Week Four: Response to Reading

Chapter 2-3  of "Because Writing Matters" is your reading assignment.   How can we increase writing time in our classes?  Do you agree with the premises?  Why or why not? Place your earnest reflections, thoughts, and evaluations here.

Everything you wanted to know about Week Four.

Response to Reading: Chapter 2-3 "Because Writing Matters"  Our discussions on the text seemed to be a tad flat mostly because posts were slow in coming in.  I hope these chapters spark more interest and response. How can we increase writing time in our classes?  Do you agree with the premises?  Why or why not?  (Use the response post for your comments.)

Virtual Tour: If you have not started the Virtual tour of your classroom, be sure and do that this week. In the comment section of the “Virtual Tour” post, send me an address where I can access your tour. I will make a post with links later this week so you can all visit each other! 



Virtual Journal-later in the week:  For Week Four, we are focusing on being more reflective about what we are actually doing day to day in our classrooms. We all have standards, mandates, and objectives, but how do the nut-and-bolt activities of our day play out? I would like for you to write about just that on the ASWC Ning which I am in the process of setting up for you this week.  The Virtual Journal is essentially, however, on hold this week until I get the Ning groups established.  I recall that some of you.  Stay tuned.
 The assignment is to examine your typical day. Write a narrative description. You might want to call this “A Day in the Classroom” or “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.” This will be the only Virtual Journal for the week. I am hoping that your routines and realities will spark some conversation and response in the Ning groups which will not be available until late in the week. We had such excellent and divergent activity in the Virtual Journal last week.  I am hoping that will continue in the smaller groups so that everyone has a voice and gets a response.


 No audio scheduled: I am traveling this week and doing inservice this week so there may be no office hours.  Just email or call if you have problems.
 
Keep up all the good writing.  The class is moving along right on course.

Week Three: Virtual journal

Georgia Heard is another of my favorite writers who specializes in encouraging others to write. She has a range of books for teachers and for writers that you may have already discovered. Check out her website at http://georgiaheard.com . Many of her books focus on the teaching of poetry. Perhaps my favorite, however, is Writing Toward Home: Tales and Lessons to Find Your Way (Heinemann), a thin, inspirational volume that encourage us to write from close observation and past personal experiences. She challenges us to see the ordinary in an extraordinary way. On her website she writes: “Whether you are a student, teacher or a poet I believe our challenge is to find the poetry all around us every day. Children are often the best teachers of this. That's one of my goals when I teach poetry is to help every student find the poetry inside.”

Perhaps we can try to find what is inside us or buried in our ordinary lives for our journal this week.   Last week's post brought were great reads.   Thank you for such a wonderful second week. Your goal this week is again two posts.

(Another outstanding Heard publication you may want to  check out is The Revision Toolbox which gives all teachers tools for approaching revision with students.)

Week Three: Response to Reading

I believe you all have your text so we can begin our discussions of the ideas in the text.

Guiding Question:

• In Because Writing Matters, Nagin starts by asserting that "writing is a complex activity: more than just a skill or talent, it is a means of inquiry and expression for learning in all grades and disciplines." How does this view affect the way we might approach our teaching? Why is writing so complex and what challenges does it pose on our schools?  Are these ideas addressed in "Writing Next" as well?

Do not let my questions limit your discussion. They are merely meant to be suggestions that might help start a conversation. 

Touring our Classrooms: The Virtual Tour

Even though we can't meet in person, you can share your classrooms through a virtual tour.

During the next two weeks, you should be working on a virtual classroom tour. This assignment has two goals. First, all of us will get a sense of the wide variety of schools and classrooms represented in our Virtual Institute. Secondly, I would like each of you to play around a bit with using technology as a means of publishing writing and sharing your classroom. Your tour should include several photos with captions or narration.

After you have taken pictures and written about your classroom, pick a specific place to share your work. You can create a blog like mine through Blogger; you can create a website like the one on which I have put the assignments; or you can create a PowerPoint and share it with us on Google Docs at docs.google.com . The Google options are free and relatively user-friendly. Microsoft has an option I haven't tried yet that someone might like to try and teach the rest of us: "Microsoft Document Connection."

Each venue has a brief tutorial about how to use it most effectively.

If you already have a website or Blog, you can place your tour there and share the link with us by responding to this post. If all this technology drives you crazy, please just send me a PowerPoint, and I can share it with others. The most important part of the assignment. after all, is sharing your classroom with the rest of our class. Don't be intimidated by the technology; just play around with it a bit.

Week Two Second Audio topics

For those who missed the audio and for those who need a reminder, here is what we talked about:

• I will be posting more information on the Virtual Classroom tour you are to create.  Start thinking of a way to virtually share your classroom with this class.
• Sometime in the next few weeks, you should soon be invited to become an author on this blog.  Please accept when you receive the invitation. 
• The week runs from Tuesday through Monday.  Assignments for each week are due by Monday night.  I am pleased with the compelling, thoughtful ideas being shared.  Posts do not have to be quite as long if you do not wish to write so much.  I, however, am thrilled to see the depth in the discussions. 
• The class is synchronous which means we are working through assignments together, week by week. You should be checking in and posting at least three times a week.  If you leave all your posts until the last day or so, the conversation and discussion in the class lacks vitality.
• Unless otherwise noted, you need a minimum of three posts weekly--two posts to the Virtual Journal and one to the response to the reading.
• Engage with your classmates.  You have so much to share with each other.  We all understand the importance of having an audience in writing.  You are now honing your skills as an audience by responding to what others post in both the Virtual Journal and the response to writing. Your responses, if they are at least a paragraph, can count as a post.
• I will usually  be online for a chat on Gmail or an email exchange on Tuesdays 5-6.  I hope to hear from you during my "office hours."  Continue to email or phone me any time and as often as you need.
• We do NOT have a scheduled audio again.  If you feel it would be helpful, however, you can request one.  It's free!  We may try an eLive session sometime for fun and practice.
• Keep on writing!

Week Two: Response to Reading

 Center your discussion this week on Raising Writers. 
What do you think of the author's ideas about the role of teachers?  What do you see as your role?  Which of the Eleven Elements of Effective Adolescent Writing Instruction from Writing Next does the author address? How does your own role as a writer fit into your classroom practices?  How or where do you find the time to do it all?  Remember each of you needs to post here this week.  Your post may be a part of a conversation with other classmates or a general response to this article.

Week Two Second Audio

Remember we are scheduled for a final audio.  If we feel we need more time together, we can elect to use the eLive system, but for now this is it.  The date is Tuesday, February 15 at 5 pm for the conference.  Use the number below to dial in and enter the pin when prompted to do so.  I will explain the Virtual Tour which you will be creating soon.   Bring any and all questions!  This meeting should also be short.

Talk to you soon. 

Phone Number:  800 893 8850
Participant Pin: 1181632

If you become disconnected for any reason,  just repeat the procedure.

Week Two: Virtual Journal

Natalie Goldberg is the author of many books on writing including two of my old  favorites,Writing Down the Bones and Wild Mind. I am ordering her new one on memoir. Some of her writing is included in the readings for the week.   She writes:

"The basic unit of writing practice is the timed exercise. You may time yourself for ten minutes, twenty minutes, or an hour. It's up to you....What does matter is that whatever amount of time you choose for that session, you must commit yourself to it for the full period." (Writing Down the Bones)

"A writing practice is simply picking up a pen, a fast-writing pen, preferably, since the mind is faster than the hand, and doing timed writing exercises. The idea is to keep your hand moving for, say, ten minutes, and don’t cross anything out, because that makes space for your inner editor to come in. You are free to write the worst junk in America." (interview)

So in the Virtual Institute, you are challenged to take just ten minutes out of your day to write. The next step is to post your writings in the Virtual Journal. Post at least two times each week. The important thing is to practice writing. As Goldberg says, "The more you do it, the better you get at it." Post entries in reply to this post and remember you may comment on classmates' posts.  Feedback and response is always appreciated.

Stacey's reference to Huffington Post

Stacey called our attentions to this interesting read  from a recent Huffington Post."....one issue is slipping through the cracks, the consequences of which not only impacts our kids' education, but every aspect of their lives. Schools are lobbying for students' attention by embracing technology in ever increasing ways. This is the moment, however, to pause and consider whether we want to sacrifice our kids' last remaining hours of non-screen time by incorporating Facebook, iPads, and other devices into the curriculum." 


Technology and schools:  Should we add more or pull the plug?

Week One: Virtual Journal

Let's get to know each other!  

    This is the place to enter your weekly journal writings.  Aim for at least two posting each week and do not be afraid to play around with style, genres and plain old musings.  You may also respond to others who post.
    My first prompt or suggestion is for you to introduce yourself to the rest of the class by adding a comment to this post. Include your name as the title to your introduction. I have started by posting a biography about myself.
     If you have not done so, remember to join the class as a follower, post a picture and include a short statement in your own profile. You can view my profile as a sample.

Week One: Response to Reading

View the videos and read the week's assignments.  Take time to begin or contribute to a conversation about one of the readings.  Do you have any rules for students communicating online that differ from the ones from Phoenix Online? These guidelines should help us with good online ethics. What do you think of Richardson (Digital Footprint) on technology in education?  I am interested in finding effective uses of technology that augment our teaching rather than just adding more for the sake of technology.  What do you think?  Ponder a bit!
The report Writing Next published by the Carnegie Corporation is a heavy read, but one that we might consider referring to throughout the course.  The "meat' of the material is between page 11 and 34. You can skip or skim the rest.  It has eleven key recommendations that are worth "unpacking" as we move through our discussions. The report is considered one of the most comprehensive reports on writing since the 1990's. It makes a good companion to our text which we will start reviewing in a few weeks. Does this report contain ideas particularly true to your experience, ideas that you find puzzling, or ones that run contrary to your beliefs?

Important Audio conference information

We officially begin our journey together Tuesday, February 8 at 5 pm on the audio conference.  Use the number below to dial in and enter the pin when prompted to do so.  We will be talking about the structure of the class and expectations.   Bring questions and enthusiasm!   
Talk to you soon. 

Phone Number:  800 893 8850
Participant Pin: 1181632

If you become disconnected for any reason,  just repeat the procedure.