Write for more than just a grade

This week focused again on digital arguments, and using technology in the classroom, as teachers and students. While it wasn't the most intriguing readings so far, I did learn quite a bit from them. The shorter Hawley Turner and Hicks reading was interesting, full of suggestions and information that are very relevant to today's world of teaching. We do live in a world where technology has become much more prominent than it used to be, and we need to be aware that we as teachers need to adapt and change with the times. We can't continue to teacher straight from slide shows everyday. That isn't engaging to the students. It's boring, and they will more than likely not retain anything they hear. We need to be sure to create new ways of keeping their attention, and we need to make sure our teaching reflects the change of times. "English teachers must embrace a new role: we must advocate for digital literacy, not just technology, in a way that re-conceptualizes o...

It's interesting that this weeks topic is teaching students to write essays, since as students we write so many of them ourselves. It seems as though each week, I'm writing something. Some long, some short, some free write and some that require certain structures. I took a lot away from the readings, I think they each make some very important and vital points for teaching the writing of essays. First, I read Hawley Turner and Hick. Their main focus is on writing essays with argument in the digital world. Something that I think a lot of people forget is that once you publish something out there on the internet, it's there forever. Some day down the line, someone will find who you wish didn't. I, personally, am very careful about what I publish. I tend to shy away from posting very personal issues or facts, I keep my political and religious opinions to myself, and I mainly go online to post about my obsession for anything Real Housewives. Even then though, I'm so ca...

RITELL Conference: Saturday October 20, 2018 Keynote Speaker: Dr. Ofelia Garcia Small Group Workshop Leader: Rachel Toncelli The RITELL conference this year was a very important and interesting experience. As teachers, we need to be aware that not every one of our students is fluent in English, and that not all of them spoke English as their first language. In each of our classrooms, we will have a collection of diverse students, who may have some understand of the English language, but are in the process of bettering their own abilities. This can be verbal, written, or in many other repressive ways.  Students who are learning English can learn in a bunch of ways, but Dr. Ofelia Garica pointed out that some understand through memory, and in turn they repeat what they have heard others say, and took to be correct. Sometimes, it is correct but other times, they need some redirection to help aide them in their learning process. She also mentioned that some students will...

All throughout school, I took all kinds of tests, both standardized and non. Either way, the tests were considered high-stakes, and there was a lot of pressure put on the students to do well, and on the teachers to help us do well. What's crazy is that even back then, when it wasn't my responsibility to teach or guide others to succeed, I knew the amount of pressure that the teachers were under. It was just something that everyone knew, and something that no one could really control. "...high-stakes standardized tests do not serve students of color. They support white supremacy." This is pretty mind boggling to me. I understand that there's injustice in most of what we do, but I truly never thought about testing this way. Maybe this is just me being ignorant, but I think that as students, there isn't much time to think about things like this. We're so focused on studying and remembering and working on this project, that test. I think I just didn't s...

So this week is completely different than last week. I am BEYOND passionate about the narrative, have a lot of experience with working with it, and have had a lot of success writing and reading them. I found myself enthralled in the chapter, and fascinated by the article. I'll do my best not to go too crazy in my blog, but this is a class focused on writing, so I can't make any promises. First, I'll start with the article by Kenney. I found it fascinating that this poor student, Erika, was so focused on the idea of limiting her writing to just three paragraphs for ideas. As a creative writer, I have long since left that notion in the dust. I write until my thoughts are out. However, as a teacher, I understand that this is how they are taught. While subbing in a 6th grade science and middle school, the assignment left was to write a 5 paragraph essay about a terrarium they had built the days before. One girl, sweet and seemingly very quick, stressed most of the period. She...