Bright Ideas Conference

On April 12th, I attended the Bright Ideas Conference in East Lansing, Michigan. My favorite session was a morning presentation, in which the presenter discussed the idea of going more in depth in an English classroom, and the use of scaffolding in the classroom. Scaffolding means providing support for students, instead of merely expecting them to complete a task all on their own. The presenter talked about the Zone of Proximity, which is basically finding the point at which students can accomplish a task with the help of another, and how when teachers provide this type of help, students are able to achieve more. The presenter also discussed some alternative assessment strategies used in Europe, such as asking students questions using multiple prompts or modeling a task for students before asking them to complete it themselves.

The presenter also discussed in some depth a senior project that was conducted in her school. The senior project was a requirement for graduation, and an entire class was dedicated to its completion. The students were given an exhaustive checklist, which required some tasks, such as “getting the signatures of 30 adults,” geared to help students in the research process.

I also found one interesting technique a useful tool for the classroom. The instructor gives students “provocative prompts” which help students think more deeply about the content. The presenter also recommended that instructors spend more time on depth, rather than breadth, when it comes to concepts. She argued that spending a unit on one Shakespeare play will give students the tools they when they are required to study Shakespeare in the future. The presenter said that when students spend more in-depth time on a concept, they are no longer afraid of approaching something that seems scary. Instead, they already have the tools they need in order to complete a task, which in effect, can help better prepare students for college.

Grammar Group Presentation

Wow! I must say that I was impressed at the “Paris Theme” this group used to teach their presentation. I thought that it was especially thoughtful of them to bring in “wine” for the class to enjoy. I also enjoyed the background music that was being played at an non-distracting level throughout the presentation. The group really got into character by dressing up in berets and “French” attire. I liked the theme, and I thought it was a good lead-in to their entire lesson: how to use grammar in an artistic manner. Their enthusiasm for their topic was very motivating when it came time for me to compose sentences using an “artistic brush.” I enjoyed the light-hearted, yet descriptive sentences that spewed from my mouth as the presenters guided me through several stages of artistic grammar. I feel that time flew by fast for the students and presenters alike. During the first session, we were practically out of time as soon as the lesson began. I feel that the activities chosen did a good job of reflecting the content of the book this group read. After discussing the book a little further with the presenters, I have decided that it is definitely one I would like to have on my book shelf. Thank you Grammar Group!

Questions for Christensen Conference

What inspired you to write your book?

What challenges did you face as a first-year teacher?

Were there times that you found yourself frustrated with your students?

What would you change about your teaching experience if you could go back into time?

What advice would you give to a new teacher?

Poetry Presentation

I thoroughly enjoyed the poetry group’s presentation. I was impressed at the number of hands-on activities this group used in teaching their portion. I especially liked that they spent the extra time and effort to bring in magazines, glue, scissors, and other creative supplies necessary for the class to complete the assignments. I really enjoyed the activity where we had to cut out words from magazines or newspapers and use the words to form a poem. This was my favorite activity because I got to use my creative mind in two ways: I made a poem out of words, and I made my poem look good on pink construction paper. The only complaint that I have about this group is that I would have liked to hear more about the book. Do you recommend that I buy this book as a college student who is interested in English and poetry? Do you recommend that all teachers purchase this book? I would have liked to hear more commentary on what the group read, and whether or not they found it useful overall. The activities we did, however, were so creative and unique that based on that alone, I might purchase the book. Thank you for the experience!

Community Presentation

I really enjoyed the activity that this group had us do in class. I liked that they didn't reveal what we were doing ahead of time. We spent most of the class period trying to create communities using the instructions the group gave us. Each group had a certain amount of money and were allowed to create their communities in different ways. Some groups faced challenges while one group, the "white wealthy" group did not seem to have any challenges. I liked the discussion afterwards, where we talked about challenges that non-dominant groups face in real communities. I would be hesitant to do this activity as we did it in a middle or high school. However, I would use this activity to discuss different characters' communities in a book. Overall, the group did a great job and I appreciated the presentation!

Multigenre Presentation

I was part of the Multigenre group. I really enjoyed working with four of my peers on this project. I think that it was a great experience both planning and presenting to the class. My group worked really well together in the preparation part of our project. We were able to decide and agree on the concepts that we wanted to present in the class. I was glad that Vanessa had several examples of multigenre projects that she brought in. I really think that you need to see a completed project in order to fully understand exactly what a multigenre project is! One of our biggest challenges was time management during class. We had to fill an entire hour and fifty minutes! We planned out each day and estimated the amount of time we would be spending on each portion of our presentation. However, once we were in class, the minutes seemed to drag on while we sped through the content! I think that my group did a really good job of pulling together and coming up with additional exercises for the class. I thought that our extra activities were both relevant and appropriate. Overall, I feel good about how our presentation turned out!

Christensen Chapter 8

I don't think that we had tracking in my high school. If we did, I was pretty unaware of it. I think that one of Christensen's biggest strengths is that she allows and encourages students to work as a group. Students can learn from each other and gain new knowledge just from having a discussion in class. Being able to work with others is also a valuable skill in the real world.

I am glad that Christensen has the students do things like work in a group to act out scenes from books. That is something that we used to do in high school, and it definitely helped me to a better understanding of Shakespeare!

I also think that is is more important for students to look more critically at fewer texts. I do think that it is important for students to practice reading, however, being able to think critically might encourage students to read more on their own. You could always give students a book list at the beginning of the year for extra reading.

Christensen Chapter 5

My favorite activity from this chapter was the interior monologue. I think that students can learn something by trying to picture what it would be like in another person's shoes. I liked that the students had to place themselves in difficult situations, such as a soldier in a war, so that he or she can imagine new feelings from a different perspective.

I also like that Christensen uses poetry to help teach a lesson, whether it is in English or history. Having students both read and write poetry in this way makes students become more emotionally involved in the content, which in effect helps them become better learners.

I also liked the Remember Me Poems. I'm not sure if I would have the students write about each other. I think it would depend on how close the class felt towards each other. I do think this activity could be modified so that the students wrote the poem about someone they cared about, and it would still be effective.

Christensen Chapter 4

I agree that students' home languages should be recognized, however in reality, being able to speak and write standard English is the ticket to a higher education, higher class, and better job. I know that it is unfair for those who come from homes where standard English is not spoken, but it is equally disadvantageous for students not to teach them the rules of the "cash language."

Christensen's classroom is very diverse. In a classroom like this, I think it is important to do activities that incorporate and celebrate ethnic diversity. I especially enjoy the poems and stories that use the students' home language. I do wonder what Christensen would do in a high school like the one I attended, where 90 percent of the students are white. What would these poems look like? Should people in power be ashamed of the world they have created? How can you make a classroom of privileged students learn a lesson about language without making them feel like their ancestors were evil?

Gilmore Chapter 7

I am so glad that we are done with this book. I have read far too many chapters about revision. If we are constantly revising, then when will we have time to write something new? And, will we ever really finish anything?

How can you expect students to revise and give them deadlines? How can you grade them on a piece of writing that they could potentially revise for decades to come? Okay, so I am getting a little carried away. I am just a little sick of revision.

I like that Gilmore gave us a separate chapter for revising creative writing. It is nice to know that there are different methods of revision depending on the genre. Actually, the bulleted list on page 136, under the heading "Tips for Revising Creative Writing" will be useful. These are lessons that I have learned before, forgotten, and now are printed in this book that I will keep on a shelf in my future classroom. Thank you Mr. Gilmore, and good night.

Gilmore Chapter 6

Speaking of technology.... Okay, so Gilmore was writing this chapter for teachers who have never used a computer. Maybe I am being to hard on him. I think that technology should be used as a tool in the writing classroom.

I know that students need to understand how to utilize computers, because technology is continuing to rise and will probably never go away. It seems like today, if you can't use a computer, then you better learn how to do something else. You just can't seem to make it today without one.... Take my blogs for instance. Without them, I will not pass this class!

Obviously, students can write faster, write more, and check their spelling on a computer. And it is great that teachers can now project lessons in front of the classroom using a computer. But, I still think that students need to read more in order to become better writers.

Gilmore Chapter 5

I must be getting old, because I can't remember ever having to write an on-demand essay during class. It seems like even when we had to write an essay as part of an exam, the teachers always gave us the question ahead of time. In fact, I remember being able to write the essay ahead of time, and then bringing it to class on the day of the exam.

I really like the idea of replicating an on-demand testing center in the school. I think that it is important not to "trick" students. By that, I mean, why not just tell students what is expected of them? Aren't teachers allowed to tell students what the SAT readers are going to be looking for in their essays? I love the idea of sharing the test standards with the students, and then having the students actually read and practice grading fifty to sixty of their peers' essays.

I know that it sounds like a lot of reading, but so what? I had a professor tell our class the other day that generations in America are becoming less and less literate. Part of that is due to our increasingly visual society and T.V., and the obsession with getting things faster. I love technology, but I think that students (including myself) need to practice reading more!

Gilmore Chapter 4

I keep reading about the color marking strategy of revision. I have never actually done this before. Although Gilmore explains the ways in which students can go about highlighting their essays, my question remains unanswered: What do the students do after they are done color marking their paper?

Are the students supposed to be looking for patterns? For example, should students count the number of yellow verbs they have in their essay? If the students are highlighting "good writing" in one color, and "bad writing" in another color, then do they just go back and revise the "bad writing." I would like to know more about the process of color marking. Besides decorating an essay, what is it?

Again, I like peer editing for the most part. I still think that the stronger writers are at a disadvantage in the benefits of peer editing, but it is helpful to teach students several techniques and then let them practice on each other's and their own papers.

Gilmore Chapter 3

I appreciate the stylistic tools Gilmore provides in this chapter, especially "Barrel 1: Rhetorical Devices Students Can--and Will--Actually Use. Gilmore provides simple definitions of common rhetorical devices and easy-to-understand examples of each. I would consider dedicating an entire day to teaching these devices to my students. I would have the students come up with their own examples that like Gilmore's, were not too serious, but are easy to remember.

I think part of the reason this chapter was so long is because of all of the examples Gilmore provides. Although it took me nearly a decade to finish reading this chapter, I can see myself frequently referring back to it in the future. Gilmore provides common mistakes as well as stylistic remedies that even the best writers need a refresher course in every now and then. Overall, I can appreciate the tools that come out of a chapter such as this.

Christensen Chapter 7

I think portfolios are a great way for students to physically see how their work has progressed over the course of a year. I agree with Christensen -- if you do portolios too early, they won't be as strong. I think that students need time to play around with their writing, and I was glad that Christensen mentioned this.

I also think it is very important to actually teach students how to evaluate their portfolios. I know when someone asks me to do something, I can usually figure out how to do it. However, if it is something they want done in a specific way, then they need to tell me the specific way! We need to tell our students what we are looking for, and then give them the tools to do it.

Christensen Chapter 6

Ugh! Research projects are starting to give me a headache. I think it is great that Christensen challenged her students to challenge history. I think its wonderful that her students gave what she makes it out to be 120% on their projects. I think having students research topics they might care about is fantastic. But, ugh, what a nightmare!

Christensen talks about the research topics that she didn't have much of a background on, or topics on which her students couldn't find comprehendible information . I'm glad she pointed that out, because if I were in her situation, I'd be freaking out and thinking that my lesson plan needed some serious revision. Also, giving students an entire semester for a project is a really long time. I guess she expects a lot out of them though, so their projects had to turn out amazing.

I like that students get to discover untold stories in high school, and don't have to wait until college, as I did. But it is clear that you really have to be prepared to effectively teach this unit. I could just be exhausted, and that may be the reason this chapter seems exhausting.

Gilmore Chapter 2

The Revision Cone on page 9 is useful. You could even do a lesson where you talk about revision, and then have students create a giant revision cone to hang up in class. This might help remind them what to focus on while they are peer editing or even working on their own papers. 

I like that this chapter addressed the issue of the audience in essay writing. I can relate to Aditi's dilemma. For example, in my communications class, I must write an essay for my teacher, as though she doesn't know any of the concepts. But I have to cover ten concepts in three pages using definitions from the book and lecture, and then relate the concepts to specific situations in my life. Three pages! Are you kidding me? I'm at the end of page two right now! 

I had another teacher who told me to make sure that each of my paragraphs had five sentences. Really? I didn't do it. I told him that I didn't want to just make stuff up, and that I thought I could get my point across in three good sentences. But if I was in high school, I would have done it, and I would have been confused about essays. Let's talk to students about essays, and not just assume that they understand the definition just because "essay" is a common word.

Gilmore Chapter 1

Good and short. Chapter 1 reaffirms what we were talking about in class: teachers shouldn't revise for the students. Teachers should give students the tools to revise their own papers. I like the rules that are listed the inside of the book. I have heard some of those rules before. Especially bullet number four: "Good writers read. They read a lot." I think this point can improve writing for any student. 

I like that Gilmore is using humor in this book. While I am a grammar geek, I am NOT a big fan of revision myself, and I get the feeling that revision is the main subject of this book. The reason I am not such a fan is because of this: 

1. I always put a lot of effort into my first drafts. 

2. In order to get a good grade on your paper, you have to make your final draft "better" than your first draft.

3. If your first draft is absolutely terrible, then its easier to show "how much you've improved."

Besides, I was never taught how to revise. I mean, of course we went through the trading papers in class and peer editing, but I was never focused on the content. I did, however, love to look for grammatical errors. Even if I did look at content, nobody is going to help out with my content. I could do all the work for my classmate by telling them about their content, but what does that do for my paper? Maybe it makes me a better writer too, but if I'm a high school student playing three sports, participating in many other extracurricular activities, AND my parents want me to get all A's.... Okay Gilmore, let's see if you can make revision seem worthwhile.

Jago Chapter 6

Wow, there are only three pages in this chapter! I like Jago's core beliefs:

1. In order to learn to write, one must write.
2. Authentic tasks and topics generate the most cohesive student writing.
3. Students need both supportive and critical feedback.
4. There is no cohesive writing without revision.

One of the things I like most about writing is that it still allows students who are more advanced to take their writing to the next level. I think teachers should challenge students to be the best writer he or she can be. And I don't think it hurts anyone to review the rules of grammar, the process of writing an essay, and revision techniques. The point is to practice writing well.

Jago Chapter 5

Again, I like all of the tools that Jago gives us in this chapter: the Grammar Crime Hot Sheet, Peer Response Sheet, Portfolio Checklist, etc. I think that when students have to fill out these charts, it helps them track their progress on projects as well as helps them to see the different stages they go through in their writing. I also agree with Jago that students should be allowed to revise their final papers for a higher grade. I think that this is an excellent way to show how important revision is. Revision takes work, so if the students will put in the time to improve their papers, then you might as well reward them with an improved grade.

I also like the self-assessments Jago talked about at the end of the chapter. If a student is able to think and write about the improvements that they should make on a paper, then they have truely learned something about writing. Diving in and revising a paper is one thing, but if a student can analyze their paper like a teacher, then they are really improving. I like the self-assessment, and it is something that I would use in my classroom.

Jago Chapter 4

I hate rubrics! Sometimes I forget that grading is going to be a big part of my job as a teacher. Even though they have grading rubrics to follow, I still think that the bullet points in the rubric can be so generic. I mean, what if there is a student who has obviously put a lot of thought and creativity into their essay, but has too many grammar errors? Or what about the papers that have addressed every single point in a rubric, but you can tell that it isn't a heart-felt essay? 

I like the Quotation Reflection Chart. I think that this tool can really help students use their quotations wisely. It can also help get ideas flowing. I like how the chart asks the students to think about how each quote says something about both the book and the world. I think that it helps them practice thinking within two different scopes. It helps students think about the small picture without forgetting about the big picture. I would definitely use a reflection chart like this in my classroom. 

Jago Chapter 3

I was glad that this chapter touched on some of the state laws and teachers' legal responsibilities that we were talking about in class last week. I thought that Claire's story was a wonderful piece of writing, but again, the topic of writing might have been considered controversial. You can tell that the story really meant something to Claire, which is part of the reason she cared so much about her revisions. I think that we want our students to write about things that they care about, but it becomes difficult as a teacher when the "important topics" are the ones that could get somebody into trouble.

I also just finished watching the movie, "Freedom Writers." In the movie, the teacher gives the students journals. She doesn't grade them, but she lets them decide whether or not to let her read the journals. If the students put the journal into her cabinet, then she can read it. She ends up reading all of the journals, which are filled with entries of domestic violence, gang-related scenarios, and death. These topics are risky for a classroom, but you can see that they are topics that are part of these students' every day life. This movie helped me see how writing about these topics can help a student grow.

Christensen Chapter 3

I love Christensen's "Acting for Social Justice" unit. I think that having students write about their own personal experiences with injustices, and then having them act out one of the scenes can really open their eyes to the hurtfulness of discrimination. I love the idea of bringing up these issues in the classroom through writing and acting, but I was also glad that Christensen gave examples to the class of how she would stand up for someone. I think that sometimes students don't know how to defend a classmate. They feel that if they help the classmate, then they will be targeted.

I also really liked that Christensen brought in a panel of college students to talk to the class. I came from a school where the question was, "Are you going to college," and not, "Where are you going to college." The more exposure to college high school students get, the better. I think the college student panel is a fantastic idea, because it can help students see that in college, you learn more than just what's in the textbook. The college students bring their firsthand experiences that make college seem cool and generate excitement among the high school students.

Christensen Chapter 2

Several years ago, I took a class called, "History of Witchcraft." At one point in the semester, we examined fairy tales, Disney movies, and other stories that are part of American culture. We focused on how women were portrayed in society. I love that Christensen discusses these issues in her classroom. I would think that students would readily participate in activities that dissect cartoons, movies, and fairy tales, because it has to do with something they all grew up with-- media! The great thing about the activity is that it helps students look at the media differently. I also love how Christensen always takes her activities a step further by encouraging the students to publish their articles.

The praise poem is also a great idea, but quite honestly, it scares me. For the life of me, I cannot write this poem! I like that Christensen points out that people are not used to bragging about themselves, because it is not really acceptable in society. I can definitely understand that idea. The examples of praise poems from the text were great, but it was hard for me to relate to most of them. I like that I get to see other view points, and I would much rather hear others' poems than write one of my own.

Jago Chapter 2

My favorite part of this chapter is the quote at the beginning. I agree that writing is a place where you can learn a lot about yourself. I just think that students immediately cringe when they hear the word "essay." Even I relearned in this chapter, the various types of essays that exist. I would say that when many students hear the word "essay," they assume that the assignment is going to be a five page paper on some boring topic. Offering students choices in essay topics can really help ease some of that essay stress.

I also think students learn more when they can relate to the concept. Allowing students to choose essay topics that matter to them could be that kick start that they need, and it shows that writing can be fun. I thought it was great that Jago had a student send in his letter to the Lakers. That is a real-life example of how persuasive writing can be used!

Jago Chapter 1

It was funny reading the different interpretations of essay prompts. I am one of those students who might read a prompt and then begin writing with the idea that completing the assignment means answering ALL four of the questions within the prompt, and answering them in the order they were asked. There have been times that I have tried to write such a paper, but end up with too many different ideas. I sort of forced the ideas together in a paper that made sense, but wasn't as connected as I would have liked. Yet, I always felt like I would get points marked off of my paper if I didn't address every single question asked in the prompt. Reflecting on my own writing experiences as a student opens my eyes to the importance of teachers giving clear, concise, and meaningful prompts.

I also think that it is important for students to understand how the activities they do in class can help them outside of class. Jago has the students do the Question Paper assignment. I love this assignment, because it is a fantastic way to get ideas flowing while navigating through your own thought process. When it comes to learning, students of all ages are always asking, "When are we ever going to use this?" An activity like the Question Paper is something that use, especially if the teacher takes the time to explain it as a writing tool. The whole thing makes me think about sports. During practice, you are always doing ten minute drills over and over, and you don't really understand the purpose of the drills until you play in the actual game. Then it just sort of clicks -- all of the little drills from practice make you a better player overall. I think writing is like that too. 

Christensen, Chapter 1

Christensen’s first chapter painted a great picture of a diverse, yet challenging group of students. One of the things I liked most about Christensen’s lessons was the way she had the students connect to and write about their own personal experiences. I once had a teacher who told us that he didn’t care what we wrote about, as long as we wrote about something that matters. I think that writing about personal experiences and then reflecting on them can really help a writer figure out what matters and why it matters.

I also like the idea of using social issues as a tool to get students to participate and explore their writing. However, I wonder if it is typical for schools to allow topics such as violence and gangs to be brought up in the classroom on a regular basis. I came from a small, conservative town where violence and gangs were not big issues for me and my classmates. At the same time, even if things like violence and gangs were issues in our lives, I’m not sure that my teachers would have allowed us to put them on the table for discussion.