I thought I posted this but obviously lost it. So just like webct, I should write this in Word first then paste it in.
It’s time to forget about my aching ankle and think about my writing course for this summer. Since it is a virtual experience, it takes more planning than a class in real time. In addition, the technical people in Continuing Education have given me a few deadlines. I understand their haste since they have many of these to get up and running but I also believe that course planning takes times no matter how many times one has taught the course.
In addition, I have been stalling because Anita and I finished our new writing book, Write More! Learn More! Writing across the Curriculum a few months ago and just got the proofs to check. Also the artist who has been so gracious to design all of our covers for our textbooks just agreed to let us use one of her pieces that I thought highlighted our theme. I do love having such a talented, generous friend. The covers the company usually selects are usually so dull in contrast.
Our last book, Guiding Reading and Writing in the Content Areas also has one of her covers. And the students keep telling me even years after their course “I keep the lighthouse book on my desk and use it for planning.” Now the “lighthouse book” won’t resonate with those who haven’t used it and some may wonder what the lighthouse book is, but to those in the know it is the symbol that tells all—lighting the way for kids to comprehend and write.
So back to planning my syllabus. I have a new book to plug in and some professional journals to make decisions about. Why journal articles, too? It seems to me that if we are to be professional, we need to keep up on what is happening in our field. And summertime gives us that time to study, reflect and decide how we will use what we are learning. I am reading A Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, a whooping 700 pages, but worth every word. Lincoln and his presidential rivals: Seward, Chase and Bates were brilliant but never stopped learning. Their evenings were filled with conversations and reading. None of them felt they could realize their presidential aspirations without learning more philosophy, political science and even geometry. I sometimes think how much TV and the pressures of today leave so little time for thought and reflection.
So tomorrow, I will make the selections among the articles. Unfortunately, this won’t be easy; my stack of probables is high. What will interest my students? I wish I knew who they would be? It always seems ridiculous to plan a course not knowing who the participants are. Yet, especially in this virtual, push-button, hit-keys age that appears a luxury. Enough for tonight and my ankle is still talking to me.
Literacy Lady
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Getrting back to the blog
Misfortune favored me in late April. So no posts for awhile. I'll get back to the literacy issues after working through my anxiety on this latest happening in my life's odyssey.
After a great ski season, we were at the Timberline Ski area, our last run, our last day skiing when I bit the snow and my leg decided to go along with the ski which didn't release. A grogeous day, the vista on a sunny day strung out before us as I waited for the ski patrol. Thank the mountain gods that it was warm and I had something to look at besides my leg in a 90 degree angle going the wrong way. One of the joys of living in Oregon it seems to me are its sights, I could look down on the lakes nestled in the mountain canyons, see the snow-topped ridges stretched out, and feel the throb of pains shooting up to remind me that pain and pleasure often walk hand in hand.
Ury, the ski patrol rep, arrived after an interminable wait it seemed. After a careful diagnosis, while I could only think, "This is bad!", Ury wrapped me in the Johnson sling and helped me into the sled. Although Ury was an ace at what he did, the mountain figured in for a few more slights: chips of snow and ice flew up in my face, the sled bounced over the snow field. Not all was groomed trail. In fact I realized I had hit the peaanut butter snow when I fell obviously off the groomed trail. That stuff is like cement and doesn't give. But finally, I reached the first aid station.
Every movement sent pain coursing everywhere, bu to their credit, the guys were careful. After a shot of morphine, which doesn't mask the pain, only lessens it to a bearable range, I was loaded into the ambulance. My first ride and I hope my last.
Bob, the attendent, was a great morphine giver and a conversationalist so the long trip to Providence Hospital in Milwaukie was tempered. But I was never more relieved then to arrive at the hospital emergency room. Continued tomorrow. My leg throbs after a few weeks but at least it is out of the cast and in a boot. A far cry from the situation 30 years ago when I broke the other ankle at the Mountain at Killington. Medicine has come a long way.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could find such progress in education? To be able to look at what we do and say this is so much better than when I began my teaching career. Again something to explore in this blog.
After a great ski season, we were at the Timberline Ski area, our last run, our last day skiing when I bit the snow and my leg decided to go along with the ski which didn't release. A grogeous day, the vista on a sunny day strung out before us as I waited for the ski patrol. Thank the mountain gods that it was warm and I had something to look at besides my leg in a 90 degree angle going the wrong way. One of the joys of living in Oregon it seems to me are its sights, I could look down on the lakes nestled in the mountain canyons, see the snow-topped ridges stretched out, and feel the throb of pains shooting up to remind me that pain and pleasure often walk hand in hand.
Ury, the ski patrol rep, arrived after an interminable wait it seemed. After a careful diagnosis, while I could only think, "This is bad!", Ury wrapped me in the Johnson sling and helped me into the sled. Although Ury was an ace at what he did, the mountain figured in for a few more slights: chips of snow and ice flew up in my face, the sled bounced over the snow field. Not all was groomed trail. In fact I realized I had hit the peaanut butter snow when I fell obviously off the groomed trail. That stuff is like cement and doesn't give. But finally, I reached the first aid station.
Every movement sent pain coursing everywhere, bu to their credit, the guys were careful. After a shot of morphine, which doesn't mask the pain, only lessens it to a bearable range, I was loaded into the ambulance. My first ride and I hope my last.
Bob, the attendent, was a great morphine giver and a conversationalist so the long trip to Providence Hospital in Milwaukie was tempered. But I was never more relieved then to arrive at the hospital emergency room. Continued tomorrow. My leg throbs after a few weeks but at least it is out of the cast and in a boot. A far cry from the situation 30 years ago when I broke the other ankle at the Mountain at Killington. Medicine has come a long way.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could find such progress in education? To be able to look at what we do and say this is so much better than when I began my teaching career. Again something to explore in this blog.
Secondary Literacy
Secondary Literacy
Just getting back to this and forgot how to post a new blog. Not sure if this is it. I'll try it and see.
Just getting back to this and forgot how to post a new blog. Not sure if this is it. I'll try it and see.
Monday, April 03, 2006
Secondary Literacy Plus
Today I am starting this blog on secondary literacy. Lately adolescent literacy has been in the news, even Bush who appears to be challenged in this area included adolescent literacy in his new addendum to the No Child Left Behind bill.
From an American Idol phenomenonally talented singer who cannot read nor write to the concerns of the Alliance for Excellent Education who are terribly concerned about the reading and writing of our future work force, adolescents are finally getting some attention regarding their literacy needs.
After attending a zine conference where 8th graders were buying and selling their zines among a host of adults who create their own work in this genre, I believe the difficulty is not that our young adults aren't literate. But rather that they don't believe that school is the place to display these capabilities. They email, text message, create newsletters, and zines and probably a host of other literacy product. These all require writing and reading and they like doing these things. Why aren't we as educators seeing a spin-off in the classroom? Mainly because we are so good at telling students what to write; what to read. And they are so good at not feeling motivated to accede to our wishes. So what does an educator do? This is the purpose of this blog to explore avenues that young adults want to explore.
From an American Idol phenomenonally talented singer who cannot read nor write to the concerns of the Alliance for Excellent Education who are terribly concerned about the reading and writing of our future work force, adolescents are finally getting some attention regarding their literacy needs.
After attending a zine conference where 8th graders were buying and selling their zines among a host of adults who create their own work in this genre, I believe the difficulty is not that our young adults aren't literate. But rather that they don't believe that school is the place to display these capabilities. They email, text message, create newsletters, and zines and probably a host of other literacy product. These all require writing and reading and they like doing these things. Why aren't we as educators seeing a spin-off in the classroom? Mainly because we are so good at telling students what to write; what to read. And they are so good at not feeling motivated to accede to our wishes. So what does an educator do? This is the purpose of this blog to explore avenues that young adults want to explore.
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