So, I haven't written a thing about my English 725 course, Place Conscious Pedagogy and Writing. Why? Becasue it would take me days to write about the complex issues we have discussed in the past seven weeks. I'm truly impressed by these graduate students who have stayed the course for some very hefty theoretical reading. The responses to the texts have been insightful, brilliant, and incredibly thought-provoking. The class is a mixture of gradute students who are graduate assistants and graduate students who are teaching full time. This combination has crreated quite a community of scholars with a great deal of wisdom. Tonight, we met for the second time on TodaysMeet to have a synchronous meeting about our place-consicous unit plans and the conversation was incredible! (Oh, I forgot to mention that I'm teaching this via Blackboard with 3 ftf meetings throughout the semester). Some of the ideas proposed for place-conscious units were studying a local cemetery where Civil War soldiers are buried, local parks, immigration in Dallas County, community literacy after school projects, and two ESL teachers considering students writing about their "two" places. All wonderful. We have read a great deal upon the varying aspects of place conscious studies: place-conscious pedagogy and various models, regional history, regional ecology and comunity action. We just finsihed community action and the responses were riveting to read. I am excited to read the unit plans next week. It has been quite fascinating to see how students have navigated the use of Blackboard as well. One thing I know I need to change is how we can incorporate their blogs a bit more. I had hoped they could showcase their work there and I need to emphasize that a bit more.
Tomorrow marks the first day of the English 405 microlessons! I cannot wait to see what the students do in the classroom. I have read the first two lessons and provided feedback but they really didn't need much! They are ready to go! Last week we focused on our literature pair shares. We didn't have class on President's Day and Wedneday we had a work day so partners could begin work on their units on one of the top ten novels or plays taught in U.S. high schools. This semester I am happy to say, we have four Shakespeare plays and I couldn't be happier! I'm always fascinated by what students do when first conceptualizing how they might teach the plays.
The nice thing about the microlessons is that each student completes an evaluation or feedback form. These multiple voices and perspectives is so valuable. With 18 sets of eyes, we all notice different things. The whole point is to build a community of scholars and peers so that we help each other and build each other up into the best practicing teachers possible. We also videotape the lesson and each student is asked to watch it and then complete an evaluation of him or herself. I did this coaching speech and even though it is hard to watch yourself, you do notice things that you do. Or don't do.
Tomorrow marks the first day of the English 405 microlessons! I cannot wait to see what the students do in the classroom. I have read the first two lessons and provided feedback but they really didn't need much! They are ready to go! Last week we focused on our literature pair shares. We didn't have class on President's Day and Wedneday we had a work day so partners could begin work on their units on one of the top ten novels or plays taught in U.S. high schools. This semester I am happy to say, we have four Shakespeare plays and I couldn't be happier! I'm always fascinated by what students do when first conceptualizing how they might teach the plays.
The nice thing about the microlessons is that each student completes an evaluation or feedback form. These multiple voices and perspectives is so valuable. With 18 sets of eyes, we all notice different things. The whole point is to build a community of scholars and peers so that we help each other and build each other up into the best practicing teachers possible. We also videotape the lesson and each student is asked to watch it and then complete an evaluation of him or herself. I did this coaching speech and even though it is hard to watch yourself, you do notice things that you do. Or don't do.
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