Post for 2/26/09 - Identity

For women, playing "house" was the standard when we were young girls: the roles consist of a mother and her children, and perhaps a father if there was a boy available. Sometimes, if there were only two girls, we would pretend to be sisters. We'd take our dolls, give them names, and treat them as if they were our own. Though we weren't even able to write at the time, we were able to assume our character with ease because we were surrounded by our family everyday. It was our "collective intelligence," to say the least. We (my girl friends and I) were able to see things from different perspectives and feel what it's like to have all of the "power" a mother possesses.

Girls learned how to make sense of the world around them by role playing; It made the "roles" of each member of the family more tangible and easier to define. That is why role-playing or "projective identity" is so beneficial for students (Jenkins, 28). "Projective identity allows the player to strongly identify with the character and thus have an immersive experience within the game, and at the same time to use the character as a mirror to reflect on his or her own values and choices" (Jenkins, 28). It's stepping out of reality, stepping out of "you" even, for just a few moments. "It's almost like whoever you dress up as, you become that person for a day" (Jenkins, 30). Reality is filled with moments of joy, as well as moments of sadness and anger; it can be harsh and overwhelming. Students, adolescents in particular, are going through one of the most difficult times in their lives; they're discovering who they are and who they want to be. By trying on different characters, they get to be someone else for awhile. This shows students how they relate to the character and maybe even clarifies how they (the students) relate to the outside world. If that "character" possesses qualities that appeal to the student, it's highly possible the students will obtain that quality for themselves one day; the same goes for negative qualities, but hopefully they'll reject those.

While reading Shakespeare, my cooperating teacher has different students assume roles for each act. She has a "stage" within her room where the students assume position and deliver their lines. Even if the students decide that day that they are going to assume a character, they really get into it. Because there are not a lot of directions for the actors within the script, the students analyze what they are reading and try to show the "audience" what expression or action that character might take.

Although I think it would be hard to prevent chaos in this type of activity, I definitely plan on utilizing it in my classroom. Besides, who doesn't want to escape reality for a little bit? Everyone always has room to grow and become a better person; maybe that's why the March sisters in "Little Women" and actors and actresses in Hollywood find role-playing so appealing. It's what you learn and gain from taking on that character that makes it all worth while.

Resource Link: This is a site where one can play "Role Playing Games for Free." The games mainly take place in fantasy worlds, but there are also a few sports games as well.
http://play-free-online-games.com/games/games_rpg.html

Post for 2/19/09 - Dialogue Journals

The purpose of the program we are currently in is to equip us with the skills and training to become teachers. We have now been in this program for 9 months and we have yet to put our focus towards the assessment of our students. Since we "are going to be teaching in 3-4 week," it is of the utmost importance that we gain an understanding of what and how to grade (anonymous). Therefore, I found the assigned readings this week to be very valuable.

Adger's article places a strong emphasis on the variables that a teacher will encounter with students of a vernacular dialect. However, I unwittingly incorporated students that speak Standard English within the focus as well. I found dialogue journals to be one of the most valuable topics within both of the readings, due to the fact that I am going to be teaching a creative writing class. Adger states that, "A dialogue journal is a bound notebook in which a student and teacher communicate regularly in writing over a continuous period of time. Students can write as much as they want about topics of their choice. The teacher writes back each time the student writes - often responding to the student's topics, but also introducing new topics" (121). During my interview with my teacher at Central High, she informed me that it is incumbent upon the teacher to build a community and form relationships with his/her students during the first few days of class; only then can you begin to know your students and have a better idea of how to plan your curriculum. Dialogue Journals are one of the best ways to do this!

Going off of this statement, I feel it very important to share the following story of a student in one of my classes, for it shows the relevance of knowing your students as individuals and the necessity of being a flexible teacher:

My teacher (who teaches creative writing) was telling me a story about one of her students...we'll call her Allie. Through her writings, my teacher learned that Allie recently discovered a malignant tumor in her sinus passage and will have to undergo chemotherapy and surgery. With that, Allie is also the victim of domestic abuse. Her father repeatedly abused her and her mother, and her mother recently kicked him out of the house. The day my teacher told me this story, Allie was late to school. Her mother was unable to give her a ride and it was too late to catch the bus. Allie paid $15 for a cab and arrived to school 5 minutes after first period had finished. She went to turn in a paper that was due that day and the teacher refused to accept it. Allie implored her to take it, stating it was finished and that she tried her best to get to school on time. Needless to say, these "excuses" failed to change the teacher's mind. My teacher, as well as myself, were heartbroken, for both my teacher and I knew the obstacles Allie had been enduring over the past X amount of years.

It is through her journal that my teacher discovered this information about Allie, and Allie now consideres my teacher a mentor and shoulder to lean on, since she talks so little about her personal life to anyone. This, alone, shows how powerful a dialogue journal can be to a student AND a teacher. It also shows why we need to be flexible. Education does not revolve around the teacher....but the students. Because of this, we need to make sure our students have access to us, as well as resources, in order for them to succeed.

Although this blog does not address the major topics discussed within our readings, I felt it necessary to share. As teachers, we need to develop thick skin and discover methods and forms of therapy (yoga, blogs, a good book) to get us through some of the travesties that are bound to turn up in our paths.

-For Allie

Resource Link:
http://www.uslaw.com/library/Legal_Writing/Problem_Dialect.php?item=205380
This blog titled "The Problem of Dialect," talks about different connotations different dialects have and why we have these associations with them. It's very interesting and aruges that "there is nothing inherent in a dialect that makes it...superior or inferior to another."

Grammar...Ugh!

Well, I am happy that I decided to read "Mechanically Inclined," due to my terrible grammar skills.  I feel that reading over the rules a few times will make me a better speaker and writer.   Looking back at my previous experience with grammar, it is unfortunate that the schools I attended didn't deliver better instruction; I only received direct instruction until 8th grade.  However, there was one instance in 10th grade when my teacher was so mortified by my classes writing skills that she administered a mini-unit on grammar.  Was it successful?  Of course not.  She handed out worksheets, which we worked on at home and briefly during class.  Then, the teacher went over the answers.  She asked if anyone had any questions, but everyone was so embarrassed by their poor grammar skills (as sophomores), that no one bothered to admit they were still struggling.  Since then, I have never received instruction on grammar, nor have I practiced it.  However, before I began this program, I thought that if I was going to be teaching English I should know a little bit more about grammar; so I decided to purchase the book, "A Grammar Book for You and I...Oops, Me."  I managed to get through three chapters before I started craving novels, which led me to toss it aside.  However, the author is humorous, the author reads like a narrative, and their are exercises to test your skill.  I would definitely recommend it to people that want to improve their grammar.

On a different note, I'd like talk about Harper's article.  I plan on using the "writer's toolbox" in my class, because I got to see first-hand its success in Tyler Livingston's class.  The other cohort students and I started observing his class a few weeks after he had implemented the "writer's toolbox."  However, he didn't have a tangible toolbox; he had pictures of the "tools" with captions underneath them for students to reference while they were revising, drafting, or participating in the writer's workshop.  He also gave detailed handouts of the "tool" for students to paste in their journals; that way, they would always have their own copy.  Looking back at my own experience with revision, I always knew WHAT to revise, I just didn't know HOW to do it.  I feel that these tools will give my students the help I never received.

Resource Link:

This link provides a brief summary of grammar rules and is easy to use.  It also provides free online quizzes to test your skills.  The website also offers you the option of subscribing to receive quizzes not offered on their website; the quizzes provides the examiner with explanations and affords them the opportunity to manipulate the quizzes to their liking.

http://www.grammarbook.com/english_rules.asp

Blog for 2/5/09

So, out of all of the information we absorded over this past week, I've decided to focus on the 5 paragraph essay and the multigenre paper. Ever since high school, I have been trained to construct papers built upon the 5 paragraph structure. Introductary paragraph with thesis, three supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. In college, I was assigned papers as large as 25 pages; I never once thought to ask myself, "How do I make 5 paragraphs stretch across 25 pages?" I guess the paper structure just came naturally or I had received some instruction that I simply can't recall. Some of the articles argue against the 5 paragraph essay, and I completely understand why; it's too structured, it can inhibit critical thinking, and it can make students feel like their thoughts are constricted. However, I see how it can be a starting point for teaching students how to organize their thoughts and data. I ask you, "Without the 5 paragraph essay, where would you begin to teach students how to write a paper?" I believe that once students become familiar with how to develop a paper, we should lead them to other strategies and methods beyond this form. As a future teacher, I am open to reading more studies about this infamous, criticized essay. Still, I think it's necessary to introduce students to it, since it has become ubiquitous.

With this essay format, I firmly believe in the benefits from the multigenre paper and I am absolutely going to implement this within my creative writing class. As mentioned previously, the 5 paragraph essay can be constricting and maybe even boring. Within Romano's work, a teacher states, "I can write a good, safe analytical paper any day. Multigenre is a bit more dangerous. For me, it requires investing myself more. As a result, multigenre is much more reqarding" (3). Education, in part, is about students discovering themselves and who they want to be. By getting the option to choose their topic, students become passionate about their research and eventually, their writing. It is through this process of research and writing that students inch closer to self-discovery.

Resource Link: http://www.users.muohio.edu/romanots/
This site is labeled Multigenre Writing. It offers examples of Assignment sheets, Research designs, rubrics, and examples of multigenre papers. Basically, it's an extension or Romano's text. It also provides more information about the author, Tom Romano.