Chapter 4 of Cohesive Writing

One of the great things about chapter four that I noticed was the Reflection Chart on page 75. This seems like a great tool for students and any writers of papers in general, to use in aid to their work. Everything the chapter said about rubrics was interesting; consider the debate about whether or not papers should even use rubrics.
I’m not sure what else to say about chapter four. The Christensen reading is usually more stimulating for me, and although these chapters are helpful in many ways, they lack the personality that Christensen brings to the table.

Chapter 3 of Cohesive Writing

The essay written on teen suicide was so well-written I had forgotten that it was a female who had written it. She got into character so well – almost too well. That is something which this chapter addresses as well. Jago writes, “No wonder many English teachers are shying away from creative writing” (49). I can definitely see where the rising violence in schools and the need for teachers to report any suspicions would give rise to problems where creative writing is concerned. If we think about it, what are most books about? There are at least one or two violent or traumatic things that happen to propel the plot and give rise to the climax.
By making it taboo for students to write about violence or traumatic events (something they may see or experience daily) we put our students in a box where they are forced to write cookie-cutter stories, with dry or contrived plots. Sure, there are some great stories without any violence or trauma.. none that I can think of at the moment, but I’m sure they are out there. Somewhere.

Chapter 3 of Reading, Writing, and Raising Up

My favorite part of this chapter would have to be the Bill of Rights for Girls, and I almost feel like it should say the Bill of Rights for Women, because grown or young there are many females out there who believe they have certain rights that are on this list. I like the whole idea of writing for an audience, because although some writing is private and should remain that way, some writing ends up being so profound, funny, or reflective that it should be shared - it wants to be shared and the reader would benefit if it was. Along with this, some students can't be motivated unless they know someone is going to read their writing. Students might think, "No one's going to read this, why should I bother making it good?"

I also enjoyed reading the piece on page 73 entitled "A Woman's Silent Journey." Not only does it idenify with many of the female readers, it also strikes a controversial cord regarding the social idelogies around the female images. Erika Miller dicusses Barbie dolls, Disney movies, and other culturally accepted products that marginialize women and make girls strive for impossible and unnecessary perfection.

"Tar Baby" by Khalilah Joseph was also fascination to read, espcially when she brings up movies such as Waiting to Exhale and Pretty Woman. I'd heard things about Waiting to Exhale before, although I've never seen it, but I can see how innapropriate it is.

Chapter 2 of Reading, Writing, and Rising Up

There are so many things I love about this chapter – it’s hard to know where to begin. First of all, it’s very interesting to read the critiques on cartoons and Disney movies not only because we don’t always think about them in a critical way, only in a nostalgic one. Secondly it’s interesting to me because I’m just coming out of Adolescent Literature, where we looked at books like Anne of Green Gables and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, taking critical looks at gender roles and race roles in society. Just as literature not only reflects society, but shapes it – movies do the same. Especially movies and literature geared towards a young audience. These movies and books targeted toward the young are enforcing, or attempting to enforce, certain ideologies about our roles in society.

On the Praise Poems, I find them a really good and positive idea. Although I’m not sure how I’ll be able to easily write one myself. In a society that is plastered with photos and images of what we are supposed to look like, it’d be difficult for anyone to get past that and talk a bout what they really value and embrace about themselves. I feel like I can write this poem, but I’m really not sure how much I’ll want to share it with the rest of the class. I mean what if I write about something about myself that no one else finds interesting or relevant? I’m sure every student Linda Christensen had write a Praise Poem had this exact same worry.

Praise Poem : Standing Strong

Sometimes they’re painted
Sometimes they’re not
Sometimes they smell
Most times they don’t

They are my feet
They can withstand 135 pounds of woman
For eight hours at a time
Busy busy busy
Running all the time.

They don’t put up a fight
They know better
I have things to get done
And they don’t hassle me

Others may complain,
But mine do not.
My soles are as strong as my spirit.

I’ve stood up to people
I’ve stood up for people

I’ve walked to a job
I’ve walked home
I’ve walked away from a job
I’ve walked to a new home
I’ve walked to school
I’ve walked away from school
I’ve walked to some friends, and away from others
I’ve walked to some men, and away from most

While some things may change
I’ll always be walking forward
On the two feet
That God gave me

Chapters 1&2 of Cohesive Writing

I like the idea of students reading the A papers, or at least reading examples of what is good about another’s papers. It is at least more realistic than expecting the students to read professional essays and literary articles.

In the second chapter I learned that anthologies are making efforts to include non-fiction in their books. Jago writes that “many state standards demand that students read ‘informational materials and workplace documents’” (24). This statement baffles me, especially after discussing in other education classes the value of teaching students in efforts to make them into “model citizens” or “productive members of society.” This way of thinking seems dehumanizing to me. I don’t argue with the value of nonfiction, however; some of the best reads are articles or true stories. I think I’d just like to know what exactly a “workplace document” is supposed to be. Are we priming our students to be cubical paper-pushers, or are we more concerned with making sure they have a range of writing to chose from? I hope it’s the latter, and I believe I’ll think of it that way since some students may benefit from different sorts of readings such as “workplace documents” to keep them interested.

Jago’s writings seem to promote placing students into groups to do their discussing and question-answering. I like this idea and I also like what she has outlined on page 26. I also like how Jago points out the importance of defining the difference between the persuasive and informational writing. It can be confusing when writing a paper, because largely when one is writing something informational the writer also has an opinion on the subject. It’s important for the students to know whether they are expected to be telling and informing, or taking a stance and making an argument.

Chapter 1 of Reading, Writing, and Rising Up

The thing about sitting in a circle is that everybody is facing each other, and no one can hide. The same can be true about poetry. Poetry leaves room to tell it all or to hide, and at the start of a class I think the best thing for students are to make those first steps towards introducing themselves. Even if they all know each other from previous classes and years in school, people change and should always be given new opportunities to introduce themselves - especially at their young age. Giving students time to think about who and what the come from helps them reflect and grow on who they are as people. I think that’s a big part about teaching that Linda Christensen seems to understand well – that teachers have a responsibility not only to teach their subject, but also help the students learn about themselves.

Read-Arounds are something I definitely plan to utilize in my classroom, and even before reading this I noticed how much different discussions and classes can be when student circle-up. That’s probably how I’ll say it when I’m a teacher. On discussion days when we’re going to share our writing or talk about something we’ve read, I’ll come in and say “Alright let’s circle-up…”

One question I’ll have to ask Christensen, or anyone else who has ideas on the issue, is how person to get with your students. My original thoughts were to not tell students much at all about my personal life – as little as possible, in fact. Then I think back to my favorite, and most effective, teachers in high school. Thinking about them made me realize that I knew a fair amount about their personal lives. Christensen writes, “My willingness to share my life opens the doors for students to share theirs. I write stories about my father’s alcoholism, my poor test scores, my sister’s wayward ways, and my first marriage to an abusive man” (15). I suppose in the end it’s a judgment call, and a personal preference.

Where I'm From

I am from hand lotion
And sweet smelling perfume.
I am from kiddie pools
And gobs of sun screen.

I am from computers, home depot trips and projects.
I am from screen door installations, new paint jobs,
And renovations.

I am half of a whole –
My brother a half, and I the other.
Two peas in a pod, a pair of “goofballs”

I am from mac’n’cheese

I am from grilled cheese
I am from potatoes with cheese
I am from string cheese
I am from nachos and cheese
And “These are nach-yo nachos”

If you were to come into my parents home
There is yelling, and sarcasm,
And my mother pretending to be annoyed at my father
When really she is glad he’s there to annoy her..

I am from sarcasm, I am from yelling
I am from my mother and my father.
I am glad they are there to annoy me.