tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582986501160022922024-02-08T12:24:43.714-08:00Jenuine ReflectionTwo Middle College instructors collaborating, commiserating, and learning.jen b.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14536004759815543030noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-67222934124222781932013-03-10T09:08:00.000-07:002013-03-10T09:19:52.184-07:00Rhetorical précis<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The rhetorical
précis is a great assignment for both content-area teachers and
English-Language Arts teachers and can be used with any informational text. The
template is explained in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reading-Rhetorically-3rd-John-Bean/dp/0205741932"><span style="color: blue;">Reading
Rhetorically</span></a></i>, by John Bean, Virginia Chappell, and Alice Gillam, and is
credited to <a href="http://www.quia.com/files/quia/users/jidteach/Woodworth_RhetoricalPrecis"><span style="color: blue;">Margaret
K.Woodworth</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The
rhetorical précis is a succinct way to summarize and analyze any informational
text. Students can use it as a way to sum up their reading, and as preparation
for the next step using the reading (preparations for an essay or a study guide
for a test, for example). If students create a rhetorical précis after reading
a text, not only will they have a summary of the text, but also a reminder of
the author’s purpose, method, and intended audience. Also, each sentence from
the template could be developed into an essay, making this a good outlining
tool.</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here
are the basics (from page 63 of<em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Reading Rhetorically</span></em>, Brief Edition by Bean, Chappell,
Gillam):</span></div>
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<strong><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sentence
One</span></i></strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Name of the author, genre, and title of work, date in
parentheses; a rhetorically active verb (such as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">claims, argues, asserts, suggests</i>); and a THAT clause containing
the major assertion or thesis in the text.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<strong><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sentence
Two</span></i></strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: An explanation of how the author develops and supports the
thesis.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><strong><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sentence
Three</span></i></strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: A statement of the author’s apparent purpose, followed by
an “in order to” phrase.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</span>
<strong><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sentence
Four</span></i></strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: A description of the intended audience and/or the
relationship the author establishes with the audience.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Preparing
students to write the rhetorical précis first requires the students to read actively -- intellectually engaging with the text and reading with a pen or pencil in hand in order to annotate the text. Students should </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">underline/circle important passages, mark words to look up,
ask questions in the margins, note the structure of the text, the writer’s
use of certain conventions, etc. Students should pay attention to the title (and the subtitle)
– it can tell the readerwhat the text is about, or even state the central claim
explicitly; it can make reference to other writings, subjects, or events; and, it can express the writer’s attitude about the
subject. </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Topic </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">sentences are a helpful marker of structure and
development throughout a text. They should look for major textual or visual structures
(headings, whitespace, etc.), and look for signal words, especially
transitional words (“next,” “finally,” “however,” “at first glance,” “for
example,” etc.) that signal structure within the text.</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Resources<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://wps.ablongman.com/wps/media/objects/92/94274/BeanIM.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instructor’s Guide to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Reading Rhetorically</i></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://wps.ablongman.com/long_bean_rr_2/21/5593/1431829.cw/index.html"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Online guide to the Reading Rhetorically</span></a></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.mvla.net/teachers/carlag/Survey%20Comp%20and%20Lit/Documents/Quarter%20Four%20-%20Non-Fiction%20Unit/rhetorical_precis.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Worksheet/template for studentswith examples from another teacher</span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://portalsso.vansd.org/portal/page/portal/Staff_Portal/Staff_Pages/VSAA_STAFF_PAGES/VSAA_Sacks/precis_writing_how_to_handout.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another handout for students by a different teacher<o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/documents/CloseReading.html"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to do a close reading<o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0B36B731E6CD4DC1"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Close Reading (Note and Notice by Kyleen Beers andRobert Probst</span></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.screencast.com/t/jBB9PQTbi">Rhetorical précis</a></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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</span>Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-74258676760197163462013-03-03T10:54:00.000-08:002013-03-03T10:54:13.275-08:00Flipping
I’ve been reading a lot on flipped class instruction and
trying to figure out how this might look in my class. There’s got to be more to
it than watch the video and home and do the homework in class, so I am following
smart people on twitter and looking at how they are doing this in their English
and social studies classes.<br />
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With only ten (!!) weeks left of instruction, I don’t think
I’ll make any major changes this late in the game, but I am trying to make some
screencasts to support students outside of class and trying little changes
before going all in next year.</div>
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If I do what I am thinking of doing, I will have a full
summer of prep ahead…daunting!</div>
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What I am thinking about is creating LOTS of screencasts –
to teach specific skills and concepts and to review important passages in full
class texts. It helps that I know most of the kids I’ll have next year;
otherwise, I think it would be a little weird to create videos to help them
without knowing what kinds of students they are and what kinds of issues they
normally have.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p>So ideally, I will create videos on how to write a
rhetorical précis and why you’d want to use it, how to and why they should use
the templates in They Say, I Say, what a narrative/informative/argumentative
essay looks like, how to integrate quotes, etc. Then they will watch the videos
on their own, freeing up class time for reading, writing, and conferring. Still
trying to wrap my head around what that self-paced learning looks like, day to
day, in the classroom, but I’m hoping to get ideas from others who are already
doing this.</div>
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The other part of this is how to keep track of it all in the
gradebook. At this point, I’m leaning towards two gradebooks: one that shows
completed tasks (watching the videos, rough drafts, participation in online and
in-class discussions, comprehension checks, etc.) and a second that shows
progress towards mastery on the standards. The first gradebook would be simply pass/no
pass – either the task was completed or not (still thinking about deadlines and
late work – and would provide parents with the answer to “is my kid doing the work,”
help me manage where kids are, and enable students to self-monitor. The second
gradebook would be for the semester and final grade and would somehow reflect
their progress towards mastery on the standards. Not sure how one letter grade
would represent progress on all the standards, but hoping to have some more
concrete ideas by next August.</div>
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Still not sure how this would work in reality, but in
theory, I like where I am headed.<br />
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-91232030390270602702013-02-24T09:44:00.001-08:002013-02-24T09:44:46.910-08:00Two Post Scripts<br />
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So two short follow-ups to previous posts:</div>
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<b>Digital storytelling</b></div>
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<o:p>Overall, I had fun reading the end products and students had fun creating them. The only feedback from students was that they needed to know upfront who their audience would be -- specifically, were they writing for children, peers, the world in general? So next year I will build in time to discuss writing for an audience and together we will determine for whom they are writing. </o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<o:p>I gave them very little in terms of constraints -- I said their story needed to include both text and non-text elements, and the text needed to include both narrative and informative writing -- they seemed to like the complete freedom, but some had trouble starting and wanted me to give them a genre or topic. Also, next year I will spend more time in class discussing certain aspects that some seemed to struggle with (point of view/narration, audience, incorporating dialog, building tension).</o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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I found these additional resources that I plan to look at
more closely and possibly integrate next time:</div>
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<a href="http://shellyterrell.com/2013/02/18/20-storybook-creation-tools-and-apps/">Storybook Creation Tools</a> and <a href="http://playfic.com/">Playfic</a>, a site that allows people to create interactive stories together.</div>
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<o:p>Here is an example of one of the stories my students created (shared with permission by the authors)</o:p></div>
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<a href="http://spacewaterbears.tumblr.com/">http://spacewaterbears.tumblr.com/</a></div>
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<b>Scripts in Google </b></div>
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<o:p>I am loving using autoCrat to start students' assignments in Google Drive! Besides having the assignments in the correct folders, named the way I want them to be named, and following the assignment template that I want them to use, the other nifty aspect of using this script to generate assignments is that</o:p> I can change rights after I grade so that students
who want to revise have to notify me to change them back to <i>editor</i>. Last semester, students submitted
work well after deadlines and didn't tell me so there wasn't an easy way to know who revised or submitted late work other than to open
each class folder and then each student folder to see the last edited date. AutoCrat has made it much easier for me to manage student work in Drive.</div>
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My new goal is to learn how to send out feedback using a script. Alice Keeler shared another super helpful <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&hl=en&client=mv-google&v=BuynO64cHz0&feature=youtu.be&a=&nomobile=1">video</a> on using valmerge to send out feedback based on a rubric. Love learning these time-saving tips!</div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-88054341445405201332013-02-05T18:54:00.001-08:002013-02-24T09:45:02.861-08:00Going paperless<br />
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I haven’t made the complete switch to the paperless
classroom, but I’m trying. At the beginning of this year, I made the move to
google docs for our writing bootcamp. During the first seven weeks, all writing
was completed in google drive – I didn’t have any hard copies of what ended up
being 15 pieces of writing from each student.
Each student set up their drive with three folders (or collections) –
one for each of our classes. These folders were then shared with the
corresponding teacher, so I ended up with over sixty shared folders for English
work and close to forty for shared College and Career Readiness work. As
folders were shared with me, I set up class folders to house each of the
student folders to try to organize drive. Keep in mind that I was learning
google drive with my students and in many cases, students were far more
proficient than I in how google docs worked.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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This worked well in terms of cutting down paper, but did not
help with organization. I had to open the class folder, then open each
student’s folder, then hope they named the document correctly before I could
comment, grade, and enter it into the gradebook. Many documents were named
incorrectly, which slowed down the process while I figured out which prompt
they were answering, but the bigger problem was that often students forgot to
share the document with me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Autocrat to the rescue! I had heard of autocrat and scripts,
but I really didn’t understand how it could be used or why you’d want to use
it. But this weekend at the East Bay CUE conference it all became clear. I
attended two sessions on forms and scripts and started to understand how this
would change my life and make me love having all student work in my google
drive. After several rounds of trial and error, I used autocrat to create two
assignments today and it worked beautifully. The assignments went right to the
folder for that particular assignment (instead of to the class folder) and all
student work was there, in alphabetical order, ready for me to quickly check
who had completed the assignment. No more untitled documents, no more papers
without headers, no more “I thought I shared it with you.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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I can’t explain how to do it as well as these pros, so here
are the links to the two sessions I attended that give the step by step how-to.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Alice Keeler has great instructions <a href="https://docs.google.com/a/my.smccd.edu/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFpsdi1ITkF6cWFFaVVTaldZRWRLMFE6MQ#gid=0">HERE </a>. She and David Malone were super helpful.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Will Kimbley gave an overview of autocrat and fluberoo <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/willkimbley/forms">HERE</a> (I have not yet tried fluberoo). His presentation was fast and I accidentally deleted all my notes, but he had tons of great ideas on how to use forms.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I also found these helpful blog posts (sometimes it takes me
several different explanations to “get it.”)<o:p></o:p></div>
<a href="http://www.edtechcoaching.org/2012/10/the-greatest-google-mail-merge-script.html?m=1">THIS</a> one from EdTechCoaching<br />
<a href="http://www.edtech4theatre.com/2012/12/using-google-forms-and-autocrat-google.html?spref=tw&m=1">THIS</a> one from Ed Tech 4 Theater<br />
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So how am I using this? Well, yesterday I posted our weekly
informational text assignment (based on Kelly Gallagher’s <a href="http://kellygallagher.org/resources/articles.html">Article of the Week)</a>. Today I had them log on to our class ning page where they
found the link to a google form. Once they completed the form, they logged into
their email where they found a google doc I had started for them (with the
correct header and title) with sentence frames from <a href="http://books.wwnorton.com/books/978-0-393-93361-1/">They Say, I Say</a> to use as a
starting point for their responses.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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The second assignment was to write a rhetorical précis based
on a primary source document that they are also using in U.S. History. Again,
they logged into ning to get the link to the form, then to their email to get
the doc I started with the template for writing the rhetorical précis.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Student response was overwhelmingly positive. They liked that they didn't have to worry about where the doc was on their drive and whether or not it was shared (though I encouraged them to move it into the correct class folder) and they liked that it was started for them (they really liked how their names were already in the header - magic!)</div>
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I think we’ll also use this next week when we have an
information meeting. Instead of having parents and students sign in on paper
and then later have to type up their contact info into excel (and hope we can read their
handwriting), we’ll have them fill out a form, which will then automatically
send the “thanks for attending our meeting” email AND create the spreadsheet
with their contact information. Nice.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m pretty pleased with it all.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-42211397498045100592013-01-27T10:08:00.001-08:002013-01-27T10:08:04.771-08:00An experimentOver the winter break I read “<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2012/snow-fall/#/?part=tunnel-creek">Snow Fall: Avalanche at Tunnel Creek</a>.” At first, I didn’t pay attention to how long the article was, nor did I
check out all of the interactive features – I just read the story, focusing on
the parts that interested me and skimming the parts I found less interesting.
Later, as I was thinking about how I wanted to start the semester, I came back
to the article and re-read it, this time thinking about how students might
react to it and how I could use it as a mentor text in class. On the second read, I clicked on every link, watched every video.
Personally, I found many of the enhancements distracting – there were only a
few that helped my understanding of the story and several that added interest,
but some just seemed extraneous to me. I also found two additional articles
describing the creation of the piece and read both of those ("<a href="http://source.mozillaopennews.org/en-US/articles/how-we-made-snow-fall/">How We Made Snow Fall</a>" and "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/22/sports/q-a-the-avalanche-at-tunnel-creek.html?_r=0">Q & A: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek</a>".<br />
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I assigned the reading over three nights, two sections per night.
As I assigned the reading, I explained that many were calling this the "future of web storytelling" and a new kind of digital journalism, and asked them to read with this in mind. On the second day we spent a significant amount of the period discussing the two
sections they read. We talked about the multimedia features and how those affected
our reading, and we talked about how narrative and informative text were woven
together to tell a complete story. I also asked them to talk about their
background knowledge – how many skied or snowboarded, how many had been “out-of-boundaries”
when doing so, if they had even been caught in a wave (an analogy used in the
first section to describe the feeling of being swept up in the avalanche). A
handful of students had never seen snow; about a third of the class
skis/snowboards regularly. The response to the first two parts was fairly
positive.</div>
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We didn’t discuss the second two sections in class; instead,
I had them write about what they had read. Again, feedback on the reading was mostly positive. Then, after completing the
final two sections, we had another discussion, evaluating the helpfulness of
each non-textual element. The students also worked in small groups to descriptively
outline a section of the story, chunking the writing and indicating its purpose in
the larger section (narrative vs. informative, for example). We spent time
talking about how the text is structured – how narrative is interwoven with
explanatory writing and graphics, and how that affected our reading.</div>
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I explained that the goal ultimately is for them to produce their
own multimedia piece that combines narrative, informative, and non-text
elements. I left the project pretty wide open – they can choose topic and final
format, but all elements must work together to tell story and convey
information.</div>
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I wanted them to have some practice before turning them
loose, so we spent three periods trying to turn Kate Chopin’s “Story of an Hour”
into something more than a story on a page. One period was devoted to reading
the story and brainstorming possible enhancements. The second period was spent in the
lab, hyperlinking photos, videos, and audio clips (surprising how many kids did
not know how to embed links in a Word or Google doc), and inserting comments to
explain what they would like to do, but didn’t have skills to do. Some of their
multimedia enhancement ideas were quite interesting! The last day we were back
in the lab, evaluating each other’s versions of the same story – which additions
helped their understanding of the story, which were unnecessary or distracting,
which were really creative ideas of how to enhance the story.</div>
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As they started planning their stories, I shared other
examples I found by searching for <em>interactive storytelling</em> and<em> multimedia
fiction</em>. Here are some of those stories:</div>
<a href="http://www.nightingalesplayground.com/sciencefieldworkbook.html">Nightingale's Playground</a><br />
<a href="http://inanimatealice.com/episode1/index.html">Inanimate Alice</a><br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2007/10/26/magazine/20071028_KILIMANJARO_GRAPHIC.html">Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro</a><br />
<a href="http://inquirer.philly.com/packages/somalia/sitemap.asp">BlackHawk Down</a><br />
<a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/16/3740422/the-life-and-death-of-the-american-arcade-for-amusement-only">For Amusement Only: The Life and Death of the American Arcade</a><br />
<a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=Dock-Ellis">The Long, Strange Trip of Dock Ellis</a><br />
<a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/8/3177438/cyborg-america-biohackers-grinders-body-hackers">Cyborg America: Inside the strange new world of basement body hackers</a><br />
<br />
We also looked at children's books to get a better idea of how pictures can be used to tell a story, as well as <a href="http://cabel.me/tag/basement/">this photo essay</a> which prompted a great discussion.<br />
<br />
We will revisit "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2012/snow-fall/#/?part=tunnel-creek">Snow Fall</a>" this week, looking closely at how
the author introduces new topics and characters, how he includes dialog, how he
builds tension – getting into the nitty gritty of the writing with the hopes that
they will be able to emulate that in their own stories.<br />
<br />
I have no idea what kind of final product many will share with me, but the buzz in the lab on Friday was good. I can't wait to be amazed by their creativity!Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-77055799124718465672012-12-29T14:55:00.000-08:002012-12-29T14:55:31.702-08:00Directions
<span style="font-family: Consolas;">I spent Christmas Day looking at directions. After my
boys opened their presents, I helped one assemble his new Lego
set.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We worked steadily for an hour or
so and put together his new heavy-duty helicopter with minimal fuss, even
though the set is rated for older children. Then I tried to help my husband
assemble the gas BBQ he gave me. What a difference! My husband is quite handy
and loves to fix, modify, and assemble everything from wooden puzzles to cars
to computers. So it was with some surprise we found ourselves re-reading
instructions and the assembly taking close to three hours, rather than the 45
minutes indicated on the box.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">What was so different about the experiences? The Lego
instructions were far superior. First, there are the pictures on the box and the
front of the directions that show the completed project. Then, the parts are
separated into several bags and each bag has its own detailed section in the instruction guide showing how to
assemble. There is a picture of the complete section before the detailed step-by-step instructions. Each step adds just a small part to the section of the complete project and it is
clear to see where each piece goes and how each section adds to the previous. Contrast that to the BBQ instructions where
one exploded diagram includes many steps. We had to talk through the diagram
and compare that to the pieces scattered on the ground, trying to figure out
which parts to connect to each other first. Holes weren't aligned exactly
(particularly infuriating to a machinist used to working within very tiny
tolerances) and pieces didn't fit together easily. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">So that made me think about how I ask students to write
essays, or rather, how I <strong>should</strong> help students write essays. Show them a model,
point out the parts, go through the step-by-step writing moves that make
the essay work. I do show a model essay at the beginning of explaining what an
argument essay looks like, for example, but I could slow down on the step by
step instructions and just do one small piece at a time, such as how to integrate quotes or what kind of transitions to use. Just because they are seniors, it doesn't mean they know what they are doing...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;"></span> </div>
Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-85477029040170820322012-12-18T22:38:00.001-08:002012-12-18T22:38:21.027-08:00My letter to seniors on MondayOther educators have responded far more eloquently to the shootings at Sandy Hook, but here's what I gave to each student after they finished writing their final essay for me this semester:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dear
Seniors,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Though the
greeting is impersonal, please be assured the sentiments today are not. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Last Friday,
as I was getting ready to leave work, I checked the traffic and saw that there
had been an accident on 280, just north of Farm Hill and occurring just after
we let out for class. I worried that some of you might be involved and hoped it
was nothing serious. As I got in my car a bit later, I heard that it was a
fatal accident -- my heart sank, and I anxiously
scanned news stations to find out more. I tried to remember which students
lived where, who might be driving home that way, and prayed fervently that it
was none of you. My heart was already heavy from the horrible news of the
school shooting in Connecticut and the drive home was long and somber. Though I
feel so sorry for the family and friends of those who were killed in the
accident, it was with some relief that I recognized none of the names on the
evening news that night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The news of
the school shooting in Newtown has continued to weigh heavily on my heart and
mind. How can something that terrible happen? How can we explain the
unexplainable? I had to stop reading the news and listening to reports and
instead, I let my thoughts focus on each one of you. As we finish a book where
individuality was non-existent and conformity the norm, I appreciate each of
you for what you add to my life. Some of you tell me about good books I should
read, some share jokes or funny stories, some add insightful comments to our
class discussions while others make those comments in the office, some just
give a warm smile in class. You add laughter and joy to our class every day.
Many times you also add thoughtful remarks, sometimes even on the topic we’re
discussing! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Seriously,
though, as we step away from school for a bit and enjoy the holiday season,
take the time to appreciate your family and friends, and know that I appreciate
you, too. You may think it’s corny, but you matter to me, more than you’ll ever
realize.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Read a good
book or two and share it with me when we get back – and</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> have a
happy, safe, and fun break! Read! Experience something wonderful! Share your
specialness with those around you! Bring joy to others!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But most of
all, come back ready to make our last semester together amazing.
Congratulations to our early grads and happy holidays to all--<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Several students responded via email, a couple left notes on my desk this morning, and a handful talked to me at various points in the day -- all said thank you and that it was nice to know that someone noticed them, cared about them. But all of the kids who responded are kids who interact with me outside of class -- it's the ones who try to fade into the background that I worry about. I hope they read my note and realize that try as they may to fly under my radar, I do notice them, they do matter to me.<br />
Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-48538122757569706522012-12-14T08:03:00.003-08:002012-12-14T08:03:45.631-08:00My Voice, Their EssaysJust about the time I was finishing up a month-long Transcendentalists unit with my juniors, Jen P shared Jim Burke's video (see Jen P's post) on voice recorded essay grading. The minute I watched, I was ready to try it. To be fair, had he promoted the idea that grading essays while standing on my head would make the process easier, I'd probably try that, too. I hate grading essays. I don't know anyone who loves it. How did we all become English teachers???<br />
Aaaannnyways, back to the point: Here's how I rolled it out:<br />
<br />
1. I told students we'd be trying something new...that we'd see how it went, but to be ready to revise after draft one.<br />
2. When the essay was due, I had them print a hard copy for me, save an electronic copy for themselves, and upload to turnitin.com since they had worked on it outside of class.<br />
3. I began reading. Using the voice-record feature on my iPhone, I narrated my comments for students--exactly as Jim Burke describes in his video.<br />
4. I highlighted/circled some words/areas of concern as I was reading, but made no comments, though I did mark on a grading sheet a tentative score.<br />
5. I returned all hard copies to students and emailed each student my comments for him/her.<br />
6. Three days later, students had due: their original hard copy, but now marked-up with annotations based upon my comments for them (to show my they had listened to my comments) and a revised electronic copy, emailed to me. I asked them to specifically highlight in the electronic final draft only the parts of their essay they had changed based upon my comments.<br />
7. Those who followed the process and made significant changes received a bump in the score I had jotted while voice-recording; those who made few changes/didn't follow directions/didn't turn-in a final draft received the initial essay grade.<br />
<br />
So, after that process, if I were reading this I'd be wondering, How did it go? Did it save time? Was it less painful than reading/marking up? Will you do it again?<br />
I think for the true-test question, Will you do it again?, my answer is Yes. However, I don't think--at least initially--that it saved me time. The shortest recordings were around four minutes; the longest one was about fourteen (AND he didn't even turn in a revised draft!!!). Most were around five-six minutes. But keep in mind, that's just the recording part. In between recording I was reading/considering, so the recording part only represents when I had collected my thoughts on a particular issue and was ready to speak.<br />
The best part of this process is that the feedback for students is ultimately much, much better through my voice than through my pen because I would never be willing to write as much as I was willing to say. I also really like that it forces them to reread their own writing in a very critical way, having to mark-up and annotate it (instead of me!). That, to me, makes it worth the process. Students seemed to be very positive about the amount of feedback they received and I think with practice I may be able to streamline the whole thing a bit, too. Regardless, I'll definitely be doing it again.<br />
<br />jen b.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14536004759815543030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-79983299910271331662012-12-09T16:27:00.001-08:002012-12-09T16:29:57.680-08:00Brave New World in a Brave New WayI’m in the midst of a dystopian unit I’ve taught before and
I’m realizing how much my lessons are changing in order to meet the CCSS. I’ve
taught <u>Brave New World</u> a handful of times now, and in the past I’ve focused more
on the ideas in the book and connections we can make to present-day life. I
haven’t focused as much on the text itself, especially the writing, because
honestly, I don’t care for the writing – it’s the ideas that draw me in. I don’t
think this novel is particularly well-written and I don’t find the style to be
what drives my interest in the book; there are parts of the book I wish Huxley
had written differently and there are plenty of places in the story where I
think Huxley is focusing more on getting his ideas out than telling a good story. But as I prepared
to introduce my students to this classic, I realized that if I am to address the
Common Core reading standards for literature, I need to change what I do with
this text.<br />
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I think I do a pretty good job of having students find
evidence in the text (standard 1). That they don’t always integrate this
evidence into their essays is another issue, but when I ask them to find, for
example, a quote that highlights something the society in <u>BNW</u> values, they can
provide a quote about community or stability. We’re about halfway through the
book at this point, and I’ve asked them to find quotes that support assertions or reveal something about the themes that
I’ve provided them. As we get closer to finishing the text, they’ll have to
make the assertions and find the quotes, but initially, I did to make sure they
were on the right track.</div>
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As we finish and review the text this week, we’ll spend time
looking at how themes are developed (standard 2), and new for me this time around,
the author’s choices in how to develop and relate elements of a story (standard
3). I usually gloss over <strong>how</strong> <u>BNW</u> is written, but now I’ll slow down the
conversation and let the students focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the
writing. We’ll have to spend time looking at how the text is structured and how
that contributes to its overall meaning (standard 5). And we’ll look at why
Huxley wrote the novel, which I think gets at standard 6 (point of view).</div>
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One aspect of teaching this unit that I am not changing is
all the additional reading I bring in to support our study of the ideas
presented in <u>BNW</u>. Some of these readings include Huxley’s own essays in <u>Brave
New World Revisited</u>, but I have some additional current events-type articles to
also spark discussion and deeper thought. These address the CCSS standards for
reading informational texts. As with the novel itself, I’ve used some of these
readings in the past to generate in-class discussions, but now, with the
standards for informational reading in hand, we’ll spend more time analyzing
the text and not just the ideas.</div>
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I know it isn’t necessary to hit every standard in every
unit, that the standards are end-of-year grade-level expectations, but I do
need to make sure that I am addressing these throughout the year and not just
focusing on the easy-for-me or preferably-to-me standards. And looking at how
this novel is written is just as important as what was written, so that’s the
task this week.</div>
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</div>
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How are you adapting your lessons to meet the new standards, Jen B?</div>
Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-35547659560136443392012-11-20T07:13:00.001-08:002012-11-20T07:13:09.027-08:00What a college- and career-ready student looks like
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So at some point in the <a href="http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/smu/view/e/5296">CCSS webinar</a> from two weeks ago, the presenters said that page 7 of the
introduction was one of the most important pages in the document. This page
describes what college- and career-ready students can do.</div>
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The seven descriptors are:</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>They demonstrate independence.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>They build strong content knowledge.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>They respond to the varying demands of audience,
task, purpose, and discipline.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>They comprehend as well as critique.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>They value evidence.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>They use technology and digital media
strategically and capably.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>They come to understand other perspectives and
cultures.<o:p> </o:p></div>
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The common thread running through all of these descriptions
is that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">students use evidence</b>.<o:p> </o:p></div>
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A couple of comments here. First, I love that everything
comes down to evidence, but I realize that this is a going to be a huge
challenge. We’re going to have to slow down, read carefully, listen closely,
and always go back to the text for answers. Students can’t just respond with “I
think…” and not have evidence to support their opinions. Also, the evidence
they provide will have to come from the text, not some movie the text reminded
them of. </div>
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Second, this portrait of a college- and career-ready student
fits with what we read in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/College-Career-Ready-Helping-Students/dp/111815567X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y">College and Career Ready</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/College-Knowledge-Students-Jossey-Bass-Education/dp/0787996750/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353420677&sr=8-1&keywords=college+knowledge">College Knowledge</a>. (A good summary is <a href="http://www.epiconline.org/readiness/definition.dot">here</a>.)
So everything we’ve been focusing on works together and affirms the changes
we’ve been making in our curriculum to better prepare students for
post-secondary success.<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
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I think I will use the description of a college- and
career-ready student as a mid-year self-assessment piece with students. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Does this describe you? What can you do?
Where do you need to improve? Show me where you have done this in my class this
year. What do we need to do to make sure you can do all that is in these
descriptions?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-72724599928937270312012-11-17T07:46:00.000-08:002012-11-17T07:46:44.220-08:00Back to writing boot campSo I saw this tweet from the amazing Jim Burke:<br />
<br />
<br />
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><img id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://si0.twimg.com/profile_images/1444928229/Low-Res_Jpeg-0292_normal.jpg" style="height: 48px; padding-right: 8px; width: 48px;" /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://twitter.com/englishcomp/status/269805807380598784"><span style="color: blue;">11/17/12,
6:14 AM</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanks
to all those at <a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=#NCTE12"><span style="color: blue;">#NCTE12</span></a>
who have talked to me about the voice feedback technique illustrated here: <a href="http://t.co/7HBS7ZTq"><span style="color: blue;">youtube.com/watch?v=f7fjqh…</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
First, I don't know how that guy has time to do all that he does -- teaches, writes, presents, thinks big thoughts all time...<br />
<br />
Second, I am hopeful this might actually save time. I'm guessing it will take some time to set up initially (getting all the kids' emails into my contacts sounds tedious) and some practice so that I'm not recording dead air. But since I HATE writing comments that kids many times won't actually read anyway, I'd like to try this.<br />
<br />
I like the way he has built in accountability for listening to the comments by having students create a to do list for revisions.<br />
<br />
I'm curious about reading only the revisions using the <em>track changes</em> feature in Word. Will I really be able to limit myself to only reading the changes and will those make sense in isolation?<br />
<br />
Two concerns. First, I hate the sound of my voice on recordings. And the paranoid part of me is a little worried about sending students recordings that they could potentially remix into something other than what I intended.<br />
<br />
I will definitely give this a try, though.Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-47828850443417717212012-11-12T17:19:00.000-08:002012-11-12T17:23:17.964-08:00Balanced. Smarter.<span style="color: #073763;">Clearly I am lagging far, far behind Jen P, who has provided lots of fodder for thought in the past few entries.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Rolling out a new set of standards to a district full of assessment-and-change-weary teachers is a fairly monumental task. Luckily, the CCSS are worthy of attainment and focus, in my opinion, on all the right things.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763;">First, one response to prior post: I'm strongly in favor of ELA teachers increasing expository reading toward perhaps that 50-50 balance suggested by the webinar peeps.This is for a couple reasons:</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">1. Even if that is the goal, many ELA teachers will not reach it because investment in literature is strong and long.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">2. We know that 100% of reading in college-level English classes (as well as all the rest of their courses) is expository, so how are we effectively preparing them for those courses if we're 80% literature, 20% expository?</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763;">One thing important to implementation, but still in development by the Smarter Balanced Consortium is the assessment piece. Here's where they've released some sample questions:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.smarterbalanced.org/sample-items-and-performance-tasks/">http://www.smarterbalanced.org/sample-items-and-performance-tasks/</a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Of all the performance items released, I believe only one was based on a literature-based prompt, rather than an informational-based prompt (for whatever that's worth).</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763;">We have a year-and-a-half before we need to be basing all curriculum on CCSS, with first official CCSS assessment taking place for the first time in the spring of 2015:</span><br />
<br />
<i>At the start of the 2014-15 school year, the interim assessment item
bank will be fully accessible to schools and teachers. In addition,
teachers will have access to a digital library of formative assessment
strategies and practices, including instructional best practices and
professional development on assessment literacy. The end-of-year
summative assessment will start in spring 2015.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Smarter Balanced is basing all assessment upon the following claims:</span><br />
<br />
<b>Overall Claim for Grades 3–8</b><br />
“Students can demonstrate progress toward college and career readiness in English language arts and literacy.”<br />
<b>Overall Claim for Grade 11</b><br />
“Students can demonstrate college and career readiness in English language arts and literacy.”<br />
<br />
<b>Claim #1 – Reading</b><br />
“Students can read closely and analytically to comprehend a range of increasingly complex literary and informational texts.”<br />
<b>Claim #2 – Writing</b><br />
“Students can produce effective and well-grounded writing for a range of purposes and audiences.”<br />
<b>Claim #3 – Speaking and Listening</b><br />
“Students can employ effective speaking and listening skills for a range of purposes and audiences.”<br />
<b>Claim #4 – Research/Inquiry</b><br />
“Students can engage in research and inquiry to investigate topics, and to analyze, integrate, and present information.”<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Now, how they will authentically assess these claims will be interesting to see being developed. Based on what they've released so far, I think they still have a ways to go, though some of the questions are interesting and show promise--especially in the introduction of interactive resources that can be implemented when the test is administered online.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763;">So, while Smarter Balanced is working on that, I'm pretty sure we'll all be busy enough getting ready for them</span>.jen b.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14536004759815543030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-19681102299893787352012-11-12T15:24:00.002-08:002012-11-12T15:26:23.026-08:00The 30-70 split<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
This past week I participated in a <a href="http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/smu/view/e/5296">CCSS webinar</a> produced by
Schools Moving Up
that provided a helpful discussion of Reading Anchor Standard 1. The focus of
the webinar was the shared responsibility for literacy development, and page 5
of the Introduction again shows the importance of ELA, social studies, and
science working together to improve students’ literacy skills, by providing a
breakdown of what types of reading and writing need to occur over a student’s
day. By 12<sup>th</sup> grade, 30% of the reading should be literary and 70%
should be informational. For writing, 40% should be persuasive, 40% should be
explanatory, and 20% should be narrative.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
At one point during the webinar, the presenters indicated
that within an English class, 50% of the reading should be literary and 50%
should be informative. I had not heard that breakdown before, nor had I seen any
reference to a specific breakdown of types of reading and writing within
English alone – so I am a little confused there. I was able to ask the
presenters about this after the webinar, but honestly, their answer left me
wanting more. They said that because the reading standards are divided equally
between literature and informational texts, equal time must be devoted to each.
They went on to say that because social studies and science may not be ready
yet for the reading standards and because 70% of a student’s overall reading should
be informational, English teachers may have to devote more time initally to
informational texts until social studies and science are ready to fully take on
the standards. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Honestly, this really concerns me. Right now my English
class is probably the opposite of what it should be, according to the comments
above. I probably teach closer to 80% literature and 20% informative texts. The
informative texts I use are closely tied to the literature we’re reading in
class together. While I have moved to providing more informational texts in my
College and Career Readiness class, without this additional period, I would
have to dramatically change the way I teach English. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I’m not sure what to think about all this…</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
If in social studies and science students are reading
strictly informational texts, then to balance and reach the 30-70 split between
literature and informational texts, English teachers should be spending over
80% of the time reading literature. But this is basically what I’m doing and I
need another period to work in the informational text reading that I feel students
need to be successful in their college classes.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
In the College and Career Readiness class, we’ve used the
<a href="http://kellygallagher.org/resources/articles_archive.html">Article of the Week</a> assignment from Kelly Gallagher, as well as assignments
based on the <a href="http://www.calstate.edu/eap/englishcourse/">CSU Expository Reading and Writing</a> curriculum and assignments
based on an AP Literature and Composition training I took through the Bay Area
Writing Project. These assignments are closer to what students receive in their
college composition and rhetoric class – but are also more like what they are asked
to do in their philosophy, anthropology, and sociology classes, for example. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
According to the CCSS standards, social studies and science
teachers will help in getting students ready for the demands of those kinds of classes
in college, but is what I am doing in English enough? If I am preparing
students for the first transfer-level composition class, I should be doing far
more informational reading, I think. And if I were teaching back at a regular
high school, I’d have to do that all in my single English period…</div>
~Jen P<br />
<br />
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-64667279687484429252012-11-12T13:08:00.000-08:002012-11-12T13:32:02.722-08:00Ready for College? Or Career?<span lang="EN" style="color: #3a3a3a; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Last year Jen and I spent time
looking at reports on students’ readiness for college – in part, because we
were curious as to how our students stacked up to the rest of our district’s
students on the CSU EAP test. More on that in a later post, but here’s
what we found about students’ readiness in general: <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 16.6pt; margin: 0in 45.9pt 0pt 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #3a3a3a; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Only about 30 percent of last year’s California high
school graduates who took the ACT college entrance exam tested proficient in
all subject areas.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16.6pt; margin: 0in 45.9pt 0pt 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #3a3a3a; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The state’s best subject was English – 72 percent of
students were considered ready for college freshman classes. In science,
however, only 34 percent were deemed ready for higher education.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16.6pt; margin: 0in 45.9pt 0pt 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #3a3a3a; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“In California, about half of entering freshmen at Cal
State University need to take remedial courses in English, and about 40 percent
have to do so in math," said Hans Johnson, policy fellow with the Public
Policy Institute of California </span><a href="http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/most-grads-not-college-ready-test-data-shows-12222"><span style="color: blue;">http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/most-grads-not-college-ready-test-data-shows-12222</span></a></div>
<o:p> </o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 45.9pt 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 5.5in;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #444444; mso-ansi-language: EN;">According to </span><b><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><a href="http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/cccr11/index.html"><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The
Condition of College & Career Readiness 2011</span></a>, ap</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: #444444; mso-ansi-language: EN;">roximately 28% of all
2011 ACT-tested high school graduates did not meet any of the ACT College
Readiness Benchmarks, meaning they were not prepared academically for
first-year college courses in English Composition, College Algebra, Biology,
and social sciences.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 45.9pt 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 5.5in;">
<a href="http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/cccr11/policies.html"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/cccr11/policies.html</span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 45.9pt 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 5.5in;">
<o:p> </o:p>A record number of
high school juniors took the California State University readiness test last
spring, and a record number were deemed college-ready in math and English. But,
despite some improvement over the past six years, the percentage of juniors who
tested prepared for a four-year college remained stubbornly low: only 22
percent who too<span style="color: black;">k the English e</span>xam and 15
percent who took<span style="color: black;"> the math exam. </span>For <span style="color: black;">Hispanic and African American students,</span> it’s only 12
percent college-ready in English and 5 percent in math. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 45.9pt 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 5.5in;">
<a href="http://toped.svefoundation.org/2011/09/13/more-college-ready-high-school-juniors/"><span style="color: blue;">http://toped.svefoundation.org/2011/09/13/more-college-ready-high-school-juniors/</span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
So why am I bringing up these stats about college readiness?
Because page 4 of the Introduction to the CCSS begins with this explanation: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The CCR standards anchor the document and
define general, cross-disciplinary literacy expectations that must be met for
students to be prepared to enter college and workforce training programs ready
to succeed.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I think the way the CCSS has set up these standards is rather nice. The
anchor standards are the same, K-12, and they provide a broad description for what students
should be able to do. Then, the grade level standards, and for high school, the
additional literacy standards for history/social studies and science/technical
subjects, spell out the specific skills and understandings.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I also like how the CCSS explicitly states that the
standards do not mandate how or what to teach – the goals are clearly stated,
but how we get there is up to us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Just as on page 3, the shared responsibility for students’
literacy is made explicitly clear. This makes perfect sense to me as we see
students struggle with the reading for their college classes. We have to teach
them to become active readers, to annotate, to take notes on the reading and
then review those notes. When some of our students are overwhelmed by the
reading in their community college social science and science classes, I worry
about how they’ll do if/when they transfer to the university. Even though most
of our students are deemed proficient or advanced readers, and they take both
high school and college English classes, every year we hear from grads who’ve
moved on to the university that the amount of reading and text complexity is
far beyond what they’ve been used to. So I welcome the opportunity to work with
social studies and science teachers to improve students’ literacy skills. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I’m curious to see what kinds of tests will be developed to
assess these skills and understandings. I haven’t yet had the time to explore
the <a href="http://www.smarterbalanced.org/">Smarter Balanced</a> or<a href="http://www.parcconline.org/"> PARRC</a> websites.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
~Jen P</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-80008085766802768442012-11-10T13:18:00.000-08:002012-11-12T07:28:44.274-08:00Blogging my way through the CCSSFrom the CCSS Introduction, p.3<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf</span></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit;">The Standards set requirements not only for English language
arts (ELA) but also for literacy in history/social studies, science, and
technical subjects. Just as students must learn to read, write, speak, listen,
and use language effectively in a variety of content areas, so too must the
Standards specify the literacy skills and understandings required for college
and career readiness in multiple disciplines. Literacy standards for grade 6
and above are predicated on teachers of ELA, history/social studies, science,
and technical subjects using their content area expertise to help students meet
the particular challenges of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and
language in their respective fields. It is important to note that the 6–12
literacy standards in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects
are not meant to replace content standards in those areas but rather to
supplement them. States may incorporate these standards into their standards
for those subjects or adopt them as content area literacy standards.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit;">As a natural outgrowth of meeting the charge to define
college and career readiness, the Standards also lay out a vision of what it
means to be a literate person in the twenty-first century. Indeed, the skills
and understandings students are expected to demonstrate have wide applicability
outside the classroom or workplace. Students who meet the Standards readily
undertake the close, attentive reading that is at the heart of understanding
and enjoying complex works of literature. They habitually perform the critical
reading necessary to pick carefully through the staggering amount of
information available today in print and digitally. They actively seek the
wide, deep, and thoughtful engagement with high-quality literary and
informational texts that builds knowledge, enlarges experience, and broadens
worldviews. They reflexively demonstrate the cogent reasoning and use of
evidence that is essential to both private deliberation and responsible
citizenship in a democratic republic. In short, students who meet the Standards
develop the skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening that are the
foundation for any creative and purposeful expression in language.</span></div>
<o:p> </o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
My initial thoughts: Wow! This is an ambitious undertaking!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This vision of a literate person is far
beyond where many people are now, beyond what currently passes for literate. What
might society look like if we actually achieved a population that <em>actively seeks
the wide, deep, and thoughtful engagement with high-quality literary and
informational texts that builds knowledge, enlarges experience, and broadens
worldviews</em>? How would our political debates change if everyone could <em>reflexively
demonstrate the cogent reasoning and use of evidence</em>?</div>
<br />
I love that <em>college and career readiness</em> are part of the name of the standards and that this is the ultimate goal, but boy, we sure have a lot to do to get all students to reach that goal. And I love the emphasis placed on using high quality literary and informational texts that build knowledge, and demonstrating cogent reasoning and the use of evidence. Thinking about how this changes my daily practice is a little daunting. <br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Okay, rather than get bogged down in the enormity of that, I’ll
focus on the top paragraph…</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
What I particularly like is that the CCSS share the burden
(opportunity?) of teaching literacy skills –it isn’t just the responsibility of
English/Language Arts teachers. The CCSS explicitly state that social studies,
science, and technical subjects all are required to help students learn to read
and write.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I’m guessing that a few social studies and science teachers
will grumble about how teaching reading and writing skills belongs in English
and not their disciplines; others may feel unprepared to teach reading and
writing. And I completely understand the complaint or question of “how will I
get it all done?!” But I think that’s where the opportunity is – we now have a
clear target of what students should be doing and we have (at least) three
disciplines working together to make sure students can hit that target. Teachers
from all three disciplines can work together to devise close reading strategies
or writing templates. A common vocabulary can be used to describe both the
writing process and elements of a particular type of writing. Having everyone
focus on the same goals for reading and the same types of writing should make
it easier for both teachers and students.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Communication and time to think/plan/implement/reflect
together amongst the three disciplines will be crucial. I think it would be a
real mistake to expect or encourage English teachers to take the lead in explaining
the standards to social studies and science – all three disciplines should work
through the standards together. I think it would be important to keep the three
disciplines on the same page, rather than letting each group decide how to
implement the standards:</div>
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>After reading the standards and seeing how the
ELA standards are connected to the literacy standards for social studies and science/technical
subjects, where do our students need the most help? Close reading skills?
Writing skills? That might be a starting point for implementation.<br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Setting a progression for the types of writing.
Maybe English starts with inform-explain writing the first quarter and social
studies and science pick it up the second quarter. Or everyone starts with
inform-explain and then moves together to argument. Hey, how about a
school-wide writing bootcamp!<br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Assessing writing together with a rubric shared
by all three disciplines. Norming papers together would be fascinating and so
helpful! I think this would be really eye-opening.<br />
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Determining a common vocabulary. Not that all
teachers have to teach lock-step together, but it would be so helpful for
students if we could all agree to the same terms so they wouldn’t have to call
it a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">concession</i> in one class and a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">counterargument</i> in another, for example.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I’m excited by this opportunity for collaboration – much to
learn, but not as daunting when I realize there will be many teachers working
towards the same goal. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
~Jen P</div>
Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-2145694314034237632012-11-10T11:47:00.001-08:002012-11-12T07:23:37.142-08:00Getting into the Common Core StandardsSo I’m spending some of my “free” time reading through the
CCSS ELA standards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I downloaded <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the <a href="http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf">standards</a> when they were first published
in 2010 and sort of skimmed through them because I wanted to see what the fuss
was about. At that time, any possible implementation seemed so far off so I
felt no need to read closely or figure them out. Promptly set them aside.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Summer 2011 gave me time to look at them more closely.
Skimmed through the appendices and introduction, but did spend more time
thinking about the grade level ELA standards. At that point, I was still
looking at the standards in isolation; I hadn’t studied the anchor standards,
nor had I spent much time looking at the grade level progression.</div>
<br />
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Working with Jen B, we focused primarily on the three types
of writing (narrative, argument, and inform-explain). We changed our weekly
schedule to include a double-block of English on Fridays, focusing on writing
skills. We introduced each type of writing and had students produce one process
piece for each type over 4-5 weeks, taking the first semester to introduce and practice all three types of writing.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
This summer, Jen and I read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pathways-Common-Core-Accelerating-Achievement/dp/0325043558/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352576029&sr=8-1&keywords=pathways+to+the+common+core">Pathways to the Common Core</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/College-Knowledge-Students-Jossey-Bass-Education/dp/0787996750/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1352576077&sr=1-1&keywords=college+knowledge">College Knowledge</a>,
and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/College-Career-Ready-Helping-Students/dp/111815567X/ref=la_B001K8Z5A6_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352576120&sr=1-1">College and Career Ready</a>,
as well as a couple of other books on the Common Core standards and college
readiness. These three texts were the ones that really shifted my
thinking about how I could better prepare students for college and make a full
transition to the CCSS.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Anyway, now I am going back to the CCSS and reading the
Introduction slowly and carefully – exactly the kind of reading I want students
to be doing as well. More thoughts on the CCSS standards soon.</div>
~Jen PJen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-25719446908012689842012-10-13T03:50:00.004-07:002012-10-13T07:33:12.571-07:00Balance<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">Trying to find balance seems to get harder each year.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"></span></span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">
<div>
Balance between writing and reading, between whole class books and self-selected books, between grading and lesson planning, between counseling and teaching, between work and home, between staying present in the moment and planning the next thing...<br />
<br />
Any suggestions?<br />
<br />
~Jen P</div>
</span></span>Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-86916316806340570162012-10-07T19:00:00.001-07:002012-10-07T19:03:02.055-07:00Wrapping up the boot camp<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're finishing our third week of argument writing, our
seventh week of writing boot camp, the eighth week of instruction.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've slowed down the pace considerably for the argument
unit, spending the first week talking about the format and practicing a very
basic template. The outlines were predicable, but I am okay with that as we
gave them a very simple topic (argue for a later curfew). </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also had them look at the convention speeches and
debate whether Obama should feel pleased with Clinton's speech or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This wasn't a great assignment, but it did
allow us to incorporate current events and study rhetorical appeals in the
speeches.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second week we gave them slips with reasons and
evidence for both sides of an issue and they worked in pairs to organize the
slips into the two sides of the argument. They had to figure out the claims and
organize the reasons and evidence, but all the research<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was done for them, allowing them to focus on
organization and transitions.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This final week we're doing a DBQ style synthesis essay.
Students will read several articles on boxing and then write an essay arguing
something about boxing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We've given them
the topic and some resources that can be used to help develop and support their
argument, but they have to come up with their own claim, organize their reasons
and evidence, provide a counterclaim and rebuttal.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next year I think I'll give overviews of all three types
of writing in the first week and then spend more time looking at exemplars from
each genre to see how each meets the standard. After spending time looking at
professional and student mentor texts, then we'll start writing. I think
instead of giving multiple prompts for practice, I'll just give one and spend
more time peer editing and self-evaluating. I also want to have students write
a draft in each genre on the same topic so they can really see how they need to
shift their writing to meet the different standards.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">~Jen P.</span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span>Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-28881732727981219362012-08-26T11:58:00.000-07:002012-09-09T12:24:51.300-07:00Lots of change, lots of (initial?) work <span style="color: #0b5394;">Congratulations, Jen! We made it through orientation week as well as our first week of curriculum/writing boot camp. That feels like quite an accomplishment this year. We both put in a LOT of hours the past couple weeks trying to make these changes happen in our curriculum. I just finished our last post exchange describing my own reflections about what I think went well and what things I still think I need to devote more time toward thinking through and finding solutions for. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Before we move onto new topics and bring in more research, theories, or ideas for implementation I'm curious to hear your own reflections and analysis of our first week of writing boot camp. What went well? What do you feel needs to be revamped? What might you change in this roll-out next year? Are you still motivated to charge on in this direction? Do you see what we're doing as being more beneficial (than previous methods of teaching) to the students, us, or equally both?</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Curious,</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">:-) jen b.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">************</span><br />
<br />
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Ok, clearly I am already falling way behind…</div>
<br />
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Here are my thoughts about our boot camp, as of week 3:</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>The pace was too fast – for the kids who really
care about their writing and are trying to turn in their best work, the pace
killed them; the other kids used the fast pace as an excuse to turn in mediocre
work.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>I need to spend more time training students how
to give feedback – some kids did a great job of providing valuable feedback,
but others couldn’t make it past “I liked it.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Setting up groups is tricky – some groups
functioned much better than others, even though I really tried mixing up high
ability with lower ability, introverts with extroverts.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Even though our goal was just to read one draft,
I felt compelled to look at them all, and kids seemed to want verification that
I had read all.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>I liked the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">idea</i>
of Google forms as a way for students to self-assess, but the kids just copied
and pasted entire sections into the form and the result was a huge spreadsheet
that definitely did not help me and I’m not sure helped them, either.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Still think this is the way to start the year
(the writing boot camp), and I do think our progression from narration to
inform-explain to argument makes sense, but I want to think more about how to
better roll this out next year.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>I need to learn how to make the most of Google
Drive.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
~Jen P.</div>
jen b.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14536004759815543030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-53003061143540523052012-08-15T14:14:00.000-07:002012-08-26T11:40:36.357-07:00Figuring out our writing boot camp<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
One of the things I love about teaching is that I get two
“New Years” every year, and with that, a chance for new resolutions and fresh
starts. As we prepare to meet students this week, I have our writing boot camp
ideas swirling around in my head and wondering if we can pull it all together
in time. I’m glad we have a week of orientation with the kids first – not only
to buy us more planning time, but it gives us a chance to get to know them and
their writing before official core class instruction begins. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
As Jen B mentioned, we read two articles last week that
prompted this major shift in how we wanted to start our year: <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/class-struggle/post/junking-old-way-of-teaching-writing/2012/08/01/gJQAqsgaQX_blog.html"><span style="color: blue;">Junking
the Old Way of Teaching Writing</span></a> and <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/class-struggle/post/a-cure-for-bad-teaching-of-writing/2012/07/18/gJQA2lY4tW_blog.html#pagebreak"><span style="color: blue;">A
Cure for Bad Teaching of Writing</span></a>, both by <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/jay-mathews/2011/03/02/ABnumxM_page.html"><span style="color: blue;">Jay
Matthews</span></a>.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I wanted ideas on how I could give meaningful feedback
on student writing, so I re-read chapter seven of Carol Jago’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Papers-English-Teachers-Survival-Guide/dp/0325008280/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344785706&sr=1-1&keywords=papers+papers+papers"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: blue;">Papers, Papers, Papers</span></i></a> and that
confirmed for me one more reason for us to change our practice: the majority of
kids don’t read comments on essays, and if they do actually read them, they
don’t actually learn from them. So why are we wasting time correcting every
error, making suggestions on how to improve, re-writing awkward sentences for
them? She mentions that she keeps track of errors that show up across several
students and uses those notes as the basis for mini-lessons on usage, style,
and organization. She also cites research that shows comments are effective
when the teacher refers back to previous papers and commend the student for
concrete improvements based on prior problem areas.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
One of her ideas for managing the paper load is something
I’d like to adapt and try. She has students (or maybe <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">had</i>, as this was written in 2005) give her a blank cassette tape
for each rough draft. She then read the essay aloud and inserted her comments
as she read. Presumably, students would listen and then revise their drafts.
She suggests allotting 10-15 minutes per draft and stopping at the end of that
time period, even if you aren’t finished with the paper. I’m wondering if this
might be a technique for students to use together – the peer reviewer could
read the draft aloud, commenting and questioning as she reads, and the writer
could jot down notes to help him remember what to work on. Or, if both partners
have access to technology at home, they could work independently and record
their reading and comments on <a href="http://voicethread.com/about/features/"><span style="color: blue;">voicethread</span></a>.
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Thinking about how we could structure peer review time led
us to read up on how other teachers conduct writing workshops with their high
school classes. Two resources we’ve been consulting extensively are Penny
Kittle’s <a href="http://www.heinemann.com/products/E01097.aspx"><span style="color: blue;">Write Beside
Them</span></a> and Jen Roberts’ <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/robertsonwriting/"><span style="color: blue;">website</span></a>. I really
like the idea of peer writing groups, reading aloud each other’s papers and
giving immediate feedback, but I have a hard time with each kid bringing 6
copies of their paper – I guess if we are working on short pieces initially that
might work. I also like the idea of me going around the room, conferring
quickly with 7-9 writers per period, but I wonder how realistic it is that I’ll
be able to offer solid feedback in 5 minutes per student.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Additionally, we’ve been trying to figure out how we’re going to make this
work with limited lab access. Here’s what we’ve tentatively decided on for the
first two weeks:</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day 1</b>: overview
of boot camp – explain importance of writing well in their college classes, and
our goals for them as writers and peer reviewers; explain how we want them to
label and organize their google docs.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day 2</b>: provide an
example of narrative writing – explain what differentiates this from
inform-explain and argument, review <a href="http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/english-language-arts-standards/writing-6-12/grade-11-12/#w-11-12-3"><span style="color: blue;">CCSS
standard</span></a>, explain the rubric, and do some preliminary writing in their comp
books; HW – read their initial draft aloud, jot notes for revision/improvement,
type revised draft in google doc and share with teacher.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day 3</b>: prompt 2
given in class – preliminary writing in comp book; teacher begins conferring
with students on prompt 1in google docs; students are writing, or when finished,
reading; HW -- read their initial draft aloud, jot notes for
revision/improvement, type revised draft in google doc and share with teacher.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day 4</b>: peer
conferences – students bring in two copies of papers – peer reviewer reads
paper aloud and comments as she is reading while writer listens and jots down
feedback on draft; ideally, each student will have one-two students read her
paper aloud and give feedback; HW – revise drafts of prompts 1 & 2. We will
have to model how we expect the peer conferences to go.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day 5</b>: prompt 3
given in class– preliminary writing in comp book; teacher continues conferring
with students on prompt 1& 2 in google docs; students are writing, or when
finished, reading; HW -- read their initial draft aloud, jot notes for revision/improvement,
type revised draft in google doc and share with teacher.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day 6</b>: prompt 4 –
same as above.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day 7</b>: prompt 5 –
same as above.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day 8</b>: peer
conferences (same as day 4)</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day 9</b>: revising
& conferring – hopefully in lab all period.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day 10</b>: all 5 prompts
have been revised; update independent reading in comp book</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Our plan is to require students to meet with us twice, once
during class time and once before or after class. We will probably only be able
to give students 5 minutes of feedback during class if we want to meet with
each student (on day 3, 5, 6, 7, 9), so requiring them to come by outside of
class on any of those days, plus the two peer conferences days will give us
additional time to provide feedback.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
We will set up a discussion thread on our class ning to
showcase examples of narrative writing for student reference. I’m thinking we
could also use this area to make general comments about what we’re seeing in
student drafts.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
During the entire boot camp, students will have free choice
in what they are reading. Our expectation is that they will read every day,
respond to what they are reading in their comp books at least once a week, and
give a quick book talk on something they’ve read that they want others to know
about.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
We’re anticipating that there will be some students who fail
to bring hard copies on the peer conference days. If we are able to use the
labs on those days, students can simply bring up their google doc, but if we
are in the classroom, those students will have to sit out and read instead, and
then at home with their parent read the paper aloud, self-assess as they read,
and hopefully get some feedback from their parent as well.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
We’re still working through how to record all of this in the
gradebook. Right now, I’m leaning toward two grades in the gradebook:
participation and mastery. The participation grade would be based strictly on
the completion of the requirements for the unit – the written responses to the
five prompts, participating in the two peer conferences and the two teacher
conferences, and keeping the comp book up-to-date with the preliminary writing
for each prompt and the reading responses. The mastery grade would be based on the
teacher reviewing the drafts with the student, rubric in hand, and deciding
together the student’s progress toward mastering the standard. This will then
clearly identify goals for the student in the next unit.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
We don’t have it all figured out yet, and we’re trying to
anticipate problems, but I think we’re nervously excited to try something new
and focus on an area that definitely needs more attention from us.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
~Jen P</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
*****<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Well, Jen...now that we're five days deep into our "writing boot camp" it feels like a good time to stop and reflect for a minute.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">I was able to stick to the plan above for days 1-5; however, it felt like a pretty ambitious pace and I suspect some revision for next week may be in order. Organizing what went well and what was challenging may help in trying to decide where to revise, so...here goes:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span>
<b><u><span style="color: #0b5394;">What I liked/what went well:</span></u></b><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">1. Classes went by FAST</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">2. Kids were engaged--they like to write (at least they like to write narratives)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">3. I felt our directions were clear--they were all successful in sharing/naming folders and documents (almost all on day one, definitely all by end of week)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">4. I like the singular focus on one type of genre, really honing-in with mentor texts as well as written emulation/practice</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">5. Having College & Career Readiness class be a support for the first week was good</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">6. Having all students' work in the computer organized in folders is GREAT</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">7. I think the peer review groups are going to be really awesome...I did a model group fishbowl on day 4 and it went pretty well. Students then got into their own groups and practiced with at least one or two students reading their chosen narrative to the rest of their group for feedback.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span>
<b><u><span style="color: #0b5394;">Challenges/concerns that need to be thought-through some more:</span></u></b><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">1. Checking in with 7-8 students per class to give feedback was a challenge. I did get to that many students one day, but not the other. Also, not sure I was able in the time I had to give "valuable" feedback, though I think there's some value in simply singling out students to talk to individually when I might otherwise just be on a computer myself. Need to think about this more.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">2. Becoming more comfortable with the possibilities within Google docs, and simply becoming more proficient and confident within the system logistics will be ongoing.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">3. Scheduling and meeting with students to confer and rubric-assess their writing will be a next big step. I'm thinking for now of having kids sign up on paper in the classroom, then putting all kids' appointment times into my Google calendar to share with them...possibly then setting up email reminders to be sent to them. I am also thinking that before they come to their conference I'd like them to have done some work in advance: assessing their own writing (using my rubric) and citing specific examples of elements of the rubric from their writing. For example, if one element on the narrative rubric is "Uses sensory imagery" I would ask that student (on a Google form) to give themselves a rating and also to specifically pull a quote from their paper showing evidence of sensory imagery. The point being that if they having written it can't find the evidence, why should I be able to?</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">4. So far we've had access each day to a computer lab, allowing students to begin their work directly within Google docs. When we do not have full access to a lab will the process within the classroom--beginning with the writing process in comp books--work as well?</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">5. I am torn about what I'm thinking is a challenge but might not really be one. The kids are writing at such a pace that keeping up with reading their work is a huge challenge, but I think I just need to remind myself that this is part of the point...we can't read everything. And if we could then they probably wouldn't be doing enough writing. I just don't want the kids to lose momentum, thinking that no one is reading their work. But I hope through random comments I can occasionally insert, as well as feedback from their peer groups, that this won't be a problem. We shall see.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">This is my initial reflection after getting through week one. I'm encouraged by what went well and I have confidence that we can think through solutions to the challenges. Overall, liking what we've begun...hoping you're feeling the same.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">:-) jen b.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-79861125063028817052012-08-10T10:20:00.000-07:002012-08-11T08:36:18.856-07:00The Writing Conundrum<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: #38761d;">"...a good editor can communicate more information and demonstrate more techniques in 10 minutes of conversation than a teacher can by writing in the margins of a paper at home. The personal contact, being rare, is also more memorable for students." </span></i></span></blockquote>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">We left off in the last post with writing, so we may as well pick up there. Especially because it's much of what we've been talking about this week as we attempt to plan our year. One change we've decided to implement this year is to begin with a 3 to 4-week "writing boot camp", which will consist of short readings, brief modeling, and lots of student writing. Also built into our "boot camp" model is lots of individual conferencing with students. Our challenge will be to meet with all students meaningfully. We want to introduce and practice on at least a rudimentary level all three CCSS emphasized writing genres, narrative, inform/explain, and argument so that we may rely on and build upon this knowledge base for the rest of the year.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Part of the inspiration for me came from an article Jen P sent (quoted above), called <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/class-struggle/post/junking-old-way-of-teaching-writing/2012/08/01/gJQAqsgaQX_blog.html" target="_blank">Junking Old Way of Teaching Writing</a>. What resonated with me about this article is the idea of using class time to conference individually with students about their own writing, eliminating the endless margin comments that take so much time to write. Because in the end, this process does not seem to yield better student writing in direct proportion to the time I spend writing, reading, writing, reading. So, I'm willing to try something new.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Also, I've spent a lot of time on reading but because of the amount of reading I've assigned I realize I've probably not given my students enough practice in writing. Really, our students need writing practice more than they need reading practice. By the nature of our program, our students are already coming to us as pretty good readers. I know that part of my reluctance to assign a lot of writing has stemmed from the idea of taking home all those papers...ugh. The never-ending bag of essays taunts and mocks me relentlessly throughout the year. So, again, let's try something new.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">With this plan in mind, I have turned to </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">such </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">resources as Kelly's Gallagher's </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Write-Like-This-Teaching-Real-World/dp/1571108963" target="_blank">Write Like This</a><span style="color: #0b5394;"> and George Hillock's </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Argument-Writing-Grades-6-12/dp/0325013969" target="_blank">Teaching Argument Writing</a><span style="color: #0b5394;">. We're currently in progress on planning our boot camp, but I am motivated and hopeful that this is something that will be a worthwhile and fruitful endeavor--more on all this soon!</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Jen P, as we're planning and preparing to implement this new emphasis toward in-class writing and feedback, what do you see as our biggest obstacles and how will we overcome them?</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">:-) jen b.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
So in the few hours since you’ve posted this, we’ve already
revised our plans to extend our writing boot camp to the entire first quarter!
This exemplifies one of the many reasons I love teaching with you – you aren’t
afraid to take risks and try something new!</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
So now we are planning on spending two weeks introducing narrative
writing, another two weeks introducing inform-explain writing, and three weeks
introducing argument writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is just
in our English classes. We’re planning on extending these lessons in our College
and Career Readiness class. That sounds like a lot of writing! Which brings me
to your question…</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I see two huge obstacles: logistics and grading load. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I am interested in going all digital, but I have concerns
about my own learning curve, never mind the fact that we are not in a 1:1
classroom. Lots of questions here – can we find lab space to accommodate us all
on a daily basis, can I figure out how to use google docs with students before
school starts next week, can I really monitor 30+ kids in a lab and create an
environment that leads to authentic sharing and reviewing, will this change
enable me to be more efficient or will I get frustrated and end up printing
everything out and lugging it all home anyway?</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I’ve heard many writing teachers say that if you are grading
everything students write, they aren’t writing enough. I think Kelly Gallagher (or
maybe it was Carol Jago?) recommends grading a quarter of what students write.
Even if we don’t grade everything they write as practice for the final essay,
that still means we’ll have essays coming in every two weeks for the first
quarter of school. Sound intimidating. And though we are planning on conferring
with students during these practice prompts, I think we’ll be tempted to write
comments and then get bogged down with stacks of papers again.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I have no answers, some ideas, and lots of questions.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
~Jen P</div>
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span>jen b.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14536004759815543030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-19115352919725510102012-08-04T17:12:00.007-07:002012-08-05T12:38:22.914-07:00Starting Small<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 45.9pt 0pt 0.5in;">
“…going to college is like entering
a new culture.” (page 20 <a href="http://www.amazon.com/College-Career-Ready-Helping-Students/dp/111815567X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344108102&sr=8-1&keywords=college+and+career+ready"><span style="color: blue;">College
and Career Ready</span></a>)</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Since we’re about to welcome a new group of students into
the program in a week, I thought about this quote and wondered how we can best
acculturate students to their new environment.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Being on a small community college campus makes part of this
easy. Some of the college classes, especially the developmental or prerequisite
courses, still feel like high school. The prerequisite courses by definition
are pre-college level so the skill level should feel like high school, I
suppose. However, there are professors on campus who teach rigorous, transfer-level
courses and who have university-level standards, and many students have
difficulty transitioning to these new, challenging expectations. After sailing
through high school classes where participation at any level was good enough,
students receive an essay or exam with C or D at the top instead of the
expected A or B. This brings me to what Dr. Conley writes on pages 36-40 (pages
I marked up heavily!) – the overarching academic skills required for success,
the core academic subjects knowledge and skills needed in college, and the
academic behaviors or self-management skills that bring everything together and
make academic success possible.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Here are some of my responses to what he writes in the first
part of this section:</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 45.9pt 0pt 0.5in;">
[Students] will also be expected to
reread materials in order to discern deeper meanings and nuances and to
deconstruct texts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will often be
expected to read above and beyond the minimum assigned materials, investigating
a topic on their own by independent reading. (p. 36)</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.9pt 0pt 0in;">
We tell students to reread,
actively read, reflect on what they read, but most don’t. They don’t have time,
they can’t focus, they have too many other assignments to complete, they read
too slowly, the texts are boring, etc. Many are surprised when they learn I
read the texts in English 4 with them and have done so for many years (how many
times have I reread <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oedipus</i>??), but I
share with them that every time I can learn something new or appreciate a
different aspect of the text. Rereading is an important studying strategy when
reading a text to learn, such as reading a chapter in a chemistry or psychology
text. How can we show students that rereading and that reading beyond what is
assigned is expected?</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.9pt 0pt 0in;">
One strategy I will try this year is
to better model how I read and reread. I plan on showing students the texts
I’ve read this summer – my scribbled notes in the margins, the parts that I’ve highlighted,
my longer reflections in a notebook. I’ve done some modeling and scaffolding
with students, but after thinking about the quote above, I think I need to do
more. With non-fiction pieces such as the ones we use for <a href="http://kellygallagher.org/resources/articles.html"><span style="color: blue;">articles of the week</span></a>,
I’ve asked students to annotate, paying attention to how the writer has
structured the piece and what s/he is doing in each section of the article
(similar to <a href="http://www.iupui.edu/~cyber231/W131/rhetorical%20analysis.html"><span style="color: blue;">this</span></a>
or <a href="http://teachers.sduhsd.k12.ca.us/svansteenbergen/Ms._Van_Steenbergen/AP_Language/Entries/2012/2/14_Tuesday_(6)_Wednesday_(1),_Feb._14_15_files/Rhetorical%20precis%20frame.pdf"><span style="color: blue;">this</span></a>).
With our whole-class novels, I’ve used dialectical journals to show students
how I keep track of plot, themes, characters, and how make meaning of the
text.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jen B, as our resident reading
specialist, how else can we make our students into the readers described on
page 36?</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 45.9pt 0pt 0.5in;">
[Writing] is the medium by which
student thinking is expressed and assessed most frequently… Students need to
know how to prewrite, how to edit, and how to rewrite a piece…College writing
requires students to present arguments clearly, substantiate each point, and
use the basics of a style manual… (pp.36-37)</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.9pt 0pt 0in;">
Okay, here’s where I really
struggle. I love reading what my students have written, but have difficulties
providing meaningful comments in a timely manner. Peer review helps, but not
significantly, since the quality of feedback ranges so widely. I need to figure
out how to conference with them and/or get a faster turnaround on papers, and
make peer review more worthwhile. What I really need to figure out is how we
can help students learn to revise on their own -- real revision, not just
superficial word swaps. How can we set up regular writing assignments that have
been taken through the complete writing-revision process and not get buried
under papers or get tired of reading the same drafts over and over again?</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.9pt 0pt 0in;">
We know from experience that strong
reading and writing skills are critical to college success. Dr. Conley confirms
this on page 36. As we get ready for a new year, what do we need to do help
students develop these critical skills that are needed across the curriculum so
they can thrive in their new academic setting instead of feeling frustrated and
lost like a foreigner who doesn’t speak the language?<br />
~Jen P<br />
<br />
*****<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;">You're really throwing me a softball here, Jen P!</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;">Your main questions seem to be:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><i>How can we instill in our students the drive to go beyond the minimal when it comes to reading?</i></li>
<li><i>How do we (as mere human beings) give students enough meaningful feedback on their writing to help them toward becoming self-sufficient writers for a variety of purposes?</i></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;">Well, of course the irony here is that if I had actual answers to your very big, difficult questions then I'd make so much money from my books and workshops that I might never actually teach teenagers again ;-)</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;">My short answer is,<b> <i>I </i></b><i>don't know! </i></span><span style="color: #134f5c;">But we're teachers, so we persevere, right? </span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;">Thus, here are my initial thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;">Some kids do what we ask of them on their own--mainly for a few reasons:</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><b><span style="color: #134f5c;">--because they care about the grade on their transcript</span></b></i></div>
<i></i><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><i><b><span style="color: #134f5c;">--because they love the subject matter</span></b></i></i></div>
<i>
<b><div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><b><span style="color: #134f5c;">--because their instructor has inspired them in new ways</span></b></i></div>
</b></i><br />
<div>
<span style="color: #134f5c;">All three of these students have a motivation, whether extrinsic or intrinsic, and students with motivation will take the initiative to learn, ask questions, and aspire to a higher level. But what we're really talking about in your questions are the students who lack motivation--students who have no clue what they'll major in, where they'd like to go to college, why they need another year of math when they hate it, why understanding <i>Invisible Man</i> relates to them in any way at all. How do we ignite <i>these</i> kids?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #134f5c;">First, you bring up modeling. Modeling is, I think, really important. Talking about the books we've read for fun, sharing our marked-up pages in books and articles, continually talking about how stories matter in big ways; all of that is good. But I think what comes before modeling is establishing a rapport and a credibility with our students. What teenager is eager to take advice from someone s/he has zero respect for? I think we're able, in part due to the close-knit nature of our program (and also in part to the fact that we're awesome!), to establish this kind of relationship with our students pretty effectively.</span></div>
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;">So, then what?</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;">I think at least some of the answer is in our College & Career Readiness class. If through that class we can help lead some of our least motivated students toward some concrete ideas of what path might be the right one for them, much of the rest will fall into place. Guest speakers, class discussions, college and career research, exploring the different major options, looking at salaries and job availability in variety of fields, putting together a first resume, understanding the necessary requirements needed to be eligible for colleges and careers...all of this knowledge can lead students to a new-found motivation for school. Students who know what they want are willing to go after it, and willing to put in the hard work necessary to achieve it. At that point, helping them to bring up their skills in order to allow them to succeed is the best kind of teaching. And it's in this way that we're so lucky to not only be English teachers, but also College & Career Readiness teachers, and counselors, and administrators, and attendance clerks, and parent liaisons, etc, etc.</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;">So, I know I haven't answered your questions--and haven't even broached the writing conundrum. That will have to be an ongoing conversation we have...because it's just really hard to provide enough meaningful feedback for so many students on their writing, which is only testament to how much they need it. I know they should be writing more--but is</span><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span><span style="color: #134f5c;">writing <i>more</i> effective if they're not getting the right kind of feedback to improve? I wrestle constantly with my feedback for students. I'm a Nazi when it comes to having a thesis and providing concrete support, and I'm comfortable with that position. But I also think I get too caught up with the grammatical. I can't seem to help myself. If the egregious errors are preventing me or at the very least distracting me from focusing on the content, how do I get past that as their English teacher? Enough questions on writing for many future posts!</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;">:-) jen b.</span></div>Jen Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13721263161538696840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1258298650116002292.post-19733294081312399172012-08-01T21:21:00.000-07:002012-08-04T18:28:00.949-07:00Yikes! Our high school students are already in college!<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">While reading Dr. David Conley's book, </span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/College-Knowledge-Really-Students-Succeed/dp/0787973971" target="_blank">College Knowledge: What It Takes for Students to Succeed and What We Can Do to Get Them Ready (2005</a>),</i> the following quote particularly struck a chord:</span></span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: inherit;"><i><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Given
that close to 90 percent of incoming freshmen state that their goal is to go to
college…high school…should align itself better with post-secondary
success…</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Perhaps
the key focus in all classes should be life after high school.</span></b></i></span></blockquote>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">Because our <a href="http://canadacollege.edu/middlecollege/index.php" target="_blank">Middle College</a> students are already IN college (while also taking three high school classes on the college campus) it seems extra-imperative that we prepare our students for the differences they experience in their college classes (versus previous high school classes). And of course, by the nature of the program itself we have been acting as a bridge for students in making this transition from high school to college for years. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">But now there's such emphasis and (yay!) validation for what we've been doing that we now have this opportunity to grow, contribute, lead, and learn even more. So, let's tackle this year by setting goals for professional development and document our progress in the hopes that it might keep us more focused and so that others may follow along and perhaps even contribute to our learning throughout the year.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">So, Jen P., Conley has identified concrete actions schools can do to make <a href="http://www.p21.org/index.php" target="_blank">21st Century skills</a> a priority in the curriculum (well, he's identified many, but here's a few). In which area would our efforts best be spent among these ideas?</span><br />
<div>
<div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">Better align curriculum toward post-secondary
coursework/skills</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">Be able to articulate the role of college
readiness skills embedded in curricular program</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">Pay particular attention to underrepresented
students’ program of study, as they are least likely to have resources and help
outside the school environment</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;">:-) jen b</span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
*****</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Thanks for getting us started, Jen B <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve really enjoyed reading both of Dr.
Conley’s books, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/College-Career-Ready-Helping-Students/dp/111815567X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344027313&sr=8-1&keywords=David+Conley"><span style="color: #993300;">College
and Career Ready</span></a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/College-Knowledge-Students-Jossey-Bass-Education/dp/0787996750/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344027313&sr=8-2&keywords=David+Conley"><span style="color: #993300;">College
Knowledge</span></a>, and I’m sure we will keep coming back to these texts
throughout the year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s clearly
articulated exactly what we’ve been working on and framed the whole discussion
in a way that really helps me focus on the skills and behaviors that will help
our students into, through, and beyond college.</div>
<br />
You’ve picked three great areas for us to focus on.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Better align curriculum toward post-secondary coursework/skills</span><span style="font-family: "Cantarell","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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I’ve been trying to make curriculum more relevant to
students, to show them how they may transfer the skills or knowledge from an
assignment in my class to real life, but I don’t do this as consistently as I
should.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A good goal for me this year is
to explicitly show students how they might apply the skills we practice in
class to life outside of school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One way
I could do this is vary the kinds of assignments I give and extend those
assignments to show how the same format/skills could be used for something other than
a response to literature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could see us
teaching the <a href="http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/english-language-arts-standards/writing-6-12/grade-11-12/#w-11-12-2"><span style="color: #993300;">inform-explain
format</span></a> in English with a piece of literature and then use the same format
in our College and Career Readiness class with more of a job-related
assignment, such as writing an inform-explain piece to explain a product or operating
procedure, or creating a brochure to highlight a university they might be
interested in attending.</div>
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Be able to articulate the role of college readiness skills embedded
in curricular program</span><span style="font-family: "Cantarell","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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This is something we haven’t done well enough at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think back to a conversation we had with
our previous superintendent who urged us to “market our value-added.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reading the two Conley books really helped me
see our “value-added,” particularly the section on contextual skills and
awareness and the differences between high school and college courses (pages
40-52 in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">College and Career Ready</i>).
Helping students make the transition to college should be our strength and explicitly
teaching students these skills and behaviors instead of hoping they’ll catch on
(sink or swim!) is what makes the MC program different from any other
college-prep program in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can
highlight how we do this in our monthly newsletters and our PTSA news blurbs,
as well as in our informational presentations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I really liked having graduates at our presentations to talk about how
MC helped them once they moved on to “real college.”</div>
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Pay particular attention to underrepresented students’ program of
study, as they are least likely to have resources and help outside the
school environment</span><span style="font-family: "Cantarell","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Well, one of the goals of the Middle College model is help underrepresented
students into college and be successful there so this has to be a focus for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think the ones who make it to us have good
support at home – families who are aware of the program and how it can help
their students, families who expect their students to continue in college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Certainly, I think we can always do a better
job of supporting students and helping them access resources, but I think our
challenge remains getting more underrepresented students into the MC program in
the first place.</div>
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~Jen P</div>
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</div>jen b.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14536004759815543030noreply@blogger.com0