Michele's CIT blog

Can personal narrative find a place in academic writing?

2010-02-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

In this week's study of my grad program at University of New England, we had to research something that we wonder, question, consider...and consider ways to implement our findings into our classes. I decided to look at writing and emotions. Transformative learning was a key term that came up time and time again. Researchers state how kids need to be motivated to write; they must care and connect to the subject in order for the writing to be authentic. Is this "allowed" in the era of high-stakes testing? Can we have kids focus on writing they care about, but push them to fix conventions? How can we marry both authenticity and explicitness?

One article "Individual Goals and Academic Literacy: Integrating Authenticity and Explicitness" (2009) Sarah Beck (2009) researched for a year a struggling student and a teacher, Mr. Redding that focused both the study of voice and conventions into his English classroom. This student struggled all year, but did succeed to do all assignments, even though they contained many grammatical mistakes. Her connections to the text, particularly the piece she wrote about Raisin in the Sun, made personal and moving connections. And, she was able to pass the state graduation test.

Just completing the position paper with my 9th graders, I ask: would their writing be more engaging if they chose a topic they had personal experience with? Or because they chose the topic, does that provide enough engagement?

Exploring Google Sites

2010-01-22T21:41:00.000-07:00

I am enrolled in University of New England Masters online program. One of the requirements is to create a Google Site to use throughout the program. I have used Wikispaces.com and have been pleased with their product and service, so I was feeling a little hestitant about exploring the Google online version. So far, it seems very user-friendly. It customizes quickly, in terms of theme and layout and it is easy to add pages, as well as rearrange where they go. I could not add a Word document as easily as Wikispaces, unless it's an attachment; I like having the opportunity to place the document in the body of the page instead of at the bottom, especially when used as a writing portfolio. However, I pasted the whole text on a new page and loved that Google keeps the formatting exactly how it was originally saved. This has always been frustrating for me and my students, particularly when they are writing poetry. I look forward to becoming more familiar with Google Sites and what it has to offer. My graduate portfolio will slowly build and so will my understanding of what seems to be another great product by Google.

To Be the Best in the Field of Literature is Analysis?

2008-12-15T08:09:00.003-07:00

After my senior essays' lack of interest: no "hooks", bland discussions of their novel, dry language throughout, I wondered not only about their writing skills, but what we ask our students to do their junior and senior years. We want students to use critical thinking, outside sources, and literary criticism to make an argument, a claim, for a new way of looking at a piece of writing. We uphold literary analysis as the creme de la creme of writing. Or do we?

When we nominate a senior student every year that represents the best English student, our conversations are about his or her incredible writing: rich descriptions, memorable word choices, and tone that stings or coddles. We love to hear about Mrs. Ferrill's students that win the NCTE awards each year realizing that it's their narrative and poetry writing that gets them noticed. We do not talk about a student that 'wow-ed' us with their deconstructivist analysis of Hamlet; we usually remember the student who turned in an art project that showed symbolism of Brave New World. We remember the mock epic the student wrote about procrastinating on homework fashioned after Pope's "The Rape of the Lock". Students that leave their mark on the English faculty touch us with poetic devices and narrative whether in writing, art, or poetry.

Do we, lead our students astray each year forcing students to analyze novel after novel?

Their freshmen composition class in college will write narratives, place essays, and biographies, not literary analysis. Many presitigious MBA programs are going to a portfolio format for their culminating project. These are described as a combination of 1st person reflections on internships, classes, and projects as well as persuasive writings that attempt to showcase a student's financial prowess.

Should we add more focus to the narrative writing?

I do not think that we need to let go of the rigor required in writing literary analysis, but if we truly think about the leaders in every field, it is someone who can communicate beautifully about their field. If it's environmental law, we view the mountains in North Carolina that are shaved and stripped, leaving sledge in its rivers. If it's Wall Street, we hear the bells cling, see the brokers waving arms wildly indicating, "Sell! Sell!" and can feel the immense pressure of our changing economy.

Do we read about the feminist's critique of Secret Life of Bees?

I come back to my earlier post: are we turning out illiterate writers? And if our students can write, can they persuade me to believe that the human story was the true story in Life of Pi, can they convince me it's the better story? The one rich with life, love, and struggle? Will I see that in his or her writing?

I propose that we do think narrative writing is needed, but we fear its too fluffy, too much like creative writing to give it much time in our rigorous classrooms. I propose we relook at storytelling as an artform that we must hone; Daniel Pink claims that it's those that are creative that will rule the world in the next century. It's those that can weave poetry into advertisement that will land the proposal. I will bring it back into my classroom, giving credence to details.

Illiterate Writers?

2008-12-15T07:55:00.003-07:00

Collecting my senior essays last week, I was so sad to see their writing. Frankly it was dismal and certainly not at a senior level of writing. I wonder if we're sending kids into college being illiterate writers.

We have this conversation often in the English department:

"I know I taught my 9th graders how to write thesis statements. They write them again and again! And yet, on the final, they just can't generate one!"

"My sophomore students say they don't know what one is!"

"Juniors say the same thing. Or they stare at me blankly. Thesis? I can't write one."

"Why can't kids keep this information?"

We discuss this problem and are addressing this slowly in our PLC groups, but it continues to amaze me year after year. I wonder if the "one shot writing" is a culprit. That's where we assign a type of writing and even if they are allowed to rewrite it, it is a one-time thing. We then go onto another type of essay, explication, or response. Maybe our kids cannot hold onto information that's given in such isolated events. It makes sense; we don't learn to play baseball with only 1 practice. ...Not even 4 practices, or even 8. In order to be proficient, students need practice again and again and again.

I fear our rigor with literary analysis gets over their head so quickly, they feel unattached to their writing and simply try to fulfill the writing requirement without real ownership in their own thoughts and analysis.

It could be that kids are lazy, unwilling to use what a teacher has taught them from the year before; this is what we conclude every year. However, I'm afraid that there's enough grade-grubbers, people pleasers in the world of students that to see this trend year in and out, seems naive. I think we need to considerate the age, the assignment's purpose, and begin to figure out how to practice writing like coaches have their little leaguers practice a level swing at home plate.

The Return of the Wiki--Part 1

2008-09-16T13:18:00.007-06:00

I have to say, I love wikis. The love of a to-do list that is organized with its details, chronological agenda, focused with its goals, and aesthetically pleasing, flowers scroll along its top. Every year I return to the wiki, for my own writing, adding in new pieces from my summer journeys and also to find ways for students to share their writing with each other...and others beyond the classroom walls.

This year I have decided to use the wiki as a place to practice their writing as always, but to do so as a group. Group writing offers a less stressful way to practice craft, but with help from other students. I will do this is varying forms, but the first way I did this was to create separate pages on my creative writing class wiki. Today students worked on descriptive writing with objectivity vs. subjectivity. I gave students various objects and they wrote a thorough description of each object. The paragraphs were very diverse and are excellent examples of the 2 types of description.

Click here to get a free wiki for teachers.

Retake a Quiz? No problem!

2008-09-11T22:02:00.002-06:00

I don't know why, but I changed the way I test for understanding with quizzes this year. In doing so, I found an easy way to get seniors to reread. I know, seniors, going back to the text and actually reading it again?!

We're reading Beowulf right now outside of class. Students annotate while they read and then I give them a pretty specific quiz the following class period. I tell them what to look for, give them focus questions, and share my notes that I took when I read it. Kids get frustrated every year with their low scores. They read the text, but because it's an epic poem, the students often miss much of the meaning...and certainly many of the details.

As every year, I put the reading quizzes in my Reading Applications and Analysis section, but have decided that they can retake a quiz anytime however many times they need to. It's amazing how interested they are because they know they can very quickly affect their grade. But, what I love is that they go back through the text, reread their annotations, and recount plot details as well as theme, symbols, etc. How cool!

Instead of the reading check being an 'I gotcha!' quiz, it becomes a tool for observing details and an exercise in close reading. So, when asked: May I retake the quiz again? I respond: No problem!

Making magic with or without technology

2008-06-10T22:23:00.003-06:00

From CyberCamp, this quote really resonated with me: Budtheteacher writes, "Sarah, in her presentation today, said that the tools are still just the bells and whistles, the “magic” being performed by little elves somewhere. What I see in the CyberCamp presentations is that good teachers will be good no matter what the tool — a piece of chalk or thousands of dollars worth of technology tools. But, when you hook up a great teacher with engaging tools — that’s when magic happens. The tools become transparent."

I think that many folks get frustrated by technology, not realizing that it is the teaching that will carry the lesson, not technology. The lesson objectives, the focus on student learning, needs to be the primary focus; technology becomes the map that the students use on their drive towards learning. I have seen the "magic" in my classroom and know that it is the discovery that makes teaching and learning so wonderful.

I have felt at times, working with colleagues, watching colleagues, etc., we saw the "magic" of teaching, but so often in our offices, teachers get caught up in the I-can't-do-that without making a lesson, an idea their own. The technology becomes an excuse for not making their classroom more student-centered. I don't have computers in my class; I don't have time to bother with technology; I don't know how to do it and it would take too long to figure it out...etc., etc. The teachers in our school that are making a difference with students, connect with kids and listen. They observe the world and try to bring a piece of it into the classroom.

(Ahhh...it feels good to blog again. It's been so long.)

Motivation Check-In

2008-01-18T09:10:00.000-07:00

Students, you have 2 weeks of your new semester behind you. I started class the first day, asking you all to write down a very specific list of things you are going to do differently (or the same) to ensure success this semester. Here were some of your responses:

communicate better with my teachers
do all homework
turn in work
actually study for test and particularly finals
actually do the outside reading for class
ask questions
come in to see teacher during unscheduled hours

I was very encouraged to see your tool chest of ways to keep motivated in school and find success!

When I asked you all to discuss the question: why are kids failing, the overall message was that you were failing because many of you are lazy and unmotivated. I was surprised to see you 1) admit that and 2) have a pretty easy-going, resigned attitude about it...as if you know you won't change.

So here is what I'm wanting you to answer:

Do you feel you cannot change your level of motivation for school? If not, explain. If yes, explain how you have.
What is a teacher's role in student motivation?
How ARE YOU DOING so far with your TO-DO list for success this semester?

Be honest, but appropriate. Use proper SPELLING and grammar. See you Tuesday!
~Mrs. Davis

Why are kids failing?

2007-11-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

This is a question that has riddled me all semester. I have changed my grades to reflect a "truer" grade. In my 9th grade classes, I have 3 categories: homework/responsibility where students can turn in late work for 50% of its worth; reading applications and analysis where students can do any assignment for 100% of its worth as well as the writing category where again students can do (and re-do) any assignment for 100%. This allows for penalties with day-to-day work, but allows for growth in the 2 categories key to English class. Out of my 49 9th graders, 21 students have low D's and F's. I have 10 F's in my 4th hour alone!

So what is the problem? I have contacted parents, written referrals, talked one on one with students, and have talked to my classes as a whole. A few minor assignments trickle in, but still the low grades remain.

One girl did take advantage of the grading and "opportunity to learn" (although I doubt she saw it this way since it was her mother's warning of being grounded the rest of the semester until her grades went up); she worked with me twice a week during school for 4 hours, and every day after school--for a consecutive 2 1/2 weeks. She was able to complete work, but more importantly, she re-did writing assignments and reading analysis assignments. We talked about her growth and improvement of her grade; "I'm so glad, Mrs. Davis. Thank you for all your help. I really thought it was impossible." This gave me insight, of course. Were others feeling deflated?

I visited with the class, explained about the success of one student who brought her grade up from a 17% F to an 80% B-. Two weeks have gone by and still no improvement. In fact, I had an assignment due yesterday that only 3 students out of 25 turned in...in 4th hour!

Is it this class? Is it my style? I personally feel I am teaching skills more than complacency, but then why are kids revolting? Is it that these students don't connect with me as a teacher? Overall from these kids I hear, "You're my favorite teacher, Mrs. Davis."; "This is my favorite class" from these folks failing and yet no work. Is it just how they are??! Are they lazy, apathetic, overwhelmed? Should I settle with the fact that almost half of them are failing, but that it's their issue?

When I started teaching, I taught at a private school; we could keep students who were failing after school for grammar class or writing workshops. Students really improved. Of course, they had the same conversations with their parents as my one student above had about being grounded for grades. Is it the extra demands of both the teacher and parents? Is that the only difference? Have my 9th grade parents today have given up?

Or...is it a scarier reality: I have made the grading seem too easy and thus, students feel they can just slide along, turn a couple things in and their grade inches up enough to get by? The first 9 weeks I thought this could be the case, but as I continue to talk to my students, they do not come in to get help.

I talked with our gifted/talented, at-risk teacher. She pulled grades related to middle schools students attended. Almost an even split. We did find out that out of our approx. 500 9th graders, 110 of them are failing at least one of their classes, if not 3 or 4. This too was shocking.

So, students, WHY are so many of you failing?

Another Google Use

2007-11-05T13:10:00.001-07:00

Ok...so I wanted to join the live blogging, but have never done a fishbowl, so I was reluctant to do a fishbowl for the first time AND try live blogging. So I decided to try using Google Docs, but the spreadsheet. I used this format with my Creative Writing class in small groups as they were writing a multi-voice poem. It worked well in small groups and thought I would try it as a class.

What I love about the spreadsheet is the opportunity to have everyone responding at once without the document stalling. I also love that it provides a chat window on the side; I can prompt them to think further, explain more, etc. Plus they love being allowed to have a silly conversation while still doing serious work.

Here are the 2 classes and their thinking. These are the documents at the end of the hour. I had the questions at the top and they answered, read others' responses, agreed, disagreed, etc. Some did not finish, so they are adding to it before our next class. I am then, going to print out the page and give them a copy. We are going to hold a scored discussion on Friday to discuss even further their thoughts and find connections beyond the text.

1st hour
6th hour

Here's this year's wiki on Life of Pi.

The interconnectedness of what we do

2007-10-18T07:44:00.000-06:00

Reading Karl's Fischbowl entry about the Rocky Mountain News article, I noticed a woman from my hometown of Rapid City, SD had commented. I clicked on her name and emailed her. The world gets smaller as we discovered that she has worked with my middle sister for the past several years! How fun!

I am excited to visit with her some more and to continue making the world a little flatter.

When technology knowledge finally creates a little autonomy

2007-09-18T12:43:00.000-06:00

Ok...so I had emailed Karl Fisch, like we all do, in need of a response: help me with this, how do I do this, what happens when, etc. . . .

But today, I figured out something...on my own (gasp*)! I asked Karl how I could create a screenshot to put on Blogger. I made my Word document a PDF and placed it on my web page. That seemed easy enough, but I couldn't get the link off the PDF. So...I tried saving it as a JPEG or TIFF, but didn't have this option in Word (at least that I could find).

So...somewhere in the depths of my memory, I recalled that in PowerPoint you could save an image on a page and then save the whole page as an image. It worked and I was able to use that as an image that Blogger would accept.

Yeah me!

Finding Microsoft Word's Worth

2007-09-18T08:45:00.000-06:00

I have the wonderful opportunity of not only teaching my writing classes in our new language arts laptop classroom, but I also have one of my 9th grade classes there as well. What I have found so incredibly useful is the comment feature. Students are annotating, commenting, questioning, and really connecting with the text.

With Edgar Allan Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado," I felt the text was too challenging to turn them completely loose with annotations, so we annotated the story together in class. I had students find vocabulary they wanted to know and we used our iGoogle page that has several dictionary options. The kids also made inferences from statements and descriptions. Through all of this, they learned how to use the Reviewing Toolbar (highlighting, adding comments) and the Drawing Toolbar (they drew Fortunato's carnival hat and used the text box to write additional notes).

Today, then, students are using the annotated notes to assist them in this next task. They are to read "The Story Behind 'The Cask of Amontillado'" and then decide which story (the carnival setting that is fictionalized or the army/card-playing setting of the real story) is more effective. Students will use their notes to compare and contrast the fictionalized story to the real story arguing which one they like better and proving it with textual evidence.

Now, I know that students could have used sticky notes, but Word allows them to very easily send it home to review and to even make changes or additions to their observations. Plus, they will be able to save the document, instead of losing the sticky notes or throwing them away, the students can reuse them for papers and future critical thinking.

Summation: Yah for Microsoft Word reviewing toolbars!

Request: I would love to hear how others have used Word to advocate critical thinking.

P.S. I have placed the documents for review on my web page here. Click on "The Cask of Amontillado" annotated and Poe assessment.

iGoogle, reading strategies, and silent reading

2007-09-13T08:01:00.000-06:00

As always, I jump into using technology fearlessly. Karl Fisch talked to us about having our kids create their own personal learning network where they choose what information they need, what they want to read, and what will possibly affect their world. I have decided to see where this could go.

First of all, I had my students check out a fiction book to read outside of class. They begged me to give them time in class each week. So a certain Tuesday came and I gave them time to read--20 minutes worth. When I called time, they whined and pleaded to be able to read all hour. Surprising! I had the whole class vote to see if they really did want to dedicate time to reading. Yes, unanimously. So, every Friday, my students will be reading.

This lead nicely into my iGoogle questions: where would I fit this into my week? How could I assess their information-gathering quickly? And, how could they share what they learned? I decided Friday's would be the day.

We went the computer lab to set up their iGoogle accounts. The kids were so excited. I had them add a quote feed I had, a vocabulary grapher thesaurus I added, and a local news feed, a national news feed, and a world news feed. I have not had them add Google Reader, yet. I told them that on Thursday nights, they will practice the reading strategies they've been learning with short stories and apply them to non-fiction by choosing a news story that interests them. They will print the article, annotate it, summarize it, and then bring it in. Taping it into their writer's notebook, I will use these articles to practice paraphrasing, in-text documentation, summarizing, etc. Threee students each week will stand up to share what they learned, what was fascinating about the article and how it relates to our world.

Last Friday was the first day and it went wonderfully. The students who shared gave great summation of the news and got other students interested in the articles. I asked questions and soon other students raised their hands to contribute to the conversation. It lasted about 12 minutes or so and then the rest of the hour was spent reading. At the end of class, I asked for 4 minutes of feedback: what worked, what did they like, what was tiring, what should we do differently. Both classes agreed that it was hard to read silently for that long, but that it did force them to read and to focus on their novel for longer than 5 minutes at time. The students also said they liked the iGoogle...choosing their own story to read helped them be motivated with the homework.

Sidenote: I gave up a whole class period for the class that doesn't have laptops, simply to have every student come up and check their iGoogle accounts. Many kids had to activate their account by signing onto their email and most, if not all, were so confused on how to do that. I was glad I took the time since I didn't hear from any students about issues using iGoogle.

I did ask my students to give me feedback. Visit my site here to read their comments on their first week with iGoogle.

More to come...for now, my jumping in has paid off well.

Adding images

2007-09-04T10:52:00.000-06:00

Showing 9th graders how to add images.

Testing, testing...123

2007-09-04T09:46:00.000-06:00

I am showing my 9th graders how to post and how to add an image.

"The Coming Death Shortage" -- certainly not a shortage

2007-09-04T08:59:00.000-06:00

The last paragraph seems to negate the 12 previous pages of this interesting article by Charles C. Mann in The Atlantic.com by saying that "nobody precisely knows how to engineer major increases in the human lifespan" (Mann 13). Funny because I swear he stated throughout many scientists who are offering pills to increase lifespan by 10 years to stem cell freezing useful when your heart decides to fail...years later. But Mann followed this statement the mantra that I heard clearly: we all will live longer, the research is ready to use, and many are willing to pay the big tickets to extend our lives. Mann said it metaphorically, "...lifespans will stretch like taffy" (13). Being so visual I picture the watermelon pink candy stretching slowly, with its candied sinews glistening, yet soon, I picture the middle. I see it thin and break as if arms unable to hold on any longer. I wonder if it's a larger metaphor for the end of life, rather than how our age will continue to lengthen. Will it seem smooth at first? Effortless and attractive, but right at the end, break with hardly a fight?

I also think of Huxley's 1930 novel Brave New World, and remember their world that lacked aging; one could not tell the difference between a 50 year old or a 20 year old. Very attractive for many, if not most today. But in Huxley's dystopia, age stopped at 60. People became useless; they could impact the appearance of life longevity, but their bodies still would not comply to the effectiveness of a younger Alpha or Beta. Will we be useless at 90? I think of my mother-in-law, who sadly died at 49 from a severe case of MS. Visiting her weekly, sometimes daily, I was struck at her over-medicated state. Zombies wheeled from one "event" to another. Only a few residents were talking and smiling. Some were muttering, but conversations were not happening between residents. We moved to 4 different homes, offended at her trancelike state. Surprisingly, at one home, after many heated meetings, we were able to have her only taking her MS medicines. She was lively, had a bird in her room, put on make-up and wore her favorite jewelry. She even met a man she married a year later, moving out of the home; we continued to see her fluid state, until her health really failed. My point of all this is: this was in the 90's. She was young and hardly a nuisance. What would happen in the 2030's with overstuffed nursing homes with understaffed workers; will the sedation be overwhelmingly used? Is this our aging future?

School Reform

2007-08-13T10:30:00.000-06:00

Today we had a discussion on our experiences with school reform. We honored our negative feelings and frustrations and we also found a what was positive about these schoolwide movements. Some of the frustrations were:

the amount of time and energy it takes to discuss and make changes
the emotional conflicts that occur as teachers feel their autonomy may be lost
the miscommunication that occurs between district, administrators, and departments relating to the reform and what is expected
having people feel like they can "opt" out of change

Positive discussions and results of school reform were also discussed:

brings new/fresh teaching ideas
creates focus for best practices
makes our teaching focus on student needs
creates relationships outside our own departments

None of these ideas were new, but it was good to feel that people had a place to voice a little dissent, while still realizing our impact on this change. We asked: in what way can we positively affect change and this was the response:

it is up to us, the teachers, to make this work
we all need to make a committment to change
we recognize that we need to keep each other accountable
we also recognized that we need expectations from the administrations, in terms of participation, long-term goals, etc.

We left the group thinking about our school vision and our CIT vision that we will create. Each person wrote down 3 words that they feel are key to creating a vision. We will discuss these ideas on Sept. 4th.

Survey

2007-08-10T12:18:00.000-06:00

Our school has committed to focusing on PLC's. Over the summer we read DuFour and Robert Eaker's book: Professional Learning Communities at Work. We are leading the discussion on Chapters 1-3 and our group has created a survey related to topics and beliefs from these chapters. Follow this link to complete the survey and we will discuss the results in "class":
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=xIhKYj0GS1OM0CrJJf7BaQ_3d_3d

A New Discovery

2007-03-20T09:17:00.000-06:00

I have stumbled upon another great tool on Google: Discussion Boards. I know...nothing new. But, what I realized is that this is a wonderful way for students to turn in papers and get peer feedback with little work from me! A new concept, I know.

I have been using wikis, which have been wonderful, but for a short way to post papers and have them accessible quickly, this is incredible. Check out my seniors' summary response papers. Notice that they haven't quite figured out where to post (all papers should have been under Pages), but once they move them, what an easy way to 1) see if kids typed, titled, included a works cited, etc. and 2) have students respond to each others' writings. They are going to do that Wed. night providing feedback on the writing and their arguments. It should be interesting. I think it's also a great way to "practice" posting responses to reading because this is rampant in college. Professors ask a minimum of 5 postings per class and expect longer responses than a paragraph. This way, our students practice their summarizing, paraphrasing, documentation, and learn how to argue a point logically and with evidence.

Pay It Forward is Having Success

2007-03-09T17:00:00.000-07:00

My seniors have really "stepped it up" and have put together a really fantastic event to raise money for a Hopkins Elementary student who has terminal cancer. See the Pay It Forward wiki to read their ideas. Teenagers can really be amazing.

Debates

2007-03-07T21:42:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your responses and questions. I know that I have a heightened sensitivity, to a fault.

Movin' on.

Take 5--Cross Referencing Blogs

2007-03-07T21:30:00.000-07:00

Amazing. So the "Do you know" movie has gone viral and so has the fischbowl, and many of our posts. I am cross-referencing between blogs as another way to connect. So often you hear people critique technology, saying it creates a chasm between human connections. Actually at times, I feel a little overwhelmed how connected I am! Not more isolated! Communicating with teachers thousands of miles away, debating with colleagues in a less confrontational way just adds another dimension, another to-do task on my list , but more importantly, it adds more ways to think about the world.

Here's an example of cross-referencing other blogs: http://1001teachers.blogspot.com/2007/03/from-student-apathy-to-global.html
(this is a blog that I'm writing on in response to the collaboration with S. Korea and Hawaii).

Hall of Fame...or Shame

2007-02-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

The book title is a little hard to read; it says: Lazy Students Guide to Motivation and the kid is asking the mom to hand it to him. This has been the frustration of all teachers, I'm certain, from the beginning of education. However, now that I am working with teachers across oceans, thousands of miles away, even time zones 12 and 16 hours ahead of me, I really feel angst for student apathy.

Students were to fill out basic info about themselves and post their tale, all within 2 1/2 weeks with varying due dates. They also needed to respond to their South Korean students' stories. I have 1/3 of my students that haven't completed this last step, 5 that haven't done anything, and over 1/2 that haven't revised their story. I am amazed. They have consequences in the gradebook, which motivates some students, but for others, what is the motivation? They are excited to chat with students from around the globe, but when it comes to the academic endeavors, they still aren't doing the work. Aaarrrgh and . What do you do? I'm thinking of a competition between my 2 classes where the winning team gets a party...or maybe they both should get a party if they can get everyone to do the work and meet the deadlines. Hmmm...I think this last idea will motivate them. Everyone has friends in the class that can help him/her. We'll see how it works.

In the meantime, my cajoles, my threats, and my disappointment hopefully will motivate...someone? I did have one student say, "Sorry, Mrs. Davis. I'll step it up, tonight." 9th graders are a funny breed.

What was so interesting though, was when I logged onto the 1001 Tales Wiki today and saw the Hall of Fame...and Shame. This is a place for students to name the stars (students who have given strong feedback), too nice (ones that gave feedback that was nice, but not specific or helpful), or even mean. This should be interesting. I hope it doesn't become a retaliation game between countries. This, too will be interesting to track. For now, I'm off to check on the wiki to see if the students who "promised" they'd have something up by today, did what they said they would.

1001 Flat-World Tales Wiki -- An Update

2007-02-21T22:05:00.000-07:00

The 1001 Tales Project is up and rollin'; it's been fascinating to Skype with Clay Burell and to collaborate with students on the other side of the globe. What's been interesting for me as a teacher has been the planning portion:

* How do I make connections with a teacher that is 16 hours ahead of me?

Clay and I have Skyped (his time 11:30pm or 4:30am!) We also email, discuss on the wiki, and blog. Even 6 months ago, I couldn't have imagined these opportunities or global involvement. Malaysia, Canada, and Hawaii have just joined, so we have running clocks posted on the wiki, not only for interest, but for our sanity. We now have 4-5 time zones to juggle in the midst of growing stacks of grading.

* How do I incorporate this plan in the midst of my Romeo and Juliet unit?

I have found that connecting this project with storytelling has worked well. I definitely would do this project by itself and then start R/J, but it's worked fairly well. I had to be flexible with my assignments and due dates. I have to change a deadline for Friday because my kids need to revise their story before Saturday, S. Korea time. I learned that my risk-taking equates and easy-going attitude. I have to be organized, but willing to change dates, lessons, and assignments to fit the student and project needs.

* How do share what I'm doing with other teachers and encourage them to join in?

This is a hard question for me to answer. I know that the CIT group has heard of the project and some teachers have asked me about it. I've appreciated the interest, but I also wish more teachers could and would get involved. Maybe next year, some more of our English 9 teachers will take the bait and give the project a whirl. What I realized that this global classroom creates is a sincere interest from the students (using technology creatively); creates an investment from the students because they really want quality work on the web for other students and teachers to read; and it creates such depth to the writing process. Not only are they writing and doing some peer editing, they are revising their own piece once a week, plus revising/responding to 2 other students' writing as well. The added push for students to invest in their writing is the prospect of being published; the students are fascinated with the process and certainly want that recognition. The last thing that my students are gaining is a connection beyond AHS, beyond Colorado, beyond the U.S. They are learning about sports, games, books, music, etc. that is completely new to them, yet they also see that these kids have goals of going to college (many in the U.S.), have boyfriends and girlfriends, want to get good grades, and are typical teenagers.

So, 2 1/2 weeks later, I'm exhausted, but completely invigorated and so completely proud to be a teacher in the 21st Century. I have learned that if I am willing to take a risk, admit that I don't have all the answers (even most), that students will 'step up' and embrace their own learning.

Pop-Up Ads and Pornography

2007-02-14T13:41:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I received an email from an administrator telling me I needed to check on my latest 2 wikis because they had ads recently show up. The ads weren't bad overall except...for some wild and crazy girl videos. Yes, not something I want to have on my educational sites. I quickly contacted wikispaces and the ads were taken off.

However, when I logged onto msn last night, here was an article about a substitute teacher that is being sued, possibly ending with 40 years in prison! all because pop-up's appeared on the classroom computer she was logged into. Yikes! This was certainly a strong reminder to take technology seriously and not to get too "comfortable" with what kids are viewing.

Theater of the Opressed

2007-02-11T19:08:00.000-07:00

A concept discussed in my youngest sister's grad class, I am trying it with my seniors tomorrow. The idea is that throughout history, cultures have been without a voice. They cannot speak out in anger, is opposition, in hatred, or even in love. This theater was created to give the "underdogs" a voice, a way to disclose their opinions. Now, 4 decades later, the Theater of the Opressed is used by teachers to engage students in dialogue. In teaching Brave New World, I want my students to understand the satire and to really see how we in our current world all too easily agree with the social and political norm. We stand by without making judgments and without critically thinking about ourselves, our identity, our family, and our beliefs. So tomorrow, we will use this forum to stretch our minds to understand John from the "savage reservation", Linda a transplant from Malpais that has been abondoned on the "reservation"---all in contrast to Bernard and Lenina.

The game, according to the Theater of the Opressed, needs to have clear guidelines. Augusto Boal, Rio de Janeiro 2004 states "The Discipline of our Game is our belief that we that we must re-establish the right of everyone to exist in dignity. We believe that all of us are more, and much better, than what we think we are. We believe in solidarity." How fascinating that the game exists for solidarity and the dystopia that Huxley created is also one of solidarity. How do these 2 ideas contrast? Huxley wants us to hate the idea of solidarity, doesn't he? Or, is there a different message.

See the BNW blog tomorrow to hear the class discussion. I am going to be the scribe while several students are frozen in the middle of the class in positions I create. The rest of the students need to figure out one theme that all these student actions create. I will post the discussion as they discuss their ideas.

Next, we will have a "Hot Seat Discussion"--this is a different version of the fishbowl. I put 5 seats up front with an additional seat at my computer. The computer is projected on the screen behind the students. I give them a question and then students come into the hot seats to discuss their ideas. They can agree, disagree, add to it, etc. The silent seat is the one that students can come add their ideas to the computer. Students in the audience will be able to read the comment and might spark additional comments. I haven't added the hot seat at the computer, so tomorrow will be an interesting trial. Again, you can read the post and comments on the BNW blog.

2007-02-06T22:34:00.000-07:00

I am launching the Pay It Forward Project with my seniors tomorrow! I hope they'll be as excited as I am. They are watching this video to understand the concept, the water buffalo video from the Fischbowl, and then we're off! Visit the class's wiki to put your own suggestions. I don't know what my project will be, but it's exciting!

I Admit, I Procrastinated

2007-02-05T21:12:00.000-07:00

Students procrastinate and are often criticized for such habits: caffeine-induced states of awake-ness and a crash course with their novel, biology text, or francais. I became one of my students. With my senior gradebooks empty, our administrators demand grades to be posted. Yes, yes, they're coming. But tonight I had a different agenda.

Tonight's grading became narrative writing, soul searching bleeding into colors. My Melpomene, which is my personal writing blog, finally has a new entry. I understand kids' struggle with writing and I hope they realize my sincerity. I try to write all papers to see if my directions were fairly clear, but to show them that it is approachable, do-able. They see that my writing isn't published and has mistakes, certainly room for improvement. I also take suggestions and criticism, bringing in new drafts. I hope they see that I am a learner right along with them. If constructivism has taught me anything, it is that I must take risks myself and become vulnerable if I am to see growth between six rows of desks.

The world-wide connection has started!

2007-02-01T23:32:00.000-07:00

I have Skype-d for 2 days, discussing and collaborating with Clay on the 1001 Flat World Tales project starting from a town south of Seoul, Korea at the Korean International School reaching into Centennial, CO. What an exciting process! I started a page for my students and tomorrow is the day I bridge between Romeo and Juliet, storytelling and Arabian Nights. We'll how it goes. I discussed it with the kids and they are excited. The only bummer is the time difference; we will not be able to have live conversations very easily because at 8:30am, it is 1:30am. So...I need to map that out. Here's the page I have so far: World Students (HS) page. Karl, I'm steppin' it up!

I also talked to him about a global pay-it-forward project. We are just starting to discuss this; how cool would that be to come up with something meaningful to give back to the world...across oceans, even! Anyone here at AHS (or elsewhere) that wants to explore this idea, let me know!

A New Endeavor Across An Ocean

2007-01-31T22:05:00.000-07:00

Through reading the Fischbowl Karl was contacted by a teacher from South Korea that is willing to work with teachers worldwide to create a "blook"--a blog filled with stories, a book on a blog! It's like a donut on a stick...but much better for you.

I just got my account on Skype and tried out the instant messenging this morning. It was 6:45 am here and 10:45 pm in Korea. Clay Burell (http://burell.blogspot.com/) and I traded ideas, asked questions and held a free, international conversation all 15 minutes before my English Lit class started. The world has just gotten flatter in my little world.

Clay's idea is to have students read portions of the Arabian Nights and have them then, write stories about their culture, their lives, starting with truth and bleeding into fiction. The premise is a frame story (an alien has landed and you've been asked to explain our world). Students will create a Thousand and One Flat World Tales, a storybook online...students of all grades, from around the world. We'll focus on 6+1 traits, fiction techniques, and hopefully our students will see a common thread between all the stories. Maybe they'll have a bigger perspective of the world (sometimes hard to create at age 13 & 14) and leave English 9 a little more focused on their dreams, their future.

I always have grandiose ideas and jump in without really knowing where I'm headed. However, with all the projects and units I've tried so far with my kids, I haven't been disappointed. They have created such meaning from literature and really tied it to their life, and then even better: they tied it to the global community. As always, I'll have a story to tell and I'll add it to the Flat World "blook."

Wish me luck! Na-jung-e bwae-yo!

Nothing Like Starting on the Run!

2007-01-08T13:50:00.000-07:00

I'm tired. I'm tired. I'm tired. Ok...wake up and Go! We were truly starting class so cold: no copies, classrooms that were dirty, books from last semester left, and yet, a new semester began. I am tired, but feeling refreshed and ready to forge constructivism in a new way really trying to relate English to my students' lives.

I started with my 9th graders today showing Fisch's Did You Know presentation; apparently many other teachers showed it today, too. However, we had a great conversation and kids then wrote about their ideas, what they wondered, how they will be prepared, etc. I then discussed their research project. Normally, our 9th graders research controversial topics, choose a side and write about it. What I've been thinking about is how to get kids motivated about their future. Freshmen think that graduation is so far off---it's just a mere 7 semesters away. And, many do not know that for the 2 large state schools, they need a 3.4 GPA. Nor have they considered such requirements like 4 years of math to get into an architecture college (yes, many are requiring you to apply for the college of your choice 2nd semester of your freshmen year). So, my students are doing a career research project. I'm wondering if for our students of the 21st century, will they find research that is helpful truly for their future? We won't know immediately, but I hope at the very least, they will be a little more motivated. I would love to have them compile their final analysis in some sort of media presentation. Karl, any ideas?

For seniors, they are creating movies that showcase the World in Which We Live where they capture values and lifestyles of America. All this is to prepare them for satire in Brave New World. I want them to be able to compare and contrast our world, so they first need to do some thinking about their world, their values, their choices. It should be interesting as well.

Here's another thought I'd love feedback on: pay it forward. Anyone seen the movie? Oprah did a segment on this idea last year and I've been mulling it around ever since. I want my students to come up with a pay it forward project to give back to society. My idea is that at the end of the Brave New World unit, after we've discussed how this prophetic novel has come true in ways and is getting too close in others, I want to challenge students to come up with an idea to give back---to find a way to make a small difference, so our world doesn't become the dysfunctional, sex-craved, emotion-less society. Will the kids buy into this? Or, will they just fulfill the assignment for a grade. And...do I even give a grade? Will they do it if I don't? I'd love feedback.

2006-11-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

Does anyone else feel like you're writing into white noise? You know the feeling that the universe is humming away somewhere, but it's not stopping here...where you are?

I know I am racing through my work, checking in for a brief comment on my mentees' blogs, but anyone else's? The fischbowl occasionally, but I just don't have time. Or is it that I don't take the time?

Confusion: Constructivism and Real Life

2006-11-05T21:45:00.000-07:00

Question: can being a constructivist...a facilitator of ideas, a manager of options, a director of meetings...can this role take on an ugly face? I had a student I didn't know come to me needing to talk about private events. He wasn't in harm, but certainly divulged private, life-changing events that had occured. He said he didn't have anyone to talk to and asked if I would meet with him.

Of course, and 2 days later, 8 meetings ago, I felt proud that he came to me, but scared that my role as teacher, as mediator of information, was becoming a counselor of sorts. I don't give advice sharing my opinion, but rather listen. Let him sort through the issues, ask questions, search for answers and I encouraged him to find more. I know in my heart of hearts I met his needs, but the burden that I carried...and still do, makes we wish that constructivism was not a concept I knew.

I know he came to me because I can listen and I can help him sort his problems, but the person inside me: the mom, the sister, the woman, wanted to scream what he should do, scream the knowledge he should have, and scream an ultimatum of what was to be done. I wanted to slap the TEST of his life down and make him conform to my wishes. But I didn't.

Does constructivism only work in the classroom because it's where it's safe...between the pages of Chaucer and Poe, Civil War and cells?

Answer: I left with the face of a critical thinker, a mentor of ideas, but it didn't feel pretty. I guess it doesn't need to be.

Political Parodies

2006-10-31T21:06:00.000-07:00

Kristin, I have followed your lead using movies in English. In thinking about The Canterbury Tales and what I wanted my students to gain from it, satire and societal commentary were two topics of importance. I visited with Karl throwing around ideas related to a Code of Conduct students could create using various orders of knights for their structure. This seemed to be an ok plan, but it still was quite clear in my head.

Bouncing ideas off of Lauren, she too agreed what was important to her was Chaucer's satirical comedy and the cultural observations he made. We wondered how we could assess this in a new format, but was not certain the movie element would work. We worried that students would create Saturday Night Live-style parodies instead of satire in its truest form where it is often hard to find the humor unless you know the background, the politics, etc. It uses its original form to create a serious product.

An idea then came: using the political ads as our foundation, students could take a pilgrim and bring them into the 21st century. They could research political propaganda, a certain office, and infuse Chaucer's details about the pilgrim: physical features, habits, vices and virtues into the advertisement. We both loved the idea. Lauren thought that students could work in small groups to create 3 ads that respond to eachother, all running for the same office. We want the students to look at the various classes and know which pilgrim fits into where in our money-driven society.

I created the first video; I feel it worked well using Windows Media Player. I don't even have a microphone and my little ThinkPad picked up the music and the voice quite well. I know the students will take my example and create even more powerful pieces.

What I liked about using technology was not that I'm using it, but thinking about objectives for teaching this piece of literature, assessments that seem to capture not only one or two aspects of the literature, but many key criteria. And, I know for job interviews and applications, the question is always asked what computer software, programs, etc. do you know? Students will now have another piece to add, plus a sincere understanding of satire.

http://www.lps.k12.co.us/schools/arapahoe/davismnunsatire.wmv

Using blogs to analyze thesis statements--continued

2006-10-22T18:52:00.000-06:00

Having fun with thesis statements seems to be an oxymoron of sorts. I have never been able to get regular English seniors, as a whole, to stretch their thesis ideas to the next level. They often remain at the observation level in where they discuss a symbol, but don't argue what that symbol causes for the protagonist, the reader, and/or theme relating to life. I was thrilled this weekend to log onto blogger to give feedback to students on their thesis statements. Even from discussions I had with them in class, I can tell they really thought about their task--trying to make a literary leap by answering the seemingly pervasive 'so what'.

I appreciated the AP Lit models as it gave my students insight into the thinking that goes into a thesis. They realized it doesn't just magically flow from their pens, nor does it just appear because they have an innate understanding of literature. They too, needed to digress, ask questions, and challenge themselves and others to reach a persuasive level. I know as I continue to do similar thesis discussions, their focus will strengthen.

Here's the specific link with their thesis statements and my comments to them: http://ahslifeofpi.blogspot.com/2006/10/post-your-thesis-statement.html#comments

Please email me any comments regarding a message missed to a student, an overall message missed that you saw in their thesis statements, etc. I would love to have feedback.

Another use for blogs--analysis of thesis

2006-10-13T09:20:00.000-06:00

Today I am revisiting thesis statements with my seniors. I was sharing information I learned at an AP conference this summer; the premise was that we create our thesis statements backwards. We ask our students to generate this debatable idea, one that is creative and fresh. We assume that our students think long and hard about this, generating notes, questions, ideas--all resulting in a thesis statement that came forward from inductive thinking. What the AP institute speaker said that he has found in 28 years of teaching is that our students do not go through this natural step that we do. They instead struggle with trying to create this and essentially create a lot of cursing of the material instead of creating material. Makes so much sense. I used the analogy that if we were to make a decision on whether a sweater was worth keeping because it was comfortable and warm, we wouldn't just throw in on our desk and make a quick decision about it. We would try it on, look at the types of materials used, we might test the sweater out in the cold, we might have several people try the sweater on for comfort, we would ask questions regarding the idea of comfortability and warmth. The kids got the analogy and quickly applied it to thesis.

I then put up the AP Lit teachers' blogs and showed them the posts where the teachers asked their students to discuss questions they had in regard to their independent reading book, possible thesis topics, or even actual thesis statements they were considering. The blogs also had comments from the teachers back to the particular students explaining what was working, but more importantly, what was weak, what they needed to consider, etc. My kids were thrilled, cheered and one kid said, "It's like the holy grail! The secret of theses has been revealed!" Hilarious, yes, but also really struck me. How can I take this discovery one more step?

I decided that on Monday, I am going to have the kids pull up the site and choose one student's thesis, look at the AP teacher's comments, and then "fix" the thesis statement. Make it better, address the comments, and create one that they think answers the questions posed by the teacher.

I am so excited that the kids liked seeing these students' ideas; a shout out to the AP Lit teachers for sharing this thinking process.

Just discovered Gabcast

2006-10-08T23:50:00.000-06:00

If you don't have podcast capabilities, audioblogger was an option I knew about. But, audioblogger is going "out of business" so to speak. If you log onto their site, they list several other options. One that I checked out is www.gabcast.com. It is free in the US with an 800 number--how nice! So, you can create your "channel" and then call the number login with a numeric login and password, record, and voila! They even give you a way to put it on your blog. I haven't tried this yet, because my cell phone, *#^!!, kept dropping words, so I deleted the post. I am going to try again from a landline. I'll check in and see if it works tomorrow.

Good 'ol fashioned fun

2006-09-29T09:02:00.000-06:00

Sometimes, it just makes sense to enjoy our students: let them laugh, be silly, and create an atmosphere where they want to be there...simply because it's fun. This past week I have created a Survivor competition with my seniors. They are already in study groups, so these groups competed all week for accumulative points. The end result was that the winning team wouldn't have to write the Life of Pi paper. They will help with the reading of them! The incentive was excellent and still provides a learning opportunity for them. The students had to complete knowledge challenges (quizzes covering over 120 pages of reading in 1 week!, gathering of information), analysis challenges (looking at information from the book and analyzing it from a Maslow's hierarchy of needs philosopy), loyalty challenge (tribal "gear" was donned for class), physical challenges, and creativity challenges (using foil to create a thematic representation of Pi's journey). It was a week energized and one that encouraged seniors to read carefully, even though this part was long, seemingly tedious as Pi spent 227 days at sea, and all during Homecoming. The students were amazing and stepped up the challenges with enthusiasm and true enjoyment of the class and each other.

Next week, we are back to presentations, discussions, and paper writing/grading, but for one week, wow...what fun!

Take Five--Space Badges

2006-09-21T23:20:00.000-06:00

No, I haven't flown into the 5th dimension with ID in hand...wikispace has the html ready to copy and paste onto your website, your blog, etc. so that you can have a dirct link to your wiki. They even give you options like the one I picked, that divides out the pages, so you can go directly to the one that interests you--or--you can just put a small badge for your wiki's name or even just for wikispaces. How convenient!

I am helping to put together a style guide for the English department and I am thinking about a wiki to create it. We all could add to it and then have a very easy link (or space badge) to put on the AHS homepage, our own pages, blogs, etc. Too cool!

Feedback fellow Language Arts folks regarding the wiki?

Karl, could you add a badge to the Fischbowl? I will invite you to our Life of Pi wiki and then you can click on the Manage link, then the Space Badge link.

Take Five--Can religion be a topic we discuss?

2006-09-14T23:04:00.000-06:00

Surprisingly the answer is yes (should I run and hide...look for a new job now?). I really don't think so. Through our reading of Life of Pi, our main character searches out three religions: Hinduism (one he grew up with), Catholicism, and the Muslim faith. But, even before he starts his own religious searching, he meets with a biology teacher he loves, only to discover he is an atheist. I was nervous about these topics and wondered how students would handle the discussion.

And, before the novel even begins, the narrator, in the prologue, interviews a man in India that tells the narrator he needs to go meet a man named Piscene because his story will "make you believe in God." What a statement. Two chapters later, we hear Pi discussing his thesis study of the sloth and that they (this lazy, slow-moving, unobservant creature) remind him of God. Had I lost my mind to ask the students' interpretations? Should I only cover safe topics and move on quickly?

I realized to really understand this novel, we need to understand Pi and Martel's use of animals, religion, nature, etc. So, I asked the questions. And, the students responded with conviction to what they saw in the text and how they related it to their own life. They discussed God, atheism, religion, ethics of zoos...all with thoughtful observations, but ones that were not demoralizing to a certain faith. They continue to link the discussion to the text and information they brought to class about the Bible, mythical stories, biology, and other religions. I had hoped that seniors would be able to handle this conversation sincerely, honestly, and carefully. They have and I am seeing their critical thinking churning. What a fascinating journey!

Take Five--I've been 'wikified'!

2006-09-14T22:53:00.000-06:00

Yes, I have entered the world of wikis. What an amazing journey of just a week. For my senior English Lit class, I created a wiki space that is divided into pages as they relate to student study groups. Lauren's and my classes are reading Yann Martel's Life of Pi and are giving students another lens to read the text. Students are broken into topic/thematic groups: animals, biology, Christianity, Hinduism, Muslim, nature, psychology, relationship, and contrasts. Students get together on Fridays to discuss the chapters, questions they have, vocabulary that is unfamiliar, and then decide what they would like to put on the wiki as important, noteworthy information related to their topic. They are then, assessed on the information they studied and the chapters assigned on the following Monday through quizzes, panel discussions, fishbowls, etc. This has been extremely effective with rich dialogue.

I am amazed an utterly amazed at my students. Please check out their site and join in the praises for their thought observations. Teenagers, when challenged, write thought-provokingly and create an environment where mediocrisy is abolished. http://lifeofpi.wikispaces.com If you're having trouble navigating to various pages, there are directions on the left side describing what links to click on to view the students' topic pages.

There also is a link on the home page to their blog. Comments are slowly being added, as this is optional. The discussion here again, is truly awesome.

Take Five ~ A Forced Change

2006-08-21T22:17:00.000-06:00

Without going into much detail about my students, I am so humbled watching my almost deaf student raise his hand to comment, watch his sign language interpreter as well as me, and be right in there laughing at my silly comments. Student-centered learning is completely his world. He has had to adapt lessons his whole schooling and now does it with ease. I find myself slowing down, making certain that I give more visual cues, visual notes, and more opportunities for not only this student, but others to find meaning in my messages. I know I have only had 2 full days of class, but even with just this focus, I am making my classes more constructivist. I don't need to spew out information for my students, partially because I am worried he will miss it, but more importantly, because they need to create connections. I will steer them in the direction needed, but as I saw just today in teaching inductive thinking, students get it. When given the opportunity to stretch themselves, to take specifics and make generalizations, they can...and do.

I am so thankful that I have this special needs student in my class. It has forced me to think about my instruction, and to change it.

Take Five--Grading Categories Downsized

2006-08-15T22:19:00.000-06:00

I am already seeing the fruit of adding more colleagues to our curriculum innovation team; so many great conversations, strong focus on student-led learning, and the grading discussion. Lauren visited with me on how she is handling her English 10, English Lit. and Creative Writing classes in regards to categories. She structured her categories after Tony Winger's, of course aligning them with English curriculum. I loved her ideas and weight for each category. I am using her very ones and feel a lightened load as I go from 13 categories to 4. And, not only is it a benefit for me, the conversation is so focused on the skills and content that it will be evident a students weakness, or an overall struggle. I am excited to this year's parent/teacher conferences to see the change in our grades discussion. Thanks Lauren for sharing!

Take Five--Philosophy of Education

2006-08-11T20:49:00.000-06:00

My philosophy is broadening. Early in my career, I wrote my philosophy to challenge students, to plant the seed (cliche as it is) so that they become life-learners, and to create empathetic students. I still adhere to those believes and feel strengthened in their mantras. It drives me to change my lessons every year. What I have added that I feel so passionately about is trying (even if in small ways) to prepare my students for their future. I feel that so few of our students will be English majors, but that thinking, engaging with text, analyzing text, and writing about it, is certainly found in any major. I am constantly online searching universities for their writing programs, what's required in say, the business department (in regards to writing), etc. I am amazed at what our students will be asked of and think that we can press beyond what literature has to offer and enrich the text through real-world connections.

Personally, I also have changed my philosophy to include me. I want to continue to learn, to stretch myself, to find new ways to teach a thesis statement, to find news sparks of interest engaging students in a text, etc. I want to find ways to engage myself. I find myself frustrated at times at the unkind words thrown at colleagues, the patronizing words dripped onto new teachers...or new ideas, but I also find myself excited, becoming a learner all over again. I want to stretch myself the way I am asking my students to do so.

A paradigm shift, no, but a gathering of tools, resources to ignite the desire to stay an educator, is all part of my philosophy of education.

An easy way to get your pictures on Blogger!

2006-08-06T21:37:00.000-06:00

How COOL! I started using www.picasa.com, a free software program you download onto your computer, hosted by Google that will find all the pictures you have on your computer and allows you to organize them. Plus, the newest feature I realized was there is an eBlogger button. You simply click it and it will navigate you to the blogger page, where you sign in, choose the blog you want (if you have more than one blog), type an entry and immediately publish. I love it.

This is the cookie cake we had at Carter's 7th b-day party at our pool. This treat is shared now with everyone...was a cool tool.

A Small Book, but Huge Impact

2006-08-06T21:05:00.000-06:00

Attending the AP training afforded me the additional reading opportunity (as if I needed yet another book to frantically read before August 17th!), but this book holds the pedagogy I learned at the AP Institute from our speaker Jeff House, but lessons and sample writing that I hope other English teachers will take time to read. Included in the back is a CD with all his material. Excellent! Several key points Jeff made that really resonated regarding Honors and AP classes:
1) slow down...give up some of the literature to really discuss deeply what students are reading...they love literature, let's not kill it!
2) allow for various types of writing...it is essential for college, for life careers, AND the AP test does ask students to relate reading to life, so they better know how to analyze literature through various modes (exmples and theory discussed in his book)--literary analysis (aka the 5 paragraph essay is stifling and not true to The New Yorker, The Times, or any other modern piece of writing
3) skill-based learning is the ONLY way to really address students' needs and to assess what they are learning

I will pass on this book to any takers; it's wonderful.

The AP Institute

2006-08-01T23:34:00.000-06:00

I am attending the conference at Cherry Creek High School for the Non-AP teachers and again am amazed, energized, and so filled with ideas. The speaker, Jeff House, is a published author, plus a current high school teacher with 28 years of experience behind his ideas. He is imparting 2 ideas that I just love and think we need more of in my class, and at AHS.

1. skills-based instruction -- He proposes the idea that fits so well with where our administration at the district level is moving to, that we need to focus on teaching skills INSTEAD of products (papers, tests, quizzes, projects, etc.). Amen! I am right there with him. I know my shift I started making this year had immediate impact and I noticed a change in the conversation with kids, parents, and colleagues. I know I have so much to learn, but it was nice to hear his reasoning as well.

2. inductive thinking -- This part has been incredible. I teach inferential leaps with literature, but he extends this in 5 types of analysis and proposes that every piece of writing we do is inductive. He showed us how to make students aware of this and how to create writing that showcases and pulls from their evidence and understandings. He showed how we teach the thesis statement backwards. Wow! What an epiphany for a room full of English teachers. We were skeptical, but soon saw the wisdom, not only through his lectures, but through 2 days of practicing it as students.

There are two other teachers from Heritage High School in the session and as always love the collegiality of conferences.

My summer has whittled away and I feel I have witnessed the shortest summer I've had yet, but I do not regret my experiences and time devoted to school. I know I am a better teacher even before I step inside the four white walls in the center of Arapahoe.

Wow...I'm becoming a tech-junkie!

2006-07-13T13:12:00.000-06:00

In the past 2 days, I've created a blog for Carter (my 7 year-old) to respond to his books he's reading this summer www.coloradocarter.blogspot.com , a class blog for Elements of Composition www.elementsofcomposition.blogspot.com (we are going to do our journal entries on the blog and respond to each other as we write), a blog for my personal writing (poetry, fiction, and memoir), created a web site on www.thinkport.org (excellent teacher site), (here's my website: http://members.thinkport.org/mjdavis95) created an assignment for my incoming 9th graders http://members.thinkport.org/members.aspx?MPTUserLogon=mjdavis95&sectionID=3dbe9fc0-0a2d-43a7-9a35-1d91e1459e31 (it's easy...just a list), and created Inspiration documents to use with various writing assignments. Phewf! You would think I'm tired, but I'm energized at all the amazing products, services, and tools out there...for free! I am next going to create my own digital story (try to) as an example for my students. I am also going to start using audio blogger on my person writing blog: www.ahsmrsdavis.blogspot.com We'll see how that goes!

Thanks Karl for getting all this going...I am amazed.

Technorati question

2006-07-08T19:38:00.000-06:00

Ok, I just discovered tagging and somewhat have my blog tagged. You can see a couple of Techorati's links on the top of my blog, but not the tags. Karl, when you have a chance...or anyone who knows, will you explain what I skipped. I've read back through the info on the Technorati page, but it seems like I did what I was supposed to. Hmmm...

Take Five--NECC '06 conference in San Diego

2006-07-08T18:43:00.000-06:00

Sitting in our hotel room Friday night after the closing ceremony, Anne (Happy Birthday), Brad, Barbara, Karl, and I debriefed on the conference. Anne started, "What was one main thing you would want each of us to remember after being here...and if money wasn't an issue, what would you purchase?" Great questions, already in a constructivist mode. We thought, we discussed and soon realized our to-do lists from now to school was growing what seemed, exponentially. But, we also realized our excitement and value this conference and collaboration brings. To answer, we all felt thankful for Karl in creating this vision; what we learned at the conference was what we believe: it's not technology, gadgets, or any other new tool that makes teaching wonderful, it's the teachers that challenge their students to think for themselves. How rewarding to know that what we have studied the last year, is what so many of the 12,000 attendees believe as well.

From 5am walks with Barbara, fruit and peanut lunches on carpeted floors bought from the local grocery Ralph's, fireworks on the Bay, walking and running in the Fun Run (Anne won for the females!), listening and meeting gurus like Will Richardson, David Warlick, and Kathy Schrock, to philosophical discussions of education between our 6-7 sessions a day, we came away not only better friends, but educators sparked. I know I can't wait to try out Moodle, Gabbly, TotalGlobal, Thinkport--if nothing else, they are just fun to say, right!? But more important than software, web sites, or hardware, I am excited at how these discussions and lectures recalibrate my paradigm of teaching.

I know I'm saving my pennies to try to get to NECC next year...in Atlanta!

Take 5--TIE Conference

2006-06-21T10:55:00.000-06:00

Attending the TIE conference in Copper has been great. I have some great ideas and tools to bring to the fall school year. What is great about technology is certainly the tools, but what technology often does is challenges an old way to do something and make it easier and more effective. In yesterday's afternoon's 1st session, I learned a great way to use a text to table process in Word to quickly assess student writing and see what they need to work on. Very cool.

Today I'm in a session about e-portfolios which is really exciting, but frustrating all the same. I have not seen a program (at least a free one) that we can import edited documents to show their work. I will have to search around some more and see.

I did make a movie using a Microsoft program which was fun. Not sure how I will use it in the classroom yet, or if I will, but it gives me something to think about.

Take Five--A beginning

2006-05-23T00:48:00.000-06:00

It is 12:45 am and I am working on an e-portfolio....searching for my muse (or my mind, I'm not sure!) At this stage, the portfolio is simply another blog, but I have grand dreams. What is exciting though, is that I did put many of my creative writing pieces online categorized by topics: fiction, memoir, and poetry. I then will be able to play with reflections, images, etc. We'll see.

I want to find a way to scan in the editing, as well as have students comment on each others' works. I don't know if this will be helpful, but the current peer editing in Creative Writing doesn't do much. Hmmm...

http://ahs.mrsdavis.tripod.com/melpomene/

Take 5--Electronic Portfolios

2006-05-22T08:21:00.000-06:00

Our recent homework, was to find an article in the professional archives; I couldn't help myself but to find three and I soon had to stop myself. I am so glad Jan (our librarian) explained the wealth of information that is on our subscription service Ebsco Library.

I researched electronic portfolios. The very first sentence in an article titled "The Portfolio Process: Questions for Implementation and Practice" gives weight to what I would like to employ: "The portfolio, a collection of a student's work over their course of study, has become a popular tool for college teaching" (Bowers 1). This article continued explaining that there are 2 key issues with portfolios: 1) students' investment in the portfolio process and 2) students' developmental readiness for portfolio tasks (1). As I think about adding this and figuring out what would be important, how to assess them, how to have the students reflect, I know that what I have done in my classes in regards to self-reflection, no matter how small is still rewarding. I started having students keep a list of my comments to them on their writing. They pull out this list, add to it over the course of assignments, and then use it as they write a new prompt, paragraph, or essay. This has been very successful and I feel the students have gotten stronger by taking ownership in their own writing strengths and certainly their weaknesses. I even had one student say, "Gosh, I'm making the same mistakes, aren't I?" What a refreshing sound hearing a student recognize this repetition of mistakes.

The article also discussed the type of portfolios being either summative (showing the polished final drafts with reflections on how they got there) or formative (a collection of writing some polished, but simply a collection that shows growth and practice). Right now I use the summative version with my Creative Writing class and truly I would rather see the formative portfolio. I want to see revising: scribbles, arrows, comments from themselves and peer editors. I have added a portfolio element to my freshmen, but I had a hard time making this a priority. I think I will create my own over the summer, so that I can see the final product and play with the content.

Bowers, S. "The Portfolio Process: Questions for Implementation
and Practice." College Student Journal. December 2005.
EBSCO Publishing. 16 May 2006. http://www.epnet.com.

Another interesting article supports Friedman's argument that the world is flat. We need to create life-long learners that are innnovative both in their thinking and in technology. http://www.elearningeuropa.info/index.php?page=doc&doc_id=7759&doclng=6

CIT goals revisited

2006-04-11T08:04:00.000-06:00

I feel great about my goals for the most part. I did drop the ball with 2 specific things: the college class that I could have had conversations with and the position paper ideas. I am just starting the position paper, but I didn't get the grant written for the software and technology I needed. That was a bummer. However, I feel I am continuing to look at WHY I am teaching what I am, how to engage my students, and questioning how to empower them in their learning.

Take 5---Students Get Frank

2006-04-06T15:11:00.000-06:00

Forward and honest, I asked my senior EWL students how teachers can do a better job engaging their students and empowering them to care about their own learning. I appreciated their honest comments. Don't get me wrong; I wasn't searching for a place for students to nag about us, but they certainly told me how they feel about lectures, worksheets, definition packets and the like.

Yet, daily with eight weeks left of school, it's amazing to look around at my peers. One on one conferences, hugs in the halls, making tough phone calls home, and collaborating with each other, Arapahoe teachers are working "bell to bell." I know we are impacting their lives and that we do connect with them...just not always.

I wonder how we can do better, reach more students, get them thinking, and let go of our notions that we MUST teach this or else! Or else What? What will happen? Students imploding in the halls because they didn't get educated on poetry from the Elizabethan time period to the Post Moderns.

The following is the link to the page where my students discussed their feelings about teachers and the way we teach. The first link is for our class blog: EWL Cybercafe-- www.davisewl.blogspot.com and the second link is where they actually posted (on a student's blog) -- http://danibranham.blogspot.com/2006/03/davis-ewl-cybercafe-letting-students.html This should be printed for us to read, a reminder to do whatever we can to spark our students' thinking. I know I want to be a lifelong learner; shouldn't we want that for our students?

Take 5--CIT, a catalyst for change

2006-03-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

Swooping in from the cave of curriculum, our CIT team challenges us to use technology, teach reading, rethink grades, and to create students empowered for their own learning. From literary schools of theory to prompt books with Romeo and Juliet to creating authentic, fiction characters, I am having such a wonderful semester; I may not have a cape or wear my underwear over my tights, but I do feel like the semester is flying....soaring.

What is different? If nothing more than figuring out why I'm doing what I'm doing in class and then explaining the purpose to students, I am seeing such growth in my students' writing, engagement in the literature, and interesting outcomes with grades. It's been so interesting since I am doing grades differently; I thought students would bombard me with late work. I don't know if students are so conditioned to getting things in on time, if they value the work they are doing, and/or if they understand why they are doing the work, but the students for the most part are getting their work in. I just had a conversation with my freshmen and my creative writing class that anytime they want to rework their writing to become a stronger writer, they can earn more points if they merit it. The work I received today is so well-done and thoughtful. Students are redoing complete papers as well as little assignments. They are really reading the feedback I've given them, and are turning in quality work. This has been fun and rewarding to see.

How cool that what started as a technology focus for me with CIT has turned into being a catalyst for change in my teaching paradigms.

A Constructivism Moment

2006-02-24T14:08:00.000-07:00

This book opens up with students getting a tour of the laboratory where life begins. Students follow the top leader writing voraciously notes, direct quotes the teacher said, yet never questioning what they were writing. At times I have felt in teaching, we want our students to be respectful, have pen and paper in hand, take notes, and move through a lesson "quietly." Yet, the days that students are leaning forward, hardly able to contain their comments, stepping on each other's words, are the days that I see they are engaged and empowered by their own learning.

In my senior English/World Literature class, I had my students looking at 8 school of literary theory: historical/biological, mythological/symbolic, mimetic, moralistic, formalist/new criticism, psychological, feminist, and reader response, then applied it to Brave New World. Reading the last chapter of the book, I had students make observations they thought their critics would make regarding the characters, action, etc. They also had to create a poster of images that represent how they think their critic would interpret the book. With this they had to come up with thought-provoking questions using the top 2 levels of questioning (see the side bar and click on Levels of Questioning) for 2 other critics. This past Wednesday, we looked at their images, questions, and then discussed the end of the book.

Wow! The students had such a great conversation and really stayed true to what they thought their critic would say. Their questions for each other were so challenging. Here was one from the moralist group: John is the moral voice throughout the book, yet at the end he succombs to violence, drug use and sexuality, what would your critic say about his fall? Another powerful question from the reader response group was: I read the part with John going out into the wilderness as a Christ figure. My upbringing is Christian, so I could identify John with this figure who was ostracized by society, yet still stayed true to his beliefs. As a mythological, symbolic critic, how do you categorize John?

We talked to the end of the period, not realizing class was over until the bell rang and we were still in a circle. Their comments, questions, answers were so powerful and really showed me their understanding of both the book and the critic.

This experience made me feel so thankful for collaboration within my department, for new teachers that bring fresh ideas, and for the CIT group challenging me to ask myself why I do what I do...and to create lessons that are rich and student-centered. What a wonderful constructivism moment.

Professional Learning Communities...really working

2006-02-09T09:05:00.000-07:00

Here is Rick DuFour himself (I'm not sure why I put him on my blog, but I did.)
After attending the DuFour conference, I saw that the district was invested in Professional Learning Communities. Rick DuFour explained how his school, as well as others, handled such communities and made it valuable to their teachers, ultimately strengthening their teaching. Many at my table were skeptical wondering how many more meetings would be added to our plates, how many more grumbles would arise from the masses, and how would we possibly do more than we already are.

Several points impacted me:
* teachers need more time and that means that the district must give teachers time to work
with their communities
* teachers must be able to start with professional communities relating to content
* common assessments must be created...by the staff...not as finals, but to assess what our
students need and how we as teachers can help each other get stronger at what we're teach

I am the team leader for English 9 as well as sharing the position with Anne for English World Lit. I decided to put together an agenda to try out some of the DuFour concepts. I listed the skills we wanted our students to have leaving 9th grade (or 12th grade) and then had a place for our team to figure out how to "get there." We discussed norms--ideals and agreements we would all make in order to reach our goals. The team was amazing. Once we realized the common assessment was coming down the line and yet, that it wouldn't be forced, nor would it be a final, but a "test" to give our students 3 weeks into class and again at the end of the semester, the team was on board. We excitedly discussed how we all could benefit from each others' strengths. We agreed to meet every 3-4 weeks to "attack" a specific goal and define it further in terms of pacing (how long we should spend on it), terms of importance, writing, and reading strategies. How empowering!

I feel that our 2 development pieces this year: the grading conference and the collaboration conference immediately impacted my teaching and have improved what I do with students. How cool.

Blogging Stand Still

2006-01-31T14:03:00.000-07:00

I am proverbially kicking myself in the rear! I was late posting on the Fischbowl, I haven't commented on my own blog, and I created a blog for English/World Lit in which I keep forgetting to tell my students about. Hmmm...maybe my crutches caged in my memory. Nice try, I know.

I am officially back on the the wagon. This is not to say I have not continued thinking about how to help students create meaning in my classes. One thing I came up with that I think worked well the first go, was to have students take a paper that I had filled with comments, both praise and criticism, and to transfer those notes to another page, but make them reminders for themselves written in a way that will help them remember. They put it in a writing portfolio, behind the paper that has the original notes on it. They said that at first, they did it grudgingly, (actually, they said at first it sucked), but that once they did a couple, they really looked at their mistakes and it started to make sense what they did wrong.

I will be interested to see their long-term progress and how it goes as we continually do this. For a first go, it was a small success

Myths about Grades

2006-01-23T20:04:00.000-07:00

As I posted all my categories and began to grade, I got so scared that I had created a...a...total mess! However, what I am finding is that because I have divided up their homework into skills, I have to have a very focused purpose to 1)why they are assigned what they are 2)what they need to learn, and 3)how I will assess if they know if or not. I see that instead of a compliance grade where if they did the homework, it looks nice, and have the necessary components, students received an A. Instead, I can look at each assignment assessing their learning---where are they with the essential learning?

For example, I want my freshmen to not only get a sense of the poetic devices used with Shakespeare, attempt to apply it in their own writing, I want them to demonstrate the knowledge of a particular term. I can give them critical feedback on such a skill. They can earn points for Responsibility (getting it in on time, having it typed, titled, etc.), but then can keep learning, as our district grading guru informed us. Students are really excited to show me that they know how to fix their mistakes. I then, am having them keep a writing/reading portfolio to not only store drafts and final drafts, but to transcribe my notes and suggestions into notes to themselves regarding the essential skills.

Hopefully, my grades will remain manageable and will push student to truly..."learn more" in order to get an "A" or a "B." It's not about making the hoop impossibly high, but allowing students to have springboards to reach the high bar. I know they will rise to the occasion. I am hoping that this grading approach will give all kinds of learners a taste of success and what it feels to be a student.

Goals for CIT

2006-01-23T19:58:00.000-07:00

* Continue my personal blog
* Adding blogs to English 9 and English World Lit.
* Work with Karl to add a new dimension of publishing to the position paper
* Look into collaborating with college students
* Find meaningful ways to add constructivism into my daily classrooms
* Explore portfolios with my English 9 class--are there online portfolios where they can scan and comment? Or do we need SmartBoards or other programs for such a thing?
* Explore communication with my Japanese foreign exchange student's high school in Hiroshima
* Learn more about bloglines and how to "get more and BETTER" information

Spring Semester

2006-01-08T18:59:00.000-07:00

(First, I am ignoring the cartoon!) and I am brooding over the categories and percentages for next semester. I struggled with limiting the categories because I want it to really show their growth in certain areas, as well as take into account for assignments I do. So, here is what I have placed in the IC plus questions for you grade gurus at the bottom:

9th
Collaborative Work 5%
Creative Writing/Art 5%
DLS 5%
Essay/Objective Tests 12%
Journal Writing 9%
Listening 3%
Reading Comprehension 5%
Reading Strategies Practice 9%
Responsibility 10%
Speaking 4%
Writing Process/Format 15%
Writing Content/6 + 1 Traits 10%
Writing Final Drafts 8%
Xtr. Cr. 1%

EWL
Annotations 8%
Collaborative Work 6%
Creative Writing/Art 5%
Essay/Objective Tests 12%
Formal Speaking 8%
In-class/blog Discussions 7%
Literary Criticism Postulations 6%
Reading Comprehension 7%
Responsibility 7%
Writing Process/Format 8%
Writing Content/6 + 1 Traits 10%
Writing Final Drafts 15%
Xtr. Cr. 1%

Creative Writing
Creative Art 2%
Discussion 3%
Fiction Writing Process/Format 5%
Fiction Writing Content/6 + 1 Traits 10%
Fiction Final Drafts 10%
Non-fiction Writing Process/Format 5%
Non-fiction Writing Content/6 + 1 Traits 10%
Non-fiction Final Drafts 10%
Poetry Writing Process/Format 5%
Poetry Writing Content/6 + 1 Traits 10%
Poetry Final Drafts 10%
Portfolio 10%
Responsibility 5%
Sketchbook 5%

Something I'm wondering as well is how do you keep this record in your gradebook? Karl, any suggestions...or fellow math colleagues? Also, what do you use for actual points? Do you make everything 10 points, 100 points, or keep them varying?? This is very confusing. I want to explore this, but I am afraid that I will create grades that aren't right. Is that possible?

Take 5--Letters to me regarding web quest

2005-12-19T11:36:00.000-07:00

I am finally going through the formal letters the students wrote me discussing the web quest project. I have compiled some of the comments that I was excited reading:

"I thought the web quest was really fun...more fun than I thought...I now want to join a debate class!" Jordan Y.
"I not only learned a lot about my character from the web quest, but also about the civil rights movement and civil disobedience." Carley B.
"I think this activity was a good learning experience for the whole class. It gave us an opportunity to work together and debate against classmates, and had fun doing it! Definitely do it next semester." Josh P.
"You took a risk with a new form of lecturing and it turned out fun and interesting." Madison S.
"The web quest taught me to look at both sides of an argument...Thank you for giving us this opportunity." Brittany N.
On the web quest "you asked the question 'does standing still' create a society unwilling to change. This assignment helped me see that if people don't take a stand for what they believe in too used to things and become afraid of change." Nick B.
"Working on this assignment was a good learning experience for me because most classes I've taken didn't have very much hands-on activities or computer activities...and the fact that you made that page yourself was very impressive in my opinion because it was much more useful than I could have imagined." Aaron A.
"Very cool overall. Nice work, Mrs. Davis." Matt S.

I feel for the first go-around, this went very well. The students also gave me excellent suggestions for next year. I am definitely up for trying this again.

Take 5--Video conferencing and audio podcasting?

2005-12-13T10:41:00.000-07:00

I just read the comments regarding the 9th grade position paper and I am intrigued by your ideas, Karl. The video-making and audio podcast sounds wonderful; challenging, yes, but I am up for a challenge. I did say I was willing to dive in and try things and we all can learn from my successes (and certainly mistakes!).

Where would I find information? Do I personally have to have an ipod? I have found information regarding a software program that looks like a possibility for video recording and the Internet. Is this something available through our grant? I want to search and see teachers doing this; maybe I will find an email to contact them. Hmmm...

Here is the information regarding the software program for video recording: https://applian.securesites.com/authnet_order_wmr4.php?page_tag=&referral=www.netfor2.com&

Take 5--What DO I think of my web quest?

2005-12-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day in the computer lab as my freshmen finish their Inherit the Wind web quest. They have researched historical figures who have contrasting view points: Rosa Parks vs. Governor George Wallace. They will come to the Forum tomorrow to participate in a round table debate. I will write back tomorrow how that goes.

So far...it has been interesting. The students are engaged and really trying to find interesting and engaging information. They want to stump the opponents and challenge the way "they" think. We'll see how well it works.

Take 5--Rethinking the Position Paper

2005-12-06T07:50:00.000-07:00

English teachers talk about how we have to reteach students formating of papers, thesis statements, topic and concluding sentences, and various other writing standards. We are frustrated at this lack of transference from one year to the next; I feel it is because students don't "own" this knowledge. They perform for a particular teacher and then, forget it until the next teacher has his/her own hoops for them to jump through.

Thinking about next semester and teaching the position paper, I decided that I want to engage students in a writing process that hopefully is more memorable. Here's what I'm thinking. I ordered 2 Karen Hesse books, Out of the Dust and Witness. One is about the Dust Bowl and its destruction and the other about the Ku Klux Klan infiltrating a small Vermont community and the repercussions from it. Both are written in free verse (poetry format), which I think will be interesting for students, but also are beautifully written. I am going to have them research why the Dust Bowl ocurred and why catastropic dust storms still ocurr. There are other various environmental issues they could research as well as how people deal with and persevere after such devastation (New Orleans, Thailand, China, etc.). With Witness, students could research why violence takes place and why hate groups still exist today.

But, what is more engaging I think over all of this is an often untapped resource: senior citizens. They lived through these historical times, watched our country evolve, etc. and have a wealth of information to offer. I am going to visit several nursing homes to see if there is one that would be willing to have my students come interview some folks. I will have to work on this idea, but I think it could work well.

We'll see. If nothing else, it energizes my teaching for next semester, so that teaching the position paper is not hum-drum, gotta do-it, but risk-taking and engaging.

Take 5--TV as a literacy genre

2005-12-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

Karl had emailed us an article (below) that discussed how Finland has consistently had the highest literacy rates worldwide. They believe it is due to the fact that many of their programs are in foreign languages, so people (including kids) have to read the TV to know what is being said.

I love this idea; I am going to try it with my 6-year old. He is an emerging reader learning words it seems exponentially. The Disney Channel will not only sport fun-loving shows, but now could provide another genre for Carter to read.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hall Davidson, in his keynote at the TechForum a couple of weeks ago inAustin, suggested making sure that closed caption was switched on whenstudents watched TV. I don't recall if he included research, but itmakes a lot of sense to me. He told a couple of stories of peoplebecome more fluent in other languages by having closed caption switchedon.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>One example of how the use of subtitles has a positive effect on literacy isin Finland.I don't know if you've ever heard of PISA -- the Program for InternationalStudent Assessment -- run by OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operationand Development), where they test 15-year-olds around the world every threeyears (see www.pisa.oecd.org). Anyway, Finland has repeatedly come out ontop in terms of the readers it produces.An article on the Finnish reading phenomenon can be found in the October2005 edition of Educational Leadership (see citation and abstract below).The article makes the observation that because half the TV programs onFinnish TV are in foreign languages and there is no dubbing, anyone wantingto watch television has to be able to read. As the article says, children"learn to read quickly — favorite television programs are much moremotivating than any speed-reading exercises assigned in class."That's what it's about -- having a reason to read.....----------------------------------------------------------------------------A Land of Readers. By: Halinen, Irmeli; Sinko, Pirjo; Laukkanen, Reijo.Educational Leadership, Oct2005, Vol. 63 Issue 2, p72-40, 4p, 3bw;Abstract: This article informs that once every three years, the Program forInternational Student Assessment (PISA) tests 15-year-olds in variouscountries around the world in reading, maths, and science. The PISA surveysincluded approximately 40 industrialized countries. Schools surveyed hadcomparable school characteristics, yet the number of extremely low achieverswas smaller in Finland than elsewhere. Comprehensive school has become aplace in which teachers have extensive authority to interpret the contentthey teach. Teachers do not divide students into ability groups in anysubject area, and no school inspection system controls what schools teach.Since the mid-1990s, Finland has committed to promoting literacy on a numberof fronts. In addition to popular library reading campaigns in schools, boththe Finnish Newspaper Association and the Finnish Periodical Publishers'Association organize reading weeks for schools once a year, which targetsuch general literacy skills as fluency and critically reading text.; (AN18491496)

Take 5--Grading and just sitting here, instead

2005-12-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not going to talk about the meaning of grading...I'm just going to talk about how much grading I need to do. Instead, I am doing the RSS (is it a noun?), searching the web for interesting constructivism articles realizing I have 4 to read in my notebook...at home, and yet my senior projects including 3 papers of sorts per student are sitting in room C14. I would like to call "Calgon" and have my papers magically dissolve away.

Ahhh...dream on and "pull your britches up," as my dad would say.

I'm off, not to be a constructivist, but to grade, and simply that.

Take 5--A Reason for Collegiality

2005-11-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

"Could you help me with a blog?"
"Should we come up with a list of titles for del.icio.us?"
"I am wanting to start a WebQuest, what do you suggest?"

Questions like these have been the new conversation in the department; a new element added to English teachers' vocabulary, but more importantly, new ways to engage students. What has been so wonderful about CIT is excitement for what we're doing. Technology often is scary for many, but with our energy and willingness to try new modes, our success becomes contagious. My Take 5 for today is one that is of gratefulness--perfectly appropriate as I head into Thanksgiving break. I am thankful to be involved with the Curriculum Innovation and to share an inspired, re-energized paradigm of teaching, where we get to be the students.

Take 5--Mathematically challenged

2005-11-18T15:02:00.000-07:00

This fraction shows my confidence in my math skills; I am scared of the monster math staring at me on the Infinite Campus screen, "You idiot! You thought you had your grades figured out. Ha! What a mess you created!"Snarling, drooling as it waits fangs sharp and hungry to devour the lowly English teacher trying to adjust grades.

I know, not exactly positive thinking. I am thrilled about the idea of work ethic/responsibility/citizenship categories and then the others reflecting actual learning content categories. But, still I am afraid that my skills as a computator will hinder, and ultimately be a crazed mess.

Ok, what's the big deal right? I already have categories and in fact, I have Participation category where I put covering books, bringing in outside reading book, etc. What I am afraid of is the weighting. I visited with Anne this afternoon and she explained it well, so I feel a little better about my future attempt. I just hope that I can sort through my own percentage paradigms and work out a new one--one that works!

Take 5--Rethinking Grades--an elementary concept?

2005-11-16T09:52:00.000-07:00

When discussing the idea of not having grades, or changing the way we do grade, many people respond that this is an elementary issue. It is one that is easy to adapt to what younger kids are up to, but with the expectations of college, kids, parents, and teachers, grades will remain.

This is an interesting concept, one that in our reading, showed that is not new. It has research that links student interest dropping with the presence of grades. If nothing else, I know today's speaker will challenge me to rethink why I assess what I do and what does it show about what a student knows. And, how can I create an assessment that will show what that student has learned?

Take 5 -- WebQuests

2005-11-07T17:43:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, I was searching for sites on constructivism and stumbled across a site that discussed constructivism and web quests. I fiddled around and started creating one. I finally finished my first WebQuest last week; I feel so proud to have finished it, but wow, what a task! What I realized when Randy Stall came was that to create a strong site, you needed higher level thinking questions, visual interest, a site that is easy to navigate, and one offers group activities as well as individual tasks. This took hours (over 15) to complete it, and I still need to provide a few more sites. What I did realize though, that this gave me an opportunity to really construct a lesson that challenged kids and made them analyze, assimulate, role play, and judge. I am excited to put the lesson into action with my freshmen...we'll see if my objective comes to fruition!

Here's the site: http://webquest.org/questgarden/lessons/06711-051029213801/

Take 5--Buddhist Brainstorm

2005-10-28T13:04:00.000-06:00

I subbed for Maura Moritz's World Lit. class today and she had her students respond to a Koan: Where is one's soul kept and how does one keep it in place if it is so easily set free upon death? We wrote and then discussed this concept. As a class, the consensus was that a soul is something we contrive, we hold inside: thoughts, dreams, loves, passions, worries, challenges, strengths, weaknesses, beliefs, values, morals, etc. And when we die, it makes sense that our soul is set free as we keep these thoughts within us. I asked the students to think about this as a challenge from the Buddhist. How can we set our soul free...enlisting it on the world instead of just dying (freeing) it with our body deep within the ground or tucked in-between dusty walls of a box? Does the Buddhist want us to think about where we keep our soul, in that who we touch, relationships, friendships, art, writing--things we leave on earth when we die--is where our soul needs to be.

I wonder about constructivism and how I can transcend students to believe that their work is greater than just an assignment given to one individual. Blogging is one way where their work will be published in a way that many can share in their writing. What other ways are there?

Take 5--Just wondering...

2005-10-27T19:51:00.000-06:00

As I sit at my computer scanning my Oedipus files and looking on the Internet for interesting activites, I wonder how you can be a constructivist teacher when you have to read a fairly boring play? Is this the time when we the teachers should derail from what the norm has been to teach and find new ways that do the same thing? What about when we need to teach things that are necessary, but not engaging? Coming up with a new "gimmick" to introduce Oedipus or engage them in the day's lesson is not all constructivism is, I know. So, where do I go from here?

Take 5--a complaint or just crankiness?

2005-10-20T13:25:00.000-06:00

Take 5...or rather 15. This struck me so wrong today in class--the 15 minute time constraint. Yes, I know we are honoring our time, but gosh, to cut people off (not just me) right at the buzzer without even finishing my sentence; this does not fit constructivism, in my mind. I don't know, am I just tired and crabby?

Take 5--Grading, blogging, lesson planning...what should I do?

2005-10-19T21:18:00.000-06:00

Ok...teacher conferences are over, at least one night, and I am thinking about how much grading I have to do and I haven't planned my lessons for next week. So, how does constructivism fit into next week's schedule? How can I engage my students...or better, engage myself?

Take 5--Mmmm...mmmm...del.icio.us!

2005-10-13T12:59:00.000-06:00

I worked with http://del.icio.us and at first, was frustrated because the fields to fill in seemed different than what we discussed with Karl. After I spent a little time playing with it, I am thrilled about it. I find sites at home and can come to school and there they are! I am loving the tags, so you can look under certain labels to find some or many links depending on the category. I was glad I "took 5" on this, even though it took many "take 5's."

Take 5--Carter's view of winter

2005-10-11T12:53:00.000-06:00

Aaahh, the sound of take 5 sounds wonderful and in fact, we had just this yesterday--a snow day! How beautiful was that! I actually used the day to grade, relax, and watch my son make 34 snowballs. How does this have to do with constructivism? I'll tell you.

In researching constructivism a little deeper yesterday, I came across a website that explains constructivism, breaking it down into 5 E's: engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate. My son in his curious state became a constructivist using "the philosophy about learning, that proposes learners need to build their own understanding of new ideas, has been labeled constructivism" (http://www.miamisci.org/ph/lpintro5e.html). Carter naturally was engaged the second he saw the snow piled on top of tree limbs and the continued snowflakes falling, his grin and eager to put on snowpants showed he was engaged. He quickly explored what he knew about snow realizing his feet would get wet because we haven't purchased snow boots yet; he forged ahead without a second thought. He continued his exploration using a snowball maker Becca had bought Jeremy last Christmas. He wanted to save the snowballs for his daddy to see when he got home from work, so Carter came up with a great plan--he would save them in the freezer. I am tapped on the shoulder as I was napping on the couch with, "Mama, come see what I put in the freezer!" Springing the freezer door open, I see not just a couple, but 34 snowballs crammed in between frozen peas and hamburger! Snow formed into perfect sphers laced with grass and dirt, Carter explored frozen ice.

Quickly moving into the explaining stage, Carter drew a picture which turned into a quiz for Jeremy. He drew himself and Jeremy in a snowball fight and then posed this question: how many snowballs did Carter make? 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, or 35. When Jeremy came home, Carter explained how he made the snowballs and where he put them. He elaborated about his discovery.

Being the modest little 6-year old, he then evaluated himself: didn't I do a great job, mommy?

I thought about how constructivism is such an active learning process and I had the opportunity to watch it unhold, all on a glorious snow day!

Finding a reason to blog

2005-10-06T14:19:00.000-06:00

Writing about what other kids wrote about sounds like a circular mess to many. We discussed our fears and brainstormed how we could use them in our field. Interesting conversations and challenges: becoming a scribe for a day in math, a reading log in English, discussion forum for political issues in history. I was thrilled and energized at the new development in the writing process: publishing.

One thing that Karl and Terry encouraged us was not to create MORE for us and for the kids. Make blogs replace something else AND make it valid. Kids need to have a buy-in besides a grade to make an interesting blog. These were great suggestions.

I found humor in the comic strip, but I think that students reading what others think about literature, reading, etc. makes for another avenue for discussion. I think students might value hearing what their fellow peers think about a piece or literature or writing equally, or sometimes even more than they do from their teacher. I think there will be conversations between students that might not have happened previously.

Finding your Own Image

2005-09-21T08:14:00.000-06:00

Starting my journey on the Curriculum Innovation Team at AHS, we discussed constructivism. Mr. Hatak showcased this theory. Two beakers, one filled with red liquid, the other with blue, sat next to a red-dyed-looking sponge. He explained with quiet direction, "Write down your observations." We quietly did, with amazement. When he dippped the sponge into the red liquid, the sponge turned dark blue, yet squeezed out red liquid. Likewise, when he put the blue sponge into the blue liquid, the sponge turned red, yet drained blue. Hatek asked us to come up with our own explanation of how this ocurred. When we discussed it, he explained that this experiment "exceeded everything you know about sponges and liquids." We laughed knowing that was true.

This anticipatory set, not only peaked our interest, but it also created the essence of constructivism: allowing students to construct meaning. The teaching analogy that is used (regarding a sponge) is one that states that the student is the sponge; the teacher adds knowledge to soak the sponge. Instead, constructivism challenges teachers to step outside this role, giving guidance for students' own learning.

I love this idea; I too, had many teachers that fed us the "necessary" curriculum, without creating a life-long learner. I look into the beaker of red and blue seeing Hatek's reflection; I will strive to become the chemical, like the sponge, that challenges students' previous meaning and advocates for their learning. I want my students to find meaning, such as the face in the rock above, in their life. I want Odyssey, Canterbury Tales, and Anthem to have meaning beyond literary excellence. Find the "face" of learning in everything they do.