Allison\’s Blog

In this chapter, Daniels, Zemelman and Steineke introduce many different writing to learn strategies. Reading through all the strategies, I started to get a feel for which ones I might use in my classroom. I found the brainstorming section really interesting in that I think it is important for students to clear their heads and let their minds run free for a while. If students are focused on perfection with every single piece of writing they compose, then they will be exhausted and become disinterested in writing. I like brainstorming in that it takes away the pressure of writing to simply please a teacher or to earn a grade. It also reflects student experience.  Brainstorming often transforms into more successful written pieces which is also a plus!
In addition to brainstorming activities, I also like concept mapping because it can easily detect if a student really understands a concept or not. Having students start with writing a central idea on paper and then having related concepts branching out can be a good indicator of how well students’ understand the class material. D, Z & S also state how important it is for the teacher to walk around the room to observe each individual student understanding. This is something that I plan on doing frequently. It is a quick indicator of which students are still struggling and which really understand the material.
The image and visuals strategies were also very beneficial. In our methods class, we talk about how important it is to incorporate visuals into our classroom. It is amazing how much response can be generated from a simple image. Also, images can provide the basis for an analysis or class discussion. As a teacher, I would be very intrigued to hear numerous interpretations of one particular image. I am really interested in what the students have to say. The imaging section in the 50 strategies book was cool to read. If students are able to develop a mental picture in their head using the literature that they read, it will be a much more enjoyable and rewarding experience for them. I hope I get to try one of these activities out in my field experience this semester.

In chapters one and two, Daniels, Zemelman & Steineke stress the importance of writing to learn (WTL) in the content areas. I think it is important that students engage in a series of non-formal writing activities such as journal entries, class blogs, etc. to help prepare them for learning. The chapter explains how it is essential that these activities are not graded because they are a rough draft of student work that will ultimately grow into a larger, more formal piece of literature.
Learning about the WTL reminded me of one of my own experiences with informal writing. My senior year of high school, I had a teacher who made us write in a journal at the beginning of every class meeting. The journal question related to what we were going to talk about that day. I thought it was a great way for the students to start thinking about the subject and relate it to their own personal experiences, allowing the lesson to become more meaningful. We also had the option of sharing our journal entries as well. I also liked how the journals were not graded. We got either a complete or incomplete at the end of the quarter. Rather than worrying about what I wrote, I was able to let my thoughts run free for a minute. I found journal writing to be very effective and I will definitely incorporate journaling into my own classroom!
D, S & Z also discuss how teachers overload students with too much content. They suggest that teachers should explain few subjects in greater detail. I think this is a great idea because as I look back on what I learned in high school, I can recall names and events, but I can not explain most of the meanings behind them. I think that if teachers explore a few important topics in depth, students will have a much greater chance of remembering them in the future. It will also allow them to care more about the issues because they are given much more background information. Chapter two specifically addresses the strategy of note taking and how it teaches students to memorize and regurgitate the information, but not retain it. Class and peer discussions are a great ways to reinforce topics, offering students many different perspectives. By students thinking about the topics and sharing their thoughts with classmates, it will force them to remember and use the information learned in their own lives.
The scaffolding chapter in Herrell and Jordan’s text offers helpful strategies and examples to help reinforce language related concepts. Even though I am not going to teach elementary students, I found the example with the students learning about same and different by using drawings of their favorite foods really creative. I think food is a great way to get students interested in the material because it is something to which everyone can relate. The teacher also stated clear, step-by-step directions which made it very effective.
Furthermore, I liked the example in the cohesion links section where the teacher had the students take a mundane paragraph that contained no pronouns and recreate it. It was really cool to read what the students came up with by replacing the “small, round man” with pronouns and also adding a number of descriptive words to spruce up the story. I would definitely give my middle or high school English students this type of exercise.
I feel like my brain is overloaded with useful information from all the readings this week and I can’t wait to put it all into practice next year when I student teach!

Chapter 10 of Daniels, Zemelman and Steineke’s Content-Area Writing: Every Teacher’s Guide discusses strategies to help effectively assess students. One subject that the chapter addresses is standardized tests. I feel that standardized tests are confining and force teachers to teach to a strict curriculum. Over my school career, I have heard many teachers say “I do not have enough time to incorporate my own information because of the state requirements.” Although, I think there is no easy solution to this problem, I do think that there is a way take the information that is required and make it both engaging and informative. I have had teachers who made the most boring topics interesting. I think that if a teacher is passionate about their content area, it will increase student effort and participation. Reflecting on my own personal experience, my high school Chemistry teacher was extremely passionate about her content area. She even had a t-shirt and coffee mug displaying the periodic table of elements that she wore frequently. Witnessing her love for the subject really forced me to want to work hard in her class. On the other hand, I have had some teachers take a subject that I found really exciting and make it seem like the driest topic ever. As a teacher, I hope that I can find ways to make the course content interesting, allowing my students to succeed not only on the state exams, but outside the classroom as well.
The chapter also talks about the effectiveness of essay tests. I am a huge fan of essay tests because I feel that they showcase true student ability much better than a simple 100 point multiple choice test. Since English is based on personal experience, it seems ridiculous not to include students’ individual thoughts into the assessment. I never had essay tests until my senior year of high school and it was the most rewarding experience ever. Instead of focusing on simple plot questions and certain themes that the teacher had designated as important, I was able to create my own analysis of the text and write freely, without being confined to any restrictions. My English grades were also the highest they had ever been that year.
This chapter really expanded my views on assessment and got me thinking about a lot of my own experiences that I have had in the past. Looking back, there are some testing techniques that I found very beneficial to my learning and others not so much. My past experiences will continue to be important as I enter the teaching profession and have to decide what types of assessment to incorporate into my own classroom.

My Wiki: http://amw03269.pbwiki.com/

I am glad we started the semester by finishing the Daniels and Zemelman text. I have read so many dry textbooks in the past and this one is both engaging and informative. Chapter 11 discussed tips for teachers to use in order to help struggling readers. One factor described in the book that forces students to shy away from reading is the lack of background knowledge regarding the subject area. If a student knows absolutely nothing about the topic of the text that they are reading, they will not get anything out of it. The text’s level of difficultly also comes into play when choosing appropriate books for struggling readers. If students are reading a text that is too difficult for them, then it will be impossible for them to comprehend any of it.
Also, Daniels and Zemelman touch on the idea of how “one size fits all doesn’t really fit” (237). This quotation really stood out to me because in a classroom setting, what works for one student, may not work for another. I will remember this phrase as I begin my teaching career. It reminds me just how important it is to treat each student differently because they are different human beings.
Moreover, I really liked the dictoglos activity because it allowed me to stay focused and on task. I think this would be a great exercise for students because when you listen and then write what you hear, you are thinking about the text in more ways than one. It also requires group work. I feel that it is important for students to be able to converse with others during class activities, allowing them to gain various perspectives on a certain issue. When our class did the exercise and read their recreations aloud, I was really impressed with how close to the actual reading some of the groups came. One of the paragraphs was even written in the same format as the Malcom X selection. It sounded just like the actual reading.
The Charlton text discussed informal assessment strategies, offering a lot of information that I found beneficial as a future teacher. With my content area being English, I know how difficult assessment can be. English is such a hard subject to assess because it is based on students’ experiences. It also brought up the issue of how educators should test what students need to learn rather than what students already know. If a teacher’s main goal is for students to acquire new information and learn to think critically, it forces the children to work beyond their expectations and reach their full potential. I found the 90% rule very helpful as a future English teacher. If students read a passage and do not recognize more than 10% of the words, they should find an easier text. I will definitely use this technique in my classroom.
Overall, the readings offered many important classroom strategies that I can use in my future classroom. I am really starting to think about which techniques I will actually use in my classroom rather than just reading to complete the week’s assignment.

I found the Webquest Analysis activity very beneficial for me as a future teacher. It was interesting to explore websites in other content areas that I would not normally visit. I even found some social studies websites that offered a lot of historical background that would be great to use as an introduction to a novel set in a specific time period in history. For example, if I were teaching The Diary of Anne Frank, the Holocaust by bullets website would be a great tool for students to explore, allowing them to experience the tragedy for themselves.

Also, I really liked the Newseum’s Today’s Front Pages website that offered newspapers from countries all over the world. It is interesting to see what is happening around the world and how other countries news coverage differs from Rochester’s media. It is a great way for students to get exposed to different cultures. It is amazing how internet technology enables people to find out what is happening on the other side of the world. I would really like my students to use this website! When I visited the site, I read papers from Australia, Germany and Los Angeles. It was really cool to see how the newspapers compared from our local newspaper. For example, Germany’s Weser-Kurier had a lot of articles about terrorism and in the Los Angeles’s Daily News; I noticed many of the publications were dedicated to weather and climate.

I think it would be effective for students to do a current events assignment using the Newseum website. I would have them choose a newspaper from another country and explain the article’s significance and their reactions to it. It is a great way for students to learn about what is going on not only around them, but across the globe as well. I have bookmarked some of these websites so that I can use them in my classroom someday. Really fun assignment, thanks!

Article
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/06/business/media/06fallout.html
“Despite Strike, Prime-Time TV Marches On”
Many people have been talking about the strike by the Writer’s Guild of America. With the strike in effect, many shows that are taped in front of a live studio audience on the major networks (CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX) could be airing repeats until it is resolved. The article states that the shows affected are mostly half hour comedies that require rewriting scripts after actors initially rehearse them. Some of the shows include “The Big Bang Theory,” “Two and a Half Men” and “The Rules of Engagement.” I was upset when I saw “Two and a Half Men” because it is one of my favorite sitcoms. The good thing is that it seems networks have enough episodes already finished to last until the holidays. In December, the shows are mostly repeats anyways so it seems the strike will not cause a huge problem unless it continues into next year.
The American public’s reaction to this protest shows how we take so much for granted. As much as we love television and comedy, we really have nothing to complain about. This strike is minimal compared to the news regarding the War in
Iraq. Nonetheless, these shows do lift our spirits and are great for entertainment value.

Chapter four and five of Anstey and Bull’s book stresses the importance of visual literacy in the classroom. As society becomes more modernized, our education system must continue to change as well. Anstey and Bull suggest that picture books are a great way to combine visual and textual literacy. Pictures can generate a lot of discussion and act as a great tool for starting a journal entry or free-write in which the student must describe and analyze what they notice in the picture.
Chapter five also addresses the importance of the reader in relation to the text in that the text is meaningless without the reader. The reader must relate their own personal experiences and prior knowledge to the text in order for it to make sense and to evoke a response.
The book also explains the cultural barriers that affect one’s use of visual literacy. Language, income and resources available all play a role in a community’s use of visual literacy. For example, a child in a low income area may not be able to afford a computer, making it much more difficult for them to access the web than it would for some of their peers. As teachers, we must be aware of these differences in our classroom and make arrangements for our students so they are able to receive the same resources as their classmates.
Furthermore, the reading has taught me that everyone can use visual literacy. Young kids watch television, movies and even go online before entering kindergarten. Therefore, it is never too early for a teacher to implement visual material into their classroom.
As a future teacher, I will not be afraid to use visuals in my classrooms. Visual media is taking over society and will probably be a big part of my students’ jobs someday. It is important that they develop these skills now in order for them to become successful in the future.

July ’64 was both an informative and engaging documentary about the treatment of blacks in Rochester in the 1960’s. It was really interesting to see Rochester back in the day, having lived in Webster my whole life. I had no idea how luxurious it used to be. However, the way the blacks were treated really saddened me.
I learned that African Americans had poor living conditions in which they resided in crowded quarters with many members of their family. Also, they were said to be in constant contact with the police. I guess not much has changed, considering the current crime rate in
Rochester. It seems like every time I turn on the news, there is a new murder case emerging. It is really awful and I wish something could be done. I think that people just do not know where to begin. People are saying why don’t do something, instead of asking what can I do to help. This ignorance of society is a major problem and the main reason why our crime rate is not decreasing.
Carvin also touched on how some people perceive education as being only for whites. Therefore, it becomes our job as future educators to get this idea out of students’ heads so they can reach their full potential and succeed in the real world.
I thought Carvin did a really nice job, especially in including the audience in the question & answer session after the video. He answered the questions very thoroughly and informatively. Mr. Walker was helpful in facilitating and answering questions as well. Overall, good presentation!

The students from School Without Walls art was really remarkable. I found it interesting how the boys viewed Utopian Society as a world full of sports and food while the girl’s paradise consisted of shopping at malls. I really liked the mural that depicted the half good, half bad world. I thought a lot could be said about it and it could be interpreted in a lot of different ways. I wish the presentation would have been focused more on the students because they did a lot of work on the murals and should be rewarded for their efforts. However, Dr. White’s speech on pirates was entertaining, but then again he always is.

“Family Mourns 7 House Fire Victims” by Sam Scott and Anahad O’Connor
October 30th, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/us/30cnd-fire.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

This article about the seven USC college students that died in a house fire really hit me hard. In addition to the facts of the incident, the article talks about the college students’ lives and future aspirations. As a teacher, all I can hope for is that my students are able to follow their dreams and strive for success as they enter the real world. I can not even imagine what the parents of these students are going through. They have watched their children grow from birth and witnessed all of their hard work and dedication. One girl was studying to be a doctor and another wanted to be a lawyer. These kids had such big futures ahead of them and everything was taken away in an instant.

Frankenstein Lecture
 I really enjoyed the Frankenstein presentations. I have never read the book before and I was under the impression that Frankenstein was the actual monster, but now I understand that he was the creator. It was nice to hear students my own age presenting on the subject. I really liked the one boy’s speech about technology. The use of humor made his presentation more enjoyable and easy to follow. I thought all the students did a good job and I give them a lot of credit for presenting in front of their teachers and fellow peers. Also, I liked how each student presented on a different subject instead of having everyone doing the same exact topic. The versatility of the presentations made them more exciting and allowed me to stay focused. However, I preferred the Power Point presentations because they were more visually stimulating. On the other hand, the written speeches were very thorough and well written so props to both groups!
  In addition, I liked how Dr. Bloom talked about Frankenstein in relation to the Columbine shootings in which social isolation is a trigger for violence. I thought this would have been a good topic for a student presentation. Also, I would have liked to see some video clips from the films which may have better illustrated what the students were discussing.
 Furthermore, the fact that I had not read the book had an affect on the way I interpreted the speeches. Although I did read the spark notes before class, I was still a little confused during the lecture. I noticed that I was zoning out a lot and became very fidgety. If I had read the book, I probably would have had a more positive experience with the presentations. Nonetheless, the Frankenstein lecture was very informative and I am glad our class had the opportunity to attend the event!

    I really enjoy reading this book. It is an easy read and offers great suggestions for future teachers. Chapter eight of Daniels and Zemelman’s book addresses the importance of student choice in the classroom. It is essential that teachers allow students to choose books that they are interested in or care deeply about which will increase their passion for reading. If teachers do not let student choose certain books to read, students may begin to despise reading altogether. For example, if teachers force students to read strictly from textbooks then it would be very unlikely that the child would choose to read in their free time because they have had only negative experiences associated with reading. In this case, students will use the extra time for watching television or engaging in other less demanding activities. As teachers, we must demonstrate to students that reading can be just as enjoyable as watching tv.
    In addition, it is important that teachers implement independent reading for students. Daniels and Zemelman explain how reading is not always going to be structured or assessed by a teacher. Once students graduate, they are going to be reading on their own without discussing the literature with their fellow peers. Therefore, it is essential for students to develop skills that allow them to read independently and respond to and analyze a given text.
    Chapter nine discusses student book clubs in which students facilitate a discussion in small groups. Through book clubs, students will be able to gain new perspectives and develop socialization skills. I would recommend having the students do a literature circle in the group in which each member has a defined role, allowing everyone to participate. Also, I think it is a good idea for students to help the teacher devise criteria for assessment because it makes them feel as if they are important. By having students participate in the process of creating the grading rubric, students will be more likely to remember the rules and abide by them.

Mom Helps Cheerleaders Grab Boys’ Beer
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published October 24, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-ODD-Beer-Stunt.html

     I read this article and was appalled this mother’s, from Omaha, Nebraska, consent to allow her fifteen year old daughter to take beer from boys while driving in a car. What price is a parent willing to pay in order to be considered popular with their child and their child’s friends? I find it sad that some parents’ goal is to be the child’s friend rather than a figure of authority.
   This article made me think of teaching in a classroom and how important it is for me not to cross the line between teacher and student with adolescents. I was talking about this subject with my SBE. She was saying that she loves teaching seniors, but that she has to be careful not to let the class get too loose because it would cause her to loose the respect of her students. As teachers, we must develop a trusting relationship with our students in which they can look to us for support and guidance. To some children, we may be the most influential adult in their lives. And as much as we want every single student to like us and confide in us, we have to maintain a teacher status.

      The midterm self assessment helped me to think about what I have learned throughout the first half of the semester. It allowed me to collect my thoughts in an organized manner. I reflected on how my views of literacy have been strengthened, based on the course readings and class activities. I realize that I am literate in many different discourses. For example, I am a cheerleader and an English major so I am literate in those fields. As I grow, I will continue to become more literate in many areas of my life.
In the reflection, I talk about how much more familiar and comfortable I have become with technology this semester. I did not even know what a podcast was prior to this class and I was against starting a blog altogether. However, this class has changed my opinion on blogs completely. I am even starting one in another class, by choice. It is exciting to have other people read my work, especially since I want to be a writer someday. I like how blogs do not have to be written formally, which allows me to speak in my own voice and not worry about the mechanics.
As far as individual activities are concerned, I talk about how I like the jigsaw and literature circle activities. These class exercises allow me to converse with my classmates about the course material, offering different perspectives on a certain issue. I have done literature circles in other classes and I have only had positive experiences. With having a defined role, literature circles get every member of the group involved and talking, without any one member dominating the conversation.
In summary, this assessment has shown me how much I have learned in such a short period of time. It has caused me to feel more confident as I enter the classroom. I plan on implementing technological activities in addition to textbooks. Also, I will use the literature circle and jigsaw activities for students to discuss the reading with each other. I look forward to the second half of the semester and learning more strategies that I can use in my future classroom!

I must say that I really enjoyed reading Tangerine by Edward Bloor. I have read so many boring books in college, this one was refreshing! I found it keeping my interest the entire time I was reading it. I also come from a big soccer family so I was able to understand the terminology.
At the end of the novel, I felt bad for Paul, whose punishment was expulsion from school which left him unable to finish the year at Tangerine Middle School. I thought it was an unfair punishment when he did not start the fight, but only joined in the madness. But since he jumped on the teacher’s back, there was not much he could argue in the case. Rules are rules!
I thought the book had a really good message about stereotyping that would be beneficial for teachers, students and parents. It is interesting to see the white, suburban kids (Arthur and Erik) turn out to be the thieves and murders of the story, rather than the children at
Tangerine Middle School. By introducing two different schools in the novel, Tangerine
Middle School and the Lake Windsor Downs, Bloor is trying to show that there are troubled kids everywhere. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a teacher or who is interested in a career in education. I also think adolescents would enjoy the book as well because it involves sports, but also offers a really important lesson about stereotyping in schools.

http://news.aol.com/story/ar/_a/middle-school-offers-birth-control/20071017225109990001
“Middle School Offers Birth Control”

This article discusses how students at King Middle School in Portland, Maine will be able to get birth control through their school’s student health care center. This means that children as young as eleven will be able to receive birth control at their school. The article explains how students need their parent’s permission to go to the center, but not for the birth control specifically. This got me thinking about where educators should draw the line between what is a teacher’s responsibility and what is the responsibility of the parent. I personally feel that eleven years old is way too young for students to be getting contraceptives and especially, without their parents knowledge. I do not think it is the educator’s responsibility whatsoever. If one of my sixth grade students asked me about where to purchase contraceptives, I would feel very uncomfortable since they are not my child. It will be interesting to see how this controversial story resolves itself!

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1661705,00.html
By James Poniewozik

I found this article about the new CBS reality show Kid Nation interesting because of the program’s unique concept.  The premise of the show is a large group of children between the ages of 8-15 living together without any authority figure present. Although the program appears to be entertaining to some viewers, it makes me question its ethicality. These children are left to fend for themselves which could quite possibly lead to violent outbursts and attacks. This article got me to think of a classroom without a teacher and how there would be no one to guide the students. I think that children need teachers in life to help them grow and develop into successful individuals. But the teacher must act as a guide, not an enforcer. In other words, a teacher must assist students in learning, but the outcome must be the work of the student and not the teacher.

Rigor + Support = Success”
By Jeff Sapp
Sapp’s article really got me thinking about the high poverty rates in our country as well as around the world. The article stated that “According to the Children’s Defense Fund, 17.6 percent of this nation’s children live in poverty” (Sapp). These numbers motivated me to want to do something about this epidemic. I think so often people hear these statistics and respond with both shock and sympathy, but they do not act on trying to solve the problem. I myself am guilty of it. Sometimes I turn on the television and see the commercials of the poor, sick children and I immediately turn the channel because it upsets me. The ignorance of people is what keeps our nation’s poverty rates constant and prevents them from declining.
As teachers, we must welcome students of all socio-economic classes and races into our classrooms. We should not treat the students of low-income families as a charity case, but rather respect them. Teachers must create a fearless environment for all students because school is often the only place some of these children are able to call home.

The Flat Earth and Education: How America’s Commitment to Equity Will Determine Our Future”
by Linda Darling-Hammond

The Guide-a-rama contributed to my positive feelings about the article. By focusing on important sections, I was able to comprehend the text without becoming bored or zoning out. As far as the content of Darling-Hammond’s article is concerned, I was saddened by the fact that “less than 30% of an age, cohort in the United States gains a college degree” (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005). What is happening to the other 70%?
The article also discussed how prison is often a substitution for education. I think it is extremely important for the students living in low-income areas to have some sort of positive outlet to take out their aggression in healthier ways. For example, administrators could create an intramural sports program where students spend their time after school. I think that it is important for these children to have a place where they can feel safe and loved.
The type of testing used in schools also interests me. The article talked about how more urban schools use objective type multiple choice tests to assess their students. I think that teachers should implement more written tests rather than multiple choice questions to help students start thinking critically. There is too much emphasis placed on standardized tests and they often prevent students from developing their own opinions, which will help them to succeed in the real world. Every student should be entitled to their own voice in society.

“I Stand Here Ironing”
By Tillie Olsen

Olsen’s story expresses how hard it is for a poor mother of five to dedicate all of her attention to each individual child. This story reminds me of how parents in suburban areas often think of the parents of children who live in cities as not caring about their children. I think that often money and time make it harder for these parents to always be there for their children. Like the mother in the story, she had four other children so she was unable to dedicate all her time to Emily. And often parents have to work long hours in order to support their family, even if it means missing a parent-teacher night at school. Therefore, I think that all parents do care, just in different ways.