Effectively Integrating Textual Evidence

Textual Evidence. 
Textual Evidence. 
Textual Evidence.

I know we hear these two words more than we would really care to. Nonetheless, despite whether one likes it or not, being able to use textual evidence is a skill our students must acquire and be able to apply across curriculums. However, teaching students to use textual evidence doesn't have to be so "rigorous" (another buzz word that us educators are all tired of hearing). Don't get me wrong...I do believe students need to be challenged, but the word "rigor" is just plain scary. We want to encourage our students--not intimidate them. Below are two creative activities I have used to teach students to utilize textual evidence without it seeming so daunting:

1) Post-Mortem of a Protagonist: With this assignment, students create an outline of some type of character. It can be a character from a novel, a historical figure, a famous scientist, etc. Then, they will need to illustrate at least five "body parts" for an "autopsy" of the character. Each body part needs to have questions attached, and students are to answer the questions associated with the body part with a quote, passage, or other form of textual evidence. For example, the head represents the intellectual side of the character. Students will need to provide a piece of textual evidence related to the character's visions, dreams, thoughts, or intellect. In order to achieve this, students have to refer back to the text to acquire the information they need. Below are pictures of some of my 8th grade English students working on their "post-mortem of a protagonist."

2) Fishbowl Discussions: The fishbowl strategy allows students to be both contributors and listeners in a discussion. It's also an awesome way to get students to use textual evidence. I like to use fishbowl discussions when I'm teaching arguments. I give my students two articles with opposing viewpoints. Students are to read both articles and choose what argument they agree with. They then must brainstorm a list of points they wish to make in the discussion as well as evidence from the articles to back up those points. I always tell them it is just like court--your point is not really worth anything without evidence to support it. Below are a few pictures of my 8th graders participating in a fishbowl discussion. 

Getting students to effectively integrate textual evidence doesn't have to be limited to post-reading questions and essays. Be creative, think outside the box, and try something new!

Words from the Wise: Learning from the Writings of Anne Frank

Last week my class finished The Diary of Anne Frank. My goal throughout the unit was that my students not only learned her story but that they really captured the mindset of Anne--how she saw the world, what she valued--and I wanted them to be able to apply the wise words of such a young girl to present day life.

The activity I created to accomplish this was actually inspired by an #ALedchat on Twitter concerning that of MLK. Jennifer Hogan, one of the mediators, provided an MLK quote for each question and asked us how it applied to our school, classroom, students, etc. Well, this gave me a wonderful idea in terms of the words of Anne Frank.

I immediately began collecting quotes by Frank. I cut the quotes out, folded them, and placed them in a bag. I normally allow much choice in my classroom; however, for this assignment, I did not want my students choosing their quotes. Instead, my sister suggested that students draw their quote (Umm...why didn't I think of that?). So, each of my students received their own quote. On a piece of card stock, they had to write their quote, color it, and on the back write how they could apply Anne's quote to present day (whether it concerned society, war, political issues, etc).

Of course, my students blew me away and turned in some really awesome stuff (as seen in the picture below). This just goes to show that assessing student learning doesn't have to be monotonous. As teachers, we just have to think outside the box or participate in Twitter chats for a little inspiration :)

The Power of Poetry

Gone are the droning days of memorizing and reciting Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” and Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18. Farewell to frivolous class readings and renderings.  Poetry has so much more to offer our students. This is not to say that memorizing these poems has no significance in the lives of learners because that is certainly not the case. However, there are so many more facets to be faced concerning poetry in the classroom.

Often when the word “poetry” is mentioned in the classroom, the result is a wavering response of reluctant sighs followed by questions and exclamations such as “please don’t make us memorize a poem”-- “are we going to have to recite in front of the class?”-- and “poetry is so boring!”

I have discovered that the key to making poetry less horrifying for students is to make it relevant to them and their world.

I'm sharing three fun and creative ways that you can utilize poetry in your classroom:

•    Blackout Poems: A blackout poem is an artistic approach at creating one’s own poem without having to write it from scratch. Show an example of a blackout poem to your students and you will immediately grab their attention. Apparently, blackout poems are all the rage on Tumblr. The best thing about blackout poems is the fact that they are super easy to relate to any content you may be covering in your classroom. For example: For those covering The Diary of Anne Frank in your classes, try handing out newspaper articles to your students and ask them to create a poem from Anne Frank’s point of view. They will need to select the words they wish to keep and blackout the rest. Then, have them write about how their blackout poem reflects Anne’s thinking. This is a fun and simple way to have students create meaningful poems that relate to the content covered in class. (P.S. Be prepared for your students to blow you away with the stuff they come up with). It may look a little something like this:

•    “Where I’m From” Poems: “Where I’m From” poems are another unique way to introduce poetry to your students, especially when it comes to the writing of poetry. “Where I’m From” poems are less intimidating for students because they do not have to rhyme and they stem from content students are familiar with—their very own lives. They also tend to boost a student’s confidence concerning their writing due to the fact that the finished product typically sounds incredible regardless of what the student writes. Not only are these poems an easy way to introduce students to the writing of poetry, but they are also a great way for teachers and student peers to get to know one another. Wait—there is more! You can also apply this to content by having students create a “Where I’m From” poem from an author or character’s perspective (hello…fun way to assess student learning).

•    Poetry through Music: Music is definitely something all students can relate to. So, why not teach poetry through something they love? Today’s music contains many structural similarities to that of poems. So having students analyze the lyrics of a song rather than a poem is a no brainer. It’s a great way to introduce them to sound and literacy devices without it seeming boring or daunting. Try this in your classroom by having students choose an appropriate song and define as many of the sound and literary devices as possible. When finished, have them present their findings. They can even be creative and use PowerPoint or iMovie to show their analysis while having the song playing in the background. Students love this, and you will be surprised that the aftermath of teaching poetry through music results in students telling you all the sound and literary devices they have discovered in their most recent playlist (insert proud teacher moment).  

See, poetry doesn’t have to be blah or boring. It can actually be quite versatile. The big take away from this is when you teach students the significance of poetry through more real and relative ways, that is when the true learning, creating, and meaning takes place.  

The power of poetry lies in this: Make it real and make it relevant.

Creativity in the Classroom...Have We Lost It?

With the push of new and rigorous standards, it's easy for us teachers to get caught up in the world of testing, assessing, and STRESSING. Due to this, many teachers feel as if there is no time or place for creativity in their classrooms.

But are the standards to blame?

No--Well, at least I don't think so. I believe the standards actually provide me with more freedom to be creative in my classroom. Yes, the standards are rigorous. Yes, they may not always be intriguing to you or your colleagues. However, they allow us as teachers to raise the bar for our students, to challenge them in ways we have never thought of, and to CREATE engaging lessons that ensure our students are prepared for the skills and knowledge needed in the real world.

Sounds simple enough, right?  The message conveyed may sound that way, but we all know it is not that simple. Creating engaging yet challenging material is difficult. It takes time--a lot more time than most of us feel we have. However, I have come to learn in order to create the innovative yet rigorous lessons I want my students to experience, I have to put forth the time. Yes, creating valuable lessons takes time up front, but the real and worthwhile learning that stems from it is what makes it all worth it. One way to help with the time issue is finding good resources.

With all the resources at our fingertips, there are plenty of ways to be creative without stressing over how you are going to transform previous lessons into challenging and engaging ones. May these ways be different than your notion of creativity? Maybe. Nonetheless, the resources are out there.  For me, the best resource for creative yet challenging lessons are other teachers. Many of the lessons and projects going on in my class this year have been inspired by other teachers across the country...and guess what? They are challenging, they are tied with the standards, and they are engaging for my students. So...Connect and collaborate with teachers through Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook; share your ideas; ask questions; but most importantly, TAKE RISKS! If a lesson plan or project intimidates you, then you're doing something right. Some of my best lessons this school year were ones I just knew were going to go terribly wrong. However, my students always found a way to surprise me.

Back to the original question: "Creativity in the classroom...have we lost it?"

Yes. Maybe for some of us, we have. But nothing is lost that cannot be found. We can still be creative in our classrooms. We can still challenge our students. It may be different, scary, or uncomfortable--but it is possible.

Start the Year Off Right!

Learning is a reflective experience. It is to not only take the time to sit down and recall all that you have retained but to also reflect on the adaptions that need to be made. As a new year begins, it is important that teachers take this time to ensure they start the year off right. Reflect on what you learned from the previous year and strive to make this year even better! Here is a list of five tips you can use to set yourself up for a great year:

•  Set Goals. The New Year allows the opportunity for a fresh start.  As teachers, we need to take advantage of this time to set goals for our students, our school, and ourselves. So before the busyness of school days resume, sit down, reflect, and write! What worked? What didn’t work? How can you make improvements? Then, take the time to create goals for yourself and be sure to revisit them throughout the year.

•    Get Organized. At the start of the school year, everything seems to be organized and in its place. However as the year progresses, you somehow have managed to accumulate towers of papers, have misplaced lesson plans and worksheets, and have no clue where those resources you saved and pinned have gone. Take this time to get organized. Go through old papers and file what is needed and discard what is not. Reflect on the previous semester. How well did you stay organized? If your previous intentions to stay organized crashed and burned after the first month of school, create a new plan for this semester.

•  Manage Your Time. When time is spent wisely, it can positively affect all aspects of our lives. Yet for teachers, it seems we have very little time to spend. It is as if the work never ends. Between planning, reading, researching, and grading, when do teachers have time for anything…right? Remedy this by planning to better manage your time. Make a vow to not take work home, utilize your planning period by tackling your most important items, and create checklists.

• Explore New Resources. Education is continually trying to adjust and adapt to our rapid developing culture. Due to the constant advancements in technology, there has been a greater need for teachers to stay up to date on the new and innovative resources accumulating at our fingertips. This year, make it a priority to explore new resources and save your favorites.  Then, try utilizing one of the new resources each week. Do not just let them waste away in a desktop folder or become lost in a sea of pins on your Pinterest board!

•  Take Time for Yourself. As teachers, we often put our jobs before ourselves. This can cause a teacher to burn out. Make it a priority to take time for you. You deserve it! Try a new hobby, focus on your heath, and spend time with your friends and family.  Taking some time for yourself will greatly influence and improve how you function in the classroom.

A Special Thanks

I am posting my reflection from my Senior Seminar class. I just wanted to take the time to say thank you to all of my English professors who have helped shaped me as a reader, writer, and educator.

Reflection

            The Spring Hill College English department has helped shaped me as a reader, writer, and educator in a variety of ways. Before attending Spring Hill College, I enjoyed my English classes in high school, but had nowhere near the interest and passion I have for English now. My freshman year here, I was originally a Biology major. By the end of my first semester, I was dissatisfied in my chosen career path, and I knew I truly held a higher interest in my English courses. So, after completing my first two English courses here at Spring Hill College, my initial major quickly changed. The English professors that I have had the opportunity of having here display a passion for both teaching and encouraging a love for literature. The professors in my English courses not only had a way of explaining and analyzing the texts in a way that I had never experienced before, but also had a way of encouraging students to share their own individual  insights. It is my professors who have influenced my love for English, and who have encouraged the enjoyment I now have when analyzing literature and sharing my own ideas and insights.

I remember my first English paper as a freshman was on As You Like It by William Shakespeare. Before college, Shakespeare’s writings had always intimidated me. However, my professor provided our class with unique ways to help us understand Shakespeare’s writings. We constructed character lists and concept maps, which aided me in my understanding and analysis of his work. After learning to read and analyze Shakespeare’s literature, the paper assignment became enjoyable rather than something I usually dreaded.  Ultimately, it was my professors’ passion and excitement that influenced me to switch my major, where I could have a concentration in English.  Although some of my later English courses have been challenging, I have enjoyed learning more about the world of literature. My professors have challenged me to write in an array of styles, write to a variety of audiences, and write simply for my own self expression. Ultimately, my English courses at Spring Hill College have prepared me to be a more well-rounded reader, writer, and educator. Being a future English teacher, I now have the opportunity to instill that same passion and excitement for English in my own students’ lives.

            Approaching my Senior Seminar project, I already had some idea of what I wanted to accomplish. My original idea was actually influenced by two of my courses during my time here at Spring Hill College. In my second English course as a freshman, our class was assigned to read Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko. Analyzing the themes and issues surrounding the text led me to discover an interest in American Indian literature. I remember writing my paper on kachina ceremonials in Laguna Pueblo culture. Kachina ceremonials tend to be very secretive in their culture, so much research was involved. However, after turning in my paper, I could honestly say I enjoyed doing the research because I was so interested in the topic and culture. It is hard to believe that it was a freshman English course that has inspired me to pursue my chosen topic my senior year.

I later had the opportunity of displaying my interest in American Indian literature again in my second American Literature class during my junior year. As part of the course requirements, we were asked to give presentations throughout the semester to help prepare us for our Senior Seminar projects. I slightly struggled in my first two presentations. So, in order to do better on my final presentation of the semester, I chose to do a topic that interested me. I chose a topic which focused on American Indian literature and culture. After giving my presentation, my professor commented on the interest I displayed and suggested I do something similar for my Senior Seminar project. My grade on that presentation reflected this as well. It was from this course, that my idea and enthusiasm for my Senior Seminar project began to heighten.

            At the beginning of the semester, I decided that for my Senior Seminar project, I wanted to discuss the significance of storytelling in American Indian literature. From my previous readings of American Indian literature, I noticed that storytelling was a prevalent characteristic in American Indian writings, and thought it would be interesting to research. Starting out, the aim of my research was to illustrate not only how culture has affected the literature, but also how many American Indian writers have used literature to affect the culture. I wanted to particularly examine the use of oral narratives communicated in written text, and how American Indian writers such as Leslie Marmon Silko, N. Scott Momaday, and Louise Erdrich utilize this approach to recover or recreate oral tradition in their communities. However, after learning so much more about American Indian culture and storytelling, I discovered that storytelling is much more complex than I initially thought. From there, I shifted my analysis to the meaning of the stories. I asked myself questions like “what are the differences between ancient, historical, and personal stories?” and “why are they used?” It was the research and musing of stories that then led my interest to shift to the meaning and use of the narrative forms. Reading Ceremony my freshman year, I noticed how different the text was laid out on the page. Silko continuously uses strange spacing and blocking of the ancient stories in her novel, which I had always been perplexed about. I noticed that the layout and structure in N. Scott Momaday’s A Way to Rainy Mountain and Louise Erdrich’s The Plague of Doves were also arranged in unique ways. This led me to consider the meaning behind these complex narrative forms.

Analyzing and writing about the structures and layouts of the texts I chose proved to be very challenging. Although we had discussed the physical features of texts in my previous English courses, I have never had the opportunity to truly analyze and write about them. Yet, because Senior Seminar is a capstone course and my last college English project, I wanted to challenge myself. Honestly, I am so glad I did. Throughout the semester, I often doubted myself and was anxious about tackling such a unique and complex topic. I went back and forth on ideas in an attempt to stray away from my own insights. However, my mentor, Dr. Litwiller, steered me back on course and encouraged me to embrace my own insights every step along the way. As a result, my final work was creative and original, which was the most rewarding of the entire process. Although the process was both stressful and challenging, I enjoyed branching out of my comfort zone to work on a topic I am extremely interested in and passionate about. Overall, my experience in Spring Hill College’s English department has challenged me to achieve far more than I ever thought I could.