Class Plans - Feb. 16-20, 2009

ALABAMA DIRECTED ASSESSMENT OF WRITING this Thursday!

Reminder: Students should continue to study W.O.W. #8-15 for exam this Friday.

Monday-Wednesday

Each day before the ADAW, students will read and discuss writing samples from each mode of writing. Students will identify and participate in whole-class discussions on the strengths and weaknesses of the writings.

Students will utilize the following Rubric for discussion:

Scale: 1-4

Ideas __         Focus __            Word Choice __        Organization __

Conventions: Grammar __      Spelling __       Sentence Structure __

                    Smooth Transitions __      Punctuation __    Capitalization __ 

Thursday

• Students will take the Alabama Directed Assessment of Writing (8:30 am-10:00 am).
• Following testing, students will participate in discussion on the benefits of writing as a form of expression.

(A portion of my internship will be devoted to my action research plan on diversity initiatives in schools. Part of my research will involve students viewing the movie, Freedom Writers (www.freedomwritersfoundation.org). The film is relevant in at least three ways. First, It showcases the power of writing as a form of self-expression and communication as well as an instrument for teaching. Secondly, multiculturalism is a reality in education today. Now more than ever before, students are learning tolerance at an earlier age. Freedom Writers sheds light on the commitment and understanding it takes to truly embrace differences and move forward. Finally, the movie comments on the positive transformation of all lives when we choose tolerance.

Friday

• Students and I continue Freedom Writers.
• Students are instructed to ask themselves the following questions (answers will be discussed Monday):

1. What problems, or conflicts, do these students face? Can I think of other important issues in the lives of students that aren't covered in the movie?
2. Do these students have "real" problems, or issues that they should just ignore?
3. What is Mrs. Gruwell's race? What's good about her? What's bad about her?
4. How do these students' lives change as a result of their writing and acceptance of each other?
5. Name some ways they came to accept one another.
6. Who's responsible for these changed lives?