PRACTICE

 WARM-­‐UP    
H O W   W A S   Y O U R   A N S W E R   W A R M -­‐ U P   O N  
T H A N K S G I V I N G   B R E A K ?   T H I S   S I D E  

 
 
Examples:  computer  is  cool  
It  was  good.    
Notes  of  what  you  see/hear.   Thoughts/  feelings/questions?  
Spent  time  with  the  family.    
I  love  my  family  and  there’s  
no  one  else  I’d  rather  be  
with.  
TEACHING  WRITING  IS  A  CHALLENGE.  

Eventually,    
some  
solutions.  
Then,    
some  
understanding.  

At  first,  it  was  

confusion.  
TYPICALLY…  

Is  this  a  nat
ural  way  of  
interacting  
with  informatio
n?  
UNDESIRABLE  RESULTS  OF  TEACHING  THE  
WRITING  PROCESS  

I’m  going  to  tell  you  that  I  had  

a  good  Thanksgiving  break.      I  
had  a  good  Thanksgiving  
break.    I  just  told  you  that  I  
had  good  Thanksgiving  break.  
  ORGANIC  WRITING  

annoyance   Remember  forever   annoyance  

reason,  example  and  explanation.  

Must  use   Relevant  thought  backed  up  by   rubric  
vocabulary  
word  4  X  

English  
Topic   jargon  
Sentence  

Is  it  clear?  
Is  it  supported?  
Is  it  explained?  
 THE  HEART  OF  THE  PROCESS  
Thoughts/
class  notes/ feelings/
concepts  
ideas  
teacher  feedback  

Explanation  
linking   Thesis/main  
example  to     idea/topic  
original   sentence  
thought  

Example/
reference  

APPLICATIONS    1)  lecture      2)  internet    3)reading  a  text  book    4)    reports  
WHAT  SHALL  WE  FUNNEL  INTO  THE    
MINDS  OF  OUR  YOUTH?  

History  
English   &  
&   Elective  
Science  

PE  &  
Math  

Student  
GIVE  STUDENTS  WHAT  GOOGLE  CAN’T!  

Notes/
Teacher  
Critical   Feedback  
Thinking/
Creativity  

Articulating  
Honest  
Personal  
Thoughts/
Feelings  

A  way  to  process  information.  

Student  
 Cornell  Notes  separate  thinking.  
A  HARD  DRIVE        VS.    THE  PROCESSOR    

VS.  

CRITICAL  THINKING  
MEMORY   CREATIVITY  
COPYING   DECISIONS  
STORAGE  
 Writing  Workflow  

Solution  
Summary:  Use  notes,  separate  thought  from  
copying.    Extract  original  thought  
have  them  expand  on  it,  give  feedback  
 Taking  Notes  in  Class  
Responding  to  your  lesson  (not  copying  notes)  can  be  one  of  the  
highest  form  of  critical  thinking.  

Creation  of…  
Thesis  
Topic  sentences  
Main  ideas  

Therefore,  if  they  can  respond  to  notes  with  thoughts  and  feelings,  
they’re  writing  Thesis’,  Topic  Sentences,  Main  Ideas  

No  summary  of  notes  because  it’s  not  organic  

always  convenient,  annoying.  
 Show  
2001    
clip  

What  happens  when  our  perspective  changes?  

We  have  the  same  thing,  but  we  look  at  it  differently.  
It  changes  everything.  
See/Hear/Copy   Respond/Create/Think/Feel/Ideas  

Caesar  took  over  Rome.       Why  would  he  do  that?  

   
He  beat  an  army  of  100k  men  with   How  is  that  possible?  
twelve  thousand  men.    
  I  want  to  know  how  anyone  could  
He  was  a  dictator.       do  that.      Google  it!    
   
  Does  that  mean  he  was  a  bad  man?  
   
He  was  killed  my  Roman  senators.   Why  would  they  kill  him?    How  did  
  they  do  it?  

Potential  thesis  statements/  

Main  ideas/  
Topic  sentences  
See/Hear/Copy   Respond/Create/Think/Feel/Ideas  
See/Hear/Copy   Respond/Create/Think/Feel/Ideas  
See/Hear/Copy   Respond/Create/Think/Feel/Ideas  
Tell  me  what  you  think.  
 
“Give me an example.”!
!
“How does that make sense?”!
!
“ Give me an explanation.”!
!
What I tell my students:
 
1)  Tell me a story (problem and solution)
2)  When you’re afraid of what your writing, then it’s probably good because
it’s honest.
3)  Words are not enough, therefore draw, use figurative language to explain.
  
Pitfalls:    
 
It  takes  time/investment/feedback  because  it  doesn’t  work  right  away.    Once  
students  get  it,  however,  they  remember  it.  
 
No  feedback?    It  won’t  work.        Feedback    Log,  Check  Journals,  etc.  etc.    
 
 Teacher  feedback:  If  a  drop  of  water  never  feels  the  
heat,  it’s  view  of  the  world  never  changes.    

Students  are  a   Teachers  feedback   Once  they  feel  the  heat,  

drop  of  water.   is  the  heat  (inspiration).   They  will  be  elevated/  
view  of  the  world  will  change.  
Let’s  check  out  some  Teacher  warm-­‐ups  
 and  notes!  
I  had  a  good  Thanksgiving.  
 
Why  was  it  good?      
 
I  saw  my  grandma  (example).  
 
Why  is  that  good?  
 
Please  explain  why  spending  time    
with  your  grandma  is  so  good.