Genre Reflection # 2 How to Appear to Have Read a Book

How to Appear to Have Read a Book

This is the secret of all secrets. Shhh you must tell no one or risk teachers finding out. Repeat the phrase, “I solemnly swear to only tell the cool people about how to appear to have read a book, if a teacher should find I will evoke the 5^th amendment.”   

First, you must spark note. This will give you theme and summary and cut out on half the work time, more than likely you will be tested over the same themes spark note has.

 Now you are prepared to face the class. Start a conversation about the book with a few class mates before class. Remember the ones who arrive early tend to be smart. Now make them tell you everything you need to know and throughout the conversation throw in a few opposing viewpoints by summing up what they said but giving the opposite perspective. This will cause them to talk more because everyone knows the smart kids have to be right.

Class is starting don’t panic. Next, don’t make eye contact with the teacher nor put your head down. The teacher is watching and looking. Quick look through your notes like you’re thinking. You want to make sure you are called upon after some have spoken.  Now listen to the classmates that are speaking and comment on their comments.  Also, say the same thing they said but in a different ways. This will make you seem well prepared and seem like you’re participating. 

Now, the teacher may surprise you and tell you to write something about the book. It’s all good do the following: use vague or broad terminology, elaborate on small parts of the book, and most importantly write with confidence by using phrases like without a doubt.

 If all else fails just remember to dance around the issue. Remember, this is English and it is subjective.  

Changes

I felt an update from blog 1 was needed. A lot has changed the motivation of my students. I looked at some interesting ideas about how to motivate children. An article I read said, “People who believe that they have control tend to be more motivated than individuals who feel as if outside forces are compelling them (Perks).” I took part of this idea and part of one I heard of before and presented this to the students, “I will let you give me a homework assignment you feel is important once a week if more than 15 students turn in their homework.” The students responded well. A lot of the students give me music homework assignments or YouTube videos to look up. The next class I will discuss what I thought with them. I found in doing this, the students feel I find what they can teach me as important as what I can teach them. They also listen to how I teach and how I learn so they can mimic me when they are the teacher. It is fun and they keep me connected to youthful current events. In case you were worried about cutting into class time. I do this during “Brain Break”. The students get a break from their task half way through the class and I do my homework assignment they gave me and it turns into a fun discussion they like for ten minutes. This beat the alternative of having to stop class a lot to correct a behavior. Plus this is still helping me relate to the students and build on trust.   

My students are really enjoying the consistency I give them with their daily bell ringers.  They are usually questions asking what they think they will learn today. I also when I start the lesson explain why it’s important. However, right after that they go into stress mode.  What I find to be a problem is making their work more fun or less stressful. They see an assignment and get overwhelmed. I have tried breaking up the assignment into smaller sections but they still struggle with the time it takes. Sometimes I feel it’s a laziness problem because a lot of students tell me they don’t get homework anymore. Plus they say a lot of their past English teachers just did discussions and read to them. I want them more college or career ready though and writing and homework are both big parts. How do I make the work less stressful and at the same time challenge my students?   

 

Perks, Kevin. Crafting Effective Choices to Motivate Students. Ohio Resource. Web. April, 2010.

 

 

Genre Reflection 1: One Class under Ms. Jones

One Class under Ms. Jones

 

A teacher’s relation to her students is sublime

For it’s a teacher’s job to insure no students is left behind

But relating to students is not as easy as it seems

As times have changed, so have many students’ dreams

But in this class we strive to see these dreams through

Education is always first in Ms. Jones’ room

Yet if you’re looking for ordinary then never look here

Because ordinary is not common, this message is clear

Video games and shopping are the pin point of our learning

But never question the degree that we are earning

For Ms. Jones Just gives it in a way we can understand

It may not be traditional, but completes the task at hand

For never in this class will we ever feel alone

In the words of Mike, we call on who, Ms. Jones

Ms. Jones may not be perfect, but Ms. Jones is our own

Someone we can depend on as our lives become full grown

So as we go on, to the future students we say

That Ms. Jones helps her students in every single way

Apply yourself fully and never slack at any time

The goal is, get knowledge in your mind   



The Gifted Student

Every day I come to class and feel there is nothing I can learn. I loathe having to come and do the same routine every day. I want a challenge! I am in an honors class and feel time wasting. I drawl while others learn. I distract with questions not pertaining to the lesson. I wonder if anyone gets me. I feel my path for obtaining knowledge with always be lonely. I ask again, “does anyone get me? Will my teacher teach something useful or interesting to me?”

One of my students has voiced these sentences above in so many words.  What concerns me is how do I challenge this student? He still has to learn what everyone else is also learning but needs his part of the assignment to have more of a challenge to it. This student respects me and we share some same interest. I know communication is there. His home life involves his parents giving him extra homework assignments, which are related to school subjects. I find his social skills to be lacking because everything surrounds school work. How do I give more assignments that also work on social skills? Peter Smagorinsky talks about a ‘Talk Show Format” which allows students to have a student lead discussion, while playing characters and acting out literature like a talk show (34). I like the social lesson involved here. The student I am thinking of will interact with his peers and get a chance to lead the discussion. More student lead activities will help with the in-school-boredom but I still want some independent Ideas.  Smagorinsky also says, “By engaging in these activity-oriented, student-centered means of discussion, students become more active agents of their learning and rise to a higher level of expectation for their engagements with literature (44).” Based on this quote my student will be challenged allowing him to grown and not keep saying he is bored or not learning anything.

As a whole I am gaining a lot of experience with my CT. I have finally seen Philosophical chairs. The students were very passionate about the position they took on the argument.  It was exciting to hear them use phrases like, “That may be true however, or you make an interesting point but what about” they were full of energy. One of my students said something a little startling, “We should just kill them all, innocent or not.” The student was really serious with a straight face when she said it. Her peers didn’t say much and my CT just said, “Let’s make sure we are using evidence found in are text or from other reliable sources.” The students all get along and are in support of each other (this makes philosophical chairs a little easier).

Reflecting on last week, I gave a few review games to my CT that I found online. She is planning on using one of them for the next test. I like when I am not just an extra person in the room. I think the CT I currently have is my favorite. She gives me feedback and values my opinion. She has a lot of resources as well.

References:

Smagorinsky, Peter. Teaching English By Design: How to Create and Carry Out Instructional Units. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2008. Print.

A Shining Moment/A Hindering Obstacle

A Shining Moment/A Hindering Obstacle

 

My experiences, thus far, have been occupied with learning the differences among my students. The idea that there are many seminaries that teenagers share seems to be an overreaching idea for me. I find myself overwhelmed at times trying to keep all of the class engaged in the concept that is being taught; especially with so many personalities. That being said, I am building personal connection with all my students.

 

I am teaching an English honor class with an occupancy of twenty-two students. I had been teaching the lower students in my previous assignments so I found the higher level learners to be an interesting change. In this class, the students come with many questions and always turn in their homework. They are excited to learn and don’t just take your word for an answer you give them. The students challenge me in many ways and I enjoy the new experiences that come with them; they remind me of myself; doing anything to test the teacher or making sure they know the teacher can be trusted.  I had overcoming breakthrough this week. The students had a homework assignment where they had to write their own poem. During lunch, one of the students ran to me and said, “Ms. Jones look at my assignment and tell me what you think. Is it an A?” Me being Ecstatic, trying to hold back my excitement, looked it over and told her a few things she needed to change.  I then said, “Overall the assignment was well done”. The best part came after. She spread the word that I knew what I was doing. Now with every assignment I am hearing my name coming from all areas of the room. Word of mouth, apparently, is still a strong approach. 
 

I find, not classroom management to be a problem but finding activities that appeal to all students. I have some that love art and some that hate art. I have some students who want PowerPoint and some that do not. I understand teaching many ways and sparking different interest is the way to go; however what I struggle with is if I choose to do an art project for example, those who don’t like art complain about it and drag on the assignment at hand. I would like to make my interactions positive when telling them to speed up or to not complain. Unfortunately, I find myself wanting to use those phrases. In an article titled How to Keep a Student Engaged by Baptist Johnson he states, “Use games to teach a lesson, when appropriate to keep students active and engaged. Present the spelling words as a game of Wheel of Fortune. Teach facts about the Civil War as a game of Trivia Pursuit or Jeopardy.” I like the idea; however I find it hard to think of games that will keep the students interest. I would like teacher references here on what games work best because I have seen Jeopardy back fire a few times. One thing I have noticed that seems to be missing is whole class discussion. Questions will be directed at the teacher but never used as a discussion among students. Bomer in his writing “Building Adolescent Literacy in Today’s English Classroom” has said, “It is clearly important for students to have the kind of on-fire discussions that might hook them into an intellectual life and to be captured by their teacher’s excitement in discussing something interesting" (18).  Maybe if my students are focused on what is to come they will move faster in the things not liked.

References:

Bomer, Randy.Building Adolescent Literacy in Today's English Classrooms. Portsmouth:
      Heinemann, 20011. Print.

Johnson, Baptist.eHow.Demand Media, n.d.Web. 1 September 2008.



Practice Post

My experience with my CT is going well. She is letting me take control of the classroom tomorrow and has allowed me to add to the lesson. I have learned all the names of my students; learning this fast is a miracle for me.
My main goal for this semester is to be better than the semester before. I can always improve and this is what I intend to do. I would like the students to have a little more freedom to express themselves creatively. I would also like to include more visual aids for them then the year before. On a small scale, I would like to do at least one outdoor activity. Lastly, I want all 5 as well on my evaluation. Contradictory to my statement about always improving but doesn't mean I won't reach. :)