Homework: quiz on unit 2 tomorrow. Sections 3,6,7 have to make flashcards.
I am being blown away by the study of the song "Only a Pawn in Their Game." If you get the chance, give it a listen. The song looks like it is about the assassin who killed Medgar Evers, but on closer inspection, it is really about the larger picture. When Dylan says, "But it ain't him to blame," he is really talking about the larger influences that created the man who killed Medgar Evers. The influences are listed in the song: politicians, school, poverty, the KKK, and governors. They are the ones to blame. They are the ones who influenced him.
That made me think. The collages the students made were just the good influences in their lives. However, we are influenced by both good and bad in our lives! We are pulled both ways. I am thinking that our convictions come from that pull. Why do we feel strongly about something? Isn't it because we are being told that we are wrong? We have to hold fast to our beliefs so they don't change. We also try to convince others because we see that they are being pulled so strongly by bad influences.
Do they (do we) even know how we are influenced? Do we need someone to tell us? Are we introspective enough to see our own faults? The people Dylan sang about weren't. They believed racism was good.
I wonder what my paper will be about. What am I convicted of that I believe I must speak about? I said that we are not writing for others, but others will read what I write. So I must write for myself first knowing others must hear it? Or do I figure out a topic that others need to hear that is important to me? Dylan wrote about racism in the South in this song. He saw that many people were too influenced by the evil of racism. The man in the song was so lost that he thought killing a black man was actually the right thing to do.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Sept. 24
I have been working hard to catch up the past two days. I should have a grade update by Thursday. Interims will be due soon.
Today we discussed the song "Only a Pawn in Their Game" by Bob Dylan. We read about Medgar Evers and what he contributed to the Civil Rights Movement. The song repeated the idea that the white supremacist who killed him will only be remembered as a pawn, but Medgar Evers was buried in Arlinton National Cemetary. The assassin was not the hero he might have thought he would be. You can see the lyrics here: http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/pawn.html
I handed out the next assignment. You can see it on the main page of mrboz.com.
Homework: finish Unit 2, hand in the collage.
The essay should focus on something that needs to be said, something you are convicted by. I hope to clarify that idea over the next few days... for myself and my students. I did emphasize that they are writing for themselves. They should not be writing what the class needs to hear. That might be tough. I usually write with someone in mind. As teachers of writing, we are always asking the students to keep the audience in mind as they write. It focuses the writing. But I really want to see what I can do when I am writing to please myself. I am not used to that. Because this is something I don't usually do, I am excited to try it.
Again, this Dylan unit is a personal exploration which the students will benefit from experiencing.
Today we discussed the song "Only a Pawn in Their Game" by Bob Dylan. We read about Medgar Evers and what he contributed to the Civil Rights Movement. The song repeated the idea that the white supremacist who killed him will only be remembered as a pawn, but Medgar Evers was buried in Arlinton National Cemetary. The assassin was not the hero he might have thought he would be. You can see the lyrics here: http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/pawn.html
I handed out the next assignment. You can see it on the main page of mrboz.com.
Homework: finish Unit 2, hand in the collage.
The essay should focus on something that needs to be said, something you are convicted by. I hope to clarify that idea over the next few days... for myself and my students. I did emphasize that they are writing for themselves. They should not be writing what the class needs to hear. That might be tough. I usually write with someone in mind. As teachers of writing, we are always asking the students to keep the audience in mind as they write. It focuses the writing. But I really want to see what I can do when I am writing to please myself. I am not used to that. Because this is something I don't usually do, I am excited to try it.
Again, this Dylan unit is a personal exploration which the students will benefit from experiencing.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Sept. 22
We are rolling right along on the new topic: write what needs to be said. I am backed up with work, so I hope to get a lot done soon. I accumulate many grades throughout the week that need to get entered, like vocab and the stanzas.
I also hope to get some web pages up soon. I am making the download page for the recordings I made last week. I will also have the next assignment up soon. I will let you know when you can listen to your child, provided you gave me permission to post work on the Internet.
Have a nice weekend.
-BoZ
I also hope to get some web pages up soon. I am making the download page for the recordings I made last week. I will also have the next assignment up soon. I will let you know when you can listen to your child, provided you gave me permission to post work on the Internet.
Have a nice weekend.
-BoZ
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Sept. 21
Wow! What a day! We did so much. We reviewed the vocabulary, handed out grade slips, discussed the next writing assignment, and started thinking about the upcoming collage that will be due. Oh, and we watched more of the "No Direction Home" video!
For homework, they should do the completing the sentence, get the grade slip signed, and start thinking about the collage.
The next writing topic is coming into focus. As Dylan is portrayed in the video, his writing was not about himself. He was not the star that had to create himself on stage. It was like he was the voice of the people. People insisted that he wrote topical protest songs. He explains that he didn't write topical songs. He wrote what he needed to write. People in the video thought that, in a sense, he channeled the energies of the American people in his songs, America’s collective unconscious. “It had taken all the elements I had ever known to make wide, sweeping statements which conveyed a feeling that was the general essence of the spirit of the times.” –Bob Dylan in the movie.
We already wrote the first part of that quote, all the elements. That was part of the “Hard Rain…” essay in where have we been, etc.. Now we will focus MORE on the what will you do now aspect of the song.
Therefore, I want to make the students become aware of the influences on them through the collage. Then, through some searching, they will respond to this question: What need’s to be written? In other words, after reflecting on everything, what needs to be said by you? It’s like when you have been with friends who are doing something wrong, but you don’t want to say something. You should say something!
The students and will be telling each other what needs to be said, just as Bob Dylan did during his time.
For homework, they should do the completing the sentence, get the grade slip signed, and start thinking about the collage.
The next writing topic is coming into focus. As Dylan is portrayed in the video, his writing was not about himself. He was not the star that had to create himself on stage. It was like he was the voice of the people. People insisted that he wrote topical protest songs. He explains that he didn't write topical songs. He wrote what he needed to write. People in the video thought that, in a sense, he channeled the energies of the American people in his songs, America’s collective unconscious. “It had taken all the elements I had ever known to make wide, sweeping statements which conveyed a feeling that was the general essence of the spirit of the times.” –Bob Dylan in the movie.
We already wrote the first part of that quote, all the elements. That was part of the “Hard Rain…” essay in where have we been, etc.. Now we will focus MORE on the what will you do now aspect of the song.
Therefore, I want to make the students become aware of the influences on them through the collage. Then, through some searching, they will respond to this question: What need’s to be written? In other words, after reflecting on everything, what needs to be said by you? It’s like when you have been with friends who are doing something wrong, but you don’t want to say something. You should say something!
The students and will be telling each other what needs to be said, just as Bob Dylan did during his time.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Sept. 20
Homework: be sure you are finished your stanza for the Bob Dylan song. Also, make sure you do the choosing the right word correctly. I will be scoring it tomorrow.
As far as classwork, we are between pieces. I am still trying to figure out where the next piece is going. As it is now, I think it will be a persuasive piece. I want it to resemble what Bob Dylan did with his songs. He reflected on the world around him and wrote a call to action. Some students said that their last piece was like that as well. True. But this one will be more direct. I want to study a few of the ideas Dylan was commenting on in his songs. In short, I am getting there.
I do plan to do something with the recordings. They are made and in my computer. I want to see if I have time to post them so they can be down loaded. That takes some work. I do not have endless time.
As far as classwork, we are between pieces. I am still trying to figure out where the next piece is going. As it is now, I think it will be a persuasive piece. I want it to resemble what Bob Dylan did with his songs. He reflected on the world around him and wrote a call to action. Some students said that their last piece was like that as well. True. But this one will be more direct. I want to study a few of the ideas Dylan was commenting on in his songs. In short, I am getting there.
I do plan to do something with the recordings. They are made and in my computer. I want to see if I have time to post them so they can be down loaded. That takes some work. I do not have endless time.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Sept. 19
We finished discussing the vocab words for unit 2. Homework is 11-20 pictionaries and synonyms.
We handed in the Hard Rain stanzas in most classes.
I am trying to find time to update the grades. I hope I can do it Wednesday.
We will be starting a new unit soon. It will be on the idea that Dylan was affected by the world around him. He, in turn, wrote music that would affect those who hear it. We will write something that is designed to impact the group who reads it. This paper will not be recorded. I will think about who we are writing to. It would be cool if there were a way to post papers easily so that we could share them with each other online.
We handed in the Hard Rain stanzas in most classes.
I am trying to find time to update the grades. I hope I can do it Wednesday.
We will be starting a new unit soon. It will be on the idea that Dylan was affected by the world around him. He, in turn, wrote music that would affect those who hear it. We will write something that is designed to impact the group who reads it. This paper will not be recorded. I will think about who we are writing to. It would be cool if there were a way to post papers easily so that we could share them with each other online.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Sept. 18
We finished up the readings today. I will sit down and get them converted into mp3's. I will let you know how you can listen to them soon.
We reviewed words 1-10 unit 2. They have pictionaries for tonight. I had the classes copy the week's calendar into their agendas.
We started the wrap-up activity for the "Hard Rain ..." song. You can view the requirements here: http://www.mrboz.com/school/handouts/a_hard_rains_a_gonna_fall_followup_activity.doc
I am not sure if you are aware, but there is a recording of the vocab words. You can listen to them at www.vocabularyworkshop.com . We are using level B.
We reviewed words 1-10 unit 2. They have pictionaries for tonight. I had the classes copy the week's calendar into their agendas.
We started the wrap-up activity for the "Hard Rain ..." song. You can view the requirements here: http://www.mrboz.com/school/handouts/a_hard_rains_a_gonna_fall_followup_activity.doc
I am not sure if you are aware, but there is a recording of the vocab words. You can listen to them at www.vocabularyworkshop.com . We are using level B.
Sept. 15
I did not blog today. Sorry. It was a busy week. It was nice to meet the parents who came out to the Back to School night.
In class we are wrapping up the recordings. I hope to start a new writing topic this week.
In class we are wrapping up the recordings. I hope to start a new writing topic this week.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
September 14, 2006
It was a day. We took the vocab quiz, studied subject and verb using the daily drill, and we continued with our readings. I am in an in between time, although the class is moving forward. I am trying to finish recording the first pieces, but I am trying to think about the next piece so that I will be ready. I guess this is what I enjoy about the job. I am a person who creates lessons from other lessons, namely literature and poetry. I create students who can express what they think. But first I have to get them to think!
I want to base the next piece from a Bob Dylan song, but all that seems to come to me are his protest songs from the early albums. The problem is the two pieces the students will have read in Reading are not really about protest. One is "Thank You, M'am" by Langston Hughes, and the other is "Names" by Julie Alverez. The first is about a woman who gives a boy (who was trying to steal her purse) dinner and a lesson. The second is about a girl from the Domican Republic as she struggles with her name and her roots in school in New York. They are not political in nature, but the authors were commenting on what they saw happening around them and to them.
I am thinking about a few songs where Dylan expresses his hope that things will change, especially in his times in 1962 and 1963 during the Civil Rights Movement, John F. Kennedy and war, and the need for freedom for those oppressed by forces greater than them. He saw that "The Times They Are A-Changin'." They needed to be changed.
We are to look at cause and effect. I wonder... How did the authors of the two stories express their ideas that something needed to change? How were they commenting on the world that was going on around them through their stories? What caused them to write? What forms of writing can be used to persuade? Did either of the stories move you? Maybe we could write either an autobiographical piece, or, if you can, a story with dialogue, where the goal of the piece is to make the reader think about how he/she views life/people/themself.
The hard part would be teaching the students how to look around themselves enough to reflect on that world. Maybe we could do a collage of photographs to brainstorm, a visual representation of what they notice about the world or what they would like to change.
I want to base the next piece from a Bob Dylan song, but all that seems to come to me are his protest songs from the early albums. The problem is the two pieces the students will have read in Reading are not really about protest. One is "Thank You, M'am" by Langston Hughes, and the other is "Names" by Julie Alverez. The first is about a woman who gives a boy (who was trying to steal her purse) dinner and a lesson. The second is about a girl from the Domican Republic as she struggles with her name and her roots in school in New York. They are not political in nature, but the authors were commenting on what they saw happening around them and to them.
I am thinking about a few songs where Dylan expresses his hope that things will change, especially in his times in 1962 and 1963 during the Civil Rights Movement, John F. Kennedy and war, and the need for freedom for those oppressed by forces greater than them. He saw that "The Times They Are A-Changin'." They needed to be changed.
We are to look at cause and effect. I wonder... How did the authors of the two stories express their ideas that something needed to change? How were they commenting on the world that was going on around them through their stories? What caused them to write? What forms of writing can be used to persuade? Did either of the stories move you? Maybe we could write either an autobiographical piece, or, if you can, a story with dialogue, where the goal of the piece is to make the reader think about how he/she views life/people/themself.
The hard part would be teaching the students how to look around themselves enough to reflect on that world. Maybe we could do a collage of photographs to brainstorm, a visual representation of what they notice about the world or what they would like to change.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Sept. 13
I am sure you are hearing horror stories that we are reading pieces in front of the class. Don't believe all of it. It's not that bad, although there are a few student who crack under the pressure. I assure you, it will get better. They have many more they will have to do.
Today we finished up the vocab unit. Sections 3,6, and 7 have to make flashcards for the quiz. They should use them to study.
I also handed out grade slips. I sent them home as well. These are to show the students what they have missed. The first two weeks might be overwhelming. They should have the make-up work ready for Friday.
Today we finished up the vocab unit. Sections 3,6, and 7 have to make flashcards for the quiz. They should use them to study.
I also handed out grade slips. I sent them home as well. These are to show the students what they have missed. The first two weeks might be overwhelming. They should have the make-up work ready for Friday.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Sept. 12
Not much to say. We did a daily drill, reviewed the vocab, and continued to read the pieces outloud. I have tested the e-mail addresses. As far as I know, I only have about 15 that came back. That is great. Thank you to those who sent me an e-mail. It made the process much more accurate this year.
Homework is to finish Unit 1 in the vocab. I would recommend making flash cards soon so they can be used to study for Thursday's quiz.
Homework is to finish Unit 1 in the vocab. I would recommend making flash cards soon so they can be used to study for Thursday's quiz.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Sept. 11, 2006
Class is moving right along. The first essay was turned in today, and we are now in the long process of recording them in front of the class. Today I demonstrated how it is done. I was fortunate because I got five chances to practice reading mine and recording. I will post my essay and recording soon. I hope to post the recordings of the students as well. I like to have recordings of my children. I will explain that later. Let's just say we have 26,000 digital pictures on our computer at home!
Homework for tonight is completing the sentence in the vocab. There will be a quiz on Thursday. Sections 3,6, and 7 are making flashcards. The cards should have the word on the front and the definition on the back. They should also have the part of speech.
Grades will be done this week. I will send out an e-mail with that information later this week. I also look forward to seeing you at Back to School night this Thursday at 6:30.
Homework for tonight is completing the sentence in the vocab. There will be a quiz on Thursday. Sections 3,6, and 7 are making flashcards. The cards should have the word on the front and the definition on the back. They should also have the part of speech.
Grades will be done this week. I will send out an e-mail with that information later this week. I also look forward to seeing you at Back to School night this Thursday at 6:30.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Sept. 8
The good draft of the essay is due on Monday. I plan to have the students read their essays to the class. I will record them on my computer and make mp3 files from them. I admit, it is a little early to get the kids up in front of the class, but the lesson, I believe, is invaluable. The essay must sound good to the ear.
I will be reading my own as well. I think I finally got it. I will post it on my web site when I am done. It has taken me three three-page tries to finally figure out what I had to say in a nice 1 1/2 page essay. That is fine with me. I find that when I have something I have to say, there is a strong urge to write. That urge subsides only when I am satisfied that I have written what needed to get out. Even after three starts, I was not satisfied. I would have kept going, but luckily it all came together.
If the students do not hand in the essay on time, the paper is graded two grades down. Just letting you know. Have a nice weekend.
I will be reading my own as well. I think I finally got it. I will post it on my web site when I am done. It has taken me three three-page tries to finally figure out what I had to say in a nice 1 1/2 page essay. That is fine with me. I find that when I have something I have to say, there is a strong urge to write. That urge subsides only when I am satisfied that I have written what needed to get out. Even after three starts, I was not satisfied. I would have kept going, but luckily it all came together.
If the students do not hand in the essay on time, the paper is graded two grades down. Just letting you know. Have a nice weekend.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Sept. 7
I would like a rough draft of the current essay due Friday. I have set the due date for the final draft for Monday. The good draft must be hand written. I am using this as a diagnostic essay. I want to see what the DSTP readers will be seeing. Most essays during the school year will be typed. I would like to see the quality of the students' handwriting. It matters.
For vocab homework, the students are to do the Choosing the Right Word in the book.
Today we put some pictionaries up on the board and tried to guess what they were. I like having the students try to draw the word. It makes them think about the word in a different way. The more ways the students can work with the words the better.
I am working on my essay as well. I have a 2 1/2 page typed rough draft. That is after two other multi-page starts. I was having trouble figuring out what I wanted to write.
The essay should be about what they have seen/heard/been/met in life, what they have learned, and what they will do now with that realization. I want them to write to an older generation. That is where I was having trouble. I realize the older generation has some wisdom, unlike the way Bob Dylan felt in his times.
For vocab homework, the students are to do the Choosing the Right Word in the book.
Today we put some pictionaries up on the board and tried to guess what they were. I like having the students try to draw the word. It makes them think about the word in a different way. The more ways the students can work with the words the better.
I am working on my essay as well. I have a 2 1/2 page typed rough draft. That is after two other multi-page starts. I was having trouble figuring out what I wanted to write.
The essay should be about what they have seen/heard/been/met in life, what they have learned, and what they will do now with that realization. I want them to write to an older generation. That is where I was having trouble. I realize the older generation has some wisdom, unlike the way Bob Dylan felt in his times.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Sept. 6
Today we did a daily drill and checked the pictionaries from last night. I had to remind the students to not use letters, numbers, or symbols in the pictionaries.
I also pointed out that too many students have not turned in the first assignment, the internet permission form. If this is a foretaste of things to come, I am not pleased. Just to let you know, when an assignment is turned in late in my class, the grade is lowered two grades. That means that the essay starts at a C if it is late.
I gave the students time to write in class. I am expecting that much of the writing of the first essay is done outside of class. I will be writing my essay outside of class. I will find quiet time to get my work done. I expect the students to do the same.
The students are a little unsure about the topic. But so am I. I wrote a draft of something today, but I am not sure if it is what I want to write on. But it is something. I encourage the students to begin writing something called a barf draft if they are having trouble getting started. Just see what comes out. Then see what you can do with the results.
The homework for tonight is pictionaries 11-20 unit 1 and the synonyms in the vocab. They should also be working on the essay.
I also pointed out that too many students have not turned in the first assignment, the internet permission form. If this is a foretaste of things to come, I am not pleased. Just to let you know, when an assignment is turned in late in my class, the grade is lowered two grades. That means that the essay starts at a C if it is late.
I gave the students time to write in class. I am expecting that much of the writing of the first essay is done outside of class. I will be writing my essay outside of class. I will find quiet time to get my work done. I expect the students to do the same.
The students are a little unsure about the topic. But so am I. I wrote a draft of something today, but I am not sure if it is what I want to write on. But it is something. I encourage the students to begin writing something called a barf draft if they are having trouble getting started. Just see what comes out. Then see what you can do with the results.
The homework for tonight is pictionaries 11-20 unit 1 and the synonyms in the vocab. They should also be working on the essay.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
September 5, 2006
Today we took care of business and looked at the writing topic again. I handed out the vocab books. For those who did not pay yet, I loaned them a book until they do. The first assignment for tonight was to draw pictures for each of the 10 words. The publishers of the book now have an oral reading of the words. You can find it at www.vocabularyworkshop.com. We are using level B and are on unit 1. The woman read the words and reviewed usage. She is doing what I always did. Since the mp3 can be downloaded, it might be an interesting way to study. Who knows? Maybe the students will put it on their iPods.
Most classes watched a 12 minute piece from the Bob Dylan movie we will be watching periodically. I was trying to give them a small idea of what he was like. I wanted to emphasize that an artist takes the world he sees around him, processes it, and creates something we appreciate, like a song. Bob Dylan saw the world as many did, but he was able to put it into words. He spoke for his generation, even though he said he did not. He was just writing.
I want the kids to think about what they have seen, where they have been, what they have heard, who they have met, and what they have learned. I want them to write an essay saying what they will do now with that information. Sure, the topic is deep. But I can't wait to see what they write!
Most classes watched a 12 minute piece from the Bob Dylan movie we will be watching periodically. I was trying to give them a small idea of what he was like. I wanted to emphasize that an artist takes the world he sees around him, processes it, and creates something we appreciate, like a song. Bob Dylan saw the world as many did, but he was able to put it into words. He spoke for his generation, even though he said he did not. He was just writing.
I want the kids to think about what they have seen, where they have been, what they have heard, who they have met, and what they have learned. I want them to write an essay saying what they will do now with that information. Sure, the topic is deep. But I can't wait to see what they write!
Friday, September 01, 2006
August 31, 2006
Sorry I did not blog at the end of the day. I have to get back into the habit of doing it before I leave school. I really thought I would get a chance when I got home. With two young kids, I should have known better.
Thursday, we did our first daily drill. Each day, when class starts, I will have some activity on the screen to copy and correct, or reflect on. Most times it will be two sentences to be corrected. That way we can have a grammar lesson every day. While I will cover grammar in small units, it never hurts to review the rules. I expect the students to keep the daily drills organized in a folder or notebook.
We also finished listening to the song. We discussed what Dylan was trying to say, although the song is bizarre at times. Some students are having difficulty figuring out what to write. I guess it is difficult to see how to write an essay when we have studied a song. But think of it like this. You are using the song to get you thinking about the subject: what have you seen in this world, and what have you learned? Let that idea float through your head this weekend. Your job, then, will be to speak to us, reflecting on the events of your life, telling us what you have figured out about life so far. We, then, as your audience, will take what you have learned and your events, roll them around in our heads, compare them to our own, and try to see the world a little differently as a result of hearing how you see it. As a writer and artist, my job is to get you to rethink how you see the world. That is also why I teach.
Thursday, we did our first daily drill. Each day, when class starts, I will have some activity on the screen to copy and correct, or reflect on. Most times it will be two sentences to be corrected. That way we can have a grammar lesson every day. While I will cover grammar in small units, it never hurts to review the rules. I expect the students to keep the daily drills organized in a folder or notebook.
We also finished listening to the song. We discussed what Dylan was trying to say, although the song is bizarre at times. Some students are having difficulty figuring out what to write. I guess it is difficult to see how to write an essay when we have studied a song. But think of it like this. You are using the song to get you thinking about the subject: what have you seen in this world, and what have you learned? Let that idea float through your head this weekend. Your job, then, will be to speak to us, reflecting on the events of your life, telling us what you have figured out about life so far. We, then, as your audience, will take what you have learned and your events, roll them around in our heads, compare them to our own, and try to see the world a little differently as a result of hearing how you see it. As a writer and artist, my job is to get you to rethink how you see the world. That is also why I teach.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
August 30
Well, I was not in school yesterday because my daughter was sick. Oh well. What can you do? The students worked on the diagnostic grammar test.
Today the first period class had an assembly. The rest of the classes did the following. I collected the rest of the vocab money. I still need it from many students. We discussed MrBoZ.com, and I gave the a tour of my web page. Then we discussed the first piece of writing.
The homework for tonight is to get the internet form filled out. I would like the paper signed and returned. I would also like each student and parent to send me an e-mail. Last year I had many errors after entering the e-mails because handwriting is hard to read. I will just copy and paste the addresses from the e-mails. I will count it as a small grade. Unless there is not e-mail access, I expect an e-mail.
We started the first writing assignment. You can find the assignment and requirements on the main page of MrBoZ.com. It is listed under the current assignment on the right. I like to pick topics that make us think about ourselves and our place in the world. The topic is also part of the first theme for Language Arts: Human beings learn about life by making connections to themselves, others, and the world around them.
Today the first period class had an assembly. The rest of the classes did the following. I collected the rest of the vocab money. I still need it from many students. We discussed MrBoZ.com, and I gave the a tour of my web page. Then we discussed the first piece of writing.
The homework for tonight is to get the internet form filled out. I would like the paper signed and returned. I would also like each student and parent to send me an e-mail. Last year I had many errors after entering the e-mails because handwriting is hard to read. I will just copy and paste the addresses from the e-mails. I will count it as a small grade. Unless there is not e-mail access, I expect an e-mail.
We started the first writing assignment. You can find the assignment and requirements on the main page of MrBoZ.com. It is listed under the current assignment on the right. I like to pick topics that make us think about ourselves and our place in the world. The topic is also part of the first theme for Language Arts: Human beings learn about life by making connections to themselves, others, and the world around them.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Welcome to the 2006-2007 School Year!
This is the first post of the new school year. I do not have much to say about the first day of school. It was a blur! In this blog, you will find daily messages. Many times it will just be the class assignments we did and the homework. Other times it will be my thoughts on how things are going in class. Maybe, if you are lucky (sarcasm), you will get my thoughts on life! Anyway, if you checked out MrBoZ.com and clicked through to here today, thank you! I will see you in class tomorrow where we will be finishing a diagnostic grammar test. Then we will start our first writing assignment based on a the Bob Dylan song, "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall."
Homework: Get vocab book money to me ASAP
Homework: Get vocab book money to me ASAP
Monday, June 12, 2006
Final Blog for the School Year
So, how do I think the school year went? I think it
went well. It was not what I had planned, but it went well over all.
The beginning of the school year was rough because of
GoMyAccess. The district mandated that I use the tool, and I think it had
some merit. But it also interfered with how I teach writing. I
guess, like anything new, it will take some time to incorporate it into my
curriculum.
Persuasion and critical thinking are the focus of my
teaching. My belief is that if you want a student to write a better
persuasive paper, you must teach the child to be better at persuading.
You must teach him how to find something intelligent to say. As luck
would have it, this year's prompt for the DSTP was persuasive. The scores
looked good, and I would like to take credit for that, but I DO NOT. I
will not get into why I feel that way, but I am please and proud of the
students for their performance.
The year ended abruptly for me. In the beginning of
the year, I had great plans for the final presentation. I thought that we would have been much
farther in our study of blues to hip-hop.
Instead, the GoMyAccess writing took up more time than I ever imagined. And I am sure that is a good
thing. Plus, as the time allotted
for the unit changed, I focused more on research and writing, making sure that
no one would be able to question how the unit covered the required DSTP
material. The result was a more
in-depth study of the blues, poets of the Harlem Renaissance, and Malcolm
X. The downside is I was not able
to follow through on the planned hip-hop performance.
I did want to comment on my Malcolm X unit. After I
finished showing the movie and discussing the events in his life, I started to
question where I was going with the unit.
I showed some of the movie last year, but this year I showed it all
(minus inappropriate scenes). I
thought studying the story of his life would show the background behind his
dramatic speeches and statements.
I wanted to show the reason for the passion, not just the idea that one
should act passionately. I still
feel showing the movie was useful.
But a student brought up a good point. He said that we could have just studied his speaking style
and left out all the religious stuff that was in the movie. In a way, I agree. But in another way, as literature and
biographical study, I found studying his story fascinating. Maybe the focus was not all writing,
but I am glad they got the opportunity to study this controversial man and the
turbulent times he lived through. I guess I feel like it is something they should know about,
just as I have learned about him.
When it comes time to study speech making next year, I
will reflect on the lessons from this year. But, I will say that I recorded some great speeches. For a few minutes, each student had the
opportunity to persuade the class through words, music, and pictures. Some speeches were quite moving. Now, whether watching Malcolm X helped
create that passion is debatable.
I will think about this more next year.
Did I accomplish everything I set out to do this
year? Sure. If your child showed up prepared to
listen and work, he learned more about the art of communication. His writing would have grown as well
has his outlook on life. There are
test scores that the district works hard to produce to prove that I, in fact,
did my job. But being an artist
using the medium of children, I know by feel that I did what I was supposed
to. The impact will differ from
child to child, and it might not even be felt for years to come, but I know I
made an impact on each of my students.
In the beginning of the year, the mountain looks so big. Now that I am on top, I look forward to
climbing a new one next year.
I hope you have found all of this communication
useful. I worked very hard to keep
you informed of, not only your child’s grades, but what I am shooting for in
each lesson and why I feel what I am teaching the children is important. Who knows? Maybe I even made you think about a few new things this
year. Trust me, I hope I did.
went well. It was not what I had planned, but it went well over all.
The beginning of the school year was rough because of
GoMyAccess. The district mandated that I use the tool, and I think it had
some merit. But it also interfered with how I teach writing. I
guess, like anything new, it will take some time to incorporate it into my
curriculum.
Persuasion and critical thinking are the focus of my
teaching. My belief is that if you want a student to write a better
persuasive paper, you must teach the child to be better at persuading.
You must teach him how to find something intelligent to say. As luck
would have it, this year's prompt for the DSTP was persuasive. The scores
looked good, and I would like to take credit for that, but I DO NOT. I
will not get into why I feel that way, but I am please and proud of the
students for their performance.
The year ended abruptly for me. In the beginning of
the year, I had great plans for the final presentation. I thought that we would have been much
farther in our study of blues to hip-hop.
Instead, the GoMyAccess writing took up more time than I ever imagined. And I am sure that is a good
thing. Plus, as the time allotted
for the unit changed, I focused more on research and writing, making sure that
no one would be able to question how the unit covered the required DSTP
material. The result was a more
in-depth study of the blues, poets of the Harlem Renaissance, and Malcolm
X. The downside is I was not able
to follow through on the planned hip-hop performance.
I did want to comment on my Malcolm X unit. After I
finished showing the movie and discussing the events in his life, I started to
question where I was going with the unit.
I showed some of the movie last year, but this year I showed it all
(minus inappropriate scenes). I
thought studying the story of his life would show the background behind his
dramatic speeches and statements.
I wanted to show the reason for the passion, not just the idea that one
should act passionately. I still
feel showing the movie was useful.
But a student brought up a good point. He said that we could have just studied his speaking style
and left out all the religious stuff that was in the movie. In a way, I agree. But in another way, as literature and
biographical study, I found studying his story fascinating. Maybe the focus was not all writing,
but I am glad they got the opportunity to study this controversial man and the
turbulent times he lived through. I guess I feel like it is something they should know about,
just as I have learned about him.
When it comes time to study speech making next year, I
will reflect on the lessons from this year. But, I will say that I recorded some great speeches. For a few minutes, each student had the
opportunity to persuade the class through words, music, and pictures. Some speeches were quite moving. Now, whether watching Malcolm X helped
create that passion is debatable.
I will think about this more next year.
Did I accomplish everything I set out to do this
year? Sure. If your child showed up prepared to
listen and work, he learned more about the art of communication. His writing would have grown as well
has his outlook on life. There are
test scores that the district works hard to produce to prove that I, in fact,
did my job. But being an artist
using the medium of children, I know by feel that I did what I was supposed
to. The impact will differ from
child to child, and it might not even be felt for years to come, but I know I
made an impact on each of my students.
In the beginning of the year, the mountain looks so big. Now that I am on top, I look forward to
climbing a new one next year.
I hope you have found all of this communication
useful. I worked very hard to keep
you informed of, not only your child’s grades, but what I am shooting for in
each lesson and why I feel what I am teaching the children is important. Who knows? Maybe I even made you think about a few new things this
year. Trust me, I hope I did.
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