Comments on: Social Media in Education

By: patriciazell

patriciazell — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:15:32 +0000

You are so right about the need to put students either on the college track or the career track. Our administration wants to do away with the tracks, so I'm hoping the looping of junior and senior career English with me will convince of the folly of their proposed actions. My goals for the juniors are to increase their reading and writing fluencies and to help them figure out what they want to do after graduation. Then, the seniors' main focus will be their senior projects which include research papers, power points, and presentations. Most of my students are so lacking in basic skills, and I believe they do because of the content they have been "taught" in their earlier grades. I am thinking a lot about how I am going to convince my students to get board and to work on improving their reading and writing skills.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:28:07 +0000

We experimented with a variety of schedules over the years. In one I had each class for 55 minutes a day. In another I had even hour classes Monday and Thursday for 110 minutes and 55 on Wednesdays and then odd classes on Tuesday and Friday for 110 minutes and 55 on Wednesdays. Probably the one I enjoyed the most was even hour classes Monday, Thursday, and Friday for 55 minutes and on Tuesday for 120 minutes and then odd classes on Monday, Thursday, Friday for 55 and Wednesday for 120. I do think there is a lot of merit in "tracking" students. Obviously, those attending college will need to have a different skill set then those planning on entering the work force upon graduation or those planning to attend a technical or skill school. I will say that for the two districts I taught there was a pretty good balance between literature, grammar, writing skills, reading skills, etc.

By: patriciazell

patriciazell — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:49:23 +0000

We're on semester blocks which I like, but I wish I could have my students for 80 minutes a day for a whole year. I've been working on convincing my colleagues that we need to have a less literature-based curriculum. For the most part, our school seems to be teaching English like they did in pre-technology days. I convinced them to let me teach all of the juniors and seniors who are not going to 4 year colleges. I'm planning to work with those students on becoming fluent readers and writers.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:21:54 +0000

Hi Patricia, I taught in two districts and both primarily used the semester long block course schedule. For the most part I was able to retain the majority of my students with always the addition and subtraction of a few. One of the years I taught in a Phoenix school district we used a year long schedule, but went back to semester long blocks after that trial year. How about you?

By: patriciazell

patriciazell — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:50:30 +0000

Sarah, were you on a semester-long block course schedule or a year-around course schedule?

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:08:19 +0000

Patricia, I know what you mean. I taught high school English for six years and even though there may be three teachers teaching Senior English we would not necessarily be teaching the same things. We'd have standard skills we were expected to teach, yet the tools we use to taught them were up to each individual teacher. That could mean each class was reading different novels, writing different essays, taking different tests, etc. Sometimes on our own we'd get together and plan a unit together to make it easier but that was more the exception than the rule.

By: patriciazell

patriciazell — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:43:16 +0000

There is a vast difference between primary and secondary education–I've taught on both levels. I know that in the early grades in our school system, everyone in a grade level is on the same page. At the high school, especially in my department–English–in the past, three different teachers would be teaching the same course and be teaching totally different topics and skills. I finally asked to have all the juniors and seniors who are not planning on a 4-year college to be looped with me as their only English teacher for their last two years. I'm hoping I can stabilize what they are learning and help they get ready for the real world.

And, I'll keep mulling along with you.

By: MichaelSGray

MichaelSGray — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:43:53 +0000

We seem to work in two different worlds because we are basically forced to collaborate on everything in my school. It might just be the difference between primary and secondary education.

I like your thoughts about using Twitter to respond to conferences, and I agree that the teaching profession doesn't lend itself to checking the Twitter feed every half hour. Perhaps there is another form of social media outside of Twitter and Facebook that we could utilize. I'll have to keep mulling that over.

By: patriciazell

patriciazell — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:42:15 +0000

I'm not sure how that would work because our teachers tend to be quite busy during the day. Also, since we are on a semester-long block schedule, we do not collaborate, as far as classwork is concerned, between departments. Teachers might be able to twitter what they are learning in conferences. Any other suggestions?

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:39:23 +0000

I came across your blog randomly (actually through your wife's first a while back), but recognized your name. I couldn't place you at first but then read you attended GCU, which is where I also attended and then I realized I knew of you. We have many mutual friends. If you give me an email I'll give you more specifics.