Big Bucks...

Does anyone else see the irony in teachers being paid so little to do a job, then expending their own hard earned money (Big Bucks) to get the job done, thus making themselves poorer? I think this country sadly underpays teachers when most of them, and soon us, will invest their own funds to help reach everyone's children.

If this were someone working for my company, they would be reimbursed for their expenditures. And being truly committed and successful, if they tried to leave, would be offered an increase in salary to keep them. We don't do that with teachers. We don't reward the committment, the sacrifice and the dedication.

~ Stan

Week 4 Reading - MTJ Ch.4

Is anyone else scared a little more with each chapter we read? Okay, then it's not just me. I try to comment right after I read, and right now I have visions of sleeping students, suicidal teens and cat-killers! Rethinking teaching...Okay, still dumb enought to stay. With all of the hoops that we must jump through with the curriculum, standardized testing, parents, administrators, NCLB, and trying to reach students who want to learn, we have a unique variable with every student that is "alienated."

I knew going in to teaching that it wasn't easy, wasn't for the faint of heart, wouldn't make me rich monetarily, but that it would make me rich as a person. I think Christenbury, although she attempted to end the chapter on a positive note, left the outlook alittle grim for all of us!

I did enjoy the episode of the cat killers. It showed, if nothing us, the futility in dealing with problem student behavior and our current school system. I wonder, althought this book was revised in 2006, if the outcome of this incident wouldn't be different in a post-Columbine society? Would administrators be allowed to let twisted teens wear skulls from cats they killed to school? I think the event would turn out different today than when it occurred.

I think two if the individuals that Christenbury cites, Glasser and McNeil, both make strong arguements for why the current system is failing. I think that the curriculum and content must be based on what the students find important, or we at least, must make them see why it applies to them and their futures.

Week 4 Reading - Deeper Reading

I hated the baseball analogy, but that is just a surface problem I have with the Deeper Reading text. The anaolgy really drove the point home between surface and deeper understanding. As a student, I was a surface reader. But when it came time to test, I could answer the deeper questions. I wonder if some students are like me? Reading on the surface but actually understanding when tested or question. I think a lot of students find comfort in actually answering the "easy" stuff, surface stuff, things they know are right. But when you delve into the deeper meaning of things, I think students are afraid of the teacher's response.

I believe that many of us have the same fear, that there are going to be students that come to our classroom a little behind, but at the senior level (which is what Gallagher's students were), shouldn't we have fewer students with the inability to comprehend the deeper meaning in a text? I think Gallagher has valid points, and I loved Guymon's "Conversation Piece." I don't think just teaching students how to read deeper is going to be enough. I think reading beyond the surface in every piece of literature or text that we teach, will be required with today's students.

~Stan

Reading for week 4

So I'm really enjoying Making the Journey. I think I like it because it's totally real. It's not trying to sugar-coat the experiences we're going to have with trouble students, and it's not trying to make us believe that we will always be a driving force in the lives of our students. This book is laying it out there for us and preparing us (as much as it can) for some of the crap we're going to come up against. We will have students who hate us, students who don't do anything, and students who try their best to get us to break down. These are the things I truly fear about being a teacher, but I also know that plenty of good will come with the bad. To be honest, thinking about myself in a room full of high school kids frightens me to death sometimes...how will I handle being called names, being disrespected, or being ignored? I guess I just need to start thinking of it as hazards of the job!

Deeper Reading is decent so far. I got his analogy about baseball and reading, but I can't say that this book has really impacted me yet. I appreciate the analogies, but I really like reading about real-life experiences of teaching (i.e. Christenbury's experiences that we've been reading about). I really don't have too much to say about this one...

Journey, Chapter 4

So far this book has provided useful info for me to go on for teaching, this chapter especially. I know that I always worry about what do I do when the class gets out of control; and I know many of you think the same thing. This chapter has many examples of what we need to do to not let the students get the best of us. It is encouraging see what teachers have done when dealing with scary situations. I remember many times when I was in school, and not just high school, were there were knives, drugs, and other items that were used to terrorize fellow classmates, schoolmate, teachers, and even principles. When the example of the teacher standing up to the student who is treatening her with a lighter because she won't let him leave (pg. 97-98), I thought "Wow!! I hope that is something only half as bad and firghtening as that comes up I have that much guts to deal the situation.

I also really liked Nacy Rosenbaum's "Big Bucks" approach to getting uninterested students interested in the subject(s) at hand. I have for a while now have been think of doing something similar in my future classroom to help get students motivated to read for class and do thier writing assignments. It was good and interesting to see a plan like that being put into action and being sucessful.

Week 4 reading

Well, I'm really enjoying Making the Journey, but chapter four left me a bit disheartened. Throughout the chapter, I'm thinking, "Why can't she tell us stories with happier endings?" These students with which she's been 'successful' are still barely passing or even going to jail. Where's the breakthrough successes, the Hollywood moments where one amazing teacher turns a student's whole life around?
And then I realize...right. That's the point - these are the most challenging students, and this isn't a movie. As a teacher, you're going to fail, and you're going to have to rejoice over even the smallest victories - and sometimes a D is a victory. I like to think I can inspire everyone, but I know it isn't true. Still, I wouldn't want to be a teacher if I wasn't an optimist.
As for Deeper Reading, well, I suppose I'll have to get further along before I make any judgments. I did love Ned Guymon's "Conversation Piece" though - I'm definitely using that in my class!

I-search vs. Joseph

For my wonderful and lovely I-search paper I have chosen to undertake the teaching of poetry (and yes, you could say that makes me “Poetry’s Undertaker,” in fact, I kind of like that title). Essentially I chose this topic because poetry and I have never really gotten along. While I do enjoy reading some poetry, and even writing it a bit, having to teach something I am still quite uncertain about is terrifying. So basically I chose poetry because I’m scared of it (that, and spiders...and commitment) and my hope is that by doing this project on the teaching of poetry I will feel more comfortable and better prepared to teach it to others.

I know very little about poetry up to this point in my life. I have taken one creative writing class that focused on poetry in college (but that was at OTC, so yeah). In that course I did learn a lot, including many of the “rules” of poetry, many of the misconceptions, and that I am bad at writing it (or so my grades reflected). I know that poetry may not rhyme, that the length, style, and rythm can all vary, and that sometimes the less you say, the more you get across (I know that, but I haven't learned it yet). In all honesty I am quite familiar with the "rules" of poetry, but not with the creative side of it.

p.s. This hateful Google Blog thing closed on me 3 times while I was writing all of this so if it seems a bit random or mind numbing, well....actually it’s because I can be a bit random and mind numbing at times. Sorry.

Week 4: Chapter 4

After reading chapter four, many thoughts entered my mind. I have really enjoyed reading this book because it has presented topics and examples that are very relevant to my future classroom. I feel that Christenbury is a great writer that can truly catch the attention of the reader through her use of personal examples. The stories she tells are interesting and realistic.

What I found most interesting in chapter four was her personal experiences with so many different students. I thought that the way students responded to her, both positively and negatively, was important to recognize. In my high school, students were too afraid of teachers to retaliate to their lessons or orders, but it seems that that is not the case in every high school. The arguments, fights, and confrontations that she experienced make me truly scared to become a teacher!! Although she handled each of these situations in a very specific way, how do we know that we can treat similar situations in the same way when we experience them?? What if we act with our initial reaction instead of thinking things out and dealing with it the correct way? This is something that is not exactly taught in classes, but should be known and understood by future teachers.

Another thing I liked about this chapter is the list of alienated students on page 101. I think this is a very comprehensive list of the students that we will be dealing with in our classrooms. But without this list, could we have thought of all these various situations? She mentions physical, mental, and social problems, as well as issues with family, friends, drugs, and alcohol. All of these issues can be found in high school classrooms, but sometimes, if not told about them, will they be on the teacher’s mind on the first day of classes? I don’t know about the rest of you, but I have a problem remembering that students may have a problem with these various issues, but can hide them very well. I know it is up to me to keep a close eye on students, but sometimes that is difficult to do.

Finally, I really enjoyed the section on “Big Bucks.” I thought that this was a great idea of getting students involved and would love to try it in my classroom. The only problem I would have with it is remembering all of the rules throughout every classroom and keeping a close eye on all the students who have been polite and pleasant without missing anyone. This would really involve a close eye on the students at all times…which may take away from the curriculum. But the broad idea is wonderful!!!

What I know about workshopping

I have personal experience in workshopping in a couple of classes. I think workshopping is the best way to teach your students about the creative side of English to spark more interest in the subject as a whole because of the feedback you gain from the experience. It is the collaberation that promotes the writer to discovery something else about the way they write. I learned about the process through my personal experience and am researching different ways to approach the workshop, so I'll give you more on that soon. I understand that my role as a teacher will essentially lead my students more effectively in the workshop as the key to their success most of all.

Priscilla's Blog about I-Search

I picked the topic of workshopping because I am a firm believer that it is the most efficient way to help your students find their voice as a writer

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Part 1

I chose The Giver by Lois Lowry as my topic. I wanted to research this book in depth because I would love to teach it one day. After I asked several friends if they had ever read The Giver they all reacted in a similar manner: dropping their jaws and exclaiming, "That book is one of my favorites!" I believe that this book has influenced many middle schoolers. The literature encourages individual thinking and being different. I chose The Giver because students can identify with the lead character, Jonas, and his journey to do what is right. I would like to study more of the underlying themes of the book and how to approach difficult questions that the students may ask.

Part 2

I have read The Giver recently to refresh my mind. This book remains near the top of young adult reading charts because its topic motivates interest in the reader. Since the book is sometimes seen as "controversial" I may have to negotiate with reasons why students should read it. In my I-search paper I would like to research the benifits of The Giver.

Using Multigenre Writing

I am choosing to do my I-search paper on multigenre writing. I believe that this type of writing would encourage and challenge all students. From this project I hope to learn how to incorporate this into a classroom of middle school students. I believe that this age allows for students to begin to develop into the type of writer they can become. I think it is important to find writing assignments and projects to help students explore writing and communication. What makes multigenre writing effective, is something that I hope is uncovered.
It would seem that this type of writing project would allow students to use mutliple writing genres they are familar with and enjoy using. As one article talks about multigenre writing allows for the meaning to dictate the form instead of the form to dictate the meaning. I think this would be very important for students to express themselves. Multigenre writing allows the student to use a variety of poetry, expository,narratives, letters, etc. to create their writing assignment. If a teacher were doing a research project instead of writing a 8 page paper about a subject and all of it's facts a student could use multigenres to bring that subject to life.
I hope to find that this type of writing is benefical for the classroom and that I learn a way to incoporate in the classroom. If anybody has any thoughts or suggestion let me know.

I-Search

Part I
I knew before I began this assignment that I wanted to focus on literature, rather than language or writing. I considered choosing a specific work, but as I looked over the list of required novels I noticed something—nearly all of these works were what we would consider “classics”. There were very few books that had actually been specifically written for young adults. This reminded me of the rather commonly held notion that young adults books are somehow inferior to books written for a general audience. I decided to research using young adult literature in the classroom.
Young adult literature as a genre is something that I am very knowledgeable about and I’m also quite passionate about exploring, analyzing, and promoting quality work for young readers. Yet, I am not so knowledgeable about the intricacies and challenges of actually incorporating young adult novels in the secondary English classroom. I can’t remember ever studying young adult literature in my high school classes, and everything that I’ve read or observed has focused on teaching the classics. Despite this, I feel that it would highly benefit both teacher and students to veer away from the canon and embrace a more diverse reading list—one that would include literature specifically written for adolescents. I hope that in my research I can discover practical and engaging methods of instruction for young adult literature, as well as valid reasons to include it in the curriculum.
Part II
I’ve taken several young adult literature classes and I read much of it in my spare time as a hobby. I feel very familiar with the genre in terms of authors, subgenres, structure, style, common themes, etc. Also, based on prior knowledge and experiences, I assume that many people believe that this genre is inferior by its very nature. They assume that because the books are directed towards younger readers that they lack any sort of depth, intellectual challenge, or relevance. I strongly feel that this belief is fallacious for a number of reasons, and I hope to find support for my ideas through my research.
At the same time, however, I do believe that young adult literature is experiencing a kind of renaissance in the wealth of talented writers and beautifully written, challenging stories that are available. The popularity and acclaim of such works as Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series and Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy is leading the general public to realize that these works have great value also. I hope to take advantage of this developing respect for the genre by helping kids learn how to love reading.

I search paper...Teaching Poetry

For my I search paper I chose to write about the teaching of poetry in high schools. I have always found poetry one of the most interesting and meaningful forms of literature and I have a very strong passion for exciting young people about poetry too. There are many people who view poetry as a dying art. Many teachers avoid teaching it all together because, in many cases, teachers do not feel prepared to teach it and understand it themselves! I am very interesting in finding new ways to introduce poems to my future classroom. I want to go into teaching completely prepared to handle the dissection of poetry, but I also want to make sure that the focus in my class is not on picking poems apart and over analyzing them, but instead just purely enjoying them. I read a book titled Poetry 180 in one of my other college courses and it really peaked my interest in this topic and showed me how important it is to expose students to poetry and make it enjoyable to them. I am interested in learning some interesting techniques of teaching poetry, and ways that have been proven to work with high school students. I also want to try to get closer to defining poetry and really pinpointing what it is and how to explain that to students. I am excited to see what research I come across on this topic and one day put that knowledge to use in my own classroom.

Lord of the Flies - Kitty Van Fosson

Part 1- I picked my topic because this book has been described as controversial. Most high school students are required to read this book, and I remember reading it in 9th grade. Lord Of the Flies was probably one of my favorites in high school and now i am ready to teach it to my students. There are so many projects that can go along with this book and so many discussions you can have. Lord of the Flies is a classic and I want my students to have a good, memorable experince with this book.

Part 2- I already know that some of the major themes in Lord of the Flies is civilization and how much it is really needed, loss of innocence for the boys, individualism/ unity, and many more. Each character in the book has a very different personality, some are strong characters and some are weak. The boys must work together on many levels in order to survive, but they have many disagreements and break apart from each other. At times, things get very brutal, and animal and human are killed. It is both frightening and brilliant. This adventure story shows the reader how important it is to have a civilization with leadership and control.

To Kill a Mockingbird I-Search Paper

There seems to be a huge controversy with the teaching of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird in today's classrooms. It was this controversy that pushed me to research this book for my I-Search paper. I remember that we read this book in my freshman year of high school, but I couldn't tell you that I gained any understanding of all the concepts behind the book. I read the book like everyone else in my class, but I had not interest in it at that time. I can remember the genreal ideas about the book, but I can't tell you the specific messages that the books tries to teach. I would like to familiarize myself with this book again, because I know that it is likely that I will be teaching it in my own classroom someday.

I know that To Kill a Mockingbird is set during the Depression and that it deals with the issue of racism. One of the key elements behind the controversies raised about the book is the fact that it also deals with the issue of rape. It has been a long time since I have read this book, so it is my hope that I will learn more about the book itself and more about the controversies that surround its teaching in the classroom.

My i-search Paper: Huck Finn

Part I:

I chose to undertake one of the great works of Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, in my i-search paper. I’ve had to read this book twice during my school years at high school and again at college but my confidence in teaching it is quite low. This story has so many elements involved and controversy that makes it a very challenging book to teach. I want to be able to come to grasps with the main meat of the story by re-reading it a third time and determining exactly how to go through making this story interesting without getting caught up in the racism and hard-to-read language. The hopes I have for this paper is that, when I’m finished, I’ll have a better understanding of the wide breath of the text and how to better illustrate how Huck is feeling without my students doing nearly as much research. I want my students to relate more with Huck and Jim the way I did the second time I read it. I want to find a way to make them appreciate the many different meanings the story contains.

Part II:

To be honest, I have never really had a love of quoted classic works. A Tale of Two Cities is horrible and Little Women drove me insane. I love reading really old works from the Romantic Era and writers like Shakespeare, Milton, Moliere, and other such authors. I also love reading works written today and am a quiet fan of Nicholas Sparks and Mitch Albom. However, in-between these two Eras stand the air of classic literature and it is so hard for me to get interested in them. Therefore, I chose Huckleberry Finn because I need to become more complete as an English teacher. If I can get to a point where I love, or at least like, the stories I will undoubtedly have to teach someday, I know I can get my students to feel the same way. If I dislike a story I’m teaching, they’ll know and they won’t want to learn it either. Thus, writing this i-search paper is twofold, my students will better appreciate classic literature and I will gain a new level of comprehension.