Public Writing

Public Writing

Reader Response Chapter 5

Content Area Writing Text    

 

 

Public writing, much like public speaking, has always been an activity I have tried to avoid. For instance, this Blog for class is a bit frightening. I’m not one to share much and now I’m posting responses and feelings weekly for the entire World Wide Web to read. It’s not that I’m afraid of being analyzed for errors so much as what I think is personal and I’d rather not share as much as others.

 

Traits of public writing define a work as work. No longer is the writing assignment a simple task that can be cranked out the night before in a single effort. Each one of the listed seven traits

add substance to the extent of the task.

·         Substantial

·         Planned

·         Authoritative

·         Conventional

·         Composed

·         Edited

·         Graded

The main thrust at this point appears to be the maturity of the written work produced. The idea is to present a text that is longer and prepared not just a quick exit slip or a journal entry for one or two eyes.

 

My target age is 11 – 14. At this age, depending, there are many challenges in their writing abilities; simple structure, spelling, and plagiarism to name a few, mostly, ambition. Writing in Junior High is not often viewed as a pleasant task. I appreciate the points made in the text supporting the process. When students are presented with options and brainstorming ideas, they can hone in on topics that are of interest. This will help the motivation levels. To do this in class is even better. If the directions are unclear, attempting a first write at home may create frustration, limiting motivation. Providing time to write in class is a great plan as it grants students access to the instructor as well as influence from peers.

Lastly, I like the point made that it is the teachers’ responsibility to set up the assignment for success. Plagiarism prevention may be as easy as a properly worded assignment.  

 

 

Chapter 8 Reader Response

Developing Vocabulary and Concepts

Reader Response   Chapter 8

 

Vocabulary is, and always will be, vital to my content area of science. The author describes vocabulary in many interesting ways:

 

“Vocabulary is as unique to a content area as fingerprints are to a human being.” (pg. 234)

 

Memorization of the academic language and the definitions will enlighten students to the meaning of the word. It’s the conceptual knowledge of the word that is important in the long run.

 

What I took away from the first part of the chapter was that while vocabulary is important, its comprehension “through exploring word meanings” that is the key.  Flashcards seem immature for some but they are a well used technique for committing vocabulary words and their dictionary meaning to memory. However, while simple memorization my support a required exam, it is often a short term process as a mean to the end. The trick is to develop instructional alternatives that will allow students to make connections between prior knowledge of necessary vocabulary and strategies that will offer clarity to word meanings. True understanding of the meanings and connections will develop a deeper more long term working knowledge of any vocabulary list.

 

I am quite visual and would rather see the main points of a chapter laid out in an organized list or possibly defined through a video. There was a great deal of emphasis in this chapter that defined the use of graphic organizers. These visual concept maps are very direct in simplifying an outline by communicating through the linking of vocabulary. Many of the textbooks I have used in my previous classes teaching have graphic organizers in the beginning pages of each unit. It is beneficial to take the time to go over these organizers with the students. Allow students to ask questions and make connections from one level to the next as well as box to box.

 

Knowing how to make these connections can be a challenge. This course is about engaging student reading and promoting reading skills for better comprehension in all content areas. Directly related is the component of writing to learn. Connections can be made with graphic organizers by teaching students how to make their own graphic organizers. Before unleashing an arts and crafts project, it is important to present a list of key terms and basic concepts of the unit to be organized. Prepare them to succeed and allow for individual creativity in the organizers.

 

I guess the one I found to be most realistic was “Word Sorts” (pg. 252). This process allows students to activate their prior knowledge through a writing to learn strategy that engages groups, not just individuals. Students are allowed to create written lists or categories based on key vocabulary words. They then sort out the words looking for shared features among their meanings. What I saw as a great benefit was that the Word Sort strategy granted students a chance to learn from each other as they discussed and shared their prior knowledge in the process.

 

This chapter was very informative as it offered many strategies with well defined diagrams. Each set of strategies was accompanied by an example for clarity. I can see myself using these concepts in my classroom.   

 

My Daughter's English Assignment

My daughter is in 9th grade at Thomas Jefferson High school. Three weeks ago she was given an assignment in English class to write an original "Origin Myth". They are reading the "Odyssey" and have been discussing mythology in class.

Write an original myth? Wow, I wish I had an assignment like that when I was in high school. My daughter was most worried about the fact that it was to be 1 to 2 pages in length (double spaced). She was concerned that it was to long and she would never fill two pages. As the assignment goes, there was to be a hero, a villain, addition influential characters, and 5 dialogue statements.

She looked blankly at the directions and appeared lost and confused. "This is stupid!" and stormed out of the room.

While I felt her pain, I saw the importance in the writing lesson. To truly understand and enjoy the mythology in the Odyssey, creating ones own myth would certainly be beneficial.

I took the opportunity to explain the basic pretense of TEGR 585 and how important it is to learn how to write so you can enhance your reading skills. In perfect teenage form, she used all  her understanding of mythology to trick her Father by saying.......

"If I only had a muse, someone with creative talents that could guide my pen and whisper in my ear!"

Needless to say, a myth about the origins of the lakes in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area  was penned with the assistance of an aged muse.  It will be interesting to see what her teacher says about it all.

Chapter 3 Culturally Responsive Teaching in Diverse Classrooms

   Culturally Responsive Teaching in Diverse Classrooms

Reader Response   Chapter 3

As I read this chapter, I have flashbacks of my days in elementary school. I grew up in Anoka, MN. At the risk of sounding crass, Anoka was “white”. It was the 60’s and 70’s but realistically, the entire school district was white. Diversity was a term used to define where you went to church on Sunday; Lutheran or Catholic. I didn’t experience any sort of diversity until I reached high school. And there it wasn’t an issue of culture or linguistic diversity as it was skin color.

The diversity of the classrooms in Anoka is wildly different today than when I was a student. This is a good thing as it promotes a sense of community at a young age. Hopefully, allowing for tolerance as students mature through the grades. As a teacher, I am made up of the sum total of my experiences. From my meager beginnings in low diversity to my current place on earth, I have learned that diversity is a blessing that offers many significant views to a classroom. As a teacher, it is my job to allow those views and voices to be heard and shared with all the class.

 

This is a daunting task, especially if there is a language barrier. The English language is difficult to understand with a unique set of ever changing slang terms and common phrases. Teachers can often take these details for granted thinking that everyone understands. Culture and language are often tightly combined making clear communication a challenge.

 

Voices from the Classroom about Tim Fitzpatrick (page 53) shows how a teacher goes to great lengths to understand the needs of his students. I liked the way he used journal writing and extra communication early in the year to grasp the big picture of his new students. As I am also a science teacher, I am always on the lookout for quick tips that will improve my approach. The idea of using autobiographies, starting with the earliest childhood memories is certainly a tool I can use. This task used in the ABC’s of Cultural Understanding and Communication appears to be a tool for a language arts class. However, with further reflection, I can see how it would allow a deeper understanding of each student’s sum total of their experiences.

Culturally responsible teaching should reach beyond the classroom as well. Funds of Knowledge (page 61) points out that family and home life are key elements to a student’s academic and social success. Culturally responsible teachers will make efforts to connect with families of their students.  A strong understanding of the cultural dynamic at home will illuminate the classroom as to appropriate lesson plans and expectations for homework.

My history as a student here in Minnesota dictates my study habits as well as my style of writing and questioning during class, academic values, if you will. Other cultures will have their own style as well. Expectations and values may be different. This does not mean they are wrong, just different. This may create a challenge to a teacher to create a separate array of questions and have acceptable levels of participation. Even the value placed on material possessions from culture to culture can provide a forum for bullying and discrimination. Levels of income and high-poverty communities can create additional cultural barriers. Teachers with the knowledge of these constraints can re-align their lesson plans and objectives to target benchmarks differently.

 

While I know that repetitive vocabulary testing is boring and often misunderstood as busy work and simple memorization. I truly believe, especially in science disciplines, repeated reading strategy and vocabulary exercises will strengthen ESL students understanding and comprehension. Writing the words and writing the meanings is a boring strategy yet effective. Teachers must take additional time to insure that the meanings are accurate and clear. This is especially true with ESL students. Some words or phrases may not have a translation to their native language. Alternate teaching methods should be adopted to insure comprehension.

Minnesota, the United States, and eventually the world, is changing with each generation. Cultural diversity is a gift. When addressing a problem, or attacking a task, the more views from diverse individuals, the greater the opportunity to successfully please the most people with the outcome.  That being said, teachers must adapt and begin to be culturally responsible in their methods. It is highly unlikely that diversity will lessen in the near future and acceptance of these cultural needs in the classroom is the right thing to do.

 

Write to learn reflection

My lesson was about vocab connections and creative writing. The lesson was masterminded in the presence of a group of 7^th grade boys. I challenged them to see how many vocab words they could use in a silly story. I granted them 20 minutes and the rest is history.

My problem was trying to take a full scale lesson and manipulate it down to a five minute write to learn presentation that would rival an exit slip presentation. Truth be told, I can barely introduce myself and say hello in less than 5 minutes. Downgrading this lesson was probably not the best option. It was not one that could be modeled successfully yet I hoped that if I explained the process well and defined the “You are a class of 7^th graders…..your next assignment is…” concept that everyone could grasp the basis of the writing connection. I am happy with the way it turned out. I think next time, however, I will try to dial in on something with less time constraints that can be presented, modeled, and evaluated in the assigned time frame.

FOCUS on the Essentials of Reading Instruction

Reading Response to supplemental pdf file: FOCUS on the Essentials of Reading Instruction.

 It was truly refreshing to read an article about reading texts aloud in a class setting. The grade of “F” awarded to the ineffective practice known as round robin or popcorn reading.  I am amazed at how, even today, this process is used quite extensively in middle schools. Or, at least, in the middle schools that I have been working in recently.

 Reading and comprehension need to go hand in hand. Assigning time for in class “silent” reading is a tricky format to adhere to as some students may use the time poorly. If offered time early in a class with the direction of Q&A after, there may be a higher success rate. However, there are some students that cannot read as quickly as others as well as those that have trouble with comprehension. 

I like the concept presented that it may be a sound idea to formulate questions prior to reading so students are actively engaged in generating good answers as they read the text.  Discussion will help assess comprehension and hopefully promote stronger reading skills.

Studying Text (Chapter 10)

Reading response for Content Area Reading, Chapter 10 StudyingText

 Studying Text was a thought provoking chapter. Earlier in the course of this class we discussed the topic that from K – 3, students learn to read. From 4 -12, students read to learn. This transition is not always clearly defined nor is it fairly presented to the students and their families. As students develop their habits (hopefully, good ones) they must apply “studying” to the list. As teachers often do; assignments to:  “study for the upcoming test”, are easily handed out. However, there is a special skill to knowing how to read to learn or study text. Chapter 10 has broken that process down with unique strategies that will allow most students the tools they need to breakdown text in such a way that will help them retain the essential information.

 The authors of most textbooks have researched and collated piles of information. Some is more important than others. When time is limited, as well as attention spans, it is vital to have a process that will allow students to read, record, and retain as much of the information as possible. In order to achieve this goal, it is important to work smart and stay focused.

 I can appreciate the base process of visually scanning the unit. This allows students to make some simple observations of how the unit is broken down and how it may be categorized for study. Text structure can be listed with comparison to the table of contents. Breaking the unit into smaller, more readable pieces would result in more control and more retention.

 As stated early in the chapter, “Studying text is hard work.” Yet often times a textbook is the main source of information in a given classroom. Studying that text and having summary writing skills can help concentrate the key ideas for review. Add that to a set of well taken lecture notes and students can create a solid resource guide for study and review.

 Personally, I am not a big fan of the graphic organizers and Venn diagrams. While they do display a certain amount of organization of information, they also tend to get complicated and spread out with bits and pieces of information that may not be as helpful as originally thought. The standardized cause and effect or problem and solution versions maybe more effective but only if used correctly for the curriculum/text in question.

 I feel that the T-note process and the Cornell Notes system maybe the best option. This opinion is based on my personal use of these frameworks as well as the clear description within chapter 10.

 I believe it is important that we, as teachers, take some time each semester to touch base with our students and offer these tools directly. As I stated earlier, 4 – 12 are reading to learn. We must take the time to help them know how to do this successfully. Chapter 10 has compiled an extensive list that can be immediately applied to a classroom setting.