Throughout this course and other courses we have taken to prepare us to be English teachers, we have had many discussions about what tools and strategies we would us in the classroom. When Shay came to visit us and discuss his work with film in the classroom I heard quite a few people saying, "Well he teaches an elective class though..." This really suprised me.
Ever since I decided to be an English teacher I KNEW I would teach a Creative Wri ting elective. I never had any doubt about doing that. I don't mean to suggest that there is not A LOT of work to keep English teachers busy enough, but I was wondering if anyone else had ideas about what else they wanted to do in schools. What other things would you like to be active in ( yearbook, newspaper etc.)?
I always think about being a Creative Writing teacher in addition, and the idea of becoming a basketball couch in school has also crossed my mind. Maybe this is because I come from a small school where teachers had many positions; I'm really not sure. Could that be it?
Karen forwarded this article to me today that basically says everything I believe in regarding poetry and allowing students to express their own voices. Anyways I guess after reading it, I just wondered why we never talk about the additional things we want to do when we teach, especially if they are what administrators are looking for?
Ever since I decided to be an English teacher I KNEW I would teach a Creative Wri ting elective. I never had any doubt about doing that. I don't mean to suggest that there is not A LOT of work to keep English teachers busy enough, but I was wondering if anyone else had ideas about what else they wanted to do in schools. What other things would you like to be active in ( yearbook, newspaper etc.)?
I always think about being a Creative Writing teacher in addition, and the idea of becoming a basketball couch in school has also crossed my mind. Maybe this is because I come from a small school where teachers had many positions; I'm really not sure. Could that be it?
Karen forwarded this article to me today that basically says everything I believe in regarding poetry and allowing students to express their own voices. Anyways I guess after reading it, I just wondered why we never talk about the additional things we want to do when we teach, especially if they are what administrators are looking for?
8 comments:
Chrissy, I think you bring up a really great point regarding our additional interests in the realm of the school in which we'd like to teach. I am guilty of being one of those people whom for years has had dreams of being strictly in the classroom or lecture hall, with a super vivacious and interactive class (very hopeful right?!). But I should be thinking the way you do because I also attended a rather small high school where nearly all of the teachers had overlapping duties/responsibilities. Whether these were by choice or obligation, had they opted not to participate, there are many opportunities I would have missed out on during my high school years. So, to answer your question I would LOVE to be involved in the yearbook and school paper, although both at once might be a bit much! Sometimes my friends and I would note that certain teachers seemed frazzled in the classroom and we'd often attribute that not to their inability to focus, teach and inspire -- but to their overbooked schedules. That thought plagues me a bit because I never want to be one of 'those' teachers -- who could be better if they just loosened their schedule! Anyway, thanks for bringing up this interesting idea of thinking of interests that span far outside of just the traditional English Language Arts classroom. As for English electives, that seems a bit more difficult to narrow down - but I would definitely consider journalism, creative writing and maybe even a multicultural literature class. Something to think about . . . .
I think that the reason people were making comments about the fact that Shay taught an elective was not that none of us would be unwilling to teach one ourselves, but that much of what he was doing would be far more difficult to do with a hundred students in a traditional classroom. I know I definitely worried that such a concentrated focus on the technologies that he and his students were/are exploring is only possible with a smaller elective class. Many of us were wondering how, in a normal classroom, could we do all of that? Of course, there are ways around any problem, and since I've learned more since his visit, I've already thought of more ways to incorporate meaningful and quality assignments into the curriculum.
Thanks Jenn and Natalie for your responses. I really was wondering what people thought about electives and other related teaching topics, not to take away from the ELA classroom, but to be used as a supplement that encourages more focused student interests.
Jen, I seem to share many of your ideas, and I think teaching Multicultural Lit elective would be wonderful as well. You also bring up a good point about not over-extending. I think I have to watch myself in this regard because I can see myself committing to too much, and like in your experience, that wouldn't help anyone.
What a great topic Chrissy. I wish you posted on how your seminar went!! Talk about electives!
I did National Honor Society for years. Loved it--that should surprise no one. We did a number of terrific things--progressive dinners, volunteering at the Rescue Mission, hosting teacher appreciation day, career day, etc. etc. I also did the school newspaper for a time. Loved that too.
I wasn't an athlete so no coaching. I can see where that would be very satisfying though. Demanding and satisfiying. I taught a number of electives over the years often though AP Eng. of the S.U. Project Advance English.
It's a terrific idea to think about how you see yourself beyond the classroom.
Good discussion.
I agree with Natalie's interpretation of the general reaction to the work Shade is able to do in an elective class vs. a traditional classroom. I also agree that since his visit it is easier to envision incorporating all those things. It's a good reflection of the growth we've experienced.
I started a poetry club and advised the middle school newspaper. Both were rewarding in terms of being able to work with students in a smaller, more relaxed setting. It was so much fun... what a prime example of the difference in how students work when their work has meaning to them.
In terms of electives I'm not sure if I'm right about this, but it seems that the electives usually go to the teachers with more seniority (assuming they want them).
An "elective" model has come and gone, waxed and waned, in Eng. Depts. generally. Explore the options for offering electives when you first apply to and/or interview for a position in a school district.
I appreciate the discussion about how to reproduce Shade's work across curricula. But I can tell you that it is happening-and in the most unlikely places you may think.
Right now, e.g., one of our student teacher's students are representing the books they are reading in video "trailers."
Another student teacher's juniors (urban school) have all put up wiki pp. that focus on their individual research topics.
Frankly, kids aren't finding these assignments such a big deal--their native-ness is showing. Our immigrant status is showing as well when we question, "oh how would I do this unless I were teaching an elective designated as a tech or media course?"
Those of you who know Gladwell's "The Tipping Point," know that change can happen rapidly--"social epidemics" behaving like the spread of infectious disease.
Production work is much the same I think. It's rapidly becoming a taken-for-granted "literacy."
I think block scheduling would be useful to integrate technology and specified topic interests like creative writing etc. into a traditional ELA classroom. 45 minutes a class seems like focusing students would be challenging.
I am so glad that I found this discussion! I was just thinking the other day that a great way to connect with students was to do "extra" activities that seem more fun. This is where they can get to know you and make those lasting connections that all of us want as teachers. When you are able to get students on your side, they try harder for you because they don'y want to disappoint you, and when they try harder, they get sucked in.
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