The Theme of the Day . . .

Well, I haven't even thought of English for the past few days as I've been serving on a jury. It was NOT fun, and there's no way to spin that. It was, however, a great chance to see logos, ethos, and pathos in action in the real world.

In other news, I ran across a fantastic Prezi by Nicole Kronzer over at the EC Ning. This one is on teaching students to create themes:

At Last!!!

So, I mentioned in a previous post that I had submitted an article for publication. At the time, the editors indicated that they would be getting back in touch with me mid-August. Not so. I finally got an email back today saying that they were recommending my article for inclusion in the Utah English Journal, but they would like me to make a few changes to it. I am pretty excited about it, but it's going to be a bit of work to do the editing, as I only have five days to do it. (I get the feeling that somebody somewhere procrastinated a bit.)

Animoto-My First Try

The EC Ning has been buzzing about Animoto in the last few weeks. Many teachers used the free online video creator to make "trailers" about their class for the first day of school. I didn't get my Animoto teacher membership in time to create one for the first day of school, but I did make one for Back to School Night. Here is the sneak peek the parents got of our upcoming semester:

A word of warning: Animoto is addicting.

Film Literacy

Frank Baker, the Film Literacy Guru over at ECNing, recently posted this great list of ideas for teaching film terms using the bonus materials on DVDs. Unfortunately, many of them are R-rated, so I wouldn't be able to use them, but it is still a great resource.

He also brought my attention to another great new site with screen education resources. Generator is a Web 2.0 enabled site that provides students and teachers with a wealth of resources to support the teaching of screen based content. Featured are: Video Gallery; Educational Themes; Learn From the Makers; Free Media Library; Explore Production Resources. In addition, there is a Storyboard Generator. and a Teachers Lounge. Other features are on Approaches to Alice in Wonderland and other works of director Tim Burton: The Fantastical Imaginings of Tim Burton

Writing Circles

So, this is my latest read. I actually picked this book up at NCTE, but I never read it until just barely. I am actually pretty excited about trying this in my class this year. This is what fellow ECNinger Glenda Funk had to say about it:

Hi, Denee~

Mardie alerted me to your discussion since I've been AWOL from the Ning lately. I have read Jim Vopat's book and love it. I used a combination of Writing Circles, quick writes (thanks, Penny Kittle), and formal essay assignments last year. My students really like the writing circle approach since it allows them so much choice. Our circles met once a week, and I assigned quick writes twice a week. I like Vopat's ideas for responding to one another's writing but need more, which I'll be working on next year. I think students aren't as familiar w/ the various genres as we might think they are. Many students default to what they think the teacher wants. I'll be working on that, especially since I assign a multigenre research paper. I also think it's really important to continue introducing students to good mentor texts, which I'm planning to connect more to writing circles. I also think I need to do more to help my students find topics. Some groups had trouble thinking about topics, which is really my fault for not reminding them to come to class w/ a topic.

I collected the writing notebooks (w/ writing circle responses and quick writes) at the end of the trimester. Next year I'm collecting them twice each tri. Those students who come unprepared need an immediate consequence; they can really bog things down. One of the fantastic benefits of the circles for me was joining into the student conversation and relinquishing control of their circles to them, which they found more difficult than I.

I'm also toying w/ the idea of extending the WC's to blogging. I think this would offer an excellent platform for revision.

Last year was one of the best of my long career. It was so good, in fact, that I'm worried that next year will be a big let down. Giving students choice via writing circles and Gallagher's 50/50 approach to reading increased student writing and reading in my classroom significantly. It's a win-win for students and for myself. And did I mention how easy the grading is?

Basic WC format:
1. Students meet to choose a topic, choose a first reader, and choose a timekeeper.
2. On day WCs meet, students share their writing by reading aloud to the group. Afterward, group members respond according to a predetermined response starter. For example, "I'd like to hear more about..." or "Choose a 'Golden Sentence' from each members' response." Vopat offers suggestions.
3. Choose a new topic for the next WC. Each member writes on the same topic but may choose any genre.
4. Members complete a "Writing Circle Think-Back," which Vopat provides. This is a self-reflection as well as a group reflection form. These go into the WC notebooks.

Cheers,
Glenda

I can't wait to try this in my own classroom!!

Mrs. Tyler Takes a Plunge

I did something completely out of character for me this week. I've been getting emails from the leaders of CUWP urging us to submit to the Utah English Journal for publication. Normally I would be too shy, but I decided to give it a try. I've submitted a paper detailing how I combine Sherman Alexie and memoir to start off my American Literature class. I won't find out for about a week or so if they have accepted my paper or not. Whew. I am actually nervous about it. It's like sending a baby out into the cold cruel world.

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

This book by Anne Lamott is the next CUWP Reading Group Choice. We will be meeting October 7th at 5:30 at the Provo Brick Oven. I am really looking forward to reading and discussing it.

Structures for Conversation

A fellow EC NINGer posted this great link to a demonstration of many different classroom conversation styles. I think this will be a great resource.

EC Ning Websitute

An idea for project based learning.

Literary Ladies Book Group Ideas

Camp Yearbook Wrapup

I just spent three days at Josten's Camp Yearbook at the Cliff Resort at Snowbird. Wow - I learned so much my brain fills like it is going to explode. I had two students with me, and we were all energized and excited about our next year's theme: Shift_.

I am most excited about the switch (shift) we plan to do in making our book more of a story telling experience. I am still processing everything I learned, but I will probably do a brain dump here in the near future.

So why did I choose a picture of a zip line to post here? Because I freaking did this!!! Actually, the tram ride to the zip line tower was WAY scarier than the zip line itself. Long, slow, high rides are my worst nightmare - think Ferris wheels - yuck. The zip line itself was pretty exhilarating and fast. WOOT!!!!!

New York Times Lessons

I frequently use articles and lessons from this source. Now they have made it even easier to use with this link: Teaching Topics from The Times.

Reading Ladders: Leading Students from Where They Are to Where We'd Like Them to Be

This is the latest book club from the EC Ning. I am really enjoying both the book and the conversation on the Ning. Lots of good ideas floating around there. More to come...

Thank You Donors Choose, Wells Fargo, Eccles Foundation, and Bing

So, I have been extremely blessed in the last few months to have three! projects funded through Donors Choose. I've received (or will receive next year): two classroom sets of books and a flip video camera. I am so excited. This is how it all happened:

On the first project, the Eccles Foundation matched my donors, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation covered the rest. The project was funded in one day, and I got a set of The Poisonwood Bible and some classroom library texts.

The next project was languishing for a while until I got an email from Donors Choose about a promotion that the site called Bing was doing. All you had to do was go to their site, fill out a quick form, and they would send you a $5 gift card for a Donors Choose Donation. Well, I filled out the forms for every person in my family, and Mike and Alison did their part, too, and I quickly had the 2nd project (The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and more class library novels) funded, thanks to another match from the Eccles Foundation.

I was on a roll, so I submitted a third project, a flip camcorder, and with the help of more Bing donations and others, and the Eccles match, that was funded.
 

I just submitted a fourth project today for a class set of 1984. That match money is too good to pass up.

I've learned some things while doing this.

1. Proposals with matching funds are more likely to get funded.
2. Once you get within 50 dollars of your goal, people are more likely to donate to your proposal
3. I love Bing, the Eccles Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Zombie Haiku

We had so much fun doing Zombie Haiku at CUWP that I had my students do some in October. They loved it! (Maybe a little too much)
Here is the PowerPoint I used to introduce it. I actually embedded the things I link to into the presentation.

Not "Were" Wolves

So, I guess I'll be reading this for a while. From the blurbs on the cover, it sounds good. This is the next book that the Literary Ladies will be reading for our book group.

This book was written by my neighbor, Kristen Chandler! I just picked up three signed copies.

Here is Kris, posing with her book at her house (photo credit).

A Little Chinglish, Anyone?

The New York Times ran an article on Chinglish, and then they invited their readers to submit examples. I laughed so hard I started crying. Enjoy!

Sensory Writing

I've been trying to do a little more with sensory writing this semester. In addition to writing about art, I've had the kids eat a Rice Krispy treat while writing about how they would describe it to someone from another planet, and I've had them compare a character from The Importance of Being Earnest to a tootsie roll pop. The kids seem to like it (and the treats don't hurt their engagement, either).

Digital Memoir

So, this week I am having  my students use Windows Movie Maker (or I-movie if they have a Mac) to create a PSA. Next year I may want to use something like this in my memoir/tell my own story unit, just to shake things up. It won't be the only thing I do, but I think it would create interest in what they are doing.

For My Next NCTE Trip!

This flight attendant packs all of this into one carry-on bag. And, she doesn't even have to sit on the suitcase to close it!!

Now if they can figure out how to roll up ARCs and other books, I won't have to pay the $25 dollars and up I had to fork over in Philadelphia.

I'll have to practice this technique when we head up to Camp Yearbook this summer. I wonder if I can get all that and a laptop and printer in one bag? Hmmm. . .