Inspring Dialogue: Planning for the Long Haul & Aligning Learning Talk and Assignments with a Dialogic Stance

In this weeks reading we read from our textbook Inspiring Dialogue by a handful of authors. The two chapters in this reading were about planning for your classroom at a unit, semester, or year long level and how to put all of your plans together. Taking a dialogic stance towards curriculum means more then choosing texts and assignments.

This chapter really emphasized how when teaching dialogic talk it is important to have strategic thinking about participation structures we (teachers) use, when you use them, and how you use them to build on what the students have learned before and prepare them for what is to come. 

Also in this chapter the authors touched on standards. "Standards set goals of knowledge and skills for students to master within larger units of time, but they do not dictate the means by which students will get there"(55). In the 1990's and 2000's most of the English language standards developed into speaking and listening. Today, the CCSS provides 6 standards for speaking and listening. Three of them are for presentation of knowledge and ideas, and the other three are for comprehension and collaboration. Having these standards is extremely important for teachers so that through their lesson planning there can be an ultimate end goal. 

Another part of the chapters was how to use Meta-Lessons to transition to Student-Led Tools. Meta-Lessons can be described as providing a good foundation for developing norms and expectations. The technique the teacher used was the Wonder Question method. The teacher had their students journal with their prompt about a poem and then they all created a question to be put into a hat then later pulled out for a discussion. I really liked this technique and will hope to use it in my classroom because I want all of students to be able to discuss with each other while also not having the pressure of coming up with their own individual question. 

As soon to be English teachers we will be expected to teach "the traditional fare of grammar, vocabulary, literature study, and writing"(73). In addition to this we are also expected to help students develop literacy skills in other areas as well. When teaching writing many English teachers take a formalist approach (instruction emphasizing the form an argument takes rather than its thematic and logical content). The structure that that exemplifies this is the five-paragraph theme. This structure is the most popular because it's an easy way to get students to produce well organized, easy to read texts. This structure is something I remember using all through out my own middle and high school careers. I think teaching students structure is extremely important, but like the text also said going beyond with dialogic. 

One teacher used dialogic along with the five-paragraph theme by also using a Socratic seminar. She had the students read a pro/con article, divided her classroom into two sections one side for and on against. The two groups of students then faced each other with a discussion. I really like this method to use in my class because it show the students all perspectives on a  topic along with reasoning their own perspectives. 

This chapter shows that by using the five paragraph theme and socratic seminar is teaches students three things. "First, they practice aligning themselves with available pro/con positions, a skill that will serve them in writing a formulaic argument, shuck as a five-paragraph theme. Second, they are articulating reasons for that position or for why the opposing position is wrong. Third, they are learning to argue strongly polarized pistons, another requirement for the five-paragraph theme"(76). 

Overall, these two chapters in Inspiring Dialogue were pact with information for our future English classrooms. After reading these chapters it has really showed me how much more work it is to plan for good lessons and not just picking texts and assignments. 

YA Reading #2: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

For my second YA novel I decided to read the ever so famousThe Fault in Our Stars by John Green. This book and film grew in popularity over this past summer, so I found this was the perfect time to read this stunning novel.

Hazel Grace Lancaster seems to be the stereotypical struggling cancer kid, until she meets Augustus Waters, the cute boy with a prosthetic leg. Hazel meets Augustus at a youth group of other teens who also have cancer. Hazel is shocked anyone is slightly interested in her, but Augustus proves her wrong. Hazel and Augustus fall deeply in love, until one of them finds their cancer is back.

The reading level for this novel is 850L. I would suggest this book to be read by the 8th grade level.

John Green's The Fault in Our Stars is an amazing story about two young people who care for each other unconditionally. This type of novel isn't common anymore and it was a great read to have. In my opinion this book though would be one to have on my shelf in my classroom. I think this novel is a great light read for anyone looking to read a novel for fun.

Three Discussion Questions:
1. How do Hazel Grace and Augustus relate to their own cancer? Does their cancer define them? Overall, how do both Hazel and Augustus confront the big questions of life and death?
2. In the end, Augustus writes Hazel a eulogy why does he do this? Should he have written an ending to An Imperial Affliction instead?
3. How did you the reader experience this novel? Was it too sad or too tragic? Or was it uplifting in any way for you?

This summer I of course saw this movie, and after reading this novel it really shocked me to how much they followed the novel. I decided I should put in a clip of my favorite part of the novel and film!

Philippot & Graves: Vocabulary Instruction in English Classes

In this weeks reading we read about vocabulary from our very own Raymond Philippot from St. Cloud and Michael Graves from the U of M. In this chapter the authors emphasize how vocabulary goes beyond elementary to the secondary level. All teachers are responsible for building students vocabulary, but as future English teachers we have more responsibility.

Learning vocabulary is important from the beginning time of a student. It is said that a student up to the 8th grade level should know about 25,000 reading vocabulary words and at the end of high school their reading vocabulary should consist of 50,000. This evens out to 10 words a day, including weekends and summers. It seems almost impossible to teach this amount of words, so as English teachers we must fill our classrooms with rich reading, discussion, and writing experiences so that our students will have incidental word learning.

I think this is a great way to look at how to learn vocabulary in the classroom. From my memory in school we the students always had some kind of vocabulary test on words we were forced to memorize. In my classroom I will promote incidental word learning by using our readings, discussions, and writing experiences. It would be a good learning experience for my students to find 10 vocabulary words in their reading they don't know and look up and make their own sentence. This can also be incorporated into using new vocabulary words in our discussion and their writings.
Also in this reading Philippot and Graves talk about how to teach individual words to our future students. There is step by step process with teaching them a word orally, or even using a glossary all of which are extremely helpful.

Most of all I enjoyed the section of Semantic Mapping. I have never seen this used before which really excites me to use it in the future. I like how when using this method the student finds more then just the definition. As mentioned before in my school years we always memorized the word and definition. With Semantic Mapping the student will not only have to know the definition, but also the uses, examples, non examples, and different types.

Overall, this chapter was extremely helpful to how to teach vocabulary to students in the most enriching way, something as a future teacher hasn't crossed my mind to often. After this chapter I've realized how important teach vocabulary will be to my students.

Inspiring Dialogue: Dialogic Teaching

In this weeks reading we had to read a chapter about Dialogic Tools to use in our future classrooms. A Dialogic Tool is defined as an activity, heuristic, assemblage, guide, or other mechanism a teacher uses in planning and practice that helps scaffold students into talking to learn. In basic terms it's a strategy to improve student talking. Using dialogic Tools in your classroom will insure you the teacher ask authentic questions that will create discussion in class, rather then right and wrong questions.

Also in this chapter there is Teacher-Led Tools and Student-Led Tools, both of which I found interesting and relatable as a student.

Some examples of Teacher-Led Tools that I liked were Four Corners and Take A Stand. Both of these strategies are both that I would like to use while practicing. Four Corners will be helpful in the classroom because it will ask students from each corner of their choosing to elaborate on their stances and interpretations. Along with Take A Stand, which is very similar to Four Corners, will help students get up from their seat and choose a side of the room, where they "stand" on the discussion.

There were many Student-Led tools that were mentioned in this chapter. Some that I found that would be practical in my future classroom were Fishbowl, Gallery Walk, Socratic Seminar, and Role-Playing Games. Fishbowl will help students discuss and take notes together and hear the opinions of all students. Gallery Walk will once again get the students up and moving together to see all opinions of certain quotes and questions. They will also be able to write or talk about their opinions of the artifacts. Socratic Seminar is a great lesson for the teacher to step back and let the students run their own lesson. This strategy is a great deal of preparation for the students, but will show their handwork and dedication. Role-Playing games will be a fun and silly experience for the students. When they get to pretend to be talk show hosts or radio callers they will be able to have fun and also learn more with a deep discussion with the author.

Dialogic Tools are extremely important for future classrooms because it helps with deeper understandings from the students. To my knowledge as a student I know that I have always hated just the standard

YA Reading #1: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

For my Young Adult Literature reading I decided to read Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. This novel is a National Book Award finalist, and was also recommend to me by two friends who read this book in high school.

Speak. This is something Melinda Sordino rarely does her freshman year of high school. Melinda is an outsider, all of her friends and even strangers hate her. All because of a party she called the cops on. This novel depicts the reality of what it is like to be in high school, what we all felt during this time. You will soon find out what really happened at that party one August night, and everything will change for Melinda.

This novel is fairly easy read. I honestly read it in one day by taking lots of breaks in between. I would suggest this novel to be read maybe for either 9th or 10th graders.

I would say Speak should be circulated. Anderson's novel is completely relatable to all highschoolers in my opinion, not even just from Melinda's viewpoint. Anderson accurately describes what it is like trying to fit in with certain cliques. "We fall into clans: Jocks, Country Clubbers, Idiot Savants, Cheerleaders, Human Waste, Eurotrash, Future Dascists of America, Big Hair Chix, the Marthas, Suffering Artists, Thespians, Goths, Shredders. I am clanless" (Anderson, 4). I also think that Speak really could show current students to not judge their peers by their exterior. This novel also presents passion through the writing, which will be great for students to absorb.

Three Discussion Questions:
1. In Speak, Melinda says: "It is easier not to say anything. Shut your trap, button your lip, can it. All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say." Do you agree or disagree with Melinda? What does the end of the novel say about her opinion? Do you think Melinda's outlook changes in the novel? How?
2. Why does Melinda refer to Andy Evans as IT in the beginning of the novel, but then later refers to him by name?
3. What keeps Melinda so silent? What or who is she afraid of?

I really recommend this book to read!

Text-to-Self Paper: Carlie Harmon

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Upon reading the criteria for this assignment I read that within this blog post we are basically recreating the meaning we felt while reading a certain piece of fiction or poetry. Immediately I thought back to about eleventh grade, when I was about 16 (was that really 5 years ago?!), I was completely obsessed with Tumblr and everyone always posted about this book called The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. At this point in my life I had just moved back to the United States, after living overseas in Okinawa, Japan for four years and I sometimes thought of myself as a wallflower. I definitely was always categorized as the "shy" one at my old high school. So after reading this book, I decided to not be the wallflower, like Charlie.

Senior year at Anoka High School was the best school year I ever had. I made a lot more friends then I've ever had before, I got my first job and was finally making money for myself, and overall 

I was completely, utterly, and genuinely happy. 

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While reading you'll find out Charlie has a deep secret the ruins his freshman year. I didn't know at the time I was reading this during my junior year, but I soon had a terrible experience that almost ruined my senior year. I had found out that my parents who were married for twenty years were getting a divorce. This really crushed me during this time of my happiness. I thought back to this book actually, and I remembered how Charlie surrounded himself with great people like Sam and Patrick. 

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a novel in my opinion that many teenagers who are in the in between stage of adulthood and still being a teen should read this book. I know after I read this I no longer felt like I had a childish mind. What I mean by that is I was able to grow up. I remember most of my teenage years I always was concerned of what everyone thought me, so most of the time I didn't spread my wings as far as they could go. I think this book is great for those who need to get over that hump. In the book Charlie writes letters to a friend and throughout he grows up tremendously and so does his reader. 

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Besides all of the personal feelings I was reminded of and the coming of age feeling overall this book reminds you life is short and you shouldn't take anything for granted. Charlie is hospitalized for mental reasons in this book and it made me realize that something that could happen in a matter of five seconds could change your life completely. The quote that stuck with me the most is 

"And in that moment, I swear we were infinite." (Chbosky, 39).

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In 2012 of course Hollywood made a theatrical version of this book (like every other great book). Most movies that are portrayed after books usually are so far from good it's ridiculous. I might be biased because I am an avid reader and reading a book makes the feelings ten times stronger. The Perks of Being a Wallflower was different, I mean I loved the book a lot more, but the movies portrayal wasn't half bad. With that, I want to share my favorite scene from the movie. It's the last scene where my favorite quote is also said.