Showing posts with label writing workshop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing workshop. Show all posts
Monday, September 22, 2014
This I Believe
For the past several months, I've been lucky to be part of the Central Virginia Writers' Project. At our two-week seminar this summer, we were asked to write our own versions of a "This I Believe" essay. Not only did this assignment give me a chance to distill some of my own beliefs about why what I do in the classroom matters, my eleventh grade team had already decided to use this prompt as our beginning essay assignment. So, I had a ready-made piece to share with my students as I asked them to share their own beliefs, and here it is for you all:
I believe we have messed up just about everything we can when it comes to public education in the United States. We expect students to learn without showing them what great magic learning can work in their own lives and the lives of others. We expect students to learn for the sake of the economy and not for the sake of themselves, and then we berate them for being so selfish as to skip class or not do their homework.
There is still some magic in elementary school. A dear friend of mine recently inspired her students to design and build their own butterfly garden when they can research, write, and sit in awe of creatures they’ve helped to save.
But the magic is seeping out of the walls of our secondary schools. Students are expected to sit still for forty-five minutes, take notes in the preferred method du jour, dutifully pass tests, and move on to the next subject when the bell rings. If they are lucky, they might get two bathroom passes a semester and a few teachers who have decided not to ride the wave of standardized test hysteria.
I believe that if we trust teachers to design project-based assessments, we will have a picture of where our students are succeeding and where they need more help. I believe if we paid teachers a wage commensurate to the many hours we work above our contracts, we wouldn’t have a shortage of bright, dedicated professionals who are respected by students, their parents, and their communities. I believe if teachers had smaller caseloads, students would receive more meaningful instruction. I believe if we created a ladder for teachers to grow professionally without leaving the classroom, we would see fewer than half of all teachers leave in their first five years of teaching.
I believe if we increased the minimum wage, we would increase student learning. I believe if showed students learning to read and read well means they could visit the moon or the ocean or the next Odyssey of the Mind field trip, we would have millions more finish college. I believe if we put students in small groups according to their interests and not any perceived ability level and turned them loose on a project, they’d learn more than they ever would in any Advanced Placement or college prep class.
I believe in the promise of public education to incorporate us all to a cause higher than ourselves. I believe our schools can be places where students delve deep into a topic and come out better learners, citizens, and people, for the experience.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Persuade Me
In the tenth grade, we've just started our persuasive essay projects, and I am so excited! I did something similar last year, but, as with so many things, I think having the time to reflect and modify instead of just create, this project is a little, well, better (aside -- I spent a lot of time thinking about the commas I just used there, but I'm pretty sure I got those right).
We started out by reading this New York Times op-ed written by a twelfth grader. In it, he implores politicians and policy makers to get over their obsession with multiple-choice testing. We used the article to have a class discussion about the author's purpose, the thesis statement, and the need for counterexamples. In the course of our discussion on counterexamples, we thought about why policies such as No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top became popular. Students challenged each other to think of other ways to make sure that schools focus their attention on all students. All I had to do was sit back and listen.
Then, we moved into the project proper. Students will write a two-page paper attempting to convince an administrator to change a school rule or policy. Technology use, the tardy policy, and time between classes have been the favorites so far. After workshopping our pieces, I'm going to give my supervising administrator a sample of student papers. She's going to read them and come talk to our class about what policies can be changed and why other ones may have to stay in place.
Before students peer conferenced yesterday, we read the Sunday Dialogue around the original piece in order to look for examples of what makes a compelling argument. We talked about how to ask the sort of questions to guide our friends to making those arguments (How can you add more substance to your emotional appeal? Have you thought about ___________ reason for the rule? How can you address that reason?). I'm so looking forward to getting the second drafts tomorrow!
We started out by reading this New York Times op-ed written by a twelfth grader. In it, he implores politicians and policy makers to get over their obsession with multiple-choice testing. We used the article to have a class discussion about the author's purpose, the thesis statement, and the need for counterexamples. In the course of our discussion on counterexamples, we thought about why policies such as No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top became popular. Students challenged each other to think of other ways to make sure that schools focus their attention on all students. All I had to do was sit back and listen.
Then, we moved into the project proper. Students will write a two-page paper attempting to convince an administrator to change a school rule or policy. Technology use, the tardy policy, and time between classes have been the favorites so far. After workshopping our pieces, I'm going to give my supervising administrator a sample of student papers. She's going to read them and come talk to our class about what policies can be changed and why other ones may have to stay in place.
Before students peer conferenced yesterday, we read the Sunday Dialogue around the original piece in order to look for examples of what makes a compelling argument. We talked about how to ask the sort of questions to guide our friends to making those arguments (How can you add more substance to your emotional appeal? Have you thought about ___________ reason for the rule? How can you address that reason?). I'm so looking forward to getting the second drafts tomorrow!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Writing Workshops
Tomorrow I'm supposed to give a little workshop to my new department about the way I do my writing workshops. So, I'm going to practice on you!
1. Free writing
We start off (nearly) every day in my classroom free writing for about ten minutes. I try to give one prompt related to the content, one prompt related to pop culture, and a free write option. This year, we're writing about poems every day in twelfth grade, and I'm really excited about that!
2. Choose a topic (or genre)
Students can choose a free write to expand into an essay. If you need them to focus on a particular type of writing, assign free writes that can lead to persuasive writing or what have you. Or, skip step one and just assign the genre.
3. Rough draft
Students write. At my previous school, I was pretty adamant about handwriting. Since everyone has access to technology here, I'm thinking about relaxing that requirement this year and allowing students to keep all their rough drafts on an access-restricted blog.
4. Peer Editing
Teachers don't read the rough draft. It's a place for students to work out kinks and think about the revision process. Students switch papers and fill out a TAG sheet. The TAG sheet guides peer editors to Tell something you like, Ask questions, Give advice. Once the student gets his or her paper and TAG sheet back, there's a section for the writer to make a plan. Students write three goals for their second drafts.
5. Revision Rubric
After making their goals, students create revision rubrics. They identify three (or more!) areas where they can improve (examples include conclusion, word choice, and conventions). They use their goals created on their TAG sheets to identify the areas. They then assign each area its own color using colored pencils.
6. Second Draft
Students write a second draft keeping their goals in mind. These drafts should be typed. Once they're printed, students underline the areas where they think they've met their goals. This draft, the rubric, the TAG sheet, and the rough draft are turned in. Teachers should read this packet and comment on growth -- if you need a grade here, it's for completion to show students they've been successful in growing. If you think they haven't grown, that's a completion issue that needs to be addressed before they turn in a third draft.
7. Third Draft and Reflection
Taking into account teacher comments, students write a third draft. They turn these drafts in along with a paragraph explaining how their writing has changed over the course of the project.
This workshop allows students to see writing as a process and not as something that needs to be perfect the first (or second or third) time. Lower- and higher-proficiency students benefit from understanding the process when they have to do it much more condensed forms. Also, this way seems to make writing a little less stressful -- and maybe even a little fun!
A note about hats: I appreciate everyone's feedback about the hat situation. I have a follow up post coming about it taking what y'all said into account; I promise!
1. Free writing
We start off (nearly) every day in my classroom free writing for about ten minutes. I try to give one prompt related to the content, one prompt related to pop culture, and a free write option. This year, we're writing about poems every day in twelfth grade, and I'm really excited about that!
2. Choose a topic (or genre)
Students can choose a free write to expand into an essay. If you need them to focus on a particular type of writing, assign free writes that can lead to persuasive writing or what have you. Or, skip step one and just assign the genre.
3. Rough draft
Students write. At my previous school, I was pretty adamant about handwriting. Since everyone has access to technology here, I'm thinking about relaxing that requirement this year and allowing students to keep all their rough drafts on an access-restricted blog.
4. Peer Editing
Teachers don't read the rough draft. It's a place for students to work out kinks and think about the revision process. Students switch papers and fill out a TAG sheet. The TAG sheet guides peer editors to Tell something you like, Ask questions, Give advice. Once the student gets his or her paper and TAG sheet back, there's a section for the writer to make a plan. Students write three goals for their second drafts.
5. Revision Rubric
After making their goals, students create revision rubrics. They identify three (or more!) areas where they can improve (examples include conclusion, word choice, and conventions). They use their goals created on their TAG sheets to identify the areas. They then assign each area its own color using colored pencils.
6. Second Draft
Students write a second draft keeping their goals in mind. These drafts should be typed. Once they're printed, students underline the areas where they think they've met their goals. This draft, the rubric, the TAG sheet, and the rough draft are turned in. Teachers should read this packet and comment on growth -- if you need a grade here, it's for completion to show students they've been successful in growing. If you think they haven't grown, that's a completion issue that needs to be addressed before they turn in a third draft.
7. Third Draft and Reflection
Taking into account teacher comments, students write a third draft. They turn these drafts in along with a paragraph explaining how their writing has changed over the course of the project.
This workshop allows students to see writing as a process and not as something that needs to be perfect the first (or second or third) time. Lower- and higher-proficiency students benefit from understanding the process when they have to do it much more condensed forms. Also, this way seems to make writing a little less stressful -- and maybe even a little fun!
A note about hats: I appreciate everyone's feedback about the hat situation. I have a follow up post coming about it taking what y'all said into account; I promise!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Where a Poke is a Bag
Another student work sample from one of my really talented poets. I got this activity from Linda Christensen's Reading, Writing, and Rising Up by way of my wonderful high school English teacher.
Where I come from everyone has a truck,
There is always work to be done.
Where you judge by actions not appearances.
Biscuits and gravy is a famous meal.
The food is homemade and made from scratch
and the towns are small
Where ever'body knows everybody.
When the weather is nice
Everyone drives a classic.
Money isn't given, it's earned
By the work of your hands and sweat of your brow
Where respect is easier to lose than earn.
Where the flag is flown high
And in God we trust and we believe.
Where the mountains are home
During deer season.
Where are come from guns are owned with pride
And we dare the government to take them
Where you warsh dishes, worship the Lord,
And your neighbor lives down the holler.
Where I come from a poke is bag.
Does Student A have some things to learn about active voice? Sure. But that sort of self-reflection of home language at fourteen impresses the heck out of me.
Where I come from everyone has a truck,
There is always work to be done.
Where you judge by actions not appearances.
Biscuits and gravy is a famous meal.
The food is homemade and made from scratch
and the towns are small
Where ever'body knows everybody.
When the weather is nice
Everyone drives a classic.
Money isn't given, it's earned
By the work of your hands and sweat of your brow
Where respect is easier to lose than earn.
Where the flag is flown high
And in God we trust and we believe.
Where the mountains are home
During deer season.
Where are come from guns are owned with pride
And we dare the government to take them
Where you warsh dishes, worship the Lord,
And your neighbor lives down the holler.
Where I come from a poke is bag.
Does Student A have some things to learn about active voice? Sure. But that sort of self-reflection of home language at fourteen impresses the heck out of me.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Student Work Sample
Students were assigned an oral history project in which they interviewed an older member of our community and recorded a story about the person. Student W. asked if he could "embellish" his story about his grandfather. I told him that's what storytellers often do. This is what I got (with permission to share):
Robert Edmund Harrell was created long ago in an underground laboratory, roughly below Siberia. He was made by the will of the Earth God, fusing rock and magma to form the greatest hero the world has ever known. Once the Moon God of the Earth's God's shenanigans, the Moon God constructed his own abomination, Jeffery. Jeffery and Robert Edmund Harrell fought for years, which created the oceans and continents. Eventually, Robert Edmund Harrell prevailed and saved the world from evil Jeffery's wrath.
A few years later Robert Edmund Harrell became very lonely and was looking for a mate he could carry on his legacy with. He found a human named Janet Compton and decided that she would be the best choice. Together, the populated the planet and maintained peace until around the year 1939 when a large war began. The United States of America wanted to control Robert Edmund Harrell because he was a very strong ally to have and if controlled well, could mean victory or defeat for the country. Robert Edmund Harrell realized quickly the position he was in. The United States was smart, but not smart enough to outwit Robert Edmund Harrell. He took control of the country from the inside, disguising himself as a regular human being. His goal was to force every country in the world to worship his power, and what better way than to start with one of the most powerful countries in the world.
By 1945, Robert Edmund Harrell had successfully taken over the United States of America. However, his action were being noticed by many people from around the world. A group formed called POTATO.
This is a rough draft. More to come. Names changed to protect the hilarious.
Robert Edmund Harrell was created long ago in an underground laboratory, roughly below Siberia. He was made by the will of the Earth God, fusing rock and magma to form the greatest hero the world has ever known. Once the Moon God of the Earth's God's shenanigans, the Moon God constructed his own abomination, Jeffery. Jeffery and Robert Edmund Harrell fought for years, which created the oceans and continents. Eventually, Robert Edmund Harrell prevailed and saved the world from evil Jeffery's wrath.
A few years later Robert Edmund Harrell became very lonely and was looking for a mate he could carry on his legacy with. He found a human named Janet Compton and decided that she would be the best choice. Together, the populated the planet and maintained peace until around the year 1939 when a large war began. The United States of America wanted to control Robert Edmund Harrell because he was a very strong ally to have and if controlled well, could mean victory or defeat for the country. Robert Edmund Harrell realized quickly the position he was in. The United States was smart, but not smart enough to outwit Robert Edmund Harrell. He took control of the country from the inside, disguising himself as a regular human being. His goal was to force every country in the world to worship his power, and what better way than to start with one of the most powerful countries in the world.
By 1945, Robert Edmund Harrell had successfully taken over the United States of America. However, his action were being noticed by many people from around the world. A group formed called POTATO.
This is a rough draft. More to come. Names changed to protect the hilarious.
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