when we bleed we bleed the same
I have another memory I want to share. So the other day, I went to the gym, rocked out on the elliptical to one of my favorite bands, Muse (listen to the song I linked above -- it's good. Also, it feels central to my story). So there I was, feelin' good, mentally preparing for teaching ENGL 101 to this awesome group of students, and thinking "you know, this reading is kinda tough... and they do have that summary assignment due today... but we'll see how it goes."
So I come to class, set up my stuff, and am really impressed with how they really try and get this whole "Stases/ Stacies" thing. I mean, what's that all about, right? But yeah, they tried, and I think they're starting to get it, which is good, cuz they need to understand it for their upcoming assignments.
Anyway, when we finally got to exploring the readings I'd assigned -- about storytelling, the very human need to tell others what we think and feel, about being dynamic, changing people, with multiple sides, and how writing can help us write our own life stories.... well. Yeah. That didn't quite go how I thought it would.
Don't get me wrong! I had a few superheroes come to the rescue of the class and really try and grapple with the text. Right or wrong, all I wanted was for them to try. So it got me thinking about this Muse song, "Map of the Problematique." I think I need that map. I think the Stases/Stacies will help me.
So here are the questions I'm asking myself based on that memory:
- Definition: What defines a "successful" class? I mean, we got through some Stasis Theory... but those readings... Did my students think it was a flop?
- Cause/Effect: What happened/ How did it get that way? Why was there such a marked drop in participation yesterday? (Was it too much reading... and then... they didn't read?)
- Value: Should I/they/we consider a class like that good or bad? I'm thinking it's good this happened so early in the semester, because I want to make sure I do what I can on my end to make sure it doesn't happen again.... But what to do...what to do?
- Action: This is where I really need your help. What can we do to make sure we don't have a room full of mostly silent folks again? Especially when all I'm asking is for people to make at attempt to find some meaning in what we do. Do I assign less reading? Do you prefer more group work? Do we read paragraphs together in class, and analyze them as a team? Would you like if I sent out discussion questions beforehand, so that you know precisely what I will be asking you to do in class? ... Pop reading quizes are also an option for some instructors, but I'm not gonna lie -- I don't like that tactic. So what should we do?
For this week's class-blogging assignment, please post a comment responding to TWO of the questions I posed on this post by Sunday at 9pm. One of the questions you address must be from the Action Stasis -- what we/I need to do about it, as outlined above in #4. The other must address one of the other Stases (1-3).
Please understand that I just want you to be honest and let me know how I can help us all get the most out of our time together. When I left class, I just thought, Huh. OK. I think these readings are so cool (otherwise I wouldn't have chosen them!), and those people are so smart. I just felt that you may not have gotten as much out of them as you could have. And I feel responsible for fixing that. I'm still trying to figure out what these readings mean, too. I have some ideas, but I continually learn from you as well.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is, when we bleed, you and I, we bleed the same.
Oh. And if you like Muse, here's another one of my FAVORITE songs by them, from their album "Absolution" (how appropriate, no?).
...love that electric guitar...
2) The only obvious reason I can think of for the sudden (from last class) drop in participation would be that the class didn't read the material. This was likely due to the fact that our final summary assignment had to be turned around from a draft within two days and the class got caught up working on that and either forgot reading was due, or was too tired to read or critically think about the readings.
ReplyDelete4) I think all of the action suggestions you already mentioned were good ones, but I think since the main problem was the summary assignment consuming our english homework time that assigning less reading on days we have papers due would definitely encourage people to read more. I liked discussing freely in class and do not think that providing us with discussion questions is necessary. But, like I said, the other suggestions were great too, like group discussions on separate readings and sharing what we thought the meaning of the text was. Analyzing pieces of the readings in class could be really helpful too!
Thanks for your comments, green ;) I'll definitely keep in mind that when you have something due, you may all be less inclined to read articles... The syllabus is not set in stone, so this kind of feedback is very valuable. Looking forward to more comments!
ReplyDelete2. I think that the class discussion was not highly interactive for two reasons. One some people didn't read. I, for example, only had the chance to read one of the two articles because I felt my summary was more important to finish. Two the readings were kind of difficult to decipher and understand, at least for me they were. They were quite lengthy too.
ReplyDelete4. I like all of your suggestions except of course the pop quizzes! :) But having discussion questions would be helpful and working together as a class too. All would be helpful to better understand the readings. "Two heads are better than one", working together would help us share our insights and get views that maybe we don't have.
2. I guess I'm still in the confession mode from the last blogging prompt. I confess that I did not complete all of the readings for the previous class. So during discussion, I felt a bit lost when my fellow classmates were talking about their opinions/thoughts. However in the future, I will start coming to class prepared and contribute to the group discussions!
ReplyDelete4. Pop quizzes don't sound fun. The readings are a bit heavy on our workload, but most of us (including me) enjoy the articles you pick out for us; they're really interesting! Maybe group work would make us more comfortable with each other, and then we can have a flowing group discussion!
1. I admit that in order to have a successful class, students have to be actively engaged and willing to participate to an extent. Though I among others did not give much input, I did appreciate hearing what the "superheroes" and Carolyn had to say. I did not think that the readings were a flop, but I think because they were so complex, students were afraid to give their own interpretations, which could have been incorrect.
ReplyDelete4. In the future, I think that we should split into teams and analyze the articles beforehand. This approach would give students time to interpret what the articles had to say, and for some, read them for the first time (most people were busy this week due to the summary assignment). I do not think that pop quizes are necessary; honestly Carolyn, if you gave them, I think that most people would be reluctant to attend English class if they did not do the reading. Anyway, breaking up into teams would probably make everyone feel more at ease (like what yoohee said), and I believe that participation would increase because of it.
Because it seems like I have similar thoughts as the people before me for number 2, I will answer a different one.
ReplyDelete1) I think that to have a successful class, there needs to be good synergy for the whole class between the instructor and students. Asking questions and replying with comments brings a great flow to the discussion. I do not think that the readings are a flop. I actually really like the readings that you provide for us. I think that in our last class however, students either did not do the readings (for whatever reason) or were afraid to give their input. We should look to improve on this; but with also going with what other people commented about number 2 (cause/effect), I think that because of the certain circumstances with other assignments given, not all of the students were able to contribute very much.
4)I like all of your suggestions for the action portion, except for the pop quizzes! I think the ideas that I like would be either to work in groups or analyze the readings in class. I think through these methods, we would be able to get feedback from others while we are reading the text.
1.)I would define a successful class as not only being able to go through all the intended material for a class period but also have some dialogue that would reveal the thoughts and interpratations of the students.If something is not understood of the readings it would be an equally successful class if these problems or issues were cleared up.
ReplyDelete4) I personally think all of your ideas are great suggestions for improving participation. In particular, I find the idea of reading an article or required passage in class would do a lot in terms of trying to bring clarity to whatever theme a reading has, or bringing up and answering questions.
2. Personally, I only read one of the readings for class because I was so focused on getting my summary done. I think this was the main cause for the drop in participation during class. I think there were many people who were going through the same thing. Also, I do believe that some of the readings are complex, and I don't fully understand them. I am afraid to give my input, unless I know it's correct.
ReplyDelete4. I think that if there is an assignment due that day, you shouldn't assign too much reading. Also, I like the suggestion for group work. I would probably give my opinion and talk more in front of a few students rather than the whole class. Reading paragraphs together and analyzing them as a team would also be helpful.
3 (and kinda 2). In my opinion the class on Thursday did seem bad, well at least towards the end. I feel as though when we discussed the topics we were learning, everyone seemed engaged but when it got time to discuss the homework we did a complete 180. I don't want to speak for anyone else in the class, but i know for me, iam a slow reader, and had(referring to tues. and wed. night) so much reading in my other classes, that by the time i got to english i put most my time into the summary. I feel sometimes im picking and choosing which readings to do (based on time, and balancing between work with all my classes) and so far i have been a lousy chooser.
ReplyDelete4. I feel as if the readings were shorter i would have gotten them both done. Possibly in the future, you could choose shorter readings for the day an assignment is due. Another consideration could be dividing the class and have half of us required to read one article with the other optional, and the other half doing the opposite. That would allow us to still participate and be engaged in the class, and learn the important parts of the readings.
2. I think one of the reasons that not everyone was involved was probably because they were too focused on writing the summary and didn’t have time to do the readings were about ten pages apiece. Another reason that we weren’t involved is because the readings were quite confusing and difficult to comprehend because the stories were bland and didn’t appeal to any of us.
ReplyDelete4. I think there are a couple of things that we could do to improve the class participation. One thing is that there could be less reading assigned on days that projects or papers are due because most of us will probably be spending time working on those instead of reading. Also, the readings themselves are quite long and being able to read them all and discuss them is difficult especially when we have two days between classes with other school work. Another idea that could be beneficial could be to have group work because that way everyone can participate and groups can make sure everyone is involved with worksheets or specific questions that need to be answered.
Since I agree with what everyone has said about questions two and four, I'll give my input about the other two questions.
ReplyDelete1. From my perspective, a "successful" class is not always getting good grades or doing the work; it's how effective the material is and what the students take away from it. The readings weren't a flop, at least I don't think they were. The main reason why I switched into this section is because I liked how it focused on health related issues. But when it comes to deciding which assignment to prioritize (a summary worth 10% of the grade vs. readings that will become a topic in class, with participation being a portion of 10% of the grade), it's no surprise how the students put the summary assignment first.
3. I don't exactly know how to standardize what a good class is -- there's always room for improvement, an ideal class would be boring, but my idea of a bad class is basically not showing up at all. How can you teach/be taught if there is no class present? Obviously, I don't think we were a bad class. But I do think we were overwhelmed. It was shocking to discover that the final was due two short days after the draft. For an assignment with a maximum of 300 words, it was acceptable. But if it had been a four or five paged paper, I would definitely want more time to look over it. Before the final was due some had admitted that they were going to rewrite their summary because their draft was destroyed (I exaggerate, but you get the point). Others had difficulty writing the summary in the first place since it's been eight years since the last one. But in the end the assignment was successful - students understood how to take away the main points of the readings.
Oh yeah. I forgot this thought as I was typing my comment.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to include how the summary had a due date and although the readings did as well, students could always go back and read them later if they couldn't do so by class. The student will have eventually read the readings, even if it's "late," but there isn't that option with the summary assignment.
I'm in the mood to conform so I'll pick 2 and 4:
ReplyDelete2. What happened?! Easy for me to explain: I didn't do any of the reading. These last two weeks have been filled with rushing and pledging for greek life and, personally, it definitely threw a big monkey-wrench in my schedule and life. Let's just say I was a little off my game... but now that everything is calming down, and I'm getting used to this new routine, I feel more on task with my schoolwork in general. I know other people in the class are going through the same thing, so I might suggest that everyone in that position was a little overwhelmed is all. And getting the summary assignment done was way more important than doing the readings. I confess and apologize (haha...)
4. I mean, everyone else has really hit the major points, especially with group work. Sometimes if we group up just for a few minutes to discuss the so what question and other specific things you want us to look at, I feel like the class discussion would go more smoothly. But then again, I also feel like that isn't really necessary for every reading and that the more we push ourselves to participate in the class discussion the more comfortable and open we'll come to be. This is only the third week of classes. And the size of our class really isn't so big. I suggest that instead of pop quizzes, you call on people at random once people who have raised their hands and contributed are called on. Or even before. Also, maybe once you call on those silent people, you can help push them delve deeper into their ideas (which I think you do anyways) but maybe then they would not be so afraid to contribute. And they'd have to do the readings!
One last comment: I also know that for me personally, I am having a hard time just focusing solely on medical literature. Their significance and meanings seem so similar to me that sometimes I feel like I don't even need to read the articles... I just feel like there's so much great literature out there that by only focusing on medical literature, we're limiting ourselves. Then again, I know I'm a person that likes variety! And literature for that matter. I didn't realize that by being in a this scholars section, we would be limited to this certain genre. I'm really not trying to complain though--I really enjoy the class and understand that most other people find that stuff interesting. I'm just a weirdo who also loves english and literature as well as the sciences! If you want, Carolyn, I could bring in one of my favorite articles in to you just to give you a taste of something different and what I really like, but seriously no pressure. I understand I'm the minority. And I love your class, regardless. Just a suggestion that you can def def def ingnore!
Wow, I must look like such a loser writing this much for a simple prompt...
LAST thing (for real): Muse is awesome. I've listened to these two songs at least twice and am listening to them on my ipod as I write this. I like your taste in music! haha
Alright, third time's the charm, stupid disabled cookies didn't save my comment. Anyway here are my reasons and suggestions.
ReplyDelete2. I also believe that it was difficult for everyone to read the assigned articles AND finish the final draft. Personally, I had to rewrite most of my draft in order to comply with the very helpful peer editors' comments. I also had readings in other classes to do(i.e. read nineteen chapters of Huckleberry Finn). I was able to read one of the articles completely and got a good start in the other. I think everyone would have done better if there was only ONE required reading last Thursday.
4. As for what to do? I would suggest NOT to do pop quizzes. I did like the group activity we had done last week because it was helpful to focus on one article during the class with others and then get the main points from other readings. I agree with Alysa that you can boost participation by calling on those who do not usually give their opinions. Not only is it encouraging but it will add incentive to read! I do hope these comments help, just please, please, please don't do pop quizzes.
Oh yeah, Muse is pretty awesome, good choice!
2. I feel as though the summary assignment got in the way of the readings. I wanted to put some effort into the essay, and when I was finished I was not looking to do some reading. I skimmed through the readings, but then didn't feel confident enough in my knowledge of the articles to speak up in class. With more time, I would have read more thoroughly and been much more willing to participate.
ReplyDelete4. Pop quizzes sounds dreadful, but the rest of the ideas seem helpful. A big problem for me is that I forget which reading is which, so perhaps a little summary before each article could help stir up some thoughts. I also really like the idea of reading and analyzing some of the key passages. Discussion questions could also be a helpful guideline to help the important points stick out more.
1. I feel like this past week (at least for me personally) was the first week where I felt overwhelmed by my work. It was the first time this semester I had physical assignments due and tests to study for. I think everyone is starting to have these feelings and with the summary assignment due the readings were an easy thing to drop.
ReplyDelete3. I think an action we can take is assigning less reading but go deeper in class discussions. Also, I think your suggestion to read the key paragraphs or pages in class to reiterate the main points and give a quick refresher would help fuel better conversations.
Okey smokey.
ReplyDelete1. A class is successful when students confidently believe they are learning something important in class.
2. Usually we only have to read assigned texts for class, but last class we also had to have the final draft of the summary assignment completed and turned in via email. The summary assignment graded in a much more direct way than the participation grades which seem a little more indirect. I'm guessing that everyone placed greater importance on completing the final draft than on the reading. It was whether or not students placed greater emphasis on doing the reading or other activities (I'm guessing sleep for most people) that would lead to lowered classroom participation the following day.
2.Being completely honest as I think everyone else is, I didn’t finish the readings that were due for class that day either. I had “reasons” as to why if you’d like an explanation but it’d be more accurate to call them excuses. One reason was that I put the summary assignment on higher priority over the readings which I think in most cases agree with the classmates. Second, because being the super student that I am, I procrastinated to do the readings beforehand thus leaving me with minimum time to understand the more difficult readings that we were assigned to that week.
ReplyDelete4.Analyzing the readings together as a group in class sounds like what we do already, am I wrong? I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, just was confused as to if it was a different approach. But maybe the discussion questions would actually be helpful. Honestly even if I do, do the readings sometimes I am lost towards what I was suppose to fully get out of the text. I can’t think of questions to ask for myself and so think that they may be helpful to get a conversation going in class.