Topic: Shared Research--University Researchers and Practitioners

10-second review: University researcher and high school English teacher collaborated on planning and implementing a teacher-education course.

Title: “Co-Learning Agreements in Research and Teaching: Another Approach to Collaboration in Teacher Education.” D Zigo and RD Derrico. English Education (January 2009), 135-157. English Education is the NCTE’s publication on teacher education.

Summary: The co-researchers were able to discern the problems in implementing the program they had planned, but they grew as both researchers and teachers.

Comment: I applaud the researchers’ honesty in evaluating what they were doing. It wasn’t easy to admit mistakes and shortcoming in their favorite ideas, but they did: “The manifestations of our work together in teaching and research will hopefully demonstrate to students and colleagues our unflagging commitment to a stance in language arts and teacher education that Bob Fecho calls ‘a practice in process, in a continual state of learning.’ ”

In other words, the researchers found what they should find in completing research—what works and doesn’t work, promising ideas, practices that have problems, and a continuing commitment to learning while they teach. In my opinion, this article is another step forward in improving education. RayS.

Topic: Perspectives on Teaching Poetry

10-second review: Enduring questions about poetry: “Whose poetry is worth teaching?” “Why teach poetry at all—of what real educational value can it be?” “Is it even possible to teach poetry so most students will enjoy and understand it?” The authors studied issues of English Journal from 1912 to 2005 and discovered two approaches to teaching poetry: Formalist and Populist. The authors favor the “Populist’ point of view.

Title: “The Other Tradition: Populist Perspective on Teaching Poetry, as Published in English Journal, 1912 – 2005.” M Faust and M Dressman. English Education (January 2009), 114-134. English Education is a journal concerned with teacher education and is published by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary:

Formalist Perspective—“The best of the English language’s power and range of expression.” Emphasizes “correct interpretation and taste.” Studies rhyme, meter, literary allusion. Acquires appreciation of the cultural heritage. Poems are timeless, self-contained, precious objects. Teach about the lives of poets. Select the greatest poets to teach. p. 116.

Populist Perspective: “Do not explain poems to students. Do not give tests on poetry. Do not be overly concerned with poetic techniques. Do not approach a poem with historical matters. Do not impose the critics on students. Expose students to beautiful, powerful language. Allow time for multiple oral readings of a poem. Lead discussions that encourage a personal relationship with a poem. Teach contemporary poetry first and then go backwards in time. Teach poems you do not fully understand. Teach poems that are accessible to students. Allow students to sometimes choose their poems. Provide opportunities for students to write poetry.” D. Lockward. 1994. “Poets on Teaching Poetry.” English Journal 83(5), 65-70.

Comment: To put this Populist point of view in perspective, I have found that the editors of publications from the National Council of Teachers of English tend to encourage articles that resist the current thinking in the classroom. Since the current thinking during those years (1912 to 2005) was the Formalist and the New Critics’ thinking, you would expect the NCTE’s journal editors to favor the Populist point of view. I’m a middle-of-the-roader, mixing elements of the Formalist and the Populist points of view in teaching poetry.

This article is a “keeper.” If you can purchase it, you should. Go to http://reading.indiana.edu/. RayS.

Topic: Poetic Devices

10-second review: Students looked for poetic devices in lyrics for songs they liked. Color-coded the devices: orange for allusion, blue for metaphor, pink for alliteration, etc.

Title: “Let the Rhythm Move You…to write!” M Uscategui. English Journal (July 2008), 115-117. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary: After finding the poetic devices, students played CDs of their favorite songs. They explained why the song was important to them. The teacher introduced students to a traditional poem comparable in some way to the song. They used the genre of the song (narrative, for example) to write in a similar genre. They chose an audience and wrote on the topic of the song to the audience. “They wrote letters to their senator, created public service announcements on PowerPoint, pamphlets and posters.”

Comment: The songs had to be school appropriate. What intrigues me with this activity is that students’ songs in which they found and color-coded poetic devices, led to many related activities in the traditional curriculum. I’m curious about whether the lyrics to their favorite songs are published and available for students to copy and use. RayS.

Topic: Assessment of Literature Study

10-second review: Problem—students were failing standard pencil/paper tests the teacher was using for the literary works they were studying. “I lacked assessments that matched the level of reading and interaction that we had enjoyed.” Solution? Brown-bag tests.

Title: “The Brown Bag Exam: What Does Assessment Have to Do with Lunch?” DM Ousley. English Journal (July 2008), 113-15. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary: Four steps.

1. Each student or pairs of students given a brown bag with surprise artifacts related to the novel they have just read. Brainstorm connections between the artifact and the novel.

2. In threes, students share artifacts and connections to the novel with each other.

3. Find two passages from the novel that relate to the artifacts.

4. Students pick one artifact and explain the novel's effect on their experience and learning.

Comment: Do it yourself before trying with students. Should be fun finding the artifacts related to the novel. Probably better if the students find the artifacts. Causes students to discuss the significant ideas or scenes of the novel and relates them to their own experiences. Involves students actively in discussing the novel. Worth a try. May need to adapt the technique. Quite a few artifacts needed if one or two or three for every student in the class—unless the students find the artifacts. RayS.

Topic: Newspapers

Comment: Circulation continues to go down. The Philadelphia Inquirer has filed for bankruptcy. Other newspapers, including the New York Times, are also in trouble. Long successful newspapers are failing. Why? Why have people stopped reading newspapers?

I think one reason is that newspapers rarely use the old-fashioned lead with “who? what? where? when? why? and how?” Reporters begin with true-life stories, the technique I was taught to use in writing compositions in school. That approach might be all right for feature stories, but not for news stories. The human interest stories only postpone the information I want to know. I keep looking for that information and, when it comes in pieces throughout the news article, I give up and quit. (By the way, the most discouraging words a TV reporter can use in responding to the anchor’s lead is to say, “I’ll get to that in a moment.”)

The traditional newspaper lead told all I wanted to know about the essence of the story and then I was free to read for any details about which I was curious. Contrary to what most people think, the Internet will not take its place. The headlines on the Internet don’t tell me enough—just enough to suggest that the story has, or has no, real interest for me. Most headlines do not make me curious enough about the story to make me want to read it. Ironically. the lead gave me enough information to make me want to read further. I say, bring back the lead to newspaper writing. And the readers will follow.

Why are people no longer reading newspapers? What do my readers think? RayS.

Topic: Writing Assignments

10-second review: Complete the writing assignments you give to your students.

Title: “Keeping It New.” TJ Hunt and B Hunt. English Journal (July 2008), 108-112. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary/Quote: “I have also enjoyed one of the practices I learned best from my experience in the National Writing Project: Writing assignments with students. I have learned more about myself and the nature of my assignments (their particular nuances and challenges, for example) and students appreciate the empathy and enjoy when I share in their vulnerability as writers.” p. 112.

Comments: I’ve read some criticism of this practice—that teachers are simply showing off how well they write, making students feel even less confident. Frankly, I think it’s a good idea, for the reason the authors give: the teacher will learn how the assignment looks to the students and the possible problems with the assignment that the teacher might not have realized.

But to become really vulnerable as a writer, teachers should try to write for publication. And share their experiences with their students. RayS.

Topic: Critical Thinking

10-second review: Turn whatever you are reading with the students into an issue and have the students discuss both (or more) sides of the issue.

Title: “Authentic Literacy and Students Achievement.” R. Van DeWeighe. English Journal (July 2008), 105-108. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary/Quote: “Schmoker [‘Radically Redefining Literacy Instruction: An Immense Opportunity,’ Phi Delta Kappan, 88.7: 488-93] would have us imagine a classroom where students spend their time reading, writing and discussing different points of view—about literary texts, social problems, scientific phenomena, ethical challenges, legal rulings, political issues, and the like.” p. 108.

Comment: In short, critical thinking. The challenge for me, the teacher, will be in finding and defining issues that have two or more perspectives in the literary works that I normally use with the class. It begins with the reading, followed by discussion and concludes in writing. The key will be how the students and I express the issue to invite the discussion. Maybe one of my standard questions should be, “What is the issue here?” For example, maybe the issue in reading Pride and Prejudice could be the role of women in society or the role of class in British and American society. In addition to the topics of “pride” and “prejudice.” RayS.