Group 4: Grammar

Well as for the group I think that they did a great job, but I already new about the book because of English 574: Teaching Grammar. But I think they helped me to appreciate the book a lot more. Before I had only read the chapter that my group was assigned, which was about using different leads to began a paper. Other than that I had not taken a look at the book. Although had be exposed to some of its content from other groups in the grammar class. I think out of all the books this book was most informative to teachers. Mainly, because grammar is usually everyones worst nightmare. I think Noden works toward getting grammar back into classroom with ease and less tension. I think that is what makes the book so useful. It helps teachers to realize that not only do they not have to be perfect they can teach grammar to kids while making it a lot of fun.

I think with the way they used the book to teach us certain techniques was exactly what Noden wanted his book to be able to do. It's a great teaching guide, and I think that it was very beneficial to not only us but the instructors. I never really thought about grammar at all before this semester and I think that I have learned a lot of helpful things from this course. I think most of all the greatest thing I got out of this groups presentation is that we are stereotyped to have be like experts on things like grammar and spelling just because we are English majors but really most are not and we don't have to be. I'm glad that came up because people are always correcting me if I may say something wrong or mispronounce a word in a conversation and then ask, "How you gon teach english?" (see the irony!) I'm just glad someone else thinks the same thing.

Good Job group 4!

Group 3: Poetry

I enjoyed this group's presentation mainly because I enjoy poetry in general. I was absent from the first day and my only question is did they reference the book on the first day? I really want to know what there book was about. Other than that I think they each did a good job. I think the part that stuck out most to me was Robin's portion. I loved how he gave us a minute to jog our memory so that we could have some material to write our poetry. I think that was a great technique and I'm sure I will use in my classroom.

Overall, I enjoyed their portion of the project; and I loved participating in the writing process. I think that showed how well they planned each persons part and I really enjoyed that they allowed us to express our selves. Good job group 3!

Christensen Confrence

I was unable to attend the Teacher talk segment on Thursday but luckily the Friday morning conference included another intro/activity that allowed us to get to know Christensen. I don't really remember us discussing the Tea Party in class, but I did remember reading about it in the book and after actually participating in one I think that is a another innovative way to get students interested in learning. I think that students respond so well to teachers who can make learning fun and I feel like we are learning really great ways to make learning fun because I myself enjoyed High School (yeah I'm a proud nerd!) but I think a lot more people would have enjoyed it if they experienced these methods of teaching.

I really didn't have any expectations about Christensen; I have saw on others blogs that they expected her to be different I really didn't expect her to be anything. Maybe i should have? I don't know but interacting with her was a great experience. I enjoyed the fact that she took time out to give us advice and to explain her methods. I never got a chance to ask my question about why she focuses on problems more than successes but I think I understand more and more why she wants her students to be aware. I mean look at the economy and the state of America, its crumbling and maybe if more teachers taught and focused on the wrongs in America their students might work to improve them.

I basically just enjoyed the fact that the conference was more like pointers workshop for us future teachers I came in thinking it would be a lot more hands on but I guess that would not benefit us as much as hearing and asking questions about what others have done with their students. I enjoyed the poetry workshop it was great to here from someone just starting and out. She really had dig in order to get her students to truly interact with her on a personal level and I never really thought about that aspect of the job because although I feel like I can relate to kids, they just might see me as this old dinosaur that could never understand them . I really though : "Hey! Their gonna love me!" Now I'm not so sure. But I guess we will see!

Group 2: Communities (My Group)

The beginning of the first day was rocky... very rocky. But, as the discussion got underway it improved. I think the pictures assignment got everyone thinking and a little more open to the topic. The book was not as helpful as I thought it would be so the intros and discussions were up to us. I thought at first that this was horrible and I critized the book but I think that as teachers, most of the work and intros come from us. As in we have to develop them for ourselves. So I guess the book did its job.

The second day was fun. This gave me a chance to act the way ignorant people treat me sometimes. Not only that, everyone elses reactions were surprising as well. Once the African American group figured that they couldn't do anything without getting arrested they did nothing. And the special needs people couldn't really get what they wanted either becuase they weren't allowed to question things. I think the reactions of the white group was the funniest of them all they loved their privleges so much that they never notcied the fact that everyone else needed help. That was the most surprising to me. Only one of them cared about the other groups. Maybe this is a sign that the predjuices that people have are human nature.

Group 1: Multi-genre

I loved doing the actual mini-project on multi genre. It was fun to actually want to research something. There is a difference between an assigned topic and a topic of your choice. I can't wait until I get the opportunity to try this out with my own students. I hope that they can see the importance of expressing themselves in different way (other than essays). I know we kind of debated about this kind of assignment and giving the students so much freedom, but I think teachers don't give them enough freedom to think for themselves.

I often heard freshman from most of my professors that they were going help us mold our own way of thinking as appose to the way we were taught and expected to think. I think that this kind of exercise is important to help students to understnad they do have a mind of their own and that they do have a choice. I would caution doing this kind of asssignment with freshmens in high schools though becuase their minds are too fresh possibly, to stay on track. I would still consider letting them do the assignment but it would be in a little more guarded way with something that we have studied to guide their topics.

Christensen Questions????

1. Why do you focus so much on the negative as appose to the positive accomplishments of social justice?

2. Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the responsibility that you have in teaching your students to think for themselves?

3. How do you feel about what you have accomplished as a teacher in regards to your overall goal of combining social justice issues and English?

Gilmore 5-7

Me and test writing don't get along at all. I tend to panic if there is more than a paragraph expected. It takes me very long time to get my ideas organized and out of my head. I rarely have time left to follow Gilmore's steps. I sometime try and follow those steps as write taking up more to time and making me lose some of the ideas that were trapped in my head. What is Gilmore's advise those students, those who are good writers but the pressure and fear test inhibits their ability? How do I approach students like myself? How do I differentiate between those students and those who don't try, when their mistakes look the same? I agree with most of what Gilmore suggest what about those who have trouble? I can see that this paragraph is full of unanswered question but I guess that's what the text suppose to do, make me think.

I already discussed my thoughts on revision using technology but this chapter does make me see how important the use of technology is to improving students writing. Mainly because it teaches me the effective ways to do so through, while still making it fun. This chapter did answer a vital question: How do you approach revising creative writing? How do you ask a student to revise something so personal? her methods are great in allowing the student to keep the authenticity of a their writing. The teacher can help the students improve their use of stylistic expression, while strengthening their writing. I think that Gilmore's are helpful to show that students can express themselves even better through revision.