Grammar Time!

Grammar time...take it down now.  You hear the song, too?!

I confess:  I love teaching grammar.  Very.  Much.

But.  Most students do not enjoy nor share the passion I have for teaching grammar, and, to be honest, my thoughts on the teaching of said subject has changed much over the past decade, for I have taught straight out of the textbook (these years taught me grammar, also), traveling so far that I no longer use the textbook (although one is needed at times), now creating most of what I do utilize.

To be continued...

To Speak...or to Listen

Just bless them!  My students can talk...and talk...and talk some more when I would they prefer not; but ask them to present, and every nerve in their bodies become agitated!

In my now 30 years of teaching and encouraging students to present, only twice have I had a student have to take a Take 2.  Oh, many have wanted to bow out, but my expectations will always excel their willingness to negate.  Those who needed those few minutes to remember to breathe?  Yes, they survived, and I imagine have told this story themselves numerous times!

Why require speaking and listening skills of students?  Not only are they a part of the Arkansas State Standards, every secondary student must enroll in oral communications class, as required by state graduation guidelines.  Why?  The answer:   A student's success rests on the foundation of communication.  One's successes and one's failures, all stem from that person's ability to relate, whether verbally or non, to those in his/her culture.

Unfortunately, for students?  Teachers love to talk.  So true.  As I reflect on just the previous three weeks, I know that shift needs to begin...and soon...from so much teacher talk to more student conversation and responses.  Yet...here we are in a pandemic, where social distancing necessitates our every move, yet where becoming even better communicators remains vital.

Where once my desks were arranged to create tables of five, now those desks are lined up in rows as far apart as the room's breadth and width will allow.  Where once these gatherings of minds planned, created, and presented group projects, now they sit apart...but...thanks to technology...Rona will be conquered.

So tell me...for this project, once completed as a group face-to-face, how might this same (or modified) project be achieved?

Not My Job...or Is It?

This week, the teacher interns and I have focused on reading, mainly how to engage students, draw them into conversations, and stimulate their thinking.  All the fun aspects of teaching literacy!  Right?  Except for that student who does not read on grade level.  As a teacher of English 11, I have to ask, "How does a student arrive in Cafe Gillmore and not read on grade level (or at least secondary level)?  AND...how do I teach reading?!"  

In Arkansas, all third graders are to be reading on grade level 2020,  with the hopes of increasing graduation rates, for not to read on grade level by third grade more likely means these students will not finish high school.  Quite the challenge.  Especially when one considers...

To be continued...

Write Right...or Wrong?

Originally posted at Secondary English Methods.
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From my student intern (and she is not the first) who questioned why seniors cannot...or do not...write better than they do.  To this observation, I have several responses.

The Argument

1. We teach the "regular" students, meaning that, because of advanced classes, more of the "better writers" may not be in our classes.
2. English teachers are not writers, meaning that we do not practice what we preach; therefore, teachers themselves do not grow as writers and prefer to not model this in front of their students.
3. Teachers continue to teach as they always have, resulting in their students learning (or not) what they have always taught.
4. Teachers do not assign enough writing, and, as the saying goes, "practice does make perfect"...or, at least, more perfect...or not perfect, in this case, as students then do not write much, if any.

Now...take a few seconds, and re-read 1-4.  With whom do lack of writing skills lie?

Your answer?

The answer:  teachers.

Agree?  Disagree?

Pause for a moment and consider...would you write much more for this class than what I have assigned?  Are you writing much now?  Have you grown as a writer because of your college classes?

Now, for the other side of the argument = 

Yes, The Counter-Argument

1. Too many students are happy with a 59.45%.  They truly do not care to learn enough to master any skill being taught.
2. Some students just truly do not like to write.  Yes.  Those beings are really out there.  (Here's where you reply, "Sure glad I am not such a student!")

The Rebuttal

1. Do students truly dislike writing...or have they just not been taught The How?
2. Do these students dislike writing...or have they just not written enough?  Please see #2-4 in The Argument Section.
3. Are we beginning to go in circles?  Not accomplishing much, are we?
4. Accomplishment then becomes the answer.  See below!

The Gillmore Answer

1. Teach the kids to write.  Sentences.  Chunks.  Paragraphs.  Essays.  Just have them write!
2. Find a method that speaks to you, that drives your writing, that helps your students master The Unknown...aka The Land of Writing.
3. This happened for me when I attended my first Step UP to Writing workshop.
4. This continued when I learned about Jane Schaffer's Model.
5. This continued as I read...and read...
6. Are you reading?
7. Interesting, isn't it?  Good writers are good readers.  OR are good readers just good writers?  AND great writers are tremendous readers.  OR are write-beside-them writers absolutely the most ferocious readers? Are we going in circles again...OR are we witnessing a pattern that is true?

The Model

When all is said and done, YOU are the model...every day...from bell to bell.  Your writing skills, with a doubt, directly impact your students.  Every day.  Therefore, be a writer; assign writing; write with your students.  Just write right.

Good luck!

Why I Am Who I Am...Yet

Set the Scene

Many people could and should be thanked for their assistance in my becoming who I am right now in my career, for as Hillary Clinton's book persuades...just as it takes a village to raise a child, so it takes a conglomerate of individuals to build a twenty-nine year career.  Thus, the scene is set:  time to reflect, ponder, think.  If I were awarding those who developed my teacher persona and had to narrow to three, who would I hone in on who have so dramatically affected my life's goal to be a teacher?

Develop Your Thoughts (Previous Thinking v. Current Thoughts)

First, to my high school English teacher Mrs. Smith, my heroine, absolutely without a doubt, I would not be an English teacher had it not been for the example she sat every day of every week.  She worked us, holding us to higher expectations than most of us wanted, yet she loved us, and we knew it.  With her, I ventured into my first college class, quickly learning that I did NOT want to be a lawyer, as I dove into texts and reflection to write my first college research paper.  Perhaps, I learned as much from her disappointment in me as any of my many positive ones.  For some time, I was a library aide for her in the elementary.  Due to my heavy load of classes and my not-quite-in-love-with-elementary-age kiddos, I asked to not be an aide.  For this decision, she used the word disappointed and tore to my student soul.  Yet.  From this, I learned that I have to be true to me, to my inner voices, who guide and lead, whether through affirmation or frustration, and stand by me, even if I have to stand alone.

Second, to my college instructors Dr. Tebbetts and Dr. Wray...one being the extreme: energized, definitely a sage on the stage of my life; the other: solid, direct, forcing our writing styles to become what they were not. Picture it:  Dr. Tebbetts standing on a desktop reading vehemently from whatever text of the week, with passion and fortitude, like no other.  Picture it:  Dr. Wray's handing back our first essay.  The English majors making the lower grades; the basketball/track athletes scoring the higher ones.  No fluff, people.  Just the facts!  Yet.  Because of them, I inherited a much more solid literary background, one recognized when I later attended grad school and was told that I must have graduated from Lyon (or some high quality program) because of the caliber of my work.  Yes, I stood a little taller!  Thank you, Dr. Tebbetts, Dr. Wray...and the late Dr. Oliver.

Third, to my former peer Lisa Huff who shared her love of technology as a tool, which then began the big change in my presentation methods.  This blog (and several others) and multiple wikis and now websites are a testament to her. Professionally, I have grown and now freely assist my peers as they take baby steps, steps that, to them, feel like giant leaps at times, all in an endeavor to better prepare all our students for the "real" world or, as the latest jargon encourages, to be "college and career ready."  Yet.  Mrs. Huff and I did not always agree.  What?  Her philosophy of education and mine differed.  I gaze back now through my 20/20 lens and realize that from those differences...maybe primarily so...I learned me the most.  Remember, remember...two do not have to agree to reach the same end in mind.  Each just needs to remain true to self and better then teach and reach with passion.  (Reread paragraph three for further support!)

Draw Conclusions

Many more names should be mentioned here.  Definitely.  Maybe I can best be summed up by this quote I recently read in Brad Montague's awesome book Becoming Better Grownups:  "Everybody is getting older.   That's not an accomplishment.  The trick is to get elder."    In this all this elderness, please allow me to say:  Thirty years from now, you should hardly resemble your first year teacher.  Yet.  Running through your veins should be a determination to be ever learning and sharing and remaining true to self.

Why I Am Who I Am

First, welcome to Secondary English Methods...the beginning of the end of this journey entitled undergraduate work!

This fall, we will learn together and, hopefully, better prepare you for the "real" world, the world of teaching, of stamping out ignorance in our particular curriculum area.  Today, we begin that journey as we stretch our minds a bit, readying for the various avenues that this job entails.

A blogger already?   Yay!  If not this is the first place we will explore.  Our first assignment requests we reflect on who inspired us to the point that you are setting in this class, viewing this document on this screen. In other words...Why Are You Who You Are?

Here are my thoughts on this question...

Many people should be thanked for their assistance in my becoming who I am right now in my career, for as Hillary Clinton's book persuades...just as it takes a village to raise a child, so it takes a conglomerate of individuals to build a twenty-one year career.

First, to my high school English teacher Mrs. Smith, my heroine, absolutely without a doubt, I would not be an English teacher had it not been for the example she sat every day of every week.  She worked us, holding us to higher expectations than most of us wanted, yet she loved us, and we knew it.  

Second, to my college instructors Dr. Tebbetts and Dr. Wray...one being the extreme, energized, definitely a sage on the stage of my life, the other, solid, direct, forcing our writing styles to become what they were not. Because of them, I inherited a much more solid literary background, one recognized when I later attended grad school and was told that I must have graduated from Lyon (or some high quality program) because of the caliber of my work.  Yes, I stood a little taller!  Thank you, Dr. Tebbetts, Dr. Wray...and the late Dr. Oliver.

Third, to my peer Lisa Huff who shared her love of technology as a tool, which then began the big change in my presentation methods.  This blog (and several others) and multiple wikis are a testament to her. Professionally, I have grown and now freely assist my peers as they take baby steps, steps that, to them, feel like giant leaps at times, all in an endeavor to better prepare all our students for the "real" world or, as the latest jargon encourages, to be "college and career ready."

Many more names should be mentioned here, for I have many to thank for the gift of my career, for without them all, I would not be who I am today.

End of the Semester Reflections

As the fall semester of senior year draws to a close, I cannot help but think back on the semester as a whole from my first day in my classroom placement to the projects in Methods to the ARA conference presentation to my last week in the classroom for this semester. I definitely went through phases that got me to the point I am right now where I am wrapping up my fall semester and preparing for my spring semester of internship.

At the beginning of the semester, it was an understatement to say that I was overwhelmed with classes and the responsibility of teaching four classes a day. I was not prepared for it by far. However with a patient mentor teacher and a great deal of strength and determination, I stuck it out and put my nose to the grind. This sometimes meant putting internship on the back burner to take care of a paper or putting internship ahead of a smaller assignment that was due. Eventually I found a way to balance the two.

Now I'm to the point that I have practiced methods and thrown out some that I found unsuccessful and saved others I felt where helpful. That being said, I have learned a few things that I want to share here as I reflect back on my first semester of internship:

1. Consistency in classroom management is key.
2. Always assume the best about students.
3. Never be afraid to take on the basket cases.
4. Keep your classroom fun and inviting.
5. Praise the good things students do.
6. And most importantly, remember to use resources available to you in order to prevent burnout.

This semester has been fun and nerve-wracking at the same time. As I see the light at the end of the tunnel, I wanted to take a minute to share these important things with you all. For those entering internship next semester, keep these in mind and do not hesitate to ask those of us who have been there if you feel a bit overwhelmed and in need of assistance. This is one lesson I wish I would have learned earlier.