Book Club

Analysis
“And I worried about me. I had always loved writing (at least away from school). I was a secret novelist who stuffed a thirty-page “manuscript” under my mattress at the age of thirteen. I wrote corny poems and gave them as gifts to friends and relatives. I carried with my the joy that my Aunt Cathy has saved every piece of my writing, including letters, cards, and a copy of my autobiography at age ten, in a box in her bedside table drawer. But – I had never kept a writer’s notebook. How could I possibly ask students and teachers to begin doing something I had never experienced myself?” (Hindley 13)
I really appreciated this passage and the subsequent paragraphs in which Hindley described herself as a person who likes to ‘save words’ (this went on for multiple paragraphs, so I did not transcribe them here). This part of the book struck a nerve with me because I could really relate to Hindley’s dilemma about requiring students to do something that you as a teacher have never done. I think that even having this dilemma speaks volumes about Hindley as a teacher because she clearly cares about the significance of the tasks she asks her students to complete – she wants each task to DO something for each child. How can a teacher evaluate the effectiveness of any task without having completed it him or herself? I think that is an especially important question to consider when implementing any new activity because it requires teachers to really dig into the heart of the activity and find what makes any given activity work, and why.
We, as teachers and tutors, should actively participate in lessons and projects with our students. What better way to see things ‘from the other side’ and gather invaluable insight on our teaching? On a larger scale, it is important to put aside biases we have as individuals against particular subjects and assignments in order to be an effective teacher for the diverse children with various learning styles who will inevitably show up in our classrooms. If you, as a teacher, are willing to try something that is uncomfortable or unfamiliar to you, your students will be more willing to do the same. Willingness to try something new sets an excellent example for students of any age!

Discussion Questions
1. Investigate Paul’s motives for reading the Goosebumps series, when he previously had little interest in reading at all. What was the turning point in his opinion about reading? (p. 92)
There are many factors that may influence a child’s desire to read: the topic of a book, the way it is written, a book’s popularity … The reasons a child may decide to read are as varied as the children themselves! It is important to look at all of the possible ‘sparks’ for children in order to reach as many students as possible. However, the most important thing to remember is that it is nearly impossible to predict a spark for every student, so teachers should provide a wide variety of books and encourage children to read different types (through read-alouds, book talks, etc.) to help children find their niche.

2. Justify the use of mini-lessons (as opposed to ‘maxi-lessons’) in the classroom. Hindley seems to rely heavily on these in her own classroom and references them often in this text. If they are as effective and important as Hindley says that are, why don’t more teachers use this format?
First of all, it is important to remember that just because something is not widely used does not mean it isn’t pedagogically effective. Though I got through school just fine with ‘maxi-lessons’, perhaps I would’ve done better with mini-lessons. Hindley certainly had me convinced of their use by the end of this text. They capture students’ attention about a particular skill/topic for a minimal amount of time (before the kids’ attention span runs out), then gives them ample opportunity to practice the new skill/concept. Since authentic experience is one of the most effective learning tools, this format is extremely valuable in the classroom.

3. Have you ever used or heard about writer’s notebooks in elementary school classrooms? Were they effective? Do you think writer’s notebooks would be effective at the high school or even college level?
I have never seen (or even heard of!) the concept of a writer’s notebook. The closest thing I’ve heard of has been a journal, but those have scripted prompts and are very structured in general – so they went against the whole point of a writer’s notebook, as I saw it. I think writer’s notebooks would be an effective tool at any grade because they invite creativity and experimentation. It is important to feel free to create writing in any form, because not all writers produce their pieces in the same way. I love how these notebooks encourage expression in many ways – everyone could benefit from that encouragement!

Why Study Grammar?

How can teachers walk the line between boring, isolated grammar instruction and no grammar instruction at all when teaching a variety of students?

I'm a believer in the idea that you have to know the rules first, and know them well, before you break them. I think this ESPECIALLY applies to grammar -- it is hard to take someone seriously if they are speaking improperly. I wouldn't take a grammar lesson from someone who told me "you gots to learn grammar or else you're not gonna be no good". That's not to say that this dialect doesn't have a place, or that it is not 100% effective for those who understand it and use it, but it's not standard English ... it's not proper grammar.

I think that in order to communicate with people we need to have some kind of common ground. Yes, people can speak their different dialects to varying discourse communities, but it would be nice to be able to walk up to a stranger and communicate with them without having to analyze their dialect first. I'm not advocating that we all speak the King's English or anything, I just think that we need to be able to have a baseline dialect for communication. In that vein, I really like Calderonello's idea that we should teach grammar in context -- not get bogged down with the nitty gritty rules and terminology, but teach children how to USE grammar effectively in everyday life.

Easier said than done, though. How can we take a class of various language-speakers and even more varying dialects and teach them all that baseline? An even harder question is: how can we make that fun?! I think the difficulty of these questions is why teachers often resort to language drills and standard-English, isolated grammar instruction. It is HARD to toe the line between improper grammar and 'good enough' grammar, especially when you have to take lots of student dialects into consideration. Is the best way to do this to simply correct grammar on papers and assignments and hope that it sinks in? Or are some sort of specific grammar exercises necessary? Where do we stand between the King's English and the chaos of millions of dialects? Where SHOULD we stand?

Technology in Writing

The article I chose is called electronic Texts in ESOL Classrooms, and it speaks to all the benefits integrating technology into learning brings. This is particularly true in ESOL classrooms, where students are typically behind, or lack confidence, or both. The authors' point is that "computers do not simply affect individual learning but tend to reshape classroom processes overall" (Meskill & Mossop 586), and they prove that over the course of the article. The programs the authors speak of are word-processing programs, where children can create (write, illustrate, etc.) stories and play games that support content and literacy in the classroom. These experiences allow these ESOL students to "practice the language and literacy needed for school" (Meskill & Mossop 588).

The biggest benefit of computers is that using them inspires and motivates students, changing the learning process from a teacher-centered one to a student-centered one. The authors say that the locus of control in internal; lies with the students, as the teacher's role becomes supportive instead of one of leadership. Children are excited to learn when a computer is involved! Students take responsibility for their learning and initiate learning experiences on compters. They are also extremely proud of their work and their success in school when they work on computers because their work is public and they can clearly see their work minute-to-minute. When given the opportunity to work with computers extensively in ESOL classrooms, ESOL students become well-versed in computers and can become leaders in their homeroom classrooms when it comes to computers, another sense of pride and accomplishment.

Ultimately, computers help ESOL students acheive, and allow them to be proud of their achievements!