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Chapter One
In the book it points out how literature in English has categories and having a knowledge of common literary elements such as conflict, rising action, falling action and character development is a must know. Compared to other literature in other subject such as science and history become frustrating to students, because it lacks the structure like literature in English. Which is very true, students typically feel frustrated when they cannot read the text assignments for class, thinking it is their fault, when in reality it is the teachers fault for not teaching the student how to read and comprehend different types of texts. Some of the strategies mentioned in chapter one can help students get over the fear of reading different text styles. Strategies like think-pair-share, learning stations, jigsaw, and reciprocal teaching. I enjoy the strategy jigsaw. We did this is Dr. Hanna's class for an overview of a chapter. It was neat to interact with others in the group and then have a discussion afterwards. It gave time for an all around understanding to occur because the group was on our level, student level, and it took a complicated topic and presented it in a manor we could understand. I also like the idea presented about reflective teaching. I think that teachers should reflect daily or weekly on their teaching. Reflect on their teaching and how it can improve, not on the grades of their students or their students behavior, unless it is about what the TEACHER is doing regarding the behavior. Teachers should reflect on themselves as educators and how can they improve.
Chapter 8
I like how this chapter points out that students learn how to write, but never really write to learn. We all learn our letters and how to spell words, form sentences, suffer through painful grammar lessons, and come out the other side as viewing the writing process as this painful experience, when in reality it should have been taught to be a wonderful learning experience. If students only view writing as a graded process, they never see the greener side of writing. My own experiences are a testament to that. I remember in 8th grade english class having to diagram sentences and label all of those phrases and such....I had no clue how to do it. It was like only having the Chinese directions to how to put a bicycle together. My teacher would tell me how, send me to my desk, where i would sit and stare at the page. Then she'd ask why wasnt i doing the work, i'd reply i dont know how....which usually got me in trouble for being a "smart butt". I'd sit and wallow in frustration and fail every assignment and test. It wasnt till i was a junior that i truly saw the beauty in writing. Thanks to my teacher, who was more focused on what we wanted to write, compared to the grade. She encouraged us to write and be free writing, not to worry about the mechanics of it. To just simply...write. That is one reason why i like the strategy of writing models, such as the I am poems the book mentions. This strategy encourages students to write following a model and to be expressive as they want. I also liked the power writing idea, because it is open and free and gives the student the chance to create something, as long as it follows the subject given. Free writing for students, is like giving younger children free color time or play time. Older students like their expressions and opinions and like to voice them loudly, but in school they typically do not get the chance to be expressive or free. By giving students free writing time, to just simply write, about anything and everything shows them the pleasures of writing.
I enjoyed the atmosphere of the think center. It was very comfortable and neat there. I enjoyed how they did not have traditional seating or desk and actually had color on the walls and floor.
Questions:
What would be some ways you could motivate students who do not want to write, to write?
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