I spent the first year of teaching doing things the hard way - the hard, ineffective, long way. I would give students an assignment based on a certain expectation, mark it and return it. I would repeat this process throughout the semester varying assignments so they focus on different expectations. Things got crazy - I was covering material, but I wasn't really covering all the expectations adequately. I also was deluged by marking and endless stacks of paper.
About half-way through the 2nd semester I accidentally began to solve my big problem. My ENG 4A class (this was a very long time ago) was studying "Death of a Salesman" and I thought it would be good to present parts of the play. I realized that if they did this, they would be "creating media works" and "interpreting texts". They also would be "speaking to communicate". I should evaluate them separately based on these distinct expectations. This assignment took quite a long time - it darned well better hit more than one expectation if it takes four classes to do! Could this be done with a much smaller assignment in a much smaller time frame?
A lot of people have been upset about the new curriculum being to packed to effectively deliver a good, sound program to high school students. This is a valid concern. Unfortunately, we must deal with it but, as teachers, we are naturally creative folks. I am not terribly creative, but I like getting things done so that the end product is better than I expected.
As a "Simpsons" afficionado and as an English teacher - there comes opportunities in the classroom. It is a formulaic show, it has a primary and secondary plot which can be broken down into inciting incidents, various crises and climax (or climaxes). Conveniently, each episode is 22 minutes long. The episode that involved Apu [the convenience store manager] having an arranged marriage is a good example of a media text that can be "doubled up" when considering curriculum expectations. For a senior level university level course, this would be appropriate. The goal is to compare or a contrast a primary text a certain "Simpsons" episode in an organized piece of writing.
Before viewing the episode "The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons" students would be asked to read the article http://www.asiansinmedia.org/news/article.php/television/1135 and consider the author's content and intent. In class they would watch the episode. While watching, each would make notes about racial or religious stereotypes in the episode: what were they? did they paint a negative view? was racial intolerance the main theme?
Students will choose someone they trust for editing. They can go into pairs after viewing and discuss whether the article represented the episode's theme. With a senior level class, a rousing class discussion could also ensue. The teacher can decide how to set up the in-class collaboration, the time line and the length expectations for the writing. Rough notes, peer editing notes rough copy and final draft are all handed in. Meta-cognition, Revision, Interpreting Texts, Analysing Texts are all measurable aspects of this small assignment. Speaking to communicate could also be measured with ny class discussion. Of course, rubrics for each of these expectations could be easily created. In fact, a rubric-team could have been in place to keep us all from re-inventing the wheel each time we see something valid that begs to be assessed.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/english1112currb.pdf
Dealing with the crowded curriculum is all about killing more than one bird with one stone. The students just have to get used to receiving non-traditional looking results. Blending expectations is a huge time-saver and allows the teacher to get through the semester in a relaxed manner.
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4 comments:
Mike,
I LOVE the title! What a great way to start! I couldn't agree more with your post. Trying to satisfy one curriculum expectation at a time reminds me of a scene for Monty Python's The Holy Grail - trying to chop down the largest tree in the forest with... a herring!
The lesson sample you gave was a perfect example of we can chop away at the curriculum more effectively. Watching The Simpsons episode from a critical eye not only covers media expectations, it's a great hook. The article satisfies reading expectations and the opinion response covers writing. Three expectations - one lesson... such treatment definitely gives teachers much more mobility. Great job!
Mike,
As a HUGE Simspons fan I applaud your approach. Genius! I also show Simpsons episodes as a part of different courses, and it has always been a huge success. Media tends to get short shrift in some courses in favor of finishing the literature units, but your method of incorporating the show is a great way cover those media expectations in a fun and innovative way. Well done!
Boy that opening paragraph describes the perfect hell that I fear too many teachers enter with this curriculum.
Something that's occurred to me since we started this discussion is that at some point about 10 years back, and as part of this reform, boards across the province started not replacing, or chopping the English Consultant position.
Now I know the general opinion of consultants and I don't wear the badge with any special pride, but I do know that without that position, a board tossed its English teachers into the fire with some cross-breed leadership involving Litercy /Physed / Math and Machine Shop.
You know what I mean.
At the provincial level, the English Language Arts Network was the only English subject association (but it was for consultants), and it was there that we fought battles with the Ministry over assessment policies and curriculum. And if you were lucky to retain an English C position at the board, you at least had someone who could get teachers out of this Ex by Ex approach.
Now I know you're all dying to get an English Consultant.z
Second time in, Mike.
You make the important point that English work integrates a lot of the expectations. One assignment covers a lot.
Then, if you look at the fact that, for evaluation, they are asking us to focus on the overall expectations, and if you also take Julie's larger view of the crowding....I think you can be much more comfortable that the world is unfolding as it should.
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