Guidelines for Developing Teaching Approaches for Classroom Notes Plus
Are you developing or considering developing a description of a lesson or teaching approach for Classroom Notes Plus? To help adapt your submission to Classroom Notes Plus goals and format, consider the following selection criteria and examples:
TOPIC
General relevance: Is the topic of this teaching idea current and of value to middle and secondary level English language arts teachers? Does the piece state how it is relevant and of value?
NCTE Relevance: Is the topic directly related to, and does it explicitly support, current NCTE positions and principles on teaching and learning, such as the following?
NCTE/IRA Standards for the English Language Arts
http://www.ncte.org/about/over/standards
NCTE Principles of Adolescent Literacy Reform
http://www.ncte.org/library/files/About_NCTE/Overview/Adol-Lit-Brief.pdf
NCTE Position Paper on the Role of English Teachers in Educating English Language Learners (ELLs)
http://www.ncte.org/about/over/positions/category/lang/124545.htm
The NCTE Beliefs about the Teaching of Writing
http://www.ncte.org/about/over/positions/category/write/118876.htm
Framing Statements on Assessment
http://www.ncte.org/about/over/positions/category/assess/118875.htm
Multi-Modal Literacies
http://www.ncte.org/about/over/positions/category/media/123213.htm
Example:
Thinking about how we invite students to learn in and through multiple languages in ways that also encourage them to engage with their world is a question that weighs on many teachers’ minds. . . . Creating relevant curriculum began with a curricular sketch—a flexible structure and outline of potential strategies that could facilitate the weaving of our students’ lives into the everyday curricular fabric of our classroom. (from Studying Poetry, by Katie Van Sluys and Hadley Smillie, January 2007 Classroom Notes Plus)
Example:
I have discovered that inviting students to paint word-pictures of their inner sense of place, without the burden of writing a whole poem each time, can be empowering. Using some of poetry’s “building blocks”—in addition to meeting NCTE/IRA standards—can lead students into a new enjoyment of writing and of learning a new, and self-determined, vocabulary. Students discover they can own rather than be owned by words. (from Meaningful English, by Ingrid Wendt, April 2007 Classroom Notes Plus)
PRINCIPLES
Does this approach represent sound teaching principles such as those presented in the above guidelines? Are these principles explicitly referred to?
VOICE AND AUDIENCE
Is this piece written in a teacher’s voice for an audience of other teachers? Does the teaching idea clearly identify any instructions or passages that are intended to be directed to students?
Example:
With a definition of poetry growing from their observations, students were asked to investigate further. Students were asked to read the poems again using the following guidelines:
Guidelines for Poetry Reading
Read your poems with two central tasks in mind:
• First, learn more about the issues and themes in your poems, by working with your tablemates to explore and write down possible categories you can create for grouping your poems. When trying to create categories, look for themes, ideas, or ways with words that poems might have in common. For example, are there multiple poems about the same idea? Are there multiple poems that are written from a similar perspective?
• Second, look back at your work from the previous week and take notes on what the poet was doing as a writer in your selected poem. Select one poem that you like and that you think could help mentor you as you write your own poetry.
(from Studying Poetry, by Katie Van Sluys and Hadley Smillie, January 2007 Classroom Notes Plus)
GRADE LEVEL, GOALS, LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Does this piece clearly state the intended grade level(s), goals, and learning objectives up front and remain centered on them throughout? Does the piece clearly demonstrate through description and examples that it achieves the stated learning objectives?
Example:
Here we share how we used poetry as a tool for personal and social thought, reflection, and action,through a four-week unit in which students read poetry, explored and discussed poetic themes and techniques, found a “mentor” poem to guide their own writing, and drafted, polished, and published poems of their own. (from Studying Poetry, by Katie Van Sluys and Hadley Smillie, January 2007 Classroom Notes Plus)
Example:
Here I focus on my experiences with Spanish-speaking students learning English, but this approach has benefits for students at different ability levels. Playing with process, using words as poets use them, rather than focusing on product, “turns on the lights” for English language learners and reluctant writers, including the learning disabled, or those who have yet no writing skills at all but who can give dictation to a “scribe.” (from Meaningful English, by Ingrid Wendt, April 2007 Classroom Notes Plus)
PREPARATION, TIMELINES, MATERIALS
Does the piece clearly describe the preparation needed, the timeline, and the materials required?
Example:
The materials required for these activities are paper, writing utensils, a small collection of sample poems, and an overhead projector. The preparation necessary is simply taking time to select a few poems or lines from poems that could be used to exemplify poetic devices, and—if appropriate to the language level—creating transparencies for the overhead. I usually conduct each activity in separate class sessions of an hour or less. They can also serve as the first days of a poetry unit, or to preface extended writing assignments. They can be effective and enjoyable at many grade levels, and can be easily adapted for use in classrooms with native English speakers through the choice of poems. As described here, they are most suitable for middle level students and for English language learners at both middle and secondary levels. (from Meaningful English, by Ingrid Wendt, April 2007 Classroom Notes Plus)
ADAPTABILITY
Is this lesson or strategy adaptable across levels? Might both middle and secondary teachers be able to adapt it for use? If so, is this explicitly stated?
OUTLINE OF STEPS AND PRACTICAL FOCUS
Does the description clearly spell out the steps for implementing all aspects of the lesson? Does the piece focus throughout on the practical aspects—ie, helping readers understand how they can present this same activity in their own classrooms?
Example:
Week 1: What Is Poetry?: Initial Explorations
Over the course of the week students and teachers . . .
Assemble and explore text sets of diverse poems
Use students’ observations and notes to construct a definition of poetry attending to both poetry content and form
Mine written notebook entries and readings to name issues on students’ minds and generate additional entries
Reflect on readings using questions like:
What did you notice?
What are you wondering?
What is important here?
Revise definition and understandings about poetry as students gain new experiences
(from Studying Poetry, by Katie Van Sluys and Hadley Smillie, January 2007 Classroom Notes Plus)
Example:
Outline of Steps
Introduction: Playing with the Language of Poetry
(Time suggested: 5 to 10 minutes)
Introduce students to the idea of playing with poetry and review "Writing Tips for Playing with the Language of Poetry" on page 4.
Setting the Stage and Prewriting
(Time suggested: 10 to 15 minutes)
If desired, use the physical space to help set the stage.
Read aloud selected passages from poems or whole poems.
Describe the assignment and provide a handout.
Lead a class collaboration to create the first poem.
In-Class Writing: Assignment #1 or #2
(Time suggested: 10 to 15 minutes)
Introduce either Writing Assignment #1: “Who Am I?” or Writing Assignment #2: “Where Do I Come From?” Save the other for another class session.
Encourage students to think of their writings as rough drafts and not worry about correctness at this stage.
Students write for ten to fifteen minutes.
Offer help to students as needed during the writing time.
(from Meaningful English, by Ingrid Wendt, April 2007 Classroom Notes Plus)
EXAMPLES—TEXT AND GRAPHICS
Does the piece include detailed prose examples of the lesson outcomes as well as photographs and scanned examples of student work? Are there spots in the lesson where more examples or photographs might be helpful for clarification?
Example:
While all students were required to make an initial "Purpose/Do" sticky note, we found others noting their possibilities for revision. Isabelle wrote in the margins of “Ode to my Hair”:
Try to use “quotes” and poems like Gary Soto or Pat Mora
Use Examples
And classmate Christele wrote:
Use spaces like Pat Mora
Give examples from my experiences
These students wrote about what mattered to them. They made what was commonplace and important in their lives visible and invited others to rethink their actions. (from Studying Poetry, by Katie Van Sluys and Hadley Smillie, January 2007 Classroom Notes Plus)
Example:
Below is an excerpt that a student shared with me during the writing time. During this time, I offer suggestions and questions to students as needed to help them keep going.
Where I Come From
I come from Mexico
the land of Enchiladas
and Tacos.
—Eduardo
(from Meaningful English, by Ingrid Wendt, April 2007 Classroom Notes Plus)
RELEVANCE OF EXAMPLES
Do the examples and illustrations provided in the piece give a clear sense of the learning that results from the activity?
Example:
Using sticky notes and margin notes on photocopied poems, students began to label parts of poems. They also began to hypothesize why poets made particular decisions. Here’s one example of student notetaking:
Students shared their “what they noticed” notes with the whole class and we created a reference document with two columns. (from Studying Poetry, by Katie Van Sluys and Hadley Smillie, January 2007 Classroom Notes Plus)
SCAFFOLDING
Does the piece present and illustrate explicit scaffolding techniques to help students at all levels of ability approach and succeed in the assignment?
Example:
Scaffolding students’ reading responses, inviting group exploration of example texts, and generating class reference documents were supportive strategies for students’ growth as English language learners and language users. (from Studying Poetry, by Katie Van Sluys and Hadley Smillie, January 2007 Classroom Notes Plus)
Example:
If a student has trouble putting words on the page, I will often ask “Could I write something down for you? Tell me what to write.” I reassure each student that the important thing is putting their memories into words—English words, or whatever words they know. Later on they can translate into English. Right now is the time for letting memories flow!
Students who have trouble getting started can also be offered the chance to work with another one or two students. One student can write ideas for the pair or group, and the other(s) can read them back to see how they sound and help the group make decisions. (from Meaningful English by Ingrid Wendt, April 2007 Classroom Notes Plus)
REPRODUCIBLE HANDOUTS AND GUIDELINES
Does the piece contain at least one (and preferably more than one) reproducible handout for readers’ use in implementating the lesson?
LENGTH
Is the length of the lesson appropriate? Does it need to be condensed for readability and ease of use? Does it need to be developed and explained more?
LEVELS OF ABILITY
Does the approach seem like it would be useful and effective for students at varying levels of ability? If so, is this stated in the description?
TECHNOLOGY
Does the piece provide suggestions as to how technology can be used to support the lesson, if appropriate?
If you have questions, feel free to send email to .
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