Christensen Chapter 8

I think this was an excellent chapter, and one that most of us could easily relate to in regard to our own high school experiences. As a student who took honors and AP courses all through high school I perhaps was on the other end of the spectrum. For instance, throughout my entire education I took advanced classes, was used to having hours upon hours of homework each time, and learned to adapt to a fairly rigorous schedule. However, my senior year I began to get burnt out with taking advanced classes in all my core subjects. My last semester I dropped my AP English class (ironic right, now that I'm becoming an English teacher) and took a general untracked class in its placement. Also, that semester I became a teacher's assistant for a remedial chemistry class and this really opened my eyes to the difference that teachers and students interacted between AP classes, and untracked general courses. For instance, I was surprised at the lack of effort, particiapation, and motivation that students in untracked classes which in my experience had a direct result with the teacher at hand. Ultimately, the teacher didnt enjoy the class and didn't find a need to encourage students that were labeled as average and the students behavior reflected this. Likewise as the teacher aid I saw students in some of these classes that had the potential to do great things, and could succeed if they were given the opportunity to  be placed into other classes. I recognize why tracking is used, but feel that there are many cases where students fall between the cracks, and that as teachers we should treat each class with the same level of motivation, and not be afraid to push students a bit harder. Just because a student is in English 10A instead of AP Composition, does not mean that they do not have the potential to do great things. It is our personal responsibility to be knowledgeable about English, and pass on our love, our passion, our ideas onto students. If we do not show students that we believe in them, and that they have the potential to do great things, who will?

Gilmore Chapter 7-So What's Your Story?

I liked the concept of this chapter because often times pieces of creative writing in high school don’t get much attention, let alone revision time. Writing a poem, or a creative fictional piece is very different from writing a thesis driven research paper. Therefore its only natural that the revision would be different as well.

I must say that I feel like a slacker when it comes to responding to this chapter because I don’t have any particularly striking things to say. I think that Gilmore presents some really great strategies that I can use in my own writing. I like his ideas on poetry specifically, I think he has some great insight and like that he really stresses the idea of giving yourself time to work on a project. While a poem can come to you in 15 minutes, revising it the next day may not be constructive, it may be something that needs a few weeks, months even to go back to and really dig in deep to what you had to say, and maybe even combining other works. How true.

Lastly I liked the last sentence of this chapter: “If we can make writing fun and profitable (not in dollars but in satisfaction) we’ll help to create lifelong writers as well as better readers.”
Amen. Haha, but really isn’t this the whole point of why we are teaching English?Well said Barry Gilmore, well said.

Gilmore Chapter 6-You're Just My Type

First let it be known I giggled at the title of this chapter, because I’m immature and enjoy the cheesiness, now that I have gotten that statement off my chest…technology eh?

I think that in our generation it is only natural that technology will continued to be incorporated into our classroom. Currently most of my classes at the college level use webvista, or other classroom specific websites, or message boards/forums to discuss assignments and so on and so forth. I think this ideas are great, however may prove to be frustrating for students that have limited or no means of getting online. While most of the world is plugged in, and has access to the internet, there are many individuals that simply do not have those means at home. I think that using these resources in class is great, specifically when students have access to computers on a daily basis, but that there should be some sensitivity given to assignments given outside of class in regard to doing work on computers.

Overall this chapter was an interesting read, but I may just be a bit old fashioned in my thinking. I like the idea of incorporating technology like I said but I’m not a huge fan of emailing my professors papers, and I’m not sure how I feel about the electronic revision…maybe I am just stuck in my comfortable ways? I think Gilmore has a good head on his shoulders though, and I really like that he says teachers have a chance to either embrace technology or fight against it. I think the most important thing to keep in mind is that there needs to be a balance between everything in a classroom, and while some of these strategies arnt my favorite, that I can find some other ways to incorporate technology into my classroom. Though on a completely hypocritical last thought statement I do like the idea of having a class website in highschool. I think it would be a good place to post class notes, due dates, and various strategies for students to use.

Gilmore Chapter 5- Can We Leave Yet?

I love lists, I love structure, I like when I receive a little piece of direction because Lord knows I am one of the least focused people that have walked this Earth. With this little background in mind I really love Gilmore’s strategy of giving students a check list of revision strategies, and that this list can be adjusted depending on the amount of time each student has left. I think this is a very constructive and useful method.

For instance it is very difficult under pressure to think clearly, specifically while doing something like a standardized test in which the outcome of this test could mean scholarship money, your college future, and so on and so forth. I get nervous just thinking about it, and its been years since I’ve been in that situation. By giving students an easy and simple list I feel that it helps students recall material that has been given to them throughout their education, and now is the time to actually apply what they’ve learned. Who would have thought?

Furthermore I think another idea that Gilmore brings up is to know the test and know the readers. In high school I was very blessed that my teachers did do a great job at preparing us for AP tests. I think its essential that we have information readily available for students, and can provide lessons in our curriculum that is relevant to these type of tests. For example, my teachers in high school often had us do practice tests a few weeks before, and scored them accordingly to the methods specific for that test. Likewise we were able to reflect as a class on how we did, where we excelled and where we could improve. I also like Gilmore’s idea about having students be the “reader” and going through essays and setting up your room like a testing center. While I may change up just how many papers students look at it, I think this is a great exercise for students, because it can physically show them what readers do and don’t want to see on their papers. I think this is a really constructive testing strategy that I would like to incorporate in some form into my future classroom.

Christensen Chapter 7: Portfolios

I must say this was a bit of brief chapter for Christensen, but overall an intersting take on the concept of creating student portfolios. I must say I like the idea, and with the proper direction I think this could be a great and rewarding project of sorts. My only personal experience with porfolio's was my freshman year of college in English 105. We had to create a portfolio that consited of I believe 5 essays that we had written over the course of the semester, with multiple drats, and reflections as well. I remember at the time I was not too fond of the idea because I didn't have the desite to revise papers that had already been revised and handed in, but I think it was good learning experience as well.

I think portfolios are good though for students to see the amount of growth that is made from where they started and where they now have come to be. I like that Christensen seems to be very much into personal growth rather than simply sticking a grade on top. I have had professors and teachers over the years that were on both ends of the spectrum. One moment that sticks out to me though, is that for an English class I had last year in fact, I had tried my hardest the entire semester and by the time the last paper came about I was burnt out. My style of writing had greatly improved over the course of the semester, and this is something that my professor often commented on throughout my papers. When I turned in this last paper I was not satisfied and expected a very low grade, however I actually recieved a decent score. Attached to my paper was a critique along with some comments on how to improve and why I got the grade I did. My professor had told me that while this was not my best piece of writing he can still see areas that I have improved on over the course of the class, and that my improvement has been so significant that he was giving me the benefit of the doubt that this paper I simply took the safe road, and that while it was not A worthy, that he would give me a B and that I should be really proud of how much I have accomplished over the past few months.

I feel that portfolios make it possible for students to reflect, which is something that many may not do on a regular basis. I woul say with proper guidelines and allowing enough time and prep for this assignment, it would prove to be very successful and rewarding in the long run.

Gilmore Chapter 4

I can imagine that if I went to the typical high school classroom and announced that today we would be breaking off into small groups and revising that the excitement of the classroom would immediately walk out the door, or perhaps jump out the window never to bee seen again.
As i've stated time and time again revision was something I even had a trouble with in high school and college because I'm one of those individuals that procrastinates until the last minute, hops up on some form of caffeine and writes a 10 page research paper the night before its due. Thats just how I work. Its not brilliant, its not efficient, but its my usual process. However, I am beginning to see the art of revision, specifically with working with peers to gain insight and ideas that I often miss because I don't write that first draft.





I think Gilmore does a great job of giving us multiple options of revising that can be used in a classroom that may be subtle and decent enough for even the biggest moaners to deal with. I liked how he broke down some ways for groups to revise, as well as the individual. One activitiy that I liekd was the color marking exercise on page 100. I think this is a great way for students to revise because its a little more fun that the typical "underline" or "circling" approach and I think the concepts that Gilmore suggests such as syntax, rhetorical devices, and supporting evidence are good for students to try and pull out of their paper. I think this would help students recognize if they are doing these tasks, or if they are missing from their papers. I also like that this could easily turn in from an individual homework assignment to a partners activity, by allowing partners to look over or "corlor mark" one anothers paper. Overall, great activity I had never heard of this and think it sounds easy and practical to do in the everyday english classroom.

Gilmore Chapter 3

Gilmore has a really unique writing style that I really enjoy, i like his personal anecdotes that he throws in for good measure. This whole chapter was chalked up with good content and for the sake of time and rambling I will only touch on a few things. To begin with, I like how the chapter begins with the 'foreign' language that many english teachers develop when responding to papers. I remember often times in high school my teachers would use such odd abbreviations that often I could not keep straight what each one meant. Therefore, I rarely even paid attention the the markings in the margins, which looking back did a great dis service for both my teacher and my future writing.

Likewise this chapter had some great ideas about the idea of voice and how it should be addressed in essays. Gimore makes an excellent point when he states, "In the end teaching studnets that their voices can leap from the page as well as they carry in a school hallway is partly the responsibility of the assignment of the assignment and the way it's presented." I like the idea of not simply sticking to the never use "I" rule, becuase I feel that in certain context it can be very powerful. It is also less awkward than using "one" all the time, when everyone and their mother recognzies that you are just trying to be sly in disguising your desire to use the first person. I think its important that we allow certain assignments to have creative freedom, and that ability to dive into the first person. I feel that this would allow for stories to be heard that otherwise may have been lost, and that students would be more apt to write when they can not so much worry about the voice, but tell powerful stories and not be afraid to reflect on their personal experiences.

Overall I really enjoyed the content of Gilmore thus far,and feel that he offers practical advice for teachers, as well as ways to break down things about revision that I had never really thought about. I definitely think that I will need to do a closer read once I get closer to actually being in the classroom, because he has some great ideas that I'd like to incorporate into my own teaching and revision styles in the future.

Christensen Chapter 6

Throughout the course of this semester I have really enjoyed reading Christensen, and have really liked her various thoughts and assignments. However, this chapter in particular was a bit difficult for me to finish to be completely honest. I like the idea of teaching students about where one another comes from, the diversity that is present and how despite the differences we have we can gain insight from one another. However, I felt that this research project in the typical classroom would be a mess and that most people would half ass it, and that to use a great amount of class time for such a project would just be asking students to slack off. Maybe my opinion is biased based on my high school experience, and how often when we were given extensive times to research most of us didn’t use class time wisely and rather used it to talk to our neighbors, surf the web and so on and so forth.
Christensen made a statement that “As a social justice educator, I consistently ask ‘whose voices are left out of our curriculum? Whose stories are buried?” I think this quote is wonderful and it is important to introduce things into our curriculum through writing and literature that do focus on various ethnicities and background. However, I feel that Christensen’s intense research presentations would not prove to be as astounding in the typical classroom. Specifically in a class that is not nearly as diverse as her classroom that she manages to have based on her location. Overall I think it is essential to find ways to incorporate multicultural literature and history into our class, but I don’t necessarily think her immigration project would prove to be a huge success. Maybe I’m just being a negative Nancy?

Is it Done Yet? Chapter 2

The first page of this chapter had me laughing and groaning at the idea of “quick write a paragraph” with little to no direction at all. This idea was one that I have been in many times before from middle school to the college classroom. Gilmore makes some excellent points about the content of such assignments and the extremes that are present. For instance the straight A student who pulls out all the stops and goes above and beyond what is necessary but somehow against all odds does not get a grade deserving of such an effort. Been there. The student that settles on the fact that things need to be written, and becomes so frustrated that something is slopped together. Been There. Or times when frustration runs its course and you pray to God that you can pull a C out of a massive amount of BS that you have fluffed together. Once again, been there. After staying up all night, and stressing yourself to the brim then you are greeted with a smile from your teacher and the simple word- revise.

I really enjoyed how Gilmore parallels the feeling students get towards revision as bit characters in a horror movie, just getting ready to get hacked. As stated before, and I apologize for my redundancy is the fact that with the right way of teaching, and attitude we can present revision as a concept that is not terrifying and can be beneficial. I know that we revised in my classes in high school, but I never remember gaining insight on the matter or any tips. The only things that were stated were “swap papers, look for spelling errors, grammar..sign you’re name at the bottom.” I think that this chapter offers a lot of great tools like the “PINE” example, and many others. I also really took a lot from the section on revising conclusions. I never really thought until now about how often I get stuck on a conclusion, and have just learned somewhere along the way to basically redo my introduction, change the wording, and make a few cliché influential statements. Basically it’s all fluff. Obviously this style of writing has improved once I hit college, but this chapter I think even made me reconsider how I conclude my papers. The general suggestions listed on page 45 seem like an excellent handout for students, or something that can be introduced in the classroom. Overall, I think this book has already done a great job at showing me how I can teach things subtly that will empower my students and improve their writing.

Is it Done Yet? Chapter 1

I think Gilmore presented a great introductory chapter in the way he views revision in the classroom. There were several simplistic concepts that stuck out to me, that I would like to implement into my own thinking and eventually my teaching. One idea that Gilmore presents that is a great reminder is the fact that “Ultimately revision is almost entirely up to the author” (2). Seems like common sense right? However, how often have we been placed into a position where we were graded on revisions, or were pushed do writing a specific way. I bet somewhere along the way we had classes where more revision could have been necessary, and much to our teachers disapproval we skated by instead. Revision is entirely up to our students, we can give them strategies, teach lessons, create rubrics of things to follow, but it is their ultimate responsibility. This idea goes hand in hand with another idea I liked by Gilmore’s which was that teaching revision is like practicing medicine: the ultimate goal is to render yourself unnecessary. As English teachers we are not there to write essays for our students, or have them shell out the same boring 5 paragraph essays day in and day out. However, we are there to mold young minds, create within them concepts and guidelines that can better the way in which they look at writing…as well as the results of those lessons. Essentially as been stated before probably in my blog I’m sure is the fact that students need teachers in order to learn and write better. Sure maybe someone is gifted, has a mind full of thoughts, a heart full of dreams, but they still need educators in their life to help them gain their full potential. Nothing that is written the first time is perfect, I liked the example they used with Shakespeare and even the text- about how many revisions were necessary to create a piece of work. If we plan on making an impact on the way in which this world writes, we need to work on writing, and despite the negative wrap revision is a monumental part of that process.

Poetry-Christensen Chapter 5

"Too often schools don't teach students how to handle the explosive feelings that come with adolescence. By writing and sharing the 'raw core of feelings' that create havoc in their lives, they can practice a more effective way of handling their emotions" (129).

I really enjoyed Christensen's chapter on poetry because it is something that I am incredibly excited and terrified to teach. From a personal level I love poetry, for me writing and poetry specifically has always been a creative outlet for me to express my emotions. However, throughout much of my education I never really enjoyed poetry assignments that were delivered in classroom settings. OverallI found that often times the work that was assigned was poorly designed or lacked the ability to really dive into emotion or much creativity. I cannot recall ever getting excited over doing poetry for a class, and to be honest it was rarely brought up or covered in a manner that would provide enthusiasm.


I think that as future English teachers poetry can be a powerful tool and great source of personal expression. One way that Christensen made poetry fun and memorable I felt was her Remember Me poem excecise. At the end of each school year many students are sentimental over leaving, starting new chapters going on to new things, and there is that time of reflection and looking back on the year. I think a great way to demonstrate these feelings are through these poems. I think that this poem would be best for a classroom that has developed close relationships with one another, however it is still feasible in an average class as well.


For instance, Christensen mentions how she allows the students to write a second poem about themselves and their personal traits and memories. I think that if its possible to both a poem about another classmate as well as yourself would create a positive lasting memory and a good ending note for the year. I think that this is a great tradition that could be carried on in the classroom and a fun unique way to present poetry that doesn’t cause yawns and moans.

Cohesive Writing Matters-Jago Chapter 6

For a very brief chapter I feel that Chapter 6 had some important insight and reminders for us educators. One concept that I felt was interesting to think about was the idea that for some students an English teacher is their only source for information about how to write in a cohesive manner. Therefore, as future English teachers our job goes far beyond giving out assignments and providing lectures, we must teach.

What is so striking about this concept is that it seems like a no brainer. A teacher…teach? Who knew! However I think Jago manages to compile a few gernal core beliefs that one should consider when attempting to relay information to students:

In order to learn to write, one must write

Authentic tasks and topics generate the most cohesive student writing

Students need both supportive and critical feedback

There is no cohesive writing without revision.

(These four ideas are listed on page 118 in our text)

With these ideas in mind we can better assign tasks that would effectively tie in with each of the concepts. Writing cohesively is a skill that will make each individual stronger, in my own opinion. One can get by with mediocre math skills, and limited knowledge on many things, but how often does one write throughout their life? Constantly! Regardless if its graded, we are all called to write in an educated and knowledgeable manner throughout most of our adolescence and adult life. As Jago states, Cohesive writing matters. Without creating this skill, one will surely fall behind and feel the constant need to catch up. However “with it the world is their oyster” (119).

The Product-Jago Chapter 5

I think one thing that students often overlook or don’t pay much attention to is the fact that writing is a process. Writing is more than cramming in a standard five paragraph essay the night before its due. It’s more than simply using a thesaurus, and making a rough draft. Real writing requires thought, your brain is going to be put to work, you are going to get absorbed into what you are doing, and its going to be well worth it, even if you don’t see that at the time.

As we have read throughout both Christensen and Jago, the importance of revision and giving students ample opportunities to write authentically is essential. I am someone that manges to have a bipolar relationship with creating multiple drafts for papers. I love that when you compile a first draft for class you are generating ideas and the pressure isn’t so high. I enjoy peer revision and the comments I receive from my peers, and so on and so forth. However, I am also lazy and don’t always feel motivated to put a lot of effort into a draft, or if I receive a lot of positive feedback on what I have written I don’t go above and beyond to polish it. I figure somewhere in there is a happy medium, like I said it’s a bipolar relationship currently.

Creating drafts is just one way for students to have a low stakes writing approach. Jago says it well when she states, “How can we expect students to perform well on a high stakes writing assignment without giving them multiple opportunities to practice on low-stakes tasks?” (Page 86) Likewise our students need that daily writing, those daily exercises, journaling, that is not so structured that it will give them headaches just thinking about it. Students need ways to practice expressing themselves, and their feelings without being concerned over grammar or the perfect sentence.

One of the exercises that Jago uses is one where she has her student’s journal for ten minutes before a specific novel is discussed. She asks them to relate their personal experiences or thoughts on a subject which relates to that literature, as an introduction for the lesson. We did similar assignments in high school and we took them seriously because we had to create a binder with all of our journaling together, and turn it in at the end of the semester as a collection. I think this is great for starting each class with writing, and also connecting the literature with writing. Keeping students active in class with their writing, will make it easier to stay in the habit of writing on a daily basis in my experience.

As for me... I love journaling & plan on using it in my classroom :)

The Politics Of Language- Christensen Chapter 4

I think that this chapter in Reading, Writing, & Rising Up serves as a good reminder for us educators in regard to the way we approach language in our classrooms. As a member of the majority, I often take for granted the idea that the language I speak, the grammar that I use, and so on and so forth is something that was innately natural to me. I grew up throughout my life, with basic rules and principles, and a way of speech that was similar between school and home. I picked up on reading and writing fairly early, and always enjoyed it so there was never much hesitation in presenting for a class, or compiling a written response.

With this idea in mind, I thought that Christensen did a great job of using her personal experiences to relate how frustrating and intimidating it can be, to feel as an outsider to 'standard' English. I really enjoyed that at the end of one of the first sections she discusses how it took her years to undo the damage that her high school teacher Mrs. Delaney did to her, and about the conclusions that she was able to draw only after many years of reflection and discovery. "For too long , I felt inferior when I spoke. I knew the voice of my childhood crept out, and I confused that with ignorance. It wasn't. I just didn't belong to the group who made the rules. I was an outsider, a foreigner in their world. My students won't be" (page 104). I think this personal response by Christensen is important because it details a genuine statement that took her much time to realize. Likewise, in our classrooms we are going to have many students of various racial and ethnic backgrounds, and many of which speak English as a second language. Rather than segregating these students, or pointing out their differences in speech, I feel it is essential we embrace the various cultures that are prevalent in our classroom. I have a close friend who is in first year of teaching in Florida, and over half of her class speaks English as a second language, or comes from a family where English is not spoken in the home. Regardless of the different pronunciations, or basic structures of writing that still need work, every student has a story to tell. I think it was great how Christensen used former students, and others in the class to relate personal experiences, so others can jump in with their own stories. I think this is a great exercise for diversity in an English classroom, because it is able to break down those initial barriers and stereotypes that may surround students when they first walk in the door.

Ultimately it is our job as a teacher to present material and better educate the students that our in our classroom. However, it is also essentital that we enrich the lives of our students, and give them encouragement and confidence to face the world, especially if they are not the 'standard.' We make personal decisions on the type of material we teach in class- through the literature and assignments that we hand out out on a daily basis. Therefore, I feel that it is crucial that our classroom be one that celebrates diversity, and the differences that our students have within themselves as well as the similarities that they can share as a group. Likewise, if students feel accepted and comfortable in a class, they will feel more wiling to participate and conduct themselves accordingly both in class and through their writing.

Writing About Literature- Jago Chapter 4

I think that many students dislike English growing up because there is so much room for interpretation. Ironically this is just one of the reasons I enjoy English, and writing in general. The idea that typically there is not a right or wrong answer, and there is always room for new ideas, and that the same question can be asked to a class, and 30 different responses may be given- to me is awesome. At the same time, writing in a high school setting, specifically when being tested needs some structure in order to provide successful responses. I hate that I keep bashing my high school teachers, but now as I continue on in my education, I recognize the difference between skating by, and going above and beyond in the classroom.

For instance, speaking as someone that is a horrible test taker I always look forward to letting myself shine in the writing sections of the exams, specifically when I reflect on what I know about literature. I feel that this chapter did an excellent job of presenting ways for students to think criticially about literature and write about it. For example, I think the reflection chart on page 75 would be very useful to prepare for a written exam. I think that this chart would be a great way for organizing thoughts in such a way that would be useful for examination, or future essays. I think that its important that this chart not only leaves room for what the student believes is the author’s message, but their own personal beliefs as well.

Likewise, one concept that was always given to me in high school was that as long as you could support your opinion/argument with evidence from the text, that you were in good shape. I think many students get nervous about using quotations, or finding ones that they feel match what they believe. With this in mind, I thought that the worksheet developed by Meredith Louria about “Five Things To Do With A Quotation” would be an excellent tool to use in the classroom. I think often times students find a quote without much thought, and these questions do a wonderful job about thinking critically about the text. By applying these ideas, I feel that students could find support that was more relevant and interesting in their essays about literature. I think it would also create more confident and well written responses.

Teaching Narative Writing- Jago Chapter 3

I thought it was rather ironic that this chapter tied in so well to the discussions we had in class only a few days before. While I enjoyed the piece of narrative fiction that was presented in this text, I could not help but wonder where is the line? Michele Payne responds to this type of writing by recommending that teachers focus on responding to the student's writing rather than to the content, warning against the impulse to read student texts through a psychotherapeutic lens. While I can understand where she is coming from in this statement also makes me further wonder..where is the line?

In claire's response to her writing, she stated that this piece of writing was therapeutic to her because it helped show her that there would be people in her life that could see the signs. She was able to gain from her writing that there would be people there who would always care about her, and be there for her. However, what if she wrote this piece of fiction, or if it was another student and they didn't get the same interpretation out of the process? What if they in fact felt the opposite, and related more to the character that finds no way out of their troubles.

Maybe my interpretation and views are skewed based on my life experiences. Growing up I had family members that suffered from bouts depression, as well as several close friends that walked that fine line. During my junior year of high school we also had two suicides within a short period of time, which was a bit life altering for the entire student body. I can't help but think, that if I read this particular piece of writing that it would be a cry for help. I am not sure how to exactly take off that psychotherapeutic lens. How do you see writing for what it is, with out a hidden agenda? < Am i being too critical? I just really think I'd have a hard time not worrying if I recieved a student essay much like the one discussed in this chapter...

As teachers, and even in my current job as an RA we are told to look out for the warning signs, and i think its hard to establish when someone is being creative, and when its a cry for help. Will it be a situation where we have to use our best judgement and hope to God we are making the right decision? I love the idea of using creative writing in the class room, and having having these narrative pieces.. but I can't help but fear that I would read more into things than I should or vice versa. I suppose as we stated in class if we address our students with the guidelines and what our policies are in regard to confidentiality that the rest is out of my hands.

Overall this chapter hit home for me mainly because of the student essay, I could ramble on and on about some of the prompts and excercises Jago uses, which I enjoyed, but for now I think I've said enough..

Writing the Word & The World- Chapter 3

"I've watched kids write through rapes, parental abuse, the humiliation of the SATs, and track, the daily bombardment of messages from commercials ("you are pretty enough, strong enough, smart enough"), budget cuts that mean they won't get any loans or scholarships for college- but these kids passed out of my room every day and went back into the world that wounded them . I patched them up and sent them out without tools to understand- or stop the brawl they lived with" (Christensen 58).

I know you have heard it before, life is messy, life is funny, life just aient fair. Yes, aient. We do not live in a world of perfection, where our families match those on tv with the group hugs and cliche sappy music whenever a lesson is learned. Life happens, its painful, and tragic and beautiful all rolled into one wild and crazy adventure.

One concept that I really felt connected to in Christensen's writing was her passion towards having her students be empowered to use their voices. Whether this be through stories, poems, essay, her intention was to allow their stories to fill the room , their emotions to spilled across the pages. "Students learn to sing their lives through writing. They use writing to take the power of their pain."

One of the most powerful tools that I felt Christensen used was the Forgiveness poem exercise which she felt personally convicted to use. Upon my initial reading, and skimming of the student examples I was tossed face first into my own life story, my own tale of forgiveness. As a teenager, one can often feel disconnected from their loved ones, and as stated it is typical for their to be some resentment, or bitterness just brewing within. By using writing, and specifically poetry as an outlet, a student that is hiding and dealing with this pain on a daily basis has an escape. At least for that moment, for that time, a moment away..to release the burdens from their chest.
From a personal stand point, throughout much of my adolescence I dealt with resentment and bitterness towards my father for my parents divorce. I was not able to personally forgive him for various things that occurred over the course of my life, and while I had the occasional conversation with a close friend, I just carried that pain along with me, and never thought about writing, and particualrly not in the form of poetry. As i got older I found journaling, and loved the freedom that I was able to derive from writing my thoughts and feelings. However as I read through the Forgiveness poem excercise I thought that this would have been a wonderful creative writing approach to use in a high school class. I recognize that this may be personal, forgiveness is not easy, its intimate and confusing, and hard as hell. However, I feel that by giving students the option to face their inner demons, the chains that are being held on their heart, that perhaps they would find that sense of freedom. In this situation I think that writing a forgiveness poem in the form of a journal entry in a class would be most appropriate rather than doing a read around, however after the course of the class if students felt comfortable sharing their stories it may be a good approach to learning empathy 'and walking a mile in someone elses shoes.'

As someone that loves to write, I wish that I had this knowledge, this freedom long before I discovered it. I wish that I had teachers in my life that encouraged me to write the contents of my heart, to not be afraid to face what ever I was running away from. Life is not perfect, and it never will be, and I do feel that writing can heal, that it can mend broken hearts, and help create insight and reflections that may haver never come together otherwise. I may be cheesy and silly and completely naieve, but I feel that these excercises like the forgiveness poems, or the praise ones discussed an entry or two below, could make a difference in someones life. Not necsesarily life changing for all, but maybe an ounce of good insight for someone who needs it.

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart."
William Wordsworth

Unlearning The Myths That Bind Us- Christensen Chapter 2

We all have those awkward years. The big framed glasses, the teeth that stick out a little too far than they should, the awful hair do's combined with straight leg jeans that seemed like a good idea at the time. Mix that in with denim headbands and a case of overwhelming shyness and you have a good view of the little girl that sat in the front row throughout much of her early education. Have a hunch at who I may be speaking of? Hmmm...

One quote that I absolutely loved from this chapter was in regard to the praise poems that Christensen often uses in her classrooms. Christensen remarks, "As I try to equip students to 'unlearn the myths that bind them' in history, literature, and popular culture, I find it necessary to balance the critical stance we strive for in class with times of laughter, and playfulness. I want to create more opportunities for joy.” In today’s society there are so many stereotypes specifically regarding the way in which a man and woman should act, how they should look, and everything in between. Growing up I definitely was someone that felt a lot of pressure to fit in because I didn’t fit into the cookie cutter image of what I felt I needed to be. I didn’t realize the way the media had an influence on the image I created for myself, and likewise the way I compared myself to others to fit in. In elementary and middle school I was just plain awkward, and it didn’t help that my glasses were ridiculously large, and that I was in desperate need of braces to say the least. From an early age I had a bit of an individualist approach, I would wear clothes that didn’t match,funky printed hats, or things that were a bit out of the norm for those that I surrounded myself with. However, once I became more aware of what others thought of me, I became self conscious and began to conform to the way I felt others wanted me to be. As with most individuals in grades 7-12 you grow a lot in your own skin, and sometimes you follow the crowd because, hey it’s the easy solution.

I realize that this may sound like another long winded, but I swear I have a point J I feel that throughout my education (not that it was bad by any means) but I lacked the encouragement from my teachers as is demonstrated through Christensen’s style of teaching, and activities. I thought that the idea of the praise poem was an excellent way for students to be proud of who they are, whether it be a personal attribute or something in their life that has some signifance. With poetry being a challenging concept for students to get excited about, I think that this type of assignment would at least receive only minor moans and groans. Throughout these chapters we have been reading, there is a great desire to build a community within the classroom. I feel that these type of assignments like the “I am From” poem in chapter 1, and the “Praise Poem” in chapter 2 are excellent tools to help students look to themselves to find inspiration for writing. Likewise, by sharing these poems together, helps break down barriers and create an environment of joy and laughter.

Christensen explains that if she wants her students to imagine a more just society, that it is something that needs to be demonstrated in the classroom in terms of what is good and what is bad. I like the idea of creating a classroom that can be a safe haven from the dictating messages of the media in terms of image and lifestyle. While it is our job as teachers to teach material, our role goes far beyond grading papers and creating lesson plans. Self confidence can go a long way, and if we can help develop a sense of comfort, and self esteem through writing, and sharing, why not jump at such an opportunity? I know that while I learned a long the way to be proud of who I am, and what I stand for, it would have been encouraging during my adolescence to have class time and homework that would help praise…me.

Cohesive Writing: Teaching Informational and persuasive writing- Chapter 2

As I thumb through these chapters by Jago, I begin to feel as though I missed out some really important writing ideas during high school. For instance, this chapter focuses on writing informative and persuasive style essays. Jago is correct in her statement that it is hard to teach students to write cohesive analytical essays, because they do have a lack of experience with such genres.

One idea that I found very helpful in this chapter was in regard to writing a persuasive paper. For instance, I thought that it was very accurate that often times students come to a teacher in hopes that we can provide them with what they believe could be the perfect topic. I can easily relate to the struggle that occurs when trying to find something to write about, you want it to be good, and something that your peers would enjoy.

One lesson that Jago uses that I found very constructive was the use of newspapers as a way to expand their horizons and find possible writing ideas. Often times in high school I had to find newspaper clippings for specific class room assignments typically for my social studies class. However, I cannot recall ever using editorials or news stories as a way to generate ideas in an English classroom. It can be confusing to distinguish the difference between persuasive and informational writing, so by using these tools can help students learn the difference. For example, Jago uses the example of Andre using an article he found on the Lakers, and transformed it into a persuasive creative writing piece. I think that this example is important to consider because it shows how a student was able to take something they personally related to and were able to create an authentic piece of writing. I have learned over the years that if I am excited over my writing that not only will it sound better, but others will also be more excited to hear what I have to say. Instead of writing on the same topics that are most familiar for a persuasive or informative essay, I think it important that as educators we help students explore their creativity. For instance, while I did not write many persuasive/informative essays in high school I had a speech class that did similar writing prompts. While my teacher did not have us do exercises such as the newspapers we were still encouraged to step out side the box, and write on something that we were excited by. With this idea in mind, I wrote an informative speech on the tv show Saved By The Bell. I had a lot of fun with it, and my excitement was visible, which is something I feel lacks often in highschool writing. I really enjoyed Jago’s concepts, and think that the use of newspapers is one that is often underrated in today’s classroom. With the use of technology it would even be possible to use the internet in class and explore websites like cnn.com, or scholarly news articles to find topics for each student. As an educator it will be our job to motivate students to go beyond what is safe, and discuss ideas that matter to them.

Cohesive Writing- The Method Chapter 1

In this first chapter by Jago I found myself often nodding along as I read through the text. One idea specifically that I could relate to on a personal level was the problem students face in regard to “getting started.” Jago states it well when she says, “It is not that they don’t want to do the assignment. They just can’t figure out where to begin. Inertia, rather than indolence, keeps those pages blank.” How true of a statement is this? Sadly enough I found myself procrastinating all weekend on writing these blogs, not because I didn’t want to do them, or because I had not done the necessary reading, but because I couldn’t think of where to start. Sometimes my head is so filled with thoughts, and ideas that it’s so hard for me to put those concepts into a paper or in this situation a blog. Writing for me has been something that has come rather easily, I write regularly and often in one way or another. However, when it comes to classes, specifically writing an essay I may start it several times, and then wait until the night before to shell out an assignment. While this is a habit I find myself participating in I am not saying that I am comfortable with this behavior. I would hope that as a mentor and educator to my students that I could help them not fall into the same habits that I have unfortunately fallen into over the years. With this idea in mind, I really enjoyed Jago’s insight on starting small, and writing as much as you can in a timed period. Free writing is something I often did in my high school, and had my teachers presented this in an un intimidating fashion, I feel that I would have enjoyed it more. For instance, often times when we had a free write we were told that this would be turned in at that time, and it put a lot of pressure on us as students. However, had I simply been told, “This is a tool to get you started on creating ideas, and eventually resulting in a draft of your paper” I would have been more enthused about such an assignment. It is comforting to think that even those 50 words or so that you can create in that period of time, are 50 less that you need to do. Starting a paper is the hardest, so once you begin the rest will surely follow.

One style of writing that caught my particular attention was the question paper method of writing. I really enjoyed this style because it allows students to think critically about what they are reading, and by asking questions, they are forced to go back to the literature to find the answers. By doing a close read, students are able to answer their own questions rather than relying on the answers being spoon fed to them. I feel that this approach is essential specifically when dealing with poetry that can be challenging for students to analyze. From personal experience I found that by applying my own thoughts and questions, I was able to dive into reading on a more personal and intimate level. This idea is a great way to be able to relate better to literature that perhaps may have seemed impossible to find a personal connection with. Jago discusses how a question paper is an example of a form of dialogue between the writer and himself. I feel that this process is great for exploring literature and asking questions, and then working with others to find connections and varying points of view. I plan on using such an exercise in my own classroom, and think that its something that was often overlooked in my English classes during adolescence.

Chapter 1: Building Community out of Chaos

I believe there is something great to be said, when a group of strangers can come together and despite all odds grow together and create a sense of community. One concept that has been discussed throughout my educational career, and even in my current profession is the idea of developing community. While I was reading the first chapter of Christensen last night I was moved by her honesty specifically in regard to the fact that her classroom's often did not display the cookie cutter image of perfection. Instead her room presented a sense of chaos, filled with students that were not necessarily looking to further their education, and lacked the motivation to even complete homework assignments. Rather Christensen's students were merely in school to socialize and try and avoid the problems that were occurring beyond the walls of their high school. The classrooms that were discussed throughout the chapter painted an intimate and authentic portrayal of what classrooms can realistically be like. While, it would be great to believe that one could go in each day, and provide a classroom that was motivated academically, creating a sense of togetherness, while respecting the teacher at the same time, it is not reality.

Currently I am a resident assistant in Valley 3, which is primarily an all freshman res hall in valley 3. Before I continue, I feel that I should apologize in advance for all that read my blogs, because I'm sure you will hear me relate things back to my residents a lot, sadly my job has taken over most of my life :) With that being said, one reason for taking the position was because I felt that this experience would be helpful towards my career goal of becoming a secondary educator. Since August, I have been on a very interesting journey. I realized very quickly, that sometimes no matter how hard you try to provide a positive atmosphere, people are still going to try to tear you down. For instance, as a member of Residence life some simple ways we are supposed to do to create community on our floors, is by doing programs to get people to know one another, putting up bulletin boards/decorations, and trying to have people keep their doors open. I must say it very frustrating, when you have days where you spend hours making bulletins boards and door decs, only to wake up the next morning to a sea of construction paper and tape, and know "hey now i have to redo these, thanks." Likewise, it is disappointing when you put a lot of time and effort into programming, and have one person show up. However, despite the struggles, one thing I have learned is persistence. Even though things may be hard, and people really get under your skin, know just what buttons to push, you cannot give up.

One of my most influential professors I have had at Western did an excellent job at creating a sense of community in the classroom, he developed one of those classes that was more like a family by the time the class ended. One concept that he used in his classroom and strongly encouraged was the use of story telling and self disclosure. Throughout the chapter Christensen details the importance of being willing to talk about your personal life, as a break through for getting your class to open up. This idea of self disclosure was one that my professor often used on a daily basis, whether it was something influential and profound, or an embarrassing moment that happened with his family. His ability to discuss his life stories, helped break down those barriers and be more comfortable to discuss our thoughts and opinions, both as a group, and individually through writing. By inviting student's lives into the classroom, community can develop, and people can recognize the similarities that share, as well as developing a greater understanding of those around them. In a similar fashion, by growing closer as a group this benefits group discussions and interactions over the course of the semester, etc.

One way that I was able to make a break through on my floor was through self disclosure. During floor meetings, or one on one conversations with residents I tried to tell them stories about my life, and encouraged them to get to know one another as well. I noticed that often times when I told about myself, it opened up many doors, and made individuals feel comfortable discussing problems that they were facing. To be honest I did not feel fully prepared for some of the stories that I heard, and I really was able to gain an insight on many students and the lives that they were going through. Hard lives, very hard. My heart really grew for my residents, and likewise I noticed that their empathy for myself and others grew through continued persistence and quality converastion. Much like the examples in this chapter, a sense of respect was gained through these interactions, and different actions I have taken to really create a community has been responded to in a positive fashion. Christensen states, "As critical teachers we shouldn't overlook the necessity of connection students around moments of joy." This seemed very powerful to me, because I feel that gaining community should be a positive experience, that can be a sigh of relief for some. Some students do not have a pleasant home life, or sense of structure, or routine and while it may not always be possible to "all get along" there are steps we can take to try.

Through my experiences alone I have learned that nothing is ever how we imagine it to be, and theres never going to be perfection. Life is messy. It's kind of like that song, by Frou Frou (yes from Garden State) haha.. "Theres beauty in the breakdown" Sometimes things are going to be chaotic and crazy, and we need to let go of what we think we are supposed to do, and just be real... Essentially as educators we may not be able to use every stategy that is designed for the typical classroom, and sometimes people are going to be disrespectful, and sometimes no matter what you do somebody is not going to like you. However, if you continue to put yourself out there, and focus on the positive things, and try to gain a sense of community, it could be influential in the lives of those around you.

& this would be the end of my first long winded ramble :)