I Want Out!

Many colleges deal with over-crowding. But Community Colleges have it the worst. They are great methods of education. Community Colleges are easily accessible, inexpensive, have very down to earth professors. But do the Professors deal with too much? While reading the article about Daytona Beach Community College, I couldn't help but feel the stress of Professors of English and other disciplines. Most classroom sizes are too big. The NCTE believes that no english classroom should consist of more than 20 kids.
How can we solve this problem? Community Colleges often do not have the finances to support a larger faculty. Colleges should also not be prompted to deny equally qualified students into their schools. These Colleges are built to allow members of the local community opportunities to fulfill dreams in the comfort of their own neighborhoods. Should this problem rest in the hands of professors willing to devote the rest of their lives grading skyscraper-piles of paper? How can students receive vital personal response from professors?

SAT Writing Section Flawed

The article Many Colleges Ignore SAT Writing Test from The Boston Globe discusses the problems that the writing section of the SATs have. Personally, I have a very big problem with the SATs. It is a 4 hour test taken in one block and does not reflect the true knowledge of the test taker. The writing part, a section that would reflect the most personality and knowledge of the test-taker, is now shown to be the most inadequate section of the entire test. Students have 25 minutes to read a quote and write an essay on it. But the essays are not being scored on their validity and reflection knowledgeable writing skills, but instead they are being scored on length. I think it is unfair that this is such a weighted test and viewed as one of the most important things for getting accepted into college. There are so many other aspects of your education career, everything should not fall solely on your SAT scores.
Some students spend thousands of dollars on tutors to do well on these tests which are now showing less and less value and gaining much criticism. Colleges across the board are paying little, if any, attention to the writing part because they believe it is not a good example of knowledgeable writing. What of the student who lacks in math? Where is s/he to pick up the points. If they are planning to be an English major than why should their collegiate future be compromised because of a practically mandatory test which is universally viewed as flawed.
The irony is 56% of roughly 1000 colleges do not take the writing part into consideration during the admission process but, the nations 61 most selective colleges do. The most prestigious colleges are the ones that are taking this flawed interpretation of writing skills into some sort of consideration. This says a lot about the college education system as well as the standardized testing system.
Honestly, I can't believe this goes on. How could this not have been fixed or stopped already? Why are a few people who do not know what the test should really entail creating it? I think the test must be remodeled in order to be fair and show a good reflection of a student's skills. Students should not be trained to write long meaningless essays to be accepted and then have to take another year to learn how to write effectively.

Graphic Examination

The article "Graphic novels have more kids reading, but questions arise" by Rachael Scarborough King, examines the rising popularity of the graphic novel, as well as social stigma associated with this visual form of literature.

The graphic novel has become popular among adolescents and young adults in recent years as it merges the familiarity of comic books with more sophisticated and mature subject content. Although these novels have piqued the interest of young readers who are often intimidated by full length books, public scrutiny of visual literature continues to be primarily negative. Similar to film, graphic novels sometimes depict visual images of sexuality and violence. Although the majority of texts taught in high school settings include mature content, the general public often views the vivid sequences in film and sketch renditions in graphic novels as more threatening than written words.

While some graphic novels are aimed primarily at educating students in the academic setting, such as "Maus" which chronicles the Holocaust, there has been no initiative to make graphic novels a regularly used form of literature in the classroom. Although the National Standards and New York State Standards are both met in a variety of ways when using graphic novels for instructional use, as is seen in the article when the teacher was forced to resign because of a graphic novel's content, many teachers may be hesitant to implement a form of literature with such powerful capabilities into their classes.

Despite some public misgivings, I feel the graphic novel is a unique and intriguing academic tool with potential usefulness as a reading aid and primary literary source for students. Some specific uses could include students who are lacking motivation, are limited in their ability to read, are disabled, or are stimulated by visual interpretation. By reading graphic novels, students will not only be provided with an extra step to link themselves to standard literature, they will also have a complementary transition which connects film to literature. With the ability to link the concept of literature to a variety of different forms, students will be better able to comprehend and analyze the significant impact literature has had on their lives.

The SAT ... Not All It's Cracked Up To Be?

As a student who despised taking standardized tests, I can sympathize with Mike Meno and Kristina Gawrgy's article "Test Takers Troubled By SAT's Writing Section." Although I do feel that the SATs can be partially useful for college admissions' offices, I don't think that they should be the determining factor for admission to college, for awarding scholarships, or for assessment of a student's intelligence. As for the writing section of the SAT, it's absurd to allot twenty-five minutes for a student to write an essay, even if "the graders are not looking for a polished draft." This will lead to an artificial, forced essay, which is never "good" writing. As a future ELA educator, I am annoyed that the determing factor for these essays is "structure." For the SAT graders, the organization of the essay is "more important than style or even content." In my opinion, a multi-pronged grading system to include structure, style, content, punctuation, etc. should be implemented to fairly assess a student's essay. Of course, this would mean extending the writing section time, which would make perfect sense.

Besides the issues directly relating to the SAT writing portion itself, I found myself concentrating on other interrelated issues that the article brings to light. For instance, I am interested (and concerned) about students' dependence on the five-paragraph essay. Michelle Kae is quoted as saying that she "can write a good five paragraph essay in an hour" but not intwenty-five minutes. Also, Brandon Jones (national director of the SAT and ACT programs for Kaplan Test Prep) emphasizes that the five-paragraph essay that students learn in schools doesn't help them in their twenty-five minute writing section. Although I understand that the five-paragraph essay is an easy way to teach essay organization, why is it all we teach in schools?! Aren't we limiting our students by showing them that this is the "only way?" I think that we could use the five-paragraph essay as a base in elementary and secondary schools and then slowly break free from this mold as the students mature as writers. We stifle creativity by the constraints of the "five paragraphs."

Another issue raised that I think will only become more significant is a student's struggle to write by hand. Michelle Kae claims that she is a very slow writer, and I cannot help but assume this is due to the keyboard that has become such a staple in our country. Of course, computers are a wonderful addition to the classroom experience as a whole. They allow people to communicate neatly, quickly, and effectively, but won't we lose something great if handwriting exists no longer? The personality and sentimentality that handwriting holds cannot be created or imitated by typed font. I am intrigued by this issue...

"An Inconvenient Truth" for Parents

In searching for a topic to write about, I discovered two articles that relate to one another. The first article, by Jean Moore, was about a group of librarians from California who are promoting a exhibit in their library of all literature that has been banned by the school boards. Some of the books include "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", "To Kill a Mockingbird "and "Lord of the Flies". However, not all books that are being recognized have "officially" been banned but rather challenged by the public. The second article that caught my attention, that was related to Moore’s, was one by James Daly called, "Film Flammed: Some Teachers Get Flak for Showing Flicks". Daly gave numerous examples of teachers showing movies to students then getting complaints about the content that was shown. For instance, one substitute teacher had a lawsuit filed against her after she showed "Brokeback Mountain" to a class of eighth graders. The student’s parents claimed their child has suffered psychological distress after viewing the movie. Another complaint came after a high school teacher showed "An Inconvenient Truth". Parents argued, "the school didn’t present a balanced perspective about the film’s warning of global warming."

Each article raises questions of censorship and what is deemed appropriate for schools to use as teaching materials. Films provide excellent sources of reference and resource for students. It also is a much more entertaining and effective way to present information (i.e. global warming) to students. Students will more likely pay closer attention to a film rather than a textbook. However, should teachers have freedom to choose what they feel as, appropriate films or novels?

I believe that teachers should have the freedom of authority to teach any film or novel to their students. Obviously that is a very controversial statement and of course there is rules to follow. Teachers must inform the class of each film or novel and explain to them the some strong language, violence, sexual content, etc., that could be involved. If a student feels uncomfortable with such a novel or film they can express it with the teacher and an exception can be made.

I feel that high school students are mature and old enough to decide for themselves what is appropriate and what isn’t. I recall reading "Lord of the Flies" in tenth grade, which is a novel that includes cannibalism and death. I also watched a movie on "Macbeth" that had full frontal nudity. If parents feel that such novels and films are inappropriate for their children then perhaps teachers should begin reading Clifford books and showing Disney movies.

All in all, teachers are trying to prepare students for college and for life. This includes teaching novels and films about real life that includes sex, violence, drugs and "global warming".

Inactive imaginations due to lack of reading

While reading "One in Four read No Books Last Year", by Alan Fram, I was shocked to learn how much the reading in this country is declining. I have always thought that reading a book was almost like escaping from a bad day I've had or expanding my imagination. It saddens me to see that with each generation, the intrest in reading seems to gradually decrease. I would think that parents would want to incourage their children to read more because it would enhance their reading skills inside and outside the classroom.

Fram's article also shows that women are more open to different categories than men are. "More women than men read every major category of books except for history and biography. Industry experts said that confirms their observation that men tend to prefer nonfiction". After this quote in the article there is a man who responds to being less interested in nonfiction and reading for that matter. He simply states that non fiction doesn't interest him, and if he is interested in a story, he'll go see a movie.

There are a lot of books being made into movies these days and I think that by making the movie it is taking the visuals that one gets when reading; you develope images in your head as to what everything looks like...it's the easy way out. I don't mind seeing a movie after I have read the book, but if I see the movie first I would think it would ruin the book for me.

I think schools and even parents need to keep enforcing the fact that the more you read, the more it will help in school and outside of school. If a child chooses to continue on to higher education, the reading isn't going to stop anytime soon. Why not keep the reading there and as it increasingly becomes more difficult, they won't be overwhelmed.

All Teachers Have the Potential to Be "Book Whisperers?"

Teacher Magazine's "Creating Readers" question and answer session with Donalyn Miller is a glowing model for the future English Language Arts teachers in our Fundamentals of ELA class. I feel that it is imperative to note that despite Donalyn Miller's teaching practices being effective (100% of her students passed the reading portion of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills and her students read between 50 and 60 books in her class), her methods are not all that difficult for other teachers to understand or enact in their own classrooms. However, I am not implying that the simplicity of Miller's advice is a negative aspect; on the contrary, I think it is wonderful that teachers can inspire their students to read with relative ease. I think that far too often as educators we view the desire to read as something some students possess and other students do not possess. Teachers need to understand that their role (along with the parents' role) in coaxing "developing readers" to appreciate books is not by any means impossible!

Miller's emphasis on choice is absolutely essential. Choice allows students to find books that stimulate them, and through reading for pleasure, students gain the most from literature. Moreover, teachers need to understand the specific time in their students' lives. Since Miller is a sixth grade teacher, she knows that many of her students will be undergoing puberty in her classroom, and during puberty, many kids reject authority. They expect more independence, and they will appreciate being able to pick out books that interest them and pertain to their own changing lives. It is important for teachers to keep in mind that their students are humans and not just moldable pupils.

I feel that part of Miller's appeal to students is her huge classroom library, and I can't help but think that it is this easy access to a plethora of books that draws her students in, helping them to reach their full potential as readers. However, I am not naiive enough to believe that every school in every district in every state in America has access to such a plentiful amount of literature. This barrier probably prevents many students from becoming interested in reading; variety is an important factor. I wish that Miller would have addressed this obstacle in her interview instead of assuming that each classroom has the luxury of alluring, well-stocked bookshelves. Moreover, Miller's optimistic attitude toward special needs students and their ability to become readers was refreshing but lacked depth. I wanted more detail as to what teachers can do to foster growth with such students. Another welcome addition to the question and answer session might have included thoughts from her former students--that would have provided a unique perspective. Overall though, I was very impressed with Miller's words and would enjoy reading more about her teaching style.

A Rant About Texting

Though texting has already been mentioned in this blog, it is a major pet peeve of mine and I felt it necessary to post on it again.

In the September 5th edition of the NCTE Inbox there was an article describing teachers feelings toward texting language as the text message nears its 15 year of existence. The following sentence about now retired teacher Ruth Maenpaa was the first to really convince me that this was the article I wanted to talk about.

“The first time Maenpaa flagged the use of "4" for "for" in an essay, the student said she was so used to text-messaging that she didn't even think about it.”

For a student to “not think” about homework enough to let things like that slip in is rather worrisome. Almost as worrisome as the fact that they don’t think when they talk to other people outside the classroom.

But the fault is that of both the students and the teachers. Teachers in this day and age need to recognize the possibility of something like that and warn students against it, not just tell them afterwards that they can’t use those abbreviations. Saying it in class would hopefully keep it in the forefront of the student’s mind while they are working on the homework. In fact, it may be necessary in some classrooms to teach for a whole class or two how to differentiate between when it is and is not appropriate to use texting language, and more importantly to pay attention to keeping these things separate. They also need to be taught that it is not just the abbreviations, but the sentence fragments and simple vocabulary that could get them into trouble in school and workplace scenarios.

Maenpaa also mentions her fear that texting and instant messaging will hurt “student’s intellectual endurance.” I know for a fact that her fear is realistic because I have seen it in myself. My conversation skills and my essay writing skills are both effected by the fact that most of my writing is quick instant messaging. I write in short, to the point sentences and am done. I did not so much notice this being a problem until I began instant messaging with my grandmother. When I type, it is a sentence or two at a time and then hitting enter. It may take a few entries to get out all of my idea, and there are more than likely typos, but it is fast. My grandmother, on the other hand, will often take up to 3 minutes to type out, reread, and then enter a post. She has typos much less frequently than I do, she uses much more proficient vocabulary and she often gets a point across much more clearly than I can. Again, this is something I think should be pointed out to students while they are in the classroom, before they are given an assignment. As younger and younger teachers take to the classrooms already having a vast knowledge of texting lingo I feel there is no excuse as to not teaching or at least mentioning to the students about the problems that could arise if they do not take the time to differentiate between the two forms of language.

And now that I’ve finished with that rant, I shall take a breath and end this post with one final bit of wisdom from Ruth Maepaa. A bit of wisdom that all of us can use not only as teachers in the future, but as students right now.

"Texting offers immediate gratification, but learning is hard work,"

Coincidence? I think not.

Nearly twenty years ago Peter Elbow talked about the need for deviation in requirements. Not only in the requirements themselves, but how the goals are assessed. This week on NCTE I saw a link and thought it may have been a joke, but perhaps it was a sign. "Bridging Standardized Tests and Writing Instruction" is the name of the article. The great thing about being a teacher of the English language primarily at the high school level is the ability to be flexible and to create a curriculum that is highly adaptive to the students needs. Each and every student that we come into contact with will have a different approach to reading, and writing, and learning in general. The thought of teaching to a test breaks my progressivist heart. There are challenging ways to pursue enlightenment and heaven and hell forbid if they might actually be fun or interesting. Students need to be pushed but they don't have to be dragged through the mud. The more a student reads and enjoys to read the more idiosyncrasies of language and construction will be picked up on. I enjoyed hearing that there is a school of thought that there should be an assessment on the assessors as they should be judged on approximately how much of there teaching style and lessons is a derivative of the almighty test. Even though Elbow speaks in elevated diction in an attempt to make us all read up to his level, I can still deal with him enough to agree that there needs to be changes made to the goals and testing of the student today.