Tuesday, January 27, 2009
NOT GRADING?!
I'm interested in hearing your responses to the two essays this week about not grading. What do you think about this idea?
Very Tiny Victory
Okay, I'm the last to post. Oh well. My victory is small and so this will be short and sweet. I had 21 of my 24 students in class on Thursday!!! It's pretty impressive. I've never had that many before. And one of the ones missing was a girl who has never showed up, so I consider there were only two people missing. I wanted to do a little dance.
My other victory of the day? It all just felt really relaxed. I have one student who I think is growing to hate me and he just sat and stared at everyone while we drafted, but everyone else was really engaged. They were writing, asking questions, coming up with ideas. I talked to everyone and they were willing to share what they had come up with. We told stories as I walked around and talked to them about their reading and their assignments. It was a lot of fun. I felt like I connected to them finally.
I asked one of my students if I could put his paper on the overhead today so we'll see how that goes. If his goes well I'll ask for volunteers afterwards. I'm a little nervous that he'll hate me for doing it, but I thought he would have a good draft because he is the only one who really gets what we're trying to do.
Oh, another small victory? I got one of my students to promise he'll turn in some of his reading responses. We talked about the fact that almost everyone is missing at least one so I decided to give them a bit more time (I know I talk all bad, but I'm nice at heart), and he actually came up to me after class and talked to me about them. Victory!
We'll see how today goes. They always have a way of making you feel like progress is being made and then you show up the next day and they destroy all your hopes.
I'll keep you posted.....
My other victory of the day? It all just felt really relaxed. I have one student who I think is growing to hate me and he just sat and stared at everyone while we drafted, but everyone else was really engaged. They were writing, asking questions, coming up with ideas. I talked to everyone and they were willing to share what they had come up with. We told stories as I walked around and talked to them about their reading and their assignments. It was a lot of fun. I felt like I connected to them finally.
I asked one of my students if I could put his paper on the overhead today so we'll see how that goes. If his goes well I'll ask for volunteers afterwards. I'm a little nervous that he'll hate me for doing it, but I thought he would have a good draft because he is the only one who really gets what we're trying to do.
Oh, another small victory? I got one of my students to promise he'll turn in some of his reading responses. We talked about the fact that almost everyone is missing at least one so I decided to give them a bit more time (I know I talk all bad, but I'm nice at heart), and he actually came up to me after class and talked to me about them. Victory!
We'll see how today goes. They always have a way of making you feel like progress is being made and then you show up the next day and they destroy all your hopes.
I'll keep you posted.....
Monday, January 26, 2009
Small Victories
My teaching victory is small yet I am willing to count it. After we did all the in-class writing for their first essay on Thursday, I told them to write their thesis on a separate piece of paper and pass it in. They all did so willingly, not realizing that I had the evil plan to put them on the overhead camera thingy. So, as soon as I had all their thesis statements in my clutches, I announced what I was about to do. Their passiveness turned to horror and they groaned collectively. I promised not to show anybody's names to make the process less humiliating.
I began putting the thesis statements up for all to see. To my surprise, one after another had a point, was well written, and did what I had asked them to do. I only had one or two that needed to be narrowed. My victory is that they are actually pretty good little writers and that they have understood what I am asking of them in their upcoming essay. I am impressed with their ability to take two texts and figure out an intelligent larger point to be made. I am hoping that the drafts they bring to class tomorrow will be just as successful.
On the same note, I worried that they would all be so angry with me after betraying their trust like that that they would not like me. I know, I know. I suffer from that hideous disease most women suffer from. I want everybody to like me, even though it is humanly inpossible and I already know of 2, maybe 3, people that hate me for sure because they have yelled it into my face as I cried and begged for friendship and leniency. Anyway, my point is that I then ran into a student of mine at the Kaysville post office the next day. He was the guy who questioned most of what I asked them to write on Thursday and who gave me the most eye rolls and blank stares. However, he saw me and immediately greeted me with warmth. I felt relieved that I can still be liked despite putting their spur-of-the-moment work up on the overhead for all to see and despite being the slave driver who made them write for one hour. The most clock-checking and yawning occurred that day!
I am actually looking forward to tomorrow because of all of this. I am excited to work with their drafts and to direct their workshopping. I cannot wait to see how their theses have played out in text and if they have had any problems. I think this week of class is going to be bonding week. At least, I hope so.
I began putting the thesis statements up for all to see. To my surprise, one after another had a point, was well written, and did what I had asked them to do. I only had one or two that needed to be narrowed. My victory is that they are actually pretty good little writers and that they have understood what I am asking of them in their upcoming essay. I am impressed with their ability to take two texts and figure out an intelligent larger point to be made. I am hoping that the drafts they bring to class tomorrow will be just as successful.
On the same note, I worried that they would all be so angry with me after betraying their trust like that that they would not like me. I know, I know. I suffer from that hideous disease most women suffer from. I want everybody to like me, even though it is humanly inpossible and I already know of 2, maybe 3, people that hate me for sure because they have yelled it into my face as I cried and begged for friendship and leniency. Anyway, my point is that I then ran into a student of mine at the Kaysville post office the next day. He was the guy who questioned most of what I asked them to write on Thursday and who gave me the most eye rolls and blank stares. However, he saw me and immediately greeted me with warmth. I felt relieved that I can still be liked despite putting their spur-of-the-moment work up on the overhead for all to see and despite being the slave driver who made them write for one hour. The most clock-checking and yawning occurred that day!
I am actually looking forward to tomorrow because of all of this. I am excited to work with their drafts and to direct their workshopping. I cannot wait to see how their theses have played out in text and if they have had any problems. I think this week of class is going to be bonding week. At least, I hope so.
Assive and Pactive Voice
I have to confess that I, too, had an R-rated slip today (although technically, I think it's just PG-13, or maybe even PG the way movies are going these days. Those young hoodlums!) I was answering questions about the differences between active and passive voice and said, "When you use ass....pactive...passive voice..." Nice. I seem to trip over my tongue quite a bit at eight o'clock in the morning. Slip your disk in, everyone!
So, regarding victories, I have to say, like Cheyney, mine have been somewhat small (other than not turning bright red and crying when I tripped over the desk the other day--my glasses rather limit my peripheral vision, and my classroom is pretty cramped). I read the first seven or eight reading responses this weekend, and I was almost in tears, I was so delighted with what I was reading. They were citing correctly, backing up their claims with examples and quotations from the text, and even breaking their assignments into three discrete sections! Well, it was all downhill from there. I found myself sticking the worst ones in the bottom of the pile, trying to put off the pain. And painful they were. More vague generalizations, trite opinions, and more really random incomprehensible stuff from my concurrent enrollment kid. The silver lining is that I actually felt better equipped to comment on some of these issues, thanks to the discussion in our class last Wednesday. I spent a good chunk of time on each one, writing really helpful stuff that they probably won't read (look who's turning cynical now!), but at least feeling that I was doing something constructive. And I *do* think they're getting better at supporting their claims, or at least understanding that they need to support them.
I also sense that everyone's getting more comfortable speaking up in class--today, swapping stories about digging out of the snow, getting car doors unstuck, and doing 360s on the freeway really broke the ice (so to speak) and the discussion throughout class was more interactive than any we've had. We broke into groups of three, read each others' introductions, and evaluated thesis statements. I had only asked them to write comments on the papers, but they ended up discussing their comments as a group. It seemed to be pretty productive.
Okay, so, on this same topic, what workshopping techniques are working for everyone else? Has anyone put papers on the overhead yet? How are your students responding to that? I haven't tried it yet and am guessing that my students will be completely freaked out by it, but I also sense that they would really benefit from it. Soooo....maybe I'll work up the courage by Wednesday.
So, regarding victories, I have to say, like Cheyney, mine have been somewhat small (other than not turning bright red and crying when I tripped over the desk the other day--my glasses rather limit my peripheral vision, and my classroom is pretty cramped). I read the first seven or eight reading responses this weekend, and I was almost in tears, I was so delighted with what I was reading. They were citing correctly, backing up their claims with examples and quotations from the text, and even breaking their assignments into three discrete sections! Well, it was all downhill from there. I found myself sticking the worst ones in the bottom of the pile, trying to put off the pain. And painful they were. More vague generalizations, trite opinions, and more really random incomprehensible stuff from my concurrent enrollment kid. The silver lining is that I actually felt better equipped to comment on some of these issues, thanks to the discussion in our class last Wednesday. I spent a good chunk of time on each one, writing really helpful stuff that they probably won't read (look who's turning cynical now!), but at least feeling that I was doing something constructive. And I *do* think they're getting better at supporting their claims, or at least understanding that they need to support them.
I also sense that everyone's getting more comfortable speaking up in class--today, swapping stories about digging out of the snow, getting car doors unstuck, and doing 360s on the freeway really broke the ice (so to speak) and the discussion throughout class was more interactive than any we've had. We broke into groups of three, read each others' introductions, and evaluated thesis statements. I had only asked them to write comments on the papers, but they ended up discussing their comments as a group. It seemed to be pretty productive.
Okay, so, on this same topic, what workshopping techniques are working for everyone else? Has anyone put papers on the overhead yet? How are your students responding to that? I haven't tried it yet and am guessing that my students will be completely freaked out by it, but I also sense that they would really benefit from it. Soooo....maybe I'll work up the courage by Wednesday.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Small Victories and Some Medium-Sized Defeats
Maybe it's the rain, my mounds of unfinished homework, or this pile of ungraded reading responses sitting on the table in front of me, but I don't feel much like celebrating any sort of teaching victory for this week. Blah. And since tonight is the only chance I'll have at posting a blog, I can't wait for my mood to improve before writing. Sorry! Don't read any further unless you want to hear some quality whinin'.
1. Ah, the reading responses. Like Tamar, I'm expecting a sudden windfall of latecomers expecting a decent grade. I gave them the inch--told them that the first two weeks would not be counted as late until last Friday (many students still didn't have books). Ha! You'd not believe the rash of computer problems currently plaguing my class. Today I finally put my foot down and told Thomas, who was the fifth in line with a computer excuse, that his printer was not my problem. Frankly, I thought he was lying. (Doubting Thomas, if you will.) If he wanted extra time, he was going to lose points. He handed it in on the spot. He was being completely honest--every other line in his paper was totally cut in half.
2. I spoke with four students after class that haven't handed anything in to date. After speaking to the first, I realized he just didn't understand the reading responses at all and was scared to hand them in. Nevermind that we've been over this. I gathered the students all together, and we mapped it out on the board, AGAIN. They said they understood, felt better, and were going to get busy on them this weekend. We'll see...
3. Taylor started a one-man revolt during the in-class drafting today. "I don't like this at all," he said. "I don't see the point of all this stuff. The assignment sucks. I don't know why we have to write crap like this." Welcome to the university. I patiently explained how the questions were gearing him toward the paper, and in a larger sense toward English 2010. He settled down and wrote a few paragraphs before getting up to leave twice. After class, he met with me to complain again. To his credit, he was not directing his anger toward me personally. Still, it was a bummer. (And I just got him coming to class on time, too! What now?)
4. The class has not quite recovered from the long weekend or my scary skirt--I've not decided which. They were so fun last week! The discussions were very lively and the students were interacting and enjoying themselves. This week they've been very quiet and reluctant. They practice 50 minutes of "mouth breathing" and evasive eye maneuvers, and then run out of class like their hair is on fire. What happened?
5. Did I mention that the prep time is killing me? What is sleep? My daughter told me today that I look like a vampire with my red eyes, dark circles, and white skin. No sparkles, either. Maybe that's what has my class so scared...
OK, I feel better. Life is not all bad, really. Tomorrow I'll probably be able to name any number of small teaching victories. The good outweighs the bad; it was just a rough day in the trenches. I can't wait to read about all of your victorious moments. I'm counting on you to make me feel better. :)
1. Ah, the reading responses. Like Tamar, I'm expecting a sudden windfall of latecomers expecting a decent grade. I gave them the inch--told them that the first two weeks would not be counted as late until last Friday (many students still didn't have books). Ha! You'd not believe the rash of computer problems currently plaguing my class. Today I finally put my foot down and told Thomas, who was the fifth in line with a computer excuse, that his printer was not my problem. Frankly, I thought he was lying. (Doubting Thomas, if you will.) If he wanted extra time, he was going to lose points. He handed it in on the spot. He was being completely honest--every other line in his paper was totally cut in half.
2. I spoke with four students after class that haven't handed anything in to date. After speaking to the first, I realized he just didn't understand the reading responses at all and was scared to hand them in. Nevermind that we've been over this. I gathered the students all together, and we mapped it out on the board, AGAIN. They said they understood, felt better, and were going to get busy on them this weekend. We'll see...
3. Taylor started a one-man revolt during the in-class drafting today. "I don't like this at all," he said. "I don't see the point of all this stuff. The assignment sucks. I don't know why we have to write crap like this." Welcome to the university. I patiently explained how the questions were gearing him toward the paper, and in a larger sense toward English 2010. He settled down and wrote a few paragraphs before getting up to leave twice. After class, he met with me to complain again. To his credit, he was not directing his anger toward me personally. Still, it was a bummer. (And I just got him coming to class on time, too! What now?)
4. The class has not quite recovered from the long weekend or my scary skirt--I've not decided which. They were so fun last week! The discussions were very lively and the students were interacting and enjoying themselves. This week they've been very quiet and reluctant. They practice 50 minutes of "mouth breathing" and evasive eye maneuvers, and then run out of class like their hair is on fire. What happened?
5. Did I mention that the prep time is killing me? What is sleep? My daughter told me today that I look like a vampire with my red eyes, dark circles, and white skin. No sparkles, either. Maybe that's what has my class so scared...
OK, I feel better. Life is not all bad, really. Tomorrow I'll probably be able to name any number of small teaching victories. The good outweighs the bad; it was just a rough day in the trenches. I can't wait to read about all of your victorious moments. I'm counting on you to make me feel better. :)
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Celebrate!
I'd like to see you celebrate a small teaching victory. What have your students done that makes you happy? Hopeful? Proud?
Lessons Learned, Laughs Shared, and R-Rated Words Blurted
I have learned that my students do not like to talk, except one girl in the front row who always tells a really long, boring, and pointless story about a member of her family or her boyfriend. I am not quite sure how these stories relate to the topic of writing, if they relate at all, or if the student thinks that they relate. However, each time she raises her hand, I feel like I have to call on her because she actually volunteers to talk. I admit I have felt the temptation to ignore her, and did so successfully for about 20 seconds until I felt guilty and caved in yesterday.
Although they are quiet, they have forced me to come up with ways to get them to participate. I have not tried anything elaborate yet, but I did find one successful technique. I asked a discussion question and the room was silent. I sat for a few moments, contemplating the sweat accumulating under my arms and hoping that Dr. Rogers would not walk in, and then it came to me. I said, "I don't know the answer, you guys. I really want to know what you think. Help me out." Those were the magic words. Instantly, hands shot into the air and the less well-mannered of them just began blabbing at me. I guess a little self-deprecation helps them to build their confidence.
My other techniques for getting them to talk are not quite as successful or popular (I suspect). After some in-class writing, nobody volunteered to share. I waited a good minute for them to respond, but all was still and quiet. So, in a tiny moment of anger and a huge moment of desperation, I made them ALL share what they had written. I went around the room from front to back and made everyone participate. They gave me some icy glares after that.
I also randomly call on people, especially those I know are smart. I have read enough of their reading responses to know who has intelligent thoughts coursing through their brains. So, I pick on them. Sometimes I pick on the person who is talking to his neighbor or the guy who just rolled his eyes at me or the girl who makes eye contact with me.
The most wonderful part of teaching is the way the kids have opened up when not under pressure to speak. They tease me, joke with me, and yes, even plot to get me to let them watch the inauguration on YouTube during class. I had to remind them that I am a student too, so I knew exactly what they were trying to do.
The most embarrassing moment? They got me to say "orgasm" in class. Yeah, it was in one of the readings. In my BYU innocence, I transcribed that sentence into my notes without that word, then we talked about that quote. The boys immediately noticed my deletion (which I had completely forgotten about) and said, "What comes before that part? You left a really important part out." I stupidly believed them, searched the text, found the word and blurted it out. They all laughed, but I felt kind of dirty. They accused me of teaching an R-rated class. I'm not going to fall for that again! (Hopefully.)
Although they are quiet, they have forced me to come up with ways to get them to participate. I have not tried anything elaborate yet, but I did find one successful technique. I asked a discussion question and the room was silent. I sat for a few moments, contemplating the sweat accumulating under my arms and hoping that Dr. Rogers would not walk in, and then it came to me. I said, "I don't know the answer, you guys. I really want to know what you think. Help me out." Those were the magic words. Instantly, hands shot into the air and the less well-mannered of them just began blabbing at me. I guess a little self-deprecation helps them to build their confidence.
My other techniques for getting them to talk are not quite as successful or popular (I suspect). After some in-class writing, nobody volunteered to share. I waited a good minute for them to respond, but all was still and quiet. So, in a tiny moment of anger and a huge moment of desperation, I made them ALL share what they had written. I went around the room from front to back and made everyone participate. They gave me some icy glares after that.
I also randomly call on people, especially those I know are smart. I have read enough of their reading responses to know who has intelligent thoughts coursing through their brains. So, I pick on them. Sometimes I pick on the person who is talking to his neighbor or the guy who just rolled his eyes at me or the girl who makes eye contact with me.
The most wonderful part of teaching is the way the kids have opened up when not under pressure to speak. They tease me, joke with me, and yes, even plot to get me to let them watch the inauguration on YouTube during class. I had to remind them that I am a student too, so I knew exactly what they were trying to do.
The most embarrassing moment? They got me to say "orgasm" in class. Yeah, it was in one of the readings. In my BYU innocence, I transcribed that sentence into my notes without that word, then we talked about that quote. The boys immediately noticed my deletion (which I had completely forgotten about) and said, "What comes before that part? You left a really important part out." I stupidly believed them, searched the text, found the word and blurted it out. They all laughed, but I felt kind of dirty. They accused me of teaching an R-rated class. I'm not going to fall for that again! (Hopefully.)
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