teach. I don't want to facilitate. I don't see a classroom as an economic opportunity. I see it as a training ground for the next generation of thinkers. We have to teach our children to think for themselves, not do all the thinking for them.
Since beginning college, I have encountered professors who are very averse to the use of technology in the classroom. It is their belief that they grew up without computers, so they don't like us to use our computers in their classrooms. I think this fixed thinking is absurd in this day and age. We have come into a technology-explosive century where everything is automated or digitized. Everywhere you look, there is evidence of the footprint technology has left on the world. As teachers, it is critical to understand that technology is not our enemy. I will admit that I did grow up in the midst of the wave of technology, but my access was much more limited than that of the students I work with. Younger and younger they are getting tablets, iPads, and phones. In his article, Couros provides ways to include technology in the classroom as a support and tool for teaching. He discusses how important it is that teachers model appropriate use of technology for students and to show them the wide array of uses it can have. He mentions using an academic blog, such as the one we are using in this class, to openly dialogue various topics as well as to demonstrate the pedagogical side of technology. I personally love the idea of blogging with students. It is a low-stakes environment where the students can connect with each other's thoughts an opinions, as well as make arguments and think about various perspectives on different issues. We don't need to rely entirely on technology in our teaching, but at the same time, it isn't something to shy away from. Let's use it in a way that betters the education of our students.
[Personal]ized Learning
There seems to be a spectrum. At one end, no technology is good for the classroom; at the other, technology takes over and replaces the teacher. We have to find a balance. Coiro centers her article around this balance. She brings up the term "blended learning," which is not a term I was familiar with. Blended learning incorporates technology into a classroom that values student involvement in their learning. Digital playlists do not provide any opportunities for students to personally interact with teachers or peers, instead limiting them to interaction with a computer. I can see the appeal of having learning that is more specific to the student, but taking away the social aspect of education is not the way to do it. Teachers spend much of their time differentiating lesson plans and creating instruction that caters to the individual needs of students. Their way includes time for students to share their thoughts and think in ways that are challenging. If all students are doing is pressing buttons on computers, they are not able to see that learning is human. We are born learning. We continue to learn, even after school ends. The world teaches us new things everyday. Students should not assume that learning can only come from technology.
The Difference Between a Teacher and a Business Person
You would think the difference would be obvious, right? It really grinds my gears that there are so many individuals who have little to no experience in the field of education who are constantly making the decisions concerning education. The ideas present in Robert and Mahoney's article were startling - I had no idea that corporations could even enter the education sphere. Business people are looking at schools and seeing another opportunity to boost the economy. Their plan to simplify and personalize learning is devaluing teachers and creating students who are only capable of following instructions. The whole idea of the banking method is at play here. Learning is a fixed entity: knowledge is specified to the individual, it is pumped into the student, and they take it as fact. There is no opportunity for a dialogue or any sort of creative thinking. Students aren't able to wrestle with difficult issues that may not have an answer. Learning is put into a box. I shook my head at the idea that teachers are reduced to facilitators or data collectors. My mother is a middle school English teacher, so I get to see all of the hard work that goes into her planning and preparing for lessons. She takes time to plan different methods of presenting information for the various learners in her classroom. There is so much heart that goes into teaching, so much that we invest in our students, and to have that reduced to a proctor is crazy. I want my classroom to be a place where students can use technology as a tool to enhance their learning, not depend on it to tell them what they should think. Learning is not just about acquiring information but applying it to your experience.
I am studying to be a teacher. I want to teach. I don't want to facilitate. I don't see a classroom as an economic opportunity. I see it as a training ground for the next generation of thinkers. We have to teach our children to think for themselves, not do all the thinking for them.
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