Ideas and Techniques

The first week of school is complete.  Eight days complete when you add in our first, short, three-day week.  Already flying by!

First, may I comment on the dynamics of our year?

• English Department:  We are having fun.  As I noted in the previous post, we have some newbies in our area (I so miss those who chose to take a different path this year).  Why are we having more fun this year?  I am different (see previous post)...and maybe we are all trying more?  The end result, even after just one week...we gather to talk and laugh more.  One of us always has a funny to tell, sometimes about our classes, sometimes about ourselves, sometimes others become the focus.  Let me clarify...not mean fun...just fun.  My Goal:  Keep the fun, the camaraderie.  Keep it all.
• My Classroom:  These are as good, if not better, than any or all the classes I have had before.  Not sure how the counselors...or was it The Counselor...who arranged these class rosters, but the dynamics in each is just near perfect.  Again, I am having fun...and the students seem to enjoy the class as well.  Time flies.  The bell rings.  Next group arrives. (Have heard many positive comments about my classes this year...from the students themselves, from former students, from peers, from my daughter (who is not in my class this year...yay!).  Love all this evidence.  AND...still learning from bell to bell.  Fun!
• Outside Our Box:  The most negative start to a year I have ever experienced.  More negative than all the previous 24 combined.  Not one bit of fun yet.  None.  Yes, enough said...that nicely sums it up.

Now, may we discuss a skill we are teaching in our new curriculum?

In both grades I teach, we have read selections that we analyze for central idea.  Then, once that central idea is identified, students prove which technique the writer used to bring that central idea to fruition.  For example, in "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love," the poet uses alliteration, consonance, and repetition as the means to proving central ideas relating to his thoughts on love and life.  In a speech read by the seniors, the speech writer's central ideas are supported through the techniques of ethos and rhetorical questions.  Then, we write about the combination of those two:  central idea na d

My Thoughts:

• Finding the central ideas are not so difficult for students.  Identifying the techniques, though, moves this task up Bloom's.  
• With this in mind...and knowing our sophomores, are a bit behind on this learning curve...we shifted the method this week, to my providing teacher examples for them to dissect in preparation for their identifying central ideas and techniques and writing about them first in their groups and then solo in next week's lessons.
• Using Schafer's "chunk" method works beautifully for this (some teachers refer to this as an 8-sentence paragraph).  I like to begin, though, with just the central idea and one "chunk":

• Topic Sentence = Central Idea
• One Chunk = 3 Sentences
• Signal Phrase + Evidence
• Commentary/Explanation = Why the "evidence" prove the Central Idea
• Commentary/Explanation
• For the seniors, this is a review.  For the sophomores, we are at Ground Zero, as this is a brand new method for them.  As I tell them, though, learn it now...then use this method for the rest of the year.  Win-win!
• This New Curriculum is not mine; therefore, I am on a steep learning curve as we attempt to remain a day ahead of the students.  Thus, sometimes, as in this week, I have to pause, regroup, and come back the next day with a change in methods...from their writing, to my writing the examples, to my creating the models for them to mimic, to my setting them up for success.
• Have I mentioned this new curriculum has resulted in my feeling like a first year teacher...too many hours in prep for texts I would never have chosen.  But, alas, that is our direction...so now to that direction we will move.  The perk?  Yes, I am learning.
• Now, to wrap my mind around "Civil Disobedience" and "The Palace Thief"...(no, I would never have chosen this second text.  From my first initial read, I would say it is too negative...students cheat, teachers not seen in the best light...hummm...we'll see what I think after some analysis.)

What did you learn new in your classroom this week?  Where are you on your leaning curve?

Happy Saturday!