Managing a Learner-Driven Classroom

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.

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.