For years, I whined about how the entire educational system in America was irreparably broken. "It's not that these kids can't learn, it's that they don't want to. They're lazy. I teach and I teach and I teach, and they do nothing with what I give them." I was frustrated because after what seemed eons of guided writing, you'd think my students could independently write a solid essay. Why were they not transferring the skills I taught them? I'd grumble some more, and I'd go back to writing the same types of lesson plans I so skillfully mastered as an undergraduate a quarter of a century ago.
One thing I've learned as I've matured as a teacher is that painfully tight grip you have on your class in the beginning of your career starts to loosen up somewhere around the seven year mark. You no longer want to be the Sage on the Stage. You start to have conversations with your students. Real conversations about their educational careers. Hopefully, you do more listening, than talking. One of the interesting things I found out from my students is that they DO remember most of what I teach them. They know that they should use transitional words. They know that all good expository essays have an intro, body and conclusion. They know they should be checking for correct punctuation, spelling and grammar. However, after several chats with my kids, I found out that they are not sure WHEN they should use all the writing skills and techniques they've learned. For some unknown reason to them, they "freeze" when they have to write on their own. As I read the Introduction for the SITE Model: Learners in Context, I almost fell out of my chair. There it was. Validation. According to the article, "Inert knowledge...(refers) to knowledge that does not come to mind when it would be appropriate or useful. Inert knowledge sits statically in the human mind, stuck in the situation where it was learned." This is exactly what is happening to my fourth grade students. I explicitly teach them how to use transitional words in an expository essay about green technology, then assign an opinion paper on solar energy for their independent project. You would think that my kids would transfer their knowledge of transitional words from one genre to the next. But, in their very young, adolescent minds, they don't see the linear connection. It is my job as their teacher to explore ways to help them make those academic connections. Looking toward the SITE model as a guide, I will look at how I can utilize the sociocultural subcontext of my classroom to my student's benefit as I prepare my 21st century lesson plans. What motivates my kids? What are their goals? How do they perceive the benefits of creating well-written essays? These questions go hand-in-hand with the technical subcontext aspect of the SITE model. The technical subcontext is not just about computers and iPads. It asks teachers to analyze what techniques, procedures, systems and techniques they will employ. Just as it is extremely important that I teach my students how to use the computer, it is equally important to teach them how to navigate our classroom system. The third branch of the SITE model is the informational subcontext. How will I get this information out to my students? Consistently and clearly. Clarity is very important for success. My students need to clearly understand when, how and why they follow the various writing rules. The last subcontext: education ties everything together. My ultimate goal is that all of my students are so well educated in the writing process, that they will be able to handle any writing project that comes their way: a thesis paper, the best man's speech, a eulogy, love letters, anything. How do I connect to the SITE model on a personal level? Honestly, I didn't enjoy my undergraduate years in college. I can describe my experience with one lonely word: boring! The main reason for my aneurism-inducing boredom was that I was not a part of my own college education. My professors lectured at us for about an hour while we took notes. They never asked more than a few surface-level questions. I remember my political science professor gave me an F on a book review because he disagreed with my interpretation of the theme. My freshman Algebra class had over 1000 students. We met in the music hall. Our professor stood on the stage in front of a green chalkboard with her back the class. She did not take questions because it was impossible with that many students. I feel that this time around, I am receiving a much better education. The educational system in America is NOT broken. However, it needs more schools to adopt concepts like the SITE model in order to make better connect with students. Students, no matter how young or old, are not robots. They are living, thinking organic beings that are much more than a backpack and a laptop. Addressing the sociocultural, informational, educational and technical aspects of a student's mind makes for a much healthier, happier education.
6 Comments
I've been wanting to "ditch" the amount of loose paper generated in my writing class for a very long time. You see, I am an anti-hoarder. I throw EVERYTHING away. 2017 tax papers? BYE! Mom's wedding dress. Hasta la vista, baby! I hate clutter! A while back, I came across Matt Miller's book Ditch That Textbook on Amazon, but I didn't really look into it because, well, I was just browsing. Now here I am, wishing I had spent a few more minutes looking into what he had to say because he has some really good ideas.
From Mr. Miller's article "20 practical ways to use Google Forms in class, school," I've highlighted four nifty ideas. Google Forms can be utilized to easily create lesson plans with standards, learning targets/objectives, activity descriptions, materials and notes for a substitute teacher. Mr. Miller provides a step-by-step tutorial on how to put it all together using the AutoCrat add-on. This innovative way to writing lesson plans will most likely prove to be a better option than the traditional lesson plan book and pencil method. I go through at least three lesson plan books per school year, mostly from ripping pages out because school life is unpredictable. I wonder how well this "lesson plan idea" can be used to plan my Capstone project? I wonder how well I can use it to organize the information for my final web page? One particular idea Mr. Miller shares fits perfectly in any writing classroom. The use of Rubrics. Writing teachers can create rubrics in Google Forms. Mr. Miller suggests that when the teacher is finished grading and writing feedback to her student, she can use the Autocrat add-on to turn her feedback into a document to share with her student. The examples and video tutorial for Autocrat Mr. Miller gave in his article are not the best for easily-confused novices, so I went online and looked for a better tutorial. I found this very helpful PDF: Go to this link: https://convention.tcea.org/handouts/conv2018n/Session-180055.pdf This tool will be a key feature in my Capstone project because I feel that it is integral to any writing program that uses rubrics as a grading device. Another add-on that can benefit the writing classroom is the Form Limiter. Mr. Miller suggests using Form Limiter to create a Writer's conference schedule. The writing teacher creates a form where students can schedule a time to meet with the teacher to discuss their writing individually. As a writing teacher, I can testify that this can be a confusing, frustrating and overwhelming task for kids and teacher. So many kids, so little time. However, the Form Limiter allows students to sign up for pre-selected times of their choosing. Form Limiter stop accepting responses when the time spots are filled. It's like having a digital secretary. This is going into effect immediately in my classroom. I have too many kids that demand ALL of my time, and too many kids that hide behind the plants, bookshelves, and the really tall kid, praying that they can get away with just one more day of NOT having to meet with me. As far as my Capstone Project, it will also hold a key spot of distinction. I strongly feel that other writing teachers need to know about this very helpful, organizational tool. The last idea is short and sweet, but packs a huge punch in the world of writing. The Exit Ticket is such a simple idea, but if used consistently, it will show great benefit. Using Google Form, a teacher can create a final question for the end of class. Teachers may ask students a question about the subject matter, or a question about how they related to the lesson. The important things I see generated from this tool is 1) students are writing, 2) students are thinking critically while analyzing a prompt, and 3) students are thinking critically while making connections to their learning when they write about how they felt about the lesson. Win, win, win. Strengthening student writing stamina has been the central focus of my English Language Arts program throughout this educational adventure of mine. My mind has been deadlocked on improving student engagement and achievement for months for so long that I can't think of a time that I wasn't obsessing over student writing performance. Now, I've been asked to "shift the audience." I've been asked to think about how I might be able to influence my fellow colleagues to change their writing instruction with a resource of MY design based on MY research. "Challenging" is a lame adjective for such a monumental enterprise.
Referring to Ruth Clark's book Developing Technical Training, there are four concepts that one must keep in mind when developing resources for educators. *Teach Procedures: In order to be effective, I should provide relevant information with frequent practice exercises. *Teach Concepts: I should provide a variety of examples. Build in a Check for Understanding, and provide a way to give feedback. *Teach Facts: Factual information can be displayed in tables, diagrams, lists. I should create mnemonics to support memorization of facts. *Teach Processes: I should explicitly teach the scope and sequence of my resource, and make it very clear how it flows. Dr. Bobbe Baggio gives some very practical advice in her book The Visual Connection . One particular quote that pretty much sums up what you should be going after when you are designing a resource is this: "Always strive to align the learning intention and the learner's attention" (Baggio, 2010). Dr. Baggio explains how the placement of words and images is crucial on how the learner perceives my information. She shares five strategies for aligning visuals and learning objectives: 1. Keep it simple. 2. Keep it clear. 3. Keep it focused. 4. Connect with the content. 5. Connect with the learner. Sounds very easy. Now, we go back to Brenda Dervin. The Queen of Sense-making. Clark and Baggio have all the advice for HOW to put it all together. Dervin challenges you to think about the WHY. This is the part of the project where I have to really think about not only what I want to accomplish, but why. I'm literally trying to make sense of why it is so important to me that I dedicate the rest of my career to improving student writing. Afte I read and re-read Dervin's article, I realized that their is a huge gap that I want to fill in my own teaching practice. My capstone project will help me fill that gap. My Social Media Perception Social media, such as Twitter, Facebook, and definitely Pinterest have proven to be powerfully useful tools in communication AND collaboration among educators. More importantly, these platforms connect teachers to others who not only teach the same subjects, but may also share the same pedagogical ideals, financial limitations, inspirations and aspirations. Although I've used Pinterest for years to collect ideas for my classroom, I personally never thought I would ever use Twitter. I had a completely different idea what the Twitterverse was all about. What did I care where Jennifer Lopez bought her Omega 3? I never wanted to ever know what goes into Khloe and Kim's "glam make-up routine." And I really wasn't interested that Justin Beiber was now parting his hair to the opposite side. Surprisingly, after that first initial hour, I was hooked on Twitter, ad infinitum! I have boldly included Lucy Calkins and Sir Ken Robinson among my friends that I follow. I especially like article suggestions from tweets posted by MindShift, Education Week (love!), edutopia and the US Department of Education. I'm a big NAEP fan. No joke. The information provided by sources like the ones mentioned above provide teachers with authentic, current information pertaining to education. Real information that is relevant and useful in today's ever-changing educational climate. The world of education is quickly evolving, so teachers need a resource where new information can be obtained just as quickly. Social media can be that resource. Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest do something that cannot normally be done traditionally. Not only do they provide teachers with ideas on how to improve their practice from everything between classroom environment to pedagogy, but they also connect educators from all over the country. In some instances, social media connects teachers to other teachers across the world. In preparation for my research study, I read various articles on how teachers in Turkey, Africa, and Canada were studying how writing teachers in other countries like the United States and Korea, and Spain were using technology to enhance the writing process. These writing teachers were looking at the methodology and data provided by the pioneer-teachers in the area of technology and writing, and applying what they learned in hopes that they could improve student achievement in their own classrooms. Facebook and other types of social media contributed to the dialogue among these teachers who otherwise never would have known the others existed, much less their work. One critical issue to consider is this: consider the source. It is important to check the legitimacy of the source material. Like everything else on the internet, there are a lot of false reports and hoaxes swirling around Education. And a lot of haters. Read the fine print. What Would You Do If You Saw Something Inappropriate? If I came across an inappropriate post made by one of my students, I definitely would not respond online. I would bring it to the attention of my principal and the student's parents. I teach elementary school, so naturally, parents must be involved. However, I feel that it is important that parents are included in the dialogue even if the student is in middle and high school. I have always felt that if my child had committed a wrong-doing, I would want to know. He, or she, is MY child, and I have every right to know the good, the bad, and the ugly. Plus, I'm quoting Mrs. Hillary Clinton here, it takes a village to raise a child. Why would we leave the couple who brought him, or her, into the village out of the loop? Ruth C. Clark, Developing Technical Training: Chapters 1-2
Dr. Bobbe Baggio, The Visual Connection Chapter 1
Chapter 4
Chapter 6
For my take on how these key concepts from the reading relate to my students, please visit my page Making Sense in My Classroom. |
Tess Giner
This is my 25th year as a public school teacher. I've taught every grade between Kindergarten and 12th grade. I hope to encourage my students to love writing and reading as much as I do. Archives
July 2019
Categories |