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.
Monday, March 31, 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
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?
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?
Thursday, March 6, 2008
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.
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.
Gilmore 3-4
I enjoyed this part of the book as well. This text has helped me in evaluating the way I approach essay writing. I can use the tools and helpful hints provided by Gilmore to not only help my future students, but to help me now. essay writing has always been a sort of hard task for me, with what to write and what my teacher expects. With what I have learned from reading Gilmore, I can now approach writing with a key understanding of simply proving my point well. I know my students can use what I have learned to better their writing and I intend to carry on what I learned from this book to my students. This part of of the text teaches students to increase their understanding of language and its use. I think that if I was introduced to this book long ago I would have been able to write not only more clearly but with a better understanding of just how important the knowledge of language use is to writing.
As discussed i n chapter three, letting others review your work is most effective in gaining a clear assessment of what is written well and different ways to improve it. I always like to have a lot of opinions on my writing and it helps me to improve what may already be good and make it it's best. I think that Gilmore's most effective idea was pointing out the good in other peoples writing, not only does it act as a sample, but also provides hope to who don't feel very confident about their own ability. I also think that the use of technology to is very important. Gilmore refers to it as typing, in one instants. But, what about those students who don't have access to those resources how they familiarizes themselves with using technology? It just makes me wonder how those of us who choose to go into the inner city schools to teach, will provide our students with that kind of knowledge. I aways hope that things get better and more equal but I deep down know its all but impossible.
As discussed i n chapter three, letting others review your work is most effective in gaining a clear assessment of what is written well and different ways to improve it. I always like to have a lot of opinions on my writing and it helps me to improve what may already be good and make it it's best. I think that Gilmore's most effective idea was pointing out the good in other peoples writing, not only does it act as a sample, but also provides hope to who don't feel very confident about their own ability. I also think that the use of technology to is very important. Gilmore refers to it as typing, in one instants. But, what about those students who don't have access to those resources how they familiarizes themselves with using technology? It just makes me wonder how those of us who choose to go into the inner city schools to teach, will provide our students with that kind of knowledge. I aways hope that things get better and more equal but I deep down know its all but impossible.
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