On the eve of when Americans will make a critical choice in their political destinies, 7-1 students are in the process of making their own essential decisions about their academic futures. The Chapter 5 Writing Assessments have begun. Monday and Tuesday will mark the first days of in class work on the composition process of these writing tasks. Students will have some important decisions to make. Questions such as “What is my dominant learning style?” will be matched with, “Do I want to take a risk or play it safe?” We, as onlookers, will examine if students pivot towards what seems so very safe to them or if they move towards something different in their work process and product. Just as there are only a couple of days left in a rigorous political campaign, where every little detail is magnified, we, as onlookers, will be doing the same to our students, our emerging scholars, in sensing where our students will “break” in the days leading to the due date for all final assessments, November 20, 2008.
Students have been given a timeline in order to complete the chapter 5 Writing Assessments. The timelines for this week can be found on this week’s syllabus, under the headline “Homework for the week of 11/3- 11/7”, and under the hyperlink of “Calendar of Events.” We will be starting our breakout sessions this week, where small group instruction will be given to specific learning styles. It will be interesting to see students converge as “Intuitive Thinkers” or “Sensory Feelers.” Following this will be individual conferences with students to ensure that progress is being made, and that the writing process is focused and meaningful. Rough drafts can be submitted at the Day IV stage, and this is yet another avenue where students can receive feedback on their work. The underlying hope is that students work at a steady pace and refrain from procrastination. One of our goals is for students to earn as many “A’s” and “B’s” as possible. Yet, the overarching principle that guides us is that students create quality writing samples that reflect thought, reflection, and in depth analysis.
Students have to compose a writing sample based on a specific learning style and a corresponding defense piece that justifies how that sample represents the specific learning style. This means that on November 20, students will have to submit four work samples. I have advised students to complete one learning style work sample and then complete the defense piece. This will make for a consistent and thorough completion of the writing task. I believe that stakeholders can help this strong process by asking leading questions to students as they are working. Attempting to remain consistent with the learning style methodology, I believe that the following could yield fruitful discussion:
* Sensory Thinking Style: “What are your four specific acts of colonial protest?” “Why are these acts colonial acts of protest?” “How did each act come about?” “What was the British response to each act?” “Did you find detail and support from the textbook or the notes to help explain your position?”
* Intuitive Thinking Style: “What is the meaning of the quotation?” “How can it be supported and how can it be negated?” “Have you explained the statement’s validity?” “Have you explained if something can actually begin before it truly ‘begins’?”
* Sensory Feeling Style: “How have you assumed the persona of a columnist during the time period?” “How have you convinced the reader that you are feeling the sentiments of the time period?” “How have you done this through language, sentence composition, and general mood?” “Have you explained the case for going to war with England?” “Have you explained the case for making peace with England?” “Have you concluded the editorial with a clear call to action?”
* Intuitive Feeling Style: “What is your statement about the events that led to the Revolution?” “How have you amplified or explained your statement through the collage medium?” “What images help to support your statement?” “How can your statement be seen in different ways?” “How is your statement like art, something that starts discussion and conversation?”
We have spent the last week listening to the stories of Duke and Celestine. We have immersed ourselves in the lessons of Carl Jung and Dr. Hansen. We have been engrossed with the lessons of Charity and Socrates. While we chuckle at the trials of the Captain and Buddy, we have started the process of looking inwards at who we are, how we learn, and the manner in which we understand the world in which we live. As we take our lessons and apply them to Chapter 5, we begin the process of taking what we have learned and place it on the stage of scholarship and understanding. Our political candidates for the nation’s highest office are doing much of the same thing. Both our students and our candidates strive for the highest notion of the good within their own frames of references. As stakeholders, we watch and study how this narrative will unfold and conclude in the small window that is left.
Wishing our students and candidates the best of luck with the hunting that lies ahead,
Students have been given a timeline in order to complete the chapter 5 Writing Assessments. The timelines for this week can be found on this week’s syllabus, under the headline “Homework for the week of 11/3- 11/7”, and under the hyperlink of “Calendar of Events.” We will be starting our breakout sessions this week, where small group instruction will be given to specific learning styles. It will be interesting to see students converge as “Intuitive Thinkers” or “Sensory Feelers.” Following this will be individual conferences with students to ensure that progress is being made, and that the writing process is focused and meaningful. Rough drafts can be submitted at the Day IV stage, and this is yet another avenue where students can receive feedback on their work. The underlying hope is that students work at a steady pace and refrain from procrastination. One of our goals is for students to earn as many “A’s” and “B’s” as possible. Yet, the overarching principle that guides us is that students create quality writing samples that reflect thought, reflection, and in depth analysis.
Students have to compose a writing sample based on a specific learning style and a corresponding defense piece that justifies how that sample represents the specific learning style. This means that on November 20, students will have to submit four work samples. I have advised students to complete one learning style work sample and then complete the defense piece. This will make for a consistent and thorough completion of the writing task. I believe that stakeholders can help this strong process by asking leading questions to students as they are working. Attempting to remain consistent with the learning style methodology, I believe that the following could yield fruitful discussion:
* Sensory Thinking Style: “What are your four specific acts of colonial protest?” “Why are these acts colonial acts of protest?” “How did each act come about?” “What was the British response to each act?” “Did you find detail and support from the textbook or the notes to help explain your position?”
* Intuitive Thinking Style: “What is the meaning of the quotation?” “How can it be supported and how can it be negated?” “Have you explained the statement’s validity?” “Have you explained if something can actually begin before it truly ‘begins’?”
* Sensory Feeling Style: “How have you assumed the persona of a columnist during the time period?” “How have you convinced the reader that you are feeling the sentiments of the time period?” “How have you done this through language, sentence composition, and general mood?” “Have you explained the case for going to war with England?” “Have you explained the case for making peace with England?” “Have you concluded the editorial with a clear call to action?”
* Intuitive Feeling Style: “What is your statement about the events that led to the Revolution?” “How have you amplified or explained your statement through the collage medium?” “What images help to support your statement?” “How can your statement be seen in different ways?” “How is your statement like art, something that starts discussion and conversation?”
We have spent the last week listening to the stories of Duke and Celestine. We have immersed ourselves in the lessons of Carl Jung and Dr. Hansen. We have been engrossed with the lessons of Charity and Socrates. While we chuckle at the trials of the Captain and Buddy, we have started the process of looking inwards at who we are, how we learn, and the manner in which we understand the world in which we live. As we take our lessons and apply them to Chapter 5, we begin the process of taking what we have learned and place it on the stage of scholarship and understanding. Our political candidates for the nation’s highest office are doing much of the same thing. Both our students and our candidates strive for the highest notion of the good within their own frames of references. As stakeholders, we watch and study how this narrative will unfold and conclude in the small window that is left.
Wishing our students and candidates the best of luck with the hunting that lies ahead,
Mr. Kannan
No comments:
Post a Comment