Dr. Louis' Blog

Week Three: Some of you might have asked your students to come to class today having watched a sports event on the weekend and bringing examples of play-by-play CDs and color commentator CMs. If so, use the first half of the class having them write samples in a carousel fashion on paper attached to the walls of the classroom (with music, of course) and then reviewing the accuracy of their findings.Before we begin, you'll notice that I have not divided Week Three into Days. Teachers have different schedules and interruptions. The list below can be done in five days. I've bolded nice starting points. Some of you might complete it in less time; some of you might need more time. The key is to "TAKE YOUR TIME."

Solicit questions. Don’t let them sit in those desks for more than 15-20 minutes without having them get up and move – Suggestion: GoNoodle.com– music and brain breaks!

1. Give the students two handouts: the color-coded paragraph you presented last week (p. 44) and a blank “Gathering CDs” graphic organizer. If you cannot copy the color-coded paragraph in color, then copy it in black-and-white; but then have your students highlight (blue, pink, green) or underline (blue, red, green) the document as a review.
2. Gathering CDs – 

1. Review your PowerPoint® slide on CDs; 
2. Quiz students on the four places where CDs can be found; 
3. Do some kind of fun activity about “pointing” and then email me that activity to add to the newsletter (info@louisconcepts.com); 
4. Have the students list the CDs from the model; 
5. Review your rules about using evidence from the internet (if you want to know my rules, email me a question (info@louisconcepts.com), and I’ll feature it on Writing with Dr. D’); 
6. Have the students circle or label which CD or CDs were chosen (depending on which mode and ratio you are using), and 
7. Explain the importance of the decision-making process when choosing which CD(s) are the best to use (e.g., supports the TS; generates CM[s], resonates with audience [ethos]).

• Go to the bottom portion of “Gathering CDs” page. Using your model, have the students list the CM words that are in the color-coded model. Make sure they are using the proper colors.
• Label the TS in blue.
• Label the two CMs and explain the importance of the CM words being different but complementary. Jane had students number CM1 and CM2. Sometimes, depending on the students, I don’t have them label “1” or “2” until after the “WOW” chart. 
• Talk to the students about the importance of having the CMs complementary but different. Remember the example I gave you about “angry” and “frustrated” in our workshop? These examples are too similar and will generate repetitive commentary. 
• Give the students a blank Tchart.
• To avoid confusion with color-coding and before your write anything or show the model, place a blank Tchart on your doc camera, and with you as their guide, have the students circle TS in blue; CD column heading in red; and CM column heading in green.
• Have them write the simple model TS (Remember, I call it a “working TS” or a “throw-away TS.” It focuses the Tchart and includes the CM word from the “Gathering CDs” sheet, but it’s not in its final state.
• Have them complete the model for the Tchart and review the terms.   
• Give the students a blank “WOW” chart. 
• Go through the steps on p. 47. 

1. Now it’s time for the CS. You have two options: For those of you who attended the workshop with me, remember you can use the “WOW” sheet that generated the CMs to generate the CS, also, combining CMs not used on the left side with CMs not used on the right side; or
2. Give the students a blank “Webbing-off-the-Topic Sentence” (“WOTS”) chart and complete it by following the  steps on p. 51. 

• Explain that completing the “WOW” and “WOTS” graphic organizers results in their first drafts. 
• Give the students two handouts: a blank “Shaping Sheet” and my “Transitions” handout. Tell them, “We’re going to ‘Move and Improve’ (from trainer Lauren Roedy-Vaughn).”
• Have them move (don’t say “Copy”) the information from the Tchart to the “Shaping Sheet,” revising the sentences as they move them (e.g., include more CMs from what they did not use on their Tcharts – TS, CM, CS). Here, you may go beyond the model and let them do some revising on their own, adding transitions between sentences where necessary. Create complete sentences for the CDs.
• For ELA teachers, give the students three rules for editing and revision (e.g., p. 47); for non-ELA teachers, focus on the TS to make sure it accomplishes what the prompt asks; and then look at the CDs and explain that determining the content of these cells is critical in presenting explanation/information.
• Completing the “Shaping Sheet” results in their second drafts!
• Move and Improve to the final draft (write or type in black-and-white or color), using the paragraph form (if writing) in your graphic organizers.

Contact me with questions. I'm here for you.

Dr. D'

Week Three: Some of you might have asked your students to come to class today having watched a sports event on the weekend and bringing examples of play-by-play CDs and color commentator CMs. If so, use the first half of the class having them write samples in a carousel fashion on paper attached to the walls of the classroom (with music, of course) and then reviewing the accuracy of their findings.

Before we begin, you'll notice that I have not divided Week Three into Days. Teachers have different schedules and interruptions. The list below can be done in five days. I've bolded nice starting points. Some of you might complete it in less time; some of you might need more time. The key is to "TAKE YOUR TIME."

Solicit questions. Don’t let them sit in those desks for more than 15-20 minutes without having them get up and move – Suggestion: GoNoodle.com– music and brain breaks!

1. Give the students two handouts: the color-coded paragraph you presented last week (p. 44) and a blank “Gathering CDs” graphic organizer. If you cannot copy the color-coded paragraph in color, then copy it in black-and-white; but then have your students highlight (blue, pink, green) or underline (blue, red, green) the document as a review.
2. Gathering CDs – 

1. Review your PowerPoint® slide on CDs; 
2. Quiz students on the four places where CDs can be found; 
3. Do some kind of fun activity about “pointing” and then email me that activity to add to the newsletter (info@louisconcepts.com); 
4. Have the students list the CDs from the model; 
5. Review your rules about using evidence from the internet (if you want to know my rules, email me a question (info@louisconcepts.com), and I’ll feature it on Writing with Dr. D’); 
6. Have the students circle or label which CD or CDs were chosen (depending on which mode and ratio you are using), and 
7. Explain the importance of the decision-making process when choosing which CD(s) are the best to use (e.g., supports the TS; generates CM[s], resonates with audience [ethos]).

• Give the students p. 36 and explain Thesis. Note: For ELA teachers, explain how each type of Thesis Statement has a different purpose (complex sentence vs. compound sentence vs. three-pronged framed thesis). 
• Give the students the model (p. 37). Explain how writers need to write the thesis sentence for both sides of the argument and talk through those thesis sentences.
• Show them how the reasons on each side of the argument are blue and will become topic sentences. Notice how the numbers are in red; they represent the numbering of the CDs and assigning which CDs would go well with the different reasons. Explain that the selection of the topic sentences should be based on the CDs; if you have two or three CDs that go with a TS, then that TS is a good one to use because ample evidence (CDs) exist to support that reason (TS). Select one Reason and the CDs. This information will go to the Tchart.
• Give the students a blank T-chart (Use the one without the CA/CCA); we’re working with a model first. 
• To avoid confusion with color-coding and before your write anything or show the model, place a blank Tchart on your doc camera, and with you as their guide, have the students circle TS in blue; CD column heading in red; and CM column heading in green.
• Go through the steps on p. 39. Note: As they copy the simple model TS, remind them that it is a “working TS” or a “throw-away TS.” It focuses the Tchart, but it’s not in its final state.
• Explain that by completing the Tchart in the process, they have completed their first drafts. 
• Give the students two handouts: a blank “Shaping Sheet” and my “Transitions” handout. Tell them, “We’re going to ‘Move and Improve’ (from trainer Lauren Roedy-Vaughn).”
• Have them move (don’t say “Copy”) the information from the Tchart to the “Shaping Sheet,” revising the sentences as they move them (e.g., include more CMs from what they did not use – TS, CM, CS). Here, you may go beyond the model and let them do some revising on their own, adding transitions between sentences where necessary. Create complete sentences for the CDs.
• For ELA teachers, give the students three rules for editing and revision; for non-ELA teachers, focus on the TS to make sure it accomplishes what the prompt asks; and then look at the CDs and explain that determining the content of these cells is critical in presenting explanation/information.
• Completing the “Shaping Sheet” results in their second drafts!
• Move and Improve to the final draft (write or type in black-and-white or color), using the paragraph form (if writing) in your graphic organizers.

Contact me with questions. I'm here for you.

Dr. D'

Dear Dr. D'

I want to teach the writing program, a literary work, grammar, vocabulary. I don't know where to start or how to get it all in. I wanted to begin with Mildred Taylor's Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry; but I'm now thinking I should start with a short story. What should I do?

Alison

Dear Alison,

Slow and Steady Wins the Race! Easy for me to say, right? The fact of the matter is that I spent many years wishing in February that I had slowed down in September. So, let's talk about how to get it all in without losing your mind. Your kids need you, so we have to keep the teacher healthy and happy. Here is my recommendation if you want to jump into literature at the beginning of the school year: START WITH YOUR CENTERPIECE: THE NOVEL OR THE DRAMA OR THE CHAPTER BOOK and have everything revolve around it!

Step One: Make a list of the novels and/or dramas that you plan to teach this year (For those of you who teach only excerpts, I want you and your administrators to reconsider this decision. A novel or drama is a journey that the teacher and his/her students take together. Everyone benefits from the rich vocabulary and rigor of completing a long work; the indepth discussions that find themselves continuing at home; the laughter and tears of getting to know the characters and each other in the classroom; and the rigor and rewards of completing a full novel or drama.)

Step Two: Determine in which order you are going to teach the works during the year.

Step Three: Now, set your table.

Place setting for Guest #1: Writing Prompts -- For each work, create a set of writing prompts that you give the students (two to five prompts that can be used for the final essay; two to five prompts (literary and expository) that can be used to guide reading throughout the work) -- Read the earlier Blog about Prompt Writing!

Place setting for Guest #2: Vocabulary, the talkative aunt

• Select the vocabulary words from the novel/drama/chapter book.
• Give the students the words and definitions before they start reading. I have a workshop on this.
• 10 words per week ahead of their reading. Practice them each day. Repetition. When they see the word in the text, they'll yell out, "Dr. Louis, that's one of our words!" And you'll nod like it is a surprise to everyone!

Place setting for Guest #3: Themes -- the parents

• Think of the many themes in the first work. See Analytical Response to Literature guide, 4th edition for "Discovering Theme."

Place setting for Guest #4: Other Fiction and Nonfiction -- children of themes

• Essays - find nonfiction (current and historical events) that relate to the theme. (Create an expository prompt.)
• Short Story -- find a short story that goes with your centerpiece.
• Poetry -- find a poem that goes with your centerpiece.

Place setting for Guest #5: Film Night -- the favorite uncle who only comes around occasionally

• Tuesday night is Film Night with Family. I like to do this to get the families involved, but some of our kids don't have this option, unfortunately, so this must be optional, or you can have an AFTER SCHOOL film presentation. Each week that you are reading the work, select a theme and find a companion film or documentary (Ken Burns's new Civil War documentary is coming out in September. For those of you teaching novels with an African-American focus, consider novels with African-American themes (e.g., Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird; Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mildred Taylor's Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry).

Place setting for Guest #6: Grammar - the grandparents

• What grammar, mechanics, usage, syntax are your studying? In the above texts ("texts" include film), find places where you can teach the grammar;
• Pull sentences from the various texts that demonstrate the conventions you are teaching;
• For your JSWP Shaping Sheet, tell the students they must highlight or circle/underline the rules you are studying; and
• Grammar Mondays -- Grammar tutoring -- English department -- Each week, one teacher takes a convention and presents it for tutoring. Anyone can come, and everyone who comes gets extra credit. Rotate the responsibility.

Integrate all of these while you are reading your novel, drama, chapter book.

Finally, create a syllabus -- your menu -- to send home, showing the parents what you will be doing with this novel, drama, chapter book as the centerpiece. Dates, Prompts, etc.

Everyone wins! It's a hearty meal!

Keep reading and writing!

Warm regards,

Dr. D'

Getting to know your students is paramount in your year being a successful one. That's one of the reasons why the Diagnostic Essay is important that first week. Pretty soon, you'll discover who your kids "really" are, and some or many of them might be longing for "the call for adventure." For those of you teaching literature where loss is involved, you might consider discussing "The Orphan" with your students and tell them at different stages of our lives, we all experience this archetype.

excerpt from "Crossing Thresholds: The Hero Archetype

and an Introduction to the Individuation Process in Homer's Odyssey."

By Deborah E. Louis

The disappearance of a parent, whether through death, divorce, war, or self-seeking adventure, leaves a child with what Joseph Campbell describes as an "unsuspected world, and the [child] is drawn into a relationship with forces that are not rightly understood" (51).Activated by abandonment, betrayal, victimization, neglect, or disillusionment, this state of woundedness, according to Carol Pearson, launches the child into a form of the Orphan archetype (83). But one or both parents do not need to be missing in order for someone to experience the Orphan archetype. According to Pearson,

[w]henever we feel wounded by an injustice in our lives or an injustice in our society, whenever we realize that this life is not always fair, friends talk behind our backs, people of authority cannot satisfactorily answer our questions, and truths are contingent at best, the Orphan archetype comes to  the forefront. Whenever we lose our idealism, our Innocence, even for a moment, and feel a sense of hopelessness, we are facing our Orphan. (89)

Concerning its place in hero archetypes, the Orphan is a critical stage of a person’s growth and development. Woundedness, too, is an integral part of our human condition and, more importantly, how we deal with that woundedness. According to Pearson,

[t]he gift of the Orphan is to help us acknowledge our wounding and to open enough to share (in places that are safe) our fears, our vulnerabilities, and our wounds. Doing so helps us bond with others out of a grounded, honest, vulnerable place. This provides the bonding that  allows intimacy to happen and also to open the heart so we may learn to be compassionate with ourselves and one another. (92)

While the feelings associated with the Orphan archetype are full of pain and alienation, conversely, according to Pearson, “[t]he gift of the Orphan archetype is [ultimately] a freedom from dependence, a form of interdependent self-reliance. We no longer rely on external authority figures, but rather learn to help ourselves and one another” (85). Therefore, at some point in our crisis of abandonment is the beginning of the hero’s journey, the “call to adventure.”

Works Cited

Campbell, Joseph.The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Princeton: Bollingen, 1968.Louis, Deborah E. "Crossing Thresholds: The Hero Archetype and an Introduction to the Individuation Process in Homer's Odyssey."Approaches to Teaching Archetypal and Mythocultural Literature in a Technological World. Dissertation. April 2013.Pearson, Carol S.Awakening the Heroes Within: Twelve Archetypes to Help Us Find Ourselves and Transform Our World. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1991.

Jane's #4 Non-Negotiable: Common Terminology for the Paragraph and Essay Helps Students Learn.

‍In my years of teaching, I have witnessed the frustration of students who go from one class to another and are required to learn new terminology for the exact same skill. I highly recommend, whether you use Jane Schaffer or not, that you develop a common terminology for writing across-the-curriculum. For those of you who are JSWP aficionados and aficionadas, my recommendation for week two is to present a sentence-by-sentence PowerPoint® presentation like we do in our trainings. In a 50-minute class, I would divide it this way:

Day 1: 15 minutes -- Indenting, Topic Sentence, Concrete Detail (Students have a paragraph form. They copy the sentences and take notes about each one - pick it up at the end of the class and check that they are copying correctly and taking notes -- put a value on i -- if we don't value it, they won't -- 10 points toward the end of the week formative assessment grade.)

Day 2: 15 minutes -- Commentary, Concluding Sentence (Continue with copying and note-taking -- 20 points)

Day 3: 15 minutes -- Ratio and Chunking (30 points)

Day 4: 15 minutes -- The Terms Chart (Have the students highlight each column in the correct color and discuss the sports analogy for play-by-play announcer and color commentator.)

Day 5: 40 minutes -- Definitions (20 minutes - Review Activity: Create a carousel around the room; or divide them into groups of four and have them jigsaw Topic Sentence, Concrete Detail, Commentary, Concluding Sentence); 20-minute quiz -- 40 points

You notice that I do not do all of it in one day. Writing is about Thinking. Let me say this again: Writing is about Thinking. Students need some time to internalize these terms. Also, we know that varying activities engages students. So, you wouldn't want 7-16 year olds taking notes for 40 minutes at a time (Day 1, 2, and 3 above).

However, if you're asking me, "What will I do the rest of the class?" My answer is to go to a nonfiction article, one that is well-written (published, copyrighted) and has content about which the students will be engaged and 1) Day 1 --Color-code in blue the TS and in red the concrete details; Day 2 -- Take the same article and color code the CMs and CS'; Day 3 -- Present one to three prompts to the students on a novel or drama they are about to undertake and show them how to decode it into ratios and chunking; Day 4 -- Divide the students into cooperative learning groups of CDs and CMs. While you use video to show highlights of a recent television presentation of a national baseball or football game, have the CD students listen and write in red the play-by-play announcements. After the video, let the CD quads (four at at a table) discuss their findings and select the top two to share with the class (If you have ClassFlow or something like it, they can send it to the interactive white board -- if not, you or a scribe write it on the board or doc camera; likewise, have the CM students listen and write in green the commentary from the announcers. After the video, let the CM quads discuss their findings a and select their top two to present to the class. You, the facilitator, make sure they understand the difference.

I am constantly being asked for a Scope and Sequence, and I've always been reticent to provide one, because I want teachers to have flexibility. Sometimes, an entity will put out a Curriculum, and then it becomes mandatory and leaves no room for teacher flexibility and creativity. Each week, I will provide a guide, and that's what it is -- a guide -- you know best what is good for your students. I am here to honor that and to provide assistance.

WEEK ONE - The Diagnostic Writing Sample

• Give the students one or two lined pages of paper, depending on the length of your assignment (make this a contained assignment -- you simply want to get to know the kids and their writing);
• So to make this more enjoyable for you and the students,give them three or four prompts from which to choose;
• Allow 40-50 minutes to complete the assignment;
• Tell them, "I want you to show me your best writing so that we do not have to review skills you learned when you were younger!"
• Do not score these. Rather, create a spreadsheet for each class (export from gradebook, if possible)

• For each student, list 1) overall strength (e.g., handwriting; punctuation; spelling; commentary; humor); 2) recurring errors (e.g., a lot; frags; run-ons; apostrophes; it's, s/v; p/a)
• For each class, can you assess overall strength; recurring errors?

EXPOSITORY PROMPTS

Career and Technology

• There are several personal qualities that make an employee a good worker. Think about those qualities. Demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc),, explain one of those qualities that you possess. –Maria Smith, 10th Grade, Health Careers

English Language Arts

• Writing is a difficult but rewarding skill. Think about your own writing and its strengths and weaknesses. Demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc), describe your greatest strength and why that is important for you to understand and your greatest writing weakness and how I, your teacher, can help you improve this year. – Autumn Carberry, 11th Grade, English Language Arts
• Demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc), explain the characteristics (2+) of a former favorite (1) writing assignment. – Monica Murillo, 11th Grade, English Language Arts
• “Genre” is a word we use in English class to explain the different categories of reading. The most widely read genres in literature are

• drama (tragedy, comedy)
• novel (mystery, romance, adventure)
• poetry (epic, lyric, narrative, dramatic)
• essay (articles, creative nonfiction)
• short story (fiction that can be read in one sitting)

Recall your favorite texts. Then, demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc), identify the genre you like most and why. – Kristin Gilbert, 9th Grade, English Language Arts

Mathematics

• Demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc), explain why you like or dislike Math. - Araceli De La Torre, 9th Grade, Mathematics

Science

• Demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc), explain one of the seven steps in the Scientific Method that you also use to solve a common problem in your daily life. - Sherry Peñaflor, 10th – 12th Grade, Science

Social Studies

• If you love history, then typically you have a favorite historical period. Demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc.), explain a moment in history that you particular enjoy studying and write details of the period and why you especially like this part of history.

World LanguagesSpanish (or simply translate the following prompt into different languages):

• Tema de Escritura: Escribe un párrafo que describa algo que hayas hecho en tus vacaciones de verano, que refleje una costumbre de tu familia, cultura o comunidad. (Translation) Writing Prompt: Write a paragraph that describes something you did over summer vacation, that reflects a family, cultural or community custom/ tradition. -Salomón Álvarez and Ana Briceño, 9th – 12th Grade, Spanish

General Diagnostic Prompts

• Without naming anyone and demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc), write a paragraph that names a weakness of an ineffective teacher. Provides examples that support that weakness and explain how a student is effected by that weakness. -Roger Perez and Eva Tafoya-Tapp, 10th Grade, English Language Arts
• Demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc), write a paragraph that explains your favorite subject. Provide examples of what activities you like in that subject and explain why you like those activities. – Brenda Lopez, 9th – 12th grade, English Language Development
• Demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc), write a paragraph that lists the activities that Honors English classes do and what insight into literature, writing, grammar, or thinking you hope to achieve by being in this Honors class. -Elisa Santillan, 10th grade, English Language Arts
• Demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc), write a paragraph that describes one characteristic that you believe a successful college student has. Provide an example of that characteristic and explain why that characteristic is important to success. – Monica Perez and Irma Martinez, 11th – 12th grade, English Language Arts
• Demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc), write a oparagraph that describes your favorite place in the world. – Annie Contreras, 9th grade, English Language Arts
• Demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc), write a paragraph that discusses the steps you plan to take to be successful after high school. – Tonisha Oliver, 12th grade , English Language Arts
• Demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc), write a paragraph that explains the greatest accomplishments of your freshman year and how those accomplishments have made you a better student and/or person. - Diosa Montes, 10th Grade, English Language Arts
• Demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc), Write a paragraph that describes your best moment in ____ grade. Explain why that moment stands out in your mind. – Dio Zavala, 9th Grade, English Language Arts
• During middle school you had several different teachers. One or two of them made learning easy. Think back over your middle school classes to determine which teacher was the best. Then, Demonstrating your best writing (paragraphing, transitions, spelling, punctuation, etc), Write a paragraph that describes him or her. Provide a classroom experience, activity, or strategy and explain how that example positively affected you. – Keri Arrage, 9th grade, English Language Arts

NARRATIVE PROMPTS (Elementary, Middle School, and High School)

• Write about a time you learned something important about life and discuss how it affected you.
• Much of what we learn happens outside of school, not in class. Write about a time when an outside-of-school person, sport, experience, or vacation helped you learn something important and why.
• Write about a time when you respected or disliked someone for something he or she did and say why.
• Write about a time when you did the right thing and how you felt about it.
• Write about a time when you appreciated something or someone.
• Write about a time when it was important to appreciate your heritage.
• Write about a time when you made a good decision regarding money.
• Write about a time when you did something you’re proud of.

LITERARY ANALYSIS PROMPTS (Middle School and High School)

Go to our Response to Literature Guide (Grades 6-12) and look at the easy writing prompts on p. 59 and the passages in the packet. If the students are not familiar with JSWP terminology, remove the ratio and chunking descriptors. Ask the students to write on one of those passages. For middle school students, limit the writing to Graham's short story, having the students write on the first half of the story. They will be able to do it in one class period.