September 18, 2007

Homework:
Be prepared for the oral presentation

Today:
Buzzword

Today was the first day of presentations. Today is when students finally learn what my expectations are for their reading. All the talking in the world beforehand does not prepare them for exactly what I am looking for when they get in front of the class. Therefore, on the first day of presentations, the first few students are the guinea pigs. After each of the first few readings, I go into detail explaining why I gave the grade I gave. This can be hard for students to hear, but each time I explain a score to the class, I am teaching. The students who follow these students have the advantage of taking more time to make their readings exactly what I want. They also are at a disadvantage because I will have heard lots of great readings! Today's guinea pigs, though, are allowed to revise their essays based on the feedback I provided. In the end, if a student revises a paper and makes it better based on my feedback to others, I have done my job! We will listening to presentations most of the week. I will eventually make a web page so you can listen to your child.

P.S. I have some students who were not prepared to read. They will be graded two grades lower for being late. That is my policy.