Hey All!!
Today, my honors section were visualizing and creating drawings of Leonardo Da Vinci. They had to think about what they thought he looked like, based on what we've read in our novel and other background info we've studied about them.
I took it upon myself to tell the kids that if they really liked their drawing, I would take a picture of it on my iPad and post it on our class blog! It worked pretty well. I got six students who were willing to share, and they were super excited about their drawings going public.
Try it out sometime with something in your classroom!!
Friday, October 21, 2011
Run-on Sentences
So I am preparing a mini-lesson on run-on sentences and was wondering if anyone did one last semester. I have a few ideas that I'm bouncing around but haven't gotten any solid focus yet for how to engage the students effectively. I'm primarily teaching it to the College Prep students and each period has a number of rowdy kids that lose focus easily and need to be consistently redirected. Any ideas?
Monday, October 17, 2011
Gender Issues
I never realized how big of an issue gender can be when it comes to classroom teachers. When I was in middle and high school, it was just a minor detail whether my teacher was a man or a woman, but I am starting to realize that isn't always the case. I've heard my co-op say on several occasions that she thought that some of the issues we've been having are due to the fact that she is a woman, but I wasn't sure. There were always other variables.
But today I really saw how big of a difference gender can make.
My homeroom had a UA class first period. After they came back one of the students kept repeating something about the teacher from that class. My co-op took him into the hallway and he apparently broke down crying because of something that happened in that class. Strangely enough, my co-op has done similar things in our class, but the student has not reacted this way at all, actually he has acted quite the opposite.
When I spoke with my co-op about it later she pulled the gender card again. It was then that it hit me how big of a difference it can play. From what I've seen so far, students behave and respond better to a male teacher, but they become more attached and feel safer in the female teacher's class. This particular student has asked on several occasions to stay behind with us instead of going to other class periods.
I will be interested to see if my theory on this matter remains the same throughout the rest of the year. Any thoughts/experiences?
But today I really saw how big of a difference gender can make.
My homeroom had a UA class first period. After they came back one of the students kept repeating something about the teacher from that class. My co-op took him into the hallway and he apparently broke down crying because of something that happened in that class. Strangely enough, my co-op has done similar things in our class, but the student has not reacted this way at all, actually he has acted quite the opposite.
When I spoke with my co-op about it later she pulled the gender card again. It was then that it hit me how big of a difference it can play. From what I've seen so far, students behave and respond better to a male teacher, but they become more attached and feel safer in the female teacher's class. This particular student has asked on several occasions to stay behind with us instead of going to other class periods.
I will be interested to see if my theory on this matter remains the same throughout the rest of the year. Any thoughts/experiences?
The Hunger Games Unit Plan
Hey guys!
As Spencer and I create our unit plan for The Hunger Games, I was just wondering how many of you have actually read The Hunger Games? I think it would be super cool to include sort of a real life Hunger Games in the classroom. Of course, I'm not going to have my students kill each other off, like they do in The Hunger Games haha, but I do want to have some sort of on going game throughout the unit. There are 12 districts in the book, and 2 people from each district get selected for the Hunger Games. I have 24 students in each of my classes, so I thought it would be really cool for 2 students to represent a district. For those of you that have read the book: any ideas on how to create this? I really want to have a focus on the government's role in the book and social justice...thoughts?
Liz
As Spencer and I create our unit plan for The Hunger Games, I was just wondering how many of you have actually read The Hunger Games? I think it would be super cool to include sort of a real life Hunger Games in the classroom. Of course, I'm not going to have my students kill each other off, like they do in The Hunger Games haha, but I do want to have some sort of on going game throughout the unit. There are 12 districts in the book, and 2 people from each district get selected for the Hunger Games. I have 24 students in each of my classes, so I thought it would be really cool for 2 students to represent a district. For those of you that have read the book: any ideas on how to create this? I really want to have a focus on the government's role in the book and social justice...thoughts?
Liz
English Companion Ning
Soooo, if you haven't started a conversation on the English Companion Ning, i highly suggest you do.
The teachers on there are ridiculously helpful and more than willing to give suggestions for help with our Unit plans...i even had two different teachers upload their worksheets/documents/ideas that they use for me to steal and integrate.
It's the easiest way i've found to find other teachers' good ideas and steal them for your own use...which we all know is the only way of legal stealing :)
The teachers on there are ridiculously helpful and more than willing to give suggestions for help with our Unit plans...i even had two different teachers upload their worksheets/documents/ideas that they use for me to steal and integrate.
It's the easiest way i've found to find other teachers' good ideas and steal them for your own use...which we all know is the only way of legal stealing :)
ECNing book club: Wilhelm's new book
So I guess Jeff Wilhelm came out with a new book called "Teaching Literacy for Love and Wisdom: Being the Book and Being the Change" and it will be the focus of the English Companion Ning's book club this week/month. Looks like it's some great discussion if anyone hasn't seen it yet! At the bottom of this link is where you can find the discussions: http://englishcompanion.ning.com/group/book-club-teaching-literacy
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Slam Poetry
I hope you're planning to participate in MU's second bi-annual Poetry Aloud! We will be teaming up with F&M's Writers House to bring an amazing evening. They will dedicate their Poetry Walk and introduce NYC Slam Poet Tyrek Greene.
Check out his performance on YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWAek60HdLE
Check out his performance on YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWAek60HdLE
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