An archived stack of papers: May 2007

Silent Editing

In a stack of papers called Instruction.

  • May
  • 24
  • 2007

Using similar pedagogy to the silent conversations, here’s how we handled peer editing yesterday:

1st Pass: Read to see if the paper makes sense. Leave a comment for the author: is it clear? understandable? did you like/enjoy it?

2nd Pass: Agree or disagree with the author and state why.

3rd Pass (specific to ... read more

Silent Results

In a stack of papers called Instruction.

  • May
  • 23
  • 2007

As I mentioned in the last post, silent conversations are happening in my classes. I collected those conversations and here’s a random sampling of what was written down (“–” indicates a new writer on the page) skip to the rest of the entry:

Good quote. Say how Abigail is like when she is... read more

Silent Conversation

In a stack of papers called Instruction.

  • May
  • 21
  • 2007

Students help each other craft better writing than a teacher ever will; the suggestions of a peer are more meaningful. But reaching the place where that kind of editing discussion occurs is difficult. Like a lot of adults I know, students surround themselves with others who think like they do. And talking about the current essay is nowhere near as thrilling as the latest CD, prom pictures, or a juicy... read more

Teaching On The Edge

In a stack of papers called Instruction.

  • May
  • 17
  • 2007

Some of my colleagues spin webs of questions that catch students up in conversation. Teachers who push their students into further consideration of issues without the students even knowing it are gods to me. Siddhartha is the perfect book for that and I wish I was better. I know teachers on my campus who get the students looking at things much more profoundly than I... read more

I Scratch My Head

In a stack of papers called Legislation.

  • May
  • 14
  • 2007

A few schools in my district failing to meet their goals impacts all schools next school year. In order to ever move out of Program Improvement (PI) status, the term given to districts like mine, all 11 schools in my district must meet their goals for 2 consecutive years. Roughly, that’s 26,400 students, 1,100 teachers, 35... read more

Advertising English

In a stack of papers called Connections.

  • May
  • 11
  • 2007

The latest Comcast commercials came up in a discussion we had few months ago. My students predicted that the next one would deal with dough, shortly before the “Hang on to your dough” commercial came out. Some kids dig these commercials and they appeal to me, too. There’s something there to use in an English classroom, but... read more

The Shrinking Educational Middle Class

In a stack of papers called Instruction.

  • May
  • 07
  • 2007

After a conversation with a colleague today, I breathed a sigh of relief as I realized that I’m not the only one. I wonder if you’re like me too, reader.

Several tangents later, our conversation veered onto the subject of grades. This colleague visits different... read more