Re: Literary Essay

[Marji Morris <mlmsoar@hotmail.com>]

i'd like to ditto what nancy patterson said. sometimes teachers of upper grades are really asking you to do their work for them. (without realizing that's what they are asking.)  one of my colleagues was listening to a high school history teacher complaining that his students didn't know how to write answers to essay questions. he was blaming m.s. l.a. teachers for not doing their job. my colleague asked him if he had thought to TEACH the students how to write history essay answers. his question was met with silence. but word has it that he went back to class and did just that. 
 
often if students are introduced to material before it is age appropriate, they feel overwhelmed. then when they reach the age where they could perform the task, they already think they can't do it.
Marji MorrisSOAR! CoordinatorSuccess and Opportunity at Reading1707 N. Shelby St, Ste. 107Salem, IN  47167  www.soarliteracy.orgVideo at www.youtube.com/soarliteracy
812-896-1515

> Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 16:05:55 -0400> From: patterna@gvsu.edu> To: middle-lit@interversity.org> Subject: Re: [middle-lit] Literary Essay> > The Reading Zone is an excellent book!! You might also look at Gretchen Bernarbei's Reviving the Essay. It's published by Discover Writing, which is Barry Lane's company. You can order if off the website, www.discoverwriting.com .> > But here's something else to chew on. Just because the high school teachers want you to do this doesn't mean it is appropriate for your students. They have no more power than you do in determining curriculum. If you think your students are not ready to do high school type essays, then say so. This kind of thing happens all the time, where teachers of older students make demands on teachers of younger students. Their hearts are in the right place, but it's easy to play the blame game. I found myself doing that when I taught high school, and then when I taught middle school. Ultimately you run out of people to blame, and the problem never really gets solved. We seem to be imposing higher and higher expectations on younger and younger children, and it's not always appropriate.> > That doesn't mean we shouldn't have high expectations, of course. But just remember that you know your students best. And your qualifications are just as good as those of high school teachers.> > Nancy> > Nancy Patterson, PhD> Literacy Studies Program Chair> College of Education> Grand Valley State University > 920 Eberhard Center> 301 W. Fulton> Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504> 616-331-6226> patterna@gvsu.edu> http://faculty.gvsu.edu/patterna> > >>> "Heather Brumbaugh" <hbrumbaugh@learningcommunity202.org> 6/5/2008 3:54 PM >>>> Hi Laurie,> > I was really happy this year with using the letter essays described in Nancie Atwell's "The Reading Zone". I found them a great bridge to the higher-level, critical analysis my kids will have to do in high school, while still working within a form that is fun and comfortable. The Reading Zone has a few sample essays that I shared with my own kids at the start of the year, and I created a rubric that uses the language of our state extended response rubric. All in all, it went great!> > Heather> 6th/IL> > "When they tell you to grow up, they mean stop growing." - Tom Robbins> > >>> <jazmyn@nycap.rr.com> 06/02/08 5:22 AM >>>> Hello all,> It seems in my disrict that there is a big push to have the students write literary essays (critical analysis of a text). I think it might originate from the high school, where this is their bread and butter. I find myself at a loss. I know what I want to teach, but I dont want to go out and reinvent the wheel. Does anyone know of a good text to teach the elements of literary essay, perhaps one with some good examples as well? > Thanks,> Laurie> ---------------------------------------------------> Archives->> http://interversity.org/lists/middle-lit/archives.html > > ---------------------------------------------------> Archives->> http://interversity.org/lists/middle-lit/archives.html> > ---------------------------------------------------> Thanks to the folks who help keep Interversity> (and Middle-Lit) going:> http://interversity.org/benefactors.html
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