KaDeWo - The Joy Advocate

9/27/2012 This information was acquired during a follow up interview with the professor of the WiL class , after my concluding observation. (Please note: These are not direct quotes.) What is your purpose for teaching? Instructors must guide and enlighten students with clear communication, while remaining flexible. Establishing a sense of community and connectedness is essential to a positive and beneficial learning environment for all learners. As we exist in this world together, students need more opportunities to collaborate. At times it is difficult to reach all students. For instance, the only two males in the class do not add their perspective or thoughts into the class discussions; yet their papers incorporate some interesting thoughts that would be beneficial for the class to hear. Small group discussions have not worked; in fact the approach created a more uncomfortable atmosphere. In an effort to establish a comfortable sharing environment, for everyone, adjustment ...

Who knew?! First YouTube, now Amazon... Based on my recent purchases for my last semester of course work as a College of Education undergraduate, Amazon's site generated a list of literature, for classroom teachers, I may be interested in adding to my library. Allow me to briefly share my excitement with those of you who were unaware of this system. The Teacher Bookstore is categorized in several ways: grade level (pre-K through secondary ed) format (electronic, paper back, audio books) award winners promotions and discounts  subjects  recent releases Professional Development and General Resources (such as Scholastic items, supplies, etc) are useful sections, to aid instructors in mastering their skills while creating innovative and inviting learning spaces for all learners. Amazon usually provides the synopsis for the book as well as buyer and customer reviews, for sellers to make informed decisions on their purchases.  Select the Teacher Bookstore link, abov...

9/18/2012 Following my initial Women in Lit (WiL) observation, I decided to closely examine the class' syllabus, for specific details regarding the writing process. At the university level there is an expectation regarding a students' writing and revision abilities. Since this WiL course is writing intensive it is reasonable to have limited opportunities for drafting, peer editing, and rewrites; yet, I find it odd that syllabus for the 2000 level course does not mention visiting the university's Writing Center, for writing assistance. The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Peer Tutoring (2004) , mentioned in an earlier Sept 2012 post, explains there have been stigmas suggesting the use of writing centers is solely for remediation purposes (p145). Obviously, this is not true. Good writers know they need assistance in creating good works. The involvement of an additional mind is the difference between being a student writer and an expert. Students in the WiL class are required t...

What happens as students try to become members of new academic discourse communities? What special writing and thinking abilities are required? What personal investments must be made? In the articles "Keeping Close to Home: Class and Education" by bell hooks (1989) and "Does Coming to College Mean Becoming Someone New?" by Kevin Davis (1993) both authors speak of the challenges in adopting academic discourse for educational and professional purposes. As present or future English educators to secondary and especially higher education students, it is necessary to consider how the writing process transforms an individual. Davis (1993) admits that his entrance into the English-major community warranted more than merely reading, thinking, and writing; he was being encouraged to become someone new. His style, authentic, and whimsical voice was not enough to form a rooted spot in academic community. The thought of rejecting his true self to earn the title of an En...

"All writers need writing tutors" - Muriel Harris The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Peer Tutoring  (2004) makes the role of  tutoring, editing, and writing centers (in the US) crystal clear. Understanding the history of writing centers and tutoring for writers is quite remarkable. Writing centers have existed for over 125 years, which is interesting since it seems many people think such programs are fairly new. Reading ancient, well-respected educators' statements regarding the importance put on and emphasis towards regular composition and guided revision made me think of my role as an educator, and tutor. It is important to me that my students mature as writers. In a sense, teachers function as their students editors and tutors (see chart from text below), once writing assignments have been submitted. The text led me to memories of my own writing tutorial experiences, as a student and tutor. For three years I ...

9/6/2012 As I observe classroom interactions, between teachers and learners, I am witness to several  techniques and subjects that I have yet had the opportunity to explore and implement as an educator. How do instructors decide on an approach or approaches towards student learning? Women in Literature is an interesting topic to teach and consider. (I would imagine many universities' courses that fall under the umbrella of Women Studies include few male participants.) Today's class focuses on discussion following the assigned reading. As all good teachers do, the agenda is presented with objectives in mind. These aims are central to the entire class, as students will be writing essays and expected to connect the themes and observations from previous discussions. The goal is to compare the treatment and presence of women in literature and film. Students are asked to consider the essential questions the Bechdel Test (play media clip below) present. The class adds another e...

"Who is to say that robbing a people of its language is less violent than war?" ~ Ray Gwyn Smith While I was reading a chapter in Gloria Anzaldia's Borderlands/La Frontera there were three reoccurring thoughts that danced threw my mind regarding language. To provide a brief background on the text... Anzaldia expresses the discrimination, lack of support, and struggle one faces, who was/is born in a country other than America, where the primary language is not English. Specifically highlighting the Spanish speaking population, I read a small amount of the shameful remarks and negative comments an individual may hear from countrymen, Americans, and native English speakers, who possess no compassion or empathy for English Language Learners that speak a developed form of English (ex. Chicano Spanish). Why are people quick to judge, stereotype, and make assumptions (positive and negative) about another HUMAN BEING based upon the accent, dialect, and native language one sp...

In order to teach my future young scholars about any form of literacy, I must first explore what that means and provide examples to establish connections. We, that are literate, have various forms of discourse communities we belong to, beyond the primary literacy our early, usually home, life provides for us. James Paul Gee explains 5 common opinions that have been expressed about the understanding of discourse: Discourses are inherently "ideological" ex. The language skills we learned at home are changed through our learning experiences, in and outside of schools. For instance, instead of using proper names for human body parts, one may start to use the slang terms peers and friends use.  Discourses are resistant to internal criticism and self-scrutiny ex. Outside influences will not allow the mind to criticize without bias. Discourse-defined positions from which to speak and behave are not, however, just defined internal to a discourse, but also as standpoints ...

As a future Secondary Ed - English teacher I am reminded of encouraging and damaging things some of my instructors did that had positive or negative impacts on students. In this particular memory I am the student that was negatively affected by an instructor's seemingly helpful decision. When I was a junior, in high school, my new English instructor assigned a creative writing project to the class. This was a regular English course with varying levels of student ability. I realized this when I finished in class writing assignments, I deemed easy, before others, who viewed the writing as difficult. A few students asked me to help them with their writings outside of class. After turning in my short story about the untold life of a secondary character in Gloria Naylor's novel The Women of Brewster Place the teacher passed back everyone's paper, but mine. She gave the class a "Do Now"/warm-up writing exercise and asked me to step outside with her, in her hand was m...

As a future English teacher for public school students, linguistics is significant to my education and instruction. Below are a list of quotes, from an American writer, regarding language along with so me questions I con sidered after reading t he quotes. Questions What do you understand each of these statements (based on a lot of research) to mean? What do you know or what have you experienced that supports these ideas? In what ways do you see these claims embraced in everyday life? In university life? In what ways do you see people/policies/language practices contradicting these ideas? Quotes All spoken language changes over time. All spoken languages are equal in linguistic terms. Grammatical and communicative effectiveness are distinct and separate issues. Written language and spoken language are historically, structurally, and functionally fundamentally different creatures. Variation is intrinsic to all spoken language at every level. Source: Lippi-Gree, Rosina...