Monday, March 5, 2012

So They Do Listen

As I mentioned, my students are doing their own SOLSC this month. I introduced it last week and they started it on Thursday, but Friday was conference day and so today was my first chance to touch base with them about the first few days. I had some technical notes about the logistics of the challenge and posting to our class website, and I had a few suggestions about the content of their posts as well.

My commitment to them this month is that I will read and reply to every post, every day. It can become consuming to be sure, but to be able to talk to them knowledgeably about the topics they've chosen to write on is invaluable both in terms of writing instruction and relationship building.

Today my advice was mostly to avoid the bed-to-bed narrative that can be so tempting when no idea immediately presents itself. "Pick something and focus on it!" I encouraged them, and over the course of the day, I tried to point out possibilities when I heard them.

In education, immediate gratification is rare. So often we teach our hearts out knowing that our advice and guidance might not kick in for weeks, months, or even years. Still, we understand and hold on to the frequently immeasurable value of our effort.

You can imagine how I laughed tonight when I was reading through today's posts and found the following two:

The Skate Disastor
By Rania

"Does anybody have any comments or questions about The slice of life challenge?" 
I raised my hand up high. "Yes,Rania?" 
"Well can you right about anything that hapenned before?" 
"Yes you can. Do you mean skate night?" 
"Oh yeah."I said outloud. 
Ms. S. gave me a puzzled look. Then began to tell her my story. "So I was at skate night and i was having the time of my life there and the next thing you know I was on the ground because I bumped into this little girl and once I said sorry, she got up and looked at me like I was crazy. My friend Annabella was their to witness what happened and of course she started laughing!" 
"Ok then Rania you could write about what you were saying," Said Ms.S. 
After that I was so excited to write about my skate night discussion with Ms. S.

 My Reading Log
By Adrita

"Okay everybody get your reading logs out, get your English binder out, write down the homework and put your big binder on the floor!" Ms. S. said in one big breath. I grabbed the home made log from my binder, skipped writing down the homework as always. Wait I wasn't supposed to say that, oh well! Ms.S. stared at my reading log.
 "What!" I said breaking out the silence
 "Your reading log, it's so unusual!" She said Then I gave her this whole story on how i lost my reading log.
  "Well I went with Camilla to the um... movies and the log was in my north face pocket all folded up. So when I went to grab popcorn the log had dropped but I never noticed." In all of my explanation she had just said...
 "Well you should write about this for the slice of life challenge!" And here I am writing about it!
THIS STORY MAY BE SLIGHTLY EXAGGERATED!

1 comment:

  1. I love their voice of you! "Ms. S. said in one big breath" is just fabulous! How interesting to see yourself come alive in their writing. Probably not always comfortable! :)

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