nouns

adverb

grammar rock

Course Reflection

Roberta Wilson

One of the greatest assets of this course was the opportunity to establish a blog and use it regularly. I have a classroom blog, but I have not used it much. My comfort level is such that I will definitely continue with this blog and embellish the other one I have on edublogs. The materials and resources to which I have been exposed to through this course are just staggering in their abundance. The quality of the materials is excellent and I think they will make me more effective as a teacher. I am confident that all that I have gained through this experience has made me a better teacher, one who is more aware of the need for cutting-edge technology in the classroom and strategies to better educate my students. The sites I have found to be most useful are cited in the various postings on this blog. In particular, they are the graphic organizer site, Smithsonian Education, and lii.org. Unfortunately, I am fickle. I continue to explore and find new websites every day and my favorites change as quickly as I find new ones. I intend to continue posting my findings here. The sharing of rsources and ideas has been a great asset to this class, as well, and I hope to meet up with my classmates again — either in cyberspace or in an actual classroom. I feel honored to have shared this time with each of you and value your contributions and ideas. I wish each of you the best as you pursue your teaching career. Be excellent — our children deserve nothing less!

Two Internet Lessons: A summary

Roberta Wilson

The first lesson I found on the Internet that I will use in my Eng. IV class (British Literature) involves the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. After completing the novel, the lesson suggests playing a song by the band, Creed. Students will compare the protagonist Okonkwo’s suicide to the words and attitude imparted by the narrator in the song. Students will then respond to the music and written lyrics by writing several paragraphs comparing Okonkwo and the song’s narrator. I like using music in class, especially rock or alternative, because it instantly captures students’ attention and gets them involved. This seems to be an ideal juxtaposition of two different genres and subject matters that complement one another and should stimulate student’s emotions, intellect and creativity.

The second lesson I found on the Internet comes from Smithsonian In Your Classroom. it is entitled, The Music in Poetry and features a 16-page reproducible handout that introduces students to the rhythms of poetry. Among the music integrated is that of Bob Dillon and Suzanne Vega. There is also a web link, so students can hear the music of these artists. My favorite aspect is found in Lesson One, where students are introduced to the Iamb through the use of Dr. Seuss’ inimitable Green Eggs and Ham. Poems by Lewis Carroll, Emily Dickinson, A.E. Housman, William Wordsworth and others also are included. This is heaven for an English teacher!

 

Unit IV: Resources for Teaching Summary

Roberta Wilson

The quantity and quality of resources available to teachers online is nothing less than amazing. Teachers, of all people, have no excuse if their classrooms are boring, lessons uninspiring and their students lethargic. The Internet offers so much material to make the entire classroom experience stimulating and, best of all, fun! I have found — and printed — hundreds of pages of resources to use in my English classes for grades 9-12. My file cabinet is full and waiting for school to start back in August. I am almost sad to say that Friday is the last day of the 2007-2008 school year. Thanks to this class and the myriad resources we have had dropped into our hands, I will literally be counting the days until classes resume and the different ways I can put to use what I have learned. Among my favorite new websites are the Lesson Plans Page and Hot Chalk, the Columbia Education Center and Smithsonian Education. Of course, there are many others that I have linked to and will return to again and again. I also am crazy about the graphic organizer site, which already has supplied me with testing and lesson materials. I have searched the Internet for teaching resources in the past; but, with my eyes now opened to new treasures, I have a renewed interest and will be searching for even more websites and resources. I feel so indebted to Dr. Trathen for the wisdom imparted and the many ways he has improved me as a teacher.  

Professional Dev. Initiative for Developing Approaches to Vocab. Instruction: Response

The varied approaches to teaching “vocabulary” by high school teachers of different subjects was enriching and compelling. Clearly, the teachers and college instructors involved developed meaningful and effective means for incorporating vocabulary instruction into their curriculum. While vocabulary has not traditionally been taught in classes other than Language Arts/English, this approach is effective, appropriate and interesting to students. Using so-called Literature Circles, which divide reading, research and teaching responsibilities up among student teams, Science teacher Linda Miller has provided a way for students to learn more effectively and has empowered them to be in charge of the material presented. Her template for glossary entries is phenomenal, incorporating traditional definitions along with illustrations, etymology from Greek and Latin root words, related works and how the word relates to the lesson being taught. In the traditional language arts setting, I am impressed by the non-traditional approach taken by English teacher Lucas Pasley, who implemented the DASER Format. DASER is an acronym for definition, antonyms, synonyms, etymology and related forms. This simple approach teaches vocabulary in an English class but from a variety of perspectives, which also enriches grammar and research skills. The examples are inspired and inspiring. I look forward to implementing these strategies in my own classes. Students, I believe, will be pleasantly surprised, genuinely helped and, ultimately, better educated. Talk about a win-win combination.  

The Multigenre Paper: A Response

The individual interpretation and creative thinking that go into the multigenre paper make it an intriguing possibility for me. I have read too many traditional research papers and they are exactly like those described: dry, regurgitated words. Bleck. The melding of facts, a student’s interpretation and creativity and imagination all make the multigenre paper sound mighty attractive, indeed. But, like the author of this article, I have questions. I wonder, “How will I grade it?” Then, I think, “How will I describe the requirements to students?” And, finally: “Will the students pursue this as the creative endeavor it is meant to be?” or “Will they merely throw together some lame, mismash of facts and bits of plagarism in hopes of getting a good grade?” I do think this is a viable alternative to the traditional research paper and I already have visited the website of Mr. Pasley, an English teacher in N.C. I am definitely intrigued and will pursue this further.  Roberta Wilson

Strategy Overview V

Instructional Strategy Overview V

Roberta Wilson

Name of Strategy: Questioning the Author

Source: McKeown, Beck, and Worthy, 1993

Link: www.readingquest.org

This strategy has an interesting component in that not only does it encourage students to question the motives of a writer and what they are trying to communicate, but it also prompts students to improve on poor communications. A premise of this strategy that I find particularly empowering for struggling readers is that the readers are “allowed” to point out inefficient writing or writing that does not clearly convey its message. The developers recognize that struggling readers often blame themselves for the communication failure and give up. To prevent that, they have encouraged students to take unclear language and improve on it by editing and rewriting. Basically, readers are given a short list of questions to answer about what they have read, usually a few paragraphs. For any teacher who has witnessed the “deer in headlights” look of a struggling reader, this seems like an effective strategy that will not only build reading confidence and comprehension but make for stronger writers too.  

Instructional Strategy IV

Instructional Overview of Strategy IV

Roberta Wilson

Name of Strategy: Transactional Reading Journal

Source:  Greece, N.Y., District Schools

Link: www.greece.k12.ny.us/instruction/ela/6-12/Reading/Reading%20Strategies/transactional/

 This strategy requires students to write 10 journal entries of varying type which encourage them to interact with literature to promote understanding and critical thinking. While the teacher is able to modify the journal assignments to best suit her own goals, numerous examples are given including: write a fictional letter to one or more of the characters; create an original piece of writing that is inspired by the novel such as a poem, short story or short drama; and create an original piece of art related to the reading. The ongoing, personal nature of a journal taps into student’s creativity and has appeal to learners of all types. Students also could be given the option of creating a blog, where their journal entries, etc., are posted, which would incorporated a technological component. A journal of this type would address competencies and a variety of the strands listed in the NCSCOS, specifically creating “articulate, insightful connections between life and literature,” which is found in 1.02 for English III, although it would meet similar and complimentary Language Arts competencies for grades 9-12.