2/17/2003 6:46:29 PM | Joriah Dering]
Illuminating Texts-Jim Burke
How to Teach Students to Read the World
Ch.4-Reading a Test
I decided to write a brief blogg entry about this chapter in Burke’s book because I think it is a very important issue. Chapter
four talks about different types of tests, the reason certain tests are given, such as state mandated testes, and it most
importantly talks about the specific language tests are written in. Burke explains that the education system needs to start
approaching tests differently especially if this is going to be the major judge of progress and improvement. Burke tells us
that there is a need for students to be guided through the testing process as a whole. There needs to be a greater
understanding of what is going to be expected from students before we just throw them to the wolves. The chapter
explains that it doesn’t go into the specific solutions, but that its point is to spark awareness on this topic so that teachers
can start making the testing process a less dreadful experience for everyone, I agree.
[edit]
[2/17/2003 6:05:12 PM | Joriah Dering]
Brief Blogg on the concerns of teaching The Adrian Mole Diaries.
I have been reading the Adrian Mole Diaries off and on and I can't seem to put the book down, or finish it either. It is
a great book that I think readers, of all ages, can relate to on many different levels. The book brings up topics such
as alcoholism, sex, abuse, loneliness just to name a few. The book deals with the anxieties that thirteen year old
children deal with on a day to day basis through the eyes of one thirteen year old in particular, Adrian. Adrian’s diary
is very serious, funny, witty, and honest and that is what I think is appealing to its readers, but our class, Eng 294,
had some interesting things to say about it. Many students voiced their concerns about the book as a text because
they thought that it might be inappropriate for students in junior high. Some students thought that they might run
into trouble with parents over some of the topics in the book. I thought that these students made valid points and
that real life is a touchy subject, but that if you were careful with these topics and your teaching and took the
proper steps to insure that you as a teacher wouldn’t get in trouble for teaching and unauthorized book, then I think
the positive connection that the students would make with this book far out way the fears of teaching it.
[edit]
[2/10/2003 9:20:06 PM | Joriah Dering]
Figuring out how to log in the blog.
Started the semester off with a lot of assigned reading and have now just started to get a handle on the task at
hand. I hope to get going and to stay on schedual. We are corresponding with some eigth grade students through a
pen pal style journal and I think it will be rather intersting. I am also starting a book called the Adrian Mole Diaries. I
don't know what to expect except that it is in the form of a diarie and that the only other book that I have ever read
that used this same form was, Go Ask Alice, and it was very eye opening and it really gave the reader a look into
the life of a particular group of adolecsents.
Joriah
[edit]
Illuminating Texts-Jim Burke
How to Teach Students to Read the World
Ch.4-Reading a Test
I decided to write a brief blogg entry about this chapter in Burke’s book because I think it is a very important issue. Chapter
four talks about different types of tests, the reason certain tests are given, such as state mandated testes, and it most
importantly talks about the specific language tests are written in. Burke explains that the education system needs to start
approaching tests differently especially if this is going to be the major judge of progress and improvement. Burke tells us
that there is a need for students to be guided through the testing process as a whole. There needs to be a greater
understanding of what is going to be expected from students before we just throw them to the wolves. The chapter
explains that it doesn’t go into the specific solutions, but that its point is to spark awareness on this topic so that teachers
can start making the testing process a less dreadful experience for everyone, I agree.
[edit]
[2/17/2003 6:05:12 PM | Joriah Dering]
Brief Blogg on the concerns of teaching The Adrian Mole Diaries.
I have been reading the Adrian Mole Diaries off and on and I can't seem to put the book down, or finish it either. It is
a great book that I think readers, of all ages, can relate to on many different levels. The book brings up topics such
as alcoholism, sex, abuse, loneliness just to name a few. The book deals with the anxieties that thirteen year old
children deal with on a day to day basis through the eyes of one thirteen year old in particular, Adrian. Adrian’s diary
is very serious, funny, witty, and honest and that is what I think is appealing to its readers, but our class, Eng 294,
had some interesting things to say about it. Many students voiced their concerns about the book as a text because
they thought that it might be inappropriate for students in junior high. Some students thought that they might run
into trouble with parents over some of the topics in the book. I thought that these students made valid points and
that real life is a touchy subject, but that if you were careful with these topics and your teaching and took the
proper steps to insure that you as a teacher wouldn’t get in trouble for teaching and unauthorized book, then I think
the positive connection that the students would make with this book far out way the fears of teaching it.
[edit]
[2/10/2003 9:20:06 PM | Joriah Dering]
Figuring out how to log in the blog.
Started the semester off with a lot of assigned reading and have now just started to get a handle on the task at
hand. I hope to get going and to stay on schedual. We are corresponding with some eigth grade students through a
pen pal style journal and I think it will be rather intersting. I am also starting a book called the Adrian Mole Diaries. I
don't know what to expect except that it is in the form of a diarie and that the only other book that I have ever read
that used this same form was, Go Ask Alice, and it was very eye opening and it really gave the reader a look into
the life of a particular group of adolecsents.
Joriah
[edit]
posted by Joriah at
6:54 PM
