Monday, November 26, 2007
Group- Teach Experience
I think that the group teach experience went very well. We had five group members, and we were all responsible for certain aspects and teachings of Sylvia Plath's, The Bell Jar. Having such a large group in such a small class allowed for us to cover a lot of information by using different teaching methods and topics. Everyone presented important information to the class and overall we received a good reaction. I know that some teachers frown on knowing about the author's life, however, I felt that Plath's life is so interesting and necessary to know about in order to receive a solid understanding of her semi-autobiographical novel. Rather than teaching all together, we taught in different sections. This provided variety and an ability for our teacher personalities to show and the students to personalities as well.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Debriefing the Texts
Critical Encounters In High School English:
Teaching Literary Theory to Adolescents
by Deborah Appleman
Overall, I thought that this book was really benificial for any english teacher. I think that literary theory is very important to teach and understand at a young age and this book makes lesson planning easy. I think that every chapter is helpful and full of idea on how to teach literary theory. I really enjoyed the examples she provided and activities. Being able to read how her student's reacted to some of the lessons was also helpful. I was able to see how she handled tricky situations, like when the student pleaded about deconstruction. She used Hamlet for a lot of theory. Using the same text makes it easier for students to understand how to be critical. Being fully instructed at first, the students will then be able to apply different theories when necessary. Appleman's idea of using different stations around the classroom sounds fun, and i am looking forward to trying that in my own class. My favorite chapter had to be seven. It was very interesting and a good tactic to tie the book together. It also provides upcoming teachers inspiration to conduct a classroom like Martha's.
Literature and Lives:
A Response-Based, Cultural Studies Approach to Teaching English
by Allen Carey-Webb
I loved this book. I think that it is so fresh and beneficial for all teachers. Webb is very culturally aware and thinks outside the box. Webb's passion for teaching shines through in his writing. His narratives allow you to be put in the situations that he was in. We feel what he felt, and are able to follow along with his thinking process when figuring tough situations out. His book is easy to follow because it is consistant. I enjoyed that his book included a lot of political aspects because especially with the nation's present situation, it's important to teach for a well rounded understanding and awareness. Webb's inclusion of literary criticisms were beneficial as well. He made it easy to follow and was very descriptive with including activities in the classroom. His resources are awesome, they are definetely some that I will use. Having Allen Webb actually come visit the classroom was really neat. Never having met Webb, it was was amazing to meet him and actually talk about post-colonialism and open up for a Q&A. Overall, I think that this book has benefited the class and helped develop my teaching philosophies.
You Gotta be the Book
by Jeffrey D. Wilhelm
The title say it all! And I could not agree more. Wilhelm's book is great and is something that I will definetely use in my future classroom for reference. It is a great book to include in Engl 4800 course. I think that if you are an English Teacher and if you teach literature, this book is a very important read. I like how Wilhelm includes activites and examples to demonstrate the importance of Reader Response. He has great ways to get the students into the book; by using dramatization, writing from the perspective of a character, changing the ending, real-life role playing- we are able to read how the students react to the different activities. These are also great activities to use for my own classroom. Having a solid understanding of Reader Response is needed for students to continue learning other forms of literary criticism.
Teaching Literary Theory to Adolescents
by Deborah Appleman
Overall, I thought that this book was really benificial for any english teacher. I think that literary theory is very important to teach and understand at a young age and this book makes lesson planning easy. I think that every chapter is helpful and full of idea on how to teach literary theory. I really enjoyed the examples she provided and activities. Being able to read how her student's reacted to some of the lessons was also helpful. I was able to see how she handled tricky situations, like when the student pleaded about deconstruction. She used Hamlet for a lot of theory. Using the same text makes it easier for students to understand how to be critical. Being fully instructed at first, the students will then be able to apply different theories when necessary. Appleman's idea of using different stations around the classroom sounds fun, and i am looking forward to trying that in my own class. My favorite chapter had to be seven. It was very interesting and a good tactic to tie the book together. It also provides upcoming teachers inspiration to conduct a classroom like Martha's.
Literature and Lives:
A Response-Based, Cultural Studies Approach to Teaching English
by Allen Carey-Webb
I loved this book. I think that it is so fresh and beneficial for all teachers. Webb is very culturally aware and thinks outside the box. Webb's passion for teaching shines through in his writing. His narratives allow you to be put in the situations that he was in. We feel what he felt, and are able to follow along with his thinking process when figuring tough situations out. His book is easy to follow because it is consistant. I enjoyed that his book included a lot of political aspects because especially with the nation's present situation, it's important to teach for a well rounded understanding and awareness. Webb's inclusion of literary criticisms were beneficial as well. He made it easy to follow and was very descriptive with including activities in the classroom. His resources are awesome, they are definetely some that I will use. Having Allen Webb actually come visit the classroom was really neat. Never having met Webb, it was was amazing to meet him and actually talk about post-colonialism and open up for a Q&A. Overall, I think that this book has benefited the class and helped develop my teaching philosophies.
You Gotta be the Book
by Jeffrey D. Wilhelm
The title say it all! And I could not agree more. Wilhelm's book is great and is something that I will definetely use in my future classroom for reference. It is a great book to include in Engl 4800 course. I think that if you are an English Teacher and if you teach literature, this book is a very important read. I like how Wilhelm includes activites and examples to demonstrate the importance of Reader Response. He has great ways to get the students into the book; by using dramatization, writing from the perspective of a character, changing the ending, real-life role playing- we are able to read how the students react to the different activities. These are also great activities to use for my own classroom. Having a solid understanding of Reader Response is needed for students to continue learning other forms of literary criticism.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Appleman Chapter 7
From Study Guides to Poststructualism: Teacher Transformations
I enjoyed this chapter in Appleman's book. I think that everything that I've read so far has been very helpful and informative. This chapter just boosts this for me. I enjoy hearing teachers stories of how they have changed with time and more experience. Martha's experience and transition as a teacher is one that all teachers new and old need to read. The old Martha reminds me of my pre-internship mentor. She was extremely text-centered and traditional. Her student's oozed with boredom, as did I. While I was in her classroom she used texts that were found in every eleventh grade classroom; Faulkner, Fitzgerald, Hemmingway. The way she discussed the literature reminded me of writing a book report; rising action, climax, falling action. She also introduced terms and themes. I could not help but think about presenting these texts in a way that demonstrates that these are important peices of literature. With the use of theory, the student's would've acheived this. My mentor needs to go through a transitional period like Martha. I like how Appleman uses Martha as an example of the transitions teachers go through.
"She developed a more inquiry-based approach to literature, inviting student to develop their own questions about texts rather than memorize answers to her questions. She also abandoned her strictly chronological approach to literature in favor of a thematic approach that focused on the relationship between historical events and the literature of time" (119).
I think that this is awesome! Allowing the students to develop their own questions about the characters is an approach to reader-response. This makes way for other theories to be introduced.
I enjoyed reading how Martha's new classroom is set up in comparison to her old one. Having the "essence of students" all over her walls promotes an atmosphere where learning is fun.
Ongoing teacher research and development is crucial, especially with the age of technology here. Not being afraid of collaboration allows to put the student in center of the class. "Through active research, opportunity for reflection, collaboration, and curricular innovation, teacher not only can transform their own disciplinary knowledge but can set the stage for wider curricular reform as well" (129-130).
Being an ENGL 1000 instructor, I use reflection a lot. I keep a journal about my lessons and the reactions of my students for every class. Having this allows me to look objectively on my lessons and how they worked, or didn't. I think that doing reflections does improve teacher effectiveness. To me, Martha is a role-model for how I would like to run my class.
I enjoyed this chapter in Appleman's book. I think that everything that I've read so far has been very helpful and informative. This chapter just boosts this for me. I enjoy hearing teachers stories of how they have changed with time and more experience. Martha's experience and transition as a teacher is one that all teachers new and old need to read. The old Martha reminds me of my pre-internship mentor. She was extremely text-centered and traditional. Her student's oozed with boredom, as did I. While I was in her classroom she used texts that were found in every eleventh grade classroom; Faulkner, Fitzgerald, Hemmingway. The way she discussed the literature reminded me of writing a book report; rising action, climax, falling action. She also introduced terms and themes. I could not help but think about presenting these texts in a way that demonstrates that these are important peices of literature. With the use of theory, the student's would've acheived this. My mentor needs to go through a transitional period like Martha. I like how Appleman uses Martha as an example of the transitions teachers go through.
"She developed a more inquiry-based approach to literature, inviting student to develop their own questions about texts rather than memorize answers to her questions. She also abandoned her strictly chronological approach to literature in favor of a thematic approach that focused on the relationship between historical events and the literature of time" (119).
I think that this is awesome! Allowing the students to develop their own questions about the characters is an approach to reader-response. This makes way for other theories to be introduced.
I enjoyed reading how Martha's new classroom is set up in comparison to her old one. Having the "essence of students" all over her walls promotes an atmosphere where learning is fun.
Ongoing teacher research and development is crucial, especially with the age of technology here. Not being afraid of collaboration allows to put the student in center of the class. "Through active research, opportunity for reflection, collaboration, and curricular innovation, teacher not only can transform their own disciplinary knowledge but can set the stage for wider curricular reform as well" (129-130).
Being an ENGL 1000 instructor, I use reflection a lot. I keep a journal about my lessons and the reactions of my students for every class. Having this allows me to look objectively on my lessons and how they worked, or didn't. I think that doing reflections does improve teacher effectiveness. To me, Martha is a role-model for how I would like to run my class.
Appleman Chapter 6
Deconstruction: Postmodern Theory and the Postmodern High School Student
Using the music video that is really popular amongst the students age group is an excellent way to introduce deconstruction. Deconstruction is hard to understand, and the way that I have come to understand it is by figuring out everything that it is not. Take a desk for example; A desk is a desk because it is not a chair or a face. This leads us to the idea of language and how language creates this. It is nearly impossible for me to comprehend a world without language. However, language is made up of words - they are just words. I'm confused... and I think that Appleman may be too. Deconstruction is very difficult to understand, and I would beg to differ when she "on a whole, the lens of deconstruction works well with high school students" (110). She did mention that her students took readily to the lens- this would be crucial for the classroom in order for a successful lesson to take place. She never tells us how she handled Rachel's plea. I like resisiting surface meanings through marxist and feminist theory. I think that deconstruction just needs more.
Using the music video that is really popular amongst the students age group is an excellent way to introduce deconstruction. Deconstruction is hard to understand, and the way that I have come to understand it is by figuring out everything that it is not. Take a desk for example; A desk is a desk because it is not a chair or a face. This leads us to the idea of language and how language creates this. It is nearly impossible for me to comprehend a world without language. However, language is made up of words - they are just words. I'm confused... and I think that Appleman may be too. Deconstruction is very difficult to understand, and I would beg to differ when she "on a whole, the lens of deconstruction works well with high school students" (110). She did mention that her students took readily to the lens- this would be crucial for the classroom in order for a successful lesson to take place. She never tells us how she handled Rachel's plea. I like resisiting surface meanings through marxist and feminist theory. I think that deconstruction just needs more.
Appleman Chapter 5
A Lens of One's Own: Of Yellow Wallpaper and Beautiful Little Fools.
I like the idea of incorporating theory into the classroom. I think that it is an excellent thing to do besides a reader-response theory. It is important for students to interpret individual characters. By giving the students the proper lens to do so, a better understanding of literature and society is achieved. Promoting students to think outside the box and opening their eyes to the truth about American society is extremely important. This is one of the things that I am looking forward to in teaching english. With America in such turmoil as it is, we need our younger generations to consider what is happening and how to change.
Much like the quote that Todd has by Einstein "The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it. "
By using theory students can look analytically at novels and achieve a better understanding of what that novel is doing, or its importance. Also, thinking critically is something we should teach at a young[er] age. "Theory helps us recognize the essentail quality of other visions: how they shape and inform the way we read texts, how we respond to others, how we live our lives. Theory makes the invisible visible, the usaid said" (75).
Incorporating feminist theory into the classroom, we are opening the eyes and minds of students. The patriachy society that we live in has undermined women, and this is evident through literature. Appleman wants her students to use the lens of feminism by...
[1] how students view female characters and [2] appraise the author's stance towards those characters... [3] how students evaluate the significance of the gender of the author in terms of its influence on a particular work... [4] how students read the gendered patterns in the world."
This ease into a classroom is essential because consideration of how the student has been raised is important to consider. Some students may be completely niave to this idea, while others ready to learn more. Feminists are often viewed as hard headed man haters. I think that the activities 11 and 12 allow are a great strategy to introduce feminist theory. I especially enjoy the poem by Pedro Eisto that she uses. The responses that the students gave were great.
The students have already done a Marxist theory on Hamlet. I like the idea of going back to Hamlet to now use a Feminist one. I think that this will allow the students to understand how to apply theory seeing that they already did with Marxist- the responses were obviously successful.
I like the activity she uses, "can you think of anything that has happened to you or to a friend of yours in the past 2 weeks that could be better explained through a feminist lens"
The first response literally made me laugh out loud.
"One must question what kind of ideas this plants in the head of an impressionable 10-year-old: Stupid women are fun to watch. I shudder for the future" (91). On her sister watching Miss USA.
How true this comment is! I watch the Bachelor. It's wonderfully trashy, the women are portrayed as 'stupid,' and ready to do anything for this block headed, rich hottie. It's a great way to see how women are actually often portrayed in the media and literature. I think that developing an excercise using an add or television show could also help in introducing feminist theory.
I like the idea of incorporating theory into the classroom. I think that it is an excellent thing to do besides a reader-response theory. It is important for students to interpret individual characters. By giving the students the proper lens to do so, a better understanding of literature and society is achieved. Promoting students to think outside the box and opening their eyes to the truth about American society is extremely important. This is one of the things that I am looking forward to in teaching english. With America in such turmoil as it is, we need our younger generations to consider what is happening and how to change.
Much like the quote that Todd has by Einstein "The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it. "
By using theory students can look analytically at novels and achieve a better understanding of what that novel is doing, or its importance. Also, thinking critically is something we should teach at a young[er] age. "Theory helps us recognize the essentail quality of other visions: how they shape and inform the way we read texts, how we respond to others, how we live our lives. Theory makes the invisible visible, the usaid said" (75).
Incorporating feminist theory into the classroom, we are opening the eyes and minds of students. The patriachy society that we live in has undermined women, and this is evident through literature. Appleman wants her students to use the lens of feminism by...
[1] how students view female characters and [2] appraise the author's stance towards those characters... [3] how students evaluate the significance of the gender of the author in terms of its influence on a particular work... [4] how students read the gendered patterns in the world."
This ease into a classroom is essential because consideration of how the student has been raised is important to consider. Some students may be completely niave to this idea, while others ready to learn more. Feminists are often viewed as hard headed man haters. I think that the activities 11 and 12 allow are a great strategy to introduce feminist theory. I especially enjoy the poem by Pedro Eisto that she uses. The responses that the students gave were great.
The students have already done a Marxist theory on Hamlet. I like the idea of going back to Hamlet to now use a Feminist one. I think that this will allow the students to understand how to apply theory seeing that they already did with Marxist- the responses were obviously successful.
I like the activity she uses, "can you think of anything that has happened to you or to a friend of yours in the past 2 weeks that could be better explained through a feminist lens"
The first response literally made me laugh out loud.
"One must question what kind of ideas this plants in the head of an impressionable 10-year-old: Stupid women are fun to watch. I shudder for the future" (91). On her sister watching Miss USA.
How true this comment is! I watch the Bachelor. It's wonderfully trashy, the women are portrayed as 'stupid,' and ready to do anything for this block headed, rich hottie. It's a great way to see how women are actually often portrayed in the media and literature. I think that developing an excercise using an add or television show could also help in introducing feminist theory.
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