GOD DAMN YOU LJ
Here I am writing this nice little entry, and it's gone.
I am currently sitting here with Mike, working on my lesson plans for the week (which I'm actually really excited about...) in St. Mark's Coffeehouse on 17th Avenue in Denver. If you're in the Denver area, check it out -- it's a super cute place with a super cute and friendly barista. Kudos all around and the coffee t'ain't bad either.
121 (College): Argumentation, the death penalty essays from McGraw Hill, Get a Knife..., assigning AEI on Wednesday (or tomorrow if I play my cards right)
090 (High School): We begin Slam Poetry...reading about the origins in hip hop and rap, and listening and watching a shitload of it. I'm also splitting up the days with Test Taking Skills necessary for my tests (and for the Colorado Standardized tests, coincidentally enough). Last semester, I really slammed those kids with my tests, so we're going to remedy it all this semester (hopefully). We begin with Essay questions...what do you do when you get one (besides cry)? Underline the action verb ("analyze," "compare," "contrast," "illustrate"....etc); star the amounts ("two," "three," "some"); circle the specifications/nouns (character names, author, genre, literary device[s]). Then, rewrite the question in YOUR OWN WORDS as the beginning of your planning / prewriting. This is also a good method to writing a thesis!
I know, I know, it seems so simple. But the vast majority of our school's students do NOT know how to read an essay assignment, let alone answer one. I want to try and fix this immediately ... especially before their first test with me (on Slam Poetry). I will be giving them a list of Action Verbs commonly used in essay questions, defining them, and then sample questions and prompts. Yada yada yada.
060 (High School): New vocabulary list! Learning about foreshadowing through the short story "The Monkey's Paw." Finishing up the Verb packets we started last week.
122 (College): I don't know. Not until Saturday and I can't think that far ahead, bless. But something about argumentation, writing essays, and researching.
And that's that, kids. Your thoughts, por favor?
I am currently sitting here with Mike, working on my lesson plans for the week (which I'm actually really excited about...) in St. Mark's Coffeehouse on 17th Avenue in Denver. If you're in the Denver area, check it out -- it's a super cute place with a super cute and friendly barista. Kudos all around and the coffee t'ain't bad either.
121 (College): Argumentation, the death penalty essays from McGraw Hill, Get a Knife..., assigning AEI on Wednesday (or tomorrow if I play my cards right)
090 (High School): We begin Slam Poetry...reading about the origins in hip hop and rap, and listening and watching a shitload of it. I'm also splitting up the days with Test Taking Skills necessary for my tests (and for the Colorado Standardized tests, coincidentally enough). Last semester, I really slammed those kids with my tests, so we're going to remedy it all this semester (hopefully). We begin with Essay questions...what do you do when you get one (besides cry)? Underline the action verb ("analyze," "compare," "contrast," "illustrate"....etc); star the amounts ("two," "three," "some"); circle the specifications/nouns (character names, author, genre, literary device[s]). Then, rewrite the question in YOUR OWN WORDS as the beginning of your planning / prewriting. This is also a good method to writing a thesis!
I know, I know, it seems so simple. But the vast majority of our school's students do NOT know how to read an essay assignment, let alone answer one. I want to try and fix this immediately ... especially before their first test with me (on Slam Poetry). I will be giving them a list of Action Verbs commonly used in essay questions, defining them, and then sample questions and prompts. Yada yada yada.
060 (High School): New vocabulary list! Learning about foreshadowing through the short story "The Monkey's Paw." Finishing up the Verb packets we started last week.
122 (College): I don't know. Not until Saturday and I can't think that far ahead, bless. But something about argumentation, writing essays, and researching.
And that's that, kids. Your thoughts, por favor?