Writing and Teaching Portfolio

                                                                                                                                                                                    

Writing and Teaching Portfolio

Kelsey Chamberlain

December 7, 2011

ENG 403

Teacher as Writer

Writing Process Reflection

I enjoy writing because it allows me to express myself in a way I am incapable of through speaking. I am innately introverted, so writing is the way I can best express myself. I feel as though I have more control over conveying precisely what I mean through writing, whereas, speaking feels limited.

My writing process isn’t conventional—often, students are told to write a first draft simply to put thoughts on paper without concern for polishing of any sort. However, I prefer to begin with an outline and build off of that for the structure of my paper. Once I have my outline, I write the rest as if it is my final draft. I find it slightly paralyzing to write a sentence or paragraph that I’m not satisfied with. I can’t seem to move on until I am confident that I am conveying the idea I intended. From there, I can begin the next sentence or paragraph. Therefore, my first draft is very close to a final draft. Although this is not the recommended writing process for students, it works for me. Also, I believe that by having a draft that is near completion to have classmates or a teacher revise, I will be able to make greater improvements that I would if a less-perfect draft were being edited.

My strengths as a writer include academic writing, because it is what I have practiced throughout my high school and college career. I can clearly convey an idea and support it adequately, analyze text, or compare texts or concepts. Within this skill, I am capable of write using professional language and proper grammar.

I believe if given the time, I could become a strong creative writer. I have a lot of thoughts and feelings that I could refine on paper; however, I have not had much experience in this area. Yet, this is the type of writing that I am most interested in and passionate about. I would love to tailor my writing skills to be able to depict a concept or image in a descriptive manner that makes the audience visualize what I, as the author, can see.

To make my writing better, I read as much as I can. I find that inspirational. Also, I believe that practice really helps to improve writing, just as many other skills. Revision is another important part of improving writing. My inspiration comes from simple things such as conversations, occurrences, and memories.

As a writer I have been proud about the works I have created in the past. The most memorable of these include a few of the poems I wrote in my senior year creative writing class in college and most of the essays I wrote in my ENG 242 class junior year of college. I have included an example from each of these below. I felt that these compositions were some of my best because my skills were fostered with the help of the teachers of both classes. My main goal as a writer is to allot myself more time to write freely. I write often for school, yet I would like to give myself more time to write about the things that interest me and develop the creative writing skills that I believe I am capable of.

Writing Samples

Example One

Review of Keep it Real

Like its content, the composition of Keep it Real is slightly unconventional. There is no single author that the book is attributed to; rather, page nine lists numerous contributing authors. Therefore, it would be difficult to say whether or not these individuals are experts in the field of creative writing—which is the topic of the text. However, the editor, Lee Gutkind is given the majority of the credit for Keep it Real, as his name appears on the front and back cover; the latter accompanied by a short blurb about his accomplishments. It is safe to say that Gutkind—also referred to as “the godfather behind creative nonfiction”—is a reliable source to refer to about the previously mentioned genre (11). He is the founder of the aptly named literary journal, Creative Nonfiction, and has written other books on the matter.

Gutkind organizes the book into two major sections, each fitting for the assumed thesis of the book: detail basic guidelines and advice for writing creative nonfiction. The first is a chapter describing his beliefs about creative nonfiction and his purpose for writing this particular text. He describes the struggle to create guidelines for a genre that innately has so much flexibility; however, as a leading name in creative nonfiction, it is necessary to attempt to do so. Although he denies being “the creative nonfiction police” it is clear that if anyone were to have this title, it would be Gutkind (16). Although he grapples with many of the parameters of the genre, the section features some simple guidelines that the author deems “the five Rs” (17). These alliterative rules, which outline the basics of creative nonfiction, include real life, reflection, research or reportage, reading, and ‘riting.

The subsequent—and much larger—section of the book serves as a reference for individuals interested in writing within this genre. It is formatted so that each important creative nonfiction term is the title of a short chapter that describes its significance in the act of writing. Although this layout makes the book easy to navigate, it verges on cheapening the concept of the text. Upon beginning this section of the book, the reader may find he or she is having flashbacks to elementary school vocabulary lists accompanied by definitions inappropriate for the grade level. However, as an individual who did not formerly know much at all about creative nonfiction, I found Keep it Real easy to understand and adequately informative. The composition of the prose is engaging and interesting to read, and the authors use real-life examples to support each claim. For example, in the chapter “Evolution of the Genre,” the text illustrates certain writers such as Joan Didion, Tom Wolfe, and Hunter S. Thomson, who “started to break the rules” by “[embracing] a much more personal voice [in their writing]” (50). By including the examples of specific writers who transformed their writing in this manner, it helps the reader relate any potential prior knowledge he or she has about these authors. For example, one may be familiar with the writing of Tom Wolfe, and can thus confirm that in some of his writing he uses a subjective voice while still describing factual events.

                  Now, although “Evolution of the Genre” may seem like an informative, non-elementary section—which it is—the unfortunate fact remains that it is the exception among other chapters such as, “Defamation and Libel,” “Acknowledgement of Sources,” and “Metaphor.” Again, these are useful for the beginning creative nonfiction writer; however, I would be hesitant to recommend this book to anyone that takes pride in his or her writing skills, for fear of offense. Yet, for a humble writer, I believe it will serve as an important introduction into the complex genre of creative nonfiction, and may help clear up any uncertainties or misconceptions.

Example Two

Nature: Heathen or Heavenly?

Subsequent to the Revolution, Americans sought out ways to further separate from England beyond their newly acquired political independence. Many felt the need to develop a distinct cultural identity in order to establish themselves as Americans rather than British settled in America: a goal accomplished through literature. American author, Henry David Thoreau, is an example of this effort, as he concentrates largely on nature in Walden. By highlighting the connection between nature and the American Revolution, Thoreau implies that nature is connected with freedom and other positive American ideals. Thus, Thoreau’s use of natural imagery, in connection with the concept of freedom, distinguishes his writing as American. One of the aspects of nature that Thoreau seems to value above all others is that of solitariness, because it allows for the ultimate independence—another form of American freedom. However, his appreciation for nature goes beyond its symbolism and develops into a belief that it is sacred and worthy of worship. In “Young Goodman Brown,” Nathaniel Hawthorne—another American author—also uses nature to portray his writing as distinctly American; however, he does so in a way that is very different from Thoreau’s techniques. Rather than linking nature with positive events in America, Hawthorne alludes to the Salem witch trials when describing events in nature: an event that represents a distinctly American transgression. In contrast with Thoreau, who appreciates nature because of the seclusion it offers, Hawthorne finds isolation to be one of nature’s most dangerous aspects. Furthermore, Hawthorne’s use of nature in his writing reflects his belief that because of its separation from society, nature is more conducive to sin. Therefore, although both Thoreau and Hawthorne use nature as a prominent theme in their literature, their views on the topic remain radically different.

The prominence of nature in Thoreau’s writing is not difficult to find; in fact, it is hard to avoid. This stems from a deep appreciation for nature—an appreciation that Thoreau strives to share with his audience. The lake neighboring the author’s cabin is describing in excruciating detail, as if Thoreau wants the audience to see it for themselves. He almost exhausts his words when depicting the scene in August: “both air and water being perfectly still, but the sky overcast, mid-afternoon had all the serenity of evening, and the wood-thrush sang around, and was heard from shore to shore” (1917). It is clear that Thoreau values nature and aims to share this appreciation with his audience by depicting it eloquently in his writing. However, nature is also used as a symbol for freedom. Thoreau describes the view from his cabin door as having “pasture enough for [his] imagination” (1918). These words allude to the idea of freedom of thought; freedom from the confines of censorship because he is alone in nature, with no one to offend or argue with. Thoreau continues: “The low shrub-oak plateau to which the opposite shore arose, stretched away toward the prairies of the West” (1918). This passage alludes to the image of the wide expanse of untouched land in the American West. This is a place where one could be alone with nature, as Thoreau is at Walden Pond, and appreciate the freedom it offers. Additionally, the expansiveness of nature in the West represents possibilities—another form of freedom. Thoreau attempts to facilitate for the audience a correlation between nature and the American ideal of freedom; thus, encouraging the reader to develop an appreciation for nature, equal to that of freedom.

Throughout his text, Thoreau describes the nature surrounding him in great detail, a common practice among writers following the American Revolution, in order to portray new-found American freedom. Thoreau attempts to connect his observations about nature with historical events to further the idea that nature is vital to the developing American style of literature. For example, the author—intentionally or not—begins his story on a significant day: “first [he] took up [his] abode in the woods, that is, began to spend [his] nights as well as days there, which, by accident, was on Independence day” (1916). This detail highlights the parallel between America’s freedom from British control and Thoreau’s freedom from society while in nature—compelling the reader to associate nature with freedom as well as freedom with America. Thoreau draws ties between nature, American history, and independence again while contemplating the significance of the nearby land where he “was seated by the shore of a small pond, about a mile and a half south of the village of Concord…and about two miles south of that [America’s] only field known to fame, Concord Battle Ground” (1917). Concord represents a culturally significant event as well as America’s independence because of its importance in the Revolutionary War. Thoreau employs this concept in order to show his audience that there is historical significance in nature and it can be found in America, despite the country’s youth.

Thoreau uses various techniques to correlate nature with America: he uses natural imagery to represent freedom and places significant events in American history in the context of nature. However, the aspect of nature that Thoreau seems to value above all else is the isolation it offers. He describes the true appeal of the Hollowell farm as “its complete retirement, being about two miles from the village” and “half a mile from the nearest neighbor” (1916). Thoreau appreciates the solitariness of nature because to him, it is the ultimate freedom. Being alone in nature not only allows an individual the freedom of thought, as previously described, but it also allows freedom from society’s imposition. Thoreau asserts that he appreciated the “remoteness from the life which [he] had left behind” because in nature there are no constraints set out by the norms of society, rather, one is able to be completely free in all aspects.

Thoreau, among various authors of the time, uses American nature—a representation of freedom—to create a distinct type of literature. However, that is not his only motivation. The author’s esteem for nature goes beyond the connection it has with independence and borders on religious devotion. Nature is seen—and written about—as a sacred place, in fact, Thoreau directly compares the home of the Gods with nature: “Olympus is but the outside of the earth every where” (1917). This quote suggests that Thoreau believes nature to be heaven-like. Although his religious metaphors are not traditional for his time, Thoreau’s devotion to nature is no less apparent. The author describes his experience at Walden Pond as the life of one of the most devout practitioners: his home is “fit for a travelling god” (1917) and bathing in the pond is a “religious exercise, and one of the best things which [he did]” (1919). Not only does Thoreau praise nature as a place of spiritual enlightenment but, because he is free from society in nature, it is clear that his beliefs have not been influenced. His love of nature is out of pure devotion rather than because society imposed these ideals upon him: his actions are based solely on individual desires. Even the sights surrounding him are sacred, the author perceives his neighboring lake as “a lower heaven itself so much the more important” (1917). Thoreau’s admiration for nature is that of a spiritual devotion not likely to be found among even the most pious Christians of the time.

Hawthorne’s writing, like that of Thoreau, features explicit attention to nature although it is not utilized in the same manner. In contrast with Thoreau, Hawthorne describes nature subtly and in a contrastingly dark manner. Hawthorne’s nature is that of eerie woods crowded with trees and uncertainty: “[t]he whole forest [is] peopled with frightful sounds; the creaking of the trees, the howling of wild beasts, and the yell of Indians” (1294). In striking opposition to the vast meadows and ponds described in Thoreau’s text, Hawthorne focuses on the less desirable aspects of nature, such as the engulfing trees and lifeless rocks. Additionally, Thoreau’s descriptions take place in the early morning or throughout the day when all of nature’s beauty is illuminated while Hawthorne describes Goodman Brown’s descent into the woods at sunset and the subsequent events at night. For, as Goodman Brown asserts, “[his] journey…forth and back again, must needs be done ‘twixt now and sunrise” (1289). This adds to the atmosphere of uncertainty that is portrayed by Hawthorne when describing nature. While nature remains an obvious aspect of his writing, Hawthorne does not utilize its imagery to represent positive ideals, rather, he allows the reader to interpret his contrastingly vague, yet inarguably eerie description of nature. 

Like Thoreau, Hawthorne employs nature and American historical events to create a uniquely American style of literature; however, this is done in a much different manner. Rather than images of the American Revolution, Hawthorne frequently references the Salem witch trials in his writing by using names of individuals present at and prominent in the trials. Although this too, is a significant event in American history, it has a much different connotation: the Revolution represents independence leading to a greater good while the Salem witch trials signify sin and fear brought on by human error. The implication of the event that each author chooses to reference parallels the way the author portrays nature in his writing. For example, Thoreau’s mention of the American Revolution alludes to the concept of independence—a prominent ideal in his writings on nature, while Hawthorne’s mention of the witch trials suggests that nature is a place conducive to sin and misbehavior. Despite the difference in technique, Hawthorne’s focus on nature in his writing helps to establish his writing as American.

In striking contrast with the beliefs of Thoreau, Hawthorne’s weariness about nature stems from its isolation from society. He describes the “peculiarity in such a solitude” found in nature, while Thoreau found solitude to be a form of freedom (1289). Hawthorne’s disillusionment with the solitariness of nature illustrates his belief that society is needed in order to impose moral order on its citizens. Furthermore, the isolation of nature can serve to transform those who, in society, are representative of good character. Hawthorne describes the “holy men” who come to gather in the forest, with the intent to worship with the devil (1293). This illustrates the extreme disparity between the protection of society and solitariness of nature.

Hawthorne’s nature is one that can be possessed by evil because it is removed from society, therefore sin can easily be concealed. This idea is represented in Hawthorne’s text because it is where the devil dwells. Further, it seems as though he has some sort of control over nature when “he [plucks] a branch of maple, to serve for a walking-stick, and [begins] to strip it of the twigs and little boughs, which were wet with evening dew. The moment his fingers touched them, they became strangely withered and dried up, as with a week’s sunshine” (1292). This passage supports the idea that it is not nature that is evil; rather, it can be controlled by evil. While Thoreau would suggest that being in nature, away from society, is the way to achieve spiritual success, Hawthorne seems to portray a contrasting idea. To him, being away from society, in nature, is where an individual is in danger of encountering evil or sin. This is shown in Goodman Brown’s uncertainty pertaining to devout Christians gathering in the forest “where no church had ever been gathered, nor solitary Christian prayed” (1293). He describes nature as “heathen wilderness” which also supports the idea that it is not nature itself that is bad, rather those who gather in it and control it (1293). 

         As a consequence of freedom from the British, American writers endeavored to further distance themselves from the control of England by developing a distinctly American style of writing. This is accomplished by connecting writing to historical events in America and focusing on American nature as a prominent aspect of literature. Both Thoreau and Hawthorne’s writing could be classified as American based on these two criteria; however they choose to use these tools in very different manners

Authors of the time used nature as a prominent theme in their texts because it was something that—in contrast with England—Americans had an abundance of. For example, Thoreau’s Walden, nature not only serves to distinguish his writing as American but also represents his appreciation of freedom, in both mind and body, as well as his spirituality. Thoreau’s fondness of nature seems to stem from its isolation from society, which engenders his perception of ultimate freedom. Similarly, Hawthorne also uses nature to portray his writing as distinctly American; however, he does so in a way that is very different from Thoreau’s techniques. Rather than finding ethereal and sacred qualities in nature, Hawthorne believes it to be a neutral place, removed from society, and used by individuals to commit sins. He also believes that the greatest danger nature imposes is its separation from society, leaving the individual isolated from the moral law set out by society. Therefore, although both writers use natural imagery to represent ideals in their text, they utilize these images in strikingly different ways.

Example Three

Ode to the Words She Speaks and the World She Sees

she asks (me)

questions.

“what if all the streets flooded;

filled with water and then all of a sudden

it was below zero

and it all changed,

and turned to snow?”

these questions--

she shares them (with me).

they bloom from the seeds

of sprinkles and sparkles

that resonate from her

little voice.

( i) pause

(can i conjure up) a response?

a spell perhaps;

one deserving of the mechanics

between her ears?

something magical to spark that lapse in

twirling and skipping and laughing and singing?

simply for an instant,

to know she’s within (my) reach--

oh, but it’s too late.

clouds have sprung from her

fingertips and the sky has

stolen her.

(i know) the sun calls

to her (although i can’t hear,)

for her hair stretches

down (towards me)

and becomes the warm rays

(that tickle my cheek.)

for she never forgets her sister.

Media Literacy

Media Literacy Reflection Questions

1.     What is the importance of teaching media literacy at the secondary level?

The modern world thrives on technology. Media literacy focuses on teaching students how to comprehend, analyze, and utilize different forms of media, including technological media. Therefore it is important for teachers to instruct about a variety of forms of media so that students know how to adapt to a changing society that utilizes many forms of media in everyday life. Media literacy education can also keep students more engaged in learning because often, students are very interested in the media and possess the intrinsic motivation to learn about it.

2.     Brainstorm a list of 3-5 possible media literacy topics to cover in a lesson or unit.

·       Advertising/Consumerism

·       Representation in media

·       Global media

·       Media ecology

3.     Brainstorm a list of 3-5 observable learning objectives for that lesson or unit.

·       Students will be able to recognize and describe methods of persuasion in various types of advertisements.

·       Students will be able to discuss the way in which people, products, and ideas are represented in the media.

·       Students will be able to analyze the effects of media on society

Resources on Teaching Rhetoric, Persuasion, and Media Literacy

• www.Medialiteracy.com
• http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/625/01/
• http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/persuasion-through-advertising
• http://www.medialit.org/reading-room/teaching-media-literacy-yo-are-you-hip

Writing Instruction and Resources

Philosophy of Teaching Writing

                  My philosophy of teaching writing relates closely to my general philosophy of education. Therefore, I believe that curriculum should be student-centered rather than teacher-centered. This means that students should be able to be active participants in their learning as opposed to merely being given information through lectures and textbooks. In relation to writing, this means that I will provide my students with the most hands-on and personalized experiences as possible, allowing them to read on their own, choose their own path to learning, and experiment with their writing. I also believe that it is important for students to incorporate social skills in education because this makes them more engaged and develops important future skills. Therefore, I plan to let my students work in groups to discuss and revise papers that they have written. I believe that this method helps students understand how to work together, take and give constructive criticism, form opinions on writing and realize that the teacher is not the only resource available.

                  I believe that in writing, just as in the classroom students should be treated as individuals and that their self-esteem should always be protected. Therefore, I plan to discuss writing individually with students, to give them a better, clearer idea of what they can work on, what they are doing well, and any other issues there may be. As always when communicating with a student I will be sensitive and compassionate, to avoid hurting feelings or creating frustration. Treating students as individuals applies to grading as well. I do not plan to use rubrics to grade writing. Rather, I will use a combination of checklists—to make sure the students achieved the broad objectives of the lesson—and my genuine reaction to the quality of the piece of writing. I believe this is the only way to accurately assess a students writing, as a rubric can not always cover everything that could be included in text.

Philosophy Resources and Lesson Plans

• www.edutopia.org
• www.learner.org
• www.tarleton.edu/~becker/t4/ConstructivistLessonPlanFormrtf.rt
• http://www.apple.com/education/mac/
• www.storybird.com
• http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/w2-resources.html

Teaching Demonstration Reflection

The teaching demonstration was successful overall because it taught me a lot about working with others, teaching in a secondary classroom, and time management. However, ideally I would have preferred that the lesson had turned out differently. I was very confident in the lesson that my group and I came up with because I felt it would be engaging and interesting for students. I remain confident in the lesson, yet I now understand that to accomplish all of the goals we set, we would need more time with our students. Therefore, I would have changed some of the time spent on other aspects of the lesson, because our main activity ended up being cut out of the lesson because of the lack of time.

I believe that because it was simply a demonstration, we could have spent less time introducing the idea of mood, and instead given a short introduction to the concept and focused on the activity to help students discover the meaning of the concept. This aligns more with my philosophy of teaching; however, working with other students it was necessary to compromise slightly. My strength as a teacher is my ideas. I believe that I have a lot of creative lesson ideas that I have developed, and one of the most important parts of a lesson is keeping students engaged. However, my weakness is that I am not confident with public speaking. As I am able to teach elementary-age students without any issues, I don’t believe this will affect me in the future. During the teaching demonstration, however, I believe nerves were my greatest weakness.

Assessment

Assessment Reflection

1. What are your beliefs about how students learn? What is the best way to measure learning and determine if objectives have been met?

I believe that students learn through discovery and exploration. It is necessary for students to build their own knowledge by hands on experience. Allowing them to do so will also increase retention of information because they are able to make their own personal connections and build on prior knowledge at the level they are comfortable with. Learning should be measured in a way that accurately reflects student learning, and I believe the way to do so is through a variety of authentic assessments. These include portfolios, presentations, discussions, checklists, etc.

2. What are you beliefs about the best way to assess and grade student writing?

As previously stated, I believe that students should be assessed authentically. Because of this, I don’t feel that rubrics can always adequately reflect the quality of a piece of writing. Therefore, I believe it is necessary, although it requires more work on the part of the teacher, to respond to a students writing based on broad objectives students are asked to meet, and what they do within those parameters.

3. How does assessment impact curriculum and lesson planning?
   Assessment impacts curriculum and lesson planning because it can, and should, be used to measure the effectiveness of the teacher. For example, if the students have just been taught a certain concept, simple assessments can be given that are not graded, but rather used to see how much of the information the student understands. If students do not understand the concept, the information may need to be re-taught in a different manner.
   
   
4. How do the NCTE Position statements on reflection impact your beliefs about assessment?

I tend to agree with most of the NCTE position statements. This is based both on similar philosophies of teaching, but it is also comforting to have the support of a reputable organization.

Assessment Resources

• http://www.ncte.org/positions/assessment
• http://www.utexas.edu/academic/ctl/assessment/iar/
• http://www.edutopia.org/stw-assessment-resources-downloads

Reflection on Practice Assessments

         The practice assessments that were completed in class were extremely beneficial to me as a student and future teacher. I had never previously seen such a variety of student writing. We were provided with writing that differed in genre, ability level, and grade level. This helped me realize that I may have too high of expectations for my students initially. Although I always expect great outcomes from all of my students, the practice assessments taught me that growth and grades should be measured by the improvements throughout the year. Some students struggle with writing or have never had a good writing teacher previously so it is important for me to not grade as harshly as I was during the practice assessments. This also taught me that the directions must be made explicitly clear in order for students to accomplish the goals that you set for them. If they don’t understand what is expected of them, they will not achieve it. I can’t say that there is anything I would have changed or done differently for this specific activity.