Lindsay's Blog

Welcome

2007-05-15T12:24:00.000-07:00

Okay, now that I am officially done with school (YEAH!!!!), my blog is going to be used to keep you (my family and friends) up to date (although there is never much to tell).

Updates:
We (Gary, Trey, and myself plus My mom, dad, and sister) just recently got back from Florida. Trey celebrated his first birthday and my dad celebrated his 50th! We had a blast. Trey said his first word while we were there ("Mickey", but it actually came out as "ickey"). I think he was just so surprised to see another Mickey Mouse besides the stuffed one he has at home. He warmed up to Melina right away and even let her hold him while Gary and I were in plain sight. Of course, Melina handed hime back at the first sign of a dirty diaper :)

Trey isn't walking yet, but we are just waiting-it could be any day now. He is extremely stable, but just a bit hesitant to actually take that first step.

Garrett and Gavin are both over in the desert (or the "sandbox" as they call it). They seem to be doing well, but I ask that you please pray for them as they come to mind.

I hope that you are all enjoying your blessings to the fullest. Have a fantastic day and thanks for visiting our blog.

To Kill a Mockingbird Lit World

2007-03-15T07:55:00.000-07:00

I was thinking of using the space for students to write about what the characters must be thinking and feeling. I would like to have an ongoing trial as we read through the book. The jury would be responsible for deciding the fate of Tom Robinson. I'm also thinking it might be useful to have students work collaboratively, meaning more than one student represents one character. For instance I would like to have a small group act as Atticus. Their main task would be to prepare a defense for Tom. As we read through the book, they could add to their case and also think about and change their strategy. They would also be responsible for taking care of Tom, his family, and Jem, and Scout. Jem and Scout would have tasks that change daily (maybe sneaking off to the courthouse, or finding a new treasure left by Boo, or defending Atticus). The judge would, of course, be responsible for keeping order (possibly a good role for teacher). Mayella Ewell and Mr. Ewell would be responsible for preparing a case against Tom Robinson and keeping Mr. Ewell out of prison. These are all ideas, and my biggest problem is that I don't know the constraints of the literary world. I would love to hear any ideas that anyone has, and I would also be open to (and appreciate) some help on creating this world.

Advocating Podcasts

2007-03-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to make a quick comment about podcasts. Recently, while reading a publication geared toward small-business owners, I came across an article advocating the use of podcasts as a marketing tool. While thinking about how to use them for educational purposes, it never crossed my mind just how influential a podcast could be. The author of the article mentioned that podcasts are a great way for small-business owners to market themselves and their products, because instead of producing a short, expensive commercial, the actual podcast is the inexpensive marketing tool. Business-owners can draw people in by developing a quality podcast themed around their business. Apparently there are several growing businesses that actually started with podcasts but became so popular they have launched thriving businesses for their creators. Just something interesting I found.

Online Discussion

2007-02-17T08:01:00.000-08:00

I have used online discussion boards both as a student and a teacher. I enjoyed them as a student, but as a teacher I had problems getting students to participate. After reading the Dartmouth article, I now believe that I had two problems. My biggest problem was motivation. I gave the students credit for participating, but I never really tied the web-based discussion to the class discussion. My other problem was my participation. I did participate, but I should have worked harder to draw the students in to the discussion. I really like Dr. Webb and Dr. Rozema's idea of using the online discussion to design the class time. It is a great way for teachers to assess prior knowledge without even taking up class time. We can figure out exactly what our students need and then use class time constructively to help them.

Also, a quick note about Dr. Cynthia Selfe (mentioned in chapter 3 of Dr. Webb's manuscript): I completed much of my undergrad work at Michigan Technological University. I took a course in grammar from Dr. Selfe. She was tough, but wonderful! I knew that I recognized the name from somewhere; it took me a few minutes to figure it out.

My Wiki

2007-02-12T07:27:00.000-08:00

The link below will get you to my wiki. I have just started, so some of my links don't work yet. I have to do what I can while my son sleeps, so it will be completed in stages. I would love some recommendations for things to add and also, I am having trouble setting my pages up the way that I want. I get them looking great, but then I save them and they reformat themselves. Anyone know how to format the pages how I want? Thanks.
https://britlitbasics.wikispaces.com/

Anyone want some help with Wikis?

2007-02-08T11:29:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

Because I'm not teaching right now, I would really be interested in helping one of you create your wiki. I could make my own for a "future class", but I would really rather work on one that might actually be utilized here soon. So, please let me know if you would like my assistance. If I don't hear from anyone by Monday I will get started on my own. Thanks.

Clarifying My Richardson Blog

2007-02-07T12:42:00.001-08:00

Okay, so Will Richardson responded to my calling his book "boring", and while I will apologize to him personally, I would like to clarify what I meant. As is the case with many English teachers, I like a book that I can just curl up with on the couch and get lost in (yes, I even do this with non-fiction, research-based books). Richardson's book, as I said before, was extremely informative. But, as a person unfamiliar with much of the technology and programs being discussed, I found this to be a book that I need to be reading as I sit in front of the computer and play around. He gives great step-by-step instructions for using the technology, and also gives innovative ideas for how to use that technology. But, without the programs right in front of me, I get lost. This is definitely not a book that I will be selling back, but I will continue to use it as a reference guide, not a pleasure read. So, Mr. Richardson, if you are reading this I'm sorry.

RSS Feeds-Parry

2007-02-07T12:34:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's because I'm missing out on the great class discussion, but before reading Parry's article I wasn't so sure what the major significance of RSS Feeds was. Parry made a great point, however, about students getting lost in a "quagmire of information". The Internet can be a very intimidating place, and while students need to be able to distinguish between good, solid information and the junk that is so easily accessible sometimes it is more important for them to have fast access to information that you know is quality.

I wonder what the best way to set up RSS Feeds in the classroom is. Any ideas for some innovative uses?

Richardson

2007-02-06T05:59:00.000-08:00

I found Will Richardson's book to be both informative and useful. However, I also found it to be a bit boring. I think that it is a great resource for teachers looking to utilize these technologies in the classroom. It is written almost as a step-by-step guidebook for using these technologies, which is fabulous for someone like me who needs that information. To just sit down and read it however was a bit of a chore.

Personally, I really enjoyed the last chapter of the book. I think that Richardson has really hit the nail on the head when he says, "for more than a hundred years we have defined being literate as being able to read and to write. And although those core abilities are still central to learning, they are no longer enough to ensure understanding". It is also true that we must teach our students to be "active consumers" of information. Teaching our students to think about the information that they are receiving instead of passively accepting it should be at the forefront of all of our lessons.

Blog, Blog, Blog

2007-01-29T16:54:00.000-08:00

I have heard the term blog before, and surprisingly, I actually knew what one was before this class (I had never used one, but hey at least knowing the term gave me a good start). What I didn't know (or actually more like, "what I never thought of") were the millions of ways that blogs could be utilized in the classroom. I found the accounts from Rob's YA Lit class to be fascinating! It was amazing to me how engaged with the material and with each other the students seemed to be. Perhaps it is because my "teacher's brain" has been idle for some time that I haven't explored different ways to use the blogs.

Even with all of the great things that can be accomplished by publishing things like this to the web and that the chances of a predator stumbling onto a classroom blog are slim, I am still a bit hesitant to expose my students in that way. Many teens are far more trusting than they should be and while the web gives them a great space to share ideas with a real audience the problem comes in their excitement over that opportunity. At least, this is my theory on why Myspace is so popular...Many teens feel that they are the center of the universe (that's fine...it's a phase, we were all there) and they want their fifteen minutes in the spotlight. Myspace gives them a real live audience! They can be (over) exposed to all who wish to see and know them. The more people who send them messages and want to be their friends, the better. They feel validated. I once asked my sister why she had a myspace profile. She said it was to keep in touch with her friends. Well, don't phones, e-mail, and IM serve that purpose? "But then I can post pictures for them to see," she told me. Yes, you certainly can, and the rest of the world can see them too which can't happen if you just send the pictures through e-mail, or heaven forbid snail-mail.

So, here's the bottom line- Blogs are great, but for me, I would prefer assurance that outsiders cannot access my students' blogs (really, that my students cannot make their blogs available to outsiders). It's my job to protect them, even from themselves. Maybe I'm crazy, but I would rather be crazy than put my students at risk.

Teaching Idea using Archives

2007-01-17T17:34:00.000-08:00

Although I found a great deal of fabulous archives on Dr. Webb's website, I was particularly drawn to one of them. The archive titled "American Rhetoric" grabbed my attention right away. I am always fascinated by language (duh, I'm an English teacher) and how one individual can use that language in such amazing ways. My public speaking and conversation skills leave something to be desired; perhaps that is why I am so drawn to great orators and their speeches.

My teaching idea is this:
In an effort for my students to fully grasp the power and beauty that can be found in language, I would ask each of them to choose one of the top 100 speeches of the 20th century from the archive. Each student would then research the speaker and the speech (when was the speech given?, why?, who was the audience?, etc.). I would then ask each student to take the basic idea of the speech and write it in his/her own words. After presenting the rewritten version, we would then play the original and point out the major strengths/weaknesses of each version. We would discuss connotation, intonation, audience, and more-the possibilities are endless.

While this lesson could be completed without the help of the archive, the archive is a time-saver and a sanity-saver.

What Makes for Good English Teaching?

2007-01-14T12:34:00.000-08:00

While this is not a difficult question, it is a question that requires a somewhat lengthy answer. Good teaching, no matter the subject, requires passion: passion for your subject matter, passion for teaching, and passion for learning yourself. I believe that that is the key to good teaching. Motivating students is far easier if you have a fire for the topic yourself.

To get a bit more specific, to be a good English teacher you must combine grammar instruction (hey, I heard that sigh. But, grammar really is important), and examination of literature into reading, writing, and speaking assignments. Individual as well as group work should be used. And, it is also important to use every opportunity available to make cross-curriculum connections. I believe that it is my job as an English teacher to prepare my students for the world that awaits them.

The grammar instruction is important to their success in life. I don't care how much people push for classrooms to incorporate different dialects and loosen the grammar rules; there is a stigma that comes with using anything other than "standard English". I'm not saying that it's right or wrong, but I am saying that it exists and to not prepare our students for that is irresponsible on the part of teachers.

The literature instruction is crucial for the character development of students. Through literature, anyone can experience what it is like to be somebody else and to deal with different struggles. Students can experience a range of feelings and emotions just by picking up a book, and then they can have a safe place (the classroom...so long as the teacher is doing his/her job) to discuss these thoughs and feelings with peers.

An English teacher has an incredible resposibility, but also has the potential for an even greater reward. I wouldn't choose another profession!