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.