Learning Letter

By taking this class in conjunction with English 408, I have learned a lot about myself as both a teacher and a student. Through this class, I have been introduced to new ways of thinking as a teacher and new strategies to incorporate into the classroom. For example, one of the texts that stuck out to me the most was Paulo Freire's "Pedagogy of the Oppressed." At first, I was pretty taken aback by his claims; that teachers are oppressing their students purely because of their position. This made me realize that as a teacher, I have to actively be aware of my position above my students. I have to actively work to create an environment in which students feel as though they are equals. By using some of the Common Core instructional suggestion from Beach, Thein, and Webb's text, I can create a classroom where students can write in order to explore the world around them. Rather than constricting students with standardized testing and the banking method, teachers should be aiming to give students the tools they need to be successful in the 21st century. As also mentioned in Duncan-Andrade and Morrell’s “Critical Pedagogy and Popular Culture in an Urban Secondary English Classroom," students should be exposed to texts and activities that celebrate their diverse lives and experiences. Duncan-Andrade defines critical pedagogy as the ability "to argue for an approach to education that is rooted in the existential experiences of marginalized peoples; that is centered in a critique of structural, economic, and racial oppression; that is focused on dialogue instead of a one-way transmission of knowledge; and that is structured to empower individuals and collectives as agents of social change." Critical pedagogy includes many of Freire's ideas, in that students should be able to recognize themselves within their education. Education should not be a luxury, and should not be for the teachers, but rather for the students. In order to get students to the place where they can be this free thinking and have the ability to critically think about their education, the California State Universities Expository Reading and Writing Course Assignment Template helps teachers break down the writing (and reading) process to ensure maximum understanding. I really liked this handout, because it breaks down very "common sense" ideas into something that is easily manageable and aligns with CCSS. In order to discuss all of these texts, our class did it in a way that fostered all types of learning. Tying back in to the California State Assignment template, we (students) had the opportunity to post our thoughts on our blogs, talk in small groups, and then discuss as a whole group. I would like to incorporate this type of open discussion in my classrooms. This quarter at my practicum school, the seventh graders in my class had a student led Socratic Seminar. Students absolutely loved the free flowing discussion and sharing of ideas. I want to incorporate more discussions like this during my full time student teaching. In addition to our readings, I think that the book-talks, mini lessons, and unit plan also helped me start to make the shift from student to teacher. The book talks were really fun and interesting towatch, but also very helpful as a future teacher. Doing my own book talk, I actually reread one of my favorite books that I enjoyed as a teenager. I had to shift my lens in order to view it from a teacher's view point, an administrator's, a student's, and a parent's. This helped me further my love of reading, and also to determine how I could turn what I consider to be good books into classroom material. I saw this unfold in other students' book talks as well. In addition to this, it was also helpful to do the mini lessons. While I am in the classroom already, I don't get the valuable feedback from my students that I get from a classroom full of colleagues. This helped me determine what truly works, and what needs some work. I took this seriously, and as a challenge. I will never have the opportunity to get honest feedback from my peers again! However, the unit plan has been the biggest challenge for me this quarter. With taking 20 credits, working, and doing my practicum, the hardest part of doing the unit plan is the lack of time. I have found it to be a very useful and realistic portrayal of what it will be like to be a full time teacher. In addition to this, I will definitely be using some of these lessons for my edTPA when I full time student teach. It has been so helpful to be held to these standards that none of my education classes have enforced thus far. To sum up, this course has truly helped me make the shift into thinking "like a teacher." At the beginning of the quarter, you stated that this was the quarter that we would truly start to make that shift. Now, in the very last week of the quarter, I could not agree more. Rather than looking at assignments as a student, I have viewed them as helpful in my growth as a teacher. I am eager to continue learning more and more as I progress in my field. All of the texts that we read for class made me become more excited and sure about my future. Being in an environment with like-minded people also helped me explore new possibilities to teaching that I had not considered before. I think that my participation in this class has successfully set me up for my teaching career, and given me new tools to do so. 

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Blog Post #14: Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet is a staple in any high school English class. Most students read this as their first introduction to Shakespeare. Most of the time, this play is taught as a tragic love story of young and dumb love. However, I would teach this completely different. Instead, I would have students examine the familial bonds between the characters and how that influences their actions and reactions. For example, we could have a discussion or essay about whether or not the two lovers were only "in love" because their family hated each other so much. They probably would not have died if their families were not so controlling. We could also discuss what would have happened if Juliet would have just married Paris instead of going against her father's wishes. These discussions could all lead into students considering their own families, and how they function and interact. We could examine whether or not Juliet's maid was responsible. Their final essay for the unit could be argumentative; the students would choose a character in the book who was the most responsible for the multitude of deaths in the book. It could be the friar, for marrying two young teens, the Capulets or Montagues, Romeo, or Juliet. Before the essay, students could have a mock trial, putting all of the characters on trial for murder and seeing what argument held up the best. This would be a really fun play to act out (in some selected scenes by the teacher). Students would enjoy this play if it was taught in an entertaining and engaging way. There is love, violence, suspense, within the play. All of these things are present in modern day works, and could easily be connected to each other. There are also many renditions of the play that could be used as supplements for students. I would definitely read this play in class with students, and within reading groups.

Blog Post #13: In the Name of God

Jolin's In the Name of God explores a very complex and current world issue. Especially with the rise of fear mongering by political figures such as Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, it is important for students to get a compassionate glimpse into the lives of Muslim people in other countries. Most students get their information and opinions from their parents, which is expected. However, I think that it essential for school to open up new perspectives and beliefs. Students are then able to use their critical thinking skills to determine a stance on an particular subject. For example, if a school is in a suburban and white neighborhood, students are probably not exposed to many Muslim peers. This book would be a good start to help students get a more global view of the world. It would also be a good book to introduce students to unreliable narrators, since our narrator feels so strongly and her beliefs are so black and white. Students would be able to see, through the narrator, that the radical Muslim issues are much more complex than they are generally taught. Through the people around Nadia, we see what Islam should look like, and that it can be a positive and modern religion.
In this unit, students could explore their own religion or lack thereof and write a personal narrative about how they found or lost their religion or spirituality. They could also write an informative essay about an assigned religion and literary compounds of that religion. This book opens up many different opportunities for not only literary elements, but current world issue discussions and activities.

Blog Post #12: Maus

The two graphic nvovels that we read from the Maus series were so much more impactful than any other Holocaust narrativve that I have read. Spiegalman's portrayal of the Jews and the Nazis provided much more to the story than just a simple history lesson or  a book like The Diary of Anne Frank or Night. While all Holocaust novels are essential to history and are imperative for learning, Maus creates a whole new layer of understanding and complexity.
For high school or middle school students, this book would be very engaging. Part of the reason is because of the format that it is written. I would have muuch rather  read this book in high school than the former two books that I mentioned, or at least have read this along with those two. The fact that it is a graphic novel helps engage students who may struggle with reading, students with low reading and writing comprehension, and draw in the kinestetic and spatial learners. Spielgalman captivates his audience through his complicated relationship with his father. That theme in itself could provide material for discussion in the classroom, as most people have complex and complicated relationships with someone close to them. With this book, teachers have ample opportunities to appeal to their students. Students could work on making their own graphic novel throughout the unit as individuals, or the class could compile a graphic novel throughout the year focusing on things that they haave read or done. This activity could be accomplished by hand or through a comic strip website.
Maus would also be a great way to introduce symblism to students. By focusing on the nationalities represented and their corresponding animal representations, the teacher can also push students to consider stereotyping. This activity would probably go hand in hand with discussing racism, xenophobia, and current world events and literature that connect to the text.

Blog Post #11: Edgar Allen Poe

All of Poe's work could be used within a class of middle schoolers to high schools, and achieve different standards and main objectives. Poe could be used to introduce students to strong figurative language, poetry and verse, theme, and unreliable narrators. In "The Fall of the House of Usher," the narrator becomes increasingly unreliable as the story goes on. This, paired with the dark themes and rich language, can lead students to have a lot of fun with the story. If it is taught well, students could even use this as a springboard to create their own short narrative with an unreliable narrator. Another example of an unreliable narrator can be seen in "The Tell Tale Heart." The speaker is extremely neurotic and has auditory hallucinations, and also has a strong conscious, we find out. I have personally seen this story taught as young as 4th grade, which I think goes to prove that Poe is pretty universal. However, I would have much better understood the content and language if I had studied it in a higher grade.
Within the poems "The Bells" and "The Raven" we see the obviously recurring theme of death. Both of these poems would be a great introduction to poetry. I personally prefer "The Raven" a bit more, and I think it could be paired with Poe's essay "The Philosophy of Composition." Whether the essay has been written as a satire or not has been argued, but the class could examine how his thoughts in "The Philosophy of Composition" ties into the final product of "The Raven." It would be part of a great poetry unit that could end with students writing their own Gothic poem. I would also add the poem "Annabel Lee" to that unit. I think it adds to the theme of death of loved ones.

Book Talk Handout

Luna by Julie Anne Peters

Background

·      Published in 2003 as the first young adult novel to have an explicitly transgender character

·      Highly controversial and banned in many schools

Text Description

·      It focuses on the main character, Regan, a sixteen-year-old girl in a conservative family.

·      Her sister, who has chosen the name Luna, is transgender. To her family and everyone else but her sister and close friends, she is Liam.

·      The novel is told through Regan’s point of view.  

·      The story focuses on the relationship between Luna and Regan, and Regan’s growth that she is forced to come to through her sister.

·      The book explores religious upbringings, and a family that is unaccepting of their child. At the end of the book, it is revealed that Regan and Luna’s mother knew all along that she was transgender and refused to acknowledge it. Most of this refusal stemmed from the fear of their father.

Rationale

·      This text would be more suitable for high school students, because it does reference sex and drugs.

·      However, since it is told from the point of view of a non-LGBT person, many students could connect with the story. This would help students who are not exposed to transgender issues see that all people should be treated with love and dignity.

·      This novel does require an open mind, so I would not teach it in an extremely religious school, unless I am trying to make a statement. If I knew that there was homophobia and transphobia going on in my school, I would try to teach it.

·      Even though the book is controversial, it would be essential to have in your library to help students who may be coming out as transgender.

Obstacles

·      Despite this being a great novel, administration, parents, and some students would have issues with it. It is considered a “controversial” subject, but I think that teachers could normalize the topic through this book.

·      Depending on the school, many administrators may not allow teachers to share this book with students. Because of this, teachers would need a strong rationale and unit surrounding it. I would also foresee many parents being upset, if they saw it on an attack of their religion or other beliefs. This would reflect directly on student reactions, which teachers can combat or foster through discussion.

Teaching Ideas

·      This novel would be perfect for many open discussions, before reading, during reading, and after reading.

·      To end the unit, I think a reflective, personal narrative style essay would be an appropriate choice. Students would explore how they view the importance of family acceptance and their personal tolerance.

·      A written reflection of how students have faced or witnessed any prejudice or intolerance in their lives would make students think critically about how other people affect their lives, and how they can do the same.  

Blog Post #10: Gallagher's Readicide

Much of the sentiment that Gallagher shows toward the education system is similar to Tovani's point of view. Their critique is on the banking system, which is essentially just attempting to "fill up" students with knowledge, and then prove their "knowledge" on standardized tests. Gallagher concludes that most high school students are not ready for the real world, and not by fault of their own. It is not necessarily teachers' faults either; because of our world of standardized testing, students are not being taught meaningful learning strategies. Like Tovani, Gallagher also acknowledges that students are not comprehending reading as well as they should be. Most students do not know what they are reading, even though they know how to read the words. I also like how Gallagher took the time to point out that students need an introduction to what they are reading by using the "farrier" story. Based off of students' literal locations, they are at a disadvantage to some texts unless they are given background information by their teachers. Since most of the time they do not want to or do not know how to make connections themselves, we (as teachers) will have make that bridge between them and the text. From that point, students can make personal connections with the text in order to understand it better.
Another point that surprised me was Gallagher's view on SSR. In most of my education classes, I have been taught that SSR is a wait of valuable time for students and teachers. But in the studies that Gallagher has shown, SSR turns out to be more effective than directly teaching reading. Many of the values that are necessary for students become readers come from students being consistent readers. Without giving students the time and opportunity for this, how do we expect them to pass any tests or comprehend any reading past an artificial level? Personally, I love SSR. However I do see the downsides to it; we already have so much to teach that it can be very difficult to find time to allow for SSR when that time could be used to teach. The statistics show positive results, though, and I would like to try to include SSR in my class at least once a week. I remember in my school experience that SSR fostered my love for reading and was the one of the main things that encouraged me to be an English teacher.
I also think that the over analyzing point that Gallagher talks about is very important. So many good books are murdered because of the tiny details focused on that do not help students critically think. For example, my sophomore year of high school we had to read A Tale of Two Cities and it was accompanied by an 80 page packet with detailed questions of virtually every word in the book. We were expected to read it completely independently, and answer the questions in the packet. To this day, I still refuse to read that book because of the horrible connotation due to that class.