I am not a big fan of game shows. I am not sure I have ever been. Yet, I admit that there was a phase in the late ‘90s where the show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” seemed to have a hold on me. I liked the notion of the wide ranging question base, and while I did not have a particularly fond opinion of Regis Philbin, I liked how he used conversations with the contestants to achieve “the right answer.” Now, I have seen the film “Quiz Show” dozens of times and knew that at some level, the fix was in. I completely grasped that, but it was the notion of illuminating understanding through conversation that I found very persuasive. In a post modern vein, I was attracted to the idea that mere idea of talking about something could yield something valuable in it. I felt that, if approached properly, conversation and discourse could prove to be beneficial in allowing a stronger understanding of who we are, what our predicaments might be, and how we might better approach addressing both. It is hard to believe that Regis Philbin played an integral role in my understanding of teaching and learning.
In addressing the topic for this week’s blog entry, I would like to introduce you to a composite 7.1 student that I will call “Trane.” Trane has just received the Writing Assessment for Chapter 6. Needless to say, Trane is a bit on the overwhelmed side. There are some critical choices that have to be made. My hope in this week’s blog is to provide some starters to conversation, or “conversatin’” to borrow vernacular from the Jazz period of the 1940’s and 1950s, that might allow Trane to have a better understanding of what work can be done and the predicament in which Social Studies has placed our mythical, yet very real student. These conversations can be held between parent and Trane, friend and Trane, or even outsider and Trane (It is conceivable that Trane could have an experience where some angel descends upon him and engages him to become the messenger, the prophet of a new era of Writing Based Assessment in American History. If this momentous arrival is to be heralded, I would imagine that the topic of conversation would not be about why Trane was chosen, or if Kushner could actually be proven wrong in that there are “Angels in America,” but rather how could our student deal with the reality of a 600 point writing task.)
“So, Trane, after looking at the options, which one interests you the least and why?” I feel that this is a great conversation starter. Students like Trane have to be able to find which type of task offered in the Chapter 6 Writing Assessments is not going to be to their liking. Implicit in this question is the idea of whether or not Trane is going to pivot towards or pivot away from his dominant learning style. A consistent theme in 7.1 Social Studies this year is the idea of how students are going to create meaning for themselves and their work. Building off of this is how students will approach their dominant learning style. Would they want to take a chance and pivot from their power base of a learning style into something different, or do they want to play it safe and go to their source of power in learning? If Trane feels like taking a risk might be desirable, perhaps our student would select a task different from ones selected in the past. Yet, the reality in which Trane is immersed speaks volumes: The Writing Assessment is worth 600 points and has to be completed in a quicker time frame than the previous assessment on chapter 5. In addition to this, the tasks are a bit more indepth than the ones last featured. In the final analysis, Trane has to figure out which position is going to be best, what can be completed and done well, and what is desired. I can almost imagine Regis sitting across and asking Trane, “Well, what the heck do you want?” The cornball music would swell up at this point…
“Hey, Trane, how are you going to manage your time in order to meet the deadline?” I believe that this is a question that all of our students have to answer in any large undertaking. Long term projects can only be successfully completed with small term benchmarks being reached at multiple stages. I believe that the days of students being able to “whip up something up the night before” have long since passed. The reality is that with in class and at home time being strictly devoted to the completion of the Chapter 6 Writing Tasks, I think that a tortoise approach (“Slow and steady wins the race”) is critical. Once Trane has eliminated the options that do not meet personal preference, then Trane will have to make the choice from what remains. The very next stage would be to budget out a timeline to see how things can be completed in a timely manner. In order to do this, Trane will have to see how much time is out there, how much can be balanced with other demands, and how much can realistically be completed on a nightly basis, as well as how much realistic time exists. This can take on multiple forms. For example, let us see how Trane’s timeline might be configured based on different choices of writing tasks:
Identifications and Pictures- Complete 2 identifications each day in class and 2 identifications at home (Check over rough drafts at each night). All identifications done by Friday/ Saturday. Compose one picture a night. Total assignment completed by Wednesday/ Thursday.
Point of View Guides- Monday and Tuesday research. Wednesday- Sunday- Draft 3 journal entries. Use remainder of the week to final draft.
Such a timeline can be worked out with any of the writing tasks, so long as Trane, or any student, can ensure that they are completing all the needed parts of the task and that time is something upon which they have not turned their back.
“Trane, how are you going to use Mr. Kannan as a resource on this particular task?” The facts are transparent and present to all: Most 7-1 Students have been with me for over a trimester. They have completed writing tasks of varying difficulty. Students have found success and have lacked it at different points in our collaboration. As we progress in our journey, students need to make a conscious choice of what role their teachers will serve in order to maximize their emotional, intellectual, and scholarly growth. For example, will Trane be coming in to speak with me during lunch to seek input or advice? Will Trane be making morning appointments in order to better understand things? Will Trane submit rough drafts, multiple rough drafts, in order to achieve a better understanding of material? Will Trane and other students be vocal advocates for what they need? Will Trane take the responsibility to approach the teacher when trouble arises? How exactly will Trane use in class time in completion of the writing assessments? I think that students, such as our mythological yet all too real Trane, will need to make conscious and deliberate decisions as to how they will utilize their teacher to assist them in this harrowing phase of our journey towards the pantheon of scholarship.
In the lexicon of Jazz, “Chasin’ the Trane” referred to the giant of modern Jazz, John Coltrane. When listening to his music, attempting to follow his path of improvisational genius is a challenge, indeed. One can find themselves lost in the creation of authentically great music. My hope is that when we engage in conversatin’ with our Tranes, we can again see what greatness looks like, what talent resembles, and achieve a visual representation of the hopes, process, and products of academic strength and talent. What better way to describe our students, your children?
All best, happy hunting, and best wishes for great conversatin’.
Mr. Kannan
P.S. Those who are interested can examine the individual group conferencing notes for the Chapter 6 Assessment under the link "Recent Powerpoint Lessons."
The week before Winter Recess brings with it the conclusion of the Chapter 6 Writing Tasks. Students will spend the next week using in class time to draft their work. Rough drafts will stop being read by Tuesday, and final drafts will start being accepted thereafter, with Friday being the last day to accept the Final Drafts. After this, we go home for a much needed two week respite from LCD Projectors, Daily Planners, and Assessments. (It should be known that I am offering extra credit tasks over break so that students do not lose touch with Social Studies in its entirety.)
