In the movie, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, when people fell asleep, their bodies were taken over by alien beings that replicated their bodies. They looked the same, but they were the aliens who had no feelings. Now, I know that people have not been taken over by creepy aliens from another galaxy, but there is one part of the movie that reminds me of the atmosphere that has been created. When these people encountered other people who had not changed, they would point their fingers and use a high-pitched scream to warn the others. This part of the movie reminds me of education at this moment because of the disrespect of opinions, misinformation, and the disinformation.
I confess; I like the common core standards for the high school level. If we want our students to be successful at the college or career level, then we should teach at a higher standard. Are they perfect? No, I found that out when I analyzed every standard over spring break. They are redundant, they do not include ideas for career readiness, and they are disorganized. They should be rewritten, added to, changed, and reorganized. If I proclaimed my enthusiasm for these standards in front of an audience, I feel like everyone would point their fingers at me and scream. The problem was never the standards; it was the testing and federal control that was attached to them. Even if we get rid of the standards, federal intrusion into Oklahoma education would exist. We do receive federal money for various reasons, and we would have to follow NCLB. We need to think about the repercussions to be ready to give solutions. My solution is to rewrite the standards with more parental and teacher input.
The misinformation about public education has gotten out of control at the local, state, and national levels. I am tired of hearing talk radio personalities, bloggers, and newscasters ridicule public education and teachers. They point their fingers at us and scream about us when they receive copies of common core math problems or writing assignments that do not make sense. They make it appear that all assignments are this way. They help distort the public's perception of education. I suggest they look on the Cache Public School website, go to the Mid-High page, click on my name, and find Curriculum Maps. Then, they will see how the standards can be used to create acceptable curriculum. Another example of misinformation was high school seniors reading 70% informational texts in the ELA class. The truth was that they should read that percentage of informational texts all day long, not just in one class. I went to a conference where the lady repeated the misinformation over and over again. She either did not understand what she read, or she lacked communication skills. My solution is for teachers to create their own curriculum and share their ideas with parents. Teachers have more power when they have autonomy.
In the world of education, we have to follow the money trail and understand who wants the power. The use of disinformation, the intentional use of false information, has caused an educational chasm to open up across the country. The disinformation transcends the Democratic and Republican parties. An example would be the constant attacks against public schools in favor of charter schools. They are like the body snatchers in the movie when they point their fingers at public schools and screaming about how bad they are. I would like to see the research that supports this. The only research that we see relates to their agenda. My solution is do the research and find out who gets the money and who wants the control.
Therefore, there will be repercussions to what happens in the next few months. We have to be proactive not reactive. Think about the problems that might happen and develop a plan NOW. We cannot wait! Communication is important with all the stakeholders. Too much misinfomation and disinformation has clouded the truth about education. We are the teachers who make a difference, and we need to work together to find the right path to take.
S. Mellott
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Friday, March 21, 2014
Rewriting the Standards
What is the proof for
your argument?
Relate the
arguments to current events or college/career choices.
A.P.E.,
Schaffer Paragraph Method, Socratic Circles, and Write, Pair, & Share
argumentative/persuasive
paragraphs, short-answer responses to questions, note cards/source cards, works
cited, and debates
What is the text's main
idea?
Add a
reflection to the summary. Relate the main idea to historical or current events
at the local, national, or world levels.
Include a works cited page documenting the source for the summary.
Strategies:
5W's with a so
what, C.U.S.S., Sticky Note Summaries, Outlining, Cornell Notes, Two-Column
Notes, and Think, Pair, Share or Think, Tweet, Share the current events, make a
news report, or watch news reports
Outlines,
Cornell Notes, Two-Column Notes, Summaries with citations, Blogs, Tweets, &
Note cards
What did the author say?
Ideas to Add to the
Standard for Rigor and Relevance:
This standard
relates to the writing standards that discuss argumentative or informational
modes of writing. Have the Students create an outline analyzing an issue and
share it with the group. Relate the text to the college/career choices of the
students.
C.U.S.S.,
D.O.G.S., Outline, Two-Column Notes, Create Puzzle Pieces, Socratic Discussions,
Blogs, Tweets, & Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
How do word choices
affect the tone/meaning of the text?
10 RI.4: Before reading a text, know the
differences between figurative, connotative, and technical meanings. While
reading, identify and figure out the meanings of the figurative, connotative,
and technical words used in the text.
Examine the
word choices and decide how they affect the meaning and tone of the text.
Ideas to Add to the
Standard for Rigor and Relevance:
I broke this standard
into two parts because students should learn the terminology first before they
can apply that knowledge to understanding how the word choices affect the
tone/meaning of the text. Have them look at three different types of text:
informational, narrative, and argumentative to help them see the differences
with the word choices used in each text.
I also think
this standard should cover career choices of the students. If the students read
about their career choices, then they would be more interested in the
terminology used in the text.
Strategies:
Flipped
classroom, Stick Note Vocabulary, Stump Your Classmates, 4-Corner Discussions,
KWL, Songs, & Movie clips.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
D.O.G.S. : A Strategy to Use During Computer Testing
At the beginning of the year, I showed my students the C.U.S.S. strategy as a way to help them understand and keep up with what they were reading. Since the students will be tested on the computer and not paper/pencil, I created another strategy to help them on the test. They are allowed to use scratch paper on the EOI English II test.
Define any rhetorical devices or academic words to clarify meanings.
Observe the structure of the text-fiction, nonfiction, or poetry.
Go over the questions and write down what they are asking you to do.
Summarize the main ideas for the paragraphs or the sections.
The students will make four sections on the paper and label them.
This strategy does not have to be followed in order.
Define any rhetorical devices or academic words to clarify meanings.
Observe the structure of the text-fiction, nonfiction, or poetry.
Go over the questions and write down what they are asking you to do.
Summarize the main ideas for the paragraphs or the sections.
The students will make four sections on the paper and label them.
This strategy does not have to be followed in order.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Grammar Time with Comma Rhymes!
I am going to share some rhymes that I created to help my students remember some of the grammar rules.
Sing this one:
A sentence has a subject and a verb,
a subject and a verb,
a subject and a verb.
A complete thought must be heard.
Series Comma Rule:
Three or more words in a row, add two or more commas where they need to go.
Compound Sentence Rule:
Two sentences joined with a conjunction, add a comma to complete the function.
and, but, or, for, nor, & so
These are the conjunctions that you need to know.
Adverb Clause Comma Rule:
When a sentence begins with an adverb clause, add a comma after the pause.
Prepositional Phrase Comma Rule:
Two or more phrases in a row, add a comma where it needs to go.
Two phrases that begin, add a comma where the last one ends.
Adjective Before Noun Comma Rule:
Two adjectives before a noun, if and sounds correct, put a comma down.
Appositive Phrase Comma Rule:
A group of words renaming a noun, before and after, put a comma down.
An appositive phrase that begins, add a comma where it ends.
Conjunctive Adverb Comma Rules:
Begin a sentence with a conjunctive adverb, add a comma where the pause is heard.
A conjunctive adverb in the middle of the sentence, add commas before and after, or you will regret it.
Transition Comma Rule:
Begin a sentence with a transitional word, add a comma where the pause is heard.
Sing this one:
A sentence has a subject and a verb,
a subject and a verb,
a subject and a verb.
A complete thought must be heard.
Series Comma Rule:
Three or more words in a row, add two or more commas where they need to go.
Compound Sentence Rule:
Two sentences joined with a conjunction, add a comma to complete the function.
and, but, or, for, nor, & so
These are the conjunctions that you need to know.
Adverb Clause Comma Rule:
When a sentence begins with an adverb clause, add a comma after the pause.
Prepositional Phrase Comma Rule:
Two or more phrases in a row, add a comma where it needs to go.
Two phrases that begin, add a comma where the last one ends.
Adjective Before Noun Comma Rule:
Two adjectives before a noun, if and sounds correct, put a comma down.
Appositive Phrase Comma Rule:
A group of words renaming a noun, before and after, put a comma down.
An appositive phrase that begins, add a comma where it ends.
Conjunctive Adverb Comma Rules:
Begin a sentence with a conjunctive adverb, add a comma where the pause is heard.
A conjunctive adverb in the middle of the sentence, add commas before and after, or you will regret it.
Transition Comma Rule:
Begin a sentence with a transitional word, add a comma where the pause is heard.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Thoughts from "Just a Teacher!"
When I was a senior in high school, my dad told me not to become a teacher. This statement came from a man who taught 30 years in Oklahoma and 15 years in Texas. Of course, I did not listen to him and have been a teacher for over 23 years, and over the years, I have witnessed the degradation of the teaching profession through the influences of the media, money, and politics. Everyone who has an agenda has tried to sway the public into believing that teachers are clueless on how to teach in the classroom, they need to be spoon fed the information so that they can teach, they earn too much money for a group that has three months off, or they are not doing their job so let's test the students to death to prove this theory. I have come to realize that when my dad first started his career, teachers received more respect. They weren't "just teachers."
Well, this "Just a Teacher" has some words of wisdom to share about teaching:
1. If we want our students to think out of the box, then we have to do the same. I always tell my students that I don't spoon feed them the information so that they can regurgitate back to me. We as teachers need to think out of the box, around the box, and inside the box. We have to be ready for any changes just like our students should be ready for any changes, problems, and roadblocks that happen in life.
2. If we want our students to voice their opinions, then we have to model this behavior. We have to show them how to do it the correct way. We do not want our students to be passive learners who become passive citizens. We as teachers should not be the same way when it comes to any situation in education. We should stand up against those people who demean our profession.
3. If we want our students to be creative, then we have to be creative in the classroom. Bringing creativity into the classroom does not mean that we have to be that way all the time. With creativity, students think of original ideas. School is not about just teaching the test. We need people who can think quick on their feet and create something that has never been seen before.
4. If we want our students to be independent thinkers, then we have to demonstrate this idea. We as teachers should not be dictated to about education; we should have a choice. We should voice our opinions without any hesitation. We should not be dictated to like little kids but treated as professionals. We want our students to be this way because if they are not, then they will lose their freedoms.
5. If we want our students to make a difference, then we have to make a difference. We need to show them what it means "to make a difference." We need to give them opportunities in school for them to do this so that they will be able to carry it on as adults.
6. If we want our students to have the complete understanding of the material, then we need to stop teaching from the textbook. The textbook only gives partial information that the textbook companies deem worthy for students to know. We as teachers need to use research, other books, and technology to help expand the ideas from the textbook.
7. Finally, if we want our students to understand why they need to know the information in school, then we need to relate it to the "real-world." School should not be just about a test at the high school level; it should be about career choices. Students are individuals who have different interests, and school should be structured to accommodate them.
It's time to make a change in education but not down the testing path. We are not "just teachers;" we are "the teachers" who have many important ideas to share.
Well, this "Just a Teacher" has some words of wisdom to share about teaching:
1. If we want our students to think out of the box, then we have to do the same. I always tell my students that I don't spoon feed them the information so that they can regurgitate back to me. We as teachers need to think out of the box, around the box, and inside the box. We have to be ready for any changes just like our students should be ready for any changes, problems, and roadblocks that happen in life.
2. If we want our students to voice their opinions, then we have to model this behavior. We have to show them how to do it the correct way. We do not want our students to be passive learners who become passive citizens. We as teachers should not be the same way when it comes to any situation in education. We should stand up against those people who demean our profession.
3. If we want our students to be creative, then we have to be creative in the classroom. Bringing creativity into the classroom does not mean that we have to be that way all the time. With creativity, students think of original ideas. School is not about just teaching the test. We need people who can think quick on their feet and create something that has never been seen before.
4. If we want our students to be independent thinkers, then we have to demonstrate this idea. We as teachers should not be dictated to about education; we should have a choice. We should voice our opinions without any hesitation. We should not be dictated to like little kids but treated as professionals. We want our students to be this way because if they are not, then they will lose their freedoms.
5. If we want our students to make a difference, then we have to make a difference. We need to show them what it means "to make a difference." We need to give them opportunities in school for them to do this so that they will be able to carry it on as adults.
6. If we want our students to have the complete understanding of the material, then we need to stop teaching from the textbook. The textbook only gives partial information that the textbook companies deem worthy for students to know. We as teachers need to use research, other books, and technology to help expand the ideas from the textbook.
7. Finally, if we want our students to understand why they need to know the information in school, then we need to relate it to the "real-world." School should not be just about a test at the high school level; it should be about career choices. Students are individuals who have different interests, and school should be structured to accommodate them.
It's time to make a change in education but not down the testing path. We are not "just teachers;" we are "the teachers" who have many important ideas to share.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
I have always felt that education was like the poem, "The Road not Taken" by Robert Frost. In the poem, the speaker has to decide which path to take, and that choice makes an impact on the speaker. There are other ways to show what students know than just using one test. Should teachers play follow the leader and take the path that everyone follows or should teachers create a new path to follow? I think it's time that we take the road less traveled.
This journey begins with how students are perceived at the high school level. High school is the time when students get involved in athletics, technology, clubs, band, vocal music, and art. Some of them drive a vehicle, some of them work after school, some of them attend a vocational school for part of the day, and some of them choose to attend college as a senior in high school. They are consumers of various forms of technology. Twenty-five years ago, attending college or a vocational school was not even a choice. Students, like me, took the same classes: English, science, math, and history. Our students have more educational choices than we had in school. The opportunities have changed, but the curriculum is still the same.
Changing the content of the curriculum is one road that has not been taken. When I first started teaching in 1991, my English classes were structured around grammar and writing during the first semester and emphasized literature during the second semester. After earning my two Master's degrees, I changed the delivery of my curriculum when I began to use units that combined speaking, listening, writing, reading, and vocabulary skills. I also made sure that I included the new standards in my units. However, as I read through the standards for ELA, I wondered how they helped my students become career and college ready other than the obvious reasons like reading and writing skills. I always felt that there was something missing in the standards that would help my students make connections between what they were learning in school to their career choices. It was time to change the content of my curriculum.
I created a unit that required my students in the first semester to explore their career choices. They had to read two nonfiction books, five articles on the internet, and one fiction book. For each reading assignment, they had to take notes using one of the note-taking strategies, compose summaries and reflections, write essays, create a brochure, and complete a Book Seller project. For the second semester, the students will explore their college choices, participate in a job fair, job shadow, and complete a presentation in May. They are also working on long-term and short-term goals. Every Friday, my students have a day to work on their project, and I have conferences with them. However, I would take this idea one step further if I could design my own schedule.
Wouldn't it be interesting to see what would happen if I could structure my English classes around specific career choices? I know it would cause a scheduling nightmare, but I think it would be worth the effort. For my students who want a career in math or science, I would offer an English class that focused on science fiction. If I had students who chose forensics, they would read crime novels, current events, and nonfiction. If I had students who liked the arts, then my class would focus on plays, musical, and drama. They would explore their career choices, learn the vocabulary, participate in project-based learning, and write essays. What if I worked with the science teachers or the drama teachers or the math teachers? The students would be able to make connections between what they were learning in school to what they would be doing in the "real-world."
What if all core classes were structured around career choices? Could this idea be accomplished? It would be a road that has not been taken, but I think "it would make all the difference."
S. Mellott
I created a unit that required my students in the first semester to explore their career choices. They had to read two nonfiction books, five articles on the internet, and one fiction book. For each reading assignment, they had to take notes using one of the note-taking strategies, compose summaries and reflections, write essays, create a brochure, and complete a Book Seller project. For the second semester, the students will explore their college choices, participate in a job fair, job shadow, and complete a presentation in May. They are also working on long-term and short-term goals. Every Friday, my students have a day to work on their project, and I have conferences with them. However, I would take this idea one step further if I could design my own schedule.
Wouldn't it be interesting to see what would happen if I could structure my English classes around specific career choices? I know it would cause a scheduling nightmare, but I think it would be worth the effort. For my students who want a career in math or science, I would offer an English class that focused on science fiction. If I had students who chose forensics, they would read crime novels, current events, and nonfiction. If I had students who liked the arts, then my class would focus on plays, musical, and drama. They would explore their career choices, learn the vocabulary, participate in project-based learning, and write essays. What if I worked with the science teachers or the drama teachers or the math teachers? The students would be able to make connections between what they were learning in school to what they would be doing in the "real-world."
What if all core classes were structured around career choices? Could this idea be accomplished? It would be a road that has not been taken, but I think "it would make all the difference."
S. Mellott
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