Haocheng+Liao

Genre reflection 3:

Dear Diary, I have been spending all day today grading essays for 45 students, and only half is done. Heeding my CT’s advice, I set ten minutes per paper, but I just couldn’t help taking up more time to read and make corrections on them with my purple pen. So ten minutes became twenty. Then I erased some comments with white-out. Keeping the comments positive, I praised the works of some students and let them know their ideas, writing styles, or use of vocabulary was impressive. As I graded more papers, I realized most students made similar mistakes and had similar issues with ideas and organization: they used plot to explain their argument without any explanations for why certain evidence was used. This made me think, when I was an eighth grader, was I able to explain why certain examples were used to make my argument? It seems like I need to redirect students’ writings when I hand them back. Although I explicitly stated that students had to explain the reasoning behind their using the examples, most students had either forgotten or had difficulty doing so. This meant that these issues have to be addressed in class when I return the essays.

On the other hand, I encountered two essays that were extraordinary. One student wrote a paper that contained information regarding the life of Roald Dahl and how it influenced his works. He incorporated his own voice in the writing, and showed a mature writing style that appeared stunning for an eighth grader. Another student showed his opinion of the stories we had read and matched them with ideologies around the world to make his argument. Needless to say, I was amazed by my students. Haocheng

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Genre reflection 2:


 * My students have been working on the expository essay and are introduced how to construct the thesis this week. Unlike last week, they are not as enthusiastic. The following is what I would say to them as they are showing progress in writing their expository essays.**


 * Monologue:**


 * Students, why are you so silent all of a sudden? What happened to your enthusiasm from last week?**


 * The blank look on your faces and your heavy sighs from much pressure are unnerving.**
 * We read, we reviewed, we questioned.**
 * You understood what was in the stories, but when it comes to writing, why the blank faces?**
 * Where did I go wrong?**
 * Step by step, we need to break things down.**
 * We need more time to go over the thesis and expand your topic sentences.**


 * Here's the outline to help you.**
 * And the graphic organizer for your ideas.**
 * You can do this!**


 * Yes!**
 * You are sharing your ideas and helping your peers.**
 * Everyone is giving their best working in their groups.**


 * Yes!**
 * One more day for writer's workshop...**
 * One more chance to make a difference.**
 * One more chance to see a smile on their faces**
 * Once again.**

Genre Reflection: Week One

"This is What It Feels Like"

=
The bell rings as students shuffle past each other from the hallway into the classroom. “I’ll be teaching students about irony today with these two poems,” Mrs. White said. “You will be observing how I teach it during 2nd period and then teaching part of it in 3rd, that is, if you want to. You know, just to get you to feel what it’s like in front of the classroom.”======

=
Feeling a sense of readiness mixed with a hint of nervousness and a boat load of excitement, I said with alacrity, “Of course! That would be great! And I found some things last night about irony to accompany the lesson. The document has images with elements of irony in them. It was sent to you this morning.”======

=
Blue eyes sparkling with years of wisdom, two feet planted firmly on the white linoleum floor, Mrs. White commands in a voice of authority, “Now we are going to learn about irony through a poem. Now why do we read it three times? That’s right; it’s for the purpose of enjoyment, and then it will be easier to find its deeper meaning.”======

=
I follow along as the poem is read by the teacher. As I listen, I see the quotation marks on the page, and an idea jumped out: what if students take the parts of different characters in the poem and recite the poem it that way? Wouldn’t that be fun? But is it okay to make the suggestion to Mrs. White while she is teaching? But students will enjoy the reading and the poem that much more if it is split into parts to read. Look at Jimmie*, he’s not even paying attention. Why is he looking away from the reading?======

=
Other students are doing the same as I glance around the classroom. Cindy* is looking her fingernail, waiting for the poem to finish while Janet* stares at the floor, thinking about anything but the "Ballad of Birmingham." //So the decision is made. I am going to make this interesting for students.// Beaming with excitement, I find my feet advance toward the teacher as a student is reading the poem aloud.======

=
“Sure!” Mrs. White tells me, then addresses the whole class, “Okay, now we are going to do something different. Why don’t you explain it to them?” Mrs. White said to me as I started to walk back to my seat.======

=
Unprepared to explain what students will be doing, I feel the nerves take over, not able to find the right words in the moment. Attempting to obtain composure, I give a slight nod. All 23 students have their heads turned, each one with pairs of eyes looking at me. //Okay, just breathe, gather your thoughts, and calm down.// Mrs. White has full confidence in me. Three seconds passed before I hear what appears to be my own voice, “okay, so you guys are going to read the poem by taking parts of the characters in it.”======

=
Immediately, the momentum in the classroom changes; students start talking among each other in low whispers. Mrs. White, maintaining full control of the classroom, assigns two girls to read the parts of the mother and daughter, and two boys the part of the narrator. As the dialogue in the poem is read for the third time, I glance around the room. Those who were not paying attention earlier have their eyes on the page, while the melodious sound of “Ballad of Birmingham” fills the classroom. A smile stretches from my cheeks as I sigh and think, ahh…this is what it feels like...======