Julie, Larissa, Helen,
Welcome!
So this is the blog that I set up for my wonderful Year 11 Students.
Sometimes they use it of their own accord. Sometimes they don't. Sometimes they use it when I specifically ask them to.
Sometimes they don't.
They have just finished their literature exam about a half an hour ago. It was a poetry SAC. I think they'll all do well. They've worked really hard this year and I'm proud of them. Many of them groaned when we told them poetry was on the cards for the last term. By now, they're pulling ee cummings to pieces, analysing H.D., trying to cheer Larkin up and revelling in Keats' language. The same thing happened with Richard III. By the end of the term they were the most informed critics watching the MTC production.
The blog includes links to authors' biographical details on Wikipedia, Literary Quotes (although these need updating), student photography, some of my photography (to try and get the ball rolling), links to literary sites and resources, sample essays and sample paragraphs and the option of leaving comments on other students' posts. I can also post the homework to the blog and the students are welcome and encouraged to post their homework online, too. I receive an email whenever a post is made, meaning I can read student posts and homework on the go. Very handy!
The idea behind the blog was to address written literacy across the two classes. The students are by and large excellent contributors to class discussions on whatever material we're working with. Translating that oral fluency onto the page has been the challenge. What I wanted to do - and they're aware of this - was to create an online space, accessible outside of school, where all the students across both literature classes could 'meet' and discuss their ideas and opinions of the texts we're studying. You see the deal? They can't just 'chat' face to face, as per in class. They have to think about what they want to say before they say it. I believe it can help bridge the gap between their tremendous oral expression skills and their written skills which, although by no means bad, certainly warranted attention before the commencement of Year 12.
Written expression has improved. Hasn't it guys?
(Please don't respond with, 'um, yeah, i guess . . . ')
:-)
I have been impressed with the quality of the written work in practice SACs over the last few weeks (and in the months before that when we were studying the short story). Examples of student writing are littered throughout this blog.
They're a fantastic bunch.
I'm leaving the blog up. It will be available throughout Year 12 for these students. They can share ideas, help each other out with new texts and challenging contexts and perspectives at VCE level. I hope it will prove an invaluable resource. Regardless, though, it has been constructive, engaging, interesting and most of all, I hope, fun.
Thanks Year 11 Lit for a wonderful year.
Simon
The idea behind the blog was to address written literacy across the two classes. The students are by and large excellent contributors to class discussions on whatever material we're working with. Translating that oral fluency onto the page has been the challenge. What I wanted to do - and they're aware of this - was to create an online space, accessible outside of school, where all the students across both literature classes could 'meet' and discuss their ideas and opinions of the texts we're studying. You see the deal? They can't just 'chat' face to face, as per in class. They have to think about what they want to say before they say it. I believe it can help bridge the gap between their tremendous oral expression skills and their written skills which, although by no means bad, certainly warranted attention before the commencement of Year 12.
Written expression has improved. Hasn't it guys?
(Please don't respond with, 'um, yeah, i guess . . . ')
:-)
I have been impressed with the quality of the written work in practice SACs over the last few weeks (and in the months before that when we were studying the short story). Examples of student writing are littered throughout this blog.
They're a fantastic bunch.
I'm leaving the blog up. It will be available throughout Year 12 for these students. They can share ideas, help each other out with new texts and challenging contexts and perspectives at VCE level. I hope it will prove an invaluable resource. Regardless, though, it has been constructive, engaging, interesting and most of all, I hope, fun.
Thanks Year 11 Lit for a wonderful year.
Simon
The blog has been a truly useful resource for literature this year, particularly in regard to sharing ideas and writing techniques for essays. Its great to have a place to work with students from the other class as well as, as Simon said (!), challenging us to "have to think about what [we] want to say before they say it".
ReplyDeleteMy writing has improved this year, through practice more than anything, both in practice SACs and by writing on this blog. I'm glad it is staying with us as next year (again) we will have two classes and this time one will be much smaller than the other. This space will continue to be an important resource in discussion and other exercises.
Thanks Simon.
-Sunday.
(p.s. I seriously hope the incorrect grammar in "ee cummings" was purposeful...regardless, haha.)
Although I was late to take advantage of the blog i found it really helpful when I began using it, slowly pacing towards our SAC's that became more and more often than I could have imagined. I found it made it easier to look at pieces of work, and opinions or views of the people in the other class and even those around me. I also enjoyed not having to comb through the internet in search of information on our selected poets and analysis. Essentially it was just really nice to have somewhere where I felt i could just get a perspective on where my writing should be, how i could better improve it and how my ideas corresponded and differed with the views of others.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your help this year Simon.
-Oscar
First off - Simon, nice use of the word 'littered'. I'll say no more. He understands.
ReplyDeleteNot only has this blog allowed myself and the classes to both gather and share ideas and techniques about the writers we've been studying, but it has also allowed us, as students and (hopefully) aspiring young writers, to be given a chance to put an original piece of work out there and see what it does.
I have definately learn't a lot more this year about coherence in writing and analysis, but i have also grown more confident in my own writing thanks to the confidentiality of the blog and Simon's constructive and kind criticism.
Having Simon teach at Prinny Hill this year has been awesome and this blog has helped a lot during the year.
I hope to be seeing Simon a lot more in the future and i have no doubt that this blog will stay in my 'favourites' box in the years to come.
Thanks again Simon
-Dom
Thanks for all your help Simon!!
ReplyDeleteIt's been really good studying all the poems, short stories and of course Richard III :)
The blog was a great idea, really useful for when I leave my homework at school too.....
Anyway thanks again for all your generosity at helping us year 11s, we really appreciate it.
- Odette