Best Practices in Teaching Writing

My Struggles

http://redriverpak.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/mom-pulling-hair.jpg

• Above you rated this book. Explain in detail why you gave this book that score (use the back side if necessary):

• Students were told that they needed to write 5-7 complete sentences, correctly following all conventions of the English language, in order to receive an A.

My students completed a book report. Here is one of the topics they needed to respond

to:

Here are some of their responses:

These responses are all from my ERWC students. They are seniors in

college prep English.

• I gave this book a 7 because the books story was very interesting and it kept me thinking. It kept me wondering what the main character was going to do. I don’t give it a 10 because it was exciting. The story line was great but the way it was written, it was like “dark” and really slow.

(Shadow Man by Cynthia D. Grant)

• This book for me was hard to understand. For me while reading therefore this is why I gave it this rating. The way the Author wrote the book would confuse me and make it hard for me to understand. It was difficult to figure out. That Charlie Marlow is a salor who is always describing to others about his experiences in Congo.

(Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad)

• I rated West Side Story a nine because it had understandable grammar and it was quite enjoyable. By the quotes given, it made the story seem as an actual play. The street slang in the book attracts most teenagers. I previously seen this movie and the book made me rember of almost every part of the movie. The book is one that is actually fun and intense to read.

West Side Story by Irving Shulman

• I rated this book a 10 because the book just got my attention right away. Explaining the basis of life in the streets. The story related to me because of my family. Some of my family are gang related and I want to do good so I can have a beter future just like the acter in the book.

(Always Running-La Vida Loca Gang Days in L.A. By Luis J. Rodriguez)

• I give this book a 10 because it explains to you that being in a gang & using drugs will get you into a horrible situation. I like it a lot because Lady Q is not afraid of anything & she lived a Crazy Life. This book has violence & it interests Me a lot. It goes to show people that you can always change your life around. Growing up in a gangsterous & violent family doesn’t mean you have to be that way your whole life.

(Lady Q by Reymondo Sanchez)

The Letters to the Editor(the fruits of our labor)

Dear Editor:I agree with the ideas presented in Jeremy Rifkin’s article, “A Change of Heart About Animals”. I believe that the test given to the animals can be extremly helpful for future reffrences.

It’s great when our students refute data and statistics

Dear Editor, In regards to the article I disagree with Rifkin. I highly doubt that creatures are more like us than we have ever imagined. While we live in houses they are living in jungles. Animals have a more different approach in Life than humans.

I am constantly amazed by the arguments they put forth to support their point of view.

Same letter, later

• If we are so alike then why doesn’t anyone have compassion for a human being when attacked or eaten by an animal? In consideration millions of animals kill each other either way “Survival of the Fitest.”

If we are so alike why can’t animals be strong? You can’t strangle a chicken and tell it to give its eggs. You can’t beat up a cow and tell it to give you its milk. But if a human is told to give their milk and eggs or I’ll strangle you the human would give you his or her milk and eggs because we are scared of death. Sure when you hit an animal it’ll be scared at the moment, but you can’t hit an animal and take its sense of liberty.

Sometimes they have advice for the author.

Jeremy Rifkin should have included how animals deserve a right to live in harmony and peace. Not in captivity waiting to be executed, and eaten. No being a hypocrite though since I do like my meat, animals deserve that right to wonder around the wild free and not having to worry about being captured and tortured.

concluding paragraph

• To rap up my argument I’d just like to say its not that Im 100% against Rifkins argument it’s just I don’t think he took it way to far and does not use good information to support his ideas (basically for every example he has there a counter example already waiting).

Animals like Pigs don’t need toys to prevent them from fighting, I’m pretty sure they fight all the time for territory and food. I mean they’re not like housepets because those pigs would most likely turn into food anyways.

concluding sentence

•We should all live in peace with all creaters from our planet, or they will be forgotten.

Isn’t it great when we learn new information from our students’ essays? I haven’t had time to fact check this next bit of information.

• Many would ask why someone would even think about giving a pig that is going to be turned into bacon a toy; yet it could actually lead to better pork. In Japan, for them to get top quality meat they get the cow drunk and give it a massage because a happy cow makes tasty meat. Pretend that we were about to be killed to be eaten wouldn’t you think your meat would taste better if you died happy?

• I don’t think that Elephants should stand next to their dead elephant friend or family because a human with rights killed him. They killed him because they disturbed the Elephant and turnned him wild and he attacked the humans and the humans way of self defense was to kill the elephant. And that’s why elephants often stand next to their dead kind for days occasionaly touching their bodies with their trunk.

I love when they make me consider new situations.

How would you like it if Someone killed you to make a coat our of you. I support Rifkins. A Dog is a mans best friend, you shouldn’t kill someone’s best Friend

What if you were put into a laboratory for experiments, or what if your head was cut off just for someone to have up on their wall. “Let’s discourage the sale of fur coats.”

We as humans once were cavemen but, through evolution, we became civilaized human beings. Who is to say that our fellow creatures may not have the same futer as us?

Animals are left alone at a young age to fiend for themselves. That is just their natural tuiton so when us humans come and evade an animals natural habitat of course they will become dependent on humans, but only because we’re spoiling them to think this is the correct way. I feel if animals behavorist and philosophers leave animals alone and stop trying to change their living conditions they will be just fine, trust me they have been doing this tears before us.

They said “you should give your pig 20 seconds of human contact each day and give them a toy to play.” That there is dumb because the pig is going to be food.

“Animals, it appears, experience grief” Then he claims that elephants stand next to their kin for days. I don’t understand why he even used that as an example. We don’t abuse elephants, we actually let them roam a great abode for them. Also, that is only one example, majority of animals will shockingly see their dead kin’s carcass as dinner to survive another day.

This student was the “winner”

He sounds like a tree-hugging hippie that basks in the gasous cloud of his own flatulance, as if they were better than everyone elses. Animals are NOT humans and should not be treated as equals and humanely. When the cows strt an uprising and rampage through the country killing people and demanding to be set free, maybe then I will listen.

Do not misunderstand me, I do not want to torture the creatures. But I do not want to “save the earth” by eating nasty tofu all the time and end up with health deficiencies. If you want to do that , that is fine, but do not try to shove your views and rants down my throat. Meat is too tasty.

We can have a few laughs over these responses but, after reading one hundred and one of these, it is no longer funny.

Quick Write

You have seen some examples of what I struggle with as I attempt to help my students become

better writers. • What do you struggle with when it comes to

teaching writing?• What are some of your best practices when

teaching writing?

Share and Discuss

• Struggles:• Lack of focus. Can’t make their point or support

their position. Lack of how to make an effective argument.

• Knowing how and when to release students from scaffolding.

• Lack of words. In spite of structuring and scaffolding they still can’t get started.

• Lack of ability to develop an argument at all. Unable to conceptualize what to say. Cannot think critically.

• Idea: chunk the material. Have students respond to a smaller portion. “In these two paragraphs…

• Idea: “If you and I were discussing this, what would you say?” Make it conversational

• Idea: First ass. Based on 48 hours. Transcripts online. Print out. Don’t let them know how it plays out. How will you prove your cast? Now they choose the evidence. Prove their case. Pretend they are a lawyer. Afterwards tell them how it turned out.

• Idea: Talking is fundamental to composing and writing. S’s don’t see what they say as belonging on the page. Have them say it then stop and have them immediately write it.

• Idea: Interview each other then write a paragraph. Used this for their own essay later.

• When they have ideas they don’t effectively argue for them. No support, structure or organization.

• Idea: Flow chart to use after they do their first write/draft.

• Time management• They aren’t writing very much.• We need more technology in the classroom. • Rewrites. They do’t really work so hard on the draft

or first finished product. • Idea: Turnitin.com prevents plagiarism• Idea: Try to get s’s away from “say” provide

alternatives. (p.223 They Say; I Say). Orally first.

• Teaching conclusions. • Idea: Whatever you have used as a hook, refer back

to for closure. Restate thesis.

• Best Practices• Teaching quotations give them an article to make each

type of citation. (grammar binder ch. 8)• Rhet. Of Op Ed (19) Ch. 6 of Rhetorical Reading• Three column chart. First word of sentence, verb,

number of words. S’s must use this chart with each of their sentences. AVID strategy. Forces S’s to see patterns, avoid repetition.

• Power in using S’s writing. Put it on the docu cam. • Group Work. Anchor Papers. • 30 min. work session. NO interaction with another s.

Only interaction bet. T and s. Allows T. to address specific s. needs. Occ. Pop up an essay on docu cam if it is aproblem that is repeated.

• Grade essay with s. present. Say aloud your though process. Work individually with student. Makes it more personal. Have class working on something independently.

• S’s score each others essays using the rubric. Set a goal: improve by one mark. S’s also score their own essay.