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.

Day 3

My mind is reeling from the heat and all that has come through my brain. I really liked the Demo that Eileen presented. Learning how to make books so easily was wonderful. I liked that she combined art an poetry. They are both expressions that lend themselves to creativity. Very nice.

Calendar Poem

I loved Eileen's lesson today. I appreciate that she assumed that all students were creative which in turn sparks creativity in students. This also creates a domino effect in students because they see it as: you can do it therefore I can do it.

I would adapt this to my math class by having students write about or draw one thing each month about something they learned that month that was most interesting to them. Each month would display their learning demonstration. In addition, I would have them to create the calendar themselves to reinforce sequencing and patterns.

To offer a piece of advice that may or may not be helpful, I would encourage you to have the students to include more of their own poetry. Simply because as a parent, I love to see things my daughters have created themselves. They are my treasures that I will cherish forever.

another fulfilling day

Sue, Catherine and Tanga's lunch presentation today was excellent! I can certainly relate to feeling the need to work together, yet not finding time to decompress and share. Book study groups are such a great way to reconnect and bounce around ideas. Their project gave me some wonderful ideas to further enhance what I will be doing with my HOTS class. I plan to join Ning and incorporate this into my teaching. The issue of human trafficking is disturbing; yet knowledge is powerful. We cannot seek to advocate for change if we are not aware of the issues.

Triple Entry Journal

I really enjoyed doing the Triple Entry Journal today. It allowed me to see Lori's perspective and allowed her to see mine. I have not read her comments yet, but I am looking forward to it.

eileen rocks!!

I THOUGHT HERE LESSON TODAY WAS FANTASTIC. I LOVE THE CALENDAR PIECE AND CAN'T WAIT TO USE IT IN THE FALL. I BELIEVE I WILL HAVE THE STUDENTS DO ALL OF THE WORK, MEANING THEY WILL CUT THE PAPER, AND EVERYTHING. THEY WILL TRUELY OWN THE ENTIRE FINISHED PRODUCT

Rules are meant to be broken

Sherrie got me thinking today... Specifically when we were talking about rules in language. Who sets the rules and what authority do they have to do so? More importantly why should apply and obey these rules? I play traditional music and the musicians I play with often talk about how this or that song changed. The traditional, the music, is alive and changing. Langauge and the inherent rules are no different.

I'm reminded of a book I once read concerning Appalachian culture. Specifically it dealt with language. I remember it talked about how words used in the mountain dialect are Elizabethan in nature and are found in Shakespeare and in the King James translation of the Bible. They've been so long forgetten that society at large disregards the standards and assumes the speaker is ignorant.

Will there someday come a time when one person could write "2days lesson was gr8" and another person could write "today's lesson was great" and the later would be viewed in the same light as "I reckon I'm a-fixing to fill in that hooved out place"?

Out of my Element...Reflexively!

So with all of the dialogue about reflexive writing and how important it is in harboring true understanding, I've sort of been nodding with a resigned sigh thinking, "Well, obviously this is an area I am already familiar with. I can step into anyone's shoes on cue and feel totally at home there. Can't everyone??"

So after struggling to avoid sounding like an idiot as I pretended to be an authority on the life and times of Kaye Spiker, I was reminded (vividly) of my earlier assumptions about the ease of stepping into another's shoes so flawlessly.

I fear that I have irrevocably butchered the life of Kaye. (Which is a real travesty since her life is one of really compelling events and individuals!) I suppose I have accomplished the task of learning how much I still need to learn through today's events!

The lunch lesson about nings and social injustice was on target with the text Inquiry at a Stance assigned for high school teachers. The text discusses the use of teacher learning communities that enable us--teachers--to escape our local context and "travel" to see others' experiences or to discover a wealth of information about any subject that we can use in our classrooms. Yes, we do need to affect the broader social, cultural, and political milieu. The ladies today displayed a way to contact other teachers and a way to begin blog sites to use with students; what a wonderful idea (if my server at school allows me to carry out wonderful ideas!).
Education is social justice. We need to find ways to relate the world to our students' lives, and their website/blog exposes students to lessons about the world/social issues/current events compiled by educators. I also hope to be more blog fluent and work with the blog on NWP's site. So, I may be asking my AWP colleagues for help--lots of it, I'm sure.
Thank you to Sherrie today for articulated points against the argument that grammar MAKES good writing. No, grammar prohibits the fluency and flow of writing. If we all believed this and followed it, would not everything be free writing? Hmm.

SHERRIE'S DISCUSSION

I found Sherrie's discussion about the spectrum of informal to formal writing because it's consistent with the way that I teach writing in my English courses. Rather than asking students to complete an essay outright, we follow an 11 step writing process that begins with understanding the assignment and selecting a topic, and conceptualizing through a brainstorming exercise and free writing. This leads to numerous drafts (rough and revised) and ends with the formality of the final draft. I impress on them that writing is indeed a process and beginning with an informal approach, as Sherrie mentioned, not only allows the hesitant students to ready themselves to write, but gives them a platform to work from.

what a day!

My brain is certainly full! I absolutely can relate to the importance of nurturing and working through the processes of W2L. We need to allow ourselves to take the time to ponder possibilities and multiple perspectives. We are guided upon our destination of heightened awareness.

Interviewing

My favorite part of the day was the interviewing session. I enjoyed our conversation and learned more about my colleague. Thanks for your insight.

The Author's "Role" in Writing

Kaye did today's teacher demo.  It was a good one and got me thinking about students and the "roles" they take in their writing.  I focus much on the audience, but little on role.  I ask students to take roles.  I haven't, however, talked about the concept much.  I will do so in the future. 

Autobiographies

What fun to read about others' lives and what we all have in common. I can see how using this strategy with student writing can bring focus and dimension to their writing.

It has been a profitable learning experience today. I enjoyed the RAFTS presentation. I think it will be valuable. I enjoy exploring the writings of Qualley. Her thoughts are providing a framework for growth.

SHERRIE AFTERNOON DISCUSSION

IT HELPED A TON DEFINING THE TERMS THAT WE ARE USING. SORRY TO SAY, I HAD NOT USED MANY OF THESE TERMS BEFORE. NOW IF I CAN ONLY REMEMBER WHAT WAS SAID.

Sharing life stories

The most influential moments in any course are when peers/colleagues share personal stories that allow others insight into how and why we become teachers. The autobiographical drafts composed yesterday and then shared today in small, preselected groups was a beneficial activity to my course experience: new friendships forged and new lessons about how conditioned behaviors affect our choices in life (such as becoming teachers). Yep, Qualley's work was in progress today through me; I was reflexive regarding my own upbringing and adult choices in comparison (and contrast) to my peers/colleagues. We in south-east Ohio have much in common. All teachers are inquiry-minded or have the ability to be.

The interviews from today were really interesting to me. I found the commonalities between myself and my partners to be astounding! I not only was able to learn some really insightful bits of information about two really unique people, but through their questions about my own biography I was able to become more introspective about my own experiences!

Interview assignment

I really enjoyed the interview project. The writing was nice as I have been working on expressing gratitude. I was ready for this assignment and could have written pages and pages. It was interesting for me to take a look at the people and events in my past that shaped my teaching.
I was paired with someone who I had not had any interactions. I was surprised to learn that we had written about many of the same things. I learned much about this person and what shapes him as a person and a teacher. His strong beliefs about family and faith have sent him to war and the front lines of food banks. It was my pleasure to share my stories with him. I trust that he will take them for what they are.

thought about today

I like Qualley's views on perspective - taking time to be willing to listen, think, and learn about others' cultures or lives even if you don't believe as they do. I have had students completely change their attitudes about a culture after listening or reading about them. For example, when I introduce Native American beliefs and living styles, many students think that it's funny or weird until they do the research and discover why Natives believed or lived as they did. Sometimes students do a complete 180 on what they had previously thought.

Tuesday Wrapup-AM Breakdown ; /

Although I enjoyed Kaye's presentation immensely, a rush of panic ran through me. R.A.F.T?? Good grief! R.A.F.T. was an activity I had planned in my presentation. What am I going to do now? My presentation is Thursday and Kaye really rocked today.

Well, get ready, R.A.F.T. is returning. (Don assured me that this often happens.) I'm convinced I have another take on using this teaching tool. We'll be able to get in touch with our inner child.

I really enjoyed getting to know Beth a little better. We have a lot in common. Small world.

Have a great evening and see you bright and early in the morning :)

Lori :)

Kay's Teaching Demo

I enjoyed Kay's teaching demo today. It was organized and informative. Good job, Kay!

Thoughts on blogging

I have a blog. It's a solitary affair. I post about things I do, mostly DIY projects and the vegetable garden out back or some times just things that irk me. I have to admit, I let my blog languish and I allow months to go by without updating. To be honest, I'm a little unclear on the point of blogging. I do it I guess to share a philosophy, and to share some things outside the mainstream, but few people read it. That's ok with me.

This communal blogging thing though... this should be interesting. Who knows, maybe after doing this for a while my own personal blog will get some attention.

earned insights

The term "earned insights" makes me think of several of my 4th grade students this past school year. Many of them have "earned insights" into things that they shouldn't have to experience anytime in their lives let alone in 4th grade. In Qualley's book the child that learns from touching the hot stove, even though he had been told the already formulated truth because of the parent's knowledge and experience, had truly earned this insight. Many of my students have not only been told that something is wrong, they've experienced the wrong in person, and I guess it could be described as "earned insight". I wish I could erase these from their lives.

Language Peeve

OUr first post is supposed to highlight a language based pet peeve.  Don, for example, doesn't like it when people confuse fewer  and less.  I have no particular thing that really gets on my nerves, but I choose the use of texting abbreviations in formal writing.  If a student is writing a paper, or a colleague is sending a public email, then it should not include "u" in place of "you" or "thx" in place of "thanks." 

Language Ugh!

When I hear someone say two negatives: I don't never...--it makes me stop and focus on the fact the person used double negatives. I then tend to not pay attention to the rest of the sentence. My listening STOPS. OCD? Maybe...

I cannot stand to hear my students say the word hate. There's something about hearing that come out of their mouths that drives me crazy.

My Language Gripe

"I ain't got no . . . "
I realize this is colloquial language, but I encourage my students to move beyond this. I grew up with this language in my vocabulary, but changed my style when I started school. This is one of the unlearning issues as addressed by Donna Quallley. Sometimes we must unlearn as we learn.

I have a friend that does not know past tense forms. he says that "he knowed", "he growed", and his best is "he eat" It's funny now , but when he says it I always shutter. He is 47, he's not changing!

Language choices that make me cringe are word choices used by students that make the students seem as if they have low self-esteem or no self-respect (sometimes students do not recognize privacy boundaries). I have two great examples for this:
"I have to go pee." OR "I have my period!"

My language stickler

They seen it around the front porch. Geez, this makes me crazy! Please - it's either they saw it or they have seen it. While I'm at it, another one that gets me, but is at least less noticeable is establishing the appropriate time to use between and among. Between the two, it was agreed that a 3 horned toad was seen jumping among the ferns that grew so profusely. Between = 2, among = at least 3 or more. I hope my students have seen this difference!

O.K. now I know how petty this sounds. Who cares what this difference was. Seen it or saw it - the meaning hasn't been changed. As far as among and between, I don't plan to make an issue of this either (but I still like to challenge myself to think about which one the grammarian would use - but I'll keep this to myself).

A statement I will take a stand on as being one I will not allow in my class is, "Shut Up!" and I am not talking about when it's used as humor. Telling someone to Shut Up, in my opinion is shutting that person down.

My language pet peeve

It annoys me when adults say I seen and we was.

Language Pet Peeve

My Grandma Steel always corrected our grammar. We said she was always on "grammar patrol".
If I were on "grammar patrol" I would fine all those who say "I don't got none". This is one grammar mistake that hits me immediately.

Signs with misspellled words.

My language pet peeve is seeing words misspelled on signs of businesses, churches, SCHOOLS, etc.
I want to go in to the place and politely tell them that they have a word incorrectly spelled on their sign and that this really influences whether I come in to this establishment or not. Also words that are misspelled in programs, bulletins, or printed material that is to educate or inform people of anything, really disturbs me. Especially in this day of spell check, etc.

My Language Pet Peeve

It truly bothers me when people don't know the difference between the words: there, their, and they're. Oooo...it bugs me. I understand that either they weren't paying attention when this was taught OR they truly don't know or remember how it works. So here it is for all those who need a quick lesson. 'There' refers to over 'there' or 'There it is'. 'Their' refers to possession of something, like 'their' hat, 'their' coat, etc. 'They're is a contraction that means 'they are'.

writing pet peeve

I'm not if this counts or not, but I hate, hate, hate, hate like I hate sickness, when songwriters rhyme "girl" and "world." To me, that just screams "hack". Granted Tom Waits has done it, Loretta Lynn and I'm sure a host of other great songwriters, but man does it get to me...

For one thing, it's a cliche, but the main problem is, it doesn't rhyme!

MY LANGUAGE PET PEEVES

Throw away words like: 'things," "a lot" and "stuff" drive me crazy because they are vague and indefinite. They don't really say anything and provide very little information. For instance, "I'm going to the store to get some things and a lot of other stuff. "

my "eats shoots and leaves" is:

When people use the word "was" incorrectly: "We was at the store last night." It makes me cringe and do back flips. I live in an area where this is common and I never get used to it.

My language pet peeve

The phrase that drives me absolutely mad is "I seen". As in, "I seen you yesterday walking your dogs." Ugh. Subject/verb agreement may seem like a little thing, but when it's ignored it makes a world of difference!! One of my closest friends (also an English teacher) is perpetually saying, "I seen". Gah!! I think now she's only doing so to spite me--and it works!

Another issue that drives me nuts is the color/collar mix-up. You color a picture. You put a collar on Fido. These words are *not* interchangeable!

This is it! The OUAWP 2010 has begun!

Greetings Summer Institute Participants and Friends of OUAWP!

Today we begin another great adventure in writing, teaching, and community. Soon this webspace will be filled with your thoughts, reflections, reminders, questions, and pearls of wisdom. I can't hardly wait.

Don