Welcome to ENGL 4790!
This methods course, designed for pre-service secondary English teachers, will immerse students in pedagocical theory about the teaching of writing while engaging and applying best practices. We will explore a variety of young adult literature to serve as mentor texts for our writing instruction while simultaneously developing our own personal and professional writing--it's all about modeling our expectations for our students.
Syllabus
English 4790
Instructor: Christy Doherty-McDowell
Classroom:
Office:
Office Hours: Email:[email protected]
Course Materials:
1. Newkirk, Thomas and Richard Kent. Teaching the Neglected “R”: Rethinking Writing Instruction in Secondary Classrooms. Portsmouth: Heinemman, 2007.
2. Bernabei, Gretchen. Reviving the Essay: How to Teach Structure without Formula. Shoreham, VT: Discover Writing, 2005.
Course Description (from the Western Michigan University Undergraduate Catalog): Focuses on the continued development of student writers in grades 7 to 12, and on ways one can encourage and respond to student writing, assess writing growth, and use writing as a means of learning. Fosters a theoretical understanding of the writing process, in part by writing in varied genres and forms. Emphasizes writing as an integral component of the entire curriculum. Prerequisites & Corequisites: Prerequisites: Two 3000-level English courses that count toward the major. Credits:4 hours
Course Objectives:
·
· Students will design and implement instruction and assessment that assist students in developing habits of critical thinking
· Students will reflect on their own teaching performances in light of research on, and theories of, how students compose and respond to text and make adjustments in their teaching as appropriate
· Students will demonstrate an understanding of writing pedagogy and theory.
· Students will create opportunities and develop strategies that permit students to demonstrate, through their own work, the influence of language and visual images on thinking and composing;
· Students will create opportunities and develop strategies for enabling students to demonstrate how they integrate writing, speaking, and observing in their own learning processes;
· Students will demonstrate a variety of ways to teach students composing processes that result in their creating various forms of oral, visual, and written literacy;
· Students will engage students in activities that provide opportunities for demonstrating their skills in writing, speaking, and creating visual images for a variety of audiences and purposes.
Course Outline
Below is a breakdown of the grade distribution. Major projects are in bold.
1. Writing Portfolio 15%
2. Annotated Bibliography 15%
3. Final Reflection Paper 15% .
4. Observation Reflection 20%
5. Unit Plan 20% .
6. Class Blog 10%
7. Participation 5%
Grading will be based on the following percentages: A=93-100%, B/A=88-92.9%, B=83-87.9%, C/B=78-82.9%, C=73-77.9%
Papers are due electronically via email by 9:00pm on the day they are due. I will send you a confirmation emai upon receiving your papers.
Course Schedule
RE= Reviving the Essay NR= Teaching the Neglected "R"
Week One: Introductions
Personal Webs, First Write, Writing Memories, Syllabus
Ralph Fletcher article: Mentors
Week Two: Finding the Writer Within
RE ch. 1; NR ch. 3
Week Three: Unleashing Your Students
NR ch. 4 and 5
Week Four: Genres
NR ch. 8, 9, and 10
RE ch. 2
Week Five: Genres Continued
NR ch. 11 and 12
RE ch. 2 continued
Week Six: Picture Book Blitz
Begin Annotated Bibliographies
RE ch. 2 continued
Week Seven: Revision
RE ch. 3
Week Eight: Revision Continued
RE ch. 4
Week Nine: Digital Literacy
NR ch. 13 and 14
Week Ten: Theory into Practice—Digital Storytelling
NR ch. 15
Create digital story
Week Eleven: Authentic Writing in the Community
NR ch. 16, 17, and 18
Week Twelve: Grammar In Context
Article Packet
Week Twelve: Assessment
NR ch. 6 and 7
Week Thirteen: Differentiated Instruction
NR ch. 19 and 20
Week Fourteen: Differentiated Instruction Continued
NR ch. 21 and 22
Final Exam: Celebration of Writing
Final Reflection
Open Mic
Potluck
Instructor: Christy Doherty-McDowell
Classroom:
Office:
Office Hours: Email:[email protected]
Course Materials:
1. Newkirk, Thomas and Richard Kent. Teaching the Neglected “R”: Rethinking Writing Instruction in Secondary Classrooms. Portsmouth: Heinemman, 2007.
2. Bernabei, Gretchen. Reviving the Essay: How to Teach Structure without Formula. Shoreham, VT: Discover Writing, 2005.
Course Description (from the Western Michigan University Undergraduate Catalog): Focuses on the continued development of student writers in grades 7 to 12, and on ways one can encourage and respond to student writing, assess writing growth, and use writing as a means of learning. Fosters a theoretical understanding of the writing process, in part by writing in varied genres and forms. Emphasizes writing as an integral component of the entire curriculum. Prerequisites & Corequisites: Prerequisites: Two 3000-level English courses that count toward the major. Credits:4 hours
Course Objectives:
·
· Students will design and implement instruction and assessment that assist students in developing habits of critical thinking
· Students will reflect on their own teaching performances in light of research on, and theories of, how students compose and respond to text and make adjustments in their teaching as appropriate
· Students will demonstrate an understanding of writing pedagogy and theory.
· Students will create opportunities and develop strategies that permit students to demonstrate, through their own work, the influence of language and visual images on thinking and composing;
· Students will create opportunities and develop strategies for enabling students to demonstrate how they integrate writing, speaking, and observing in their own learning processes;
· Students will demonstrate a variety of ways to teach students composing processes that result in their creating various forms of oral, visual, and written literacy;
· Students will engage students in activities that provide opportunities for demonstrating their skills in writing, speaking, and creating visual images for a variety of audiences and purposes.
Course Outline
Below is a breakdown of the grade distribution. Major projects are in bold.
1. Writing Portfolio 15%
2. Annotated Bibliography 15%
3. Final Reflection Paper 15% .
4. Observation Reflection 20%
5. Unit Plan 20% .
6. Class Blog 10%
7. Participation 5%
Grading will be based on the following percentages: A=93-100%, B/A=88-92.9%, B=83-87.9%, C/B=78-82.9%, C=73-77.9%
Papers are due electronically via email by 9:00pm on the day they are due. I will send you a confirmation emai upon receiving your papers.
Course Schedule
RE= Reviving the Essay NR= Teaching the Neglected "R"
Week One: Introductions
Personal Webs, First Write, Writing Memories, Syllabus
Ralph Fletcher article: Mentors
Week Two: Finding the Writer Within
RE ch. 1; NR ch. 3
Week Three: Unleashing Your Students
NR ch. 4 and 5
Week Four: Genres
NR ch. 8, 9, and 10
RE ch. 2
Week Five: Genres Continued
NR ch. 11 and 12
RE ch. 2 continued
Week Six: Picture Book Blitz
Begin Annotated Bibliographies
RE ch. 2 continued
Week Seven: Revision
RE ch. 3
Week Eight: Revision Continued
RE ch. 4
Week Nine: Digital Literacy
NR ch. 13 and 14
Week Ten: Theory into Practice—Digital Storytelling
NR ch. 15
Create digital story
Week Eleven: Authentic Writing in the Community
NR ch. 16, 17, and 18
Week Twelve: Grammar In Context
Article Packet
Week Twelve: Assessment
NR ch. 6 and 7
Week Thirteen: Differentiated Instruction
NR ch. 19 and 20
Week Fourteen: Differentiated Instruction Continued
NR ch. 21 and 22
Final Exam: Celebration of Writing
Final Reflection
Open Mic
Potluck