Why I Hate School but Love Education - MoGraph

What jumped out at you about the readings? - Jan. 26

        I don't think I would have previously considered teaching poetry in my classes as I have never been a fan of poetry or seen much value in it. However, both the readings and the slam poetry video from class today presented some exciting new possibilities and have caused me to re-evaluate.
        I really liked the suggestions from Peterson around how to build the use of poetry into different subjects. The suggestion to have students write a poem about historical figures or early civilizations sounds like it would be an engaging activity for a history class. I could work in cross-curricular expectations, my students could practice their writing, I could assess their understanding of the material, and it would provide my students with a creative means of expression. This could also be applicable in say a Civics/Careers course to help make the lessons more interactive and engaging.
          I also enjoyed the slam poetry video. I think it is very applicable to today's youth. It hits on a lot of points that will resonate with my students while giving them a creative outlet to express their passions, frustrations, and successes.
The Peterson reading on Narrative presented some other interesting ideas on how to present material to the students in creative alternative methods. During her class presentation, Karen shared an idea from her experience of how teachers can use historical fiction to engage students in cross-curricular expectations. In essence, she indicated that it would be possible to teach some of the historical material to the class without the implied perception that "history is boring" because it would not be plainly evident that history was being taught. I found this really interesting and envisioned giving my English students a historical fiction book which ties into the material they are studying in history. So for instance, if we were covering Early Modern Europe, I could assign a text by Philippa Gregory.

          As a class, we could examine the book as a work of English, focusing on technique, style, content, and plot - but we could also examine the text in terms of historical accuracy: what is missing/inaccurate and why? What insights does this give us into life in this period? Which viewpoints are represented and which ones excluded? Using historical fiction presents a lot of opportunities for engaging the students in fun and creative new ways - while hopefully helping them to develop a further love for reading.

Non-Fiction Mentor Text Idea

Mentor text idea - introducing the Review genre.


Using a review of William Faulkner's A Rose for Emily by Mike on Goodreads.com. Use the article as an introduction to the genre of reviews as well as to the short story itself. Students would read the review in one class while being introduced to the review genre and then would go on to read the short story afterwards.

Fiction Mentor Text Idea

William Shakespeare The Merchant of Venice Act 4, Scene 1

PORTIA:

The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.

          This is a great, inspiring short speech, and it relates into the subject matter the class is covering.  It is an example of great oration and clear speech.

         This is a speech intended to inspire. Portia is speaking about mercy and indicating that no one shows mercy because he has to. Mercy is the greatest attribute a man can display, the greatest part of himself he can give. This speech is Shakespearean verse written in iambic pentameter and taken from The Merchant of Venice. We learn about the beauty of the English language in reading Shakespeare's works and about ways in which language can be manipulated to serve various tasks. I particularly like his skill with barbs, as he often uses poetic measure to deliver scalding insults within his writing. I feel this is an aspect that will also appeal to an eighth grade male student and should be explored in study. Shakespeare displays a mastery of the English language that few can emulate. I feel that using this as a mentor text can help show my student - an aspiring writer - how language can be more than just words on a page, and Shakespeare is the greatest example of this. I feel that we can examine the depth of his work and use it as a lens in looking at the students' own work; does his writing have depth? Do his words have double-entendres? Does he convey meaning through his selection of phrases, or is he just describing the action in base language? These are all areas we can look at.

         While many students will not ever deal with Shakespeare once their schooling career is over, the class at Hawthorne is a gifted class and these students will in all likelihood study Shakespeare in high school, so learning about the nuances and beauty of Shakespeare's work will be an asset to their future studies and will help them in later years as they pursue their education.

Non-Fiction Mentor Text - Jan. 19

            For my non-fiction mentor text I have chosen a poem by Taylor Mali entitled "The the Impotence of Proofreading" (the video is posted just below). I find this to be a very inspirational piece because it speaks to my students on so many different levels.


            For starters, Taylor Mali has this way of delivering his poetry with straight-faced sarcastic humour that can appeal to many different viewers. He has the ability to deliver barbs that are accurate and pointed; he is insulting the general population while pointing out important flaws we should all be aware of and indicating ways we could perhaps improve our practices. He also has a tendency to play into important matters that are significant to a classroom environment (he is a teacher himself). Some of his other work includes poetry about being bullied, the role of teachers, and the importance of speaking with clarity and conviction. These are all subjects that can be relevant to students and teachers alike.


           As a mentor text for students, the poem I have chosen emphasizes the importance of proofreading everything before you hand it in - with a humorous twist. My students can be entertained while still getting the message that they cannot rely solely on spell checker to correct their grammar. This can also be used to illustrate why students still need to learn proper grammar. The spell-checking and writing tools of modern technology cannot replace the hard-learned ability to write distinctly and succinctly.


          We can use Taylor's piece as a mentor text because we can examine the nuances and language he uses, included his word choice and composition. We can also discuss the content of the poem, reflecting on how he chooses to illustrate his message with a few carefully chosen words. This can lead to discussion on how changing one or two words can drastically alter the meaning of an entire sentence. This can also lead into the importance of correctly placed grammar.

         While many of the students we will be working with at Hawthorne are gifted students, I still feel that emphasizing the importance of editing your work will be an asset to their future studies. This will give me the opportunity to discuss the importance of grammar and proofreading while allowing my students to see their lessons in a humorous and entertaining manner. I hope to be able to appeal to their creativity and to motivate them to at least proofread their future assignments.

Taylor Mali, "The the impotence of proofreading" (with text)

What does writing mean to you? - Jan. 12

“The pen is mightier than the sword”. – Edward Bulwer-Lytton in Richelieu.

         Writing is a key form of communication. We write to express our ideas, to communicate with others, to remember important details, and to learn new things. Writing gives the individual an outlet for expression that can be comparable to forms of art. We write memoirs, poems, stories, song lyrics, and many other artistic expressions. As an English teacher my job is not just to teach students to read and write, but to show them the many ways that writing can become important to them in their futures beyond school. As a History teacher it is my goal to show my students what great things historical figures have accomplished through their own writing, and to engage students to further develop and expand their own skills no matter what they are writing for; the History paper or the Science paper deserve good grammar no less than the English paper. Writing is arguably our greatest form of communication; it is through the writing of important speeches and ideas that great men and women have accomplished great things. Even though we are heading into an age driven by technology, skill with the pen will be no less important tomorrow than it was yesterday.

What does 'Writing' Mean to You? - Jan. 5

           When I think of writing, I think of expression, knowledge, communication, learning, and exploration. I think of growth, development, and understanding. I think of fiction, poetry, narrative, textbooks, essays, and websites.  I have always had a love of English and I look forward to teaching writing to my students in its various forms – but one thing I need to keep in mind is that my students will not all share my enjoyment of writing; in fact for some, it may be an onerous task they would rather avoid. I think in teaching it is important to find a delicate balance between teaching your students good grammar, and teaching them the ability to express their ideas and use their words to communicate their thoughts. While for many these two concepts typically go hand-in-hand, for some students these are two separate entities that need to be built upon and constructed. It is important to help my students grow as readers, without causing them to feel exhausted from over-focusing on proper writing. It is also important to find a balance between working in writing skills in cross-curricular activities. The history class can write letters home as though they were living in a particular time period. The science class can create lab reports and write “articles” on their findings. The geography class can write a beautiful poem detailing the topography of the region they are studying. There are many possibilities for incorporating writing into different subjects and helping our students to grow as both readers and writers.