Summary:
McClure looks at collaborative learning in the classsroom. he strats off by talking about the lack of motiuvation he hears in the students voices when they work in groups. He then talks about how collaberative learning is still the most effective way of learning and how it reduces the feeling of alienation of students who would not normally be involved with other students. Later on in the essay, McClure says that the best way for students to learn is to interact in educational games as well as serious class discussion.
Reflection:
This article was written in good intentions and makes some very valid points. Yes, students don't do their work with enthusiasm, but there are very few things that a teacher can do to motivate some students. The goal of most teachers is to keep kids interested in the material being teached without making class a place where students are entertained. the serious discussion is a huge roll in the classroom...if you can get the students to debate on a topic that they can talk about informativley as well as passionatly. These are good points but they seem a little overly optimistic.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Reading Response November 28th
Summary:
The early part of Chapter 14 is about the standardized testing. Lindemann describes how the testing is actually supposed to help improve the education system, regardless of popular belief. Some feel that standardized testing doesn't show if a student is a good writer or not. The chapter shows that some feel that some students should be critiqued on two different writings on two different subjects and keep the standardized timed writing out of the equation.
Response:
I personally feel that writing should be evaluated by the teacher in the classroom setting. An outside party has no idea if that student just had a bad day or if they felt rushed because of the time limit on the test. Writing two different essays on two seperate topics is a good idea, but them you run the risk of losing the students attention, and them making more mistakes than they usually would. Overall it was a chapter than i feel like i have read before.
The early part of Chapter 14 is about the standardized testing. Lindemann describes how the testing is actually supposed to help improve the education system, regardless of popular belief. Some feel that standardized testing doesn't show if a student is a good writer or not. The chapter shows that some feel that some students should be critiqued on two different writings on two different subjects and keep the standardized timed writing out of the equation.
Response:
I personally feel that writing should be evaluated by the teacher in the classroom setting. An outside party has no idea if that student just had a bad day or if they felt rushed because of the time limit on the test. Writing two different essays on two seperate topics is a good idea, but them you run the risk of losing the students attention, and them making more mistakes than they usually would. Overall it was a chapter than i feel like i have read before.
Blog Prompt October 22nd
The English department at USCA is ruthless! No paper seems to be good, the best a student can shoot or with a paper in the English Department is acceptable. While other departments seem to be clueless about what a paper is supposed to look like. Teaches assign one page papers with ten sources in them and others want two pages on whatever we choose as long as its two pages and has something to do with science. Papers in other studies outside of the English Department seem to be much more lenient about what they want. Other studies want content, and aren't overly concerned about hanging indention's and colon usage. It seems other studies are focused on what really matter rather than nit picking and taking a letter grade off for a missed comma. English classes give students an advantage for writing in other classes. With such high standards in English classes, it seems almost like a joke writing for classes that care more about content then punctuation. The standards are so low in comparison students can write easier for other classes.
Reading Response November 14th
Summary:
Murial Harris says that teacher, especially English teachers, make students turn in multiple drafts of a paper before the final draft. The idea behind this is to show the students that a final draft may be completely different from a first or second draft. She points out there are two different kinds of writers, procrastination writers, who focus on their topic, and draft writers who write to try and develop their topic. She also points out that some writing doesn't permit drafts and writing must focus on topic right away. Later on she points out that the draft writers and final draft writers are also in the professional writing world. Throughout the essay, the idea that single draft writers are more keen to audience writing while writers who develope their topic in a multitude of essays are writing to please themselves. The essay debates which one is better and the advantage and disadvantages of both.
Response:
This essay really dragged on. The one interesting point that was made was the fact that even writers in the professional world are one draft writers. This made me feel like I wasnt alone. I know that developing an essay is probably a little better, lets face it, we all know that. So personally I didnt see the point in this essay. It seemed a little self evident. I was more impressed that she managed to get 18 pages out of such a bland topic...maybe her first draft was better!
Murial Harris says that teacher, especially English teachers, make students turn in multiple drafts of a paper before the final draft. The idea behind this is to show the students that a final draft may be completely different from a first or second draft. She points out there are two different kinds of writers, procrastination writers, who focus on their topic, and draft writers who write to try and develop their topic. She also points out that some writing doesn't permit drafts and writing must focus on topic right away. Later on she points out that the draft writers and final draft writers are also in the professional writing world. Throughout the essay, the idea that single draft writers are more keen to audience writing while writers who develope their topic in a multitude of essays are writing to please themselves. The essay debates which one is better and the advantage and disadvantages of both.
Response:
This essay really dragged on. The one interesting point that was made was the fact that even writers in the professional world are one draft writers. This made me feel like I wasnt alone. I know that developing an essay is probably a little better, lets face it, we all know that. So personally I didnt see the point in this essay. It seemed a little self evident. I was more impressed that she managed to get 18 pages out of such a bland topic...maybe her first draft was better!
Reading Response October 31st
Revealing the Teacher-as-Reader in Response to Students' Writing
Summary:
Sperling dives into the class of an English teacher. Going into a class and doing observation of the class as a whole as well as the relationship between the teacher and student in the class. Sperling looks at the ways a teacher looks at a student writing. Some of the things she looks at are interpretive, the social, the emotional, the evaluative, and the pedagogical. Sperling says that these are some of the stand points a teacher should have when reader a students paper. Later in the article, a pentagon is shown on how to break these aspects up even;y to by affective when reading a students paper. Sperling suggests that teachers apply these things into their classroom and discuss with their students the different aspects the teacher will be looking at.
Response:
The chapter was a little confusing but eventually I get the hang of it. I think it would help students out if the teacher talked to them about the grading. This goes back to when we were talking about audiance and who students should write to. The more students know about how they are being graded, the easier it is going to be for that student to write a good paper. there are some good stand points on how the teacher should read a paper and I agree that sperlings suggestions could help in many classrooms.
Summary:
Sperling dives into the class of an English teacher. Going into a class and doing observation of the class as a whole as well as the relationship between the teacher and student in the class. Sperling looks at the ways a teacher looks at a student writing. Some of the things she looks at are interpretive, the social, the emotional, the evaluative, and the pedagogical. Sperling says that these are some of the stand points a teacher should have when reader a students paper. Later in the article, a pentagon is shown on how to break these aspects up even;y to by affective when reading a students paper. Sperling suggests that teachers apply these things into their classroom and discuss with their students the different aspects the teacher will be looking at.
Response:
The chapter was a little confusing but eventually I get the hang of it. I think it would help students out if the teacher talked to them about the grading. This goes back to when we were talking about audiance and who students should write to. The more students know about how they are being graded, the easier it is going to be for that student to write a good paper. there are some good stand points on how the teacher should read a paper and I agree that sperlings suggestions could help in many classrooms.
Chapter 6, October 24th
Chapter 6:
Lindeman says that students don't feel that hard work alone is going to make them good writers. The chapter goes on to say that it is the teachers responsibility to know the cognitive proccess and help the students along the way. creativity, perception, and conception are the three things that Lindeman touches on in the chapter that a teacher should know and be able to teach their students. She says that these are the things that a teacher should know and then portray this message to the student to make them a better writer. Lindeman also talks about applying Piagets cognative thoeries into the classroom. By applying the these things, Lindeman says that a teacher can create good writers in their classrooms.
Response:
I liked this chapter because it really delt with education by applying some of the educational theories. It was nice to see that Piaget's that are mentioned in other classes are put into our english classes. This chapter also hit a personal nerve. Having a teacher that encourages good writing can be usefull. I had teachers personally who helped me improve my writing and hepled me when i couldn't find anything to write about. Good chapter and i wish more chapters were like this one. For some reason this chapter kept my attention.
Lindeman says that students don't feel that hard work alone is going to make them good writers. The chapter goes on to say that it is the teachers responsibility to know the cognitive proccess and help the students along the way. creativity, perception, and conception are the three things that Lindeman touches on in the chapter that a teacher should know and be able to teach their students. She says that these are the things that a teacher should know and then portray this message to the student to make them a better writer. Lindeman also talks about applying Piagets cognative thoeries into the classroom. By applying the these things, Lindeman says that a teacher can create good writers in their classrooms.
Response:
I liked this chapter because it really delt with education by applying some of the educational theories. It was nice to see that Piaget's that are mentioned in other classes are put into our english classes. This chapter also hit a personal nerve. Having a teacher that encourages good writing can be usefull. I had teachers personally who helped me improve my writing and hepled me when i couldn't find anything to write about. Good chapter and i wish more chapters were like this one. For some reason this chapter kept my attention.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Blog prompt: November 19th
Working with students who speak English as a second language is going to be a problem. not only am i not going to understand them, I get frustrated when I cant understand what someone is saying. The cultural differences I look forward to, I love learning about different cultures. The problem will souly be the language barrier. Having to say "excuse me" and "what was that" gets on my nerves. Grading their papers will also be a problem. They will not be on the same english level as the rest of the students which is unfair to the foreign speaking student. The question is; do you grade them the same. My answer is no. Our job is to be teachers, not language enforcers. We are there to teach students english and how to use the language. I feel that if the teacher sets a goal for the student for the next paper and expresses that goal to the student, then that is what the teacher should be grading on. So is this a lower standard to that student? Yes, but knowing the basics is the only way for that student to learn any further. The other students will feel as though they are being treated unfair by one student having a different way of being graded, but all students should be graded on what they learn based on the goals set by the teacher.
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