Linda Denstaedt Co-Director Oakland Writing Project (MI). OWP is located in a just north of Detroit and serves urban-fringe and suburban schools. I live at the farthest north point of Oakland County in a rural-suburb. Social justice, equity and access for all students is core to the work of OWP. I facilitate the learning of staff and students in a low-income high school on the border of Detroit. Our work has been focused on building literacy and accelerating achievement to move this school out of the bottom 5% of achievement in the state of Michigan. After three years, the school moved into 11% in the state. Their reading scores moved from 17% to 56%.
I am privileged to direct the Writing Project site at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches Louisiana. I have a joint faculty position in the College of Education and English dept, which allows me to teach freshman composition and English pedagogy classes. I love initiating argument with my students by exploring topics and resources that are deliberately provocative. The most recent success I've had with student engagement was having students disprove urban legends, argue for solutions to what they considered to be a local epidemic (most chose crystal meth epidemic), and challenge their own education. This is going to be such fun!
Since I am new to working with middle and high school students, I do not have a background in argumentative writing. I have attended several workshops and learned a lot from the presentations. I am becoming familiar with terms like claim and counterclaim.
One of the most helpful presentations began with the distribution of data in the form of graphs and charts. We were asked to turn and share with our partner what the data was "saying" to us. There was a lot of discussion both for and against our observation. After sharing we were asked to write one of our statements as a claim. This was such an easy way to present argumentative writing...beginning with the data then making a claim.
I love using Ted Talks. When I taught in the high school, I didn't have a book, but I did convince my principal to give me unlimited copies. Editorials, websites, articles, speeches, anything became my text for teaching. I loved it. So immediate. The kids LOVED it.
Ellen Shelton as WordWobble... Lately, I’ve been teaching argument to non-English majors, mainly education and applied science majors. We spend a class meeting or two looking at the current research and points of argument that are in their chosen careers/majors. This is one of those assignments that asks my students to confront something that they hadn’t considered before: that people do not agree even if they are in the same profession. They have to write an iSearch paper on the discovery of one of the arguments, looking at both sides of the issue and discussing the findings. Eventually, this leads us to the first argument essay of the semester. The papers are fine, but what I love the most is the a-ha discussions in the classroom in the small groups. For many of my students, this is the first time they are exploring those issues and finding out what their peers think.
The introductions certainly prove the expertise that is present in WPs across the country. I feel a little intimidated not having the experience that some of you do. I hope our discussions don't go over my head.
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ReplyDeleteLinda Denstaedt Co-Director Oakland Writing Project (MI). OWP is located in a just north of Detroit and serves urban-fringe and suburban schools. I live at the farthest north point of Oakland County in a rural-suburb. Social justice, equity and access for all students is core to the work of OWP. I facilitate the learning of staff and students in a low-income high school on the border of Detroit. Our work has been focused on building literacy and accelerating achievement to move this school out of the bottom 5% of achievement in the state of Michigan. After three years, the school moved into 11% in the state. Their reading scores moved from 17% to 56%.
ReplyDeleteI am privileged to direct the Writing Project site at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches Louisiana. I have a joint faculty position in the College of Education and English dept, which allows me to teach freshman composition and English pedagogy classes. I love initiating argument with my students by exploring topics and resources that are deliberately provocative. The most recent success I've had with student engagement was having students disprove urban legends, argue for solutions to what they considered to be a local epidemic (most chose crystal meth epidemic), and challenge their own education. This is going to be such fun!
ReplyDeleteWow, sounds like a great combination of classes. I also love your topic ideas.
DeleteSince I am new to working with middle and high school students, I do not have a background in argumentative writing. I have attended several workshops and learned a lot from the presentations. I am becoming familiar with terms like claim and counterclaim.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most helpful presentations began with the distribution of data in the form of graphs and charts. We were asked to turn and share with our partner what the data was "saying" to us. There was a lot of discussion both for and against our observation. After sharing we were asked to write one of our statements as a claim. This was such an easy way to present argumentative writing...beginning with the data then making a claim.
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ReplyDeleteI would be interested in specific sites.
DeleteI love using Ted Talks. When I taught in the high school, I didn't have a book, but I did convince my principal to give me unlimited copies. Editorials, websites, articles, speeches, anything became my text for teaching. I loved it. So immediate. The kids LOVED it.
DeleteEllen Shelton as WordWobble...
ReplyDeleteLately, I’ve been teaching argument to non-English majors, mainly education and applied science majors. We spend a class meeting or two looking at the current research and points of argument that are in their chosen careers/majors. This is one of those assignments that asks my students to confront something that they hadn’t considered before: that people do not agree even if they are in the same profession. They have to write an iSearch paper on the discovery of one of the arguments, looking at both sides of the issue and discussing the findings. Eventually, this leads us to the first argument essay of the semester. The papers are fine, but what I love the most is the a-ha discussions in the classroom in the small groups. For many of my students, this is the first time they are exploring those issues and finding out what their peers think.
The introductions certainly prove the expertise that is present in WPs across the country. I feel a little intimidated not having the experience that some of you do. I hope our discussions don't go over my head.
ReplyDeleteThis is Margaret Folmar with the Wiregrass Writing Project. Thanks to Debbie, I'm understanding the procedures for responding and chatting.
ReplyDeleteThis is Margaret Folmar with the Wiregrass Writing Project. Thanks to Debbie, I'm understanding the procedures for responding and chatting.
ReplyDelete