Getting Started

As an English teacher, things just happen sometimes when it comes to teaching writing, but the college pays me to think a lot about writing. It should come as no surprise that writing instructors can sometimes pull good writing prompt out of our brains at a moment's notice. However, we also need to realize that the same is not true for everyone, and even we get stuck once in a while.

There are a number of ideas about how and why to create good writing prompts. One philosophy that might work well for you is to give students specific parameters about the intended topic and allow them to craft their own individual prompt. Of course you need to teach them how to craft those prompts, but then you are fairly well assured that you will receive essays that address a variety of issues from different points of view.

In order to teach students how to craft a prompt you need to be able to do it yourself, which takes time, thought, and revision. Here are some things to consider:

1. What is the theme or topic you want your students to address? This makes the presumption that you are teaching a topic or theme, but since there is probably some theme being presented in class, build upon it. Use this as a parameter for their essays. If the class is studying the topic of family dynamics, make students write about family dynamics. Don't let them whine or wriggle their way out of it. If that is what is being taught, then that is what they should write about.

2. Is this theme or topic too broad or too narrow? The topic of family dynamics is a too broad of a topic because a lot of students will just get lost in the idea. On the other hand, sibling rivalry between adolescent sisters in second generation Mexican-American households in west Chula Vista might be too narrow.

3. If it is a broad topic, is there a way to break it into smaller components so students are better able to focus on a specific issue? Most themes can be broken down to help students. We can look at family dynamics from a number of perspectives and students can even narrow their topic to address a group they personally belong to. An example of this might be: Describe three ways that sibling rivalry between adolescents manifests itself in Mexican-American households. Even that might be too narrow, but a prompt such as this acts as a guide and allows students to do first-hand research, including interviews, to complete the project. Another example might be: Discuss five (positive/ negative) affects of growing up in a two parent household. This might be a great topic for students who grew up in a traditional, nuclear family or for someone in a serious relationship considering getting married. Either way, students learn something about the world and about themselves.

4. What do you really want your students to learn from this process? If you don't teach composition then you might want them to learn content, so make sure they learn something about the content. If you want them to learn how to research, then be sure to focus on how to do good research. If you want them to learn how to do analysis, be sure to teach it to them. You should also have a focus in regard to what you expect from students so you know what to teach.

5. What format do you want students to use? Most likely you will want the format that is most popular within your discipline. It doesn't take much to teach the basics of how and where to place headings, page numbers, titles, number of pages, and any other details in regard to formatting. If you don't teach them, then you might get no formatting at all.

Once you can answer these questions try crafting a couple prompts and even put together a quick outline of how you would organize your ideas for the prompt. Look at the prompt critically to see how it can be improved and make the adjustments. After going through the process yourself, you will be better equipped to teach the process to your students. You will probably even use some different questions than the ones mentioned above, and that's good because then you are thinking about writing.

Take some time and look at the themes in your classes and consider how they can be broken down. You can even write out specific prompts for students who cannot create their own, so when they say, "I can't come up with anything," then you can say, "No problem, I already have a prompt for you." Honestly, it does create a little more work in the beginning, but we are in the business of teaching students to think for themselves so let's transfer some of the thinking responsibility to them.

As you are considering that big research paper, the next essay, or that mid-term exam question consider trying this. You just might get some surprising results.

Have a good rest of the week.

The Writing Process

As we move into the midway point of our semester many of us are preparing to assign that big essay. Maybe it will be a research assignment, maybe it will be about a novel, or maybe it won't have anything to do with your discipline and you just like to see your students break out in a cold sweat or possible faint as they stumble out of class. Maybe that's an exaggeration, but you know what I mean.

Writing those big essays is difficult for students in many ways. One way to make it easier for everyone is to have students follow the writing process. Keep in mind that these suggestions can be modified in a number of ways to fit individual needs.Below is a list of steps in the writing process. Although these are for your students, you should look over your students' work to ensure they are on the right track.

The Writing Process:
1. Pre-writing: This is a way for students to get their initial ideas on paper. Examples of pre-writing are free writing, creating webs, lists, and even talking with others to brainstorm topics.

2. Organizing: Once students have settled on their individual topics, have them consider a single question to be answered as the overarching theme of the essay. This will help keep the essay focused. As they answer the question, have students categorize their answers. Those categories will soon become the body paragraphs, so this is also a way to ensure that the components will create a unified essay.

3. Drafting: Unfortunately, a lot of students stop at the first draft. They don't like the grades they earn when this happens, and you probably don't like grading essays that have not been revised. Let students know that this is not the final draft, and it will be fixed.

4. Revising: This isn't just editing, this is where students make substantial changes to the content of their essays. In order to make those substantial changes, the teacher needs to be part of the process. Guide your students to the right path in their content, ideas, grammar, structure, analysis, and support. Make them write on the page when they revise, too.

5. Editing: Even after students make those big revisions, there is a good chance that they still have some stray capitals and lose commas. Show them how to fix those problems in class. I know most of you don't teach writing, but you can teach about how to properly insert citations or get upset when they are done improperly. There's a good chance they won't learn the first time, either. Sorry, some of that stuff is difficult.

6. Publishing/ Final Draft: Publishing? Yes. Treat their work like a big deal, as though it is being published, even if you are the only one to read it. Students need to know that everything they put into their essay counts, and regardless of how hard they worked on their assignment it is the final draft that gets the big grade.

Everyone has their own way of teaching writing, and there are a number of instructors here at SWC that do make their students go through this entire process so it's nothing new. However, although the students know how to go through the entire process that doesn't mean they actually will. Pick and choose the pieces you feel are most important and make them requirements for your assignments. Hopefully, your students will begin producing better work. And you can have an easier time grading.

Greco Roman Only Knowledge

Greco Roman Only Knowledge

I came across an article about the fight in Arizona between the Department of Education and Raza Studies in Tucson. Even though the state is against Raza Studies, teachers keep on teaching and student keep on signing up for the courses.
This gets me thinking about academic freedom. When I first came to Southwestern College I was still in the K-12 mindset that having a common goal also meant having a common curriculum. However, my former principals were rather trusting of our judgment, created curriculum leadership teams, and encouraged us to go beyond textbook-centered, prescription lessons. Here I have grown even more in my understanding of academic freedom, so it is sad to see the Department of Education restrict what students can be taught in the entire state of Arizona.

When it comes to teaching, each and every time we walk into our classrooms, we must be aware of the social responsibility we have to our students and community. Arizona is doing a great disservice to its entire population by restricting the point of view teachers can use when teaching history. The same could potentially happen at any school, which is why it is important to create lesson that will engage students in some very practical ways and also reach into the core of who they are.
At least we don't have these sort of restrictions at the community college level in California, but when it comes to curriculum there are a few questions to consider when putting together our lessons. We all have our own style of teaching and, I believe, the overwhelming majority of us work hard to challenge our students in regard to the amount of meaningful work students can produce, what types of thinking students need to do to complete that work, and how well students understand the real-world connections between their classwork and issues we face on a daily basis. When considering a text or a lesson, you might want to ask yourself some of the following questions:
1. Is this essential for building knowledge in this field of study?
2. How do I relate the importance of our studies to the real world?
3. When is it important to take student interests into account, potentially recreating a lesson for a day? A week?? An entire semester?
4. Who does the information from this lesson ultimately empower?

One might not readily see the connection between Arizona's fight over Raza Studies and the everyday realities of our community college classrooms, but it is there in two important ways.
First, we need to teach students things that they might not have previously learned. This includes exposing students to additional perspectives and potential realities that directly affect them and their families. Raza Studies does just that and the state of Arizona wants it stopped. We do the same thing here when we introduce alternate views on history, sociology, health,and literature.
Second, we need to introduce contemporary issues that will directly affect the future. By exposing students to real-world problems, students can begin to understand the interconnectedness of our global civilization. As Hispanics, mostly those of Mexican decent, become the majority in some southwestern states, it is interesting to see official legislation being introduced that limits Arizona's students from learning real facts about itself and its population. Obviously, this is not the WASP point of view, but the same could happen in biology, chemistry, accounting, or political science. We don't want administrators telling us that we cannot teach an idea or theme because someone who isn't even a teacher feels uncomfortable.
As teachers, we need to be informed about what is happening in Arizona because the potential for close-mindedness can easily make its way into California. Even if you agree with restricting Raza Studies, you probably wouldn't agree with some politician restricting what you can teach in your classroom. We are all professionals and we all deserve support from our colleagues, especially when it pertains to exercising academic freedom to teach facts. The students in our classrooms are our responsibility, and we need to take that responsibility very seriously.

Credit Recovery and BSI

Above is a link to an article I just came across in the Pittsburgh Gazette about credit recovery programs for high school students. Credit recovery is a way for students to make-up credits so they can graduate from high school in a timely manner. Something we might consider is whether or not these programs teach students what they need to be successful at the college level, and then look for a way to articulate our ideas to the Sweetwater Union High School District. Here at Southwestern College we often come across students who participated in credit recovery through one of SUHSD's Learning Centers, so a number of us might wonder if they are as well prepared as students who have only taken traditional classes.
This is not meant to take sides on the issue, it is only meant to make an inquiry. I wonder if there is any data to show how many of our basic skills students have been in some sort of credit recovery program. It would also be interesting to see firsthand how these programs work. In some instances, they might be set up more like a college course that meets for only a few hours a week, where students can get direct help from instructors, and students complete assignments that fulfill the state standards and show a necessary level of proficiency. Clearly, these type of programs should work, even with the "non-traditional" students.
On the other hand, I have heard stories from students about programs that were much less rigorous. Some of this can be attributed to teenage apathy, but it would be interesting to understand how much guided hands-on work is actually done in some of our feeder programs. It would also be interesting to see if, after one semester in college, students felt that the CR program they were in prepared them well for college level work.
From the perspective of a writing instructor, I would surely like to know how much and what type of writing happens in these classes. Most teachers would probably agree that grammar is important, but it needs to be put into practice. Simply filling in multiple choice answers does not give a complete picture about how well students can use grammar. Vocabulary is another important component of most classes. It is one thing to have students fill in the blanks or choose an answer on a multiple choice test, it is something else to check for understanding by having them write a paragraph using correct grammar and the appropriate vocabulary.
It might be useful for instructors to take a look at some of their struggling students and find out which ones were in a credit recovery program. We might actually gain a better understanding of what is working and what is not. More importantly, we might figure out some relevant trends so we can better educate those students. We might also find that credit recovery has nothing to do with student achievement, but we would also be remiss if we didn't take a look.
What are your thoughts? This could be a good piece of research for the entire educational community in South Bay.

Clear and Simple

As our semester zooms by, many of us will have a day where we just aren't that prepared, we default into cruise control, and our class transforms into something very different than we had hoped for. If you are creative enough, then your class might never know the difference; but real problems can arise when students don't see a clear connection between what they believe should be taught and how it is actually presented. Although most students will never say anything, there are usually a few who can turn an unprepared lesson into a classroom nightmare.
Nobody wants their lesson to fall apart while standing there in front of students, but it occasionally happens. At first students might sit there quietly, staring at you wondering what in the world you are trying to do. You get nervous and forget things. Maybe you even begin teaching something for another class or swear you have given them information or an assignment that you actually never gave. Before you know it, students begin questioning you, the teacher. You become defensive. You question yourself. You lose confidence. At that point everything can just come crashing down and you feel like surrendering and calling it a day. You are not alone if this has ever happened to you.
Another scenario is when you feel that you have some wonderful last minute idea that only you really understand. In your mind there is a clear connection between geology and watching a film like Land of the Lost; and although your students might be entertained, they might also be completely unaware of the connection you are trying to make. This can become a real problem.
In either instance, some students might feel the need to talk with an administrator, which can lead to a big hassle. Even after things are resolved the incident still happened and it has likely taken a toll on your teaching. That isn't good for you or your students.
A simple way of avoiding miscommunication between your intentions and an actual lesson is to clearly state a lesson's objective and how an activity relates. This is where writing comes in handy. You can have students write a reflection on the experience or have them brainstorm ideas related to the lesson. Sometimes we use materials, show films or television shows, or give Power Point presentations to build background knowledge.Again, be sure to state the objective and have a writing activity planned for students to tell you what they have learned in the context of the larger lesson. If you show a film, use writing as a means for students to show that they learned what you wanted them to learn. If they didn't, then you know you need to revise the lesson. If it worked well, then you get to build upon that success.
Hopefully, your lessons go well even if they don't turn out exactly as you might have wanted. Allowing students time in class to write about what they have learned is a great way to check that everyone is on the same page when it comes to your lessons. So take some time to have students tell you in their own words what they have learned. You just might be surprised at what they have to say.

Have a great week.

Michael Wickert

Writing Assignments

When it comes to writing, specificity can be a big help to you and your students. What I mean is that you should know exactly what you expect from your students when they write, and so should they. One way to test whether or not you are specific enough is to attempt your own assignments based only on what you have made available to your students. In doing so, you might discover that a few small revisions to an assignment can go a long way.

Here are some things to consider:
1. Is the assignment/prompt too broad? Although we want our students to figure out things on their own, the reality is that they probably need some real parameters to help them focus. You can have a broad prompt but still guide students to specific issues they want to address. Have them consider who, what, when, why, and how questions as they consider topics to address.

2. Do you specify what formatting style you require? Let's be honest, if you do not specify, for example, MLA or APA style, then you will receive a wide range of formats including essays without any recognizable formatting at all. Many students do consider formatting when they write, which is why their essays look the way they do. By requiring the formatting style of your discipline, you expose students to some basic requirements they will need later in their college carreers.

3. How do you define length for your assignments? There are times when we can say, "Its just a journal, reflection, or free write. Write as much as you feel necessary." What students might hear is, "Don't worry, this won't effect your grade too much. Just do something and turn it in to make me happy." On the other hand, you might completely scare them by requiring a ten or fifteen page essay. Long essays are alright, but then you should be willing to take the time to teach students how to write that monster. Another alternative is to start out small with a two to four page essay early in the semester and build up from there. At the end of the semester, they will be much more prepared for the longer essay. When considering length, you need to decide whether students are just fulfilling a class requirement or if you want them to really learn something. Ten pages doesn't necessarily mean they learned anything.

We are all working hard in our classes but sometimes it is easier to work smarter, not harder. When it comes to students with under-developed writing skills, we really need to guide them along and help them be successful. That just might mean starting out small and allowing students to work at their ability level while also challenging them. After all, many of us reached this point of success in our lives because we were challenged appropriately, we rose to those challenges, and in many cases we had the appropriate tools and support to help us succeed. Now is the perfect time to do the same for our students.

Have a good week.

Welcome Back

Welcome back to school. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Michael Wickert and I am the Basic Skills ACE for writing. Almost every course here at Southwestern College has a writing component, but not everyone considers himself or herself a writing instructor. That's where I come in. It is actually part of my job to help you all with your writing assignments, and all you need to do is ask.

The beginning of your semester is probably quiet hectic, but now that we are back in the swing of teaching I would like to get focused on some ideas to help our Basic Skills students. Basic Skills students are in many of our classes, and at times you might even wonder why they are allowed to be there, but the reality is that they are there. Each of those students has made a conscientious decision to attend Southwestern College, and it is our responsibility to give them the best education possible. As you well know, that is a task that requires a teaching repertoire that needs constant updating and improving.

This is where each teacher needs to seriously consider his or her individual teaching philosophy. Do you want to help each student in your class do well, but just the idea seems overwhelming? Do you want to give students extra help, but just don't know where to begin? Do you want them to learn some personal responsibility by giving them the correct tools? Most of us want what's best for our students and we want to be a source of motivation and inspiration, but those are some pretty big challenges. Still you can do it in a number of ways.

Throughout the semester, I will post some teaching ideas that might be able to help reach even the most academically unprepared students in your class. Take what works for you and leave the rest. There won't be a quiz at the end, there are no perfect solutions, and you don't even have to agree with what gets suggested. Anything posted here is merely meant as a suggestion or potential strategy to be considered, modified, and hopefully attempted.

With this introduction comes the first idea: be nice to you students and allow them to make a few mistakes in the beginning. Many of them are still learning what college is, so they will forget their homework, their lab materials, and they will even forget to come to class. But give them a break. You can be firm and still be understanding. You never know what potential sits in those seats in your class until you let them succeed a few times.

Have a good week. Feel free to respond directly to this blog or you can email me here at SWC. Please contact me for any writing support regardless of your discipline.

Michael Wickert
Southwestern College
Office 430K
619-421-6500 ex 5444
mwickert@swccd.edu

Challenging our Students

We all know that students need to be challenged, but it can be a difficult task to figure out how to appropriately challenge each individual student. At the college level, there are a number of barriers to differentiating or individualizing instruction so that we are able to better challenge them.

One such barrier is that we do not have that much time with our students. Although the 18 week semester begins to feel like too much time as we reach final exams, in reality we do not have time to build a personal understanding of each student's learning style and academic needs. Yet, we constantly try to give our students the best educational experience possible because we believe in the power of education, and more importantly, we believe in our students. Whether you like to read current research or prefer to make observations in the classroom,it is faily well known that having a positive attitude with students leads to good student-teacher relationships, and those positive relationships help student acheivement. I'm not trying to suggest trying to be the "cool" teacher that lets things slide in class, or for you to be less academically rigorous. Actually, what I'm suggesting is the opposite.

Not all, but many serious students appreciate it when are tough on them, especially when we can give them a solid reason and make the difficult work purposeful. Getting students to understand the larger purpose of their studies can be a laborious task, but they should understand that individually they make decisions, such as doing well in a class, that ultimately affects our society.In addition, their performance is a direct reflection of their personal views about education, and those views are directly related to the views of their families, their communities, and their past teachers. This might seem a bit heavy handed at first, but sometimes students don't care about their education because they don't know why they should. Our time with them in the classroom is the perfect opportunity to help students explore the purpose of a good education, which means that we need to have purposeful lessons.

I don't claim to have all the answers, and many of my comments directly relate to the good teaching I see everyday, but we all need something to make us better teachers. Just like we expect our students to make the right decisions and look at the world analytically, we must do the same. Like our students, we are also going to make a few mistakes along the way because it is not easy to improve. Hopefully you are in an environment where it is alright to make mistakes as long as you are also willing to fix them for the good of your students and yourself.

Mobile Technology

I can just imagine the possibilities of utilizing mobile technologies for our classes. As a matter of fact, I'm writing this on my Blackberry right now. No disrespect to the mother to be, but I'm at a co-ed baby shower thinking about how to improve teaching, and Whamo! I'm blogging instead of playing baby shower games. What if our students could respond to journal prompts on a blog or check homework assignments from their phones?
Who can expand on this idea? Let's get some ideas going.
Michael

Links

I've added a few links to the page that might help out with some end of the year projects, or might give you some ideas for next fall.
The first is a link to Henry Aronson's blog "Adjunct Musings". Henry has some great wonderings, wandering, and ideas for lessons. I highly suggest checking out his stuff if you ever want some new ideas for your class.
The second link is to the National Center for Educational Statistics. I really like this site becasue it give a lot of data about education in general. If you have a question about something in education, this is a great place to go for data.
The third link is to the San Diego Imperial Valley Network for BSI instructors. Lisa Brewster, who is our regional coordinator, put this site together with the intention that instructors in our part of Southern California would have a place to get BSI related information.
I hope these will be valuable tools for you. Let me know if you have any links you would like to be shared with others on this page.

Michael Wickert

Welcome

This is Michael Wickert, BSI ACE for Writing, from Southwestern College. Last Saturday I was encouraged to begin a blog to communicate with instructors working with Basic Skills students at SOuthwestern College; and although I have been mulling over the idea all week, I've decided to give it a shot. I hope this becomes a useful forum for us to communicate about a number of issues related to teaching and learning.
Thanks for reading and please contribute.
Michael