Slice of Life - Day 7

The week is finally over.  This usually means that I am happy for the weekend and the freedom that it brings.  Today, however, my happiness is twofold. Not only am I thankful for the end of the week,  but also I am glad for the end of test preparation.

Next week my students will take the OGTs.  Every morning for two hours, sophomores will come to school to take standardized tests while the rest of the students sleep in.  Because of the emphasis that the state, and therefore the schools, place on these tests, most teachers of sophomores use a lot of the time preceding the week to prepare their students for the tests.  By the time the tests roll around in March, it is all I can do to fake my enthusiasm for the day's lesson. 

No matter what ability level, there is typically some component of preparation for the tests. And English teachers get the extra special bonus of preparing students for both a reading test and a writing test. I teach both honors sophomore English and regular sophomore English.  In my honors class, I do not need to focus on the reading test because the students' abilities to read, comprehend, and answer questions about passages surpasses the material on the actual test.  Instead, I focus on the writing test.  There is usually no concern about honors students passing the writing section, but there is a  pressure to nudge the students into the advanced score category.  This means that students need to know what they must do to write a high-scoring essay, and they must practice it. 

In my regular English class, I focus on the reading test more than the writing test.  For this test, I really teach testing strategies more than anything else.  My students learn to eliminate all "no, no, no" answers in order to figure out the correct answer. We also practice dissecting a short answer question by looking at the number of points it earns.  This helps students understand how many tasks they need to do for the question.

Last year I began at the beginning of the year, and we did OGT practice every Tuesday and Thursday. This year I started after winter break.  Either way, the kids are slow to get on board and, in general, dislike the practice. But I have found that the saying "practice makes perfect" is typically true, and the preparation pays off with the majority of my students passing their English tests.

It definitely consumes my energy as I must work hard to engage the students, but I don't mind the preparation as it is easy to prepare. What I feel this year, now that I am done with it for the rest of the year, is eagerness to delve back into literature. 

I cannot wait to read "The Fall of the House of Usher" with my honors students.  And soon we will begin Huck Finn.  I'm tired of working on texts and writing prompts that are geared toward tests.  Instead, I want to have conversations with my students about questions that have no definitive answers. I want to have my regular students write editorials in which they have to research an issue that they actually care about and want to study. 

Yes, I know what people say...that if I'm teaching the curriculum well enough, I don't have to do test preparation because the students will learn and will pass the test anyway. I'm just no so sure about that. I think that for many students, particularly below-average ability level students, familiarity and practice with the questions are what they need to pass the test. At least these tests.

So I do test preparation because I want my students to pass.  It isn't the entirety of my curriculum, but it is a big part of it until March.  And now that the week has come, I am ready to transition my focus from passing the tests to enjoying the content. That is freedom. 

Slice of Life - Day 6

Today I had to write a proposal for the reimbursement of a journalism conference that I would like to attend this summer. Below is what I wrote.  

Practical application of the conference for the development of the journalism program at the high school.

The main reason that the Advisers Institute will be of use to the high school is because the newspaper has become a fully digital publication, and as such, the teachers need to develop instructional material that suits the change.  The Advisers Institute provides opportunities to learn about developing online publications, incorporating social media into an online publication, helping students make ethical decisions about their writing, and incorporating the Common Core Standards into a journalism classroom.  This knowledge will help to achieve the ultimate goal of having a comprehensive journalism program at our school.

Because the newspaper is no longer in print form, it is critical that the program implements positive and effective digital strategies that will promote not only the newspaper, but also the school and the district.  An online publication is an ideal way to endorse our school to the community.   The newspaper is currently published on the school’s Web site. Because of security risks, only the teachers can actually post articles on the site.  Learning about an alternative location will allow students the opportunity to be more involved in the entire publication process.  In addition, the presentation of articles on the current Web site is rather bland.  Though photos and pictures can be included, the site is not as eye-catching and attention-grabbing as popular news sites.  The Advisers Institute will highlight ways in which we can build a stronger and more enticing online publication.  By learning about coordinating social media with our online publication, we can foster an interest in all of the school’s events and promote cross-curricular education.  

Slice of Life - Day 5

Why I like being alone:

Space

Comfort

Peace 

Calm

Thoughts

Possibilities

Rest

Freedom

Choice

Quiet

Slice of Life - Day 4

Today I heard a song that reminded me of another time in my life.  Of course, there are particular songs that we remember from our childhood or teenage years that are emblems.  Songs that we listened to over and over that have become part of the soundtrack of our lives. But this song was different.  It wasn't the song itself but individual sounds within the song that elicited my thoughts.  

It is an interesting sensation to be transported back in time simply by the sound of the chords in a piece of music.  Much like a smell can bring back emotions and memories, this music virtually pulled from my memory the time period when I first heard the band. As I listened to the song, there were only portions of it that actually instigated the sensation.  Whiffs that stimulated my brain so that I recalled only what it felt like to live during that time. I didn't think of specific events or problems I had encountered, but instead I thought of the person I associated with the song and the time in my life. That person is gone, yet his essence still continues to swirl around me.  I do not think about him a lot. I do not yearn to speak with him. I do not regret his lack of presence. What I feel is more a sense of nostalgia for the loss.  So when I heard the song today, and whenever I hear a song by the same band, I remember, and I relish.

Slice of Life - Day 3

For clarification purposes, my slice today supplements my day 2 post.  I explained in that post that I would be teaching my students how to complete a Key Word Outline in order to create their notecards for their demonstration speeches. I neglected to explain what a Key Word Outline is.  Below is my understanding of a Key Word Outline. Some may know it as the Cornell Note-Taking system. Obviously there are variations, but I believe my description is a common one.

The Key Word Outline 

Measure six inches from one side of a sheet of paper and draw a vertical line down the sheet.  The paper is then divided into a six-inch section and a two-inch section.  Take notes or create your outline in the six-inch section.  Once you finish note-taking, you will use the two-inch section to write key words and phrases that will serve as memory tools as you study.  Either fold the paper along the vertical line or cover up the six-inch section in order to practice and memorize the content. 

This is a great tool for learn eras because not only does it provide an efficient method of studying, but also it helps students identify the most important words and phrases from content material. 

My students will be giving their demonstration speeches soon, and I'll be collecting their notecards to check their use of the Key Word Outline. It is rare for me to ask students to memorize material, so this is the first time I've asked students to use the system. I'll let you all know how it goes in a future slice. 

Slice of Life - Day 2

Today I have been working on a demonstration speech that I will model for my speech class.  Below is my outline for the speech.  I will be using this outline to demonstrate how to create a Key Word Outline.  Students have already outlined their speeches, but tomorrow I will be explaining what a Key Word Outline is so that they can create one from their original outlines.  Then, they will use the Key Word Outline to create note cards they can use as memory tools while they deliver their speeches.

MsWagg Demonstration Speech Outline

Main idea: To convey the materials, terms, and steps necessary to paint a room.

Purpose: To convince the audience that painting a room yourself is a cost-efficient, easy way to change a room.

Visual Aides:

·         Paint brush

·         Roller

·         Roller pad

·         Tray

·         Tray cover

·         Paint

·         Tape (optional)

·         Tarp (optional)

·         Cardboard

·         Photo of edged room

·         Slide with descriptions of types of paint (primer, water v. oil, matte v. glossy)

Intro: 

Imagine leaving the last day of school in June only to return to the same building the following Monday. For three of my teenage summers, I spent my days at my school, painting walls, doors, floors, and anything that kids can scrawl upon, scratch, and scuff. Eight hours a day, five days a week, I painted. Sound dreary? Unbearable? Not really. True, I painted, and painted, and painted, so perhaps it was a bit monotonous. But I worked with pleasant and interesting young people who were eager to converse about any and every topic, so the days were not terrible. Even better, I learned how to paint so well that I can edge a room with no tape, and when I finish rolling, my paint job looks professional.

What I would like to share with you today is how to paint a room so that you can paint a room professionally without the expense of hiring a professional painter.

Body 1:

• Prior to painting, there are several decisions you need to make.
  • Color – dark colors vs. light colors
  • Type – location of room and use of room
  • Sheen – personal preference
  • Decide whether the room needs primed.
    • Bare drywall always need a coat of primer to seal the drywall and help the paint adhere.
    • Painting a dark room a lighter color typically needs primed so that you completely cover the previous color.

Body 2:

• Acquire the necessary materials.
• Step 1: Edge room.
  • Tape the edges if you have an unsteady hand or are not practiced in painting.
  • Always edge first so that you can roll over the edges to ensure no obvious difference between rolling and edging.
• Step 2: Roll room.
  • Slow and easy so as not to splatter
  • Repeat over area to completely cover missed spots.
    • Angle roller.

Conclusion:

Some may shy away from dipping their “brushes” and tackling the task of painting a room. It does take time and energy. It can be messy. But with knowledge and practice, painting a room yourself can save you hundreds of dollars. Just this month, I saved $300 by priming and painting my own bedroom after contractors remodeled it. Throughout your lifetime, you will live in countless rooms. You will inherit colors that the previous occupants loved but that you see as hideous. You will get tired last year's “Tiffany Blue” and want this year's “Robin's Egg Blue.” Remember this speech, and you will be able to paint your rooms with ease and confidence. 

Slice Of Life - Day 1

Life is a grapefruit.

Sweet, sticky, pink pulp

dripping juice on my fingers.

Sometimes

I stab the orb 

and saw it in half.

Carefully slicing 

around the rind

separating flesh from fiber.

Or maybe I peel and pick,

popping pieces 

like candy, then

quickly devouring 

bite after bitter bite.

Always I squeeze

the last drops 

and

slurp.