So Jon and I were talking and he suggested that I take some time to reflect on some things outside of the typical day to day blogs.
One thing that I've noticed is how much I will miss my class of students when the semester is over next week. Despite the challenges of teaching remedial English to college students who are lazy and admit to being so, I have really grown to love my students and the experience of teaching them. There have been some really great moments that have made me feel like a good teacher....like the time I told one of the boys who seemed to care very little about the class that his article was an example to the class...or the time that I helped a few of the girls figure out solutions to issues they were having in their classes...and the student who, after missing 9 classes (not consecutive), turned in the longest project 3 and a huge autobiography of her life for project 5...especially the letter that one of my students wrote to a person who should still be her enemy, but someone she decided to reconcile with for her own good; a letter that was the best piece of writing she had done all semester, one in which her passion came out instead of her b.s. voice for an assignment she didn't really care about.
And as I think of all of these great moments, it makes me wonder what I did to render such moments. The only thing I can think of is that I made an effort from day one to learn my students names and to encourage them in their work...especially when it was good, but even more (which was often), when their work was much less than what they were capable of doing. I made an effort to let them know that I was there for their benefit and would help them whenever needed. I explained to them why I had them do certain activities and what they needed to learn before they could leave my class. I let them know how much their honesty meant to me, even if it was harsh and not what I wanted to hear....
All in all, I think it was this relationship building that made this class at least a little bit successful.
Will my students leave knowing all they should about grammar and punctuation and spelling? NO! But they know where they struggle in their writing and they know what a writing process is. They know that there are different styles of writing. They know that they write the best work when they personally care about their topic and that their work will never be as good when they have to write about something they don't care about. They know that good writing isn't something that someone can accomplish alone, it is something that needs the help and support of others.
And what do I know? I know that if I let me students know who I am and what I stand for, that that is all that matters. I need to do my best, not compare myself to others, and just do what I know will work for my class. I know that I need to learn from my mistakes and keep record of all the things I do, whether they were good or bad. I know that collaboration is a must to being successful as a teacher. I know that I need to really be excited about what I'm teaching so that my students can at least pay attention while I'm trying to teach something. And I need to let them know that I'm paying attention...when their heads are down, when they're sleeping, when they're plagiarizing, when they're confused...
It's been a good semester...and although I wish I could do it over again (the teaching of this class, not the other things), I'm satisfied with the effort I gave and the things that I learned. And I know I am a better teacher because of it!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
11/24/08
So this is the only class that we have for the week. After talking with Kate before class, I was beginning to wonder how many students would show up...because it was snowing like crazy, and because this is the only class this week.
My wonderings were confirmed when I got to the classroom and there were only a few people and only a few more showed up before class time. However, to my surprise, almost everyone showed up by about 12:10!
I began class by collecting the remaining Project 4 letters that still needed to be mailed and/or graded. I'm still missing some. I need to make sure I get them all.
I then collected all of the journals the students had done so far so that I could give the students some feedback on them before they turned the final MGP in the upcoming Wednesday.
The last thing I collected was the 2 pt. genre so that I could get a glimpse of what students were working on and also give them credit for getting them done on time. I had a few really good pieces and some that desperately needed more time and effort. I am, however, excited to see all of the pieces put together.
I also explained to the class that I would be sending out a copy of one of their classmate's journals that was done really well so that they could get an idea of what I was looking for. This student actually emailed me a few days later thanking me for valuing his work and sharing it with the class. I think this sharing of their work is good because it really shows them where they are in the process of their studies and is an informal way of publishing work...
This was a great lead in to the last journal they would do about their genres. I really tried to get them to share with me and whoever else would be reading their project, what their projects really reveal about them at one of the stages of their life.
After this, I passed out blank notecards and had them all define for me (on one side) what they thought revision is and what editing is. I asked them to clarify the difference between the two and tell me if there was a difference. On the other side of the card, I had them tell me what they still want to work on in class, what they learned from the class, things they liked about the class...stuff like that. After they were finished, I shared with them some of the definitions they came up with. I was surprised to see how many of them were in agreement and how they had chosen definitions opposite of what I did, however, after reading what they thought, I think I would tend to agree with them rather than myself.
For our grammar and revision practice today, I had seven students write on the board and the rest in their seats on notebook paper about their MGP projects. I asked them to try to use commas, a semi-colon if they remembered the rule, and a homonym or homophone if they could. After a slight moment of confusion and frustration, they all got started and wrote for me a good little chunck of writing. When they were finished, I read the writing on the board and had the students tell me how they would fix the errors that were present. Most of the errors were with commas & semi-colon usage; there were no issues with homonyms or homophones! This activity seemed to work well. The students, although hesitant to participate, did well with the writing and correcting. I think it modeled to them how easy it is to make mistakes (there was only one student who didn't have any errors) and how easy it is to correct them. I hope to use this activity more.
For a final finale to the chalkboard activity, I shared with the students a few examples from their work of sentence combining, word choice, and tone. Although this seemed to be a little much for the day, because I only used 2 examples and let them rest a little, I think they got the point. It was a good learning moment and, I think, showed them a little more how to revise a work without necessarily worrying about mechanics and grammar...
Before our final activity, I made sure they were all on the right track to having their work done for Monday. We revisited the schedule and made the necessary additions.
We ended class with a peer review of all the pieces they have done so far...this was a great lead in to writing studio as well.
My wonderings were confirmed when I got to the classroom and there were only a few people and only a few more showed up before class time. However, to my surprise, almost everyone showed up by about 12:10!
I began class by collecting the remaining Project 4 letters that still needed to be mailed and/or graded. I'm still missing some. I need to make sure I get them all.
I then collected all of the journals the students had done so far so that I could give the students some feedback on them before they turned the final MGP in the upcoming Wednesday.
The last thing I collected was the 2 pt. genre so that I could get a glimpse of what students were working on and also give them credit for getting them done on time. I had a few really good pieces and some that desperately needed more time and effort. I am, however, excited to see all of the pieces put together.
I also explained to the class that I would be sending out a copy of one of their classmate's journals that was done really well so that they could get an idea of what I was looking for. This student actually emailed me a few days later thanking me for valuing his work and sharing it with the class. I think this sharing of their work is good because it really shows them where they are in the process of their studies and is an informal way of publishing work...
This was a great lead in to the last journal they would do about their genres. I really tried to get them to share with me and whoever else would be reading their project, what their projects really reveal about them at one of the stages of their life.
After this, I passed out blank notecards and had them all define for me (on one side) what they thought revision is and what editing is. I asked them to clarify the difference between the two and tell me if there was a difference. On the other side of the card, I had them tell me what they still want to work on in class, what they learned from the class, things they liked about the class...stuff like that. After they were finished, I shared with them some of the definitions they came up with. I was surprised to see how many of them were in agreement and how they had chosen definitions opposite of what I did, however, after reading what they thought, I think I would tend to agree with them rather than myself.
For our grammar and revision practice today, I had seven students write on the board and the rest in their seats on notebook paper about their MGP projects. I asked them to try to use commas, a semi-colon if they remembered the rule, and a homonym or homophone if they could. After a slight moment of confusion and frustration, they all got started and wrote for me a good little chunck of writing. When they were finished, I read the writing on the board and had the students tell me how they would fix the errors that were present. Most of the errors were with commas & semi-colon usage; there were no issues with homonyms or homophones! This activity seemed to work well. The students, although hesitant to participate, did well with the writing and correcting. I think it modeled to them how easy it is to make mistakes (there was only one student who didn't have any errors) and how easy it is to correct them. I hope to use this activity more.
For a final finale to the chalkboard activity, I shared with the students a few examples from their work of sentence combining, word choice, and tone. Although this seemed to be a little much for the day, because I only used 2 examples and let them rest a little, I think they got the point. It was a good learning moment and, I think, showed them a little more how to revise a work without necessarily worrying about mechanics and grammar...
Before our final activity, I made sure they were all on the right track to having their work done for Monday. We revisited the schedule and made the necessary additions.
We ended class with a peer review of all the pieces they have done so far...this was a great lead in to writing studio as well.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
11/19/08
The students were really chatty today at the beginning of class. I think they were a little worried about the water contamination from the water line break from the day before and a little confused on the regulations. We took a minute to talk about that.
I then had them pull out their revised letters and envelopes so I could glance through them and send them out. A lot of them had forgotten and I reminded them that they needed them for the next class. I'll send out a reminder, too, so they don't forget.
I then collected their second journal about the 3 pt. genre and their draft of their 1 pt. genre. It was good to glance through them and get an idea of where they were going with all of their work. While I was skimming through all of this stuff, I had them write their journal 3. They had to tell me the process they completed to make their one point genre. I asked them to start with the picking of the genre and to end with what they still needed to do before it would be ready for their final cohesive piece.
I then had them share, if they wanted, what they did for their 1 pt. genres. A few shared about the announcements they made or the thank-you letters they wrote. I was really glad they were proud of what they did. I also used this time to answer any questions or concerns they had so far with the project. I had a few students ask about how much revision would be required for certain artistic pieces. I reminded them that each genre needed to have enough length to truly tell their audience about a certain part of their life (past, present, future). This seemed to be a good reminder and challenge for some.
In order to transition into our grammar lesson for the day, I handed back Project 3 to the students who had it finished completely and gave the students who didn't, the materials they needed to finish (a lot of them didn't turn in a reflection because they were absent). I then talked with them about commas and semi-colons because they struggle with them. I handed out the comma explanation first and read through that with them quickly. I had a lot of people who weren't paying attention, and some falling asleep. It was hard to really gauge if they were learning anything at all. I then handed out the semi-colon sheet and explained to them briefly how the semi-colon is used. Again, it was a struggle to keep them focused, but I think most of them understood the gist. I did have one student who didn't get the difference between the use of the two and that gave me a good chance to reiterate for them the differences.
We finished class with a workshop on their 2 pt. genre. I explained to them what their homework would be and who needed to stay for consults. This gave the students who hadn't done their reflection for Project 3 a chance to get it done and hand it in, and also gave everyone else a few minutes to prepare for the work they needed to do over the weekend. I let everyone go a little early and got started with the indy consults.
Today I talked with the students who had consistent and troublesome grammar issues. I made sure that each one was aware of the problem and how to fix it. I tried to encourage them that they had done everything else right, but they just needed to work on their expression. I think most of them appreciated the help and saw the need for improvement. I was really pleased with their reactions and positive attitudes about using these pieces where they had the most struggles for their revision piece for Project 5.
I then had them pull out their revised letters and envelopes so I could glance through them and send them out. A lot of them had forgotten and I reminded them that they needed them for the next class. I'll send out a reminder, too, so they don't forget.
I then collected their second journal about the 3 pt. genre and their draft of their 1 pt. genre. It was good to glance through them and get an idea of where they were going with all of their work. While I was skimming through all of this stuff, I had them write their journal 3. They had to tell me the process they completed to make their one point genre. I asked them to start with the picking of the genre and to end with what they still needed to do before it would be ready for their final cohesive piece.
I then had them share, if they wanted, what they did for their 1 pt. genres. A few shared about the announcements they made or the thank-you letters they wrote. I was really glad they were proud of what they did. I also used this time to answer any questions or concerns they had so far with the project. I had a few students ask about how much revision would be required for certain artistic pieces. I reminded them that each genre needed to have enough length to truly tell their audience about a certain part of their life (past, present, future). This seemed to be a good reminder and challenge for some.
In order to transition into our grammar lesson for the day, I handed back Project 3 to the students who had it finished completely and gave the students who didn't, the materials they needed to finish (a lot of them didn't turn in a reflection because they were absent). I then talked with them about commas and semi-colons because they struggle with them. I handed out the comma explanation first and read through that with them quickly. I had a lot of people who weren't paying attention, and some falling asleep. It was hard to really gauge if they were learning anything at all. I then handed out the semi-colon sheet and explained to them briefly how the semi-colon is used. Again, it was a struggle to keep them focused, but I think most of them understood the gist. I did have one student who didn't get the difference between the use of the two and that gave me a good chance to reiterate for them the differences.
We finished class with a workshop on their 2 pt. genre. I explained to them what their homework would be and who needed to stay for consults. This gave the students who hadn't done their reflection for Project 3 a chance to get it done and hand it in, and also gave everyone else a few minutes to prepare for the work they needed to do over the weekend. I let everyone go a little early and got started with the indy consults.
Today I talked with the students who had consistent and troublesome grammar issues. I made sure that each one was aware of the problem and how to fix it. I tried to encourage them that they had done everything else right, but they just needed to work on their expression. I think most of them appreciated the help and saw the need for improvement. I was really pleased with their reactions and positive attitudes about using these pieces where they had the most struggles for their revision piece for Project 5.
11/17/08
I have been trying to start class about 1 minute late so the straglers don't miss anything...which I have been frustrated with.
I usually begin class collecting what the students had to complete for this day of class so that I can give them credit and get an idea of where they're headed with their work. Today I gave them credit for having the first journal typed and collected the 3 pt. genre so I could get an idea of the length of their work and how they did picking their own genres. Some of the drafts were really impressive (5+ pages for an autobiography of the past) while others were pretty minimal (1 page autobiography with a great intro and barely any extra insight into the boy's life).
I then had them write their second journal for P5 in which I asked them to tell me what they were trying to portray to their audience about themselves, what they did well with that goal, and what still needed work. Skimming through them today, I got the idea that they weren't really thinking much about their work and just gave a very general answer to my questions.
When they were finished writing, I showed them the variety of their work for the 3 pt. and asked them to share with me their repetend ideas. Only one student had actually worked on hers and had them almost ready. She came up and showed the class the pictures she had chosen and explained her theme of using pictures of rooms from her lifetime (baby room, dorm room, future home). I had others just tell me their basic idea. I stressed to them that it was important for them to come up with the ideas now and work on gathering the stuff they needed over the next 2 weeks.
The rest of class after this was spent working on the 1 pt. genre with a little Spanish music in the background. During this time I corrected students' work and answered questions. Many of the students stayed on task and some even finished what they were doing and only had to go home and polish it up.
At the very end of class, I reminded students to look at their schedules and to add in that they needed to revise Project 4 (letters) for class on Wednesday so that we could send them out with some confidence.
I left after this so that they could work with their studio consultants on their 3 pts. and journals.
I usually begin class collecting what the students had to complete for this day of class so that I can give them credit and get an idea of where they're headed with their work. Today I gave them credit for having the first journal typed and collected the 3 pt. genre so I could get an idea of the length of their work and how they did picking their own genres. Some of the drafts were really impressive (5+ pages for an autobiography of the past) while others were pretty minimal (1 page autobiography with a great intro and barely any extra insight into the boy's life).
I then had them write their second journal for P5 in which I asked them to tell me what they were trying to portray to their audience about themselves, what they did well with that goal, and what still needed work. Skimming through them today, I got the idea that they weren't really thinking much about their work and just gave a very general answer to my questions.
When they were finished writing, I showed them the variety of their work for the 3 pt. and asked them to share with me their repetend ideas. Only one student had actually worked on hers and had them almost ready. She came up and showed the class the pictures she had chosen and explained her theme of using pictures of rooms from her lifetime (baby room, dorm room, future home). I had others just tell me their basic idea. I stressed to them that it was important for them to come up with the ideas now and work on gathering the stuff they needed over the next 2 weeks.
The rest of class after this was spent working on the 1 pt. genre with a little Spanish music in the background. During this time I corrected students' work and answered questions. Many of the students stayed on task and some even finished what they were doing and only had to go home and polish it up.
At the very end of class, I reminded students to look at their schedules and to add in that they needed to revise Project 4 (letters) for class on Wednesday so that we could send them out with some confidence.
I left after this so that they could work with their studio consultants on their 3 pts. and journals.
11/12/08
First thing today I collected the students works cited for Project 3. I only had 2 students complete them correctly for their final copy. I had a few others that did them wrong and made sure I explained to them how to complete them correctly.
I then collected their proposals for Project 5 in which they told me about their plans for each of their genres and their repetends. They were also given the chance to ask any questions about the project. I had one good question about grading. The student wanted to know if I would be grading them on creativity or following the format of the genre. I explained that it would be a mix of both.
Instead of having the students do a viewpoint about something random, I explained to them that for the next few weeks they would be journaling about their progress in Project 5 and that their journals would become their notes pages for their final project. They seemed to think this was a great idea (less work for them). Their prompt for the journal was to tell me how they're feeling about Project 5 after having completed their proposals. I asked them what they are confident about and what they know they'll need help on.
I then had the class pull out the schedule I gave them during the last class and we filled in the squares with how the project would progress so they would have no excuses about getting their work done. They seemed to think this was a good idea, too. I was hoping it would help them stay more organized.
We finished the day be looking at the genres that they wanted to do for their 3 pt. genre. Many had already changed their minds, but were still a little confused, so I took this time to answer questions and help each one get an idea of where he or she was going with the project.
I ended class by having them do the instructor evaluations. I prefaced it with a reminder about the projects we had done and told them to write comments for me on the back because I really value their feedback. I knew that some still wouldn't write anything, but I also knew that some would. By the amount of time they stayed in the room, I know at least a few did (which was encouraging).
I then came back to the room after they were finished (one of the students came down the hall to get me) and worked on a few things with some of the students.
I then collected their proposals for Project 5 in which they told me about their plans for each of their genres and their repetends. They were also given the chance to ask any questions about the project. I had one good question about grading. The student wanted to know if I would be grading them on creativity or following the format of the genre. I explained that it would be a mix of both.
Instead of having the students do a viewpoint about something random, I explained to them that for the next few weeks they would be journaling about their progress in Project 5 and that their journals would become their notes pages for their final project. They seemed to think this was a great idea (less work for them). Their prompt for the journal was to tell me how they're feeling about Project 5 after having completed their proposals. I asked them what they are confident about and what they know they'll need help on.
I then had the class pull out the schedule I gave them during the last class and we filled in the squares with how the project would progress so they would have no excuses about getting their work done. They seemed to think this was a good idea, too. I was hoping it would help them stay more organized.
We finished the day be looking at the genres that they wanted to do for their 3 pt. genre. Many had already changed their minds, but were still a little confused, so I took this time to answer questions and help each one get an idea of where he or she was going with the project.
I ended class by having them do the instructor evaluations. I prefaced it with a reminder about the projects we had done and told them to write comments for me on the back because I really value their feedback. I knew that some still wouldn't write anything, but I also knew that some would. By the amount of time they stayed in the room, I know at least a few did (which was encouraging).
I then came back to the room after they were finished (one of the students came down the hall to get me) and worked on a few things with some of the students.
Monday, November 10, 2008
11/10/08
Today was really a mix of good, bad, and otherwise.
I started class today by showing the students the magazine that I had published of their second project. They thought it was pretty cool and 2 of my students requested a copy!
I then asked them why they didn't do works cited pages on Project 3 and why no one emailed me one in response to my email. I gave them until Wednesday to fix them if they did them completely wrong and to do one if they didn't have it. I made sure I wrote this on the board, too.
I then had them write their reflection for Project 4. Instead of handing out a sheet with the prompt on it, I made an overhead with four separate questions. The first one asked them to reflect on what they've learned about genres. The second asked them to specifically give examples of how they used pathos, ethos, and logos in their letter. The third one asked them whether or not they would actually be convinced to make a change about something on campus and if they were comfortable sending their letters. The final question asked them to tell their goals for the final project, their struggles, the things they're faking, and the things that they're good at that they want others to see. This was probably the longest reflection I've done with them and I can't wait to see their responses.
I then collected their projects and most of them had not prepared them at all. They all were digging in their folders for all of the pieces and most didn't have a way to keep their work together when I had specifically put that on the checklist from the last class. I emphasized to them how important it is to read the things that I hand out!!!
To change the pace again and to stress one more time the importance of the writing process, I had the students work with playdough. I had each student come to the front and grab their own can of playdough. For the first round, I had them form an animal. They had 4 10 second intervals. I questioned them after each interval how they felt about their work. Each time they felt better about it. I then asked them, after the 4 intervals, why we did the exercise. One girl immediately said that we were practicing revision. I agreed with her.
I then had them break the playdough into two pieces and had them work on each piece for 2 10 minute intervals. I then used this to transition them into Project 5 which I called the Campus Chameleon. I explained to them that we would be working on 3 different genres and also revision of a previous project. I had them figure out what genres they were interested in and give me a list so I could prepare examples for them for the next class when we actually get started on them.
We ended the class by looking at the examples from Dr. Baer's class and answering questions.
Overall, I felt like things went well. I think the students have a good grip on Project 5 and I'm hoping that from now until Wednesday they will come up with some fun ideas and get at least a little excited.
Plus, today Maggie announced her idea to make the notes page be a typed version of the students' journals from each day of the project. I plan on stealing this idea.
I started class today by showing the students the magazine that I had published of their second project. They thought it was pretty cool and 2 of my students requested a copy!
I then asked them why they didn't do works cited pages on Project 3 and why no one emailed me one in response to my email. I gave them until Wednesday to fix them if they did them completely wrong and to do one if they didn't have it. I made sure I wrote this on the board, too.
I then had them write their reflection for Project 4. Instead of handing out a sheet with the prompt on it, I made an overhead with four separate questions. The first one asked them to reflect on what they've learned about genres. The second asked them to specifically give examples of how they used pathos, ethos, and logos in their letter. The third one asked them whether or not they would actually be convinced to make a change about something on campus and if they were comfortable sending their letters. The final question asked them to tell their goals for the final project, their struggles, the things they're faking, and the things that they're good at that they want others to see. This was probably the longest reflection I've done with them and I can't wait to see their responses.
I then collected their projects and most of them had not prepared them at all. They all were digging in their folders for all of the pieces and most didn't have a way to keep their work together when I had specifically put that on the checklist from the last class. I emphasized to them how important it is to read the things that I hand out!!!
To change the pace again and to stress one more time the importance of the writing process, I had the students work with playdough. I had each student come to the front and grab their own can of playdough. For the first round, I had them form an animal. They had 4 10 second intervals. I questioned them after each interval how they felt about their work. Each time they felt better about it. I then asked them, after the 4 intervals, why we did the exercise. One girl immediately said that we were practicing revision. I agreed with her.
I then had them break the playdough into two pieces and had them work on each piece for 2 10 minute intervals. I then used this to transition them into Project 5 which I called the Campus Chameleon. I explained to them that we would be working on 3 different genres and also revision of a previous project. I had them figure out what genres they were interested in and give me a list so I could prepare examples for them for the next class when we actually get started on them.
We ended the class by looking at the examples from Dr. Baer's class and answering questions.
Overall, I felt like things went well. I think the students have a good grip on Project 5 and I'm hoping that from now until Wednesday they will come up with some fun ideas and get at least a little excited.
Plus, today Maggie announced her idea to make the notes page be a typed version of the students' journals from each day of the project. I plan on stealing this idea.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
11/5/08
So I thought that since I didn't have class today, I should take some time to reflect on how English 1000 is going beyond just the actual class time.
One thing that I have really been thinking a lot about is grading. I have realized that grading is much more complex than I previously thought. Knowing your students well can affect the way that you look at their work....I'm definitely guilty of thinking about what a student wrote and what they're capable of, instead of just looking at the work. Plus I don't really want to fail anyone if I don't have to, so I think I'm too nice quite a bit.
I've also realized taht grading is about way more than giving a grade. It's about finding the best ways to let students know how they're doing and where they need to be headed in order for their work to be acceptable in their college career. I know my first rubric was too broad and my second wasn't tailored enough for my students.
Another thing I realized is that I have been too easy on my students with late work and I think that has affected their process work. I don't think that I am harsh enough and have a good enough policy to keep them on track. I should be more brutal about taking away points and not counting work that wasn't turned in on time. This, however, should have been something that I started at the beginning of the semester. I think the worst part about grading for English 1000 is that the students only pass or fail. In my attempt to start taking away the focus on grades, I think I lost many students because they don't understand the grades they're getting right now nor do they see the importance of making their work better.
One thing that I have realized I am not as prepared to teach is grammar. I wasn't able to take the teaching grammar class and I struggle to find ways to teach grammar mini-lessons that are effective and implement Best Practices. I know that I've seen the importance of teaching grammar, because I am a grammar guru of sorts, but I don't think I passed on to my students just how important grammar is in their work, especially when they are turning in a final draft that needs to be polished and professional. One idea that I've had, thinking about taking English 479, is how important it is for students work to be published. It has made me wonder how I can or the program could foster this more. I love the current project we're working on in which the students write a letter to someone on campus about an issue that they have. I hope that it encourages them to work really hard.
One final thing that I really wish I would have worked on is genre. I've given my students tons of style guides and sample pieces of the genres that we've done and because of their laziness, they haven't read them, nor have they followed them. They just do what they think will pass and leave it at that. I think that I could have worked more on reading to them what they genre sounds like and also reading with them so they can actually hear themselves reading something in the genre that we're working on.
If only laziness weren't such an issue.....
One thing that I have really been thinking a lot about is grading. I have realized that grading is much more complex than I previously thought. Knowing your students well can affect the way that you look at their work....I'm definitely guilty of thinking about what a student wrote and what they're capable of, instead of just looking at the work. Plus I don't really want to fail anyone if I don't have to, so I think I'm too nice quite a bit.
I've also realized taht grading is about way more than giving a grade. It's about finding the best ways to let students know how they're doing and where they need to be headed in order for their work to be acceptable in their college career. I know my first rubric was too broad and my second wasn't tailored enough for my students.
Another thing I realized is that I have been too easy on my students with late work and I think that has affected their process work. I don't think that I am harsh enough and have a good enough policy to keep them on track. I should be more brutal about taking away points and not counting work that wasn't turned in on time. This, however, should have been something that I started at the beginning of the semester. I think the worst part about grading for English 1000 is that the students only pass or fail. In my attempt to start taking away the focus on grades, I think I lost many students because they don't understand the grades they're getting right now nor do they see the importance of making their work better.
One thing that I have realized I am not as prepared to teach is grammar. I wasn't able to take the teaching grammar class and I struggle to find ways to teach grammar mini-lessons that are effective and implement Best Practices. I know that I've seen the importance of teaching grammar, because I am a grammar guru of sorts, but I don't think I passed on to my students just how important grammar is in their work, especially when they are turning in a final draft that needs to be polished and professional. One idea that I've had, thinking about taking English 479, is how important it is for students work to be published. It has made me wonder how I can or the program could foster this more. I love the current project we're working on in which the students write a letter to someone on campus about an issue that they have. I hope that it encourages them to work really hard.
One final thing that I really wish I would have worked on is genre. I've given my students tons of style guides and sample pieces of the genres that we've done and because of their laziness, they haven't read them, nor have they followed them. They just do what they think will pass and leave it at that. I think that I could have worked more on reading to them what they genre sounds like and also reading with them so they can actually hear themselves reading something in the genre that we're working on.
If only laziness weren't such an issue.....
Monday, November 3, 2008
11/03/08 - The Shock and Awe Day
Today class went really well...at least I thought so.
I started class by talking with my students about the organization activity we did the previous Wednesday and asked them what they learned from that activity, if anything. Many said they thought that they got the point and that it was effective for helping them understand the importance of organization. One student was honest and said he didn't learn anything while another told me that he thought it would have been better if I had typed out the information myself so that there weren't holes where the pictures were. I had to make sure I took note of all of this. It's good to encourage students to reflect and let them tell you what they thought.
The next thing I did was give them back their Project 2s. I had them read over the comments and ask me any questions I had. This also was good. Some students finally asked me what certain comments that I made meant.
I followed that activity by handing out the rubric for Project 3 so that they could all see what they would be graded on. I asked them if they thought it was fair and they all agreed that it was.
Finally, I had them write their reflection for Project 3 so that we could wrap that up. The students were very focused for this and many took a little longer this time than they normally do for the reflection. I can't wait to read them!
With project 3 finished and handed in, I moved on a new topic. I told the students that there were some crazy errors on Project 2 and that we needed to look at a few of them. Before looking at their errors or even learning and clarifying a few things, I handed out the Spell Checking Poem. I had one of the students read it and then I told them that the poem had made it through the computer spell check. They couldn't believe it. They thought that was crazy. I then took this opportunity to tell them about some of the things that probably made it past spell check in their papers, particulary homonyms and homophones. I asked them to write down for me several words after I gave them a description of the word and the context in which it could be used. These words included: wont and won't, they're their and there, etc. The student were shocked taht they made these errors. When we were finished talking about those words, I gave them a handout with the list of words that can easily be confused so they could remind themselves and have a reference if they ever got confused. I ended this grammar time with 2 overheads of errors they made on Project 2. I had at least 2 sentences from each student and we looked at most of the examples. Again they were shocked at what they did. I think it was an effective way to get them to pay more attention in their writing.
The final thing we did in class was a peer review of their rough draft letter for Project 4. The students had a sheet to fill out with a partner and I gave them instructions. Again, they were very focused and did well. I had four students that didn't do a rough draft and I had them all come up to the front to chat with me. I talked with them about their topics and had each one begin a rough draft in their own handwriting.
I ended class by handing out the checklist for Project 4 and reminded them that it was due.
They then all hung around for Writing Studio where they did a read around of their letters and talked about things they needed to do.
I started class by talking with my students about the organization activity we did the previous Wednesday and asked them what they learned from that activity, if anything. Many said they thought that they got the point and that it was effective for helping them understand the importance of organization. One student was honest and said he didn't learn anything while another told me that he thought it would have been better if I had typed out the information myself so that there weren't holes where the pictures were. I had to make sure I took note of all of this. It's good to encourage students to reflect and let them tell you what they thought.
The next thing I did was give them back their Project 2s. I had them read over the comments and ask me any questions I had. This also was good. Some students finally asked me what certain comments that I made meant.
I followed that activity by handing out the rubric for Project 3 so that they could all see what they would be graded on. I asked them if they thought it was fair and they all agreed that it was.
Finally, I had them write their reflection for Project 3 so that we could wrap that up. The students were very focused for this and many took a little longer this time than they normally do for the reflection. I can't wait to read them!
With project 3 finished and handed in, I moved on a new topic. I told the students that there were some crazy errors on Project 2 and that we needed to look at a few of them. Before looking at their errors or even learning and clarifying a few things, I handed out the Spell Checking Poem. I had one of the students read it and then I told them that the poem had made it through the computer spell check. They couldn't believe it. They thought that was crazy. I then took this opportunity to tell them about some of the things that probably made it past spell check in their papers, particulary homonyms and homophones. I asked them to write down for me several words after I gave them a description of the word and the context in which it could be used. These words included: wont and won't, they're their and there, etc. The student were shocked taht they made these errors. When we were finished talking about those words, I gave them a handout with the list of words that can easily be confused so they could remind themselves and have a reference if they ever got confused. I ended this grammar time with 2 overheads of errors they made on Project 2. I had at least 2 sentences from each student and we looked at most of the examples. Again they were shocked at what they did. I think it was an effective way to get them to pay more attention in their writing.
The final thing we did in class was a peer review of their rough draft letter for Project 4. The students had a sheet to fill out with a partner and I gave them instructions. Again, they were very focused and did well. I had four students that didn't do a rough draft and I had them all come up to the front to chat with me. I talked with them about their topics and had each one begin a rough draft in their own handwriting.
I ended class by handing out the checklist for Project 4 and reminded them that it was due.
They then all hung around for Writing Studio where they did a read around of their letters and talked about things they needed to do.
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