Education 332: Methods of Teaching
English
January 2003
M W 11 - 11:50 MC 415
Office: MC 536
Phone: 796-3485
Grant T. Smith, Ph.D.
E-Mail: gtsmith@.viterbo.edu
Click
here for the syllabus
for Education 821 Methods
Texts:
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Making the Journey: Being and Becoming a Teacher of
English Language Arts by Leila Christenbury, Heinemann, 1994.
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Classroom Management for Secondary Teachers by Emmer,
Evertson and Worsham; Allyn and Bacon, 2003
-
Using Young Adult Literature in the English Classroom,
Bushman and Haas, Merrill Prentice Hall, 2001.
-
Teaching English in Middle and Secondary Schools,
Maxwell and Meiser, Merrill Prentice Hall, 2001.
-
A Measure of Success: From Assignment to Assessment
in English Language Arts by Fran Claggett (optional, on reserve in the
library)
-
Inside Out: Developmental Strategies for Teaching Writing
by Kirby, et. al. (optional, on reserve in the library)
-
The Peaceable Classroom by Mary Rose O'Reilley
(optional, on reserve in the library)
Description:
In this class we will concentrate on strategies for teaching genres
of literature, poetry, short story, novel, drama, essay, myth, as well
as strategies for teaching composition and grammar. Participants
will be asked to apply various literary theories (feminist, reader-response,
deconstructionism, new historicism) in the teaching of the literary texts
we will examine in class. Students who are familiar with these "isms"
will perhaps be at an advantage to those who are not familiar with them,
but we can learn from one another. However, foremost in our thoughts
and strategies will be two questions: (1) "How can I teach peace in my
classroom?" I encourage all of the participants to pattern their reading
and their lessons plans around this question. In other words, what
strategies can I use in the classroom with the help students be more tolerant,
less abusive, more caring and thoughtful--more peaceful. (2) "How will
I evaluate my students and myself." I urge all of us to reconsider our
understanding of assignments and assessments. Although the format
of the class is lecture and discussion, students will be provided many
opportunities to teach the texts in a simulated classroom setting.
There will be no exams or term papers in this class. Students will
be evaluated on their attendance and classroom participation,
their practicum, and their portfolios (lesson plans and research materials.
Students who have two or fewer absences will receive 100 points. The
student who does a superior practicum will receive 200 points. A student
who completes a superior portfolio will receive 200 points.
Schedule:
Weeks One and Two - January 13, 20
-
Introduction: We will ask and try to answer the following questions:
What teaching skills do you hope to learn this semester? Why do you
want to be an English teacher? What do you perceive as your strengths
and weaknesses? What is English? What is a good English teacher?
What fears do you have about teaching English? What are your expectations
as an English teacher? Click here for the
Wisconsin
Learner Standards
-
Assigned reading: Making the Journey, Chapters 1, 2
and 9; Classroom Management, Chapters 2, 4, and 9; Teaching English in
Middle and Secondary Schools, Chapters 2, 14
-
Suggested reading: The Peaceable Classroom, Chapters 1 - 4; Inside Out
Chapters 1 - 3; A Measure of
Success, Introduction through Chapter Two.
-
Click here to find out what you should do
the first day
-
For a list of helpful "English" web sites click
here.
-
For a helpful web site on creating lesson plans click here.
Weeks Three and Four - January 27, February 3
-
Teaching the short story: Be prepared to discuss the following: What's
the value of narratives What short stories do you remember from your secondary
school experience? Why do you remember them? What strategies
will you use to teach the short story? Will you teach the short stories
as literature or as experiences? How will you place the stories in
a textual, social, cultural, and topical perspective?
Weeks Five and Six - February 10, 17
-
Teaching the novel: Are the books you read on your own different from
those you read in school? If so, how? What books have your
read in school that you enjoyed? What was it that you enjoyed about
the experience of reading them? Has a teacher or another adult ever
recommended a book to you that you found boring or unsatisfactory?
Did you feel a little guilty about your reaction? Do you sometimes
gain additional insight into a book during a class discussion of it?
If so, what kind of discussion? Do you sometimes gain additional
insight into a book while writing about it? If so, what kind of writing?
Will you teach the same novel to all of the students in your class?
Or will you allow the students to choose different novels (with a similar
theme) to read?
-
Assigned
reading: Making the Journey, Chapter Four; Using Young Adult
Literature, Chapters 1, 2, 4, 7; Teaching English in Middle and Secondary
Schools, Chapters 8, 9, 13.
-
Student practicum
-
Click here for the
Newbery Award site.
-
Click here
for the National Book Award site.
-
Click here
for a YA reading list web site.
Week Seven - February 24
-
Teaching Poetry: Why are teachers of English often afraid of teaching
poetry? Why, when it is taught, is it often taught poorly?
What were your experiences with poetry in junior high, high school, college?
How do you feel about memorizing poetry? Do you read poetry for pleasure
(leisure reading)? How do you feel about teaching the parts of a
poem: scansion, iambic pentameter, metonymy, metaphor, simile, allusion,
imagery, near rhyme, blank verse, villanelle, sonnet, and on and on?
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Assigned reading: Chapter Five in
Making
the Journey; Teaching English in Middle and Secondary Schools, pp.
279 - 284; Using YA Literature in the English Classroom, pp. 129 - 134
-
Suggested reading: Chapter Six in Inside Out; Pass the Poetry
Please by Lee Bennett Hopkins, HarperCollins, 1998; Carver: A Life in
Poems by Marilyn Nelson
-
Student practicum.
-
Click here for
a YA poetry booklist
-
Click here
for a web site on poetry lesson plans.
Weeks Eight, Nine and Ten - March 3, 17 (Spring Break
March 10)
-
Teaching Literature Through Drama: What was your experience with Shakespeare
in school? How were you introduced to Shakespeare? Did you
read his plays aloud in class? Have you seen a film or live production
of one of his plays?
-
Assigned Reading: Teaching English in Middle and Secondary Schools,
pp. 275 - 278; Using YA Literature in the English Classroom, p. 140.
Weeks Eleven and Twelve - March 24 - March 31
-
Teaching Literature through Film: Many teachers regard movies and television
as cultural enemies from which students should be weaned so that they can
read and appreciate literary classics. Other teachers use films as
babysitters for their classes-easy ways to fill a class period whey they
are tired or are planning what a substitute might do. What has been
your experiences in the classroom with films? How will you explain
the difference between print and films How will you teach students how
to understand visual symbols and motifs. Will you use the film medium
as another text, or as a support for a printed text?
-
Assigned reading: Using YA Literature in the Classroom, Chapter 9;
-
Suggested reading: Read "Nicholas Ray's Rebel Without a Cause" in
Narration in Light: Studies in Cinematic Point of View by George M. Wilson on
reserve in the library. Click here for a web page on
Rebel Without a Cause
-
Student practicum.
-
Click here for the
Images: A Journal of Film and Popular Culture web page
-
Click here
for the American Collection on Teaching Film.
Weeks Thirteen and Fourteen - April 7, 14
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Teaching Composition: What is your definition of language? Can
you remember anything about the process by which you learned to use language?
What are the most important differences between your uses of spoken and
written language? Are you satisfied with the way you use language?
Why or why not? How can language best be learned? How will
you teach writing? How much time will you devote to teaching composition?
-
Assigned reading: Chapters Six and Seven in Making the Journey;
Chapters 6, 7, and 10 in Teaching English in Middle and Secondary Schools
-
Suggested reading:
The remainder of Inside Out; and Chapters Three
through Five in A Measure of Success.
Weeks Fifteen and Sixteen - April 23 -28 (Easter Break
April 21)
-
Professional Issues and Problems: How do you feel about evaluating the
students' work? Have you given any thought to censorship? What
classroom management issues still concern you? Is school violence
an issues Will you join the teachers' associations How will you continue
to engage in your profession?
-
Click here for the web site for the Wisconsin Council of Teachers of English Language
Arts
-
Assigned Reading: Chapter Nine in
Making
the Journey; Chapter 11 in Teaching English in Middle and Secondary
Schools
-
Suggested reading: Chapter Fourteen in Inside Out; Chapter Six
in A Measure of Success
-
Click here for
Teacher Magazine
Week Seventeen - May 5 (Final Exam Week)
-
All projects, portfolios, and journals are due.
HELPFUL
WEB SITES:
Learning Resources:
http://www.emTech.net
Teacher Resources:
http://www.skewlsites.com/siteind.htm
Teaching Grammar:
http://www.emTech.net
Homework Spot:
http://www.homeworkspot.com
National School Safety Center:
http://www.nssc1.org/
Teaching Tolerance:
http://www.tolerance.org/teach/index.jsp
Bullying Bibliography:
http://www.bclsolutions.com/bully/bibliograpies.html
Policies:
- Click
here for the university definitions of an excused and unexcused
absence
- Click
here for the university policy on sexual harassment
- Click
here for the university policy on plagiarism
- If you are a person with a disability and require any auxiliary aids,
services or other accommodations for this class, please see Wayne
Wojciechowski in Murphy Center room 320 (796-3085) within ten days to discuss
your accommodation needs. If there other accommodations that need to be made
for you to succeed in the class, please indicate those needs to the
instructor. Click
here
for a link to the Learning Center.
- Wisconsin Model Academic Standards and Content Guidelines: A 1-4; B 1,
3; C 1-3; D 1-2; E 3; F 1
- Viterbo Core Abilities: Critical Thinking, Life Values, Communication,
Cultural Sensitivity
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