UNTIL LATER

Thanks to all of you for enlightening me to academic, administrative and teaching issues that I was not aware of. Also thanks for your input and for a writing and teaching experience that will influence my writing and teaching in the future. Good luck to all of you and have a great summer!!!

final thoughts

What an amazing experience it was sharing our narratives. So many of us came through some major obstacles to get where we are. So much talent and so much passion. It was my pleasure to spend my summer with you all. This has changed who I am.

I am once again a writer.

See ya!

What a whirlwind we have been on but I could not have chosen a better group of travelers to journey with. Thank you for the support and encouragement you have given to me.

Final Day

I experienced one of the best courses/classes/professional and personal writing groups ever found in America. Thank you for starting AWP in Athens, Ohio. Teachers in south-east Ohio are some of the best to be found! I plan to be in a reading group, people, so join up!

Link to National Writing Project Evaluations

Here's the link to the NWP evaluations. Have fun!

Inverness

The password is "writer" without the quotation marks.

Chad's lesson for Google Docs!

I have already begun to experiment with Chad's advice that he freely parted to me earlier in the course. I have learned much and have new questions to ask my tech man. I agree with Don; tech guys are useful and nice, so be nice to them.

Chad's Demo

Fantastic and really informative presentation. Google and Chad Rocks

!!!

Chad's Demo

Please add a comment here to say something about Chad's Demo.  Feel free to ask questions as well.

SUMMER INSTITUTE by Lisa Grays

Ohio University A W P

Summer Institute was the place to be

Teachers from all over, teaching one another

Sherrie,Deb, Talinn and Don, our brother

Parking drama and walking up 'the hill'

ID cards, oh what a thrill

Donald Murray, Qualley, and Bean

Teaching Demos and Journaling

Reflexivity and Inquiry

Computer Lab and Alden Library

A personal visit from the author of Cion

Reading Circles and Gloria Steinham

Biography Commonalities

Annotated Bibliographies

Art Museum on Writing Instruction

Conferences and Group Discussion

Laurie, Eileen, Beth and Lisa

Karen, Sylvia, Chad and Tina

Shannon and Sandra, Kaye, Brenda, Scott

Angel and Lori, we all learned a lot

We are writers, we have something to say

Listen to our Narratives on Visitor's Day

We love to write, we love to teach

We'll never become a Starberry Sneech!

So thank you all, it's been WAY COOL

We'll be better teachers back at our school.

the art of teaching writing

I feel this book is very much worth reading. As I said earlier, it is for elementary teachers. I don't think high school teachers would get a lot out of it. The first 15 chapters were the best, but all had something to offer. An easy read, with great examples.

The Art of Teaching Writing

I have really enjoyed reading this book aimed at elementary school teachers. It was very usable and had many adaptable ideas for my classroom. I especially received help looking at the chapters for other grade levels and knowing a bit more of the way writing workshops can be set up there also. The first part of the book interested all of us, even though we were educators from Preschool through 6th grade. The last of the book was a little harder to get involved in because of time restraints and individualized themes. I'm definitely going to go back and reread some of the chapters that we "skimmed" as a group. I give this book a "thumbs up!"

Grade Level Books

I felt THE ART OF TEACHING WRITING was a jewel. I definitely plan to reread it with more focus after our time here is finished. Calkin did a great job of presenting ways to engage children in authentic writing experiences and helping students to see themselves as authors. The text provided much detailed information on how to enrich writing tasks for young children.

On the other hand, it is a lengthy text and our group felt we were rushing too much to try to get through it. It would have been more beneficial to spend more time on the beginning chapters of the book. Most teachers would see the value of the information and complete the later chapters on their own.

book club review

I was part of the Lucy Caulkins book group. This book is a real gem. Lot of ideas of how it works, how it looks, what to expect, and trouble shooting mixed with experiences from classes she has worked with. As a group, we felt the need to get through the book, and it was a thick one. We chose to split up the book, chapter by chapter with each person picking the chapter they thought they might like to read and report on. The rush to complete meant that we didn't spend as much time on the key ideas and chapters as was needed. The first few chapters really are the most important and the rest get into details that not everyone felt were pertinent. I think that if we had been given more guidance going in, then we would have gotten more out of it as a group. This was a book I think you should use again, but with some direction before hand.

The Art of Teaching Writing

Lucy McCormick Calkin's book for elementary educators is an excellent resource. Of particular note are chapters 1-5. Chapters 6-10 focus on PreK - upper elementary. Chapters 11-20 focus on the ongoing structures in the writing workshop. Any easy read with many examples.

Inquiry As A Stance

I feel the book is a lot of theory to absorb in a very short amount of time. I suggest giving the book early with some guides prior to SI. I think it would be better to read some theory and some case studies--back and forth. The discussion groups help to break it down. It is a great resource for my professional library. I feel the case studies are beneficial. I would totally leave out the last chapter as required reading. If you want to read it sometime when you have nothing else to do... The section on NCLB is interesting and will benefit my inquiry search. I am sick of evidence presented by "Those who can do and those who can't teach" mentality.

Inquiry as Stance

The chapter that I found most interesting in this book was chapter 3 which deals with NCLB and high stakes testing. Particularly, I found the discussion of how the law is changing the way teaching is done as interesting.

A bit of an eye-opener, was the discussion of politicians attacking the teachers' union and teachers as a whole.

Perhaps I'm a bit of a conspiracy theorist, but I believe NCLB was intended to weaken and/or break the teachers' union and this was backed up by some of the comments in the text.

Inquiry as Stance

Our high school/college reading level book - Inquiry as Stance Practitioner Research for a New Generation - opened up the practical issues of conducting research by those who are actually in the classroom. Though an educator's life is busy and full, it is so important that we take the time to document the challenges facing us and conduct formal research based on representative models that can be used in various venues, especially for the purpose of educating non-educators, administrators, and legislators about those issues. The first part of the book provided theoretical evidence about the benefit of this research and the last part of the book provided case studies that were valuable in context. As discussed in class, the information was very dense for the quick read assignment in the S.I., and a complete restructuring of the book in terms of organization could have been more conducive for a more comprehensive study.

Middle School Book

The Glascow book was really helpful!! I loved the unit ideas and writing activities she presents!! I will absolutely use this book....out of all of the books we were assigned to read, I feel that this one was the most practical!!

Glascow

This book provided excellent examples of how to incorporate reading and writing strategies into a language arts or a social studies class. It gave detailed information in a lesson plan format that a teacher could use if teaching that particular topic. As a mathematics teacher, I would have preferred to read a book that was designed toward reading and writing across the curriculum.

The Art of Teaching Writing

I thought that this was an interesting book. It's an easy read, but at over 500 pages it takes awhile to get through. I thought that the first part of the book was the best. When it begins to break into the different genres in Section 4, I began to lose interest. I really liked the chapters on setting up a writing workshop, but would have liked to see a schedule of how it could work in a classroom. Overall, I recommend this book.

Reading Recommendations from Class Discussion

Yesterday in the AM discussion, several people discussed recommendations for summer reading.  Here are a few that were mentioned:

• The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews
• The Shack by William P. Young
• The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
• The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
• River of Earth by James Still
• The "Kinsey Millhone" series (A is for Alibi) by Sue Grafton
• The "Stephanie Plum" series (One for the Money) by Janet Evanovich
• The "Lincoln Rhyme" series (The Burning Wire) by Jeffery Deaver
• Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
• Layla and Majnun by Nizami
• Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
• The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert

Here's How To Attach a Picture and a Link

Right above in the posting box is a toolbar.  Use those to tools to add pictures and links.

Here is a link to the National Writing Project Website.

LAST FEW DAYS

My goodness, this month flew by so quickly. And in looking back we have accomplished so much. That is a testament to excellent facilitators in Sherrie, Don and Tillin and a well organized program. I haven't written so much using the archaic long hand method since I was in grade school, so I started off pretty rusty, but eventually I got the hang of it again, like riding a bike (!). And I didn't find it to be nearly as adverse as I had anticipated. I'm sure that we are going to write a wrap up blog, so I will save other thoughts for then.

We covered so much today with Tina's excellent teaching demo and poignant letter, along with the valuable prompt this morning that resulted in our introduction to the inquiry paper. Thank you, Don, for that nudge, and thank you, Tina, for your expertise.

Tomorrow is going to be exciting and I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's narratives. Good luck to all of us on the annotated bibliographies.

Book talks

I loved the books talks. Gave me some ideas of books to read other than children's books which I love. They are so to the point without messing around with language, sex, etc. just good storytelling. Having said that, I don't mind reading the above, but sometimes I feel that it is overused. Another book people might be interested in if one likes horror is an anthology of horror by E.F. Benson. He wrote during the late 1800's and early 1900's. Most of his horror is suggested rather than "in your face". I am rereading it for the second time.

Time

Time is valuable. Thank you for allowing us the time to work on our paper today. I am so much more productive when I work on campus.

Writing Time

I just wanted to say how much I appreciated the time today to do some research and some writing. I think I have all the sources I need now, and have a decent start on my annotated bib. Hopefully tonight I can get the annotations done!

putting pen to paper

I do not know why it has taken me so long to acknowledge my desire to write a memoir of my mother. Perhaps it's because in my subconscious, I have a difficult time confronting the reality that my parents will not be around for too many more years. Five years ago, I designed a present for them, which I called "meaningful memories". It took me a few months to write down some of my favorite childhood memories. Many were written on scrap paper as they came to me. At any rate, I selected 30 or so of my favorites, transcribed them into calligraphy and designed a border to go around the writing. I had this framed and gave it to them as a Christmas present. They loved it. The summer writing institute has reawakened this part of my creative spirit. I intend to set aside time to delve into collecting what I am certain will be inspiring stories of my mother's.

Morning writing prompts

I feel that as our class time is coming to an end, I have been encouraged by other teachers/students and by Don and Sherrie to go forth and write. The two books that I have procrastinated about writing and having published may become real life in the near future. With all of the information that we have learned and that Karen has shared also about being published, I feel encouraged that, even I, could write a book. The first prompt this morning helped me to really see what my obstacles have been and I believe that I know where I can go for the help needed. Thanks so much!

Tuesday's art, four journal choices, and annotated work...

Kaye, please blog your love letter to writing! Be confident, woman. Sylvia, the restroom stall inscription from first floor Ellis reads----"Watch with glittering eyes the world around you. The most extraordinary things exist where you least expect it. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it" (R. Dahl)---- and should interest you! We love Roald Dahl. So, my point is this: all of you read his "adult" stories for an uproariously fun evening. Also, since we are working on citing sources, I have a tie-in to the quote. The quote has not been checked; source of it is dubious at best.
Thank you to Tina for a merry morning of masterpiece creations! Good luck to all of us on our papers due next week!

Does anyone have a detailed list of awesome learning moments from AWP this summer that he/she is willing to share?

One more model Inquiry Paper

Lois Spencer generously provided us with her Inquiry Paper for people to look at and use as a model.  Lois is a tremendous writer; I highly recommend looking at her work.

Click here to read Lois Spencer's Inquiry Paper

Thanks for sharing, Lois!

So Much to Talk About!

I don't even know where to begin today! I feel like so much was covered in such a short period of time! I LOVED Tina's lesson and her enthusiasm! I'm going to steal this idea and translate it into my own classroom! I also appreciated the writing prompts given to us this morning! The letters to writing were just so much fun to listen to!

As for my personal summer reading list, here are a few of my favorites:

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

The Birth of Venus and In the Company of the Courtesan both by Sarah Dunant

Geek Love by Katherine Dunn

These are all really textural vivid books about really eccentric characters and situations! On a fairly unrelated note, if you've not seen a movie called Mary and Max, you simply must!!! I watched it last night. Seriously one of the best movies I've ever seen!!

Dear Writing

Dear Writing,
I hope your summer has been as rich and full as mine. The biggest part of my summer has been the four weeks I have spent getting to reconnect with you. What a gift it has been.
Remember those days when we visited daily? You were part of the long letters I wrote from college and then from Oregon to connect my loved ones to my life. You were there when I needed to journal about being a new mom and all the fears that it held. You held my hand while I vented, calmed, then made new discoveries about myself.
I am forever grateful for your company while I was in graduate school. We learned about computers and the internet together. I know we are both better for having discovered spell check.
I don't know what happened, but we seemed to have drifted apart. Sure, I ran into you at work where we met over IEP's, progress reports and assessments, but you seemed cold and so matter-of-fact. Though you were always very professional, I missed our old relationship. Those nights when we stayed up late together studying my life and early mornings when everyone was asleep were my favorite times with you. When did my journal get lost amongst the pile of books next to my bed? I used to carry it everywhere.
This month gave me the opportunity to renew our old relationship. We started off stiffly and formal, but now I look forward to being with you and sharing my life once again. We were quite the team when it came to the autobiography, but I am feelign some hesitation when it come to the inquiry paper. Is it because you are afraid to go back to the business relationship? How about if I go out and buy us a new, beautiful journal so that we can start over? I promise to carry it everywhere. How do you feel about the sweet pink netbook? Can we try to use it a couple of times a week before we leave work?
I look forward to spending more time with you in bed, and in the hammock before school starts. I know you are concerned that the cross word puzzles will get in the way, but I think I can balance the two of you.
I am so glad we spent time together and I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you.
Love,
Tina

today's demo.

great lesson. What is nice about the lesson is that it can be applied to many different subjects. Animals would be a fun topic, and the students could draw the little bodies of the animals. You could also have them draw the habitat that you would fine the animal living in, such as fish in water. just a lot of fun, and a lot of learning. nice job!!

From the Rural Sites

Summer is a good time to catch up with books that have everyone talking. We hope you can join us for a discussion of Stieg Larsson's Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or the whole Millenium series on the NWP's Book Group Ning:
http://nwpbookgroups.ning.com/
The discussion will run from August 3 through August 17 and will be hosted by Bonnie Kaplan, Hudson Valley Writing Project. You can join the group(s) now or later. Read the books; see the movies; tell us what you think.

Inquiry Paper

Many of us have not done an in-depth research paper since college or graduate school, but like the resources that Don has provided for us, combined with the excellent resources that we have received in this program, it shouldn't be too difficult. I have found that narrowing down a specific research or inquiry question has been difficult. I've changed my focus three times, but I think I have finally found a topic that I want to know more about, that there is plenty of information about and may have societal value if taken to another level. No effort should be wasted, and this paper should provide a stepping stone to something more. I'm looking forward to discovering what my sources reveal about my topic.

I hope everyone has a good weekend!

Annotated Bibliography Resources

This morning, I offered some online resources for helping you put together your Annotated Bibliography (which is due next Thursday).   Here are a few I mentioned:

•  The Purdue Owl Writing Center has excellent explanations and sample works for you to look at.
• The Diana Hacker Website demonstrates how to cite a wide variety of sources in MLA style.
• Easybib is just one of many Citation Generators.

Furthermore, Sherrie reminds us that the last couple of chapters of  Reading Rhetorically is a fabulous resource for dealing with the "how to's" of MLA style (especially in dealing with the in-text attribution and the formatting of "hanging indents.")

Feel free to add a comment if you have additional questions or resources.

Here's a link to a Couple of Inquiry Papers

Several people have asked if they could see an example of an Inquiry Paper written by former SI participants.  Susan Hagerty, who led the Brown Bag Session on using online posters,  and Jayne Burger, who did the SI in 2008,  has generously offered their papers from a few years ago for people to look at.  You can find Susan's paper here  and you can find Jayne's paper here.

Thanks, Susan and Jayne!

The Art of Teaching Writing

I love this book! After the class and papers are all in, I plan on reading some of the chapters more closely. Going through them with our groups has helped to point out main points, but as I glimpse in between the highlights I see some really great illustrations from the classroom. Thanks to the elementary reading group!

BOOK MAKING AND TOURING THE "MUSEUM"

I am trying to figure out a way I can incorporate making books in my classes but I might be able to use the idea in a series of workshops I will be conducting this Fall for writing teachers instead.

The muesum tour approach to writing addressed a number of issues. Certainly showing us how to right a well focused summary as well as getting us up and out of our seats. It also created a true community of learners in that we reviewed each other's descriptions, anonymously, and had the opportunity and discuss.

Racist thoughts

I read the article with reflexive thoughts. I go back to my days in AZ when I thought I was the minority. I guess I was with white washed values. Probably why I am here after 10 years of struggling to fit in...

Another Day - they are starting to blur

What a day. The morning's activity really brought home what it is that we all hold dear when it comes to writing. It would have been interesting to ask this question at the beginning of the workshop and again at the end. I know I have learned much.
I am a big fan of the books Scott and Lori made as part of their Demo. Can we meet one lunch hour to go over some new ideas about book making? Maybe Tuesday?

museum tour

I enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts regarding writing instruction. What a great way to keep it all in focus and discover the common themes.

Thank you all for your willing spirits this morning as I shared some ideas for poetry. Mattie referred to celebrating his heartsong - what nurtured his soul. If anybody feels comfortable sharing their writing, I would love to hear it.

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

I hope I'm not the only one who is still slightly nervous about this Inquiry Paper. I'm not afraid of it but I need to get the ball rolling a little faster. Today seemed to be a day full of different moods and attitudes which is not a bad thing. Thank you Laurie for your calming and enjoyable lesson. Thank you Sherrie for facilitating such a rich conversation around Trainor's article. Thank you Don for the Art Museum writing activity, and Thank you all for each contribution made. I am gleaning SO MUCH from this class...Oh, and thanks to Scott for the cucumbers!!!

Thursday's Purge

I am going to repeat what I said in yesterday's blog, because the recommended book to read is worthwhile in many ways: whiteness issues, hidden racism, and critical reflexive conversations. By the way, my favorite book is Pride and Prejudice (I'm such a sucker for a mysterious man). For those of you in need of a memoir/novel to read, try Same Kind of Different As Me. Wow! It is told in two points of view (one is a formerly indigent black man, the other is affluent white).

In Trainor's work on page 109 it states, "Cintron writes that the most important human encounters are those that cause anxiety and even anger." I am still rolling around and circulating thoughts about cognitive development and adolescent maturity... anxiety and anger create walls, big ones at that. Children who feel that they have to defend (here as the white entity) themselves seem to be more emotionally threatened than some adults I have met. Limit ourselves through attempting conversations... I'll have to do more research.

On page 85 of Trainor's work I had to read the following sentence three times. I really believed that I had turned "stupid." Racist assertions do not always or even often originate in racist attitudes or belief.

I like the written piece I created during Laurie's lesson today, so thank you to Laurie for allowing time for my personal well-being! Good Job!

Musical Intel.

I was thinking today about the absence of music in my classroom.  It is something that I don't often include, but know that I should.  I believe that this year, during some journaling exercises, I will invite students to play their instruments softly and quietly while we write.  If it works fine, if it doesn't, fine.  Students playing need not complete the writing exercise.  I'm thinking instrumentals only, recordings are fine.

brain overload

I don't know about the rest of you, but today I feel I am suffering from brain overload. Great to probe our thinking. It helps to look deeper than the surface, even when it hurts. I know I can't fully comprehend someone else's experience, but it is important for me to listen carefully and attempt to understand.

I believe we will all walk away from this class with a deeper understanding and appreciation for writing and writing instruction, but we will also be able to make a difference in our little corner of the world through leadership and example.

Enjoyed the teaching demo.

This afternoon's discussion

I found one thing particularly interesting this afternoon concerning our discussion of class, race and culture.

The reading that we did was the same reading that I had to do as a freshman in college and again as a senior.

What struck me this time around though, was how much more reflexive I could be concerning the reading. Is this a result of maturity, education, development, or reflexivity? Interesting to think about...

ART WORK REVIEW

It was interesting how so many of us touched on the same theme when it comes to "good writing instruction". I like the idea of using the post a note cards. It forces you to cut out the fluff and right to the heart of the matter.

book making

I liked the book making. I have made them in the past, but have always used "boring" white paper. Using decorated or colored paper would be way cooler plus I could do units that way. I also liked the poetry with the art. Good way to get the students to see great art and read at the same time.

Inquiry Question

I am starting to feel the pressure of completing the research paper. Although I am at a comfortable spot to start reading the research, I am afraid that I won't be able to get it done in time. I appreciated Tina's comment today, "if it wasn't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done." This is how I have survived academia thus far so I guess I'll get it done in time.

Thursday -- Blog Time

Lots to chew on and respond to.  Don't forget to take a few minutes and comment on your classmates posts.  Blogs function best when the conversations intertwine rather than merely record our individual take on things.

Possibilities and starting points:

• The Art Museum Micro-theme on "What makes good writing instruction"
• Laurie's teaching demo on poetry and book-making
• The after lunch discussion on Racism and "Normalcy"
• Reading Circle Discussions of your books
• Questions and concerns you may have about the Inquiry Paper
• And, of course, anything that you've wanted to say but perhaps couldn't figure out how to say it in class.

Link to Woody Herb Story

I mentioned in class that I would put a link to my full-blown Woody Herb short story.  You can read it here.

Research, research, research

I now have a great big stack of books from the library, which is good, because I haven't had anything to read lately.




























(Sarcasm anyone?)

ZAKES

Very interesting. I enjoyed the time he spent with us. I also have a better understanding of the book and his point of view. His visit is a must each session!

Wednesday from Loganite Point of View

Ok, I loved our informal talk about Cion; I am glad that all of you make me feel comfortable enough to share.

My comfort zone for writing invoked physical awareness; here's my list.

• outside
• forest/woods
• lakeside
• back porch
• with friends
• without friends
• any time of day

As for Lisa's question in regard to her teaching lesson, my favorite movie is Arsenic and Old Lace. Any interested persons in movie night? My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice (I'm such a sucker for a mysterious man). For those of you in need of a memoir/novel to read, try Same Kind of Different As Me. Wow! It is told in two points of view (one is a formerly indigent black man, the other is affluent white).

Now, I want to share a hint of my journal entry from 9 am today. Stop reading here if you are bored. I don't wish to have you in agony.
Why do we need history? Roots grow best in areas of family, friends, stories, and memories. There are poignant moments that deal with idolized ancestors, deranged lunatics (twice removed on both sides), and rainy-day weddings. We script our stories because we don't wish to veil our lives by walking in the shadows of others. Within our writing, we express a moral code that guides our conscious actions and thoughts, love for family, friends, and God, and the writing reveals a desire to be better--whether it be as a teacher, relative, or friend.

Lisa, great work today!

Meeting Zakes was definitely a plus today! It's always fascinating to hear the author's approach to the writing. Very enjoyable and informative.

Good presentation, Angel, I didn't realize I missed the challenge of Junior High Math.

The "What Are the Odds?" activity was certainly entertaining and provided a little lilt to the day. A day when we are all facing (and are apprehensive about) the BIG writing project.

We have learned much in a non-threatening way.

Erin Brokovich

Got your attention? I have been thinking about research especially after Zakes conversation with us. I think the story about Erin's research project is a great one to show kids how questions lead to other questions, lead to other questions. It also shows the need for primary sources and where that can lead along with investigation. Just my rambling thoughts as I am desparately trying to narrow my inquiry focus. I am all over the place.

Narratives

I revised and edited my narrative so many times, adding pages, removing paragraphs, thinking that this isn't important, but this is; no wait! It's all important. I hope I removed what needed removed and added what was needed and found all of the mistakes when editing. It is kind of like it is a never completed writing. I'm still learning!! That's good, I guess! I'll be back tomorrow to learn more.

Author presentation

I loved the way in which Mda discussed how he writes a story. The research part was fascinating to me. I had learned about breeding from presentations done at Williamsburg, VA. I wonder where they got their information. I am going again this summer so I'll make sure that I ask.

Zakes

I really enjoyed Zakes' visit.  Having him come in and talk about his writing process gave me a greater respect for Cion.  I look forward to reading it again. 

Zakes

I was very intrigued by listening to Zakes speak today. I read the book prior to beginning class but it seems like ages ago, so I am going to read it again. I wonder if I will have new reader perceptions the second time around?

Thank you all for your feedback today on my demo. You gave me some good advice for making the Indicator Project better. Who wudda thunk that I should have had them turn in a rough draft first. Thanks again, I plan on using your suggestions.

Day 11

What a day. Finishing our narratives, listening to Zakes, tackling our math phobias...I need a nap. I am sad to think that we only have 8 days left? What ever will I do the rest of the summer?

coincidence?

I loved sharing the stories this morning. We all have stories to share, and stories connected to the stories - endless connections. I hadn't thought about our trip to New Orleans in such a long time. What a creative way to blend so many of the points presented in our readings.

Narrative Blues

While turning in my narrative today, I felt like I was giving away my child. Is that strange?

Cion---Ways of Living

Our writing doesn't have to be what we know. Zakes confirms that one learns from his writing, and he doesn't need to learn before writing. This is a significant point: writers are more diverse than expected---we don't have to have a fixed outline, no title needed before writing, and we don't need a paragraph of five sentences long to express our thoughts. I also love Zakes' nefarious ragamuffins on page 169; a description that may not have been used if more planning had guided his pen? To wrap up, is it possible to know what you are before you are told (page 88 summary)?? Well, the story doesn't know what it is before the writer places the last period. Thank you to our author today!

ZAKES MDA

As an author with a number of published friends, I always find it fascinating to hear about the process that authors, and in this case Mr. Mda, follow in order to produce their work. Whether it's nonfiction or fiction, every author has his/her own approach, and the more prolific s/he is, the more assured s/he is in that approach.

Mr. Mda exquisitely presented the method he uses in information gathering and then how he fits the pieces together like a puzzle to form a comprehensive, creative and mythical story. I enjoyed his book immensely and especially its mythical realism (a new term for me) based on in-depth historical research, my favorite area. He is an excellent storyteller injecting a fair amount of imagination. I feel honored that he took the time to share his insights with us.

Zakes

I was just fascinated while listening to Zakes Mda speak. What an inherently gifted storyteller! Just listening to his inflection and watching his expressions change would have captured my attention for hours on end! I'm so glad I had the opportunity to listen to him speak!!

Cion

It was interesting to hear from Zakes today. I always imaged (and maybe this says something about me as a writer) that the author has a certain way in their head that the story goes. It was refreshing and maybe a little liberating to see him let it go and let the reader have their own input.

I was really taken aback by how, even though he meticulously researched the historical happening in the book, he left a lot so open ended. (I don't mean that in a bad way, I thought it was cool!)

Tuesday -- Cuttings and Grafts

Tuesday at the OUAWP.

Another full day: People wrote their stories of "What are the odds?" and we briefly discussed "magical realism," Angel gave us an awesome demo, and Zakes shared some of the inside wonders of Cion.

 Post on whatever you have the most to say about.  Make connections -- graft your thoughts onto whatever strikes your fancy and see what grows from there.

River Between Us

I had to finish the book. I did not see the end until it was in front of me. Oh the paths we traverse alone and together. I see so, so many possibilities: reading circles; independent research. THOMAS JEFFERSON'S CHILDREN could be used. The author talks about all the research required to write the book. I love that part because I think it is important to make clear that historical fiction has real history in it. You can do your own further research! Oh the places we can go with this. I am writing my requisition order this weekend!

WEEK TWO

What a great week! There is so much that I could say about the past two weeks, but I'm sure that will come later. As for today, the approach to reviewing and discussing the Murray book was new to me, but one that I will use in class. It is so hard to get students to read, and unless they are tested they will fake it. This exercise allows them the time to review and the subsequent discussion turns up the heat a bit so that they all have to participate. That works well.
Coincidentally, Sandra's demo presented another approach to reading and presenting book material that gives students the chance to truly appreciate the wonderful world found in longer literature. Thank you for such a good job.

Um....Help, Please?! :)

Okay, so I interviewed at Collins Career Center today for an 11-12 grade teaching position. There were 12 other applicants and they've narrowed it down to the top four. I'm one of those four. They now want us four to create our own lesson plan that incorporates elements from the welding program. At the end of the school year, the English teacher and the welding teacher collaborate on a "final project" that combines the two subjects. The school is pretty big on community involvement and incorporating technology.

I think I'm going to use the idea of glogging and have students create a glog and complete four essays (1 per 9 weeks). The topics I'm thinking about are: "Who are you?", "Why is welding important to you?", "What do you want to do after high school?", and...?? They would present their final blog to me, the welding teacher, and one another at the end of the year.

Along with this, I'd like to have a really great final project for them do, but I'm a bit short on ideas! If you can think of anything, I'm all ears! :)

.....A few hours later: I *think* I might have something workable! I have to submit it by Sunday, and I know that since it's a holiday weekend everyone is going to be consuming adult beverages and "ooing" and "awwwwing" over the fireworks (which invariably cause my eldest dog to shake like a leaf and wee a bit). If you get the chance feel free to throw out some suggestions/comments! Thanks for being a wonderful little community & have a safe and fun holiday (preferably without dog wee!) ;)

Searching for Research

Well, we have arrived at our destination---for week two. Most of us have in our hot little hands research that will assist us in writing our paper. I am still searching by reading various chapters in texts I have checked out of Alden. Wow. I am reading textbooks that may help me become a better educator, and the books are pleasurable (that part is for Sherrie). I do not often read, browse, or hold textbooks for my professional growth, but this course motivates me. What can I say?

Civil War connection to reading

I'm definitely going to read The River Between Us. As a matter of fact, I'm sure it's in my classroom library-shame on me for not having read it! I'm going to take her suggestions and allow my students work more at their own pace. Also, I loved the video clip! Dynamite demo chick:)

You Guys Rock

At the end of the second week I can say this and mean it from my heart--you guys rock! Thanks for the hard work, the willingness to step into the air without a parachute, the grace with which you meet uncertainty. Have a great weekend. Be safe. Come back to the AWP on Tuesday all in one piece.

Slash and burn

I really liked the editing/revising activity this morning. Granted, I might only keep 1 or maybe 2 of the changes made, but they're GOOD changes!

I dig it.

Home schooling.

Shannon--look at pg 139 in THE CRAFT OF REVISION. The moral of the American Chop Suey story is why some people home school and why other's are glad they do.

Lisa's poem & Lori's metaphor

What talent we have in the classroom! Very poignant in such a brief amount of time. We are all amazing!

Not my problem...

Karen's presentation will be very helpful this fall when I begin teaching tolerance.
I gave a very tongue-in-cheek reply when Karen asked what I did about the girls' tennis team being drug tested and not the boys. I could be considered a bystander by not jumping in and complaining about the omission but I have been on this planet long enough to know the battles with which I need to be involved. I do think parents of these girls need to ask why the female team was specifically targeted and not the boys. Maybe the newspaper made a reporting error? I feel testing is an infringement on someone's rights. I believe random drug testing is a violation of our basic civil liberties: innocent until proven guilty. Why test unless there is just cause? But I seem to find myself in the minority opinion on drug testing.
k sarah sarah

DIVERSITY IN EDUCATION

Our days move so quickly...it's hard to recall what territory we have covered just a mere 7 hours later. Sherry's white paper - poem-metaphor-description - exercise was very insightful as it helped focus on the key point of the autobiography.

The vast amount of resources in the library is mind-boggling, but so helpful once I understand how to navigate the system. During the quarter, I will take my students to the library for a virtual and facilities tour, but sources change so frequently, that I have to make an effort to keep up, so this afternoon's journey with Lorraine was very valuable.

Burger King

Reading my poem today was a bit emotional. This whole narrative process can be quite emotional. I enjoyed all the events of the day. I think I'm headed to Burger King.

Thursday from Alden

If your research is going well, please keep going.  We'll catch up with the Blog tomorrow.

If you have things you want/need to say, please go ahead and blog!

Here is a link to a PDF of my dissertation (in case you are interested).

Poem/Sentence/Metaphor Activity

I really liked the activity that Sherrie had us complete this afternoon in which we were asked to write a poem, a metaphor, and a single sentence about our narrative. It really made me take a step back from my work and really focus on the idea of my story. It was a big help in putting things in perspective. I will also now steal Don's hamburger analgy. I'm noticing a lot of food metaphors.......spaghetti on the bottom of the plate, anyone? :)

Thursday Summarized

My eventful day is floating in and out of my mind---what notes do I have that I definitely want to recopy onto my computer, how will I be able to work better with my students when we read Elie Weisel's excerpt "Night," will my personal narrative be as smooth in sound as I long for it to be, and will my Inquiry Paper impress itself upon my soul in addition to my colleagues' minds??? Then, there was Lorraine! Thank God there is a librarian who has a sense of humor. And I am glad I met this guy named Big Eric(more mature) and my Academic Search is Complete ( but my IQ paper lingers on). Now, I go home to plan for my Friday lesson. Whew.

Inquiry Idea Generation

I value the ideas that my peers wrote on the white paper, and the ideas have helped me narrow my search range for ideas; now, I just have to hope I find resources... I am still nervous, but I know I will conquer this. Thanks for all of your help today!

Interesting day

We had a great discussion of school, society and the issues we face everyday in our reading group today. Very enlightening and enjoyable.

Also, I liked the cutting up of our stories this morning. It was neat to see how things that I saw as separate events could be woven into each other.

I think the questions posed to my inquiry questions cause me to ask even more questions, with so much thesis seeking going on, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to get one down!

I would also just like to apologize to Brenda for making her tape my narrative back together...

Book Club

Today's reading group discussion drifted a little, but made its way back to Inquiry As Stance.  Our discussion mostly surrounded socioeconomic status v. race as possible connections to disciplinary referrals.  While that was interesting, our discourse on measuring "good teaching" and what is important to society in terms of education was better.

Don't Run With Scissors

I must say that I was a bit apprehensive about this exercise, however after completing it, I felt so much better. Tina really reconstructed my essay and I LIKE it!!!! It was also humbling to read other people's stories and to see what we have gone through to get to this point in our lives. I know you all like my post's title; now I just have to make sure I have a great title for my narrative as well!

Wed. June 30

Besides being the last day of JUNE! today's teachings, ponderings, learnings were terrific. So many ideas my head is about to explode. I cannot wait to try the glog this year---if they haven't taken away my computers. The strategy of cutting work up is powerful. First it lets go of "normal" structure. What I thought should be first could me middle. I am not certain if I can try this with me juniors---still learning to use scissors w/o hurting self or others---but the seniors who are returning to me may benefit from this. I will definitely use the Jabberwocky. Too much to process....reframing our questions by using others' questions is another wonderful strategy I will definitely incorporate. I want to go back and call my colleagues together. Here are some things that are great for students and us! Thanks to all! The formal and informal discussions have given me wonderful thoughts for the l-o-n-g ride home.

inquiry question

Doing this helped me see what choices there are. I feel somewhat better about the project now. I also have another idea that stemmed from my original question that I may like better. So thanks for the input.

IQ Focus

I enjoyed the inquiry question activity today. I enjoyed reading and responding to everyone's question. They are all very good. I enjoyed reading the comments that were posted on mine as well. These comments helped me to refocus on exactly what I was trying to ask. Thanks everyone!

Computer Posters

I really want to try the computer-based posters/blogging with my students! The fact that so many different areas (technology, writing, design, music, etc.) are being touched upon is just awesome! I think this is something that my students would be really interested in doing! It's sort of the same feel as Facebook or Myspace (which they are clearly interested in!). I think it's just a really cool way to get them to learn while making it seem like they're playing!

Day 7

I really liked the scissor exercise. Cutting it up was just what I wanted to do with it and it made me think about what I had written in a different way. I feel like I can get started with more direction tonight.

I think Glogging sounds fascinating! I'm not sure how it would work in our district though. Computer time can be very difficult to get. The school houses 4 grades 5 - 8 and they got rid of a computer lab. I can think of some cool history/writing uses for it though. Actually, blogging might work better for my students. Question: Do parents ever refuse to allow their child go use the glog? What then? Plus it seems that some of this depends on having a computer at home and some of mine do not.

Cut and Paste - literally

Any time I can do something to fine tune my writing, and it's done in a way to encourage more growth, rather than discourage, and it is creative, "I'm there". Thanks for this opportunity.
It is clear to me that I still have quite a bit of work to do before I end up with something I'm feeling is close to a final draft.


On a culinary note - thanks Lori for the delicious chicken salad, and to Tina for the salad, and to Brenda for the wonderful cucumbers. I know many others brought in food to share as well. Thanks. Lunch was great!

I'm looking forward to trying out creating a Glog.

First, I want to apologize to Scott. I'm sure his life story will never be the same! Hey, it was an interesting experience and it certainly creates or draws attention to certain connections in our own story.

I'm interested in glogging. Talk about nonsense words. Who comes up with all the tech names?

It was interesting to expose our questions to others and get feedback, more questions, and suggestions. My research question has been evolving in my mind over a period of time. It's one reason I signed up for the Summer Institute. I want to glean some information to help me as an educator to embrace best practice, and to share what I learn with my colleague's.

THE NEXT BIG PAPER!!

I really liked the exercise today when we used the tablets to share with each other. It didn't take me long to discover my topic is much too broad. Sylvia did a great job. I can't wait to take this all back to my classroom.

The scissor exercise was complicated, but enjoyable. Can you imagine taking student's writings- like poems and having them cut them up and let another student try to put it back together? wow ! think of the variations.... think of the fun!!

Computer based posters

I loved this classroom tool and am looking for a way to make it possible in my 2nd grade classroom. I will go home and work on this program and hopefully before school starts, have a solution. Any suggestions? All are welcomed!

I am starting to really get into the inquiry paper and the classroom activity today really helped me. A lot of the input was the same as some of my concerns and questions. It is really hard to find the balance of how much to work with cursive handwriting, spelling, grammar, and oh, yeah--writing. It's so exciting to see the writing of our students, but if we can't read it, because of handwriting issues, spelling and grammar errors, where does that leave us? Looking forward to the library time tomorrow and learning more about researching.

Wednesday --all day

It's been Wednesday all day.  As we begin to see our way past the hump, let's blog about where we've been today in our mental landscapes.

• We started this morning with The Scissors Exercise (which I think you all handled very well this year).  Make a comment (if it suits you) about your reaction to this type of revision work.
• We had another tremendous teaching demo with Sylvia's use of The Jabberwocky.
• Susan Hagerty introduced us to using computer based posters with our students.
• Sherrie led us through an activity to help us focus on our Inquiry Questions.
• And we had stimulating conversation based on our group readings.

As always, use these topics as a starting point, or find your own point of origin into Blogland.

 

Thanks

The importance of engaging the intelligences

Wonderful job Brenda! It is so important to remember our students come to us with so many different perspectives, as well as different strengths and comfort zones in terms of using their many intelligences. This lesson can be used in so many ways. It also helped me to work through a difficult transition.

Inquiry Papers

I feel that I have sorted through some of the questions that I have as an educator and have narrowed it down to a couple of options. The questions really helped me to see if this was at all possible or not. I feel that I'm on the right path and am feeling encouraged about this major assignment.

IQ

I think that it is important that in light of the challenges we are facing in choosing research topics, we keep the difficulties in mind when expecting our students to do the same choosing.

I chose the title "IQ" in the stead of "inquiry questions" in order to garner more views :-)

Thanks, Don, for the crayon metaphor! I certainly think students will connect to this and it will help them to be more willing participants. I am mulling over the thought of making a large crayon box to mount on a bulletin board. I could give the students "crayons" to write new words on as they accumulate vocabulary. We could take them out and talk about them, count to see how many new words we have, etc. It's just a thought, but it could be very effective.

Thanks to all of my experimental students today! I value your feedback and you have expanded my thinking on the presentation and expansion of this lesson.

Inquiry UGHH...

Ok, so I am supposed to be an educated person, right? I am supposed to be able to write, since I teach writing. But my anxiety level reaches the third floor of Ellis. As I type this blog and drink my Coca-Cola, I can only contemplate how little I have actually understood the emotions of my students in the classroom. Thanks to Sherrie and Don, I have learned empathy, and if any of you want to have sympathy for me, I welcome that too. At any rate, Don has helped me formulate a new question, and now I feel more connected to the upcoming research.

INQUIRY PAPER

As teachers I think it is so important that we take the opportunity to explore a research question related to the concerns of our profession or in the classroom. We have the experience being "on the front line," and can contribute valuable input to the process of change especially if we have credible research to back up our positions.We are, or should be, the spokespersons for change in the educational system, as stated in our book, Inquiry as Stance: Practitioner Research for the Next Generation, as opposed to third parties not directly involved with students.

Right now, my topic is social injustice as it applies to our schools, which encompasses a wide range of issues. My challenge is to narrow it down to a manageable level.

Day seven

I was moved on many levels by the reading today. Gloria is such a role model for women of my generation. We had similar backgrounds in that our moms did not live up to expectations of their mothers and we were in charge of caretaking when things were bad. I understand her desire to make things better for all women and so appreciate the ground work she put in place so that all women can reap the rewards of being equals with me. What a gifted writer..I had forgotten that. I wonder what history books say about her? Sadly most people have negative connotations when it comes to the word feminist. It took the bra burning to get the world to pay attention to the fact that we were being treated like second class citizens, but there was so much more to it.

Reading discussion

I found the discussion on Ruth's Song very interesting. I have a deeper understanding of what Gloria was trying to share. It is interesting to peek into her past to see where she comes from. It is sad that a generation of females do not understand the struggle women have gone through to gain the freedoms they have today and still it is not enough. My goodness, I was not permitted to wear pants/slacks to school. If it was freezing outside I could wear them under my skirt/dress but had to go immediately to the restroom and take them off. Some of my students wear shorts that are barely there. The concept of gaining freedoms but not knowing the cost can also be applied to minorities and those with disabilities. We must continue to teach the history but in a personal, meaningful way.

Inquiry questions

This is driving me crazy! I have lots of questions, but I don't know if they are the right ones, or if I can write enough about it. I need examples so I know that I'm heading in the right direction. I did come up with 3, and I think the 8 questions are helpful, that is if I am going the right way.

Reaction to Ruth's Song

I had to read it more than one time to allow the experiences she described to sink in. I have never had to face those types of situations in my life and it's nearly impossible to understand her feelings and struggles. However, I can relate to the emotions of losing a mother. I am of the thought that for a person to be able to write with such passion is possible more so if they have a life-altering experience.

BRENDA'S DEMO

I thought the lesson went great! I really like the idea of using this lesson as a stepping stone going into creating formal "frayer maps". As for the reading today: It was great to cover it today. I read and journaled about it last night , but covering it today really brought out some major points I had overlooked.

"Ruth's Song" discussion

What I found interesting during our group discussion of Steinem's piece was the different viewpoints we all brought to the table.

Each of us have our own baggage that influences our take-away of the piece and hearing everyone's different opinions influences that take-away even more.

Very interesting!

Brenda's Lesson

I really enjoyed Brenda's lesson on synonyms and vocabulary development. It's so difficult to get our students to become confident writers when they just don't have a solid grasp on vocabulary. By working on synonyms, and adding in the physical activities to reinforce those newly encountered vocabulary terms we can really encourage students to be brave and to really start to explore the language.

I also liked the metaphor that Don gave about having a box of 8 crayons versus a box of 100 crayons. This really makes the importance of vocabulary hit home!

Synonym work

I thought it was a really great especially in its simplicity. Not a lot of prep or materials. Lots of thought processing for the students though. Also many ways in which to use this lesson. Thanks for sharing!

Iquiry paper stress

So who's feeling a little worried about their inquiry paper other than me?

Ruth's Song

Of all the topics discussed today, I really appreciated Ruth's Song. I thought Steinem wrote this very poignantly. It actually was enjoyable. I will refer back to this writing style often because it was beautifully done and I can use it to guide my own writing somewhat.

Inquiry Question

I find the more I write the more I am capable of writing. Even though I have not yet identified my inquiry question, I am confident that I will find or choose a meaningful question that will give me more understanding.

Tuesday Blog and Reminders

Before I jump into suggested blog topics, I want to remind folks to bring a printed (typed) draft of their narrative essays tomorrow morning for some VERY IMPORTANT revision work we will be doing as we get started in the am.

As always, feel free to yak about your own topic here on the blog, but if you want some suggestions, here are a few:

• Post an entry on the "Dialectic Notebook" process we did with "Ruth's Song"
• Give a personal reaction to "Ruth's Song"
• Discuss Brenda's Synonym teaching demo today.
• Talk about what happened in your post-lunch group revisiting your discussion
• Make some comments on where you are on the Inquiry Paper and the process of finding a topic.
• Give a reaction to using the list in "Reading Rhetorically" that we used to help you hone in on what it is you want to write about.

I appreciate the writing you are doing here, and it is important to provide feedback to peers to do read and comment on your fellows' posts.  THANKS.

Tests

I have tentatively decided to not give tests next year in at least one of my classes.  Student grades will be based completely on written works, presentations, journals, etc.
I may change my mind when I get my course load assigned.

Reading Groups

I really appreciated the time this afternoon in our Reading groups. We all made a contribution and it's wonderful to listen to fellow educators. I am gleaning so much from you all. Thanks so much!

ART & CREATIVITY

Scott's presentation brings home the idea that we as teachers have to not only motivate but stimulate our students' creativity in whatever way possible. As Lori demonstrated, using scissors, markers and paper engages students in the activity and reinforces the intended lesson. Sometimes the students are learning when they don't even realize it. The Lego lesson that I mentioned in my classes usually takes them by surprise, but the students really dig the activity and the results have been excellent. Thanks, Scott, for demonstrating an aspect of creativity that we writing teachers may ignore!

"What did I learn last week?"

This morning, we did a round robin about the one thing that stood out most from our first week together. Most of us selected something about the amount of time we spend teacher "grammar" as it's own block of instruction and what a waste of time it can be. I was happy to see that I wasn't the only one.

Peer Editing

This was a great experience. I find that I am intrigued by the stories that my peers have to share. I find myself hoping to hear more. These are extraordinary people who are willing to share personal experiences.

In addition to learning from peer writing, I can see the value in reading my own narrative. It helps me to hear where I need to make revisions. This was a valuable exercise.

It is really hard to select one thing! I really enjoyed the opportunity to share our personal narratives. The insight of others is so helpful. Thanks to Sylvia and Laurie I feel more confident and I can revisit my thinking and wording to provide clarity. I would also like to say that the whole approach to this project has been comfortable. I would never have dreamed it would be this easy and nonthreatening.

peer feedback

Having the privilege of others listening to and helping me to gain new insight into my writing is so incredibly meaningful. I felt as if I was given permission to linger a bit longer within some elements of my story, as well as to be able to tell my story and have a safe environment in which to do this. This underscores so much of what we intuitively know about teaching. Without the "absence of threat" building a true sense of community in our classrooms is not possible.

The Art of Teaching Writing

I have really enjoyed reading and discussing this book. We have divided it up and then report back to the group, but we could spend an entire afternoon for a week with this book. It is so applicable to all of our classrooms. Since I am transitioning to second grade this year I have really focused on the "Between" chapter that discusses second and third graders. The range of development in each second and third grade classroom is humongus! To have a writers' workshop and mingle with the children and see each one's level of comprehension and creativity is an open-ended tool that I am anxious to employ in my room.

Book Group

Today's book group was a really beneficial experience for me. It was great to get the opportunity to voice frustrations, celebrate mini successes, and discuss common issues. It's always really interesting to hear stories from my peers that validate some of the things I've been thinking or feeling.

I also enjoyed working with Brenda and Laurie on my autobiography. It's nice to be able to get objective feedback and realize some of the unintentional goofs inherent in something I've written. They caught things that I hadn't even thought about, so that was a really worthwhile experience.

Day 6

What a day. Hearing the biographies today was wonderful. You learn so much about people when you know their story. When I was traveling in Italy, I met two young women who began every new conversation with strangers with "What is your story?" I have copied it many times when I was in the company of new people. "What is your story?" The book club sharing went too quickly. I really was interested in the chapters but felt like we went too quickly to really cover all the chapters. I will go back and read them my self. I LOVE Scott's idea of using Sketch books across all areas. I have always carried one in my purse, but have never shared it with my class. I think it is important for them to see what I do in mine: lists, quotes, notes, sketches, thoughts... though I have never glued things, I want to now as I just tuck things away and they tend to fall out. Thanks so much for the great lesson.

personal narratives

The more I hear of others' stories, the more I'm convinced that everybody has a story to tell and that they are all interesting! How some have overcome the obstacles that have been placed in their lives leaves me in awe of them.

A BLOG ABOUT OUR OWN WRITINGS.

Telling the story is pretty easy , but putting into written words is hard. It takes longer and allows you to search for better words, but that sometimes is not a blessing. I have a rough draft and need to get it in order. so much happened at the same time I am workiking on putting things in the correct order.

Trouble with Personal Narrative

I cannot believe that I was able to attend class with a workable draft of my personal narrative in my hot little hands. I am glad that the draft did not embarrass me too much! As for the dynamics of my assigned draft reading group, I am pleased with Beth and Lori as my partners; truth and respect are significant elements that should always be coupled, and my partners allowed for personal commentary, empathy, and useful criticisms. In my classroom, I attempt to make it possible for all students to be respected, but it is a difficult objective. I was thrilled to hear both Don and Sherrie say that students need to read aloud their work; I always stress that to my students! Some still believe that I am crazy, though.

dream art

I really liked the dream illustration. Although not all students remember their dreams, Don made a good point about day dreaming! We all do that. This would make a good writing when a student can't think of anything else with the added plus of a drawing.

sketchbook lesson

I just wanted to thank everyone for rolling with the punches during my presentation this morning. I know drawing and all are outside most peoples' comfort areas so thanks again!

Thanks!

Brenda taught me to use rich text when I save a doc. Didn't know this!
Eileen and Angel helped me think reflexively about my autobiography. My mom will be very happy---and surprised!
Scott showed me how to use art with my highly kinestetic students! Lots of ideas are roaming through my head.
Lots of AhA moments today. As always.

Monday Monday

Bah Da. Bah Dah Dah Dah, Monday Monday....


Naturally, we've thrown more at you in one day than can be processed but that never slows us down.

Feel free to find your own blog topic or expound on one of the following:

• The one sentence "what I learned last week" exercise
• Something you heard in another person's story
• Some of the challenges you've faced in telling your own story
• Scott's Sketchbook demo
• The peer-editing {EEK! Peer-Revision!  See Sherrie's comment} we did this afternoon
• Something that came up in the "book" discussion during your reading circle.

Okay, blog away!

Remembering Me

I believe another important way we "tell" our stories, other than writing them down, is by the way we lives our lives. I've thought about events in my life that I haven't thought of in years. They have been lost in the busy life of a mother/teacher. I appreciate the opportunity to remember "me".

from an interesting perspective

I've been thinking and thinking and thinking again. We are the "keeper of the keys" to unlock our perspectives and gain greater perceptions of the world around us. An infinate tapestry transforms the shades of gray into greater clarity on so many issues, yet invites us to ponder the shades of nuance within other perspectives. My mind has been rejuvenated.
Everybody has a story - we've probably heard this sentiment before and yet as we have heard so many of the wonderful stories presented so far in our sharing, so many more stories have yet to emerge. What we have been engaged in has reignited the fire in me to seek directions I had not allowed myself the time to consider visiting.

Our Stories

I wonder: what do our stories do when they are not being told? From talking with Kaye, Sylvia, and Beth, I am sure they have an answer to this contemplation.

The Story of Us

The stories were wonderfully told. I am anxious to see if the males in the class had the same struggles to be where they are today. I am guessing yes.

Book Question

I keep a journal of all kinds of information and have a favor to ask of all: please respond to this blog entry or tell me what book/text/written piece you believe is or has been most influential in this world.

Autobiography

I have found it both challenging and rewarding to sit and think about what has made me the person and teacher that I am today. In doing so, I have remembered things long lost. I have also contemplated influental people and events in ways that cast new light. I think this assignment will be worthwhile on a personal level.

Bibliographies and Time to Write

I enjoyed immensely listening to the biographies this morning. I truly am in awe at the different circumstances that each of us has faced and conquered and that we are all meeting here at this time and place for this AWP. Everyone has been so transparent and I have appreciated it. I am here to learn how to be a better writer and teacher and I'm going to also come out an improved person for this rich experience. Thanks!

I have also appreciated the time to write. I'm not sure that I have ever taken this much time in one week to write. Usually I'm just writing short journal entries, lists, etc. I have some children's books that I have wanted to put into action as far as even getting them completely down on paper and even published. Now I think I will be able to accomplish this.

bio difficulty

Did anyone else find it very challenging to write a biography of someone else based on their autobiography?

I found it very difficult to make decisions about what was important, what could be left out, what was to personal, etc.

BIBLIOGRAGHIES

From what I heard this morning, the bibs. are great. This has been a long and tiresome week , but i truely believe we ALL can complete this project as winners. i have learned a lot this week and look forward to the next few weeks ahead. It has been a while since my eyes have crossed and my brain has sweat, but it's good to be here!

Biographies

I greatly enjoyed listening to the biographies this morning. Every person has unique qualities that they have gained through personal experiences and I am honored to have the opportunity to get a glimpse of those experiences. Thank you for sharing.

Engaging Ideas page 44 Question

Deb, Sherrie, Don:
"For most of our students, structured assignments (rather than open-ended ones) lead to greater growth: the instructor specifies the problem to be addressed; clarifies expectations about content, structure, and length; and makes grading criteria explicit."
What interrupts my understanding with the quote is our conversation from yesterday: are not open-ended questions best? It says most students...I disagree (of course, each one is different and that is handled in assignment design). Do you agree with "most" of them???

Lori's "I have, Who has" card template

Here is a link to the website that keeps a template for making Lori's "I have, Who has" cards: http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/gameboard.htm

Thanks, Lori, for sharing this with us!

ONE SENTENCE TEST

One sentence! This was certainly not an exercise for cowards, but choosing one significant sentence from a chapter was most difficult because there were many to choose from. However, it is a great approach to getting students to search through the book for a specified chapter then a significant sentence. At the same time they are reviewing the material. Excellent exercise!!!

It is quite obvious that Lori is a dedicated and creative teacher by her demo today. I can picture her young students not only enjoying but learning skills they don't have the privilege of learning any place else, especially in an unavailable art class. Thank goodness we have teachers like her and many others in our group. Once again, RAFT is quite effective for condensing the purpose of writing into a manageable acronym, one that students can grasp and remember.

Appalachian Dialect

Once upon a time, when I came to O.U. as an undergrad, I took a linguistics class.  The prof. told me that the Appalachian use of phrases like "a-huntin'" and "a-runnin'" had disappeared generations ago.  I explained to him that I was familiar with the phrases and that they were still in regular use.  He pointed to the textbook's unquestionable passage on the matter.  He, nor the other students in the class, would listen to me since the book said otherwise.  It gives me pleasure today when I hear my students or other Appalachians use those phrases.  I wonder if the students, mainly from Cleveland, were unwilling to listen to me, the Appalachian, about my dialect, because I was an Appalachian.  Hmmm.

Lori, Great Job! I really liked the singing and movement before starting the card activity. It not only tied in with the lesson, but it provided a way to get some wiggles out before settling in. Have you heard of Kinesthetics for Kids? It is a method of helping students to prepare for engagement in learning by using movement to stimulate the thinking processes. It's complicated to explain, but there are books on it. The Multiple Intelligences were very visible in your planning. Garner would be proud of you!

Engaging Ideas

On page 61 Bean tells us that at least half of students errors result from inattentive editing and proofreading. This was one of my main frustrations coming into 4th grade Language Arts. I would tell the student to go back and read what he had written but he would not do it, but said he had!
While looking at the script with him I would have him read aloud what was written. Then the student would say, "Oh, I missed that!" "and that" "and that"!
I think that Haswells (1983) system of "minimal marking" is a great idea in helping them to learn to proofread and edit their work. This would make them more responsible for their final work also.

Day 4

I really liked the activity where we were asked to pick one sentence and write. I can see where this would be a great prompt for my OU students if I ever go back to that again. It helped me focus on what I really thought was important and meaningful to my work.

AM w/ Bean

Well, after my wrestling match with the library copier was over, I really appreciated all of the comments on chapter 5 of Bean. It fascinates me how we chose different aspects of the same chapter that jumped out at us. Lori :)

Lori's lesson

I am going to use the genre activity for both math and English this year. Math will be vocab./chapter review. I am certain kids will view this as fun. Thanks for the idea!

thanks for letting me share

Thanks everybody for helping me to find my voice and listening to my letter I am planning to share with my district's curriculum coordinator. I am gaining more "courage of conviction" regarding drafting this letter and going all the way in terms of advocating for change in our district and talking to the "powers that be". I hope to continue to enhance my thoughts with your help.

Go Lori! I really enjoyed your lesson this morning. What an engaging learning experience you shared with us. I agree, we have so many students who are not familiar with fairytales. Thanks for reminding us of their meaning.

This is just a side note - revisiting fairytales as an adult has been a much different experience. In essence, some are not not what I originally thought. Did you know that "Ring Around the Rosie" was written in reference to the Black Death?

On a lighter side. Thanks Don for sharing the great blog!

Reading Rhetorically Comments

The rhetorical writer thinks first about the intended audience, so am I rhetorical if I am free writing for myself?
I never thought of rhetorical writing as being possible within any genre.
If you haven't read Don Murray's work Craft of Revision, do it.

Greeting Cards

What a great lesson today. It was engaging, fun, informative, hands-on and memorable. Great job Lori!

D.I.S.S.

I REALLY LIKED DON'S MADE UP INSTITUTE. I'M SURE AFTER THE STUDENTS CATCH ON THEY ALSO GET A GOOD LAUGH ABOUT IT. Caps off. I also liked the idea of being responsible for one sentence this morning. Another student who spoke said just about the same thing that i was thinking.

Greeting Cards Galore!

I loved the lesson over creating greeting cards! Especially the notion of tying in classic fairy tales. I've tried to tie in fairy tales a few different ways, but this was a really cool idea and made some of the classic fairy tales relevant in the lives of students (something that isn't always so easy to accomplish!) I'm a pretty big fan of Tim Burton-esque artwork (lots of swirling, eccentric characters/scenes). I envisioned cards with images in this style featuring elements from the classic fairy tales! Very cool!

Lori's demo

I really like the greeting cards. I can see lots of uses for them in my class. I would like to try to use it to practice theme. Also my students always make cards for the veterans for Veteran's Day. This might be an interesting way to do it.

I also liked the talk about language differences within our state. Whenever I teach figurative language, I am surprised by some of the idioms that my students have that I have never heard of! By your students you are taught!

Lori's Lesson

I was excited about Lori's lesson today because she showed me a great way to teach vocabulary to my students. I love the different creative methods that I am learning from everyone and I'm excited about trying new things with my students. I also love the "snowball fight" idea. That is a wonderful way to get my students engaged. Thanks Lori.

Beam chapt. 4

This might be a dead horse I'm beating here, but I'd like to add something to the classes discussion of the teaching of grammar that occurred this morning.

In having had all the wonderful grammar lessons I ever care to have in my life, I look back now and think about the time wasted. I had to memorize the prepositions, had to diagram sentences, had to know how to write those five paragraph essays and all... but am I a better writer for it? No way.

Whatever writing skill I have I attribute to a life time of reading. I've always been a reader, everything from mysteries to histories, to bios and how-to manuals. Now those of you who really know grammar are probably noticing I have a tendency to write sentence fragments, I start sentences with conjunctions and use dangling participles, or is it dangling prepositions... shoot I don't know. So to this I say, so?

I think of some of my favorite writers like Salinger, who used fragments, or Hunter S. Thompson who wrote run-on sentence after run-on sentence. I think about Bierce who used nonstandard spellings, the same could be said for Defoe and Twain who used all manner of slang and regional speak and Jesse Stuart who did so maybe even more than Twain. Did this take away from their writing? Certainly not. If anything, I think the lack of "proper" grammar added to their writing, lent a voice and added to the experience of being in the story. It added authenticity and made for a compelling read (in my opinion of course).

So should grammar not be taught? Of course not, it's important in its place, but just like using a turn signal is important to driving a car, it's not going to win you the Indy 500.

Bean's Work--wrap-up comments

Ok. If I have no guidelines in terms of format, structure, style, and length, then I can say this about Bean's work: Students will analyze their own thinking by utilizing inquiry and research (raising questions about what they do know and have discovered) and will "create" purpose in their work; they will become accountable for their written pieces, and their voice as author will rise above the quoted authors used in the written pieces. Bean's work is teaching students to own voice and owning up to their creations.

Sooooo, if my peers want to elaborate to make me reflexive and this blog dialogic, please do so.

Today at the OUAWP . . . .

Today we started off with an excellent discussion of Chapter 4 from Bean's Engaging Ideas, this was followed by an awesome teaching demo with Lori teaching us about genres and greeting cards.  Following lunch, Sherrie took us deeper into the realm of W2L with composing a letter based upon ideas of today's reading assignments, and then, we spent time drafting our current writing partner's bio.  Somewhere in the midst of all that activity, I know you had something to say but for some reason, it didn't get said.

Well, it's time to say it here.  That's part of why we blog.  Share one of those "earned insights" with us on the blog and help us revisit what we're learning it means to teach writing well.

Thanks.

Don

And, in case you are interested, you can find (and take) the "At Home Stupidity Test" here.

Engaging Ideas Journal Thoughts Summarized

I was happily amazed that a minimum of three colleagues chose the same sentence as I did when Don asked us to choose a sentence from Engaging Ideas to discuss in our journal. I chose page 57 sentence that starts with "He brung it..." Laurie discussed how the sentence makes her think of the intelligent students she encounters in Athens County, but perhaps some may judge them to be talentless or unintelligent based on how their writing "looks." I feel similarly regarding my students in Hocking County. Perhaps economy, politics, and education have a negative impact on the language spoken in south-east Ohio, but it is a dialect that is a more intelligent use of English than I could imagine implementing in a world of car repair, farming, hunting, blue-collar labor positions, etc. The economy and politics of what should be valued and where degrade my area of the world and the language we use in daily lives; the mysterious they (where are they found and what's the address) see no educational or monetary value in utilizing our dialect and no value in the jobs we strive to possess and maintain.

So, dear all, what do you think about AR? Reading tons of books but no quality of work involved...

It's Not on the Test

Remember, it's only important if it's on the test.

It is really hard to choose just one thing! I think the triple entry journal time was great. It was enlightening to share experiences and viewpoints. Kay and I had many experiences in common as far as Intervention goes. We were discussing the statement that every student should be able to some extent, "pull themselves up by the boot straps." My response was that some students don't realize that they have boots on, let alone that the boots have straps. Part of my responsibility as an Intervention Specialist is to help those students become aware of the boots and identify the straps. Then, and only then, can we move on to using the straps for pulling themselves up. To make practical application of this thought, my role is to help the student identify his/her strengths and how they can utilize them to overcome their weaknesses.

Blogging this afternoon

This afternoon, let's keep in mind all the good and meaty writing activities we were a part of today: triple entry journals, Eileen's teaching demo, Sue Fletcher's social justice ning, Sherrie's discussion of the role of rules in the teaching of writing, and the interview/bio writing assignment. Whew! How do we pack so much into one day? I think I'm going to post about Sandra's doughnuts; I do have my priorities.

Don

GRAMMAR (I was yelling)

We had great discussion today on the concept of grammar as we see it and teach it today.  We came to a pretty strong consensus that grammar is viewed by many as the most important graded end-state of writing. We disagree.

I enjoyed the talk about the holocaust, child trafficking, and tolerance. I had no idea that Ohio was such a large part of this. :( I talk about these things with my students even though they are only 10/11. I do this for several reasons. First, they already know about some of it so we might as well talk about it and clarify misconceptions. Secondly, they are interested in it especially the holocaust. There are many children's books out about it, and they want to know more. Finally, child trafficking fits in with our unit on slavery, and they need to know that although it is illegal, it still goes on. I don't dwell too much on it, but at the same time, I want them to know that it is a very real occurrence. Now knowing that Ohio is such a big part of it, I really want to talk about it! They always want to know how this can be, and what they can do about it.

I usually quote a poem/quote (not sure which it is, and I can't remember the author) that begins: When they came for the Jews, I did nothing for I was not a Jew.

When they came for the ... it goes on for several lines, but the end says:

When they came for me, there was no one left to help.

This always makes the students stop and think. I thought of this poem/quote when Ms. Fletcher spoke about the lonely student in the cafeteria. I think students could be rewrite it so that it could fit into the classroom/school setting.

Lessons Learned

I learned it is much nicer to put on a sweater than to sweat!
Seriously, the discussion I had with my partner about the triple journal was invigorating. We discussed the statement about students pulling themselves up by the bootstraps. My partner posed the questions: what if they don't have bootstraps; what if they have them but don't know it? Our responsibility as teachers is to provide students with the tools to identify whether or not they have boots then how to pull those boots up even if they don't have straps on them! It is the students' responsibility to apply those tools.

WEDNESDAY - WHEW!!!

Each day is jam packed with a variety of viewpoints and learned knowledge. I truly feel that I am "earning" my knowledge. And I am particularly impressed with the diversity in our group. With teachers from every level of education, early childhood through college, we have had inspirational open discourse and the sharing of best practices as well as the challenges both in and out of the classroom.

Eileen's teaching demo was excellent not just because of its creativity and multidisciplinary application, but because it can be adapted to learners of all ages.

Since I am working with writing about Social Justice issues, Susan Fletcher's presentation was exciting especially with the demonstration of the Ning, a resource that I was not familiar with, but will certainly prove to be useful.

Discussion on Bean

I was intrigued by Bean's views on grammar. As a ELA teacher, this is the most problematic issue I face. My students are from rural areas and see no value in learning grammar. I had one of my students, who is a hunter through and through, make a comment concerning this topic. One day during language arts, he was struggling with a particular grammar assignment. Frustrated and discouraged, he sarcastically asked if the animals in the forest really care if he uses proper grammar or if they are more concerned with his marksmanship. He had a valid and well-taken argument.

I liked the point made about grammar drills not improving writing. I'm not crazy after all! And, I agree that mastery of grammar does not denote the intelligence of the student.

Our lunch guest speakers

I was really intrigued by our guests from Hocking College, because we are having an excerpt power point presentation this coming Sunday about Human trafficking at our church. From the handouts that Ms. Cox gave us we learned that Ohio was ranked number two or three in the U.S. with this problem. I had known about its alarming statistics in other countries but was shocked to hear these scary details. The information will be so helpful in giving additional details relating it to here, and not just there.