"Moving My English Class To The Computer Lab"
I found this article to be very useful and overall very informative. I think that the use of technology is crucial to the society that we live in today. Among students (whether high school, middle school, or college), students constantly have access to so much information involving technology and it consumes much of our time. If you look at smart phones for example, the smart phone can be used for almost anything and the phrase "There's an App for that" has become part of daily language. Is that a bad thing? I guess it depends on what it's being used for. Some people use their smart phones to play games to use as a time waster in the classroom while others can do scholarly things with theirs. I think implementing out of school tools in to school could only entice a student more. The author proves the point by talking about Robert and his love for youtube. Although youtube may not get proper credit, it still is a form of communication and expression that should be encouraged. Robert obviously finds great pleasure in it and putting it in to the classroom would do amazing things for the students. The possibilities are endless when it comes to technology and these students need to prepare for the real world. The real world is full of technology and the more up to date and the more use they get out of it the better. There are a lot of activities teachers could do with technology and students would be more excited about it then the traditional paper and pencil method. For example, why not let students create an "App" that might useful for a character. This allows students to be creative but yet make connections to the text and a specific character. One example might be Mississippi River map for Huck Finn so that he could navigate his journey down the river. Although that is superficial in respect to the text, it still allows students to take something old and combine it with something relatively new. I also, like how the class used wiki pages for books that they read in class. I think this is a good way for students to use the internet and it allows them to communicate with people who share that same book interest and they can bounch off each others editing notes on the page. They also probably feel that they need to do well because they know that other people can view the page. I'm sure a lot students don't care about papers they write because they know that the only eyes seeing it are the eyes of the teacher. However, with a Wiki they know that the world can see and it definitely arouses an interest. I also think it creates a sense of class unity. The class works individally but the final result is one of the whole class. This is a great way to see how the students take the book and what they can create as whole. I definitely think I will use computer technology in my classroom. I remember when powerpoint was a big deal in the class. Now, it is simply overused and redundant. I think teachers need to keep up with technology in order to understand their students and their students needs. Student A may not be the best in the class but could tell you all the gossip of the class by using Facebook. Use that to your advantage and allow her to create a facebook page for a character and keep up with it. Not only are her skills being put to use but she is also learning more about characters and shows she is keeping up with her reading. Term papers are not for everyone so technology can help open doors to different but exciting assessments. I also think it's interesting that Robert's standardized test scores went up after technology was implemented. I think if you understand a student and build a class around them then learning becomes a better experience and is more natural. Students want to learn but don't even realize that their learning. I think technology is the most useful tool in the world right now and it would be foolish to let it go without being used in the classroom. The youtube book trailers is a really good idea to use too. Students can use their theatrical skills, production skills, english class skills, and group skills in order to complete a task and video for assessment. It brings different elements in different kids comes out and they can truly experience a book at a new level. Instead of assessing one student through a paper, you can test a bunch of students by using their talents and what they learned in a book combined in to one small package that can reveal a lot. I think the classroom was set up so that technology played a large role then the students would feel that they can relate and that it useful to them. It is our jobs as teachers to come to the students instead of them coming to us. In the end, the teachers may learn just as much as the students do.
"Why Johnny Won't Read"
I felt that this article had some good and some bad points in its content. I DO believe that english class is geared towards girls but I don't believe it has anything to do with book choice. I mean take a look at our teaching Ad. Lit course, there are only two boys in the whole class. However, I don't think its because boys don't like to read or that english classes aren't based around their interests. I simply think it just happens to be a coincidence and a sort of left brain right brain thing. Most of the stories that we read have male characters and they are often triumphant at the end. Books like The Great Gatsby and Harry Potter have a lot of male characters and are geared towards adolescents as a whole. I don't think it would matter what literature was introduced in the classroom. I think boys typically are math/science students while girls are more english/history savvy. I still think it's important to have a variety of genres, themes, characters, and concepts delivered in a classroom. I think using a variety appeals to different people but NOT to different genders. If you think about it, girls (particularly young girls) read books in a series that follow around high school girls who share similar problems to them. However, that is what they read for leisure. In the classroom I can't think of any books that appeal to girls over boys. I think it is a matter of people picking a book they like to read and discovering reading as an interst. I think anyone can like to read but I think girls tend to get hooked on a book more easily. I think once a boy is, however, that he can be a lifelong reader as well. I think it's interesting that the author claims that "there is no evidence" to this or that and that is basically based off of assumption and standardized test scores. Personally, I think that girls stereptyically like to read more but I think that it is bold to say that boys don't based on observations. I believe anyone can like to read and develop excellent reading skills but they just need to find a good book they like to read. I don't believe that curriculums favor one over the other or neglect boys' interestsI just think that boys like to do things like math because there is one right answer and involves a lot of activity and repetition of formulas and such. I think certain genders may have a knack for certain subjects but that does not mean they can't enjoy others or stray away from the "norms".
The Hunger Games
I could honestly write on and on about how much I love this book but I will try and keep it short. I think this book is appealing to so many different kinds of people because of how many different themes there are in the book. There is action, there is relationship buliding, there is excitement, it is futuristic, and it has its own set of rules. Going back to the previous article I read, I think this book shows a female protagonist can also appeal to guy readers. Katniss is independent, a good hunter, and a strong character. She is a female but I know a lot of boys who can relate to her. This book is by far one of my favorites and I cannot wait to read the other two. I think it is amazing how the author created this fantasized America and how well it feels like it could happen. The characters are ones you definitely have to love and I know I had myself rooting for Katniss the whole time. For me, I don't think there was a dull moment and I could never put it down. It was written so nicely and in a way that everything seemed real and had a careful method. Even the fictional history of the districts and The Hunger Games selection process was done so meticulously that I could not help being in awe over how good the book was. I think my favorite element was how corrupt the Capitol was. I mean it takes a look at politics and really shows what goes on in politics. I feel that it takes elements of today and shows how things could be many years later. I definitely cannot wait for the movie to come out now that I have read the book. I think the class should go to the midnight premiere!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Blog #7
"The Ripple Effect of Censorship"
The idea of censorship has always made me uneasy and is certainly one of my fears with teaching. I think now a days it is risky to choose books because students, their families, and administrators are often quick to point the finger and are sensitive towards certain issues being raised in a classroom. My thought on censorship is much like the author and the majority of teachers that were talked about in the article. Personally, I don't see banning books or getting rid of them as solving any kind of a problem. I think that's the problem with America today anyway. When something raises a concern or someone is opposed to it we automatically get rid of it to prevent conflict. However, I think it is quite the disservice to our students if we get rid of books that clearly have its place in the classroom. I think it's insane that the idea of censorship is sneaking its way in to the classroom more often and that teachers are afraid and getting fired over texts they teach. As for me, I think I am going to teach what I think should be taught but I don't think I am going to disregard the fact that I may have some backlash. I think it comes down to compromise. I bend a little and you bend a little and hopefully we get somewhere from there. The thing that surprised me the most was the story about the teacher who was forced to resign AFTER she got the approval to use the text. I think that is completely unneccessary and I feel like it was too harsh for something that she got the approval of. In a way that scares me as a future teacher. It would be awful to think that you were trying to helpful for students' learning and you turn around and get canned for reading a book they may be banned. I was also surprised as the drama and gossip teachers have with each other. They warn new teachers what they should read and what they shouldn't. In that respect, I don't think any other teacher has the right to try and dictate another teacher's reading choice..even if they are trying to be helpful. I feel like every teacher should make up their own mind and decide for themselves. It is easy for a new teacher to feel frightened by the books they choose so an older teacher should let them pick books themselves instead of from experience. After all, each teacher is different and may be the new teacher would be able to pull off using a frowned up on text. However, I do think it's important to build relationships with the people involves with the education process because the more people you have on your side and understand the better. Keeping the communication and book selecting process open to parents may help in the long run because concerns are taken care of before you are halfway through a text.
Personally, I find the fear that teachers and myself have as unavoidable yet unneccessary. Some teachers aren't afraid to teach certain things but others are. It depends on the situation I suppose but I think a learning environment should not be run off of fear but off what the teacher (who is in fact the expert!) thinks is best. I think censorship is an old-fashioned and definitely an Un-American idea. Adolescents are exposed to material every day that may be explicit or uncomfortable but that is the fact of the real world. How are our students supposed to grow and understand the world if we take away opportunities? These books aren't going to go away and us pro-longing their reading of the material is just sort of wrong. Students should be exposed and read anything that they want. going back to my one reflection as I stated before, I read Stephen King in third grade. Naturally my teacher was concerned and almost called me parents. What good would that have done? A) Taking away a good book is just going to make me want to read it more. B) It would prevent my growth of a reader and C) The themes and lessons in a Stephen King book is just as important as those in Dr. Seuss just at a more mature level. By censoring I think we are preventing our students from becoming mature readers. Obviously the real concern is getting our students to be lifelong readers and we can't possibly do that if we live in fear or if our book choices are going to be limited to those who do not understand the importance of the material.
Fact: I was surprised to find out that Shakespeare's works have been banned. I never really thought of those themes being questioned but now I see why.
Chapter 6
Huckleberry Finn has been taught for so long and when I think of censorship this is definitely the first piece that comes to mind. I remember reading it in my eleventh grade American literature course and I don't remember anyone being offended or my teacher saying anything regarding it being banned. I do agree, however, that some African American parents my be concerned but I don't think it's okay to take it out of the curriculum. Racism was a part of America's past and it's important to show that if we are talking about a certain time period. However, I do not feel comfortable using "the word". I still have no idea what I am going to do in by classroom in regards to that. I thought it was interesting when the author talked about the incident where parents threw a fit over it and all these people and the media got involved. I was thinking, "How could any book get this much publicity for something like that?!". I do think it is important for teachers to talk to parents and students about it and help get rid of any concerns. I think it is an uncomfortable topic, but I think the book is relevant to American history. Perhaps we should have the parents read it first? I do think there is a way that it needs to be brought about and I don't think we should thrust the book in our students' faces. Personally, I am unsure about how I would teach this piece or how to approach it. I don't want to offend anyone but I do like the book as a piece of literature. Perhaps you could invite an African American of the community in to the classroom and have them talk about it. Maybe if someone who could understand the concerns talked to the students then maybe the school, students, and parents would feel more at ease. I also think a history lesson would need to be introduced first before presenting the text. One thing that really does get on my nerves is when the book gets dumbed down and elements get taken out to make it more user friendly. I think that is completely foolish and it takes away so much from the book. Overall, I understand why is raises concern but I think it is possible to be taught without offending anyone. The statistics of the books use is astronomical and it surprised me that that many schools use/used it. It obviously has relavence in a classroom and has a place there. I do plan on teaching it (hopefully!) but I am not comfortable on how to approach it.
The idea of censorship has always made me uneasy and is certainly one of my fears with teaching. I think now a days it is risky to choose books because students, their families, and administrators are often quick to point the finger and are sensitive towards certain issues being raised in a classroom. My thought on censorship is much like the author and the majority of teachers that were talked about in the article. Personally, I don't see banning books or getting rid of them as solving any kind of a problem. I think that's the problem with America today anyway. When something raises a concern or someone is opposed to it we automatically get rid of it to prevent conflict. However, I think it is quite the disservice to our students if we get rid of books that clearly have its place in the classroom. I think it's insane that the idea of censorship is sneaking its way in to the classroom more often and that teachers are afraid and getting fired over texts they teach. As for me, I think I am going to teach what I think should be taught but I don't think I am going to disregard the fact that I may have some backlash. I think it comes down to compromise. I bend a little and you bend a little and hopefully we get somewhere from there. The thing that surprised me the most was the story about the teacher who was forced to resign AFTER she got the approval to use the text. I think that is completely unneccessary and I feel like it was too harsh for something that she got the approval of. In a way that scares me as a future teacher. It would be awful to think that you were trying to helpful for students' learning and you turn around and get canned for reading a book they may be banned. I was also surprised as the drama and gossip teachers have with each other. They warn new teachers what they should read and what they shouldn't. In that respect, I don't think any other teacher has the right to try and dictate another teacher's reading choice..even if they are trying to be helpful. I feel like every teacher should make up their own mind and decide for themselves. It is easy for a new teacher to feel frightened by the books they choose so an older teacher should let them pick books themselves instead of from experience. After all, each teacher is different and may be the new teacher would be able to pull off using a frowned up on text. However, I do think it's important to build relationships with the people involves with the education process because the more people you have on your side and understand the better. Keeping the communication and book selecting process open to parents may help in the long run because concerns are taken care of before you are halfway through a text.
Personally, I find the fear that teachers and myself have as unavoidable yet unneccessary. Some teachers aren't afraid to teach certain things but others are. It depends on the situation I suppose but I think a learning environment should not be run off of fear but off what the teacher (who is in fact the expert!) thinks is best. I think censorship is an old-fashioned and definitely an Un-American idea. Adolescents are exposed to material every day that may be explicit or uncomfortable but that is the fact of the real world. How are our students supposed to grow and understand the world if we take away opportunities? These books aren't going to go away and us pro-longing their reading of the material is just sort of wrong. Students should be exposed and read anything that they want. going back to my one reflection as I stated before, I read Stephen King in third grade. Naturally my teacher was concerned and almost called me parents. What good would that have done? A) Taking away a good book is just going to make me want to read it more. B) It would prevent my growth of a reader and C) The themes and lessons in a Stephen King book is just as important as those in Dr. Seuss just at a more mature level. By censoring I think we are preventing our students from becoming mature readers. Obviously the real concern is getting our students to be lifelong readers and we can't possibly do that if we live in fear or if our book choices are going to be limited to those who do not understand the importance of the material.
Fact: I was surprised to find out that Shakespeare's works have been banned. I never really thought of those themes being questioned but now I see why.
Chapter 6
Huckleberry Finn has been taught for so long and when I think of censorship this is definitely the first piece that comes to mind. I remember reading it in my eleventh grade American literature course and I don't remember anyone being offended or my teacher saying anything regarding it being banned. I do agree, however, that some African American parents my be concerned but I don't think it's okay to take it out of the curriculum. Racism was a part of America's past and it's important to show that if we are talking about a certain time period. However, I do not feel comfortable using "the word". I still have no idea what I am going to do in by classroom in regards to that. I thought it was interesting when the author talked about the incident where parents threw a fit over it and all these people and the media got involved. I was thinking, "How could any book get this much publicity for something like that?!". I do think it is important for teachers to talk to parents and students about it and help get rid of any concerns. I think it is an uncomfortable topic, but I think the book is relevant to American history. Perhaps we should have the parents read it first? I do think there is a way that it needs to be brought about and I don't think we should thrust the book in our students' faces. Personally, I am unsure about how I would teach this piece or how to approach it. I don't want to offend anyone but I do like the book as a piece of literature. Perhaps you could invite an African American of the community in to the classroom and have them talk about it. Maybe if someone who could understand the concerns talked to the students then maybe the school, students, and parents would feel more at ease. I also think a history lesson would need to be introduced first before presenting the text. One thing that really does get on my nerves is when the book gets dumbed down and elements get taken out to make it more user friendly. I think that is completely foolish and it takes away so much from the book. Overall, I understand why is raises concern but I think it is possible to be taught without offending anyone. The statistics of the books use is astronomical and it surprised me that that many schools use/used it. It obviously has relavence in a classroom and has a place there. I do plan on teaching it (hopefully!) but I am not comfortable on how to approach it.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Blog, The Sixth
Personal Experience:
I remember being in my 5th grade class when my teacher told us that we would be learning about the Civil War. I was rather nonchalant about it and felt that it was just another pointless lesson involving overhead transparansies, a textbook, and a reason to go to the bathroom just to get out of class. At first, I was right with what I thought. We did the stereotypical things and it made no sense to me why this war was covered so much more then the Revolutionary War. However, things changed whenever we went to Gettysburg Battlefield and got to experience things first hand. We got to go up Big Roundtop, reinvent Pickett's Charge, and got to go to the farms that were once used as hospitals during this battle. This opened my eyes to how important this battle really is. Not only did I take for granted the closeness of Gettysburg to my home, but also it is different to learn about a way then to be standing where many people have died. I think this relates really well to the article "A Lesson from the Holocaust: From Bystander to Advocate in the Classroom". Before this trip to Gettysburg I was not interested in the Civil War and I didn't really understand its significange. However, once being brought to the scene I new perspective took over. It really made me sentimental and I felt a wide range of emotions that I did not receive in a textbook. This trip was a good way to get everyone to participate and to experience a battle by going to where it actually happened.
"A Lesson from the Holocaust: From Bystander to Advocate in the Classroom":
I thought this article was really interesting and made a lot of good points throughout it. The first thing that stuck out in my mind was the fact that this teacher was teaching at a military academy. Although that sounds easier and less stressful then a public school, it has its share of cons as well. All of the students have similar mindsets and are often taught obedience, respect, and not to open their mouths and state how they feel. Therefore, I think this teacher had it a lot more rough then most of us will have it. Yet, the idea of "apathy" in the classroom is fearful for any teacher I think. Silence in the classroom is far from expected but how do we pull students in to a subject and be able to talk about it? For example, just today I had to give a presentation in one of my classes. Naturally, I had discussion questions in which little or nobody raised their hand to answer. It was discouraging to me, as a teacher, because I was wondering what I was doing wrong. Was my topic THAT boring? Were my questions irrelevant? Then I realized it happens all the time. A student needs to be able to say something in the class and be able to take their opinions and voice them. After all, that is what discussion is all about. I agree that too many students are in their "comfort zones" and just swim on by by just sitting in their seat and nodding their head. I think making students uncomfortable is a good idea but also a dangerous idea. Bringing up sensitive and personal information can either make or break a learning experience. However, I find it the best way to envoke feelings with a student. I particularly liked the beginning of the article with the man explaining his duties as a reporter and then how he ended up rescuing a soldier (84). It is a good anaology to what needs to happen in the classroom. It is the students job to learn and play their role as a student; yet, they also need to take some part in the discussion because it creates something better in the learning environment. So what do we do as teachers for assignments that are heavy and how we need to get a reaction out of them without using only a text. Do we take them to historical sights? Do we watch an educational movie? I think it should be about a personal experience and how it changed them as a person and a learner. Just don't make it in to a therapy session. Most importantly, a teacher definitely needs to open themselves up before students will. I think as future educators we need to share personal experiences and emotions with students so they can learn from example. The classroom should be like an open book where students can share ideas and be able to interact with the material. If they just sit there and not participate or even take interest then the learning experience simply diminishes.
"Beyond Tolerance"
This article is a real deep and definitely not what I expected when I read the title. I was surprised when I learned that the teacher was in the World Trade Center during the attacks and had friends die during and after this awful tragedy. I expected the article to talk about how a teacher who experienced first-hand the attack would have to teach it and how painful it would be for her and the kids to talk about it. However, it took a turn for something I did not expect. I really like the whole World Literature aspect and how she took each student to the country to learn customs and their history in order to understand them as people. I think too often that people look at certain people and think stereotypes and know very little about these people, nor do they care if they know anything about them. This teacher seemed very passionate about the course and really had them get involved. it wasn't just simply reading books by authors of this country or that. It was about learning from experiences and breaking down berriers in order to understand a culture. I think the title also says a lot about the article and what our jobs as teacher entails. we need to get students to think "Beyond Tolerance". As college students and future teachers it is easy to tolerate certain things and beliefs. We tolerate our professors point of view because it is out of respect. We tolerate the construction on campus because we know it is more important to go to class then to skip due to your path of travel being blocked. Instead, it is our job not to simply accept things as they are but to question them and to take things with us from them. If we do that to our students then they will grow up to be more cultured human beings, stereotypes would diminish, people would be accepting of others, and the world would be generally a better place.
I remember being in my 5th grade class when my teacher told us that we would be learning about the Civil War. I was rather nonchalant about it and felt that it was just another pointless lesson involving overhead transparansies, a textbook, and a reason to go to the bathroom just to get out of class. At first, I was right with what I thought. We did the stereotypical things and it made no sense to me why this war was covered so much more then the Revolutionary War. However, things changed whenever we went to Gettysburg Battlefield and got to experience things first hand. We got to go up Big Roundtop, reinvent Pickett's Charge, and got to go to the farms that were once used as hospitals during this battle. This opened my eyes to how important this battle really is. Not only did I take for granted the closeness of Gettysburg to my home, but also it is different to learn about a way then to be standing where many people have died. I think this relates really well to the article "A Lesson from the Holocaust: From Bystander to Advocate in the Classroom". Before this trip to Gettysburg I was not interested in the Civil War and I didn't really understand its significange. However, once being brought to the scene I new perspective took over. It really made me sentimental and I felt a wide range of emotions that I did not receive in a textbook. This trip was a good way to get everyone to participate and to experience a battle by going to where it actually happened.
"A Lesson from the Holocaust: From Bystander to Advocate in the Classroom":
I thought this article was really interesting and made a lot of good points throughout it. The first thing that stuck out in my mind was the fact that this teacher was teaching at a military academy. Although that sounds easier and less stressful then a public school, it has its share of cons as well. All of the students have similar mindsets and are often taught obedience, respect, and not to open their mouths and state how they feel. Therefore, I think this teacher had it a lot more rough then most of us will have it. Yet, the idea of "apathy" in the classroom is fearful for any teacher I think. Silence in the classroom is far from expected but how do we pull students in to a subject and be able to talk about it? For example, just today I had to give a presentation in one of my classes. Naturally, I had discussion questions in which little or nobody raised their hand to answer. It was discouraging to me, as a teacher, because I was wondering what I was doing wrong. Was my topic THAT boring? Were my questions irrelevant? Then I realized it happens all the time. A student needs to be able to say something in the class and be able to take their opinions and voice them. After all, that is what discussion is all about. I agree that too many students are in their "comfort zones" and just swim on by by just sitting in their seat and nodding their head. I think making students uncomfortable is a good idea but also a dangerous idea. Bringing up sensitive and personal information can either make or break a learning experience. However, I find it the best way to envoke feelings with a student. I particularly liked the beginning of the article with the man explaining his duties as a reporter and then how he ended up rescuing a soldier (84). It is a good anaology to what needs to happen in the classroom. It is the students job to learn and play their role as a student; yet, they also need to take some part in the discussion because it creates something better in the learning environment. So what do we do as teachers for assignments that are heavy and how we need to get a reaction out of them without using only a text. Do we take them to historical sights? Do we watch an educational movie? I think it should be about a personal experience and how it changed them as a person and a learner. Just don't make it in to a therapy session. Most importantly, a teacher definitely needs to open themselves up before students will. I think as future educators we need to share personal experiences and emotions with students so they can learn from example. The classroom should be like an open book where students can share ideas and be able to interact with the material. If they just sit there and not participate or even take interest then the learning experience simply diminishes.
"Beyond Tolerance"
This article is a real deep and definitely not what I expected when I read the title. I was surprised when I learned that the teacher was in the World Trade Center during the attacks and had friends die during and after this awful tragedy. I expected the article to talk about how a teacher who experienced first-hand the attack would have to teach it and how painful it would be for her and the kids to talk about it. However, it took a turn for something I did not expect. I really like the whole World Literature aspect and how she took each student to the country to learn customs and their history in order to understand them as people. I think too often that people look at certain people and think stereotypes and know very little about these people, nor do they care if they know anything about them. This teacher seemed very passionate about the course and really had them get involved. it wasn't just simply reading books by authors of this country or that. It was about learning from experiences and breaking down berriers in order to understand a culture. I think the title also says a lot about the article and what our jobs as teacher entails. we need to get students to think "Beyond Tolerance". As college students and future teachers it is easy to tolerate certain things and beliefs. We tolerate our professors point of view because it is out of respect. We tolerate the construction on campus because we know it is more important to go to class then to skip due to your path of travel being blocked. Instead, it is our job not to simply accept things as they are but to question them and to take things with us from them. If we do that to our students then they will grow up to be more cultured human beings, stereotypes would diminish, people would be accepting of others, and the world would be generally a better place.
Monday, October 3, 2011
BlOg FiVe!
Literature Circles
My first experience with literature circles was in my senior year. We had to read Lord of the Flies and discuss the assigned chapters everyday with our "lit circle". At first I was a little hesitant. I mean who wants to awkwardly talk about the book with a small group of people staring at you waiting for some good insight to a book that half the kids didn't read. I was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly the class went and how much I learned from what others had to say. As the book also states, we had jobs to do within our group and it switched every time. They were jobs with lame but witty titles such as "Artistic Adventurer", and "Vocabulary Voice". Although these names were in fact lame, they were really helpful when discussing. It made sure that everyone had a voice and that everyone was talking about something different. The only problem I had was the play these discussions were graded. I remember one time I had to draw a picture of a scene and I got points off because I drew stick figures. Last time I checked I was in English class and by the time I drew an adequate human the class would've been over.
Anyway, the book had a lot of insightful things to say about literature circles that I have heard and have not heard before. The one idea that I particularly liked was assigning literature groups based on books that one wants to read. I never understood why classes made kids read the same books, I just thought it mattered that they were reading for the same concepts. I think breaking a griup up by book leads to better discussions because students are more likely to talk about something they are familiar with then something they resent. For example, I would so much rather talk about Harry Potter then Lord of the Rings. I would have a lot more to say and would definitely enjoy it more. I also thought it was interesting to learn that other countries appreciated these practices and that reading is enhanced by this activity. I think linterature circles are a fun way to make sure kids participate and it is good way to see who is reading the material and who is getting by by just reading summaries. I also see it as a good way to get away from the lectures that we are so used to as students. For some reason, students seem to like it better when their peers teach but I assume it's because they can relate a lot better. I am not going to lie, my favorite part was talking about Oprah's reading circle. I did not know she started one but I think it is awesome that she did. I may now appreciate the fact that she has her own network now.
The one thing that I think is also interesting is how much we use literature circles in college. THIS, I am not a fan of. Having five english classes drives me insane anyways let alone doing the same thing in every class. I don't think it is the literature circles I have a problem with as much as it is making the WHOLE class one literature circle. This to me screams boredom and you have a chance to say one thing in an hour and fifteen minute period. I also think we spend too much time talking about summaries of the books rather then what we think about them and how they make us feel. However, I do think literature circles are effective if they are used properly and in moderation.
"Standard English"
This article is my favorite of the ones we read so far. As a quick story, I work at a grocery store and there is a woman who works there that speaks very "unstandard" english. As an example, she says "I throwed it away yesterday". Now it never bothered me much until a year or two ago and now I can't take it. I think it is because as english majors we are supposed to know how to speak and get annoyed very easily ar incorrect grammar. However, this article had really nice things to say about those who speak in a way that isn't what we are used to. I think it is important that students write what they want to write even if it is grammatical mess or is a stream of consciousness piece. I feel that students. Rules of grammar can be difficult but it should not stop anyone from saying how they feel. I like the part when the author describes how when they students write in a way that is familiar to them then they express themselves a lot better. I also liked how they used writing as almost a therapy session. A lot of students have no one they can trust in their lives and maybe now they see writing as a way to relieve their stress and find trust in their peers who suffer from things themselves. I feel like english classes would be a lot more welcoming if students did not have so much fear from what teachers and other students are going to say about the way that they speak and they way that they write. However, someone's dialect tells us so much about them in a good way. Look at American literature, the dialogue in that tells us so much about history and makes the literature we read so much more powerful.
"Tracking"
In my old school district, we would start getting tracked in sixth grade. From then on, you had to fit certain preequisites and grades in order to take certain classes. That being said, if you had a bad year (let's say 7th grade) then the rest of your school career would be done for because you wouldn't have made the cut for honors classes after 7th grade. I think tracking is an awful thing that is ultimately like segregation. I graduated with about 700 students in my class. I could tell you that I probably knew 200 of them pretty well because I had the same classes with the same kids that I never got to know anymore then the ones I was placed with. The kids in the lower levels have expectations in classrooms and their teachers treat them so much worse then they teach their honors students. Teachers tend to make these awful assumptions that these students don't want to go to college or have nothing to share which is completely not true. By 7th grade the schools want us to know exactly what we want with our life when some adults still don't know what they want with their life. Tracking is like a bubble that they place you in. You can't get out of it and you're cut off from others because of this bubble. Being tracked leaves you no room for you to be unique but shows how much you are the same as others in the same track. I think tracking is just ultimately degrading. Tracking tells you what you have done because you are forced but not what you are capable of. I think everyone should be in classes together because that is what society is like. You are forced to be with people different from you so should get use to it in class. In the world you are going to have to work in groups with different people who have different experiences but still have to accomplish the same goal. Humans are meant to rely on each other and no one should be deprived an education that they want. Once tracked, students feel that they have a label on them and that they aren't worth anything above that. I think tracking needs to be done with and that everyone should learn together and learn to help each other. The article had a lot to say about tracking and I completely agree with the author. I like how the author desribes the two levels of tracking and how they want different things out of their classes. This just goes to show that the lower tracked students still want something out of their education. I think, as does this author, that honor classes are predictable. I don't know why all kids can't get together and read materials that fits all of their needs. I think learning would be so much better that way.
My first experience with literature circles was in my senior year. We had to read Lord of the Flies and discuss the assigned chapters everyday with our "lit circle". At first I was a little hesitant. I mean who wants to awkwardly talk about the book with a small group of people staring at you waiting for some good insight to a book that half the kids didn't read. I was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly the class went and how much I learned from what others had to say. As the book also states, we had jobs to do within our group and it switched every time. They were jobs with lame but witty titles such as "Artistic Adventurer", and "Vocabulary Voice". Although these names were in fact lame, they were really helpful when discussing. It made sure that everyone had a voice and that everyone was talking about something different. The only problem I had was the play these discussions were graded. I remember one time I had to draw a picture of a scene and I got points off because I drew stick figures. Last time I checked I was in English class and by the time I drew an adequate human the class would've been over.
Anyway, the book had a lot of insightful things to say about literature circles that I have heard and have not heard before. The one idea that I particularly liked was assigning literature groups based on books that one wants to read. I never understood why classes made kids read the same books, I just thought it mattered that they were reading for the same concepts. I think breaking a griup up by book leads to better discussions because students are more likely to talk about something they are familiar with then something they resent. For example, I would so much rather talk about Harry Potter then Lord of the Rings. I would have a lot more to say and would definitely enjoy it more. I also thought it was interesting to learn that other countries appreciated these practices and that reading is enhanced by this activity. I think linterature circles are a fun way to make sure kids participate and it is good way to see who is reading the material and who is getting by by just reading summaries. I also see it as a good way to get away from the lectures that we are so used to as students. For some reason, students seem to like it better when their peers teach but I assume it's because they can relate a lot better. I am not going to lie, my favorite part was talking about Oprah's reading circle. I did not know she started one but I think it is awesome that she did. I may now appreciate the fact that she has her own network now.
The one thing that I think is also interesting is how much we use literature circles in college. THIS, I am not a fan of. Having five english classes drives me insane anyways let alone doing the same thing in every class. I don't think it is the literature circles I have a problem with as much as it is making the WHOLE class one literature circle. This to me screams boredom and you have a chance to say one thing in an hour and fifteen minute period. I also think we spend too much time talking about summaries of the books rather then what we think about them and how they make us feel. However, I do think literature circles are effective if they are used properly and in moderation.
"Standard English"
This article is my favorite of the ones we read so far. As a quick story, I work at a grocery store and there is a woman who works there that speaks very "unstandard" english. As an example, she says "I throwed it away yesterday". Now it never bothered me much until a year or two ago and now I can't take it. I think it is because as english majors we are supposed to know how to speak and get annoyed very easily ar incorrect grammar. However, this article had really nice things to say about those who speak in a way that isn't what we are used to. I think it is important that students write what they want to write even if it is grammatical mess or is a stream of consciousness piece. I feel that students. Rules of grammar can be difficult but it should not stop anyone from saying how they feel. I like the part when the author describes how when they students write in a way that is familiar to them then they express themselves a lot better. I also liked how they used writing as almost a therapy session. A lot of students have no one they can trust in their lives and maybe now they see writing as a way to relieve their stress and find trust in their peers who suffer from things themselves. I feel like english classes would be a lot more welcoming if students did not have so much fear from what teachers and other students are going to say about the way that they speak and they way that they write. However, someone's dialect tells us so much about them in a good way. Look at American literature, the dialogue in that tells us so much about history and makes the literature we read so much more powerful.
"Tracking"
In my old school district, we would start getting tracked in sixth grade. From then on, you had to fit certain preequisites and grades in order to take certain classes. That being said, if you had a bad year (let's say 7th grade) then the rest of your school career would be done for because you wouldn't have made the cut for honors classes after 7th grade. I think tracking is an awful thing that is ultimately like segregation. I graduated with about 700 students in my class. I could tell you that I probably knew 200 of them pretty well because I had the same classes with the same kids that I never got to know anymore then the ones I was placed with. The kids in the lower levels have expectations in classrooms and their teachers treat them so much worse then they teach their honors students. Teachers tend to make these awful assumptions that these students don't want to go to college or have nothing to share which is completely not true. By 7th grade the schools want us to know exactly what we want with our life when some adults still don't know what they want with their life. Tracking is like a bubble that they place you in. You can't get out of it and you're cut off from others because of this bubble. Being tracked leaves you no room for you to be unique but shows how much you are the same as others in the same track. I think tracking is just ultimately degrading. Tracking tells you what you have done because you are forced but not what you are capable of. I think everyone should be in classes together because that is what society is like. You are forced to be with people different from you so should get use to it in class. In the world you are going to have to work in groups with different people who have different experiences but still have to accomplish the same goal. Humans are meant to rely on each other and no one should be deprived an education that they want. Once tracked, students feel that they have a label on them and that they aren't worth anything above that. I think tracking needs to be done with and that everyone should learn together and learn to help each other. The article had a lot to say about tracking and I completely agree with the author. I like how the author desribes the two levels of tracking and how they want different things out of their classes. This just goes to show that the lower tracked students still want something out of their education. I think, as does this author, that honor classes are predictable. I don't know why all kids can't get together and read materials that fits all of their needs. I think learning would be so much better that way.
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