Writer's Notebook...

I went to a "writing institute" this summer that focused on using writer's notebooks to teach writing. I was very inspired and have asked all of my students to bring a composition notebook to keep in class as their writer's notebooks this year. I'm really excited about the potential it has to improve writing fluency and hopefully help my students learn to like writing (or at least not hate/dread it so much). I have a few concerns though... how the heck will I keep up with the grading? I've already told the kids that this is not the place where I will critique their thoughts and opinions and mark all the grammar errors... but I've got to find a system that allows me to make sure they are writing and taking it seriously, find out if they are improving, use it as a teaching tool, and give them appropriate and fair grades... all without taking a year to read through all the entries and make comments, etc. So-- all three of you that read this dang blog... have you used writer's notebooks in the past? How did you grade them? Was it successful for you?

Year Two

Ever since I decided that I wanted to teach I remember hearing people talk about how hard the first year would be... and it was. But what I clung to in my exhaustion and desperation during that first year was the rumor that my second year would be a million times easier than the first. So far- the first week and a half have not disappointed. While I wouldn't call my job "easy," it is remarkable how much more confident I feel going at this a second time, how much better prepared I feel, and how encouraging and fun it is to have former student's stop by for a visit and a hug. I know it’s only been three days and we are very much in the “honeymoon period” where the kids are still on their best behavior and dressed to impress… but I love the first week of school. I really believe that the first week can very much make or break the year… and so far this week has gone beautifully. I’ve learned a lot about my new students, they’ve been willing to be very open and honest with me and their classmates about their life stories, and I’m always amazed at the resiliency of these fragile 15-16 year olds. They make me laugh, some of them make me want to hug them and weep for them, they challenge me, and give me a sense of purpose. I’m hopeful and excited for this upcoming year and will try to post regularly about what’s working, what’s not, and what’s going on.

Testees?

So I've been waiting all year to have one of these moments... I knew it was bound to happen. High school kids are really good at turning normal, totally unperverted comments into something very perverted and immature. However, this week I didn't need any help embarrassing myself. We've been on crazy testing schedules lately, with the Ga High School graduation test right before Spring Break, and the Gateway Writing test this week... so we're all going a little crazy with the long block periods and 3 hours of proctoring. One morning this week before the writing test I'm trying to corral all the lost 10th graders into their correct testing locations. One of my male students was mackin' hard on these 2 girls in the hallyway who needed to come in my room for the test. As he's giving one a hug and saying his goodbyes I decide to hurry up the love fest so we can get going with passing out the test.
Now, let me just ask you what you would call students who are about to take a test? Probably something like "testers," or "test-takers," or anything normal and logical like that, I'd assume. Not me... no sir; I decide to say the following (for all the world to hear): "John,* hurry up, you're holding up my testees!" Let me just tell you, I did not stick around long enough to see or hear anyone's reactions. If I could have grabbed those words mid-air and jammed them back down my throat, I assure you I would have. But no, instead I told a male student he was holding up my (a female's) testees....
Awesome.