You don't have to taste it to know the toast is burnt

Sometimes, naming something, and then having that label or tag catch on gives credibility to an activity. One of the latest is the term social networking. Historically, there were barn raisings where something was accomplished, and quilting bees...and well, wakes, but lately, gathering on the Internet in one area or another has been labeled as social networking.

Now, if we add the word collaboration, we can use it in K16 environments, and assign grades for partcipation. The latest issue of English Journal is devoted to collaboration and the use of technology to promote collaboration...two articles immediately caught my eye. The first one, Collaboration and Social Interaction in English Classrooms, and the second, Collaborating Like Never Before: Reading and Writing Through a Wiki. I will read each of them thoroughly, considering my eyes are currently blurred from grading papers,....tomorrow.

I will reserve any opinions on the articles until I have read them, not simply scanned them.

Currently, I am tired of collaboration among students being used as an excuse by teachers who do not want to grade papers. Too many students are exiting 12th grade with marginal reading skills and even lower writing skills. But heavens...can they text, using text English...gasp) and then want to carry this use of language into academic settings.

Blogging here is at its end. I have to figure out how I am going to incorporate blogging and a Wiki into a class called, Written Analysis, which I will be helping to redesign while I teach it. I am looking forward to...teachers are known for enjoying "psychic income" no increase in pay...but a sense of accomplishing something.

Rats...

Alright...so I reversed the 2/1 attendance policy. A student is absent for 2 weeks, then attends class one week...thus avoiding being dropped. I have students who utilize this attendance game...but they can complete the assignments....some however...well, enough said.

And so it begins at the end

Here come the assignments. I wouldn't mind so much if the students who have ended Week 10 of an 11 week quarter read the Lesson Plans and assignment requirements. Most of the assignments I am receiving are from students who did not attend class for the majority of the quarter, or used what we call the 2/1 attendance policy. A student is automatically dropped if he/she misses three consecutive classes, so some attend two classes (do nothing), then are absent for a week (we meet once a week for 3 hours).

I have a student who, in spite of countless phone calls and "advising" sessions with everyone except his chosen diety, submitted three assignments this morning. As I kept trying to explain to those who can see nothing but his paid tuition, (if indeed it is paid), this individualy is functionally illiterate. I am not speaking of academic language...I am speaking of basic elementary school sentence structure. Cripes. How did he get into Composition II?...wait...I know the answer. He has lovely manners...and the Composition I teacher bases her grades on whether students are consistently polite. He begain Week 10 with a zero percent. I accept late work, and don't count off...some of my students have grueling work schedules...but really...there are limits.

I have sent one assignment back to him (email attachment) with partial credit, one assignment demonstrated he thought I was concerned with his opinion instead of the allusion within the assignment.... no credit for you mister...I am avoiding opening the third....yes, I am frightened it will ruin my day.

I know I sound harsh. Maybe cinnamon toast will give me courage.

Engagement

Here's anothe buzz word administrators are throwing around. Why do some believe there is a relationship between attendance and "engagement". If a student signs in, does that mean he/she will be involved in the class activities?

Last night, in order to make an attempt to capture the fleeting attention of those who are failing, I asked them to close their taptops and put their phones screen down. You would have thought I had asked them to cut off their left leg and put it on the lecturn. Some were visibly shaken and ran their hands longingly over the closed lap top, or lifted the corner of the phone to see if there was flashing...incoming call or text...gasp...a few started to fidget...so I knew it was a lost cause.

While I applaud the use of technology, instead of a tool, it has become a distraction for those who need to pay attention the most. I am certainly not implying that every one of my lectures should result in rousing applause, but why should I have to read Lesson Plans aloud because so many of my students will not read assignment requirements..or worse...learn to read? Calling for questions is laughable...some are so busy protecting an inflated ego that a question would imply stupidity. Now I say," Does anyone require clarification?"

Therefore, when administrators track engagement based upon attendance...I laugh.

But why are all the students whose last name begins with M failing? Have I been stigmatizing those students because of a letter?...but that's another blog.

Entitlement

By reading Mr. Yip's blog, I finally learned how to log in and create a new blog post. I have been making comments to my own blog..who knows what will happen with the point system, but I have enough time to make up the points (something about five blogs in five days).

Anyway, referencing Mr. Yip's post about betrayal, I would add the word, entitlement. I have adult students, well, many of them are over the age of majority, but the maturity levels demonstrated by some often reflect those of middle school students...or even younger. I did have some marvelous students when I taught middle school, but for the most part, most felt that they should receive an A because they showed up for class. Since when did attendance correlate with academic performance? But I digress.

In week 10 (beginning on Monday) of an 11 week quarter, students who have done little but text message during class are now inquiring what needs to be done so they can get an A. Some are actually upset because I don't count off for late work, so any assignments they have not submitted is a direct result of poor time management on their part. Some are indignant that I will not read draft copies in week 10 for a research paper that is due week 11. The last week to submit drafts was week 8.

There is another issue. Too many students view collaborative work as a right. Too many cannot collaborate; what they really want is to parasite. I have at the very minimum a dozen students who can barely read and write. Some take no interest in learning to read and write using either Standard or Academice English, even at a cursory level. What they want to do is sit in a group, go out for a smoke, then return to the group...wander the hallway...return to the group...then leave early. They call this collaboration, and want the grade as the group members who have worked.

The sense of entitlement is also packaged with excuses. "I am a single mother." " I have three children." and "I work full-time." Going to school is a choice. Because some of my students do have rather grueling schedules, I implemented the "no points off for late work policy" last quarter. My top students have no missing work, many of them work full time and have family responsibilities, but they are in class working every week, and stay until the end of the class...working and seeking guidance. If such a student cannot attend class, I receive an email informing me of such, and usually there is an assignment attached. There is a perception of entitlement...when no work has been done..." I attend class every week"...that's right...you show up....take no notes, talk through the lecture and lesson model, do not ask questions...then leave at the break...you are your own revenge kiddo....if it were only that easy. Ha.

As to Mr. Yip's comments about the lack of "please" and "thank you" he receives, he should experience students who have been in the military. I am still surprised when I hear, "Yes, Ma'am" to a statement or request I have made. It's still foreign to hear, particularly after so many years of teaching K-12 and from the grunting responses I receive from so many.

The response of the AP teacher about cheating is saddening. Plagiarism is my "issue". Every quarter, at least three students plagiarize....knowingly. Some instructors do not read assignments, and some even train their students in the "art" of find and replace, or cut and paste then change the font. Therefore, I am not popular with a few instructors on campus, and less popular with students who plagiarize. I had one student yell at me, when he earned a zero on a plagiarized paper, because his Compostion I teacher had told him how good he was. Go figure.
He had visited three different websites and cut and pasted text from each. His Works Cited page did not list the websites...so this was no error. Sigh.

We spend too much time worrying about "engaging" the lackluster and the mundane, and too little time promoting and encouraging those who are eager to improve, learn, contribute, and seek excellence in their work, whatever it may be.

Now I am depressed...it's Sunday...I need to garden...

Sunday_May 3 2010

It's difficult to lesson plan...any teacher knows that, but even with some restrictions lifted, (who hasn't experienced the 5 step lesson plan that takes hours to write...and sometimes with little result?)

Teaching at a technical college, one would think I have distinct advantages over those who teach in other environments. No...not the case. General Education instructors are so low on the totum pole that even with a roster of 92 students, (spread over three sections of composition), I have low placement on the hierarchy of lab assignment. I have to cajole core instructors so they will share labs with my students...even though my students are their students too. Alas

Therefore, I am a bit frustrated today. I want my students to compare and contrast web supported resumes ( cannot seem to insert the accent...so I know this spells resume). Anyway, if I don't find lab space, I will have to rely on the students completing the work at home, and this...is like herding cats.

Sigh.