Thursday, February 18, 2010

On Writing...with Freshmen...

So my freshmen are finishing Romeo and Juliet right now. Before this year, I hadn't taught the play since, well, let's just say it's been a long time. This has been a totally different unit for me. I went in with solid goals for the end (not necessarily assessment goals, but goals, nonetheless). It's my version of beginning with the end in mind. I look at my seniors and see how deficient they are. Then, I look for lessons that might close that deficit with my freshmen. Analysis is a problem with my seniors. Writing stamina is a problem with my seniors. Let me rephrase that; writing is a problem with my seniors.

As we near the end of our Romeo and Juliet unit, I want my students to write an essay that incorporates their new knowledge about star-crossed lovers and gives me an opportunity to teach solid technique. So I'm slowly developing a plan in my mind. A week of rough drafts.

Here's my thinking. We often give students a list of essays to choose from, have them pick a topic, and start writing. I've seen some students get frustrated with their choice and discard it halfway through. What I can do instead of overwhelming them with choices is offer them a different type of choice. We can spend a week working our way through different topics in prewriting and rough draft writing. I have a list of topics in my mind that we can work our way through:
  • Compare and contrast what you desire in a mate with what you parents desire in a mate for you. (Brainstorming already done on both.)
  • Who killed Romeo and Juliet?
  • A character analysis

And that's all I've got.

But each would require brainstorming, prewriting, webbing, and mini-lessons. And at the end of the week, they would have a series of rough drafts to work on. They can choose which one they finalize.

That's my idea. I'm dragging my feet about really putting my lesson together, though. The Olympics are on. And begging me to watch.

Friday, February 12, 2010

A New Computer on a Snow/Furlough Day

It's snowing in South Carolina! Woo hoo! I'm sure kids are going crazy right now, but we are out today. Like many other states around the country, we have no money. My district alone has furloughed teachers for two days and administrators for four. We may be looking at as many as three more days. Part time job, anyone?

So I decided to celebrate the pending snowstorm and cut in my paycheck by going out and spending the tax return that hasn't come in yet. I have fourteen days to decide if I like this or not--I went with a brand that I was not familiar with, but had the lowest PC return rate--and so far me likey!

So on this furlough day, I'm sitting in the corner of my couch with the DVR showing this week's Private Practice and watching the snow dance down from the skies and land lightly on the tops of the privacy fence outside the window. Snow is so quiet...so peaceful...and at this stage, so clean. I know that I only love it because it has been nearly seven years since we got any decent snow in this part of the state. It's a good day. The economy sucks, but maybe the snow will come down and wash all worries away...

Monday, February 08, 2010

This post is just to say...

That I don't have time to post! Rather, I don't have time to come up with anything witty to post and I might as well not post at all if I can't be witty!

My computer died at home and I have so many things to do at school that writing on my blog takes a backseat. How often does that happen? We have so many things to cover that something as important as writing takes a backseat? I'm trying not to let it happen, but it definitely is in my personal writing life.

So, with that, I'm back to planning. I'll post soon. I promise! I hope...