Week 10: Final Terms

Five final terms in syllabus

Modes of discourse- Alexander Bain says there are four different types: exposition, narration, description, and argument

Collaborate- the act of working together for a common goal or product. 

Discourse Community- David Bartholomae discusses becoming part of a specialized academic group by assembling and mimicking its language

Voice- Jacqueline Jones Royster discusses that it is “a central manifestation of subjectivity”; it must operate symphonically because of the complex processes that we use to create it

Process vs. Product- process is the way a composition is created and product is the final artifact that comes from the process

Plagiarism- the intentional (or unintentional) use of another person’s work while claiming it is your own

Rhetoric- the study of speaking or writing. Audience, speaker, and purpose should be considered when analyzing or writing. The appeals: logos (logic), pathos (emotion), and ethos (speaker’s credibility)

These final terms are tied into my syllabus as well. This class has given me a fresh take on teaching writing. I’ve always considered myself a decent writing teacher to students who were more academically inclined, and even to struggling students (ESL, students with disabilities, students who need some one on one attention, etc.).  But I always feel like the “average Joe” in public schools can be put at a disservice. They are kind of forgotten at times: they run through the motions, complete the assignments, get a B on the essay and are satisfied. I am hoping that by teaching with a variety of forms of composition I will service all kinds of writing students and ultimately pushing them to their maximum potential.

Week 9: Syllabus and Keywords

A note on the syllabus writing process:

My colleague and I had an outline of what we would teach this year, but since we do a lot of planning of individual lessons as we go along, I struggled some with the types of compositions that I ask students to create. Unlike a traditional FYC teacher, teaching in a public high school (though I will be teaching a course through SAC for students to reach “dual” credit) limits the types of assessments we can have that count as major grades. Additionally, the curriculum must be approved by College Board and must be aligned with the senior curriculum across the state. I have begun with my original syllabus and I’m taking out what seems superfluous and adding the “substance” that 5060 has encouraged. I’m enjoying creating new “products” for students to present to us instead of traditional compositions. SAC seems to want their first year comp courses to not include a focus on rhetoric. The rhetoric English 3 AP course does not (and will probably never) offer a dual credit option because SAC’s intro course does not focus on rhetoric, hence the literary focus of my syllabus. Even though my syllabus does not state it, I will include an intro to rhetoric the first few weeks of class to review the course the previous year and to teach it to the students who did not take the AP course the year before.  Below are some of the key terms that I included in the syllabus. (And I am REALLY struggling with twitter guidelines!)

Sommers- Revision Strategies

Holistic and recursive; writing changes with changing vision. Writing used as discovery. To manipulate conventions of discourse is to communicate with the reader. Taking a step back from the typical linear structure allows for revision qualities of experienced writers.

Open Admissions-

Historically significant policy allowing students (regardless of high school performance) into universities. Professors had to take a step back and reassess current strategies to accommodate students who struggled with reading and writing tasks (520). Shaughnessy and Bruffee were proponents of collaborative learning to solve this difference in learning style.

Elbow-

Encourages teachers of composition to be cognizant of the differences between SWE and a student’s mother tongue. Respecting a student’s dialect will encourage a safe environment in the classroom. Encourages the human voice to be used, especially for revision. Peer copy-editing in teams will contribute to better writing.

Collaborative Learning-

Traditional role of teachers is now “leader” and students should be their own teachers. In teaching writing, students are peer tutors. Goal is to reach the academic discourse for the subject being learned. Changing the social context in which information is attained will help students to become part of their own learning by teaching.

Shaughnessy-

Discusses the inherent intimate relationship between writing teacher and writing student. Teachers should do the changing, thus creating a developmental scale: guarding the tower, converting the natives, sounding the depths, and diving in. Attainment of knowledge: learning is a steady flow of a truth into a void.

Week 8: Hypermediated/collaborative assignment

Bruffee and Shaughnessy’s emphasis on collaboration reinforced the idea that many teachers already knew was true, but perhaps didn’t want to admit to themselves: two minds are better than one. Collaborative learning is a way for students to combine their knowledge, interests, and abilities into one final product displaying their understanding of a concept. I have always had students work together on “projects” that tasks could be easily divided on. While this is logistically easier on students who would prefer to work independently (and easier for me to grade as they could explain the specific tasks they completed), I think Kenneth Bruffee values the sharing of knowledge and having each party bring their very best to the table.

Traditionally, we have students write an “argument essay” in which they pick a controversial topic and argue their side with appropriate research to document their claims. This is a full-blown research paper, limited to two to three pages, and we require works cited page. One of the things that this course has taught me is that the product is always valued, but the process should never be overlooked. If I were to have students work in groups to where they argue on the same side, and work as a team to formulate a clear thesis and supporting paragraphs with data that supported their claims, I think they would learn so much more than independently writing a paper at home.

The idea of “peer tutoring” doesn’t have to be formal or take place at a writing center like I initially imagined in my head. I think it would be rather difficult to ask students to do research and form a thesis collaboratively, and the conversations that they would have in order to agree on specific ideas and directions that they should take would be rather valuable.

So let’s talk product. If they are going to collaborate (probably in partners because groups more than three don’t work well) to write on a “hot topic” (though, luke-warm is usually better as the discussions get too emotional and heated, they can seriously lack an appropriate amount of the logical appeal!), I really like the idea of created a multimedia project. While powerpoint is okay, I think I’ll make a rule to not use powerpoint in the traditional way. They could create a collage or something that is more “prezi-esque”. I would push for them to use prezi or glogster, because they could learn a new form of technology. This has proved to be a very good tactic with high school students: if a lesson is presented to them in a new or fresh way, they are considerably more likely to pay attention. If they create an assignment in a new way, they won’t burn out on writing just another essay.

I would like to have a holistic rubric for this type of assignment. I can’t seem to find an example of one that I’ve used before, but it would consist of three grades: exceeds expectations, meets expectations, and fails to meet expectations. I would rate the quality of the product equally to the information presented to the audience from their research (yes, I would ask for this to be presented to the class and may even have them grade each other so they can get feedback!)

Check out this glogster presentation: http://mrsparky.edu.glogster.com/palmyra-haiti-wiki-project-home-page/ I think it’s a great example of how multimedia can be used for change in a school project. We have had students write letters to their congressmen and have offered bonus points to anyone who actually got a movement started, like this example shows. Kony 2012 anyone?

Week 7: Literacy Defined

My daughter, Adelina, is ten months old. She has had a book in her hand as soon as she could hold one and has been turning the page on command for about three months now. Her parents enjoy reading and are college-educated. Does this guarantee that she will be literate? Not exactly. Does this mean that she has a better shot than a student who grows up in a home without dozens of books to read with parents that don’t/can’t spend time reading with them? Probably. Traditionally, literacy means the ability to read written language. But there are numerous types of literacy, many of which the “illiterate” are fluent.

My paternal grandmother was illiterate, as in she could not read or write, not even her name. She was born and raised in Texas but never went to school. She worked at a very young age and the last job she held, was at the dry cleaners. She would professionally starch and iron clothes making the most casual of denim look sharp as hell. She could talk to you all day about the “right” way to make tamales. You wouldn’t know she had any kind of educational shortcomings unless you asked her to sign her name.

I found the history of literacy at the beginning of “Blinded by the Letter” particularly fascinating. It made me think about what my grandmother would have felt around the people she encountered at the mission neighborhood she lived in. Did people think that she “lacked intelligence and humanity”? (Johnson-Eilola and Wysocki 725) She certainly was literate in many other regards.

Literacy is not black and white. It is not something that is attained or not attained, but rather something that is experienced through us, “moving through [information]and making and changing conscious constructions as we go” (Johnson-Eilola and Wysocki 735). This idea while intriguing, leads me to our roles as teachers. What does this mean that we should do or not do in the classroom to lead our students to the desired academic communities that we are already apart of?

According to Mina Shaughnessy, we must change ourselves. We must decide that “teaching them to write well is not only suitable but challenging work for those who would be teachers and scholars in a democracy” (297). I’m not so sure that I’m ready to “dive in”, though I’d like to think that I’m close! Kathleen Blake Yancey has an idea that I think could solve a big problem in college-completion: the idea that FYC is used as a gateway rather than a gatekeeper will perhaps change the way that many teachers are teaching. If our goal was to focus on the students that need the most assistance and do all in our power to help them succeed at writing, this could give them the confidence and ability to continue through all four years of college.

Week 6: Podcast Peer Review

I reviewed Amelia’s podcast and I will note what was well-executed along with where there is room for clarification or improvement. Initially, all I was able to do is note all of the things that I should have done that she did in her podcast. It was overall well-developed and quite cohesive.

In the first segment, she did a great job of introducing herself. I don’t know why I didn’t even think of that. I liked the music in the background because it sounds less boring NPR-ish (for the record, I’m an NPR junkie!). The piano kind of gives the dialogue more unity and sets a mood, similar to a documentary would.  Or a narrative typed podcast, like This American Life.  I enjoyed the general biographical information about Berlin. I thought it was fascinating how he died! But it would be cool to maybe end on this note, to show his dedication to the field? Not sure how this would work with your current conclusion.

Identifying what the author said directly and quoting it added a nice purpose to each segment. Adding some personal discussion,( like on a radio program or something?) would add a different tone that’s a little more conversational? Maybe like a commentary from your own experiences after you defined and identified his theories would be a nice addition.

The concluding segment with an excerpt from his eulogy is very nice. It kind of brings it back around. I had a really hard time with this part! Your final thoughts were the perfect conclusion.

There are a few instances where I wish the dialogue was a little bit louder (mostly in the first segment, but a little in the second). I can hear the piano fine, but I think it might be the feed back/echo thing. 

In “Inviting the Mother Tongue: Beyond ‘Mistakes,’ ‘Bad English,’ and ‘Wrong Language’”, Peter Elbow discusses how it is important to not force students to conform to the language and culture of mainstream English. Amelia seemed to have no problems writing (and then speaking) in Standard Written English or SWE, and I would assume that like Elbow, her own “mother tongue” isn’t too different from the one presented in her podcast. It was interesting to me to try and decide whether or not to sound conversational or to sound like I was reading from a script. Since this is a podcast rather than a traditional essay or research paper, I tried to sound more casual and as a result, I’m afraid that I said “um” way too many times. Elbow notes that “speech and writing are different dialects and for writing, there is still a need to acquiesce” (645).

Week 5: The Safety of Anonymity

Back in 1997, I was in 8^th grade and absolutely positively loved getting into chat rooms on AOL (remember AOL?).  I wasn’t exactly an active participant in these chat rooms; I would kind of just sit there and see what would happen. A cyberspace wallflower of sorts. But if I did want to chime in with my ideas, I wasn’t concerned about how I would be judged because I didn’t know any of those weirdos (though, I was admittedly one of them). The idea of a bunch of strangers from all around the country discussing random issues in virtual anonymity was a completely safe social experiment in my book. I could see how people interacted with each other, watch cyber friendships emerge, and feel like I was socializing without having to ask my parents if they could take me to “so and sos” house.

Fast forward to 2012. I sign up for my third and fourth online graduate classes, but my first classes that meet “virtually” in a classroom. I was genuinely giddy with excitement. Two things that I love: learning and socializing all in the comfort of my own home. I get to wear pajamas, drink a Shiner summer brew, and have academic discussions about literature and writing.

Virtual classrooms like the MOO have many advantages that are similar to chat rooms from the late 1990s and early 2000s. There is a sense of camaraderie and it strangely feels more social than in a traditional classroom, but it's also more anonymous. Students are able to attend to the information presented to them with very little visual distractions (people walking in late, observing non-verbal cues from the professor or classmates, etc.).  Everything is in front of you in black and white and if you missed something said, you can scroll back up to see what you misunderstood. There have been instances in both of my classes when the professor asked a question and I wasn’t sure what he asked exactly. If this was on Skype or in a normal classroom, I would not be able to answer the question. Other students (who are usually faster processers or not as easily distracted as I am) are able to answer the question and the professor would move on. In these instances, I am given an opportunity to participate when I would otherwise not have. Additionally, the MOO creates an environment that is more safely anonymous (because of the geographical distance between us?) and as a result, feels safer to a person who would not normally share in class. It seems to make sharing, which could result in learning, more equitable. Because this is a course in writing, the “black and white” print format of the MOO is an interesting example of a dialogue or text. As Nancy Sommers discussed in her research, speech is “irreversible” (44). This begs the question of whether our course classroom is closer to being a “speech” or a form of writing. Since I tend to type on the fly in MOO, it is sometimes “irreversible” for me! Though saving the courses transcripts tends to add a sort of permanence to everything that I state.

I have never had a class with skype, but I have interacted with a linguistics professor who was teaching in Japan. In those days it was 100% free (only 6 years ago). Using skype in a classroom format would eliminate the perceived anonymity some. The same problem with different personality types would exist (more extroverted and confident students will participate more willingly than the introspective types), and the loudest talker will prevail! I’m sure there is a way to make skype more organized, but I imagine lots of talking over people and confusion. This is a problem in the MOO too, but it is easier to scroll up to see what you missed. Since this is a writing course, MOO seems better. But if this was a speech communications course, I could see how skype would have its purpose.

The idea of becoming whoever your heart desires online is fascinating and I can see how this type of format may one day become more popular than a traditional classroom. I think that it encourages more learning and participation from a variety of personality types.

A note on the writing process: As I am typing this, I have been hyper-conscious of my writing process. There has been next to zero “pre-writing” and the revision process is happening simultaneously with my writing (Sommers, 49). I typically get all of my thoughts out on a certain subject, then return to each of the paragraphs to clarify to figure out what I want to say in the first place (50). I am constantly examining and reexamining what I am trying to communicate and how effective I have been. While I am far from an "expert" writer, I consider this a good sign in my ability to revise.

Week four: First Year Comp Assignments

I would imagine that I would formulate a first year composition course around the types of writing that I want them to be exposed to, with some of the general principles in mind that I included in my philosophy of teaching. What we call an “argument essay” in the English 3 curriculum is what I consider one of the single most important forms of writing for the high school student. The writing portion of the SAT gives students about 25 minutes to write on an idea. Many times, they are clueless about how to write more than their opinion through their thesis statement. They generally enjoy doing this in class because they get to voice their opinions, and it is also an opportunity to explain to them what makes an argument well-formulated.

Current Events

April _____ 2012

Title of Article______________________________________________      Author____________________ From (Source) ________________________     Date on Article _____________

Genre (Entertainment, Economics/Business, Law/Legislation, Politics, Science, Crime, Education, Technology)______________________

Summarize your article in 3-4 sentences

In 3-4 sentences, write what makes this article newsworthy and important. What is the impact this “news” or “event” has on society?

They use the current events to discuss what is happening in the world around them. When we do a researched argument later in the year, they use these articles as inspiration for topics to research. This assignment is completed weekly for six weeks and each Monday we discuss the issues. When students bring in editorials relating to the current events, we have fun identifying the appeals, discuss the audience of the news sources, and share our own opinions on the topics.

According to Bruffee’s findings, “reflective thought is public or social conversation internalized” (399). By providing students with group activities that require natural conversation, we are giving them an additional tool to create original ideas, commentary, and eventually, composition. We can determine that thought is “an artifact created by social interaction” (400). I think that tasks that are similar to the ones at these stations but are more advanced for a first year composition classroom would be equally as successful.

I do allow students to use a “pass” on one of the stations. Many times, they look at what will be the most work and skip it! But for the average student, the pass could be used on a task that they don’t do well on. For example, one of my students who is less “verbally” inclined and considers him or herself a better at creative expression may not complete a longer writing task but will spend plenty of time on stations three or four. These ideas of left and right brained individuals (and the theory of hemisphericity on p. 336) are represented.

Stations on Oppression

1. Read an excerpt from “My Sojourn in the Lands of my Ancestors.”  In this story, Maya Angelou journeys to Africa and “became a hunter for that elusive and much-longed for place the heart could call home” (110).  She craved acceptance, but was often times rejected.  READ P.112-113 (arrows).
2. Respond to the following question about what you read in Station 1.  Compare and contrast the experiences of Olaudah Equiano and Maya Angelou. What would Olaudah Equiano say about Maya Angelou’s experience? Write 5-6 sentences about a similarity between the two. 

3. The painting on p. 96 is by Robert Riggs.  It portrays action on the open deck as well as the scene in the dark hold below.  In 4-6 sentences, describe the mood that the painting brings about.  How does the artist achieve this mood?  What was the artist’s intention when he painted this?  How does it make you feel.

-Hint: Look at the colors, shapes, and where the painting forces you to focus.

4. Read the passage below and illustrate what could be seen through Olaudah Equiano’s eyes.  The drawing can be abstract or it can be realistic.  YOU MUST USE COLOR. 

“The closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which was so crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself, almost suffocated us…. The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying, rendered the whole a scene of horror almost inconceivable.  Happily perhaps, for myself, I was soon reduced so low here that it was thought necessary to keep me almost always on deck.”

5. What makes a place feel like home?  Write a description of a place that feels like home to you.  Use sensory details-details that appeal to the five senses- to make the place come to life for your readers.  Write four sentences about this.

6. Research “modern day” slavery online

• Take Cornell notes on information found (you can’t print anything!)
• Keep everything “classroom appropriate”
• Try to answer the following questions:
• What are some types of modern day slavery?
• Where is slavery prevalent?
• Is slavery present in the United States?
• What is being done to get rid of these practices?
• 5-7 bulleted facts required (more is better)

7.       Look up vocabulary words below and write the definitions on a sheet a paper.  Include the FIRST definition and the part of speech of the FIRST definition.

·         Impervious

·         Purge

·         Reverberate

·         Surreptitious

·         Wane

·         Rebuff

·         Careen

I have one assignment that reflects my style of student-centered and individualized learning that I can’t seem to find. It involves a chart (similar to the one below) and tasks. There are several ways to do this type of assignment, but the simplest is to say to pick one from each column. Differentiated instruction like this would work well in a FYC course to allow for personalization in interests while achieving similar goals. Another element could be added when returning to class after the assignment was due. Students who chose particular tasks could work together and “jigsaw”, eventually sharing with the class what they learned through the tasks.

Summer Reading Reflections

Close Readings	Essays	Visual Representation
Section 1	Prompt A	Task A
Section 2	Prompt B	Task B
Section 3	Prompt C	Task C