Hey everyone - here are some things I noticed about your midterms (other than the fact that you are all very wise). This is just a start; I'm sure I'll add more later.
--When you're asked WHY you wrote something, don't just say "because it was an assignment." Duh! But why do you think I assigned it? And as you started drafting, did a more personal purpose arise for you?
--Let's pay closer attention to who our audiences are. I always tell you that in assignment sheets so that you know who you are writing for.
--"Flow." Many of you mention it but few define it. What do you mean? Without a definition, it's not only vague to me, but it's probably vague to you. If you say you want to improve your "flow," what are you talking about? Transition words? Transitions sentences b/w paragraphs? The organization/order of your ideas? Of your paragraphs?
--In some of your midterms, I noticed that we aren't all clear on the fact that we'll be revising and polishing up *each* major assignment for the portfolio. You peers' and my comments mean something, so we need to take them into account. We write for readers, and we want to become better writers.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Ms. Ingram's Midterm
I can't believe we're half way through the semester already. I think we have accomplished a lot in these 8 weeks and we are on track to fitting everything in. ENGL 1102's course description is so rich and challenges us to learn a LOT. Anyway, I think I will set up my midterm a little differently than yours. It seems most important for me to talk about curriculum, texts, assignments, and my teaching.
Curriculum: This is the first time I've taught this particular course description for ENGL 1102. I'm really enjoying it. It has pushed me to use digital technologies (like Blogger) in my teaching. I have ended up really liking Blogger. I know a handful of you guys are having a tough time with it--and we still can't figure out why some of our "dashboards" are different than others'--but thanks for sticking with it b/c I think it's been a valuable learning and writing experience for all of us. I also really like the extended inquiry project. As many of you have told me already, breaking down a research project into multiple parts has helped you stay organized and, more importantly, understand better how research and writing works. I love that.
Texts: I know some of you never "came around" to Peace Butter & Jelly. I think that's OK though and you can still learn from the experience of reading and meeting the author. I think as far as giving us a "jumping off point" to think and talk about what it means to be healthy, this text worked well. What I don't think *I* did well was help us use that first "What's it Like to Be You" essay as not only an ice-breaker piece and a way to connect with the book, but also as a way to brainstorm research topics and interests. I had planned that essay to help us brainstorm; what makes us, us could have helped us all see what we're interested in - either by reinforcing our interests and passions or showing us what might be lacking in our lives. I will keep that in mind in the Fall semester when I'm teaching 1102 again. And I think I'm going to use Peace Butter & Jelly and this "health" theme again - unless y'all tell me in your midterms that you're hating it.
Assignments: I am feeling really good about all the assignments we've done (with the exception of what I mentioned above). Our group conferences left me feeling confident in your work ethic, which in my experience is *the* biggest hindrance to research writing: not the writing, not the thinking, but the motivation to dig in. And I see that you're working and are ready to tackle the second half of the semester, starting with your 3-Sided essay - which I know will be challenging (and dare I say FUN). I think my favorite in-class activity so far was when I brought in props to get us inquiring about health. I will try to work more props into the semester. I have to thank my colleague Anthony Borrero for that idea.
What has really surprised me about the "What's It Like to Be You" essay is that so few students (fewer than 5 of 87 students) wrote about what it's like to be a college student. It's as if we don't want to be here, as if it's not part of who we are, as if we don't see college as anything but something to "get done" and move on from - to the "real" world. What I'd like to tell students is this is life - right now. Take this opportunity to learn about everything you can. College doesn't have to just be about getting that degree, which you might not ever directly use anyway. I'd like to ask students to start each day with this question: What can you take away from this truly awesome experience? College is an experience so few people in this world get to have.
My teaching: I'm always confident in my ability to break down material - and I always hope my enthusiasm for English rubs off on students, at least a little. I've tried this semester to vary our in-class activities and to keep my energy levels up. The two things I'd like to work on are (1) staying on top of my grading, which I think will be easier this half of the semester since I'm not preparing to present at any conferences. I'm afraid my chronic migraine is back (it's been looming in my brow and the bridge of my nose since at last Sunday), and that has the potential to slow me down in so many aspects of my life. This is one reason why I'm so interested in health. Anyway, so I will be working on both staying atop my grading and atop my health. And (2), I'd also like to make more eye contact while I teach. I know I tend to look above my students' heads when I teach! It's easier to organize my thoughts that way, especially in my T/R 8:00, which is my "guinea pig" class in that they are always my first group of the week/lesson plans. But my goal is to inviting and encouraging, and I know my lack of eye contact must hinder that.
Thanks for reading. I look forward to sitting back in my pjs with some hot tea over Spring Break and reading your midterms as well. Or maybe it will be warm enough to sit on my back porch and grade. That would be lovely, because then the cats could come outside with me and hunt for lizards and sprawl out on the sunny pavement.
Ms. Ingram
Curriculum: This is the first time I've taught this particular course description for ENGL 1102. I'm really enjoying it. It has pushed me to use digital technologies (like Blogger) in my teaching. I have ended up really liking Blogger. I know a handful of you guys are having a tough time with it--and we still can't figure out why some of our "dashboards" are different than others'--but thanks for sticking with it b/c I think it's been a valuable learning and writing experience for all of us. I also really like the extended inquiry project. As many of you have told me already, breaking down a research project into multiple parts has helped you stay organized and, more importantly, understand better how research and writing works. I love that.
Texts: I know some of you never "came around" to Peace Butter & Jelly. I think that's OK though and you can still learn from the experience of reading and meeting the author. I think as far as giving us a "jumping off point" to think and talk about what it means to be healthy, this text worked well. What I don't think *I* did well was help us use that first "What's it Like to Be You" essay as not only an ice-breaker piece and a way to connect with the book, but also as a way to brainstorm research topics and interests. I had planned that essay to help us brainstorm; what makes us, us could have helped us all see what we're interested in - either by reinforcing our interests and passions or showing us what might be lacking in our lives. I will keep that in mind in the Fall semester when I'm teaching 1102 again. And I think I'm going to use Peace Butter & Jelly and this "health" theme again - unless y'all tell me in your midterms that you're hating it.
Assignments: I am feeling really good about all the assignments we've done (with the exception of what I mentioned above). Our group conferences left me feeling confident in your work ethic, which in my experience is *the* biggest hindrance to research writing: not the writing, not the thinking, but the motivation to dig in. And I see that you're working and are ready to tackle the second half of the semester, starting with your 3-Sided essay - which I know will be challenging (and dare I say FUN). I think my favorite in-class activity so far was when I brought in props to get us inquiring about health. I will try to work more props into the semester. I have to thank my colleague Anthony Borrero for that idea.
What has really surprised me about the "What's It Like to Be You" essay is that so few students (fewer than 5 of 87 students) wrote about what it's like to be a college student. It's as if we don't want to be here, as if it's not part of who we are, as if we don't see college as anything but something to "get done" and move on from - to the "real" world. What I'd like to tell students is this is life - right now. Take this opportunity to learn about everything you can. College doesn't have to just be about getting that degree, which you might not ever directly use anyway. I'd like to ask students to start each day with this question: What can you take away from this truly awesome experience? College is an experience so few people in this world get to have.
My teaching: I'm always confident in my ability to break down material - and I always hope my enthusiasm for English rubs off on students, at least a little. I've tried this semester to vary our in-class activities and to keep my energy levels up. The two things I'd like to work on are (1) staying on top of my grading, which I think will be easier this half of the semester since I'm not preparing to present at any conferences. I'm afraid my chronic migraine is back (it's been looming in my brow and the bridge of my nose since at last Sunday), and that has the potential to slow me down in so many aspects of my life. This is one reason why I'm so interested in health. Anyway, so I will be working on both staying atop my grading and atop my health. And (2), I'd also like to make more eye contact while I teach. I know I tend to look above my students' heads when I teach! It's easier to organize my thoughts that way, especially in my T/R 8:00, which is my "guinea pig" class in that they are always my first group of the week/lesson plans. But my goal is to inviting and encouraging, and I know my lack of eye contact must hinder that.
Thanks for reading. I look forward to sitting back in my pjs with some hot tea over Spring Break and reading your midterms as well. Or maybe it will be warm enough to sit on my back porch and grade. That would be lovely, because then the cats could come outside with me and hunt for lizards and sprawl out on the sunny pavement.
Ms. Ingram
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